Warning!!!  TONS of photos in this post.  Please be patient and let it load…  I promise they’re each more gorgeous than the next, so it’s totally worth it!

I’ve already teased this wedding inspiration shoot once.  And it’s been featured already on Ceremony Blog.  And heavily on my website, along with the sites of most of the involved vendors.  But I haven’t had the chance to fully blog it.  And I’ve been wanting to.

I’m basically caught up with backlogged posts (now, two months after starting to post on a more regular basis!).  But this one has been a long time coming.

Almost a year ago, Desiree from Penny Blooms Floral Design and I decided that we wanted to do a styled shoot together.  We started discussing it in earnest in the Fall, and in December decided on a January 28th date.  We originally had a completely different idea in mind.  Eventually we’d like to see that one through, but at the time we couldn’t find all the pieces we’d hoped to use.  So a week and a half before our scheduled shoot, we made the painful decision to cancel.

Only, we already had planned to do something that day.  We’d already spoken with Iliana Morton Photography about taking pictures.  And we had a lot of other ideas in our heads.  Why not try to make something else happen?

So we sat together at one of our favorite restaurants (funnily enough, it was a favorite of both Desiree and I well before we met each other) and brainstormed.  The design flowed fast and easy, and we knew we had a good idea.

Our Boho Glam inspiration shoot was born.

In just a week and a half, we were able to organize the entire shoot, from rentals to makeup to the amazing dress provided by FreePeople…  Let’s just say that things just fell into place.  And working with Desiree was like sharing a brain with someone else.  We disagreed (ever so slightly) on one single point (out of hundreds) during the entire planning process.  And even that was only a difference of opinion and resolved quickly.  The rest of the planning went so smoothly it really did feel like ESP.  More than once one of us would say something that the other had just thought.  It really is an amazing feeling to design with someone who “gets” you!

Our original models were perfect for our original shoot idea.  But once the look of the shoot was changed so dramatically, we had to look elsewhere.  We simply didn’t have time to find a “groom,” but we were extremely lucky to find the perfect “bride.”  Of course I’ve known her for an awfully long time.  Because she’s my sister.  We started to discuss what look we wanted and I realized she fit it perfectly.  So I asked if she was available that day, for fun photos in a pretty dress with professional hair and makeup.  Who could pass up a proposition like that?

Of course Desiree would provide the OMG!AMAZING! florals.

She and I also spent much of the week leading up to the shoot shopping for just the right pieces to use for the shoot itself, including the fantastic fabric we used for runner, accents, and napkins.  Desiree also found the plastic horse figurines used at each place setting, and spray painted them purple to match our colors.  I have to admit I was a bit skeptical (this was actually the point of disagreement; I voted for gold paint!), but she stuck to her guns.  And I’m SO glad she did.  They brought the perfect element of unexpected whimsy!

Since we didn’t have a lot of time to plan, it was a long shot to get any fashion.  We actually went to a few thrift stores but couldn’t find what we liked.  So I took the chance and contacted FreePeople Clothing.  It was the day before the shoot when I got an e-mail from the Director of Marketing asking if we were still interested.  WERE WE????

I drove up to the nearest store (a 40 minute drive) that evening, after grabbing a few last finds from a thrift store and stopping by Classy Covers to pick up tablecloths.  And the store manager and her staff could not have been nicer.  Seriously, what an excellent find!  The dress we chose had literally just arrived on the shelves.  It fit our shoot to a “T”, not to mention our model.  She loved it so much that she bought it!

Her fabulous shoes were another find.  After Desiree and I searched high and low for the perfect pair, our model stumbled upon them at Kohls!

The jewelry came from a variety of sources.  But the big center necklace with the purple stone belonged to my grandma Noni.  She was so stylish!  The “engagement ring” is an Alexandrite from my great aunt.

Of course, outdoor settings don’t come with rentals in place.  Since we were at Pioneer Park, we basically had an open slate.  Desiree and I had a quite a few pieces, but Abbey Party Rentals filled out the rest, including the amazing amber glass goblets.

The incredible Ashley of Unbridled Beauty (whose logo is next up on my “to-blog” list!) had no good place to work.  Without power or mirrors, she rolled up her sleeves and started doing our model’s hair and makeup – in the car and in a chair outside!  But the results?  STUNNING.

We also enlisted the services of Nicki of Calculated Whisk and Jessica of Sweeter by the Dozen, to make us cake balls and an unfrosted layer cake, respectively.  Without much direction (and both dealing with tough mental and physical weeks), they demonstrated that they truly are both artists!  (Side note: I actually designed both of their logos too!)

I spent much of our setup time perched on a ladder.  I should mention that I’m not such a big fan of heights.  But ribbons, frames, and Moroccan lanterns don’t hang themselves.  And this?  This was worth it.

