10 Things that Rock (and make me happy)
Brandishing my foolproof ripper with abandon, I continue to pile mountains of mag tear-outs on my sunroom sofa or our Blue Moon conference room table. Rifling for inspiration is one of my fiendish little pasttimes, and I see no end in sight . . . proof below.
Erickson Beamon Crystal Snowflake earrings – delightful for a simpler wedding gown.
Spoon Sisters leather tape measure. Handy for any wedding planner or designer, also doubles as my son’s faaaaaavorite contraband item to pluck from Mama’s purse.
Driftwood-as-art. I just came across this online and had an uncharacteristically tree-hugger moment wherein I wanted to find said item and like, curl up under it and read and not come out for a day or so. I also want to suspend it in the ceiling of some amazing a-frame home and just let it be the eye-catching piece. Whenever I see driftwood, it reminds me of this wedding we designed.
Zak re-useable dot straws- perfect for my occasional detox smoothie moments or for entertaining.
Hugo Guiness Prints from John Derian . . . can I have these? Can I? Can I? Huh? Can I?
Betsy Dunlap Calligraphy. It definitely has this itchy, scratchy, Edward-Scissorhands-ish quality that just totally draws me in for its non-conformity. I love that it might be slightly forlorn, like a stray puppy. It conjures up Wyeth paintings and brisk Fall days and is beautiful without being snooty.
Anything Carolyne Roehm is soul-satisfying in that it is always pristine and deeply polished. This is her interpretation of a silver-and-white table setting for a wedding . . . lest you ever thought baby’s breath couldn’t be chic???
Look, they’re holographic, they come in other varieties, and I just want some. Hilarious at each place setting for the right birthday girl’s or bride’s seated dinner.
Alber Elbaz Blanche for Lanvin is so very chic. I kick myself daily that I used to live steps from the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and never set foot in the flagship boutique because I was too busy daydreaming about les garçons and finding my next street-corner crêpe. The shame! Get your fix here – talk about a “dress change” before your wedding night departure!
Option a: rake hand through said collection, coming out clutching 90% of said pieces, risk arrest.
Option b: beg husband for une necklace in attempts to quiet the covetous little beast inside.
Hotternot
Here I go again, on my style soapbox in an attempts to obliterate the wedding day hideosity (yes, that’s in the family lexicon) that is (sadly) available en masse for the purchase.
What’s hot:
A custom sign from Chocolate Butterbean, when deployed to direct guests because they truly otherwise might get lost, or just because they’re dear- totally chic.
What’s not:
Oh I’m sorry- did I miss the memo that Fred Astaire will be performing? Why the tophat? Small gag.
What’s hot:
Artistic champagne flutes from Etsy . . . perhaps as above, i.e.- sans your names and in an updated shape.
What’s not:
For starters honey, your champagne flute shouldn’t be wearing a ring 5x the size of yours. Secondly, corn-ee.
What’s hot:
Pottery Barn Tava Napkin Ring- or some animal like this, paired with a hemstitch linen napkin? Count me in.
What’s not:
Paper construction? -1. Entwined metallic hearts? -100. You’re down 101 pts. Your style forecast: unfavorable.
What’s hot:
Knowing how to attire the children in your wedding- very important . . .esp the boys. McLean Meeks is wearing a button-on with a handmade lace top, soooo sweet. Eton suits, john-johns- they’re classic for a reason, people. Daunted by the search? Try The Woman’s Exchange in Memphis.
What’s not:
I just had a mini heart attack over the mini tux + mini cane + mini tophat + mini red vest + mini red bowtie combo. Don’t turn your little boys into mini-men- it’s cuh-reepy. Let them be children for the 5 seconds that they are!
What’s hot:
Bride and Groom chair treatment design by us (shot by Marni Pictures) that is fresh, appropriate, subtle, and sweet.
What’s not:
I love that this was flagged on the Oriental Trading website as a “top seller”! See what I mean? ‘Tis a travesty to be stopped dead in its tracks.
What’s hot:
I know, I know- you’d guess that I eschew most arches, and I do. But when asked to design something beachy and fitting for our couple Liz & Adam, we dug deep to create a rugged little structure that befitted their slightly bohemian tastes. Thanks to our friends at Blossoms for executing and Gayle Brooker Photography for capturing!
What’s not:
An arch of fake ivy, polyester, and paper wedding bells . . . let’s try to avoid that, shall we?
What’s hot:
A bit of sparkle in the hair? A do, even a costume version. This Christina Garcia hair brooch is delicate and darling and could be passed down through generations.
What’s not:
A multiple choice quiz:
1.) Are you royalty?
2.) Are you trying to channel a Disney character from your youth?
3.) Do you routinely shop at Claire’s Boutique?
If you answered yes to any of the above, I give up: just wear it . . . but you were warned.
Newlywed Stationery Suite
Time to get your act together, sister! The baby pink monogrammed single girl flat-printed note cards of your past need a major overhaul, as does your entire correspondence suite.
Here, the four must-haves for your paper trousseau, if you will:
Monogrammed Fold-over Notecards
Monogrammed fold-overs, available through Emma J Designs.
Do: Spring for engraving or letterpress.
Don’t: Choose a monogram you can’t live with for a very long time and enjoy re-using on a different card type or in a different color. Consider a custom one through Allison R. Banks Designs.
Do: Get playful with ink color and/or a fabulous liner.
Don’t: Order 1,000 unless you’re inviting that many to your wedding. You’ll get tired of them before you ever run out.
Do: Start writing those thank-you notes straightaway. . . the whole “you have a year” thang is totally tack.
Informal Calling Cards/Gift Enclosures
To-die-for calling cards from Mr. Boddington.
Do: Put something fun and quirky on there, if that’s your style.
Don’t: List your number if you’re about to change it or if you wish for this to act more like a calling card-slash-gift enclosure. Example: I’m taking a wee housewarming gift to a friend, I’ll stick one of these within so she knows from whence the surcee came. Orrrrr- I meet a great potential business contact in the airport, so I whip out one of these and jot down my email and number on it and pass it along. Capiche?
“Scrap” Pads
Nothing beats the McPhersons notepad collections via Fine Stationery or Dulles Designs. Put “The Callaghan Clan” or “From The Smiths” at the top and use with abandon. We go through about a pad a month in my family, easily.
Boy Stationery
Yes, the hub will have occasions wherein he needs to have a sophisticated way to thank friends and family for lovely things they’ll give along the way. Don’t leave him out in the cold!
This William Arthur small gray flat card is just stunning and simple, manly but not too corporate. Track it down here or here.
Now all you need is a sterling toast rack to house it all! Click here to see what I mean . . .
