Paper Studio: Tien & David

We love our brides at our Paper Studio. I'm not afraid to say I'm biased here, but whether it's a destination wedding in Costa Rica or a ballroom affair at the Ritz, I happen to think they are all so amazingly chic and savvy about their vision of their big day. So when one of my most adorable couples, Tien & David came in one day to tell me of the sad news that their request to hold their ceremony at the courtyard of their old school was denied, I had to contact two of the very best in the industry who could help out with some advice.

(Above) Tien & David initially met when they were in the first grade. These are the Save the Dates they made from their grade school picture!

Before I jump too far ahead, let me first introduce you to this wonderful couple. I have to resist using the word "adorable" too many times whenever I see them. Tien is bubbly, charming and full of spirit. David is warm, steady and the one who keeps all of us (when discussion of fonts turns into fondant) focused on the task at hand. As my parents would say, they are each other's yin and yang...an absolute compliment to one another.

Tien was kind enough to share the details of their story with us and you will just melt after reading this!

David and I met in first grade (when I fell head over heels for him--must have been the short shorts and bowl cut) and gradually became better and better friends as we passed through elementary school, middle school (I still liked him, this time it must have been his excellent grades and his CD Diskman!) and high school. We never dated, though we were always the couple kids would push together at dances or make fun of should we be caught in the same hallway together. It was cute, I guess...as well as heart wrenching, since I actually did love the boy.

Fast forward a few years after college--he Stanford, me UCLA--and one day I get a voicemail from David Lau, who had heard through the grapevine that I had returned from a two year long adventure in Shanghai. Just like that, he had looked me up on our old elementary school directory (asking my dad for my cell number) and asked me to dinner. It was all easy as pie after that :) I remember listening to the voicemail over and over, thinking "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god...Wait, Tien, you're a grown up now. Stop it!" I'm glad I never did. A year later, he proposed the night before Thanksgiving, proving that someone out there was definitely listening to the little kid in me twenty years ago.

To celebrate our past together, we wanted to hold our ceremony right where it all began, in the little lunch courtyard of our old elementary school in Piedmont. We tried for months to reach the school principal, the superintendent, anyone who we thought could give us clearance, but in the end were told that the school was now condemned for earthquake safety and thus was off limits. Crushed, we decided that the only logical thing to do was to just move our special ceremony to the reception site, St Regis Hotel. Originally, the thought was to give our guests a look into our history by inviting them literally back to where we began as students and friends, then give everyone a real party at the St Regis. Now that we lost the nostalgia element of the wedding, we were faced with the not-so-appealing possibility of just a plain ol' hotel wedding. The place is beautiful and stylish, but we {are}in need something to make it more personal.

PS. By the way, to explain our thing with Whales...I once made a card for David that said "I will love you forever" but screwed up on the "will" and had to turn it into Whale. I drew a whale to roll with it and after a while, it became our word to mean, "I will/whale do whatever it takes to love you."

Their touching story and disappointment prompted me to do some SOS. That, and despite how savvy any bride is...incorporating a story into the details of the wedding can be daunting and overwhelming! So stay tuned as I post up two of the best individuals to go to for wedding advice!

Happy Friday: Purple Barney Gown

The May/June weddings are just around the corner, so this is for all of my nervous brides out there who might need a good laugh.

above: I remember seeing this "special" wedding gown two years ago but never forgot about it because it reminded me of something Barney's wife would wear (and no, I'm not talking Barney's New York!). The best part of this: the gown is made of over 1250 purple condoms!

above: and you simply cannot forget the condom bridesmaid gowns to match.

Have a happy Friday everyone!

