Importance of Invitations

Many couples underestimate the importance of invitations. They think that invitation is just a means of communicating the details of the wedding. If this was the case, this can be done on a post-it by saying: "M/J wedding @ House on 09/26/09 @ 2pm." (Please don't do this!!)

Invitations is the first opportunity for couples to introduce their wedding color, wedding style, and set the formality of the wedding. As a wedding decorator, I often ask my clients to bring a sample of their invitation for me to see. After seeing the invitation, I try to design the ceremony and reception to mimic the style and colors of the invitation. This is done to have a cohesive design and color scheme.

The wedding invitation is also a good starting point for designing the rest of the wedding stationary. Stationary such as save the date cards, rsvp cards, seating cards, place cards, table numbers, menu cards, and thank you cards. (Yes, there is a lot of cards for one wedding!) These cards can be done by your professional wedding invitation designer or you can do it yourself.

I don't usually do wedding stationary but I did for a recent last minute wedding. For this wedding, I made a seating chart, table numbers, seating cards, and menu cards with leftover wedding invitations. The wedding colors were lilac, champagne and burgundy. I used the back of an invitation for the table numbers, menu cards, and seating card. (The thicker paper provided some stability.) The invitation envelopes were used for the seating chart. This is a really easy DIY project to tie in the wedding colors and to make use of leftover invitations. Just make sure you have a really good paper cutter!

(Friend's) Baby Sister's Wedding

I met Aimee when I was 12 years old and she was 10 years old. She was the baby sister of my elementary school friend. I haven't spoken or seen my friend or Aimee in many, many years. (Not going to go into details about my age!) Nonetheless, imagine my excitement when Aimee contacted me to tell me that she has meet the man of her dreams, Gareth, and is now getting married!

Aimee and Gareth currently lives in Ontario. During our meeting, they told me that they will be back one week before the wedding and most of the communications will have to be done by email or through her delegated assistant, her mom, Ericka. My friend was the maid of honor and had a lot of tasks to deal with already.

Aimee and Gareth's wedding reception was held at the Edgemont Community Center. The room was spacious and had a wonderful view. My only task (in summary) was to add their wedding color, blue to the room. In order to do this, I decorated the guest sign-in table, head table, guest tables, cake table, and provided floral centerpieces in a blue vase.

Daniel Tiu Photography

I have always gotten a lot of complements on the pictures in my hard copy and online portfolio. Clients always comment on how professional and pretty my pictures look. Each time I tell my clients that there is no way I could have taken these pictures myself with my point and shoot camera. (People still use these right?)

Most of the pictures in my portfolio have been taken by Daniel Tiu. He does all sorts of photography, including weddings, cars, landscape, and architecture. Daniel is a great photographer to work with and he is always able to get an awesome picture with his artistic eye. Check out his website, http://www.danieltiu.com/ if you are in need of a photographer!

Bringing your Decorating Plans to Life!

Last week I answered a SOS call from a couple that wanted to meet up with me for a consultation ASAP. Feeling a sense of urgency, I asked them when their wedding date was. The bride told me, in two and a half weeks. Nonetheless, I met up with them that evening to discuss their wedding decorating plans. Two days later, a contract was signed.

I don't usually take on clients this close to a wedding date but I felt the stress this bride and groom was feeling. Having signed a contract, I had to start working on their wedding right away. With this blog post, I want to share with DIY couples some tips on how I start a decorating plan. These tips should give DIY couples a good starting point on their decorating planning.

1. Write out a list of all the decorations that needs to be set up at the venue. These details should include big items, such as setting up a backdrop behind the head table, and smaller details, such as placing menu card on each place setting. Make sure you number each of these details for easy reference!


2. In the next column (beside this list of decorations), write out a list of all the items that need to be rented. For example, renting the backdrop.


3. In the next column, write out the list of items that need to be purchased. For example, purchasing decorations for the backdrop.


4. In the next column, write out a to do list. Including everything on this list. The list for making menu cards should look like: (1) Design menu card; (2) Buy cardstock; (3) Cut cardstock; (4) Print or write out menu; (5) Attach menu to cardstock; (6) Add final decorations and embellishments.


5. Prioritize these lists. Yup, all of these lists. Some of these things will need to be done sooner, while some things like menu cards can wait until you have decided on your menu.

Although this may sound confusing and overtop, I assure you that organization and lists definitely help with the planning process. If you are not convinced yet, imagine how good it is going to feel when you cross an item off your lists. If it helps, you might want to have "write to do list" as your first action item. By the end of this task, you will be ready to cross this first action item off. Yea!

For readers that don't already know me and think that I might be a little crazy, I assure you that my clients love how organized I am. (My decorating plans are usually colored coded too.)

Sirocco Golf Course Wedding

A truly stunning bride, Stacey came to me with a clear vision of her modern and purple inspired wedding. Stacey's handsome and soft spoken groom, Brian came along to the meeting to see why they needed to hire a decorator. (I am only assuming this since Brian would never say something like that!)

To answer the question that was most likely in Brian's mind, I provided them with some unique ideas for their wedding, custom made table linens, and physical labor to pull together all the decorating elements. I must have impressed them because they became my clients very soon after our meeting.

It was tons of fun working with Stacey (and sometimes Brian, he is really soft-spoken!) I told her that if she ever wants to enter the wedding industry as a decorator, I will hire her on the spot. If she wants to become a wedding planner, I look forward to future opportunities to work with her again. Here are some pictures of Stacey and Brian's wedding at Sirocco Golf Course.

Guest Sign in Table

Bride and Groom's Sweet Heart Table

Guest Tables

Custom Clear Cupcake Stand with Floating Orchids and Purple Lights