sneak peek preview time

These are three of the new styles that I will offer as part of KenzieKate's 2008 collection come the first of February (you're the first to see them!), but I need help naming them! I'm stuck. I've named the other new ones, but the jury is still out on these three. I name each of my invites after a city that I feel has a similar spirit, and while I've been places, I'm not a well traveled girl. I need your help! I'd be really appreciative of any suggestions.

Already taken are: Paris, Manhattan, Stockholm, Vienna, Montreal, Charlotte, Havana, Seville, Mumbai, Burlington, Seattle, Philadelphia, Aberdeen, Hanalei, Aspen, Cozumel, Palm Springs, and Savannah.

** UPDATE: Several people have written me, telling me that my French is off on the reply card for the first invite set. Not to worry! The French is correct on the real thing, this image was just taken from an earlier prototype. Thanks though!

moop: great bags

market bag in grey corduroy

this is tangential, ladies, bear with me: i LOVE this bag.
i love it so much i couldn't decide whether to get it in sage canvas,
or grey fine-wale corduroy... summer? winter? summer?...
then wendy of moop began making it in a phenomenal brick orangey-red.


oh, yes. yes please. so much temptation in the world!

my new burnt-red *arrived* today, and it is everything i hoped. a much subtler color than the photos suggest. and as with the umbrellas, it is mind-blowing to me that someone knows how to make this from scratch, by hand. i love it.

how do these bags relate to weddings, you ask? well... ok, they don't.
although some women use them as hip diaper bags, but that's a totally different blog. speaking of, the moopshop blog is pretty darn cool as well. like figsandginger, here's a creative partnership that works and is worth celebrating. viva la moop!



more at moopshop.etsy.com

michellebrusegaard: gorgeous prints

set of 25 save-the-date cards with aqua poppies and brown text

beautiful! am so in love with rounded-edge cards. yes, i know that makes me a paper geek. the font is ladylike but not stuffy, the perfect mix of formal and informal -- i think the color scheme is genius, but you can customize it to your colors. you can also add different information as you wish.

michelle also makes phenomenal scarves and other types of paper and printed goods (check out the napkins and placemats!). the minneapolis-based shop is a cacophony of different media and talents, yet it all hangs together:




more at michellebrusegaard.etsy.com

wedding craziness

Photo by Karenscape.

There's so much going on right now in the bridal community with the wedding season coming up fast and furious. I just thought I'd share a few of the events and happenings out-and-about the online wedding neighborhood.
1) The Wedding Library is hosting a Wedding Party!, (a champagne breakfast at the Carlyle) on January 26th, 2008 from 11-4. Dish with the likes of Darcy Miller and Mark Ingram on the details of the perfect wedding. Visit The Wedding Library or call 212.327.0100 for tickets. Mention Something Old, Something New when you check in at the event, and get a free copy of "Clearing the Aisle" a humorous (no doubt wedding themed) novel by Karen Schwartz.
2) Karenscape Photographers is giving away a FREE complete wedding photography package every four months in 2008. But this is not a random raffle. Karenscape is searching for the most romantic, serendipitous, poignant, funny, and inspiring stories of how you found "the one". To win you must create a 3-minute-or-less video relaying your story. Upload your video to YouTube.com and send an email to Karenscape. For full contest entry details, visit www.karenscape.com.
3) 2007 was an incredible year for Blue Orchid Designs and to say thank you, they are giving away a Wedding Day Coordination package to one lucky couple tying the knot in 2008! All you have to do to enter is send an email to Blue Orchid telling them in 300 words or less why you should win. You can nominate yourself or a friend. What better engagement gift to give them than a stress-free wedding day? Check out the Blue Orchid blog for more information and entry rules.

bonne année! champagne sampler

happy new year, all!

i have a backlog of treats lined up from over the holidays, and hope to have them posted over the next week -- in the meantime, here is a smattering of champagne-themed items, ooh la la! to get the new year started with a bit of bubbly.








my toast to you! may your 2008 be filled with laughter, peace, love, and light.

let them read about cake!

I was lucky enough to score an early copy of this book, by Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer, and I LOVE it. It's a collection of some of the most (or all the most) beautiful wedding cake images from Martha Stewart Weddings through the last several years. If you're contemplating your cake or looking for inspiration, look no further. $60-- no $37! well spent. You'll get all the inspiration you need to guide your baker to a seriously drool-worthy confection. I'd love to donate my copy to some lucky bride, or baker... Perhaps I will come up with some sort of contest... stay tuned.

patterned pump round up 08

Hey! It's next year! It's been so long! I hope everyone has had a relaxing holiday with your families. I know I did. There's been a major development since I blogged last, (no I'm not pregnant). Dell and I decided to get a puppy! We took several of those online "What Dog Breed is Right For Me?" tests, and they all told us to get an Italian Greyhound. They're said to have sweet temperments and they don't shed a lot, so we found a breeder nearby and went to visit her pack (including two newborn puppies). The dogs were amazingly cuddly and elegant and the puppies were the sweetest little chipmunks you've ever seen. We fell in love instantly. We don't get to take a puppy home until March, but we're very excited. I want to call him Niles. Or Paul. Dell wants to call him Boomer. We can't decide. We're looking for suggestions if you have any.
In the mean time, I will have to distract myself from the puppy-anticipation with online shoe shopping. It's actually quite fun, so I'm ok with it. I found these gorgeous patterned pumps fresh for spring over at Piperlime. The green metallic ones would be awesome underneath a long flowing gown in need of a little shimmer, while I think I would pair the Bettye Muller florals with a nice tea length garden-party dress with a full skirt. The Jessica Simpson black and white pumps are my favorite for a more casual look, and I think I'm really in love with that heel shape. At less than $100 a pair, these are also the shoes I'm most likely to actually own, which makes me like them more.