Atelier Isabey | The Blog | Luxury Wedding Invitations and Fine Stationery

Rouge: Luxe Valentine's Day Inspiration & Invitations!

2012-02-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! One of my favorite things about Valentine's day (aside from the abundance of yummy chocolates...) is the beautiful inspiration and luscious designs that one gets to see from this romantic holiday. Red is one of my favorite colors so pairing that with drama and romance is definitely a recipe for some beautiful things which I am excited to share with you today! I'm also featuring a brand new Valentine's Day inspired laser cut wedding invitation design to wrap it all together. I just love how the laser cutting accentuates the delicate detail of our custom damask design motif! So enjoy our luxe inspiration and have a wonderful Valentine's Day everybody!

Real Wedding: Modern Elegance in Vail Colorado

2012-02-09T05:25:00.000-08:00

After our gorgeous invitation feature of our couple at Rainbow Ranch in Montana, I'm delighted to share with you yet another beautiful destination wedding but this time in Vail, Colorado! Jessica and Evan got married at the Larkspur Restaurant and Lawn, a gorgeous venue which captured the combination of modern elegance, the Colorado landscape and their love of skiing and travel. We loved the modern spin and the the bright colors they used throughout their big day, such as lime green and white hydrangeas and incorporated them into one of a kind modern floral designs in the wedding invitations. You'll also get to see how we were able to tie in the invitation design onto all different aspects of their wedding day stationery. From luggage tags and escort cards to unique fan programs and everything in between!

Invitations and Wedding Day Stationery by Atelier Isabey | Venue by Larkspur Restaurant & Lawn | Planning by Mountains & Meadows Weddings & Events | Photography by Robin Proctor Photography | Flowers by Rose Petals of Vail | Dress by Ines Di Santo | Shoes by Prada | Groom's Suit by Giorgio Armani | Groom's Shoes by Salvadore Ferragamo | Bridesmaid Dresses by Freddy & Ma | Music by Vintage Band

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Behind the Scenes: Keridy and Geoff

2012-01-26T05:40:00.000-08:00

Last summer we had the great pleasure of designing wedding invitations for dear friends of ours, Keridy & Geoff. Keridy and Steve have known each other since elementary school so it was such an honor, not to mention very exciting to create bespoke invitations that would perfectly capture the unique wedding they were planning at an authentic ranch in Montana. Although they're both New Yorkers, they had purchased a home in Montana and were so excited to share this new experience and chapter of their lives with all their guests.

So one of the first things we did was talk about Montana and their exciting new home, which we found out had the most amazing mountain view you can imagine! It's no surprise that we all decided that this mountain view needed to appear somewhere on the invitation! In addition to the sprawling view, it was so much fun incorporating lots of authentic ranch elements and Montana inspired ephemera throughout the suite. The result was delightfully personal and unique!

Take a look at our behind the scenes journey from beginning to end!

Click here To see more pictures of Keridy & Geoff's custom wedding invitations!

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Exotic Luxury Inspirations and Invitations

2012-01-17T07:56:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adore luxurious textures and patterns, especially exotic skins (like python and croc!) and leather. They have the ability to accentuate just about any object or accessory to a new height of luxury. I'm always looking to the latest runway trends and lookbooks to inspire my designs. Recently, Gucci, Hunting Season and Kara Ross have been some of my favorite designers to incorporate luscious exotic prints and textures into their creations and it's no surprise that the art of Tannery has also inspired some of our custom wedding invitation pieces as well! So today I would love to share with you some of my latest inspirations and obsessions as well as two of our most current, fashion forward invitation suites that bring the concept of couture to a whole new level.

Real Wedding: Chandelier Glamour

2012-01-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

Every year we get to work with couples from all over the world, with different unique personal styles, aesthetics, weddings and venues. We've created classic invitations, rustic invitations, modern and edgy ones but every so often I'll get a couple whose vision for their wedding invitations will complement my very own passion for glamorous style and design. Lisa and Joe, whose gorgeous laser cut wedding invitations we featured on our Invitation Inspiration: Chandeliers post, were looking to do just that. I'm excited to share with you their wedding, a romantic and visually stunning affair which took place at the Ashford Estate in New Jersey. You'll also be able to see the beautiful chandelier monogram we created for them sprinkled throughout the details. Enjoy!

I loved Lisa's gorgeous lace Christian Louboutins. They're the perfect infusion of edgy runway glamour into her romantic look.

Look at how our gold and silver foil stamped chandeliers perfectly complemented the glitz and glimmer in the room! I just love how they used pink lighting to add drama! We added our own pink detailing on the invitation on the invitation edges and hot pink calligraphy. Now there's a way to make a statement!

If you haven't already seen our behind the scenes and inspiration for the invitation suite we designed for Lisa and Joe, check out our Invitation Inspiration: Chandeliers post that features this gorgeous couture design!

Invitations and monogram by Atelier Isabey | Photography by Jeff Tisman Photography | Coordinator by Weddings of Distinction | Venue by St Michael's Church and The Ashford Estate | Lighting by Fennelli Design | Cake by Pink Cake Box | Flowers by MDS Floral Design

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

The Wedding Party 2012

2012-01-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

We're delighted to announce that Atelier Isabey will be participating again this year in The Wedding Party, a fabulous showcase sponsored by Martha Stewart Weddings of over 100 of the top wedding vendors in New York City. The event will be taking place at the gorgeous The New York Palace Hotel. Details Below

The Wedding Party
Sunday, January 29th 2012
11:00am - 4:00pm
The New York Palace Hotel
Get Tickets

Holiday Glamour

2011-12-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Season is finally here and oh what a fun, not to mention inspiring time of the year to celebrate with family and friends! And amidst the holiday stress and preparations, it's always very important for me to remind myself about what this time of the year means to me. To me, this season is about more than just a plump, juicy turkey, a Christmas tree or the candles on a menorah. It's a time to gather with my friends and family, and share with one another how grateful we are to have each other in our lives. I feel so very fortunate to be in this business with so many wonderful and talented individuals who support us, not to mention the brides and grooms who trust us with bringing their vision to reality that I just want to take a minute to express my appreciation and sincere thanks.

On another note, every year I get so very excited about the holiday decorations and all the gorgeous things that designers, artists and stylish individuals from all over the world put together that makes each year so individually unique and special. This year sure didn't disappoint and I found some amazing inspiration and tablescapes that I'm excited to share with you today. This year is all about holiday glamor! Enjoy!

Have you seen our glamorous Atelier Isabey holiday cards? I fell in love with metallics this year and decided to bring my own flair and flavor to the mix with these luxurious holiday cards!

This Winter Wonderland inspired wedding invitation captures the season with a bit of a classic feel too!

Behind the Scenes: Manal and Mohammad

2011-12-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

I love Florence. It happens to be one of me and my husband's favorite cities in Europe. There's also something undeniably romantic and unique about a wedding taking place in Florence. So when Manal and Mohammad, a stylish couple from the middle east came to us with their vision for wedding invitations that would embrace the personality and rich culture of Florence, we couldn't wait to get started! I've written before about incorporating details from your destination into your wedding stationery and this gorgeous design did just that. From the sumptuous Florentine papers and iconic wax seals to the endless architectural and fine art inspiration, we had lots of fun bringing their vision to reality.

So today I would like to share a behind the scenes peek into the process of creating their design (this one involved lots of sketching and research!). Part of the experience working with Atelier Isabey is our signature process where we thoroughly research and build stories and concepts for our couples to work with. That in turn can be used throughout their wedding stationery and even their wedding details and decor!

Take a look below at our journey creating the invitations of Manal and Mohammad.

After all the inspiration and brainstorming different constructions, we decided on an accordion fold presentation. It was perfect to gain lots of real estate for the Bilingual wording they had requested as well as highlight a sprawling panorama of Florence. Can you spot the Duomo?