Stationery was our biggest road bump.  We had actually talked with two separate up-and-coming stationery designers, both of whom agreed to design our pieces and both of whom backed out.  With just five days before the shoot, we realized that if I didn’t design the stationery, we wouldn’t have any.  So I started designing.  I stayed up late, got up early, and pretty much didn’t leave my computer.  My printer did a super-rush job for me (thank you so much Derek!).  Like every other part of the shoot, though, the design just flowed.  I have to say that I think that this is my favorite stationery set that I’ve done to date.  I adore it.  Every part.

I can’t say enough how much I love the stationery.  And I can’t believe I designed it in such a short amount of time!

The overall look of the shoot was really whimsical, incredibly gorgeous, and quite unified.  I’m extremely proud of it, and of all the fantastic vendors who worked with us to create such a magical shoot!

I can’t help it…  I need to show more photos!!!

Purple and Gold Boho Glam Inspiration Shoot 01*28*2012 Details:

• Event Design: Events by Elisa, Penny Blooms Floral Design
• Event Stationery and Styling: Events by Elisa
• Florals and Horse Statues: Penny Blooms Floral Design
• Photography: Iliana Morton Photography
• Rentals: Classy Covers, Abbey Party Rentals
• Cake Pops: Calculated Whisk
• Cake: Sweeter by the Dozen Cakes
• Makeup and Hair: Unbridled Beauty Makeup Artistry
• Dress: FreePeople Clothing

Our Boho Glam shoot was featured on Ceremony Blog!

I’m SUPER excited about it!!!  Of course seeing the feature reminded me that I’m painfully behind with my own blogging.  Hopefully once I finish my website I can pick up where I left off.  Hopefully.

Now all the pieces are done, printed and to the clients.  And I’m so proud of them.  At last week’s wedding, Dave (the groom) told me he was so surprised (in a good way) with all the finishing touches I’d made.  I got a text from Emma when she received her invitations that had over a dozen exclamation points.  And Friday (when I was at Disneyland with friends) I got an e-mail from Rogue Bride with the subject line, “LOVE THEM!”

Have I said how much I adore my job?  Let me just say it again.  I adore my job.

Anyway, Rogue Bride blogged her invitations.  And she does love them!  I do too.  That paisley is one of my favorites!!!  And she took a much prettier photo than I could have (although I’ll share Chris and Emma’s sometime because they’re super fun, even if I have to take photos myself).  I’m so happy I could make her happy!!!!

Also, if you visit my website any time soon you’ll notice that it’s under construction.  Finally and officially.  I was able to get one critical piece working yesterday and hope to have it completely redesigned within the next two weeks!

Head on over to Baby Lifestyles to check it out, and while you’re there take a look at all the other gorgeous inspiration there!

This was a labor of love (and, yes, like Iliana said, we ended up putting it together in about a week).  I did the print materials design and styling, and shared event design duties (including the gorgeous hanging ribbons and frames) with Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design.  Hair and makeup were done by the oh-so-talented Ashley of Unbridled Beauty Makeup Artistry (also, I need to blog about her logo!), with a Sweet Table featuring a cake provided by Sweeter by the Dozen and cake balls by Calculated Whisk.  And let’s not forget linens by Classy Covers (with custom runners made by Desiree and myself), rentals by Abbey Party Rentals (including those fabulous amber glasses!), and a FABULOUS Free People dress!!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who was involved in the shoot.  I’m totally in love! <3!  More photos to come very soon!

This shower was originally scheduled – and styled – for outdoors in a pretty, terraced backyard.  But a week before the shower was to take place, we found out that our Southern California sun wasn’t going to behave.  Instead of having a beautiful relaxing sun-soaked November day, we’d have soaking of a different sort.  Rain.  Buckets of rain.

I can’t lie – it was a bit of a shocker, since no one counted on rain during what was supposed to be a very dry November in San Diego.  What was worse was that the home where we’d planned to hold the shower couldn’t accommodate 70 people indoors.  So, thanks to a very generous coworker, we moved on to Plan B: the gourmet kitchen and bar areas of a private clubhouse (the rest of which was already rented out that day for a bridal shower!).

Luckily it was an absolutely gorgeous venue, and luckily even the rain didn’t keep away the throngs of guests.  We showered this Mama in style!

We created some really fun touches, from GORGEOUS sea urchin vases custom made by the insanely creative Desiree of Penny Blooms to cascading bubble chandeliers made from clear glass ornaments provided by the mom-to-be to a wishing tree made from driftwood.

Natalie and Tony decided that they didn’t want to know the gender of their unborn baby, so we threw a completely gender-neutral party (complete with coloring pages asking if the kids in attendance thought the baby was a Stella – girl – or Brayden – boy, and a single game asking adults in attendance to fill in their guesses for birth stats and gender).  I have to admit, it was kind of tough staying firmly in the “cute and gender neutral” category, but it was helpful that Natalie chose such an adorable “Under the Sea” theme, inspired by a set of scrapbooking stickers she found when she found out she was first pregnant!

