soul mates photography

since we are talking about invitation ideas, check this one out. i have just recently met a wonderful photographer and fantastic person, melissa tomeoni, who is the creative eye and designer of soul mates photography here in portland. and during our great cup of coffee (well, her coffee because i am prego and can't have it!!) she showed me this invite. i absolutely LOVE this idea. this couple took their engagement photos and made a colorful tri-fold invite for their guests, including the cutest postcard of themselves for a rsvp! i think this is a wonderful idea for couples to introduce themselves and show off their personalities to their family and friends--especially if you have a spouse-to-be who is not so familiar to everyone coming to your wedding.

melissa also sent me some of their engagement shots that help create their invitation look. thank you so much melissa!!! we shall see more of her and soul mates photography soon!

studio olivine

good morning and happy monday--wow, do i feel refreshed from this weekend!! i hope you all do as well :) and when we got back last night i was so excited to see some e-mails from a good friend of mine julie dutton from studio olivine about her latest invitation endeavor! i've been anxiously awaiting her newest designs and this one is just gorgeous. she's never one to disappoint!

my eye is always drawn to letterpress and handmade paper--there is nothing like it. and since i am not the letterpress expert, i wanted her to share with you her vision and process for this invite:

So these were a really fun project. Their wedding theme is Damask. So everything relates to that pattern in some way. They came to me and said they wanted Damask, but nothing that was flowery. So I hit the fabric store and got some inspiration. They really wanted something inclusive, so I decided to design this as a folder with a pocket. The large plum colored pattern was printed with one giant wood block letterpress plate. The pockets were scored and glued on the corners by Elisabeth (my helper) and I. Then on the invitation, I used a pale lilac wash version of the Damask placed behind the text so that people's eyes would get a chance to breathe a bit, but everything would still be tied together. The rsvp cards were stuffed into the pockets. Total this took 9 different letterpress plates. There were 200 invitations, so that means that it took a total of 1,800 times through the letterpress to finish the project. Two full days of work. A labor of love, indeed.

i hope we will see more of studio olivine's designs soon! thanks so much, julie!!

Portland Trunk Show

there are plenty of trunk shows happening around portland--love it! so this weekend at the ania collection downtown portland, they are featuring jim hjelm bridal. please call ahead for reservations.

porltand sample sale!

attention all you portland brides!! i am so excited to announce that divine designs is having an exclusive sample day sale this may 16th and 17th--designers' samples by vera wang, monique lhuillier, elizabeth fillmore, amsale (one of my absolute favorites!), anne barge, and many others! so call right now because space is limited--a wonderful chance for you to find that gown you have been lusting over for months! prices are anywhere from $500 to $3000.

Gown Friday

jcrew...understated elegance.

enjoy your weekend!!

Portland Trunk Show

yay! some love for the bridesmaids!! this friday through sunday, the ania collection in downtown portland is having a trunk show (again! i love that they do so many. we need these in portland!) for jim hjelm bridesmaids. so get the girls together, try on some fabulous dresses, and get a bite to eat that the entertaining greek cusina just down the street and enjoy your weekend.

Jared Birt Photography Summer Promo!

jared birt photography is offering a special summer promotion for weddings held in august or september of 2008 & 2009: $400 off any of their wedding packages. craziness! okay, all you brides i know who get engaged and bust out a wedding in 4 months (wait a min, that's what i did ;)) or even if your photographer is just not working out the way you have hoped this is your chance to save an extra buck with a photographer who is definitely worth the big bucks! jump on this before their remaining summer dates are gone!! for examples of his work check out his website or even look at my earlier posts of his last year weddings.

Judith Arnell Jewelers

today i want to share with you one of our local jewelers, judith arnell. she is located in the pearl district and is known for her wonderfully relaxed boutique atmosphere and appreciation for the finest of stones and designs. i encourage you to check her out downtown and even visit her website--i have heard nothing but great things about her and if you are in the market for some wonderful jewelery and of course engagement/wedding rings this is the place to go!

Portland Trunk Show

this weekend, friday through sunday, the ania collection in downtown portland is featuring the best of lazaro trunk show--be sure to call a head to make an appointment if you are interested in seeing his collection! the lazaro bridal collection is filled with glamorous, body-conscious shapes that transform each bride into a stunning, sophisticated creation. and with a combination of luxurious fabrics with feminine silhouettes, every lazaro bridal gown a haute couture feel.

BBJ Linens

i am so excited about this website! this is one of the best fine linen rental websites i've ever come across. bbj linens has an excellent and grand inventory of fine linens, in all different colors and fabrics, including: chair covers, chair ties, napkins, table runners, and a wonderful couture line that is custom designed for their most exclusive clientele. but one of the most exciting parts of their website is the interactive "design center" where they feature their new designs or you can create your own look. it is so fun! i put together a couple of my own--obviously inspired by the orange and greens...why? ...i'm not sure. it's just so luxurious and glamours. bbj linens also has a great photo gallery to look at events they have so masterfully created. i have shown some of those as well. love it! check it out. their locations are all over the country--the seattle branch services the portland area.

Jared Birt Photography

good morning and i hope you all had a wonderful weekend in the sun! today, with great pleasure i am featuring photographer jared birt. my husband and i were blessed enough to meet up with him downtown at sip and cranz (which i love in the pearl!) to look through his portfolio and talk wedding "shop"--well, my husband didn't do too much talk, but he did enjoy a sugar-free vanilla latte :) anyway, we had a wonderful time. and though jared may be a little less known around these parts, he is one of those hidden jewels in the portland area--such a fantastic photographer with a great eye for the beautiful. and his urban style, in his personal and professional life comes through so wonderfully in his photography--

jared sent me some photos from last years wedding season and hopefully we shall be updated with more weddings to come from him this year. enjoy and thank you jared!