Weddingbee PRO
To catch up on my renewal planning adventure check in here, here, here, here and here! The hubby and I just booked our flight for a trip to Las Vegas and Zion next month. Our first stop will be in Vegas for the much anticipated Engage!09: The Encore. We then head to Springdale, UT for 4 days in Zion National Park. I cannot wait to choose our ceremony location and stop in at the Bit and Spur to plan our post-ceremony celebration meal!
Lately I have been thinking in more detail about favors and flowers for our renewal celebration and my mind immediately seems to go to succulents…
I adore succulents. Since last year, these lovelies have been popping up here, there and everywhere in weddings. It is no surprise since these tiny little plants pack a lot of color and texture punch. The renewal is months away but I am already thinking about favors for our guests. Succulents could be perfect. I just love the tin container below that doubles as a seating card. Last weekend I picked up a bunch of these Depression sherbet glasses. Can you imagine a succulent bloom planted in each one - such a sweet little favor!
So now I am thinking decor…
In addition to contributing to Weddingbee PRO I also write for my own blogs, RiceInk and Muddy Brushes. I thought it might be fun to share my favorite project from Muddy Brushes each week. Head over here to read more about the story behind the gallery name!
So this week it is Janelle’s project that really wowed me, largely due to the subject matter honestly. Janelle’s celebration is taking place in Sedona, AZ, one of the most beautiful places on earth. She requested that a red rock landscape be incorporated into her Vintage Lace Tree wedding invitation.
Janelle’s favorite quote was included in the wrap design:
“I will bring you water if you will share your wine and I will feed your heart if you promise to feed mine and so we will dance together until the end of time.”
It seems like forever ago I created the very first Momental Hydrangea Wedding Invitation for Kelley, my fabulous managing assistant. The artwork was small and stunning and seemed to inspire a continuing interest in this lofty bloom from that point on.
The first Momental Hydrangeas as created for Kelley.
As the years passed, my hydrangea artwork has evolved to be included in what we now call the Big Bloom Collection. Big paint strokes contrasted with fine painted detail epitomize this collection. The bloom has come a long way for us, but holds a special place in my and Kelley’s hearts for sure!
From the big and lush to petite and refined, hydrangeas have been interpreted a variety of ways at the studio. Earlier this year I created a bold black and white pattern for Tamie’s custom stationery collection (top right) mimicking the silhouette of my ivory hydrangea illustration.
Is there a flower being used in your planning that holds special meaning for you?
For this week’s Inspired Ink, I called on the amazingly talented Janie of The Bride’s Cafe and Janie Medley Flora Design! I am sure you are all familiar with the edgy, romatic style featured on her daily blog in addition to the artistry she weaves into each of her floral creations. Janie sent over a few of the newest images of her favorite bouquets captured by Katie of Open Air Photography.
Read more here about Janie’s new line of greeting cards - stunning idea!
As an artist who has been painting nearly every day for the last 20 years, I have inevitably developed a list of artists who I admire. Georgia O’Keefe, for me, is the quintessential artist. As a young painter myself, I recall poring over 100 Flowers, marveling at each juicy floral. In college, O’ Keeffe’s Light Iris and many others graced my dorm room walls.
What I admire most about O’Keeffe are her interpretations of subject matter. To put it quite simply, she painted the flower as it made her feel. Through examination of brush stroke, color and texture O’Keeffe brought each bloom to life while infusing her personality and perspective.
Now please note, I do not presume to compare my watercolor invitations to an O’Keeffe painting, really. I do however approach my subjects for painting in a similar fashion. When I set out to paint a bloom or landscape or whatever it may be, I find something that excites me. Instead of reproducing the exact reality that I see, I instead infuse my vision into the painting. More intense color, small dots or flourishes here and there, an exaggeration of shadow all capture a sense of excitement and life that I see in the subject matter I paint.
The planning adventures continue! We met with our caterer about 2 weeks ago armed with dozens of inspiration photos and ideas galore… You may want to read more about the vintage charm inspiration board, the red, yellow and orange color scheme, the destination save the dates and the venue.