I created a set of printed pieces including an invitation featuring original artwork (inspired by the stickers) an original poem by Practically Perfect Poetry, Prose, and Proofreading - I just love how much personality there was in that sweet little turtle!

Then of course there was my personal favorite feature of the party – a huge ocean-themed sweets buffet featuring a gorgeous “wave” backdrop of fabric that my amazing assistant found at Joann’s Fabric, hand-assembled clamshell cookies (made by me!), a sculpted sandcastle cake by Hey There, Cupcake!, and the most adorable sea creature cake pops by Calculated Whisk!  The “sand” was actually brown sugar, and the rocks and shells were candy – and every kid there (and some of the adults) loved that they could eat every bit they wanted!  Plus brown sugar was inexpensive, non-toxic, and looked and smelled amazing!

I can’t help but throw in one extra shot of those cookies…  I just love them so much!

And of course I’m happy to report that Natalie gave birth to Baby Boy Brayden last month and he’s beautiful!

Natalie’s Under the Sea Baby Shower 11*12*2011 Party Details:

• Venue: Private Clubhouse
• Design+Coordination, Print Materials Design: Events by Elisa
• Florals: Penny Blooms Floral Design
• Linens: Classy Covers
• Cake: Hey There, Cupcake!
• Cake Pops: Calculated Whisk
• Catering: El Pollo Grill
• Photography: Eyelet Images

Maya came into this world six weeks early.  It’s my theory that she was just way too excited to finally meet her parents and couldn’t stand waiting any longer to do so.  I mean, with incredibly awesome parents like these, I don’t know if I’d have waited around either!

It was, understandably, scary for Maya’s family and everyone who loved them, back in November of 2010.  But now, it was time for a fiesta – a celebration of life honoring this beautiful big-eyed rosy-cheeked smarty pants!

Jacquelyn sent me artwork she liked (purchased off Veer) and I laid out an invitation fit for a fiesta, along with food tags for the dinner and cupcakes!

I created these gorgeous giant tissue paper marigolds with the help of my incredible assistant Rachael, and Maya’s mom loved them so much that she kept them to hang from Maya’s bedroom ceiling!  Of course I couldn’t have hung them without the help of my “other” assistant, my amazing husband Ryan!  If you like them, you can buy a custom set in my Etsy shop, here!

Something I try to do whenever I’m shopping for a social event is to look everywhere, all the time.  Whenever I’m out and about, shopping for groceries or office supplies or the like, I have a constant list of things I’d like to find in the back of my mind.  I usually find the best – and best value – decorations for social events and inspiration shoots this way!  This party was no exception – I found the lollipops on clearance at Target and the fabulous fabric used for the table runners on sale at Joann’s fabric.  Actually, I should say that my assistant Rachael and my sister Jessica (who were shopping with me) found the fabric.  I just decided we had to have it, and I was right!

Of course this amazing cupcake display would not nearly have been as beautiful without the artistry of Stevi from Hey There, Cupcake!, who created all the cupcakes you see, as well as the sugar skull smash cake in the center (yes, that’s a cake!!!!).

Maya had never eaten sugar before, so she wasn’t quite sure what to do with her cake, but everyone else enjoyed these gorgeous treats!  She also loved opening her presents –  so she could play with the tissue paper and bags!

Her mommy thought of every detail – down to the bib she wore for her cake smash.  :)  This family photo makes me so happy too – aren’t they beautiful?

Thank you Jacquelyn, Dave, and Maya for letting me be a part of your fiesta!!!  I loved helping to make your day memorable and beautiful!!!!

Maya’s Dia de Los Muertos First Birthday Fiesta 11*13*2012 Details:

• Venue: Private Residence
• Catering: Porkyland
• Cake and Cupcakes: Hey There, Cupcake!
• Paper Goods, Tissue and Cut Flowers, Table Runner, and Decor/Coordination: Events by Elisa, with supplies from Wholesale Flowers, Joann’s Fabrics, and Target

In the midst of all of our e-mails back and forth to one another about our upcoming events, Nikki mentioned that she needed a new logo, and that she’d been admiring my work.  (!!!).  A super nice, talented, up-and-coming baker who wants me to design her logo?  Sure thing!!!

We got to work.  She wanted something modern and a little abstract.  I kept trying to complicate things!  In the end, her logo is modern, clean, and understated, with a touch of abstract art in the whisk shape.  I love it so much!!!

Check out her logo in action on her newly-designed website!

Listen here, and see the original post here!

Now, I love beautiful over-the-top amazing and/or frilly weddings as much as the next girl, but as I have said over and over, there is no one way to plan a wedding, and there is no reason you can’t plan a beautiful wedding without spending a ton of money.  It’s all about being realistic – and creative – with your budget.  Which is why I enjoyed the perspective so much at the Cocktail Hour – it’s all about making smart choices, with a good helping of snark.  Seriously these two ladies crack me up.

