Story-telling with Stationery

My initial consultations with wedding coordinators and clients often include a conversation about my love of story-telling. I usually share about how I like to get to know my clients, understand their stories, and help them express them. I love subtle details and wacky romances. I want to hear about the proposal, how my couples met, and what they are most excited about for their marriage. Some might think I’m sappy but I find connecting with people to be the most meaningful part of my work. Expressing these personal details in bold and understated ways is why I do what I do.

When I met with Gloria McCune of Grand Engagements about our upcoming photo shoot, I was delighted to get to know her story a little better. As we talked about her inspiration for the stylized tablescape and decor, I began to connect the dots. She described an urban vibe with an eye for fashion and something a little unexpected. Her vision included a striking palate of black and silver with accents of purple. It wasn’t just an arbitrary concept however. Gloria wanted to infuse part of herself in this shoot.

When I discovered that she is Hungarian, grew up in Germany and the US, speaks multiple languages, and has a rich Eastern European heritage, I knew we were getting somewhere. The crown in her logo isn’t there just so she can connect with brides who want to feel like a princess; she has a very regal sensibility about her. As she shared about her childhood and the aesthetic & cultural influences that have made her who she is today, I knew we needed to tell this part of her story.

Gloria’s love of chess, languages, romance, and fashion came together at this fabulous photo shoot at The London West Hollywood.

To top it all off, the fabulous girls over at The Wedding Chicks featured the photos on their blog.

The incredible professionals involved in this shoot included:
Event Design: Gloria McCune - Grand Engagements
Venue: The London Hotel West Hollywood
Photography: Jasmine Star
Floral Design: Carissa Jones - JL Designs
Cakes: Melody Brandon - Sweet and Saucy Shop
Chairs + Settings: Classic Party Rentals
Hair + Makeup: Janelle Contreras for Nirvana Salon
Bridal Veil: Linda Ly - Whimsical Designs
Linen: Wildflower Linen
Stationery: Allison Howell - The Innovation Companies

Truly Inspired Inspiration Boards

One of my clients once sent me a picture of a dish towel, a cartoon, a chair, some fabric she found at her favorite store, and a ring she liked from Etsy. While these things may seem disconnected, she wanted to communicate her visual inspiration as I sat down to create a logo for her photography business. We had already talked about her values. We hashed out how she wanted to be perceived in her industry. She had shared her vision and growth plan. All of that helped me create a logo that was the perfect fit for her brand and her company.

I often tell my clients that I want them to send me points of inspiration. My brides send me pictures of lighting, receptions, swatches of bridesmaid dress fabric and linens. They tell me about their favorite pair of shoes and about how they met their fiance. Each of these bits of their story help inspire me when I’m designing stationery for their celebration.

Similarly, clients developing logos send me images that represent the values and personality of their brand. I get everything from cereal advertisements, pieces of clothing, and furniture, to drawings and landscape photographs. Each of these elements helps me to understand what images mean to them and how they want to express themselves and their brand.

In the world of wedding blogs, inspiration boards are all the rage. Bloggers choose a number of images that fit into a theme and present them together to inspire their readers. Some of my favorite inspiration boards include those from Green Wedding Shoes, Gloria McCune, and Inspired by This.

Here is a pink board from Green Wedding Shoes.

photo credits: top row - martha stewart, Chris Nicholls. next row: j crew dress, martha stewart, invitation by oh my deer via once wed. bottom row: duston todd, flickr, darling dexter, gourmet

Whether you are planning a wedding, starting a new business, or recreating yourself, an inspiration board can be a great place to begin. Gather images, textures, and ideas from lots of industries and mediums. While I love it when a bride comes with any visual stimuli, I think it is important to keep things personal. The more intentional you can be about your choices, the better end product will be. A pretty pink palette is wonderful but if it also tells part of your story and connects to who you are, it will be even more meaningful.

Don’t feel like you have to interpret the inspiration board. When you hire professionals, they should be able to pick out themes and patterns. Hopefully the inspiration board will be a jumping off point for your uniquely designed masterpieces.

If you’re having trouble, try scouring visually stimulating sites like flickr, Etsy, istockphoto, clipart.com, and Google image search. Be sure to look outside of your own industry or genre to expose yourself to a variety of ideas. Take your own pictures. Include sketches. Add images from art, fashion, interior design, and anything else that inspires you or tells part of your story.

Please keep in mind that I am not encouraging you to rip off the ideas of others. It is one thing to say that you like the imagery or emotion that a logo evokes. It is another to copy it.

What inspires your celebration or brand?

2009 Museum Free-For-All

Thanks to Museum Marketing Roundtable and OC Fine Art Society for the heads up about these 24 So Cal museums with free admission this weekend. The fifth annual Museum Free-For-All is October 3 & 4, 2009.