And finally, the printed piece! I love all the little details throughout. We had the paper specially hand marbled for the couple which was then mounted to the front and back panel of the accordion. This was also our first time doing an invitation with calligraphy written Arabic, which was made to mirror it's English counterpart. The result certainly gave the guests an inclination as to what was to come in this beautiful wedding.

Do you think we captured the heart and spirit of Florence? Click here To see more pictures of Manal and Mohammad's invitation suite.

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Fantasy Twilight Wedding: Bella and Edward

2011-11-28T05:04:00.000-08:00

Along with millions of women around the country, I have to admit that Twilight has been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. Hailed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, there's not denying that the books as well as the recent movie adaptation have captivated fans from all over. So when the Breaking Dawn movie was released this Friday I was excited to see the wedding of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen come to life on the big screen. And boy was it beautiful! It also got me thinking of what I would have done for the wedding styling and wedding invitations. So today, in honor of my guilty pleasure, I've put together a Twilight Fantasy wedding. From dress to flowers and invitations to centerpieces, here is our Atelier Isabey vision of Bella and Edward's wedding day.

Our Zara invitation suite (designed for our The Pressroom & Co. partnership) seemed to click perfectly with the overall look and feel of our fantasy wedding vision for Bella and Edward. The design features classic calligraphy and romantic decorative swirls, reinterpreted with a dramatic twist using silver inks to mimic moonlight on midnight black paper. Mysterious and dramatic, but oh so chic!

Invitation Inspiration: Chandeliers

2011-11-22T04:52:00.000-08:00

There's something that's so undeniably glamorous about a wedding that uses chandeliers and crystals as a centerpiece to the overall look and design. Recently we had the pleasure of working on a gorgeous wedding invitation that did just that! With chandeliers and crystals as a starting point, we brought in fabulous materials, techniques and printing to take that idea to a whole new level and make a unique statement. I've decided to share our invitation and invitation moodboards today along with some of our favorite chandelier inspiration and event design. From crystal studded shoes to dazzling, chandelier filled rooms, these pictures just take my breath away.

I love how each image showcases a different spin on the exact same idea! Like using light, color, texture or just an unexpected twist to give the same theme a new freshness. On our invites, we used metallic foil printing, on mirrored paper to mimic the way crystals reflect light in a candlelit room, and laser cutting to showcase the intricate chandelier, dangling from the ceiling. The result is nothing short of show-stopping and unbelievably glam!

Real Wedding: Vintage Summer Wedding

2011-11-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

This week's real wedding features a delightfully romantic wedding that took place at the beautiful Cairnwood Mansion in Pennsylvania. Dina and Leo established early on that they wanted to focus on creating an intimate event surrounded by only their closed friends and family so when we began creating their wedding invitations, we embraced that idea along with the bride's love for all things vintage. The color palette of rich marigold, honey and yellow tones complimented the summer season and brought a vibrant twist to their special day. And what a day it was! Just take a look at their gorgeous wedding photos!

Needless to say, I'm such a fan of how they were able to bring in bright colors and accents yet still maintain the beautiful vintage and timeless look they were going for. And how gorgeous are those fuchsia colored shoes?

I always love seeing how designs we create get translated into wedding decor, details and even cakes! Take a look at how our unique invitation monogram and motif were applied to the cake!

Photography: Laura Novak Photography
Invitations: Atelier Isabey
Event Designer: Offshoots
Catering: Fastivities Catering
Venue: Cairnwood Mansion

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Halloween Wedding Invitations: Taking custom design to a whole new level!

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a fun and fabulous season for kids and grown-ups alike. Every year I’m delighted to see how friends and family reinterpret time old traditions like pumpkin carving or trick or treating while bringing in creativity and inspiration from current pop culture or trends. There are so many ways to put your own creative twist on the season so with Halloween fast approaching we’re excited to put our own signature on the spooky season!

As we speak, Atelier Isabey is busy putting the finishing touches on stationery for a fabulous wedding which will be taking place on Halloween weekend in a spooky castle in Long Island. I'm so excited to be featuring their fabulous wedding invitations on our blog today. I can wholeheartedly say that our couple, Valerie and Andy, are utterly fearless and they’ve fully embraced the theme and all aspects of celebrating their big day on this holiday weekend. What can be more exciting than that? Take a look at the fabulous wedding invitation and save the date suites we crafted for them and all the delightful seasonal details and inspiration we infused into every piece.

One of my favorite parts about designing this suite was creating the unique Halloween motif that was used throughout the design. I loved the idea of creating an optical illusion where hidden elements would come into focus if the guest looked closely enough. This motif is decorative and uniquely composed of things like ghosts, pumpkins and spiderwebs that reveal themselves upon closer inspection!

For their save the dates we designed an amazing, uber thick black card with vintage Halloween typography and ghostly black on black printing. Also look out for the adorable pumpkin "&" detailing!

And last but not least, what wedding would be complete without our fabulous custom designed wedding day stationery! At Atelier Isabey, we love designing every component and piece without anything looking too 'matchy-matchy'. So the design can take on a whole new look on every card from table cards and escort cards to menus and programs while still looking like it still belongs to the same collection. We were inspired by virtually all things festive, creepy and ghoulish and with the Halloween season being such a wealth of inspiration, it really brought everything to new life!

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

The Knot Industry Gala 2011

2011-10-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Atelier Isabey had the enormous privilege of designing this year's The Knot Industry Gala invitations and attending the amazing event itself at the iconic New York Public Library and I have to say, what a fun time I had! The event is known to be the 'Oscars of the Wedding Industry' and it was wonderful to see all my colleagues, friends and industry icons on this fabulous night. Among the familiar faces in the crowd were icons like Monique Lhuillier, Amsale (and the Amsale Girls), Randy Fenoli and Sylvia Weinstock to name a few. We even had our special moment on the red carpet with The Knot founder and editor in chief, the lovely Carley Roney. Take a look for yourselves at pictures of this glamorous night

We had a blast and were so excited to see how our designs translated into the decor and stationery at the event itself. We'll be sharing the actual invitation design with you very soon so stay tuned!

Photos courtesy of Brian Dorsey Studios

Behind The Scenes : Jennifer & John

2011-10-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've had the pleasure of designing countless bespoke invitations for couples from all over the world, from different cultures, from every walk of life and every single time, the most exciting part about the process is immersing myself in the unique personality and inspiration that they bring. Jennifer and John came to us with a unique vision of their own: with their South African destination wedding and diverse backgrounds, there was no shortage of inspiration to be found!

They were interested in incorporating South African themes (Johannesburg is Jennifer's home town), a traditional American wedding aesthetic (John is from the US) and somehow also infuse a little New York City into the mix as well (the couple currently reside in NYC)! With those ideas in mind, we agreed that the idea of a travel journal as a nod to the international destination would be a great place to start. First thing we do here at Atelier Isabey, is do our due diligence, research and put together creative inspiration boards that set the tone for what's to come with the invitations.

I loved the idea of celebrating their differences with a unique juxtaposition between New York City and South African elements. Think zebra next to a NYC yellow cab! How fun is that? After the inspiration boards, we embarked into the process of taking all of our research, ideas and imagery and bringing them to life in our first concepts. Here are some of our favorites

I just love finding new materials and papers to work with. Perhaps it's because my dad was a textile and interior designer that I naturally gravitate towards fabrics and special materials...

To finish it off, we went to work refining the invitation design as well as every single detail from the monogram and hand-calligraphed boxes all the way down to the stamps for that perfect, buttoned up look.