Lauren and Christie asked me if I’d be up for creating a logo for the podcast, and of course I said yes!

They gave me a font they loved, a color, some ideas, and said “go for it!”  I started off with the idea of doing a traditional “graphic” logo in Illustrator and even made a couple of attempts at a cocktail glass.  But I have to tell you that it was boring, boring, boring.  This show is anything but boring!  The most important part of graphic design, in my opinion, is editing, during both design conception and execution.  In other words, I knew I had to edit my original approach to the project.  That’s when I realized that what this project needed was a photograph.  A really interesting photograph.

I’m not a photographer, so the task was daunting.  I actually started off with a bunch of photos of the full cocktail glass with the engagement ring (not mine!) floating inside, but I wasn’t in love with the way they looked.  More boring.  More idea editing.

I spilled a little bit (actively, taking photos of the spillage).  I just started playing around with the spill and realized that I really liked the look, and that the spilled drink went well with the irreverence of the whole show.  So I styled and shot and restyled and reshot and finally came up with this:

I loved the imagery of the spilled cocktail with the engagement ring!  All it needed was some processing (aka: more editing, this time of the photo itself), and about 2 hours over Skype laughing until my stomach hurt (and nerding out over the English language) with Christie and Lauren.

The resulting logo is subtle and edgy, interesting and fun.  We all love it.  It’s easily one of my favorite design pieces ever, and I’m so proud of it!

The second podcast (“Forget the Cake, Let Them Drink Booze”) went live this morning, and it’s SO good!  If you are planning your wedding, or have ever planned a wedding, or like weddings…  Or just like snark…  It’s totally worth checking out on iTunes or by clicking on the logo below!!!  (iTunes is being stupid right now, so I’ll update the link as soon as it’s started behaving again!)

Word of warning: The language does get a bit salty in places (since I tend toward wholesomeness online, I want to make sure I make that disclaimer!).

The groom had obviously prepared, because his first question was a doozy.  ”What sets you apart from other planners?”

I have to admit, I said out loud that he was asking the hard questions!  It’s so difficult to compare one planner to another.  But I really liked my response, and I wanted to share.

There are three things that make me unique among planners in San Diego.  Some planners share one or two of these with me.  But I think the combination of all three is what makes me special.

1. I believe in exceptional service.  I take on a maximum of two weddings per month, and never schedule two on the same weekend.  This is by design, for a number of different reasons, including that I want to have enough energy to really make your wedding day amazing.  But it also means that you will be my only client for the week of your wedding.  That entire week leading up to your wedding day I’ll be able to focus on your wedding (I may still be talking and meeting with other brides and grooms, but as yours is the only wedding I’ll have for that whole week, you’ll be able to get almost all of my attention!).
2. I am realistic about costs.  I’d never, never tell a couple that they couldn’t have a wedding for their budget.  It’s all about prioritizing and making alternate arrangements, but I’ve seen beautiful weddings at every price point.  I’d also never tell a couple that they could have a wedding for X amount, while knowing that it will cost them X+.  If I’m given a budget, I’ll do everything in my power to stick to it.  You’ll also be heavily involved in any budget changes, if they do arise.  I will work every bit of magic to get you the best wedding day possible within your means, and I am realistic with my pricing.  I may not be the cheapest wedding planner out there, but I work hard to give all of my brides and grooms the best value, and the benefit of my years as a nonprofit gala planner.
3. I’m not just a coordinator.  I’m an Event Designer.  This means that I do more than just tell people what to do on your wedding day (seriously!).  I can help you conceptualize your wedding style, find pieces that will fit within your overall look, feel, and budget, and tie it all together.  I also own boxes and boxes of unique and vintage decor (as well as some standard pieces) to help my couples make their vision come to life without breaking the bank.  And don’t forget that I design event-related paper goods, too!

Desiree’s son Desmond celebrated his first birthday at the end of August.  When you’re the son of an event professional, your birthday party is sure to be a blast!  Sure enough, Desiree’s amazing creativity shone through each and every bit of this gorgeously styled outdoor event, from the handpainted circus elephant cupcake tower topper to the multicolored fabric streamers decorating the tents to the popcorn box “vases.”  I was honored to be print materials designer and to assist Desiree with setup, coordination, and styling!

It all started with the circus idea.  When Desiree approached me about doing invitations for the party, I asked her if she’d rather have a cutesy or modern/edgy vibe.  She chose modern/edgy, so I worked on a text-heavy invitation that captured perfectly the whimsy and creativity we were going for (if I do say so myself!).  Designers are always cautioned to stick to no more than 2 to 3 fonts in a single page, but I had far too much fun mixing and matching, and threw caution to the wind.  I love it!

