Kay's Baby Shower Samples!

Babies, babies and more babies! We have gotten quite a few request for Baby shower Invies lately and I love designing them. There is nothing more precious than awaiting the arrival of a pink or blue little bundle of joy. Our client Kay comes from a very large family and a few months ago I designed Pink and Choclate Baby Shower Invites for her sister Wislyna.

This time around, I am designing Baby Shower Invites for her brother Elton and his fiance' Joanne who are expecting a blue bundle of joy, yes it is a boy! Once again I get to work with my husband on this project and Kay I hope you love the samples!

Sonya and Llewyn's Bling Cake Topper!

Our client Sonya is a sweetheart and is planning an uber FAB tiffany blue, silver and black wedding in the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina. This modern and chic wedding will take place in the summer of 2009 and her theme will also feature crystals and some hints of black and white damask! One of several items that Sonya contracted us to do for her was a Swarvorski Crystal Cake Topper. For her topper, I wanted to use all of the colors in her color scheme and I love how the black makes her topper go POP:




Sonya has this uber FAB Blog where she writes about her wedding planning experince. You click here to visit her Bridal Bliss Blog.



Sonya thank you for letting us be a part of your special day and I know your theme is going to be spectacular!

Kaycee's Memorial Candle Samples

Memorial Candles are a great way to honor loved ones who are not at your wedding physically but are there in spirit. One of the items that we make in our Etsy Shop that is dear to my heart are our Memorial Candle Sets. I made these for my own wedding because my parents who were married for 30 years are both deceased and I wanted to create a way for their presence to be at the ceremony.




Our client Kaycee wanted me to design some Memorial Candle sheets on vellum for her, so she can honor her many loved ones during her wedding ceremony. This is the first draft utilizing various fonts that I created for her, so she can decide what she likes. Kaycee I can't wait to hear your feedback!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

EVENTistas will be be closed today and tomorrow to celebrate this fabulously delicious holiday with family and friends! We hope that you are stopping to take the time to do the same.






We will return to our regular operating hours on Saturday November 29th! Happy Turkey Day!

Getting Down to the Business of Business Cards!

Business Cards are a great networking tool that can help propel you and you wedding and/or event based business to new heights. Whether you are an event planner, photographer, graphic designer, or other vendor that caters to weddings and events; a great business card is a must have to develop long lasting relationships in the event and wedding planning industry.

Although horizontal business cards have always been the traditional standard, vertical business cards are the newest eye catching trend in the world of comany networking. Here are 5 reasons that all companies should have a business card:

1. Business cards can travel where resumes and portfolios can't. If you happen to be at an event or out on the street, you can always have business cards handy, but you may not always have a huge portfolio or resume with you to showcase your work.

2. Your business card is like your mini resume. It has your job title and all of your contact information in one compact place that is easy for potential clients to hold onto.

3. Business Cards have flexibility, not only can you pass them out but you can give them to other people to pass out as well, which helps spread the word about the particular service you offer.

4. Business Cards are a low-cost marketing tool!

5. Business Cards are very easy to make in programs like Microsoft Publisher or with online print companies likeVistaprint that utilize pre-made templates or templates you can custom design.

I designed our new company business cards in Photoshop and I decided to go with a vertical design:


Front


Back


With the right business card, you will be well on your way to developing long lasting relationships no matter what industry you are in!

Thank You's & How To's

Ok so you've planned and planned; said your I DO's and even tossed the bouquet before heading off into the sunset with your love......now that you are back from your whirlwind ride its time to open all of those wedding gifts and thank your guests! The problem is how should you write them, where should you start and what should you do if you don't like something! First relax. This can be a very overwhelming task for a new couple because it is time consuming and you want to make sure you send your thank yous out in a timely manner. Here are some frequently asked questions to help you get started.





*Card by Papyrus

What should I write in my thank you notes to my guests?
A standard thank you note will consist of you thanking the person for sharing in your special day and attending your wedding. You also want to include the specific item that they gifted to you in the note so they know that you received it, a special anecdote can also make it more personable.

Example: Steve is looking forward to me making mom's famous casserole in the beautiful dish you sent us!

How soon should I send thank yous out to my guests?
Proper etiquette states that you send thank you notes out within 2 weeks of returning from your honeymoon. However given the fact that you have to get back to work and life duties and may have an extended amount of things to open, my suggestion is to send thing out within 30 days of returning. Your guests know that you are very busy and have other priorities but they do appreciate and deserve a thank you card in a timely manner for taking the time to attend your wedding. Also this is a good way for you to open your gifts sooner than later. It isn't necessarily a good idea to wait until the one year mark almost to acknowledge someone got you a gift either. If you received gifts in advance you should send these thank you notes out immediately and the same rule applies for gifts that arrive after the wedding.

