Wish Upon A Wedding...

So I just signed up as a volunteer with a fabulous network of wedding vendors who'd like to make a real impact on someone's life.   Wish Upon A Wedding is an organization that provides weddings at destinations across the United States for individuals facing life-threatening illness. It is a chance for couples to enjoy a very special day, without any thoughts of existing health issues, while surrounded by their closest family and friends. Since January, when it was founded in San Fransisco, 15 chapters have popped up across the country, and with such an awesome goal, I anticipate a ton more will sprout up by the end of the year.

Beth and Nick were the Chicago chapter's first "wish" wedding.  They were married April 18, 2010 (Congrats)!!!! 

 

Beth and Nick had been together for almost 10 years when Beth was diagnosed with urachal adenocarcinoma. A few short weeks later, as she was about to undergo surgery to remove part of her bladder, her navel and several lymph nodes, Nick quietly returned to the jewelry store they had visited together and purchased the engagement ring. That evening, Nick proposed.  And although it has undoubtedly been a difficult road and Beth will continue the fight for her life, Beth and Nick had the wedding they always dreamed of thanks to vendors who donated their time, money, expertise, and compassion via Wish Upon A Wedding.  

Here are a couple pics of items and services donated that made this dream-come-true wedding come true...

Floral and Event Design: Blumen Floral and Event Design, Amy Crum

Wedding Dress: Bridal Mansion of Lisle, Jane Skarosi

Wedding Cake: Take the Cake, Mary Winslow

Rentals and Linens: Classic Party Rental, Sandy Sobczak

Wedding Location and Food: Giovan’s Restaurant, Giovan Cullota

Lighting: Frost Lighting, Samantha Steele

Photography: Gerber and Scarpelli Weddings, Kurt Gerber

Makeup: Starlight Makeup, Lillian Toma

You can read their story, and see a complete list of the vendor's who shared their services on the Wish upon a Wedding website.

The story touched my heart... it's honestly hard not to tear up thinking about it.  Knowing there is an organization where I can donate my time and expertise to a couple who will forever cherish those precious moments together, makes me feel good about the world.  We often get wrapped up in deadlines, number-crunching, production, and all the general hulabaloo of the wedding industry and forget the whole reason we're in it.  To make dreams come true. 

I hope all you vendors out there will check out the org, and sign up as a wish granter. 

Thanks for reading ;)

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Vintage Inspired Embossed Pocketfold Invitations

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

I have been itching for weeks, nay, months to show off the fabulous vintage rocker-inspired invitations we created for an awesome bride who just got married this Saturday!  Shana was so fabulous to work with, and had such a neat vision for her special day (and all the accessories).  She came to me and said her colors were dark blue hues and antique gold, that she liked brocade, that she woud characterize her wedding as vintage rocker-inspired, and her element of inspiration was wrought iron. 

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

After going through several concepts including satin brocade invitations, burn-out velvet invitations, even hand flocked invitations; we finally came up with this fabulous gritty gold embossing.  Lots of sparkle with just enough edge. 

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

We created two versions, one with the embossing on the front (as shown above) and one that incorporated an embossed belly band and a monogram seal.  Her monogram was used throughout the event, and she definitely wanted it incorporated in the stationery.  We embossed the interior of this pocketfold invitation, which created one of the most unique backdrops for an invitation I have seen.

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

Once Shana received her two mock-ups, she decided she loved the damask embossed print on the exterior, but wanted the monogram seal instead of the rhinestone buckle. She loved the opulence of the damask print, so we incorporated that into the invitation and enclosures.  

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

We created a custom damask print paper, and layered it with a deep Persian Blue and Gold Leaf stocks.  The invitation itself was flat printed on shimmery Opal stock, giving the inks a metallic appearance. That's a great trick for DIY brides who don't want to spend $500 on thermography... just print brown or grey on metallic stock and it will look like shimmery ink ;)

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

We also created custom wedding programs, menus, table numbers, and place cards to match.  We created a custom stamp with her monogram and wedding date so we could incorporate the same embossing technique on her programs.

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

Copyright Revelry Invitation Studio, LLC

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Blue and Green Inspiration Board

I am lovin' the blue and green wedding right now!  I think it's cause i had a fleeting moment of summer this past week (temps in the mid 80's... holy bejeez!)

~Check out those adorable favor cookies from Gum Drop Cookie Shop  I LOVE that idea!

~Adorable favor/table decor with the succulents in a pretty vessel.  These are so cute, and I bet everyone would actually want to take them home! I found it on Wedding Rumors

~Cupcakes are stil huge, right? Well these adorable cuppies are on my fav's list.  Unfortunately, I don't know where to get them.  Nag the people over at Prima Donna Bride for the 411, that's where I found the pic.

~I love this super chic, super simple tablescape.  You could create something so fabulous and still be able to retire when you're 70 (meaning: it won't break the bank and you're table will look like a million).

~Of course you want to set the stage for the big event with a custom invitation suite from Revelry Invitation Studio.  This one was for a doll of a client, Ally.  She's starting a maternity apparel co. Edamommy.  As soon as she's up and running,

~fabulous springtime fresh bouquet from My Wedding Place

~Love, LOve, LOVE this cake.  It is so super simple, yet so super chic!  I would want to put it on my table and just look at it every morning.  That is how happy I am about this cake... or am I just happy about cake?  Hmmm.... well, if you're an Aussie, call the peeps at Pink Frosting and sign yourself up for a slice.

~Aaahhh, a beach wedding.  It doesn't get any better.  I saw sea turtles at my Hawaiian wedding... did you see sea turtles at your wedding?  That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.  This is from the fab people at Mi Amor Weddings, a Los Cabos wedding supercenter. Ironically, Los Cobos also factors into my wedding experience... but that's a story for another occassion.

~This si such an adorable idea... the candy striped candy buffet!  Mc Lovin! I found this at My Chic Wedding

~Shoes are from Zappos.  I'm not in love.  They just fit the theme :)

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Real Weddings: Amber and Tom's Wedding

I came across a gorgeous post on Wedding Bee featuring one of my brides.  Amber was a fabulous client and created the most amazing invitations, menus, and placecards using our silk panels.  I have gotten a ton of referrals from her because of her creative use of our products, and I hope to work with her far into the future as she launches her own wedding accessory biz.  You go girl! 

 Here are some of her jaw-droppingly gorgeous wedding pics that paint the picture of a fairytale wedding in Boston. 

  

The ivory dupioni silk flower girl dresses were made by Etsy seller BklynDoll. Check out that pettiskirt.  man I would have died to wear this dress when I was little.  Love!

 

Amber's dress, flower headpiece, and cathedral length veil are by Pnina Tornai

 

Amber painstakingly screen printed her wedding invitations, (which you can see at: http://sites.google.com/a/colatosti.com/wedding/all-things-paper) programs, menus, candy buffet bags, and cocktail napkins using a Gocco printer and lots of gold ink.

 

 

 

Amber did most of the details (like favor tags) herself.  She is so crafty... and I simply can't believe this was in large part a DIY wedding.

 

Love this wedding!  If you want to see more pics and get truly immersed in the fabulosity of the event, check out the full pictorial on Wedding Bee.  And if you love the details as much as I do, Amber has set-up shop on etsy and offers some of her fantastic accessories. Check out Bella Bride Designs.

Photography: Dorie Hamm – Dorie Lynn Photography

Florist: Rachel Heikkila - RCH Designs

Cake: Cakes to Remember - Ellen Bartlett

Lighting: RCUplighting

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