Of course the party wouldn’t have been as stunning without thoughtful details provided by Penny Blooms Floral Design!  She even had a ball pit and a mini big top, along with a photo booth area for the grownups!

I couldn’t resist bringing along a few of my favorite items too:

The food was provided by the incredible Jason.  He’s currently working on his catering business name (I’ll post it when it’s official!) but I’ve got to tell you that this guy is worth checking out.  I can’t wait to share when he’s ready to take on clients, because  in addition to being a really nice guy, his food was fabulous!

Cupcakes and cake pops were provided by Nikki at Calculated Whisk.  She even made gluten-free flourless cupcakes (which totally made my day)!  And they were soooo good.

Nicki also made a spectacular smash cake just for Desmond!

In addition to designing the invitations, I designed a bunch of additional signage for the party.  Like these:

And this was probably my favorite sign to design:

Of course I can’t have a first birthday post without some cake smashing photos!

THANK YOU Desiree for letting me be a part of your handsome son’s special day, and thank you to all the amazing vendors we worked with!

Vendors:

• Event Styling: Penny Blooms Floral Design, Events by Elisa
• Print Materials Design: Events by Elisa
• Catering: Jason (will update when a business name is finalized!)
• Cupcakes, Cake Pops, and Smash Cake: Calculated Whisk
• Photography: Eyelet Images

First of all, though, my friend Jennie’s awesome custom bunting (with some of my flowers…  oh, do I love my milk glass!):

I don’t know if she’s ready to start taking orders yet but I swear she should make and sell her handmade goodies – that girl is so talented!

I’m super-proud of the invitation, featuring original artwork by yours truly and an original poem by Practically Perfect Poetry, Prose, and Proofreading.  Seriously, all, my friends are the bomb.  Cassiopeia IS taking orders, and I swear I don’t know how she does it.  She whipped up this perfect Mardi Gras poem in less than a day!

Last but not least, my friend Helena picked these cake pop favors up from CakeyPops, and I made the sweet little tags to go with!

Congratulations Christina!  I can’t wait to meet Baby Girl!  Thanks for letting me be a part of your shower day! <3

Before I get to the pretty photos, I want to share the love that she sent me about my last post:

OMG, Elisa!  What a super, super sweet feature!  Such kind, generous, happy, warm thoughts and words — thank you so much!!!  And, thank you so much for getting us and what we were going for — and for helping making it happen!  And, you made it look easy and no stress, how do you do that?  I miss collaborating, talking and thinking with you!  You were always so receptive and supportive of all the crazy ideas from the start, being excited with me about the million cute and creative ideas out there, and talking me through just about all of them.  At the end, the day was so much more than I could ask for — all I could be was happy and overwhelmed.  :o)

E + D, every time I see the photos from your wedding I end up with a big dopey smile on my face.  You guys rock!

And now on to the pretty things!

E wanted a very handmade look to her wedding invitations, so she asked her friend R to make a papercut background for us to use!

R worked magic with her scissors and her scanner, and sent me this.  Seriously, isn’t it gorgeous?

She even cut out E+D’s names and “hung” them from the banner between the two trees, but obviously that’s been blurred.

The only thing was – construction paper is a different size and shape than invitations.   So I worked with E for about 8 hours, playing with drafts and sending ideas back and forth from San Diego to Los Angeles (thank goodness for the internet!).  It was a marathon session, since E+D weren’t sure until a few days before whether they were actually going to send out paper invitations, and wanted to get them sent out a month in advance of the big day.  But I’m really really proud of what we came up with.

I know it might not mean a lot to anyone who’s not a computer design nerd.  But the original invitation background was made from construction paper.  Working with it digitally involved painstakingly cutting out pieces of the original invitation and blending colors (since construction paper has natural variations).  And since we changed the aspect ratio (landscape to portrait) entirely, I found I needed to create some pieces of the picture that weren’t there, including lower tree trunks, grass, and flowers.  I conjured up tiny shadows to mimic a scanned construction paper page.  In addition (and I know it’s hard to see in the photo), I worked with E to find a font that looked like it, too, was cut from paper.  I also created a reply card and a map to match, taking little elements of the invitation and recoloring and editing them in the style of the original.  This was a true labor of love, but when it was done it was truly beautiful.

But the gorgeousness didn’t stop there.  You’ve already seen the front cover of E+D’s program, but in case you need a reminder, here’s the photo taken by Heidi Ryder:

This photo isn’t nearly as gorgeous (since I took it), but here’s the cute bird detail we added to the back of the kraft paper program (we wanted it to look like they were stamped, the look we went for on the front too):

And inside was a beautiful “medallion” that R designed.  This art was used on the COOLHAUS wrappers too!  Photo by Heidi Ryder (yes, sorry, I blurred out names too).

