My Best Friend’s Wedding – Life at the Speed of Light and One Year Ago

Time seems to be moving at the speed of light these days.  My mother in law always says each year comes quicker than the last and I am realizing this to be true.  Scary yes, but more so inspiring.  Inspiring because the moment I start to fuss and worry my mind triggers to think of all that is precious.  Being moved to marvel at life rather than worried about it,  is my goal.  Today I’m marveling at my two friends and the life they have just begun building for themselves…

One year ago today my best friend married her soul-mate Stephen.  How they met and came to be instant friends is a testament to all that is sacred in love and life.   So my love and best wishes go out to you both today.  Cheers to two people who know just how fleeting this life is and are committed not only to each other, but also to making each moment count.

 Their expressions say it all in these shots by Danny Bostwick.  I can only show so much but be patient, more from this wedding in 2013!

A Momental Girl Get’s Married – Interview with ADG Photography

Choose a favorite photograph taken by yourself and tell us why it is so.
This is my favorite photograph that I have taken because it’s the result of a happy mistake. The wedding was on the grounds of the Fonthill Castle and Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. Typically, they do not allow couples to take photographs inside of the castle, but because the vendors made a double-booking mistake during the planning process, this was one of their ways of making it up to the couple. The image is so dramatic and the lighting couldn’t have been any more perfect. A very happy mistake, indeed!

Maggie T.

Protected: Warehouse Shower – August 9th 2012

Behind the Scenes – All White Wedding Inspiration on Style Me Pretty

The Grand del Mar resort epitomizes old world elegance with the flair of eclectic personality.    With this impressive location as our backdrop we chose a lush palette of whispery whites to conjure a scene of full of contrasts.  Georgia O’Keeffe paintings inspire lush textures and lavish moods…  Old meets new with a distinctly modern twist….

Yesterday I blogged about staying limber; challenging yourself as an artist.  This shoot originally produced for Exquisite Weddings Magazine was my marathon.  For a girl who loves color, bold and not, soft and bright, designing in all white was a big hurdle.  You’ll see below that with the help of some friends at The Grand Del Mar, we were able to cultivate some killer all white wedding inspiration!  When I set out to design a shoot, it is usually because something is tugging at my heart to be explored in stationery.   So many couples are going back to basics and placing color on the shelf for more clean, understated shades of white.  White can be bold and we were ready to show the world just how!

I began with a “Wow Whites” Pinterest board and chats with Joyful Weddings.  Georgia O’Keeffe’s many white flower paintings inspired the palette overall…

Kathy Wright went to work arranging a variety of white blooms in and around cut glass vessels…More sculpture than arrangement, the look never felt overdone.

Two bouquets were created…this version was all paper blooms and findings.  We created “ribbon” out of thin paper strips featuring the same sketched lace from the table runner.  Sliver dipped lace elements hung throughout and lastly vintage white velvet blooms added a last bit of texture.

So all white…almost.  I sketched a few varieties of lace in black for just a touch of contrast!  With the help of Ribbons and Rust I added to my collection of cut glass.  Glass buttons and more of our paper “ribbon” were styled amongst some Iris, fragrant Gardenia and Roses.

Vintage laces make a strong appearance but in a hand drawn disguise on sleek papers.  Pops of thick white inks add another layer of dimension to each piece while an unexpected layer of plexi added substance and a bit of sheen.

Our paper “ribbon” makes another appearance of the invitation’s silk presentation folio all tied up in a bow.

Cut glass meshes with modern ghost chairs and plexi details for an eclectic romantic vibe.  How much do you love these lace pattern plexi chair liners??

White on white floral artwork was painted on each menu then adhered to plexi layers…

A garden of lilies and iris were hand painted on large sheets of plexi.  Each guests name was hand written and then laid atop an ivory painted table…

The cake…oh the cake!  Inspired by the scalloped gown seen here, Melody from The Sweet and Saucy Shop combined asymmetrical blooms, smooth tiers and scallop edging to

Another peek at the sketched lace…

A final little moment to share… We love the idea of handwritten notes to each guest or couple.  They can be used as place cards, seating tents or even just laid out at the end of the evening.  Just a thoughtful way to share a personalized sentiment with all of those who cared enough to attend.

I’m incredibly honored by the full feature on Style Me Pretty last week, be sure to have a look as they published the complete gallery of images for all your viewing pleasure.   Thank you so much to the team for the artistry that oozes from every moment of this shoot.  XO

Photography- Jill Thomas Photography  ::  Photo Shoot Venue – The Grand del Mar in San Diego, California  ::  Event Styling, Design + Stationery – Kristy Rice of Momental Designs  ::  Event Planning + Design – Joyful Weddings and Events  ::  Production – Be Inspired PR  ::  Floral Design – Kathy Wright of Kathy Wright and Co.  ::  Paper Bouquet – Momental Designs  ::  Wedding Cake – Melody Brandon of Sweet and Saucy Shop  ::  Vintage Rentals – Ribbons and Rust  ::  Linens – La Tavola Linens  ::  Wedding Dress – Alisa Benay via The Bustle  ::  Hairpiece – Desla Couture  ::  Hair + Makeup – Erica of 10.11.Makeup

Julie H.

My Story is Art – On Staying Limber

I don’t know much about sports but watching the Olympics or portions of the Tour de France get me pretty excited.  The stories, the triumphs, the tribulations…all make for some excellent TV watching.  This weekend I happened to catch portions of the Tour de France.  As the newscast panned to several cyclists staying limber on stationary bikes I got to thinking…As artists, we too need to stay limber. But how?  So of course, the straightforward train of thought tells me to practice.  Staying agile in your skill is about repetition and training, right?  Sure, no one would argue.  What I began to consider though, is the mindset of staying limber through experimentation and challenge not just doing the same thing, the same way.

Armed with surgical gloves, a dust mask and a few palette knives I launched into mixing pure pigments this weekend.  Really, this was uncharted territory for me but the promise of more vibrant color and better control over my medium was enticing.  4 hours in and only 14 colors mixed and to be honest some were  looking better than others.  The point is that I did it.

I will be mixing more soon.  Painting with these colors has brought me another level of understanding; understanding my art, my medium, myself.  Stretching my watercolor knowledge beyond what I’ve always done is making me more limber, no?

With fresh picked blooms and my sweet little  Spice by my side, I spent the afternoon lost in newfound color and unexpected vibrancy.

My brushes seemed to move differently, the paint took on a life of it’s own…I seemed more locked into the moment than before, awakening parts of my brain that had gone unnoticed.

Painting wrapped around midnight and I felt energized, moved…entirely in the moment and yes limbered up and ready to tackle more of this newness I’d discovered.

So whatever it is that you do and love…how are you staying limber?