STILL HERE : ) (KIND OF)

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I've just been ridiculously busy at the day job, and I've been spending every spare moment updating the designs on my website. They're all still a bit of a work in progress, but I'm getting there ; )

Back soon!

PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN DOLAN

Photographer, John Dolan is hands down the master at capturing the joy and excitement of a wedding with his effortlessly exquisite style. Its been said that he, along with a handful of other photographers back in the mid-ninties, helped to change the aesthetic of wedding photography by doing away with the static poses and cheese-y smiles and taking a less planned approach. He captures intimate moments in a photojournalistic manner, but with an eye for beauty. Having photographed the weddings of many celebrities including Ben Stiller, Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez it says a lot that his client list also includes numerous high profile art directors and magazine editors who have quite a descerning eye for photography, including Darcy Miller. Many these clients liked both John and their wedding images so much that they hired him for hi profile advertising campaigns as well. John’s approach is exactly the opposite of planned which is as it should be. He has said that “The less hard I work toward making a picture and forcing it, the better they are.” Here are some of my favorite shots by John from the wedding of Matt Lauer to his stunning bride Annette.

ELUM DESIGNS

How stunning are these journals from Elum Designs? They're hard-cover bound with rounded corners and wrapped in sophisticated yet whimsical custom printed fabrics. They even have a built in pocket on the back cover. Love!

MEL BARLOW PHOTOGRAPHY

Lately I have been enamoured by the work of the photographer Mel Barlow. While thumbing through my piles of wedding magazines several of her images have caught my eye. I am captivated by her stunningly fresh style and so I decided to look her up. It’s no surprise that her background is in fashion photography which is evident in the attention to detail and sense of design she brings to her wedding images. A member of the elite group of photographers, Elan Documentary, and based in both NY and San Francisco, you can check out more of her WPJA award winning work here…

SUNDAY MORNING PAPER

Here are my favorite paper and invitation finds for the week...



Top left: Stunning silk box invitation from Alia Designs; Top center: A beautiful program inspired by the damask walls of the St. Regis Hotel by Ceci NY; Top right: Flair Necessities; Bottom left: Thank you card from Peculiar Pair Press via Luxe Paperie; Bottom right: Thank you card from Hello Lucky via Luxe Paperie

THE GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE

I wanted to take a moment to highlight an exceptionally unique and beautiful wedding venue that is local to me. Located in Hamilton, NJ, The Grounds For Sculpture is a museum and outdoor sculpture garden with over 240 contemporary sculptures placed within the grounds. There are lush green gardens, waterfalls, a water lily pond, a lake, and even roaming peacocks. In short, it's a stunning location for a wedding. Ceremonies are held among The Nine Muses by Carlos Dorrien, located on the sculpture pad at the center of the park, in the Amphitheater pictured below or on the stunning and romantic Monet Bridge. Multiple locations within the grounds are available for receptions including for smaller affairs, the charming French provencial restaurant Rats, named after a character from the classic novel The Wind in the Willows. It’s really lovely.



Above images by Heather Waraksa



Top Left: Tangerine Photography
Top right: Images by Cathy
Bottom left & center: John Fischer
Bottom right: Images by Cathy




Monet bridge photo by John Fischer



The Amphitheater photo by Malgorzata Mosiek

UNIQUE PLACECARD IDEAS

Today’s post is about unique placecard ideas. I love the unexpected, a little off the beat and path. Remember, legibility of the information at hand is of utmost importance. You’d be surprised what I’ve been through with brides who are in love with a beautiful yet completely illegiable font which must be used for her placecards. But really, let your imagination run wild. It’s one of those little details that guests actually remember when it’s a little different than every other wedding they've attended.

Think about interesting ways to display your placecards. A fabric wrapped board, suspended from ribbons perhaps from a large floral arrangement, or affixed to a clothesline by patterned clothespins from Susy Jack are all a little unexpected and sure to capture the attention of your guests.

Photos from left: Jessica Claire via Details Details; Charming Gardner; Jessica Claire; Susy Jack ; Knottie Bio NPWedding

It never ceases to amaze me how many guests are still truly amazed at the placecard votives. While not exactly ‘unique’ to us wedding addicts, guests love them and they’re a relatively easy DIY project. The key is to use a straight sided votive holder in order for the vellum to wrap neatly around the holder. 3M vellum tape is also key. All other brands I’ve tried won’t hold up to the heat of the candle. Be sure to have your venue light them no more than 20 minutes prior to the reception start time or they'll get a little too hot for your guests to handle.

Photos from left: Augustus Butera; Knottie Bio 1 marine4Me

Inexpensive candy bars can be rewrapped in coordinating scrapbook papers featuring an elegant pattern. While the individually imprinted ribbon used in this example may be a bit cost prohibitive for most, this idea can easily be adapted by adding a small tag with the the guest’s name and table assignment. Try a calligraphy font like Burges Script. You’re guests will never know it wasn’t done by hand. Check out scrapbook papers from Anna Griffin. Her elegant patterns lend themselves perfectly to weddings.

Photos from left: ivillage; Paper Addict