And R came through during the reception too, creating the gorgeous custom guestbook to match (photo by Heidi Ryder):

Of course I had to get in on the act, adding birds to my chalk welcome sign (photo by Heidi Ryder):

E had tons and tons of ideas.  And I love how we were able to in tie many of them – even ones that didn’t seem to go together – using a single motif!  The handmade birds really made the details of this gorgeous wedding!

This Rancho Palos Verdes wedding was all about Los Angeles.  From the food trucks which served guests dinner and dessert to the table names, made from photos of street signs in the couples’ favorite neighborhoods, the laid-back personal style of this couple and their love for their city was evident throughout.  The wedding’s overall feel was handmade but modern, relaxed and celebratory, and the couple was sure to include lots of fun and thoughtful elements.  They wanted to make the day comfortable and fun, with an emphasis on family, friends, and food.  The wedding itself took place in the groom’s parents’ home, with the cocktail reception, photo booth area, and food truck service in the front yard, the cake in the dining room, and the dinner in the back yard.   This entire wedding was put together in just under three months, and the bride and groom’s amazing family members all pitched in to help out.

An enormous thank you to the amazing Heidi Ryder for sending me these lovelies with such a quick turnaround time (and for re-sending them when I needed it!).  The full vendor list is below.

First, the program.  The wedding invitation (which is now featured here) was a colorful cut-paper affair (the guestbook, below, matches it).  But the bride wanted the rest of the wedding day details to be modern and understated, with the look of being handmade.  Yes, these ideas can coexist.  I’ll show in a later post how we tied the whole thing together, but for now, isn’t this pretty?

One of the groom’s aunts put together all of the flowers for the day (including corsages, boutonnieres, a crown for the flower girl, and these lovely bouquets!):

The ceremony was at a local church; following the ceremony, the bride and groom took photos on the beach while their guests mingled at their cocktail hour, which featured a fun photo booth area.

The morning of the wedding, as we were setting up the photo booth area, I decided that there needed to be something a little more special in the background, so I whipped up some tissue poms.  They added just the right touch!

A friend of the bride’s had created papercut art for their wedding invitation; she used elements of the original artwork, plus the kraft paper used in the other printed materials for the day, to create this amazing handmade guestbook!

To welcome guests into the reception, the bride asked for a chalk board.  I made this out of a spare cupboard door, and created some artwork to mimic the birds on the wedding invitation and guestbook.

We used belly bars in the front yard to allow guests a space to stand and eat, and the bride requested menus at each table.  The mother and aunt of the groom spent a weekend putting together countless succulent pots to decorate the tables for both the cocktail hour and the reception.  Each pot was filled with a mixture of plants.  The pots in the back yard all matched, while the ones in the front yard were unique.  It’s little elements like this that I just love.

The back yard was transformed from a simple grass area into the perfect party.  Ambiance AV provided white globe lights to make the space magical.

The same very talented friend of the bride who created the invitation artwork and the guestbook put together this fun seating chart!

You may have noticed the table names on the seating cards.  For anyone not familiar with Los Angeles, they’re the names of neighborhoods in the city.  The bride and groom are UCLA alums, and have lived in the city for years, and they just love where they live.  They made table names from photos of the street signs in their favorite neighborhoods – the resulting table names were a big hit!

Another of the groom’s talented aunts baked and decorated the walnut wedding cake with cream cheese frosting.  It was incredible!

The bride and groom are huge foodies and knew that they wanted to feature food trucks at their wedding.  They contracted with Kogi for a dinner of Korean tacos and Coolhaus for a dessert (yes, there was cake and dessert!) of ice cream sandwiches, including brown butter and bacon ice cream!

E+D, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day!  I adored all the fun little details, the personal touches, and the love that you put in to every single element of your wedding!!

Thank you to the team of amazing professional vendors, below:

• Photography * Heidi Ryder Photography
• Day-of-Plus Coordination and Design * Events by Elisa
• Invitation, Program, Menu, and Sign Design * Events by Elisa
• Photo Booth Props and Design * Events by Elisa
• Lighting * Ambiance AV
• Rentals, Catering, and Service * Huntington Catering
• Dinner * Kogi BBQ Food Truck
• Dessert * Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck

• Artwork (used in invitation, guestbook, program, and custom ice cream sandwich wrapper) and Seating Chart Design * friend of the bride
• Floral Design * aunt of the groom
• Cake Baking and Design * aunt of the groom
• Succulent Design * mother and aunt of the groom
• Reception Location * parents of the groom

As Barney Stinson says on How I Met Your Mother, “Challenge accepted!”

I worked for a few hours to put together a basic design and sent it off to her, and it was just what they needed.  Uncomplicated, using all the pieces they needed, and easily translatable between media.

