Happy New Year! Happy Anniversary! Happy Birthday!

As 2011 came to a close, I thought back to the last year and how much DEsigns has grown.  Our final event of 2010, helped DEsigns start 2011 off with a bang and set the tone for a very successful year! We now look back at our first wedding of 2011 and wish Elissa & Jay a very happy 1st Anniversary!

The classic black & white New Year's Eve palette was the perfect base for hints of kelly green, a nod to the Irish heritage of both the bride & groom's families.

The gentle swirl pattern was repeated throughout all of 

Elissa & Jay's stationary -  programs, aisle markers, menu cards,

donations & table names.

Photo courtesy of the bride & groom.

 Photo courtesy of the bride & groom.

So now you understand the "Happy New Year" & the "Happy Anniversary" in the title of this post - but the "Happy Birthday"?  Just 13 days after Elissa & Jay's wedding I had my second child - his first birthday post is soon to come.

Happy Anniversary Elissa & Jay!

 Hope your first year together was as amazing as your first day together!

- Erin & Demetra

Mademoiselles ... Mode chaud à Paris!

Ahhhhh ... Paris! We've been there before, but we love going back!

This time, our trip to the city of lights was focused on fashion.  The familiar black & white Parisian theme was highlighted with a burst of bright

turquoise - a fresh twist on the traditional pink.

Our fashionable bride, Maria, let us "accessorize" her bridal shower with feathers, ribbons & lace. The ladies found their seats amongst dress tag escort cards with some of the most amazing French designers as table names.

The bride's sister, Laura, helped to design this custom bake

by Palermo's Bakery.

Thank you Maria for letting us put our twist on your incredible sense of fashion! Enjoy the wedding!! We wish you and Alex all the best!

- Demetra & Erin 

It's a BLING thing!

When we met with Chrissy & Joe in early 2009 they weren't sure of the monogram, theme or colors they wanted but they were sure of one thing ... and that thing was BLING!

Two years and thousands of rhinestones later, we found ourselves at Chrissy & Joe's big blinged out day.  Any where we could add a gem, a rhinestone, or glitter - we did it! We had to make our bride happy - plus we LOVE rhinestones so it was a no brainer for us.

Lots of DEtails were a first for us, like the ribbon trim embellishment we added to Chrissy & Joe's 100 foot aisle runner.

And the multi-tiered ribbon wand & program display (a great alternative to throwing petals or rice for those churches or venues that don't allow a launch!)

It was also the first time we experimented with a vertical escort card display.  Guests found their cards on these custom made display boards which held envelope style escort cards.

The fireplace mantel was the perfect spot for - you guessed it - more bling! Dripping gems in floral arrangements, floating candles atop mounds of gems, and a custom made rhinestone encrusted "B" monogram sparkled in the warm candlelight and highlighted pictures of the happy couple.

Thank you Chrissy & Joe for the chance to DEsign a beautifully bling filled day!

- Demetra & Erin

DEstination - North Carolina!

DEsigns ROUNDED OUT OCTOBER WITH OUR FIRST DEstination WEDDING IN RALIEGH, NORTH CAROLINA.  WE WERE EXCITED TO WORK WITH COLLEEN & CHRIS, A SWEET SOUTHERN COUPLE TO HELP CREATE A SWEET SOUTHERN WEDDING! 

THE FRESH COLOR PALET COMBINED SHADES OF BRIGHT APPLE & KELLY GREENS WITH WASHES OF WHITE AND WAS GROUNDED WITH DEEP METALLIC NAVY. 

FROM THE INVITATIONS TO THE FLORAL ESCORT CARDS, WE MADE EVERY DEtail OF COLLEEN & CHRIS'S BIG DAY FEEL PLAYFUL AND ROMANTIC.

COLLEEN & CHRIS WERE ALSO THE FIRST COUPLE TO USE AN EMPTY RENTAL SPACE - WHICH LEFT EVERY (AND WE MEAN EVERY) DEtail UP TO US!

BEFORE

AFTER

THANK YOU COLLEEN & CHRIS FOR GIVING DEsigns THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCOMPLISH SO MANY FIRSTS! WE HOPE YOU HAD AN AMAZING DAY AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN LOVE & LIFE!

- DEMETRA & ERIN



VINTAGE VETERANS

DEsigns LOVES THE BURKE FAMILY, SO WHEN STEPHANIE (OUR FIRST COMPLETE START TO FINISH BRIDE) TOLD US THAT HER SISTER CAITLIN WAS ENGAGED, WE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED.  BUT WE HAD TOO - CAITLIN AND HER MARINE HONEY LIVE IN VIRGINIA.

NOT BEING ABLE TO STAY AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES FOR TOO LONG, CAITLIN AND BILLY MADE THE TREK TO JERSEY AND WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING.  NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE BURKE CHARM STRUCK AGAIN AND WE FOUND OURSELVES PLANNING A "VINTAGE, TRAVEL, MARINE" WEDDING.

CAITLIN AND BILLY MADE SURE TO GIVE US THE PERFECT BACKDROP AT THE THAYER HOTEL IN WEST POINT, NY.   "THE THAYER HOTEL IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC TREASURE, VISITED BY PAST US PRESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL LEADERS, AND CELEBRITIES ALIKE." WWW.THETHAYERHOTEL.COM

WE SPENT HOURS RESEARCHING AND WEEKS CONSTRUCTING "SCENERY" TO FIT THE VISION THAT CAITLIN AND BILLY HAD OF THEIR DAY. WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PROPERLY HONOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.

