Wedding dream team collaboration :: Photo shoot

Whew! Yesterday was fantastic! I had a great time collaborating with some of my favorites (the best!) in the Portland wedding arena for a gorgeous photo shoot.

Dress extraordinaire, Elizabeth Dye
Photographer, Lisa Warninger
Stylist, Chelsea Fuss (of frolic!)
Accessories, Twigs & Honey (yours truly)
Model, Anna Adams
Location, Ace Hotel

These are just some of my photos... but more beautiful photos by Lisa should be coming in a few weeks.

More photos to come!
Thank you Elizabeth, Chelsea, Lisa, Anna, and Jaime!! I had a wonderful time!
Visit my Flickr photosream for more photos... HERE.

snap and chat with Wendy Joblon

Trish and I headed out to South Dartmouth last week to visit the ultra fab Wendy... wedding planner, small business owner, mother of two, wife of one... and over all very cool lady. We always love to photograph a wedding when Wendy has had a hand in the planning. She has the best taste!

In addition to being a planner- Wendy opened this adorable store Folia in South Dartmouth that carries custom invitations and all things monogrammed (gifts, personalized stationary etc.)

Isn't it adorable? I want to live here.

... and the inside too...




Wendy has been in this space for a year. She's open from 10-3 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday.
In the summer she'll be open until 4pm.



Why add invitations to an already successful planning business? "Wedding invites and planning go hand in hand because there is a theme to it. Many people start with the invitation. It's nice to have that input."

Here she is! Wendy is about to be on the other side of a wedding .... her son is getting married over Labor Day weekend in Colorado. Wendy says she does not want to be in charge of anything!!! She just want to go and have a great time- oh, and wear a gorgeous dress of course...The wedding is planned for 450 guests, and there will be 28 people in the wedding party- wow!

Wendy is so respected in our business. Whenever her name comes up in conversation- it's always a compliment about her great style or just how nice of a person she is. I was curious about how she started her business...

Turns out Wendy went to BU to become a teacher-she made it through but decided it just wasn't for her. She said it was so hard that she lost 25lbs the first year! Maybe I should take up teaching?...

Next, she became the catering secretary and coordinator at the Sheraton Tara in Raynham, but left to move to Dartmouth and get married. Next for Wendy... to baby boys that kept he buys for a while until she started to get a little cabin feverish at home.

She ended up getting a job selling boxes... "I didn't know anything about boxes but boy could I sell them!" No surprises here... Wendy is a knock out, I am sure those companies she was selling boxes too would have bought anything she came in with.

One day when she was getting a manicure, her manicurist asked if she could help her plan her daughter's Batmitzvah. Wendy accepted. She also worked for several years at Hawthorne CC booking, coordinating, and overseeing all things wedding.

Then she decided, "Hey- I should start my own business, and that was 14 year ago!"

Wendy is modeling some of the adorable things she carries in the store, like this terry cloth wrap, with monogram of course. How cute would this be as gift for bridesmaids?

We are suckers for personalized stationary too.

If you need invitations or a fun gift, a trip to South Dartmouth is so worth it, it's the cutest little village with good places for lunch. Also, because Wendy is a wedding planner too she often doles out a little free advice to her customers!

Wendy, it's always so nice to see you- thanks for the snap and chat. We'll be back in for some stationary!

You can contact Wendy through her website: www.wendyjoblon.com

Folia is located at 354 Elm Street in South Dartmouth

A new favorite piece :: just listed in my Etsy shop!

This morning, I was reading one of my new favorite blogs, 100 Layer Cake, and I came across one of my favorite wedding inspiration boards ever... and what are the beginnings of possibly a favorite wedding dress too! I was instantly inspired:

The inspiration board was made by the talented Jenna for her upcoming wedding and the dress will be made by her sister, Sarah, of hello, handmade (board and sketch credits go to Jenna and Sarah).
I love Marie Antoinette fashion and have been inspired before. Also, you know that show stopper hat I made for the Novel Romance bridal show last month? It is featured top right of this blog in the logo photographed by the fabulous Lisa Warninger (whom you already know and if you don't... you need to know of!). I received so many inquiries about that hat (expect to see more of that hat in the future)! BUT... that hat took forever to make. I think I was up until 4am hand sewing it together... so naturally, I have to price it accordingly. Anyhow, with this new inspiration and with current interest in the hat, I've decided to make more for the fashionably adventurous bride (yay, right??). Here is the newest of a whole new line I'd like to build on that is much more friendly on the wallet:

This piece is completely hand sewn and features something new and something old... lots of luxurious silk, lace, just the right amount of sparkle and a pretty ostrich plume (I'm on an ostrich kick as of late - expect to see much more ostrich!). In my SHOP right now. Enjoy!

My husband Jim jumped up from the computer last night and said "Trishy, come see this photo, you have to put this on your blog, this is what you are always talking about!".