The result is a labor of love and an invitation that the couple were proud to call their own. We went with leather grain embossed papers in ivory and brought in varying textures from linen embossed papers to luxe cotton papers letterpressed with subtle, tone on tone motifs. The final design was produced on seven different papers sourced from around the world, wrapped in a leather strip holding an embossed leather luggage tag and delivered in grass-wood filled boxes.

How's that for a lasting first impression? Click here To see more pictures of Jennifer and John's invitation suite.

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Real Wedding: Autumn in New York

2011-10-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

I love New York in the fall. As the weather starts to change to a brand new crisp cool Autumn season, I am reminded of all the wonderful fall weddings I've seen over the past few years. Each and every couple brings their own unique twist to the occasion which continues to breathe life into the season year after year. Today, I'm excited to share with you a fabulous wedding that evokes a seasonal, Autumn feel with a unique New York twist. Taking place at the Parker Meridien with its sprawling views of Central Park, Amy and Sam brought their own unique signature look to their special day and I am so proud to have been a part of the team that helped bring their vision to life!

The invitations followed suit and incorporated elements and icons of New York City as well as the breathtaking view of Central Park. A bold combination of aubergine violets and burnt oranges paired with crisp white cotton paper set the stage for everything to follow.

Amy and Sam's decor featured beautiful Autumn shades of oranges, reds and plums. They used red apples that they collected on an apple picking expedition to highlight their escort cards which we created and hand-calligraphied for each guest.

I love how they celebrated the 'New Yorkness' of their wedding and this was especially true about their favors. Warm "I heart New York" mugs of apple cider were given to guests at the end of the night. The mugs were then rinsed and placed by the exit so that guests could take them as they left.

Photography: Roey Yohai Photography
Planner: Daughter of Design
Invitations and Stationery: Atelier Isabey
Event Designer: Hatch Creative Studio
Venue: Parker Meridien

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Atelier Isabey featured in Destination I Do Blog

2011-09-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of being featured on Destination I Do's blog last week and I was invited as a guest-writer to discuss destination wedding invitations and some tips and tricks for how to make them personal.

Whether you're getting married somewhere in the U.S. or on a beach
in a far away tropical destination, there are great ways to incorporate
local culture, art and themes. Invitations and “save the dates” are no doubt
the first elements that will set the tone for your wedding so, just like
your floral centerpieces or your dress, they speak volumes to your sense
of style and the overall look you are going with.

Want to hear more? Visit Destination I Do Blog to discover more of our destination wedding invitations and how we were able to personalize them for our couples.

Real Wedding: Vintage Beauty

2011-08-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

I love beautifully inspired weddings with jaw-dropping decor and design eye candy. As a designer that's a given. But most important of all, I love couples who do that while celebrating their own individual personalities, their culture and are in total enjoyment of their wedding day because let's face it, if you're not enjoying your own wedding, why spend all the time and energy making it look fantastic when you're not really having a good time?

The wedding of Kaya and Walter was a perfect unison of beautiful design with lots of adorable personal details. Their affair took place in the heart of New York City at the Angel Orensanz Foundation and as you can see from their photos, they had the time of their lives on their special day. Also take a look at the gorgeous custom designed wedding suite we created just for them!

And last but not least, Atelier Isabey designed lovely vintage inspired custom wedding invitations for Kaya and Walter. Taking inspiration from the bride's Polish heritage and fusing it with a New York vintage flair, their invitations utilized unique materials, design motifs and multiple printing techniques to achieve a uniquely vintage look. One of my favorite parts of the invitation was the inner envelopes which are handmade with faux lace paper and embellished with a handmade paper crane as a delicate finishing touch. The cranes were used throughout the wedding day decor too! Take a look at the invitation suite below as well as a peek behind the scenes at the original concept sketches!

Photography: Jenny Ebert
Invitations and Stationery: Atelier Isabey
Event Designer: Hatch Creative Studio
Venue: Angel Orensanz Foundation
Church: Saint Stanislaus Church

Want to see more custom wedding invitations?
Check out our portfolio!

Trash the Dress in the Red Sea

2011-08-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Trash the dress is a relatively new trend that has become an artform of it's own so when I saw this story in the news last weekend and couldn't wait to share these photos with you! For those of you who aren't familiar with it, "Trash the dress" is the art of destruction or deconstruction of a brides wedding dress in an exotic or unusual setting. Since most wedding dresses are treated with the utmost care, seeing them burned away or plunged into the Ocean can be quite shocking indeed!

Award Winning photographer, Sharon Rainis decided to take this idea to a whole new level by creating and photographing and underwater bridal fashion show in the Red Sea with dresses by Israeli designer, Erez Ovadia! The result is pure magic.

Image courtesy of Sharon Rainis/HotSpot Media

Here's a video of behind the scenes of this incredible shoot.

To read the full story, check out this article in the Daily Mail.

Reem Acra Trunk Show this weekend at Gabriella NY

2011-08-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

We just got word that our friends over at Gabriella New York are hosting a Bridal trunk show this weekend over at their Salon for one of my favorite designers, Reem Acra. Brides will enjoy 10% off during the trunk show so make sure to make your appointments early!

Here are the details for the event:

Reem Acra Trunk Show at
Gabriella New York Bridal Salon

August 5th-7th
By Appointment Only

400 W. 14th street 2A
New York City
212.206.1915

www.gabriellanewyork.com

Real Wedding: Gotham Glam at Capitale

2011-08-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

I was browsing the magazine stand about a week ago when, to my delight, I stumbled upon a wedding feature of one of our clients in the latest The Knot New York! Lynn and Jasen were married at Capitale in New York City last year and their wedding was just spectacular with a true New York flair and spirit! So this week on our blog, we're featuring their wedding as well as the gorgeous New York inspired wedding invitations and stationery suite we designed for them.

They walked the line between personality and glamor but with a quintessentially classic and timeless look from their save the dates, all the way up to their decor and flowers!

I just love how they carried out bright pops of color in such a restrained and elegant way amidst the old world look and interior of Capitale.

Photography: Cappy Hotchkiss
Invitations and Stationery: Atelier Isabey
Planner: Carrie Sartor with Lyndsey Hamilton Events

Dress: Monique Lhuillier

Shoes: Roger Vivier

Hair and Make-up: Once Upon a Bride

Venue: Capitale

Church: Central Presbyterian

Flowers: Bowman Dahl

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Monograms, Crests and Logos. What's the difference?

2011-07-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

The creation of a personal mark is one of my favorite parts of a luxury wedding invitation and, in my opinion, is a wonderful way to weave in meaning and personalization in a small and very concise little package. For Centuries, crests, monograms and the use of symbols have been utilized to reflect individual people, families and their beliefs and history. Think of the Italian Medici family and their intricate coat of arms, the Pope’s personal insignia or even modern day logos like the Great Seal of the United States! Personal symbols are the perfect place to put your own special touch and individual personality so I'm excited to share some of the marks, monograms and symbols I've designed for my clients over the years and the meaning behind them.

First off, what's the difference between a monogram, a crest and a logo/icon? This can easily get a little confusing so let's highlight the difference between the three.

Monograms typically consist of letters that may or may not overlap each other. The oldest form for a monogram has the groom's last name initial in the center with the bride's first initial on the left and the groom's on the right. Recently, many couples also opt to do both last name initials or both first name initials for a more modern take. Take a look at some examples we've created...

Crests or 'Coat of Arms' have a different look altogether. Historically, a coat of arms design was used in the middle ages to distinguish an individual's personal achievements: Different symbolic elements and creatures adorned these designs and were all unique to that person. In today's day and age, crests are a gorgeous way to bring together special meaning and showcase a classic or regal look. Take a look at some samples below and how we were able to weave in details that were specific to each couple.