A few of my guests didn't send or give me a gift do they get a thank you card?
In cases like this don't be upset that someone did not send a gift. It is never ok to point this out to them because you may not know the circumstances of the situation. For some people they didn't have tome to send one before so they may have to send one after the wedding. Another reason could be that they couldn't afford to purchase a proper gift so they showed their love by attending the event. On the other hand if they did send you a gift and it was not received then they would inquire if you received it within a few weeks of returning from your honeymoon, or at least they should.

I absolutely hate the item my friend got us, how do I get rid of it without hurting her feelings?
You may not like the gnomes of many nations gift set that your aunt Sylvia sent to you but you still need to thank her for the gesture and for taking the time to get you something. It's true you may not like all of the gifts you receive but you do have to send them a note and never tell them that you are less than pleased with their selection. Thank the guests for the item and that you will think of them when you look at it or that you appreciate the item and make no mention of your distaste for it. In some cases, guests will include gift receipts with their purchases in case the style or item is not of the couples taste and it is fine to exchange it but thank them for the gift they initially sent.

Example: Aunt Sylvia thank you so much for the Gnomes of Many Nations that you sent to us, we truly appreciate you sending us such a unique gift!

BAD Example: Aunt Sylvia thank you for the gift you sent to us, it wasn't our taste so we did exchange it and are very happy with the crystal candle sticks we purchased instead!

Someone gave us a beautiful gift but there was no card, help!
If this happens there are two things that likely come of it. The person who gave you a gift will inquire whether or not you received it after a few weeks because they didn't get a thank you card for it or they will assume that you hated it and just didn't bother to send one back. Ok so the last part isn't quite true but so that doesn't happen make every effort to find out who the mystery gift is from. You can enlist a few family members to get the word out or if you have a wedding website established you can put out an APB to say "Someone sent us a lovely tea set but the card must have gotten away from it and we want to thank them properly for it. If this was you please let us know!"

Can't I just email all of my guests and tell them thank you for coming instead of sending letters?
Absolutely not! This is one task that you should never cut corners on! Your guests took the time and effort to choose a gift for you and attend your wedding, the least you can do is thank them in writing for their efforts and participation. A handwritten note that is personalized for each gift should be done. Always remember to make the note more about them and not about you. You want them to know that they and their generous gift was very much appreciated. Never send a pre-printed card either, this shows that you didn't put much effort into thanking your guests and it will show with a standardized message. To make sure that you aren't holding of until your funds bounce back, make this apart of your wedding budget from the beginning. If you have already mapped out how much you want to spend on each line item don't forget to add those in too, along with the postage to send. One last tip is to chose nice stationary to send your notes on, computer paper or notebook paper will never do.





* Cards by Wedding Paper Divas

This can be a time consuming project so don;t be discouraged or frustrated if you haven't finished them in one afternoon. It may take a few days and writing them by hand can give you a cramp! Enlist your new hubby or wife to help with the writing so that you can complete them without sever hand lumbago. Don't forget to include your new return address on the envelopes so that your family and friends know where to find you!

Ari's Sweet 17: A Pretty in Pink Affair

When you are young, stylish and adore the color pink what better way to celebrate your birthday than with a fabulous party fit for a princess! When Ariana and her dad came to us with her pristine and chic spin of the show 'My Super Sweet 16' we were thrilled to take on the task. After hearing what this young diva wanted and envisioned for her special day I created this inspiration board to give her an idea of what her event would be like. From her VIP squad to the deluxe candy bar to the pink carpet we are sure that Ariana will be crowned the princess of pink when this event is over!

Getting Luxe With Lavender

Creating new spaces for fall and winter often bring warm, rich tones and palettes out. If you are looking for a new look for your abode and want to mix things up a bit a great color to work with this season is lavender. Already deep plums, royal purples and violets are exploding on the fashion scene as the new it color for the rest of the year so why not incorporate this regal and sophisticated hue into your home as well.







Lavender brings a certain je ne sais quoi to a room when it is used so I encourage you to go the distance! When applying the color to your walls used a more muted tone to let your furniture and accent pieces in the room stand out in bold complimentary colors. A monochromatic look is another wonderful way to display this color. I would suggest using prints with a monochromatic scheme so that the patterns rather than the color is broken up. Another way is to use a juicer lavender color in the room and cross it with rich dark tones in the furniture such as mahogany and cherry.