Pat Greenfield owns the fabulous Grico’s in Wyoming, PA. Eating at Grico’s holds great memories for both the hubby and I. From her homemade soup creations to soy noodles with peas at every July 4th party, Pat has it covered. Can you see a pattern here? It has been our goal to plan and work with individuals who we have known for some time and/or whose specialty holds some significance for Adam and I.
My wedding ten years ago was held in a traditional banquet facility and the only concern for food I had was to ensure it was served hot! This time around the Hubby and I wanted the food to be plentiful, unexpected, easy to eat and fresh. A good deal of attention will also be given to display and color palette. We also want to share our favorite fare with our guests but in surprising presentations. For example, we both love a good Caesar salad, but who wants to sit around a fabulous party laden with a huge plate of greens - not me. I adore the Caesar bites below!
Another fun detail that I am still working out is a sauce bar. I LOVE sauces and lots of them. We are hoping to serve a variety of roasted meats and what better to complement than a variety of sweet, hot, savory and creamy sauces? The depression glass tumblers below will be the perfect containers I think!
So how much consideration are you giving to food during the planning process. Is it a big deal for you?
French fry display, Veggie kabobs, Cool veggie display, Depression glass display, Monogrammed spoonfuls, Caesar salad bites
Recently I reached out to Chrissy from A Perfect Palette with a fun idea. She picks the palette, I create the invite. So Chrissy emailed several of her favorite inspiration boards from The Perfect Palette Blog (a must read if you don’t already) and I chose “Yellow Makes Me Happy” to inspire this week’s custom invitation creation.
As I browse the completed photos from the last week I was surprised to a reoccurring muted palette. I am a fan of color and tend to infuse some intense shades into every piece I create - or so I thought! I must admit my new (and apparent) fondness of the classic fall wedding colors is obvious from the varied use of gold, brown, champagne and ivory. From left to right, Marianne’s brown paisley gatefold featuring a shades of pink Vintage Lace Tree, Jennifer’s hand-brawn frame illustration with hand-painted details in gold and burgundy and Andrea’s simple but chic letterpress with hand-painted dots and swirls.
Earlier this summer I received a lovely email from Monika in Sweden. She spoke of her plans for a September wedding at a countryside Inn and a day filled with thoughtful details for her guests. After working through the first design round of her Vintage Stamped Tree invitation, her partner Gordon sent me a beautiful email (it is not often I can describe email as beautiful) detailing more design direction. It is the following paragraph that stopped me in my tracks and immediately transported me to the magical day he so expertly described. So this is what Gordon wrote:
“We want to express to you the feeling of a late summer’s afternoon with golden sunlight trickling through the trees. Baskets of apples and pears. Relaxed smiles after happy vacations. Boisterous conversation and laughter over glasses of champagne and bottles of beer. Creamy cake with berries. Kind of a garden party/barbaque equals good wedding party! Not to forget: the two of us, of course. Have a look at the splendour of Monika’s lovely bouquet! I’m getting all carried away now, so I’d better stop.”
Gordon, please do not stop! I was so enchanted by his words I just had to share. I certainly would love to be on Monika and Gordon’s guest list, wouldn’t you?
It is time for another Inspired Ink! Read more here and here to catch up with my previous creations!
While making my morning blog rounds (as I like to call it) earlier this week, I checked in with one of my absolute favorites, What Juneug Loves, to discover a post on the very talented Kathy Wright and Company. I often get lost in the luscious photos included in each of Christy’s posts (this time was no different), but after reading a bit I discovered that the hydrangeas in these magical bouquets are hand-painted!
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Kristy Rice, Pennsylvania
Vendor: Invitation Artist
Website: Momental Designs
About Me: I remember drawing by flashlight way past my bedtime as a
young child – I never stopped. For me creating art is not an act but a
lifestyle. I am passionate about creating moments on paper, my
home, loving my hubby and believe you can never have too
many fantastic handbags.