Last but not least, the logo or icon is the most universally known type of personal branding. With corporations like Starbucks or Apple having become widely recognized for their graphic symbols alone, why not do the same for your wedding? The same idea certainly applies where a design is created that truly epitomizes the couple's personal style, wedding design or their story. Here are some fun and creative icons we created for some of our clients.

So what will you choose as your personal mark? Will you showcase a fabulous monogram, flaunt an opulent coat of arms or strut a stylish logo?

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Elie Saab: Fall 2011 Couture Show

2011-07-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Images courtesy of Style.com

I’m in love! The new Fall 2011 couture line by Lebanese designer extraordinaire, Elie Saab is to die for! The dreamy draping and gorgeous hand sewn details on these gown take the concept of luxe and glam to a whole new level! To see the rest of the amazing dresses from this collection, take a look here

Magnificent Cakes!

2011-07-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

Many people don't know this about me but when I was a child, my mother owned one of the most successful and recognized wedding cake bakeries in my hometown of Hong Kong. I spent many years of my childhood watching her mold sugar flowers by hand and grew accustomed to the sound of mixers and the rattling of pans in our kitchen. As her business grew, she moved into a lovely studio in downtown Central and I would come to the bakery after school to do homework on one of the marble topped tables in the workshop, flanked left and right by towering multi-tiered wedding cakes. Sylvia Weinstock was a household name that I learned from a very early age! Little did I know that I would later become immersed in the world of weddings (and bring home a personally signed copy of Sylvia's book Sensational Cakes for my mom)! I never lost my admiration for the art of baking and confectionery arts so with this post I would like to highlight some of my all time favorite cake masters.

Sylvia Weinstock is widely recognized in the business as being the 'Queen of Cakes' and for good reason! I've seen her work firsthand and must say that her artistry and attention to detail are only rivaled by her unbelievable passion for her craft.

Ron Ben-Israel is the quintessential showman (he used to be a professional dancer!) and his personal flair and passion transform beautifully in his gorgeous creations. His cakes have drama, elegance and a timeless quality to them as well. Here are some of my favorites.

Margaret Braun is an artist I discovered while I was attending design school here in New York. As an artist myself, I was instantly attracted to the bold and unbelievably unique nature of her designs. Unexpected, elegant, and wildly creative are perfect ways to describe her fabulous cakes.

Alexandria Pellegrino, founder and cake master behind Canadian cake company Cake Opera Co is an artist and designer after my own heart! Having studied Fine Art and baking in Florence and Bologna, Italy, it's clear that she is paving the way for a new form of cake art! I just love the unique and theatrical nature of her creations!

And of course, saving the very best for last my mom! A tremendous talent and role model, there was no doubt in my mind as to where my own wedding cake was going to come from, and my mom didn't disappoint. She made all the sugar flowers ahead of time in Hong Kong and hand-carried all of them in her 16+ hour international flight. It was so meaningful to me and I couldn't have asked for more!

Fantasy Wedding: Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries

2011-07-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

Kim Kardashian countdown is on! Everyone is abuzz with excitement and speculation about the various details surrounding the upcoming nuptials of reality starlet Kim Kardashian and star athlete Kris Humphries. I think we're in store for a very glamorous and fabulous affair indeed! With the wedding set to take place this summer we've all been dying to see the gorgeous details... So I've decided to bring a little Atelier Isabey flair and inspiration to you all by putting together my very own vision for this lavish affair. From dress and decor to, of course, the invitations themselves!

The happy bride and groom

The first question that pops into everyone's mind is "What will the dress look like?". Well we've heard through the grapevine that Kim has been spotted multiple times at Vera Wang and she's even shared that she wants it to be a little bit of high fashion, but also timeless and classic with ivory, and most of the detailing in the stitchwork or beading. I've always been a fan of classic and timeless looks so here's my personal selection for the dress, the shoes and attire of the bride and bridesmaids!

Wedding gown and book by Vera Wang, peep toe pumps by Christian Louboutin, bridesmaid dress from Jim Hjelm Couture, bouquet by Karen Tran Florals and of course fragrance by Kim Kardashian.

We've envisioned that the decor will be as luscious, glamorous and sexy as the starlet herself. Filled with crystals, feathers and a bit of an old Hollywood era vibe. Elements like Swarovski crystals and opulent ostrich feathers are elegant ways to add drama and really make a statement! Take a look at our picks for visual styling as well as ceremony and reception decor!

Window design by Bergdorf Goodman | Ostrich escort card table from Michelle Rago | Ceremony image from Olivier Lalin
| Chandelier by Konstantin Sutyagin

Ceremony and Reception decor by David Beahm Design, photography by Jasper Sky Photographers and Jefferson Thomas

And of course, no wedding would be complete without a gorgeous bespoke wedding invitation! Here's my pick and custom designed invitation suite for Kim and Kris. The invitation is laser cut featuring multi-media materials and a combination of fine letterpress and foil printing for maximum drama and glamour!

For more ideas and examples of our custom wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Tulips by Chris Brooks

2011-07-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Aren't they lovely? Tulips by photographer Chris Brooks

A Touch of Romance

2011-07-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm a lover of all things glamour and romantic. Lace, chiffon and soft colors... So beautiful and so quintessentially bridal! Our Romance design above embodies a blend of a classic look with fashion forward style and elegance. Perfect for a classic wedding with a twist!

For more ideas and examples of unique wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Wedding Invitation Tips: Incorporating meaningful details

2011-07-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

As a custom invitation designer, I am always on the lookout for creative ways to incorporate meaningful details and a certain level of storytelling into all of the designs that I create for my clients. It’s one thing to have a gorgeous wedding invitation, it’s an even better thing for it to have personal significance to you, your fiancé and to your family and friends! Let’s face it, your invitations are one of the few things along with your dress and album which will stand the test of time and survive for decades beyond the big day! So why not commemorate it with something that has as much meaning and symbolism as the vows you will exchange? So with that said, I’m thrilled to share with you some easy tips and ideas for how to infuse some of those personal touches into your own wedding invites!

1. SYMBOLS
A very fun thing to incorporate into your invitations is a meaningful symbol or landmark. Now landmarks are not to be confused with city scapes or destinations which can also lend a thematic feel to the design. What I mean by symbols is a place or element in your lives that may have a personal meaning to you both. I once had a couple who’s nicknames for each other was ‘Bumblebee’ so we put a small bumblebee on the bottom of the invitation. You can incorporate a symbol or a small icon as an unexpected and personal element on the invitation. The invitation below was designed for a couple who just purchased a new home and were getting married in Montana. Their new home overlooked a magnificent mountain peak so we decided it would be wonderful to commemorate this milestone with an invitation that shared the beautiful view from their home with their guests. All details are tailor made to reflect the area of Montana and their new neighborhood!

2. VERBIAGE
This second tip may seem a little obvious to some but I frequently encounter couples who are led to believe that they need to word their invitations according to a certain norm and standard format. While tradition is certainly nice, I personally believe that a combination of factors should influence the wording: Location is an important one, formality of the event as well as the couple’s personality for example should all play a factor into the wording. This doesn’t mean that you need to throw away all formality and etiquette.. A few details or words of you own can transform your invitation wording from standard to special! Take a look at the invitation below to see a lovely example of a simple and meaningful way to word an invitation. You can also take a look at websites like Verse It or Offbeat Bride for some more creative and unique examples.

3. MATERIALS
Papers and textures can speak volumes to your personal sense of style or even to your wedding aesthetic or venue! Whether it’s an accent or an integral part of the invitation, the types of papers, ribbons or even fabrics can make a huge difference in the overall presentation of the package. If you're having your wedding in a charming country barn, you may want to weave in textures like woodgrain or linen whereas if you're having an old world glam New York City wedding you may prefer for an ultra sleek suede or damask fabric instead. I love incorporating accessories like textured bellybands or fancy liners to bring an unexpected and personal touch to a wedding invitation suite.Take a look at some examples below which used elements like marbled paper, dyed silk ribbon and embossed finishes to reflect each couples special day!