Femmina Style Vintage

above: I am loving the latest additions on Femmina Style Vintage! This online vintage boutique carries wonderfully edited '50-'80s finds. This "Just Peachy" gown is gathered and fluttered and seamed in all the right places.



above: (left) the print on that maxi dress is on my "drool-worthy" list!

hi + lo : Amsterdam Hotels

Well, if any of you live in the Netherlands please pipe in! A customer of ours is accommodating her friend to Amsterdam to attend a small, intimate wedding at the famed, highly gorgeous Intercontinental Amstel Amsterdam. She was beyond excited until she found out the cost of a hotel room there which is about $1000 a night (gulp!).

above: the Intercontinental is within a 19th century castle perched on the banks of the Amstel River and close by to the Anne Frank House (on her must-see list).

Where to stay for a gal on an extreme budget but is "hostile to hostels"? For about a tenth of the cost (you can snag last minute deals at around $100) you can stay at Qbic Hotel (Qbic Hotel Amsterdam WTC to be exact).
above: known for being "Cheap & Chic," guests stay in "Cubis" where the mod beds change color to your mood. Doorless bathrooms boast Phillipe Starck Amentities. Instead of a headboard, there's a bar counter with two stools where you can eat your breakfast. bottom left: and speaking of breakfast...my favorite part! Everything here is "self-serve": you can self-check yourself in through a computer and instead of breakfast in bed you hop on down to vending machines where you can purchase fresh foods from local bakeries and merchants.
Love that!

Beach Wedding: Modaspia

It's that time of year...weddings are in full bloom and if you're invited as a guest, hopefully you've got your eye out for the perfect ensemble to wear! I've received a few invitations for outdoor/beach style weddings and thought it'd be fun to post up some finds.

above: this wedding from Brides.com was set on a beach in the Dominican Republic and conveys such warmth and joy. But if you don't give your ensemble a little tweak, you may find yourself at odds with the elements.


If you're going to an outdoor wedding here are some basic tips:

• To avoid staining, ripping and tripping...wear a dress that is no longer than tea length:
This Modaspia dress just arrived at our boutique and is perfect for a beach wedding. Made of silk and lined in organdy cotton, the ruching goes up the back and provides the most flattering shape while being ultra comfortable!

• Wear slides or sandals (like the Christian Loubutin top right) that you can easily slip on and off your feet in case you are traipsing in sand or brush

• Finish it off with dainty Anthropologie earrings for shimmer and a wrap (Aesop Wrap) when night falls and it gets windy

• A sandy white beach produces a lot of glare, so don't forget sunglasses (like the Dolce Gabbana above)

• And non-greasy sunblock is essential! I am loving that Peter Thomas Roth has a brush-on version that you can tuck into your clutch.

Ankasa : Fashion and Home

The May issue of Elle Decor features the beautiful home accessories of Ankasa.
This husband/wife team began in the fashion world, supplying embroideries to designers like Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang.

above: they describe their aesthetic as in between modern and traditional with hand embroidery and absolutely stunning textures.

above: Oscar de la Renta used an Ankasa textile for one of his Spring '08 designs.

above: their flagship store in New York offers their full line

Judith Leiber does a cupcake right

above: Alarmed at the cost of $3 for a cupcake these days? How about $4300 for this limited edition "Strawberry Cupcake Clutch" from Judith Leiber? Now this is what I call a cupcake!

Cupcake Fridays

Happy Friday everyone! Between Jennifer's birthday and our own lack of self control, we had more of a Cupcake "Week" rather than Friday...

above: (top) I can be in the midst of a run and then come to a screeching halt in front of the windows of Kara's Cupcakes to count how many coconut cupcakes they have left. (bottom) Jennifer shows us the "Martha Stewart" way of serving cake by cutting out a circle in the center so they are not only squared, but you get more pieces.

Carolina Herrera

I am such a huge admirer of Carolina Herrera. Be it her wedding gowns, her evening dresses or her legacy...to wear a Herrera is to wear a timeless, exquisite silhouette polished to perfection with feminine details.

above: How does she turn out such gorgeous wedding dresses year after year? These gowns from her '08 collection continue to highlight Herrera's sense of sophisticated romance.

above: Herrera in '75 and a photo of her at 16. Not only are her gowns iconic, but so is Herrera herself. I saw these photos and just reveled in her glamour.

above: with her husband, Renaildo at their Caracas estate.

above: Mapplethorpe captures her mystery and allure. Kicking it in her signature white shirt on the dance floor in Santo Domingo, '01.