TO DO SO, WE USED THE MARINE CORPS COLOR PALETTE OF DEEP RED, GLIMMERING GOLD, AND DARK BLUE.  SMALL BURSTS OF FEATHERS AND VINTAGE GLASS NODDED TO THE 1940s. WE MIXED IN DISTRESSED PHOTOS AND AUTHENTIC VINTAGE PROPS WE SCORED AT AN AMAZING ESTATE SALE (THERE WAS EVEN A VICTROLA!!)

THE ESCORT CARD STATION KEPT THE GUESTS "TRAVELING" THROUGH THE EVENING BY INVITING THEM TO CHECK-IN AND GET THE KEY TO THEIR

"SUITE" SEAT.

THE HOTEL CHECK IN CAME COMPLETE WITH A BELLHOP.

THANKS ROSIE!!

WE GATHERED UP OUR BEST PROPS (YES, THAT'S A TYPEWRITER) TO CREATE A TABLESCAPE TO HELP CAITLIN AND BILLY HONOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAD SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND INFORM THEIR GUESTS ABOUT THEIR DONATION TO THE "WOUNDED WARRIORS".

THANK YOU CAITLIN AND BILLY FOR AN AMAZING THEME AND GREAT COLLABORATION! WE WISH YOU THE BEST!

- DEMETRA & ERIN

PURPLE IS ALL THE RAGE

ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS AGO (OK - MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF) WE MET WITH AN ADORABLE COUPLE WHO WAS EXCITED ABOUT STARTING THE PROCESS OF DEsignING THEIR WEDDING.  NOT SURE OF THE DIRECTION THEY WERE GOING TO GO, WE CHATTED WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE COLORS TO GET THE BALL ROLLING. 

NICHOL LOVED PURPLE, JOHN LOVED BLUE.  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DEsigns HISTORY, THE GROOM HAD WON OUT AND BY THE END OF THE MEETING WE HAD PICKED OUT AN AMAZING COLOR SCHEME OF "STEELY" BLUES AND COOL GRAYS.

WELL LESS THEN A WEEK LATER JOHN EMAILED US AND TOLD US THAT NICHOL REALLY LOVED PURPLE AND SHE COULDN'T ENVISION THEIR BIG DAY WITHOUT THAT ROYAL HUE.  WHAT A GREAT GROOM!

AS THE WEEKS PASSED WE MET WITH A HANDFUL OF OTHER COUPLES WE SOON FOUND OUT THAT PURPLE WAS THE NEW BLACK! EVERYONE WANTED TO INCORPORATE THE PLUMMY, PASSIONATE, PERFECT PURPLY HUE AND DEMETRA AND I WERE AT A LOSS.  HOW WERE WE GOING TO MAKE NICHOL & JOHN'S STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?? 

WE DECIDED TO MIX A HANDFUL OF PURPLY HUES - DARK TO LIGHT,

BLUE-ISH TO PINK-ISH - GROUNDED THEM WITH A DEEP EGGPLANT COLOR AND HIGHLIGHTED WITH DELICATE RHINESTONE BUCKLES & BRIGHT HITS OF WHITE.

THE NEW MR. & MRS. "PIE"ROTTI JR. THANKED THEIR GUEST WITH INDIVIDUAL APPLE PIES IN WHITE BOXES WITH CUSTOM FAVOR TAGS AND RIBBON EMBELLISHMENT.

NICHOL & JOHN, WE HAD A BLAST WORKING WITH YOU AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR LIFE TOGETHER!

- DEMETRA & ERIN

"LUCKY" IN LOVE

WHEN A VENUE REFERS A CLIENT YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'RE GOING TO MEET. WHEN BIAGIO'S RISTORANTE REFERRED CHANITA AND KEVIN, WE GOT AN AMAZING COUPLE WITH A FUN LOVING ATTITUDE AND A KILLER SENSE OF STYLE.

THE BRIDE & GROOM WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT, SO WE MIXED DEEP PURPLE & METALLIC LILAC WITH HINTS OF RASPBERRY PINK TO CREATE A STRIKING CONTRAST TO THE BRIGHT WHITE FLOWERS & LINENS.

GUESTS FOUND THE CEREMONY PROGRAMS NESTLED IN A GLASS VASE FILLED WITH GEMS AND HIGHLIGHTED BY PINK PETALS & GLOWING VOTIVES.

AFTER A TOUCHING CEREMONY, GUESTS & THE NEWLEYWEDS MADE THEIR WAY TO THE RECEPTION AREA AND FOUND THEIR GRAPHIC PLACECARDS AMONGST A BED OF PURPLE & PINK PETALS.

GLOWING BAR MENUS LISTED THE COUPLE'S PURPLE & PINK SIGNATURE DRINKS AND KEPT THE PARTY FLOWING!


A PERSONALIZED PHOTO GUESTBOOK & HAND DETAILED CARD BOX WERE OUR FINISHING TOUCH TO THIS PERFECTLY PURPLE DAY.

CONGRATULATIONS CHANITA & KEVIN! WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!

LOVE,

DEMETRA & ERIN