So there you have it. A couple of ways to make your invitations personal and uniquely YOU.
For more ideas and examples of unique wedding invitations,
Check out our portfolio!

Amsale Bridesmaid Trunk Show

2011-06-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Having just attended the delightful cocktail event (and housewarming party) hosted by our friends at The Wedding Library, I was thrilled to hear the news that they will be hosting another lovely affair very shortly: a Bridesmaid trunk show by none other than talented designer, Amsale. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of Amsale and their gorgeous (and flawless) bridal collection.

Here are the details for this event. It is by appointment only so make sure to mark your calendar and make your appointments asap!

Amsale Bridesmaid Trunk Show (July 5-17)
-By Appointment Only-
(212) 327-0100
ido@theweddinglibrary.com
14 East 60th Street, Suite 606
New York, NY 10022

Behind The Scenes : Jodi & Asa

2011-06-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm thrilled to share the Jodi and Asa invitation process because it gives me a chance to shed some light onto our unique method of designing custom wedding invitations. For those who are not familiar with the type of work we do, we design wedding invitations from scratch for our clients, weaving elements from their personalities, personal style, venue, wedding decor, etc... to create something one of a kind for them to be proud to send to their guests and to cherish as a keepsake.

Jodi and Asa celebrated their wedding at the beautiful historic Hempstead House in August of 2010. The couple planned their theme and decor around the authentic look and feel of the manor, which also happens to be located in the same area in which F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel 'The Great Gatsby' takes place. Since both the bride and groom were professionals in the publishing industry, we decided to take this inspiration to the next level by creating their wedding invitations and stationery using elements and details from the venue and novel. We researched inspiration from storybooks, vintage book covers, 1920s architecture and illustration as well as inspiration from the castle which had this amazing architecture (complete with gargoyles and all!). The following designs are the original concept ideas we presented to them.


I love the gorgeous bookbinding designs of designer Coralie Bickford-Smith and her designs definitely inspired our book jacket designs. We used the chandeliers to create a glamorous 1920s feel. The arch on the first page echoes the arches in the Gothic architecture of the castle.

These covers are all about the front gates of the castle. We thought it would be great to play up the book idea by telling a story and having the book follow the narrative of the guest's wedding experience. The guests leaving New York City on the first page, arriving at the castle and so on...

We loved the antique pinks and plum colors of this design as well as the boldly off-centered type. The skyline of Manhattan also lends a level of drama and romance to our storytelling!

Here we took inspiration from the Gothic gargoyles on the facades and ironwork of the venue architecture to create a bold book cover. The interior page is softer, following in the footsteps of their wedding decor, in a lush, overgrown, "enchanted garden" feel.

The cover of this design was completely inspired by a vintage edition of Jules Verne's "Around the world in 80 days". The interior page showcases an illustration of a couple in a convertible looking back at the skyline of New York.

absolutely love the fine art of paper marbling and find it quite rare to find stationery that uses these beautiful, rich and colorful papers anymore. The marbled papers are also frequently used in the inner pages of antique books.

The magnificent archways and Gothic windows sparked the idea of creating this more graphic, more decorative concept. We also looked to vintage hardcover books from the 1900s through 1920s to find rich sources of inspiration.

Following the design rounds we pulled some of the details we liked most from several of the sets. The gargoyles for example were a favorite! And working together, we narrowed down our options, only picking the best of the best from what we had to offer.

For the reception stationery, we created one of a kind signage for events such as the outdoor croquet games the guests were going to be participating in. We also custom designed twenty three individually different table cards each designed to reflect the characters, themes and locations highlighted in 'The Great Gatsby'

The result in an invitation and stationery suite that speaks volumes about Jodi and Asa and their unique style and wedding.

Want to see more custom wedding invitations?
Check out our portfolio!

We're Back!

2011-06-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

It’s been literally forever since our last blog post and what a busy past few months it’s been!! We’ve been bustling away at many exciting new things that I’m thrilled to share with all of you! One of the biggest updates is the relaunch of our website and look on Monday, a project that had been in the works for nearly a year. I’ve been literally on the edge of my seat for the past few months and couldn’t wait to finally unveil it! Along with the new website also came new photography and reshooting all of our invitations in the beauty shot style that you now see on our site. Very exciting indeed!

We also, along with many of our friends and colleagues, attended the luxury wedding event, Engage for the very first time in San Diego. Oh and what an experience it was! As a first time attendee, I was completely blown away by the production of the event as well as all of the stellar speakers we had the pleasure of watching. Funny enough, it also happened to be our anniversary weekend so what better way to celebrate than to surround ourselves with all things wedding! Here are some images of Engage and some outtakes of Steve and I at Engage.

Welcome to Engage!11

Welcome Party!

The very lovely Sylvia Weinstock during her sugar flower demonstration

The Engage Gala!

Steve with Michelle Wagner, Lindsay Landman and Amanda Allen

Steve & I

Last but not least, we’ve added a new feature on our website that we plan on rolling out on our blog as well: Moodboards and behind the scenes featured for many of our custom invitation projects. We're very frequently asked how we come up with ideas and how we work with clients to create their dream weddings so we figured this would be a great way to share some of these experiences with you!

So look out for many more exciting things to come! And if you haven't already, head over to our redesigned and revamped website!

All photos courtesy of Mel Barlow & Co

The New York Weddings Event

2011-03-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

We're excited to be participating again in this year's New York Magazine Weddings Event. The event does an amazing job bringing together the most creative and stylish wedding service providers for one incredible evening. If you haven't already, make sure to book your tickets and mark your calendars!

Here are the details:

Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY
When: Wednesday, Mar 30, 2011 5:00 PM
Ticket Prices: $40 for 1 ticket - $60 for 2 tickets

The Wedding Party

2011-01-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

We are still on cloud nine from the amazing time we had at The Wedding Party last weekend so I just had to do a dedicated blog post about it! We had the pleasure of being a participating vendor at a wonderful event sponsored by The Wedding Library at the New York Palace Hotel and what an event it was! We had the joy of meeting brides alongside a prestigious group of vendors and colleagues and the result was truly a unique event and experience. Here are some images we received over the weekend, photographed by the talented Shane Carpenter from Elan Artists.

Here’s the lobby of the gorgeous New York Palace Hotel. This hotel definitely has that ‘Old World New York’ feel to it and would be a perfect space for a classic wedding or even dramatic, opulent affair as well!

The event kicked off with a presentation by an illustrious group of speakers, including Darcy Miller from Martha Stewart Weddings and Sylvia Weinstock, the queen of cakes.

And of course the lovely and gracious hosts of the event: Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski

Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski from The Wedding Library

We were very fortunate to be located in a great room with some other very talented vendors. Here’s Steve and I at our table in the Garrison room.

Steve and I at our table

We were able to meet the fabulous ladies of Chestnuts in the Tuileries and their georgeous work. I absolutely adored their bouquets and arrangements which were nothing short of luxury in themselves!

Emily and Emma of Chestnuts in the Tuilerie

We also met Sarah Jenks of The Breathtaking Bride, which is a company that specializes in holistic weight loss for brides. It’s more like a healthy nutrition and therapy program than an actual “diet”. Her table was so pretty I walked in thinking she was an event designer/stylist!

Sarah Jenks of The Breathtaking Bride

There were several cake artists around but I’ve always had soft spot in my heart for Sylvia Weinstock’s creations. The cake she had on display definitely lived up to my expectation. It was soft, romantic and the flowers were incredibly realistic up close!

Sylvia Weinstock cake

The day ended with a dramatic and luxurious runway show presented by Kleinfeld who featured a range of beautiful gowns for all the brides in attendance.