Unique Wedding Week at SMP

I just can't get enough of my good friend Abby's "Unique Wedding Week" over at Style Me Pretty! Her talented roster of wedding designers from her Little Black Book have submitted such refreshing, endearing and personal glimpses into unique weddings...you just know that every guest had a ball attending them.

above: These are some of my favorite shots from Abby's Unique Wedding Week although I could have re-posted the entire week including one shot of the cutest "bumble bee" flower baby!

Shop Friend: Violet Designs

Traci Terrick of Violet Designs stopped in the other day and I just had to share with all of you her beautiful floral designs. Her shop is located in Newburyport, Massachusetts and offers naturally elegant designs for weddings, parties and showers.

above: what makes Traci's work unique is her background in photo styling for companies like Restoration Hardware and Gumps. With her nuanced eye, I can only imagine the invaluable benefits of having floral arrangements that will photograph impeccably.

Studio Sketch: Darling Darjeeling

We just got these Darjeeling mugs and expresso cups into the boutique and I love the colorful patterns on them. They would make wonderful table decor for your Moroccan themed bridal showers and parties!

above: I salvaged an unfinished sketch I started during the overcast winter that seems to fit Springtime and our Darjeeling motifs to a tee!

Happy Friday: Sock it to Me

It's Friday and I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little bit like this! Can't wait to bust out into the weekend for some of that sunny forecast...


above: this adorable sock animal is from F.Pea. Her knitting blog is full of her whimsical creations and she even has "Free Pattern Fridays" where you can try your hand at hats, fingerless gloves and beer cozies!

above: make your own octopus from one of F.Pea's "Free Pattern Friday" patterns
Happy Friday everyone!

Sok-O

And since we're on the topic of sock animals...
Who can resist these four handmade sock critters from Sok-O ? Each are unique and adoptable and come with their own birth certificate.
above: my personal favorite is the chicken little creature with the bellybutton (top left). According to Sok-O, his name is "Hooligan" and he lives by the motto, "the fun starts here."

San Francisco Torch Relay

I interrupt our normal "design" posts on Shop Friends to post up some photos of the Olympic Torch Relay that occurred in San Francisco yesterday. It's not every day the Torch gets rerouted one block away from the shop & studio!

In actuality I was sitting in my car in traffic when it passed near our shop, bemoaning the thought that I had missed the run and the protests all together. But as I listened to the radio reports that the route was being diverted westbound, I put the pedal to the metal and found myself in the Marina running after a squadron of police down to the water.

above: Because of the incidents that occurred in Paris, this new route was devised and took many by surprise. Unexpectedly, I got a front row seat as I ran with fellow residents and what seemed like a mile of police alongside the torchbearers towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

above: The torch was so close (torch is right above the cop's helmet)!

above: I appreciated the many creative and determined protesters.

above: Ok, so maybe I can tie this all into Shop Friends by saying this... I so regret not jumping into my running shoes (which were sitting right there in the backseat) before taking off with my fellow residents, but Onex makes some darn good "running" heels! They aren't the best looking shoes...but I was able to run 3 miles in 2.5 inch heels chasing the torch down to Crissy Field and then back with only one blister. Go Onex, I am now a devotee!

New Paris Interiors and Whale Tails

My sis and brother in law just purchased their first place and are busy as bees painting their walls and decorating. Needless to say, I've been trying to keep my eye out for furniture finds and found myself poring over this new book: "New Paris Interiors" by Angelika Taschen.

above: the pages I loved most happened to be the ones where there were elements of surprise. From whale tails, to a gorgeous canoe tub, to a plaster crocodile sconce...they capture the personality of the owners and help bring a lightness to the sometimes oh-so-serious art of decorating!

above: I love how this modern dining room is able to incorporate an edited version of the owners' many collected flea market and antique house finds.