The caption on this photo reads as follows: CFA volunteer David Nicholls escaped his Narbethong home with only his wedding album.

I felt such a swell of emotion, this is the only posession he saved from his home, aside from people my photos are the only thing I would try to save if my home was on fire. What else is there to say?

Photo by Norman Oorloff

You can see more photos and read more about what is happening here:
Victoria's killer fires NEWS.com.au

Just listed a couple new pieces in the Etsy shop...

Some lovely and flirty new pieces for my shop today...

A snapper in training....

What's the key to the snap! success you might wonder?.... one word: enthusiasm. We LOVE what we do and we are always excited to come to work... that's it- that's the secret ingredient. So, on that note: feast your eyes on the next generation of snap.... a snap girl in training if you will. My daughter Vianne had the day off from school Monday so she came to the office with me and while we were busy with snap stuff, she was busy making us pictures and demonstrating her album design skills:

I will translate here because this letter is written in first grade language:

Basically she thinks we are real nice and our albums are real nice too.

Our pictures are also awesome (guys). This her album layout, I think she has the right idea, and the hearts are a nice touch. I like the super bride with the cape and the bracelet the best. She understands it's all about the details.

Current clothing crush :: Lauren Moffatt

I recently found Lauren Moffatt's work through {this is glamorous} blog and I am just swooning. Visit the new Lauren Moffatt online shopping site HERE.

I love androgynous looks.

This dress is my absolute favorite.
Go to this is glamorous blog for your chance to win a Lauren Moffatt dress!
Photo credits: Lauren Moffatt

Ever have one of "those" days?

I was feeling a little down today... a little under the weather and Indy has been too (she has an appt. later today). I was so happy to see these pretty blooms from Matt, when he came home for lunch earlier. It's gray out, but these really brighten my day. I love you, honey!

I love the color of these hypericum berries. They remind me of this stunning and delicious dress.

Matt is too cute. He normally picks out the flowers at the shop and tells the lady to put them into a vase with fillers. He likes to pick out all the pretty blooms... regardless of the color coordination. I can just picture him now, "this one is pretty... that one is too... ooh, Myra would like this..."
He is going to hate me for typing this, but I thought it was too funny/cute. The other day, I was just exhausted and not in the mood to bake, but he was wanting sweets and all we had in the cupboards was a box of lemon bar mix. He baked it! I never even attempted lemon bars. While they were in the oven, I was going to cut his hair (I always cut Matt's hair), and he was like, "oh, hang on. We had better wait until the lemon bars are finished baking." ...while keeping a close eye on the oven. I don't know why I find this so cute. They were pretty tasty when finished! Previously, while going through the cupboards, I found a box of cake mix. And I thought, "I didn't buy this..." And then it dawned on me that Matt did and he just put it in there like, "oh, the box will just bake itself," as in if it is in there, Myra will automatically make them. So the lemon bars were a huge step for him!

Puppies :: They grow up so fast

Just some more pictures of Indy. She has grown so quickly! She's about 6.5 months now. Also some before and after photos:

Today, she hasn't been feeling well. Poor pup!

Orders List :: Sorry for the delay!

I'm back from vacation and am doing a quick and dirty post on all the orders on my queue. If you have discussed an order with me and do not see your name on this list, please get in touch with me (convo or email). Many of these names have multiple pieces, and I've recorded it on the master list. Also, many of these names are the first name and last initial as they were initiated off Etsy and I am protecting privacy. I'm also preparing for several photo shoots this month and boutique orders and will have those pieces ready asap! Thank you so very much for your patience!! Here goes:

1. thoang
2. Claudikc
3. jillianchong
4. tiff7000
5. jennmacivor
6. KateC.
7. ciaobella83
8. orchidlilly2222
9. jesseandgrace
10. teresa2020
11. esgal
12. hayley1601
13. blacksheepdesign
14. jenacat
15. mitchell821
16. Fran4362
17. bethharley
18. thedamaris
19. corbin1234
20. tahoebound2009
21. katielouu
22. ahhmee
23. copel008
24. blacmagik21
25. kooki8
26. StephanieS.
27. MelanieS.
28. nancy323323
29. ashleygranados
30. jessbruin
31. lamchops
32. HannahR.
33. n3lla
34. boycooper
35. ringobubblegirl
36. emilyjnelson
37. Mavouree
38. jkatlee
39. deen1213
40. twiggyforest
41. jessmark
42. beehandmade
43. kimatusc
44. SooN.
45. jlprellop
46. joanna056
47. BeccaG.
48. kdominelli
49. grlofthenorthcountry
50. myra1210
51. cdodson
52. boogan
53. brownkatharine
54. laurelnicole
55. LesaC.
56. JamieB.
57. KristaM.
58. ambutton
59. misshippo
60. whitcalgal
61. em969
62. jikiankc
63. fayelouise
64. zoyichka
65. hopechristine
66. botodesigns
67. DeannaM.
68. skinnerpa
69. tigerbaby25
70. KristaJ.
71. NicoleB.