Wedding Dress by Kleinfeld

We had such a great time and it was an honor and privilege to meet all these wonderful brides in the company of so many talented colleagues and friends.

Photography courtesy of Shane Carpenter Weddings.

The Knot Best of Weddings 2011

2011-01-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

I am very proud to announce that Atelier Isabey has been named one of the Editors Picks for The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 awards. It’s such an honor to be among all of the amazing New York (and national) professionals that were also selected to be a part of this prestigious list. Among them, our friends at SWANK, Daughter of Design and Elan Artists to name a few. Thank you The Knot!!

Take a look at the full list here

Atelier Isabey for The Pressroom & Company

2011-01-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all!! It's been a while since we've posted and we've been working really hard on tons of new ventures, partnerships and projects for 2011. Many of these we will be unveiling in the next few weeks and months!

Among these exciting new things, we're very proud to announce that we've recently partnered with The Pressroom & Co to offer specially created, exclusive letterpress designs on their website. The Pressroom & Company (or TP&C) is going to be made up of a select group of stationery designers, all offering exceptional, high end, yet affordable letterpress design to clients. The website will officially launch on January 15th!

The site will feature full invitation suites with a range of accessories including stunning letterpress pocketfolds, envelope liners and belly band wraps, all available in a multitude of colors and papers. We've designed some gorgeous new suites that we are very excited to launch with this new website and will feature them on the blog as soon as they go live!

My favorite details from Fashion Week: Spring 2011

2010-09-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

Watching the shows and presentations during New York Fashion week is always a huge treat for me, not only as a designer but as someone who loves fashion and beautiful tailoring. All the fabulous detailing and intricate patterns, embroidery and appliqués are hugely inspiring to me and I always compile a list of my favorites into a sketchbook or lightbox for future reference. I was blown away this year by the diversity of different techniques and ideas that surfaced in the shows from delicate fabric draping and delicious color pairings to serious embroidery and handwork. I’d love to share my favorite selections with you..

Carolina Herrera (Photos from Vogue)

Love these Korean costume inspired bows as well as the delicate way in which fabrics are juxtaposed next to soft, textured fabrics like lace and fine embroideries.

Mary Katrantzou (Photos from Vogue)

I have to admit that Kary Katrantzou was unknown to me until I discovered her collection this year. I was blown away by how she combined prints and geometric shapes to create truly inspiring and one of a kind pieces.

Marchesa (Photos from Vogue)

When I’m looking for gorgeous glamorous pieces and amazing detailing, Marchesa is always a go-to for me. As usual, this collection yielded some amazing designs and detailing from hand painted fabrics to what appeared to be laser cut fabrics. Brilliant yet still quintessentially classic.

Marc Jacobs (Photos from Vogue)

One of the most interesting things about the Marc Jacobs show last week was his use of unexpected combinations, layering and rich variations of color on a diverse range of materials from leather to gauzy silk dresses. I completely fell in love with this collection.

Rodarte (Photos from Vogue)

The Rodarte show evoked a very worldly feel to me. From nomad prints and geometric patterns to Chinese blue and white porcelain inspired embroideries, they were really able to capture a sense of global design. They also utilized a broad range of materials from sequins and leather to carved wood and metals.

Oscar de la Renta (Photos from Vogue)

Saving the best for last, Oscar de la Renta is one of my all time favorite designers in the world and his collection sure didn’t disappoint. I always love how delicate and timeless his pieces always look. Gorgeous!

I was so unbelievably inspired by last week’s fashion week and I look forward to using this inspiration in future projects! Who knows, we may see a mandarin orange Carolina Herrera inspired bellyband or an Oscar de la Renta embroidered carnation design motif in future invitations!

Artist Profile: Fabienne Verdier

2010-08-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

I’ve long been a huge fan of fine art and have always had a particular interest in abstract and expressionist art. There’s something very raw and physical about how the paint or materials are applied to canvas. I say ‘applied’ in the broadest sense of the word of course. Sprayed, thrown, dripped, globbed are probably more apt descriptions.

Fabienne Verdier is an artist that I discovered not too long ago. She is an artist who really takes the physical aspect of creating art to the next level. Her paintings are amazing but the photographs of her working process are even more impressive. She handles these gigantic calligraphy brushes and supersized canvases, using her entire body and movement to create these brilliantly expressive paintings. Check them out right here

Photography courtesy of Philippe Chancel, Franck and Inès Dieleman, Naoya Hatakeyama, Dolorès Mara and Frédéric Villbrandt

Real Wedding: Theresa and Chris

2010-08-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

I will very rarely admit to favoritism of any kind when it comes to design projects that I tackle or with clients that I work with. Each project is one of my babies and of course each client is a super duper vip in my book. However, there are times when I just can't help myself and I have to readily admit that a client and project was one of my favorites. That was the case with Theresa and Chris.

From the second that I met Theresa, I could tell that her great energy and positive vibes were absolutely infectious. We got to work immediately creating a beautiful custom invitation and stationery collection that would make the perfect statement and set the mood for her gorgeous wedding at the New York Botanical Garden. Her colors were fantastic with warm shades of tangerine, orange and umber with hits of gold and we borrowed elements from her centerpieces and bouquet flowers as well as the beautiful venue. Both her and Chris were graceful, kind and well grounded throughout the entire process and it's such a pleasure to see that all their dreams were realized by their talented team of vendors.

Here are some images of her wedding details, courtesy of Autumn Lin Photography

And of course, the wedding save the dates, invitations and reception stationery we created for them...

The entire Set was made up of rich tangerines and oranges letterpress printed on shimmery gold leaf paper. The orange bellyband and envelope brought out a vibrant pop of color to contrast the gold.

The Save The Dates reversed the gold and orange scheme to make orange the dominant color on lovely square shaped cards.

I absolutely loved the rich detail of these vintage rose engraved illustrations

The Ceremony Program


There's something so sublime and luxurious about nice deep letterpress impressions. You can see some of that definition in this detailing..

Congratulations to Theresa and Chris on a beautiful wedding and marriage together!

Designer Profile: Rebecca Ward

2010-08-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

This week’s post is a feature on an outstanding installation artist that I discovered a few weeks ago. Rebecca Ward is a Texas born artist with a very graphic approach to installation art. Ward's signature medium is tape -- be it electrical tape, duct tape or even masking tape! Her work has been featured at galleries and exhibitions across the country and some of her installations have even been commissioned for retail stores such as Kate Spade. I absolutely love the bright palette of colors that she works with and how the geometry she applies to 3 dimensional space almost becomes 2 dimension in quality.

Here is her artist statement:
My installations are site-specific works dependent upon the space they occupy. Utilizing existing lines, beams, and angles, each piece I create is informed by the individual site and its unique linear movement. Thus, my installations are inherently architectural. I choose patterns and shapes according to detailed measurements of the installation site. Ideally these patterns are numerically symmetrical or somehow numerically balanced, producing a dialogue between line and space. I initially began working with tape because of the broad range of colors in which it is available. Additionally, I have always been drawn to its unique textural qualities. I began making videos to create a dialogue with the tape installations. I see the videos as a way to animate the tape installations, and further explore my architectural manipulation of space. When using tape, rather than leaving evenly-placed two-dimensional lines upon a wall, I expand upon the material’s sculptural potential and bring these installations into a third dimension. When using video, I angle projectors and use multiple intersecting projections to create animated, two-dimensional shapes. This creates an illusionary space, a perceptual play of pattern, color, light, and texture that is realized by the viewer’s experience of, and interaction with the work.

tape 3, University of Texas at Austin

Seventeen is sharp, Charlotte street foundation/urban culture project

tape 4, University of Texas at Austin

Stella was right, Museum for image and sound

Photos and Excerpt is copyright and courtesy of Rebecca Ward

Designer Profile: Jim Tierney

2010-07-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

I recently tackled a project that required me to do extensive research on the art of book design and jacket art (which I plan to feature really soon!) for an invitation I was working on. While I was researching different designers and styles, I stumbled upon the work of Jim Tierney who studies illustration at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He has some of the prettiest and quirkiest book cover designs I have seen! I have highlighted some of my favorites...