They used it for the whole testing campaign, which is now over.  I think it makes a pretty cute shirt, as far as school shirts go!

iROCK tee-shirt, Logo Design by Events by Elisa

And here’s the poster:

iROCK poster, Logo Design by Events by Elisa

The design is all original – from the scroll to the tent, all made with a few (okay, a lot) clicks of my mouse.  I love the look, too – a sort of vintage circus poster in the Cirque du Soleil colors (the bride’s cocktail hour had a Cirque theme)!

Welcome to Cirque du Cabaza - Events by Elisa

Cirque du Cabaza Photo Zone Instructions - Events by Elisa

Baby Shower Invitation Featuring Custom Artwork - Events by Elisa

Check in tomorrow to see photos from the shower itself, or visit my Facebook page!

Well, the bridal shower was last weekend, and it turned out beautifully, and I wanted to share some photographs with you!

A very blue sweet table! - Events by Elisa

Love is Sweet! tags, Events by Elisa

A peacock wishing tree with custom tags - Events by Elisa

Peacock Wishing Tree with tags - Events by Elisa

All of the jars, the wishing tree, the crystals, and the large peacock are all available for rent through Events by Elisa, too!

Sweeter by the Dozen LOGO by Events by Elisa

Do YOU need custom business cards, announcements, or a logo?  Email me for a quote!

All I can say is I’m so glad!

I opened up my Etsy shop this morning with a few paper designs (I’ll be adding more as I make them, but the ones on this shop will be easily customizable and pretty standard, as opposed to the completely custom ones I’ll be creating for you if you contact me directly) and a handful of the 20-ish props I have finished.  I have a few more that need to be made, but I had to go back to the store for a Sculpey run!

My favorite is this one, a handmade Rolling Stones tongue:

Rolling Stones Tongue Photo Booth Prop - Events by Elisa

I’ll be updating the whole shop within the next few weeks, including all of my props and some fabric bunting.  I can custom-make orders for you, too.  Of course anyone who rents my photobooth props for their wedding or event will actually get the use of all of my props included in the price tag!

To stay on top of all the great things in my shop, check out
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EventsbyElisa
.  While you’re there, “favorite” me!

The invitation I created for the "wedding" concept, featuring hand-drawn artwork!

I am so, SO proud of this design.  Seriously I’m in love with it.  And I’m so excited to share with you!  I realize I owe several blogs (including the end of my “Any Ideas?” series, which I promise is coming!) but I finally had a few minutes to check over my photos from the last week and I am thrilled with the results!

Today’s post is dedicated to the Cinderella-Inspired Vintage Concept Table I put together for Alfred Angelo’s “Girls’ Night Out” event.  It was a small evening where vendors were invited to showcase their talents, and I’m so very glad I could be a part of it!  The store’s assistant manager and I go way back (he helped my sister find her Maid of Honor dress for my wedding three years ago!) and I was so excited to be able to participate in this event with him and his excellent staff!

As for the table…

I saw this fantastic brown metal “birdcage” while browsing around at Ross a couple of months back.  It’s in the shape of a pumpkin carriage, but it’s not frilly or overly princessy.  I fell in love with it and, despite putting it down and walking away three separate times, finally had to buy it and bring it home.  Seriously.  Love.

I actually had been planning a pretty concept shoot or two around it, but when this opportunity came up at Alfred Angelo I jumped at the chance to have an “excuse” to create my table.  I was lucky enough to get connected up with the incredible Melissa at Pow Wow Vintage Rentals, whose incredible finds have me drooling.  When I mentioned the event (and the manager’s suggestion to bring a “small round” table) to her, she suggested instead a beautiful rustic dark wood piece.  I immediately said “YES!” without even seeing a photo (I saw it later on her site and was giddy about it!).   What an incredible combination with my pumpkin carriage!

Then my good friend Jessica from Sweeter by the Dozen created the adorable cake for me.  I just said my colors were pink and white and she came up with the design.  I love the beautiful fondant rose!  And the flavor?  SO amazing!

I was originally planning to skew a little less pink and a little less frilly than I actually went with this event (despite the Cinderella theme, I didn’t want it to scream “princess”, but as I was picking out pieces to use (almost everything on my table is from my inventory – I’m so behind updating my event rentals catalog!) I kept being drawn to frosted glass and milk glass, and lots and lots of pink.  I just decided to go with it (and bring in some pretty browns and greens to help create that vintage feel) – after all, Cinderella is a princess!

I tried, in this table, to demonstrate what I do.  I included a printed invitation, a card “box” with tag, a sweet table setup, some pretty florals, and some fun details, so that you can get the “flavor” of what such an event would look like.  Obviously this particular table is nothing you’d actually have at an event – no one would be eating dinner at your sweet table, and your cards would likely be elsewhere – but I think it’s a great demonstration of what I can do.  I even made about six yards of bunting by hand for the event.