Saturday, October 3rd only
• California Heritage Museum
• Japanese American National Museum
• Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial
• Santa Monica Museum of Art

Both Days
• Armory Center for the Arts
• California African American Museum
• California Science Center
• Craft and Folk Art Museum
• Fowler Museum at UCLA
• The Getty Center
• The Getty Villa
• Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA)
• Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
• Orange County Museum of Art
• The Paley Center for Media
• The Studio for Southern California History

Sunday October 4th Only
• The Autry National Center
• Bowers Museum
• The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live
• Hammer Museum at UCLA
• The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA)
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
• Norton Simon Museum
• Skirball Cultural Center

Remember that normal parking fees will still apply and you’ll still need timed entry tickets for the Getty Villa. Also, some of these museums could be a great venue for a wedding of your next event.

Check one out and let us know what you think!

Inspired by Color

Every project we take on has one thing in common. While we use our layout skills and sense of proportion in everything from wedding invitations to websites, there is no doubt that our best tool is color. Color can set the tone or make a good project go bad quickly. People perceive bad use of color more readily than any other design flaw.

Color is the foundation of the design process for us. Because different colors have different meanings, we don’t usually present logo designs across the rainbow to our clients. We match their brand with an appropriate color scheme. We want the chosen colors to evoke and strengthen the ideas they want to express. We also want to be thoughtful about where the logo will appear. Especially because color is perceived differently around the world, color selection must account for a company’s long-term goals as well as their current place in the market.

Because color matters, it is also a paramount concern in our invitation work as well. While our brides and event planners generally choose their color schemes before they bring us in on the project, presenting color consistently is essential for success. Guests at an event may not hold the invitation up to the napkin to make sure it is the same shade but if we can get close, why wouldn’t we?

Successful color selection and execution depends a lot on communication. While color perception might have far-reaching consistency within a culture, describing color isn’t always that easy. For this reason, we encourage our clients to adopt one of our favorite friends throughout their branding or event planning process. Pantone has universalized color. Their system of swatch books have revolutionized consistency in ink colors, fashion, and home decor.

For companies wanting color consistency across multiple formats, choose a Pantone color and stick with it. While web colors aren’t always the same as ink colors, having a Pantone color as the target will help serve as a goal. Throughout the design process, don’t be afraid to whip out one of these handy tools. While slight variation can still occur, having a benchmark will help everyone stay on the same page. If you are planning an event, check out The Dessy Group’s Pantone swatches that you can give to vendors and designers involved in your process.

For another perspecitve on successful use of color for logo design, check out Brian Hoff’s post on flexibility.

Images from Pantone and The Dessy Group

Homespun Chic Tablescape in The Bride & Bloom Fall Issue

We’re so honored to be featured in one of our favorite publications: The Bride & Bloom. “Thrilled” is the only way to describe how we felt when the ever-fabulous Carissa of JL Designs asked us to be part of her Homespun Chic tablescape. Collaborating with wonderful professionals like Carissa, Gabriel Ryan Photography, Wildflower Linen, Classic Party Rentals and Sweet & Saucy Shop is one of the best parts of our work. Another is creating interesting pieces like these menus made from ratan.



This design was full of details. Lush white blooms, sweet crystal cups, a peony cake, and a gorgeous wooden table made for a stylish rustic look. The hemstitched napkins and the beautiful runner pulled the palette together. Carissa even used fresh mint in the arrangements that looked (and smelled) delicious. These chocolate and green touches (including custom dupioni pillows) were the perfect combination for the “grandma’s attic” homespun design.








And in case you missed it, check out our mod baroque collaboration with these same talented professionals.

Thinking Ahead

Over the weekend, I came across a book at our family cabin. It was a dusty volume that I’m sure my mom picked up in an antique store on one of her treasure hunts. While it is entirely likely that she bought it for the aesthetic value it could add to the mantle (she often sees books as decorative objects rather than sources of information), I found the words inside as interesting as the charming gold-foiled spine.

The opening passage of the beautiful old volume of Audels Carpenters and Builders Guide: A Practical Illustrated Trade Assistant on Modern Construction struck a chord with me. Quoting John Ruskin, the first page proclaimed,

“When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for; and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, ‘See! This our father did for us.’”

In an age where craftsmanship is so often discarded with disregard, I cherish the idea of designing and creating with the future in mind.

September 2009 Art & Culture Calendar

Here are some of our art & culture picks for September. We hope they inspire creativity in you as we move into autumn.

Steeped in History: The Art of Tea
UCLA Fowler Museum
Now through November 29, 2009

Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Summer Jazz Series
$50 through $85
Fridays at 8 pm through October 2nd

Choir of Trinity College Cambridge
California State University, Fullerton, Meng Concert Hall
September 12th at 8 pm

Friday Night Centennial Dinners
Anaheim White House
Pre Fixe Menu and Centennial Celebration
every Friday through November 27, 2009

Flights and Sounds of Summer Dance and Concert Series
Orange County Great Park, Irvine
Free Admission, $8 Parking
September 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, & 26 at 8 pm

Toshiba Tall Ships Festival
Ocean Institute, Dana Point
September 11th through 13th, 10 am to 5 pm

The Moving Image: Scan to Screen, Pixel to Projection
Orange County Museum of Art
Now through September 27, 2009
September 13, 2009 is a Target Free Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm

What will you be viewing or doing in September to be inspired and spark your creativity?