Aren't they lovely and so unbelievably unique? I couldn't help but think that this is a modern day interpretation of the classic Hetzel Jules Verne collector's editions that have become priceless.

Images Courtesy of Jim Tierne

Sultan: Maya and Pav Wedding (WE TV Platinum Weddings)

2010-07-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to feature one of the invitation sets we created alongside a gorgeous wedding which continues to be a favorite, featured on WE TV Platinum Weddings. This is the wedding of Maya and Pav, a lovely couple, and the event took place in California at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. To this day, the wedding invitations we created for them also continue to be one of my absolute favorites!

Here are some pictures of the event..

The bride and groom in their wonderfully beautiful and opulent attire...

The ceremony took place poolside before sunset over looking the ocean. Square Root Design created a custom made acrylic Mundap with all white florals and hanging clear crystals.

The Reception features lighting which washed the ballroom in a deep turquoise blue that radiated onto the ceiling. As the guests walked into the reception hall they were greeted by walls that were completely draped in white satin fabric and beautiful silver mirrors around the perimeter of the room, reflecting the opulent décor. In the center of the room, they had a white dance floor with soft turquoise blue lighting that created the illusion of dancing on water. The “Sweetheart Table” was made of two custom made “Infinity Pool” tables with floating white flowers and crushed glass. The centerpieces of the tables were done in a very eclectic style with tall, medium and short glass containers filled with blue water and lots of White Phaleonopsis Orchids draping on top of the vases.

And of course, the invitations that we created for them. All Silkscreened on gorgeous chocolate brown paper with hand applied Swarovski Crystals in aquamarine.

Each card had very distinct ornaments that framed the top and bottom of the page. They were individually unique and different but all tied in cohesively together as a family.

Hand applied Swarovskis on the eye of Ganesha

Details of the finesse and crispness of our Silkscreen.

Birds Nests: Nature's Architecture

2010-07-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I remember being fascinated by a documentary on TV about BowerBirds and their nest designing/making abilities. This morning, upon reading a blog post by Sean at The sub-studio design blog, I was reminded by the amazing process they undergo to create their nests and attract their mates. This led me to do a bit more research into the different processes and different species of birds and the amazing architectural works of art they create.

I find it inspiring that nothing in nature is left to chance. Everything is purposeful and fully functional. Just see how these beautiful nests fulfill their function and how utterly ‘creative’ these solutions are to the dilemma of creating a structure to house delicate eggs.

A beautifully woven basket nest..

Suspended Chandelier like nests

Intricately crafted nest of the Black faced Weaver Bird

The BowerBird 'custom designs' his nest based on the color preferences of the female BowerBird he is attempting to woo. How amazing is that? When I watched the TV program, I was amazed to see a little BowerBird, in the midst of crafting his nest, place a brightly colored piece of glass in the corner of the nest, take 3 little hops back to look at the big picture, and then go back to move the glass half an inch to the left of where it previously sat. Apparently they can spend several hours crafting a single nest. Now I don't know what to call that other than 'design'.

And another view of the gorgeous nest of the BowerBird, this one accented with green pieces of glass (guess she liked green..)

And finally I wanted to include an image of the bird's nest inspired stadium in Beijing, China. It’s wonderful to see how the creations of such a small creature can influence the architecture and style of such large monuments!

Science meets Art: Brainforest

2010-06-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

The first time I discovered this installation piece, I was really intrigued about it and the seemingly chaotic, tangled spiderweb of stuff. What WAS this? This is Brainforest. It's a room that currently exists in the Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan.

The installation mimics the appearance of the human nervous system through cord, twine and rope. The beauty of a creative spark takes on the form of a variety of materials from toys, to leaves and feathers. It’s such a lovely and poetic way to express the beauty of an idea, an inspiration, a thought at the time it takes place in your brain.

I loved this quote from the artist: “In the rain forest of the brain, the bio-diversity of thoughts proliferates and the intellect's short-circuits whirr in your eyes. Needless to say, as time goes by the circuits get tired and nervous; there are burn-outs and failures. But chance creates the most sparkling ideas.”

Beautiful.

Here are some images...

It does somewhat remind me a little bit of the mobiles and paintings by Joan Miro. Your thoughts?

Bizarre, Fantastical & Brilliant!: The Footwear of Andreia Chaves

2010-06-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Bizarre, fantastical and brilliant! I was really excited to feature the gorgeous concept footwear of designer Andreia Chaves. I can only dream that such avant garde pieces like this could someday be available to the public!

Andreia was born and raised in Brazil, a cultural background that impacted the work she would later create" "The fact that I grew up in a chaotic city like Sao Paulo, full of contrasts, being in contact with such diversity and constant exposure to different visual inputs, has inspired me in how I think and conceptualize my shoes. Looking at my work, I can clearly see influence coming from my South American sense of versatility. Also in the mix - what I have been experiencing in Europe."

True enough, each shoe is a work of art and a brilliant study in light, contrast, proportion and the fundamentals of balance and harmony. Conceptually, she reaches even further than the aesthetics, exploring deeper themes..

"The invisible shoe" photo by Fernando Biagioni
This mirrored shoe, named "The Invisible Shoe” has a fully mirrored surface and, like a chameleon, interacts or blends with the environment it steps into.

"Prism shoe" photo by Ian Murphy

I absolutely love “The Prism Shoe” because of the way it studies the 3 dimensional form of a shoe in the most unexpected way. Creating shapes reminiscent of origami boxes, she challenges the very definition of a traditional high heeled shoe.

"Form & Texture" photo by Ian Murphy
The “Form & Texture Shoe” is a mixed media piece that uses three dimensional cubes made of wood together with flat square leather panels to create a unified piece which is complex and in some ways evokes a sense of perfectly controlled anarchy.

Last but certainly not least, "Twirled" evokes movements and explores different materials to create an intriguing effect.

I really hope we see more of this brilliant designer in the upcoming years. If not at your local Neiman Marcus, then hopefully at the next Lady Gaga show!

The Illegal Wedding Fair 2010

2010-06-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had the pleasure of attending and experiencing New York's first Illegal Wedding Fair. We met wonderful couples, connected with some fabulous vendors and encountered old friends as well! Needless to say, the event was gorgeous as was the location itself, which is one of the most unique places I've seen in the city.

The event took place at 632 on Hudson. Originally built as a townhouse, it was then converted into a general store and produce market in the late 19th century. It was later purchased and restored in its present grand and theatrical incarnation. I absolutely loved all the multi-cultural pieces strewn throughout the house, from Italian paintings to a gorgeous antique Chinese wedding bed.

Photos Courtesy of 632 on Hudson

Each room was set up with an array of vendors some of which we met for the first time, others whom we have known for years. Some of our exciting new finds..

Nine Cakes
I totally fell in love with their whimsical style. Their cakes were unlike anything I've seen out there and were definitely a breath of fresh air! Not to mention they were incredibly nice and their cupcakes tasted delicious!

Dish Food and Events
Their hors d'oeuvres were simply delightful and delicate! They had one which I absolutely adored, which was a House Made Ricotta Crostini which had some honey and citrus in it. Yummy and perfectly light for summer.

E&V Weddings
This wedding photographer had a wonderfully unique vintage style. She featured some of her couple portraits, framed in these beautiful vintage frames a la 1900s portrait photography. The result is unique and romantic not to mention timeless!