Tux Ruffles by Phoebe Couture

I love an unstructured tux ruffle...be it a work shirt, or a party dress like this one by Phoebe Couture. And what's a girl with a tux ruffle dress without her lacquered root stool and Moroccan inspired accessories?


above: Phoebe Couture Dress. Lacquered root stool. Emmeline and Blue Pillow.
Bauble earrings. Enameled tile necklace.

Shop Friend: Kathleen Deery Design

Aside from the glowing couple and their guests, nothing lends more texture and life to an event than good florals, lighting and linens. And so it was wonderful to meet Janet Bamberger at Kathleen Deery Design and hear about their dazzling floral and event planning.

above: just look at the texture and richness that these floral cakes bring to the space!



above: I have such a penchant for designs that are both sophisticated and natural. I can hardly get over how special this organic green tray is for holding placecards.


And another amazing offering from them: if you are looking to host the best shower ever, then contact Kathleen Deery Design for their Fresh Cut Classes. Invite a group of eight or more guests to gather at the studio for a workshop on floral design trends and arrangement. Each of your guests will bring home an arrangement and all the tips and lessons they will need to create their own floral pieces!

Happy Friday: Craft Congress & Buzz Jewelry

I had the pleasure of meeting Kristen Billings who designs a jewelry line called Buzz Jewelry based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her passion for using reclaimed and vintage materials is truly evident in her work!

If you detect a palpable creative buzz in the air, it might be due to the fact that this weekend is Craft Congress here in San Fran. From April 4-6, crafters and designers like Kristen from around the country gather for a business development conference to discuss, network and contribute conversation to all that is the evolving craft and design movement.

Happy Friday everyone--hope you go out and support your favorite indie designers and shops this weekend!

Shop Friend: Vintage Joy

I came across these adorable rings made of vintage buttons by Vintage Joy.
They remind me of the candy rings from childhood!

above: flower power for your finger. The rings are adjustable which are just about the only rings both my sister and I can wear b/c of our small fingers.

above: this ring is appropriately named "Candy Dots."

Glass Act: Dale Chihuly

It is always mesmerizing to see world renowned artist Dale Chihuly create personal, autobiographical works through such large scale glass installations. But I also have a fondness for his sketches and drawings that precede or are inspired by those works.

above clockwise: Seaforms Drawing by Dale Chihuly. I LOVE his delicate/frenetic hand! Zoe & Morgan skull opal earrings. Hand painted Matthew Williamson gown. Jimmy Choo snakeskin heels.

Above: Perhaps the one that many of you have encountered is his Fiori di Como installation at the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas. The floating, ethereal installation defies its weight of over 40,000 pounds!

Trash the Dress: John Michael Cooper

A bride from our Paper Studio recently brought in her "wedding binder" and I was so struck by her clips of wedding photography because she was on a mad hunt for something out of the ordinary. One of her clips was from John Michael Cooper, who likes to create alternative shots of the bride and her dress, sometimes juxtaposing them in stark landscapes much like a narrative fashion shoot.

Above: Before clicking onto John Michael Cooper's site, let me first forewarn you, his tag is "bad ass approach with an alternative edge to wedding images." A NYT article on his work was entitled "Is this Any Way to treat Vera Wang?" Don't be scared by the shocking opening photo to his site (ok, well I was too!)...but as you go through his work you'll see his captivating perspective of couples and narrative. Cooper also started Trash the Dress, which could be quite an alarming title for a bride to be! But no worries, this site was created to "celebrate" the bride and her wedding more than to trash it.

above: Photographer Heather Cole captures a bride in "suspense" of her nuptials!


above: Mermaid or bride? This beautiful photo was taken by Del Sol Photography.
These photographers are all on the Trash the Dress site. If you are looking for some truly unique shots and perspectives for your wedding, the site publishes a directory of photographers in your state.