Happy Monday!!

snap and chat with Semia

Although we've worked with Semia quite a few times a we've never actually met the lady behind the fantastic florals... she always seems to elude us. I got a brief glimpse of her in February at Karalyn and Erik's wedding... but not enough to satisfy my curiosity, so naturally a snap and chat was in order... Hey, wait a minute! Maybe she's trying to hide from us?!

How cute is this photo? Here's our first impression of Semia as she welcomes us into her store...

TA- DA! That's more like it!




Semia opened her shop in North Providence a few years ago... and they are constantly cooking up beautiful arrangements....



...and bouquets. Semia is REALLY busy, because she's a hard worker for one- and secondly the brides are insane for her because her work really stands out. It's young, and fresh, and sweet - just like Semia herself.


How would Semia define her style? "More is more! Abundant is my philosophy!"

I asked Semia if she felt brides were hesitant to try funkier designs... "It really depends on the bride, but I like to surprise people! For instance, when I did Karalyn's wedding I found something that I REALLY wanted to add to her table arrangements (the hanging crystals).

I called her and said, I've found this thing.. it's you, I know it's you... you have to have it! And, she trusted me.. and she LOVED it!"

It's that kind of inspiration, with a little bit of innovation and edge that sets Semia apart!

Semia adds..."I get two kinds of brides basically, the really edgy funky brides who aren't afraid and want things like black feathers in their bouquet- and then also the English garden traditional bride who wants her florals to look really rich. The best part is when someone really trusts you and doesn't need to know every color and shape, but they know what they generally want and want me to run with it! That's my favorite kind of bride."

Of course every bride wants to know that her florist is using the freshest flowers...

It doesn't get much fresher than growing them yourself does it? Semia's parents own a farm- and Semia has grown a cutting garden there since she was a teenager. Now, Semia's mom has taken over to help her- and in the summer they grow Dahlias, Sunlowers, and Peonies to name a few... as well as herbs which all make their way into Semia's creations.

Talk about a personal touch!

Semia's favorite season for flowers? Spring! "I love the flowering branches and lilac, peony and hydrangea!"

I think Trish had the best question of the chat... where does the name Semia (Se-mee-ah) come from?

"It's a family name actually. It's Lebanese, from my father's side. It's a tradition in my father's family that if your first child is a girl, you name her Semia. There are quite a few Semia's in my family!"

And what does the name mean?

"It means a jewel or a treasure."

AWH....

Semia was a bride herself last year. Everyone was wowed by the beautiful photos of all her amazing flowers which appeared in the latest issue of Southern New England Weddings (pick up a copy!) I was curious about her experiences being on both sides of the bouquet!

"It took a week of solid designing to to it all. It was a labor of love- I wanted to work here every day leading up to the wedding. My fiancee kept asking me to please go easy... but I just said, you are going to lose this one hon! "

"I got engaged in January- and we set our date for May- so my wedding was planned in 5 months! I wanted a spring wedding and it was really important to me to use key pieces from my mother's yard. I used a vase of dogwood branches and a vase of white lilac to bring in a touch of home. I was picking flowers in my mother's yard two days before the wedding."

"Every table at my reception was different, they didn't have to fit a formula. I told my staff- this is what I want... and they just ran with it... and I got to be surprised!"

"I actually got to set up for 2 or 3 hours and then went right from the Glen Manor to my rehearsal! It was everything that I wanted. We filled every square inch, but if I could have added more floral I would! It was a dream come true."

So what's in store for Semia this year? Just working hard... and making the world a more beautiful place it seems... Trish and I are just so glad we finally got to sit down with Semia and make a new friend. She's a lot like us... passionate about her craft and serious about being a good business woman out in the world. It's reassuring to chat with her and realize that even though our product may be different our principals and practices are really similar.

The last thing I asked Semia was, what is the latest trend for brides? What are we going to be seeing out there?"

"Diamonds are the new shells!" she says laughing. (Semia introduced those fun over sized fake diamonds sprinkled over tables at the reception-see photo above).

Spoken like a true jewel!

Gorgeous bridal hair :: Styles on B

I don't know why I didn't do this post sooner!
If you are a bride in the New York area and are searching for a stylist for your perfect wedding hair, visit Stacy of Styles on B. On top of being ultra sweet, Stacy is amazingly talented at creating stunning, sophisticated and feminine wedding hairstyles. I need an excuse to go to New York to have my hair styled by her! I found out about Stacy from a previous bride I worked with (remember Molly and Bill's gorgeous wedding?). Some of my favorites:

...and a twigs & honey piece!

View more of her beautiful work HERE.