Leila H.

Trend Sketching Bridal Market NYC 2012 – Douglas Hannant and Stephanie Allin

You never know what to expect from Bridal Market, a nod to tradition or a splash of color; we of course welcome the latter.  Like I’ve mentioned before this is our second year back and we’re still fine tuning our fashion crystal balls.  We’ve been following our favorite designers and trends but there were still many pleasant surprises in store. Douglas Hannant and Stephanie Allin were two designers with distinctly different looks this year… which kept us on our toes and in our sketch books!

Douglas Hannant looks this season were distinctively daring with peekaboo silhouettes and angular folds. The showstopper was an origami style ball gown with tiers of deep pleats casting shadows for maximum dramatic effect with powerful results.

But what caught our eye was the intricately beaded and embroidered Taffeta gown that shimmied down the runway…all inspiring the sketch…

Icy silver hues of richly textured floral pattern cascaded organically over the gown below- effortlessly interesting, chic and endlessly inspiring.

Images courtesy of from left The Bride’s Guide

Lux, lacy and feminine, Stephanie Allin’s designs have a definitive mystique. The richness of her textures played in soft nudes and warm blushes creating a dreamy landscape  to sketch. I found myself charmed by soft sweeping curves and sprawling florals as my pencil scribbled across the page.

Her delicate beading layers with three dimensional blooms and bursts of sparkle kept my eye moving across the dress, taking it all in. Allin plays with color, texture and shape in a way which evokes the story of a worldly woman whose home is her suitcase and style is her savvy.

Oh…there is so much more to come!!  And, yes, you may have noticed…the ballgown is back.

Inspirations – Mid-Century Modern Meets Chinoiserie

Chinoiserie captures a certain whimsy but maintains a distinct sophistication.  Marry that with a mid century modern inspired pattern and we’ve entered a whole new world of lovely.  More please.

Chinoiserie Wedding Cake, Mid Century Modern Concrete Block, Pattern Frame Wedding Invitation, Frame

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

Christina A.

A Real Momental Wedding – Danielle and Matt, Big Canyon Country Club, CA

Who knew this color lover could fall so hard for a white a gray palette?  Something about this wedding; the sincere couple, frothy Vera Wang gown, sketchy stationery, it draws you in.  I was introduced to the Bride, Danielle by Constance Curtis, her lovely planner.  Our breezy blooms, which look to be fresh off a sketchbook page inspired the entire stationery suite.

Who doesn’t love a sophisticated ballroom?  The mix here of woods and crystal chandelier is enchanting.  Not overdone or too traditional, this space was made to wow.

Glass in all shapes and sizes made huge impact on the tables.  Quite possibly my most adored aspect of the wedding is how the tables seem to glisten from the simplest of glassware in abundance.

A full suite of stationery included signs, table names, menus, programs and vintage key escort ties.  Simple paper choices of textured white and gray allowed this subtle hand painted details in sheer shimmer inks to really shine.

We collected vintage keys for Danielle and Matt.  Then thick satin ribbon was hand painted with a bold stroke of white.  Once dry each name and table was handwritten onto the ribbon and a key threaded through the end.

Grey Likes featured this wedding last week and it was the first time I saw this stunning portrait.  I just had to share!!

A hug thank you to Danielle and Constance for letting us be a small part of the lovely celebration! XO

Photography – Aaron Young  :: Planning – Constance Curtis Events  ::  Flowers - Nisie’s Enchanted Florist  ::  Gown – Vera Wang ::  Venue - Big Canyon Country Club

My Story is Art – Trellis Pattern for Envelopments, The Stationery

Wrapping up my Behind the Scenes look at Trellis Shoot today.  To get caught up with all the lovely Tangerine Tango Wedding Inspiration, check here, here and here!! To celebrate the launch of Envelopments’ newest pattern designed exclusively from my hand painted watercolors, I created three distinct stationery suites.  Each is meant to show off a unique face of Trellis.

First up we have the modern take on Trellis with a hand drawn font, graphite scribbled envelope liner and watercolor washed backdrop.  The Trellis layer even features extra detail added individually with pencil.

Next was the feature stationery suite seen throughout Trellis Shoot.   The orange version of the pattern made a strong appearance in the Pocketfold holding all of Meant to Be’s Calligraphy‘s gorgeous hand.

A silhouette of my favorite Trellis bloom was painted in juicy watercolor shades of raspberry and tangerine.

Lastly, I wanted to show off Trellis’ more sophisticated side.  A palette of gray and blush combined with grayscale version of Trellis bloom painted with sheer shimmer inks.  Oh and the silver dupioni silk ribbon…oh love.

For place cards I revised the Trellis silhouette but painted this time in creamy white ink.  Against the lunch bag-esque paper the artwork popped.

Paper didn’t stop at invitations…Trellis blooms were meticulously cut to craft this all paper bouquet.  All elements of the Trellis pattern were featured; paint spatter, watercolor stripes and detailed brushstrokes.

Another look at the place card on our custom paint spattered dinnerware!

Lastly and most importantly I need to thank the incredible team who made sure the vision came to life!  From the stunning images to the impactful film and all the moments in between, I am forever grateful.  I’ve said it before, but it is true.  Making art with a group of creatives links you forever in a series of splendid moments where ideas are realized and artful passions indulged.

Styling, Stationery and Design – Momental Designs ::  Photography – Swoon Over It Photography ::  Pattern and Papers – Envelopments ::  Production – Be Inspired PR :: Design & Production Assistant -  Jessica DalSanto :: Cinema – Birdhouse Productions :: Floral Design – Sullivan Owen :: Vintage Rentals and Custom Upholstery – Maggpie Vintage ::  Gowns- After Six by The Dessy Group :: Calligraphy – Meant To Be Calligraphy :: Cakes – Truly Scrumptious :: Rring Bearer Bowl – Paloma’s Nest :: Custom Belt-  DESLA  ::  Make-up Artist: Beke Beau :: Hair – Tatum Neiderhiser, Aura Salon, Kingston PA ::  Models – Danielle Pasternak, Amanda Savory, Steph Strazdus