Alternative Holiday Greetings Part Two

Let’s face it, getting noticed around the holidays is hard. By the time they get your holiday card, your clients and friends are recovering from the tryptophan of Thanksgiving turkey and gearing up for the onslaught of festivities, gift-giving, and obligations that surround what should be a joyous and restful time.

This year (maybe more than ever), you want to stand out and say something with every opportunity you have to connect with your clients. As you think about what to send to your friends and clients this year, consider what message you want to communicate. Are you thankful, serious, sophisticated, fun? Do you want to send a message of celebration, appreciation, sincerity, or playfulness? (Note: The answer to these questions should not be “yes.” Choose a specific sentiment to express.)

Whether your greeting will come from your business or your family, crafting the message is key. Thoughtfully planned greetings demonstrate that you care about the recipient personally (not generically). The type of card or communiqué (and the materials) you send should reflect this emotion you want your them to feel when they receive it.

After intentionally choosing the sentiment you’re going for, consider some of these alternatives to the typical holiday bi-fold card.

Start a Tradition or Continue an Old One
In this down economy, demonstrate that you are committed to the long haul by sending a greeting that you can repeat with a different twist next year. Choose an object that you can personalize and send to your clients year after year (see Duffy & Partners’ wine bottle holiday tradition as featured in HOW magazine). If you have a tradition of sending a card in a box or delivering holiday sweets with custom packaging, this is the year to continue the trend. Don’t miss the opportunity to remind people you are still around and committed to them.

Say Aloha
Many industries have seen a trend towards local sourcing this year. Demonstrate your loyalty to your hometown by sending postcards from right where you’re at. A custom postcard with a local scene and your carefully crafted message will allow you to demonstrate more than one of your values at the same time

Get Techy
An e-greeting can be just as meaningful as a physical card. If your company has a green initiative, many clients who would rather receive an email, or just want to do something different, consider using a more technical approach. Generic e-cards can send the wrong message or force you to include advertisements for other products with your holiday cheer. A custom-designed e-greeting, however, can help you get just the right point across.

Combine Forces
While we strongly discourage our clients from including sales messages or promotions in their holiday cards, don’t be afraid to use a holiday greeting for double duty. Announce your new office address, share about a charity you are partnering with, or introduce recent additions to your team. Make sure the message isn’t mixed or muddled by connecting them to your main point (for example, “how Santa will find us?,” “proud to partner with Art & Creativity for Healing this holiday season,” “we look forward to helping you grow in the year to come”).

Tomorrow we’ll share our time-tested Dos and Don’ts for effective holiday greetings.

New View on Calligraphy as Art

I have always enjoyed a nice hand-addressed envelope. I encourage my clients to use calligraphers to make sure their invitations get noticed the moment they arrive. I use calligraphers myself at every opportunity. I have even commissioned calligraphers to make spectacular monograms, awards, and other one-of-a-kind pieces and gifts. I must admit, however, that I have not contemplated calligraphy as art enough.

Two weeks ago I set out to expose myself to calligraphy from a new perspective. I wanted to see calligraphy in a new light. I took my own advice and attended an exhibit at Soka University. Sea of Ink: Calligraphic Expressions in America opened my eyes to the art of calligraphy.

While most of the exhibit used languages that I could not read, I was struck by how much a understood just from the shape stroke of the characters. Powerful imagery was poured into each of these pieces. I decided to share a few pictures to show what I mean.

Mary Bryan’s “Great Wisdom is Like Being Foolish” and Carm Fogt’s “Loud Yell”
Mary Bryan’s “Resist”, Carm Fogt’s “Deep Dream”

My favorite artist of the exhibit was Chau Thuy. Here are his works “No Le Slavery,” “Belief and Ideal,” and “Thuyen Nhan Boat People.”

I also enjoyed exploring Soka University a little. They have beautiful grounds (perfect for an engagement session) with an expansive fountain. I also loved this fixture in the gallery. It reminded me of Dale Chihuly.

After the exhibit, I asked a few calligraphers to tell a little more about their work. Check back tomorrow for some of their advice.

Design Inspiration: Books

Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m a book nerd. I love reading. To myself, to my husband, listening to other people read to me (seriously, sometimes I have friends come over to read to me). I get excited about books. My latest library find is Art Without Borders by Ben-Ami Scharfstein. Haven’t delved in yet but I can’t wait to read this “philosophical exporation of art and humanity.”

I must say, however, that I was attracted to it not only by its title and content. It was on the “New Book” shelf at the library. It was so shiny and perfect. In fact, I think I may the first person to have checked it out {happy sigh}. Somehow that knowledge makes the read more enjoyable. You might say that I’ve judged this book by its cover. And you would be right.

I’m unashamed about judging other books by their covers as well. Today’s Shoot from the Hip post inspired me. I will definitely become a regular visitor to The Book Cover Archive. Not only a place to see new titles (which I might actually read)… such good design inspiration too.

I was also stoked to see The Pelican Project at things magazine. This documentation of the chronology of Pelican book covers warmed my heart. Considering the countless hours I spent with a Penguin Classic paperback in college, I was glad to see documentation of the evolution of cover art. Books like these aren’t just parts of our culture and conversation, they hold a place in our collective aesthetic as well.

A snap of my own beloved collection.