This event is a great example of why I say that I prefer having a long lead time for event design – especially if I’ll be shopping for new pieces – because I had just over a week to plan it out and it was a major marathon at the end (I wanted a small table to complete the look and went to every thrift store within 25 miles, only to find the one I did at a shop less than a mile from my house).  I love ordering items online and just barely received the glass slipper with hours to spare before the event.  And because good design takes time, I was making changes to my table up until setup (which is normal), including buying ivy at the store less than an hour before leaving my house (not normal).  I also wish I’d have had more prep time because the taffy were really supposed to be pink French macaroons that I simply ran out of time to make or order.

I really was wishing I had another few days to prep!

But despite the short prep time, I’m seriously seriously adoring this whole table.  I sort of want to create one for each fairy tale princess now (someone hire me to do that for their wedding, please?).  I love the whimsical and unexpected details (like the mouse – people couldn’t get over him!) and the fun vintage feel.  I can definitely see Snow White’s table with a big dish full of apples and bunting made with antique blue fabric with little red flowers.  And a mirror of course.

But I digress.  And I should just post the photos already and let you see what I’m so very proud of!  I hope you like it just as much as I do!  Oh – and obviously I’m no photographer – so some of these may be lacking in composition points.  Please don’t hold it against me!   And for more photographs, visit my Facebook page!

My pumpkin carriage, which inspired it all!

A last minute detail - ivy in frosted glass!

Pink rock candy in milk glass

A mouse!

More ivy and Cinderella's shoe! (this was the ivy I was buying at the store just before the event!)

The gorgeous full display, including table, lace cloth, and place setting by Pow Wow Vintage and cake by Sweeter by the Dozen

That said…  I’m excited to share this super-fun Bachelorette Party with you!

The bride is one of my best friends – I’m actually her Maid of Honor – so I wanted to do this right!  I guess that’s what happens when you have an event planner in your wedding party!   Two years ago, I held my bachelorette party at Club 33.  When she got engaged and asked me to be her bridesmaid, she told me that the only thing she wanted for her bachelorette party was to have it there too!

Of course part of the fun of going with a large group of people to Disneyland is the swag.  As the bride is a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan, I wanted to go with that theme.  I had so much fun putting together everyone’s gift bags!

For the e-mailed invitation (printed out here), I created this custom artwork from a movie still.  Using Photoshop, I made it look like Jack Skellington was wearing Mickey ears and holding a Club 33 badge!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Invitation - Events by Elisa

I also used a movie still for the iron-on transfer on the back of each tee-shirt, which featured Jack and Sally singing to each other.  Both wore Mickey hats!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Tee Shirt - Events by Elisa

My friend Katie of O’Cakerie made these INCREDIBLE Jack and Sally cookies (that were also incredibly tasty!).  Everyone agreed that they looked perfect!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Cookies by O'Cakerie - Events by Elisa

In addition to the cookies, I filled the goodie bags with candy-flavored lip balm, bubble necklaces, pixie sticks, bubble gum, ring pops, and glow sticks, and closed it up with pipe cleaners and these cute little tags I made!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Goodie Bag Tags - Events by Elisa

Here’s the whole package, including the headband/pipe cleaner Mickey ears created by another friend and made by my sister!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Swag - Events by Elisa

Here’s a shot of all the girls in their tee shirts and ears (the bride had changed into a nice dress for the lunch).  Yes, I’m lugging a giant plastic bag – I hadn’t given out the goodie bags yet!

Monica's Disneyland Bachelorette Party Attendees - Events by Elisa

We had an excellent time and I know the bride was happy!  And I sure had fun making goodies for everyone!

Coco wanted something that was: vintage but polished; in a combination of her favorite colors (orange, blue, and purple); preppy argyle or nautical; whimsical but restrained, without being too girly.  Plus, she wanted the title of her blog (Through My Lens) to be in all-lowercase lettering.  She joked that she was a walking contradiction!

But I think we found a good balance, and she’s just updated her blog with her new header.  I custom-designed the argyle using Illustrator (I like the dashed lines) and kept the whole thing very simple and clean at her request.

Go check it, and Coco’s blog and photography, out, here: throughmylenscoco.blogspot.com

You might be able to just make out the image of the antique clock face in the background of this design; it's a photo of my husband's grandfather clock!

I took the photo of this poppy last year, and manipulated it using Photoshop and Illustrator

But for my friend and May bride’s bridal shower, I wanted to do something very special.  So I custom-designed a graphic for her bridal shower to go with the fabulous peacock theme I’m planning for her.

The first attempt at designing went okay, and I like the feathers:

My first attempt! Not bad, but not great...

But I decided that I wanted an art deco feel and a monochromatic invitation.  So I redid it.  I LOVE the elegant lines!

My second peacock - I LOVE the lines of the neck and head, and the feathers are gorgeous!

The finished product:

My very own artwork!

I’m so excited to send them out tomorrow!!!