If for some reason you aren't quite ready to turn your house upside down with the lavender approach you can always start small by bringing in the calming scent of lavender. It has been used for so long as a relaxing agent but also has a long list of other great uses for it. Don't worry if the lavender bug doesn't bite you, there's always 10 million other shades to be crazy about!

Celebrity Spotlight: Malinda Williams & Derrick "D-Nice" Jones

Our Celebrity Spotlight of this month is the beautiful actress Malinda Williams, 32, of the hit HBO Series Soulfood and her handsome new husband DJ/photographer/rapper Derrick "D-Nice" Jones, 38, originally a solo artists with Boggie Down Productions. We think that it is wonderful that these two lovebirds have known each other since they were 18! They make a beautiful couple and had a gorgeous wedding!

Date: August 23, 2008

Place: The Mezzanine Newark, New Jersey

Theme: Vintage Mod

Colors: Mocha and Chocolate

Highlights: It was a family affair as Malinda's son Omikaye and Derrick's daughter Ashli joined in the celebration along with Malinda's TV sisters Vanessa L. Williams and Nicole Ari Parker from Soulfood.

HOW to HANDLE the LAST DAYS...

So, your BIG DAY is almost here. You are in double-digits and have 99 days or less to go until your wedding. When it gets down to cruch time, many bride-to-be's become fantic, stressed out, and can even turn into Bridezilla. Here are some great tips to handle the LAST DAYS leading up until your wedding:


1. If you have not done so, consider hiring a wedding coordinator for the day of. They can help you stay stress free and avoid any poetential pitfalls that could occur on the big day. You will be able to breathe a sigh of relief and focus on your soon-to-be husband, family and friends.





2. Start an exerecise regiment like bellydance, yoga or even walking. It will help you relax, release tension and help your overall health and well being.





3. Enjoy lucnch or dinner with your bridesmaids and pamper your self with a spa treatment, manicure and pedicure before the big day!




4. Plan something fun for just you and your finace' not related to the wedding. Planning a wedding can lead to stress for both of you, and doing an activity not related to the wedding will give you an opportunity to focus on one another.





5. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, practice relaxation and breathing techniques. You will be surprised how much inhaling and exhaling can help calm you down!

Rock Your Vote With a Party!

This years presidential election has been a neck and neck race ever since the candidates declared they were running. This is the most historical and costly election in the history of the race and we know that all of our friends want to share in the story making with a fabulous to-do. Though we are not telling who we are pulling the lever for we will share some great ideas for you to have a candidate approved event!
Send out invitations that look like ballots or voting cards to your guests. You can use caricatures of both candidates on the invitations.

Serve red and blue cocktails and drinks for your guests and have a purple drink for those that are undecided, independent or who just don't want to tell which side they're on.

Serve dishes that can't be disputed as un-American such as hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and cheeses. You can also bring out the colored flair with strawberry and blueberry parfaits or firecracker popsicles.

For some tongue-in-cheek gestures you can play board games with an economic twist such as Are You Smarter than the President? Candidate Feud or just some good ok betting on who takes which states with Let's Make An Electoral Deal! Political Pictionary or Wheel of Fortune can be crowd pleasers as well.

Make sure to keep the party antics and heavy conversation light throughout the night. The last thing you want to do is insult your guests or have everyone miss the hour by hour action because of a comment gone wrong.

Though we are coming off the heels of Halloween you could stretch the costume aspect a few days and have people arrive as their favorite or most hated candidate. Hey someone may as Uncle Sam, a voting ballot, and elephant or a donkey!




Don't forget to include your kids and younger relatives in this party night. They may not be able to vote but this is a great learning tool for them and a chance for them to get a first hand look at what the last 21 months or ad campaigns, slogans and debates have come down too. Whatever you do this November 4th, please don't forget to vote! Despite some ill reports that were released all parties vote on the same day. Good Luck, get out and vote and happy partying!

Bernadette's Baby Shower Invites!

I was truly honored when our client Bernadette approached me about designing baby shower invites for her new grandson. Her son Tremell and his significant other Chiffon are the proud parents of a baby boy also named Tremell! Her colors are blue and chocolate so I wanted to create something fun. These are the first drafts for Bernadette and once I recieve her feedback the invites will be finalized tomorrow. Congrats again on your beautiful grandson Bernadette, and I look forward to hearing what you think!