Lion in The Sun
Last but not least, we reconnected with a fellow stationer that we first met at this year's National Stationery show. Melinda is so unbelievably nice and her quirky, Brooklyn and New York inspired pieces are so much fun! I loved the idea of an elephant walking across the Brooklyn bridge for an India meets New York wedding. Whimsical and fun!

We certainly had a blast and we hope everyone else did too!

Event: The Illegal Wedding Fair (06/06/10)

2010-06-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I wanted to take the time to make a dedicated post to an amazing event we will be attending and showcasing at this weekend. It's a truly unique wedding fair that benefits Marriage Equality NY featuring a wonderful selection of hand picked gay-friendly event professionals dedicated to helping same-sex couples celebrate their love and commitment. It's a cause Steve and I truly and wholeheartedly stand for so we're honored and excited to be a part of it!

The event will take place on Sunday, June 6 at the exclusive downtown venue, 632 on Hudson, a gorgeous 5-story townhouse with a rooftop garden located in the heart of the West Village. Some of our favorite New York vendors will be attending, including David Toussaint, Annie Lee from Daughter of Design, Cake Alchemy, Elan Artists, Lion in The Sun and many many more.

The event will showcase live entertainment and information presentations throughout the day and will also feature two open bars, champagne and lots of delicious sampling opportunities too!

So join us this weekend and help us unite against marriage inequality! To the thirty-eight New York State Senators who voted against legalizing gay marriage last December, we say, "Let them eat wedding cake!"

When: 12:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday, June 6th 2010
Where: 632 on Hudson, 632 Hudson Street, NYC
Buy Tickets

National Stationery Show 2010

2010-05-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

We're back from an amazing week at the National Stationery Show! It was actually our very first time exhibiting at the show (though we had visited it last year) and we launched our wedding retail collection, which generated overwhelming response!

The process started on friday and saturday, where Steve and I put up the booth ourselves (with the help of the wonderful Javits staff, Manny Stone and Freeman). We kept it relatively simple, budget-friendly and DIY by ordering our own frames and assembling and mounting them ourselves on the Manny Stone foam core walls. Huge payoff. Not only was the booth unique and modern, it completely embodied our aesthetic and branding. And it was within budget. The rest was all decorating it and getting custom ordered furniture in place.

The show itself was so much fun and we had a great time not only meeting retailers, but also connecting and expanding our network of fellow stationers and letterpress studio owners. It's a wonderful community and it was great to finally meet a lot of the people whose work we've admired over the years.

Here are some photos of the booth and of us

We used Stark Louis and Victoria ghost chairs to disappear, suggesting more space than was actually present in the booth

We utilized the brown walls to our advantage by making gold frames and our invitations pop off a dark background.

A custom laser cut piece we showcased

Our new 'Traviata' Collection

Steve and I proudly manning our booth on day 1

We loved the idea of stacking frames within frames to create something visually unexpected and unique

The console table was actually from our apartment! After much lugging around, bubble packing and zipcarring across the city.

And here I am fixing our lovely binders..

I have to stress what an amazing experience it was (and certainly very eye opening). I have tons of ideas and inspiration for things to come in the future thanks to this year's NSS!

There are a couple of blogs that came by and are doing an amazing job at covering the show. To see more pictures of other booths and companies featured in the show, check them out:

PaperCrave
Oh So Beautiful Paper
Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Blog

The Garter Girl: Custom Couture Wedding Garters

2010-05-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

When I stumbled upon this website I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous work that is being created by artist/designer Julianna Smith. Julianna has carved quite a unique niche for herself by creating gorgeous one of a kind wedding garters that can be customized not only with personalization like stitched words and such but also with the use of unique styles and luxurious materials. The company is called The Garter Girl.

Her first project was a garter for a friend who was looking for something totally out of the ordinary for her wedding. Apparently, the bride wanted something “furry" and as a bridesmaid, she was given the single task of finding one.. After trying in vain to find one, she decided that the only remaining option would be to create this furry piece. And make it she did. The rest is history. She channels her energy into creating chic and modern wedding garters that will make brides want to embrace the wedding garter tradition.

Here are some of my personal faves

From the Couture Collection. The French Maid design screams Haute Couture with it's lace and feather details

This piece is form the Modern Collection and features lovely crystal appliques. What I particularly love about this piece is the unexpected vibrant color combination.

Oh how I love hand dyed silk and the gorgeous effect it creates.

I could totally see this working gorgeously for a Gatsby-esque or 1920s glam inspired wedding. So very glamorous.

She can also do traditional. This is your classic garter with a touch of something blue..

And finally, a pretty customized garter with stitched personalized message.

Go check out the rest of her website and her bespoke creations!

India Meets West Wedding Invitations

2010-05-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to share this brand new set with you all. This was an Indian meets Western wedding invitation suite we created for a lovely couple getting married in New York City. When the couple came to us, they brought lots of inspiration and magazine tearsheets with them to express their vision and tastes. Something we quickly picked up on was the fact that that they really did not want their invitations to fall into the typical aesthetic look of most Indian wedding invitations. They wanted it to be contemporary, fresh and reflective of their stylish taste.

The inspiration they brought to us showed that they really had very sophisticated sensibilities when it came to design and details. They loved typography, color and the idea of weaving in small exciting details into the invitation set. We started out by creating their invitation moodboard (which is essentially a moodboard like any other except we’re capturing the vibe and feel of the invitations specifically). We focused on color, details and beautiful typography.

The next step was determining the construction and specifics we were going to select and move forward with. They really loved the idea of a handmade fabric folder with details such as ribbon card holders and different colors for the outer shell and inner lining. We also focused on the idea of using color gradations of green to blue to differentiate all the different insert cards that were going to go into the pocket.

After tons of revisions and refining here is the final product. You’ll see that we used a different typography style on each and every insert card to differentiate them. We also used gradients and small icons such as Henna for the Mehndi Card and Ganesh for the Grashanti Card to further give each event a personality of it’s own.

Each folder was individually handmade and assembled. All envelopes were printed letterpress as well as the insert cards that were printed on luxurious cotton paper. The outer belly band was silkscreen printed white on a translucent vellum.

Detail of the Ganesh icon on the Grashanti Card

Stacked together, the border lines on both sides of the cards form a beautiful gradient. The two ribbons accentuate that vertical line that is created on the borders.

The whole family of event cards (minus the wedding reception card)

As you can see the, result is nothing short of spectacular! We just love the final effect of this suite and how it brings a contemporary edge to a traditional Indian invite.

Stationery Details and Finishings

2010-04-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

A question I am often asked is "How do I add wow factor to my invitations". Like serious serious jazziness? One word. Details. A splash of color where you least expect it, a hand applied Swarovski crystal where it counts, a gorgeous mock croc envelope lining. Those are the things that can bring your wedding invitations to that next level and add wow factor.

Here are some of my favorite finishings and details:

Blind embossing. This is when you print no color on a surface. It works best with methods like embossing and letterpress and creates a wonderful tone one tone, tactile effect.

Sewing and stitching on paper

Wax seals. I love this one in black with the dramatic "accidental" drop

Laser Cutting

Printing on Fabric. This one's linen but you can print on practically anything!

Beautifully colored or textured papers

Unique bindings. Take a look at this binding. On the first They used the same green as the graphics to create something unexpected and very clever. On the second it's just the amazing pop of yellow.

Perforations. An easy way of adding a touch of unexpected. We sometimes use this method with rsvp cards where we'll put response information on one side and event details on the other so the guest can rip the perforation, keep one side and mail back the rsvp side.

Hand stamps. A wonderful way of adding a handmade quality to anything. Plus custom made stamps can be made quite cheaply.

Color on the inside. This generally works best for pocket folders, envelopes or pockets in which you can essentially create an interesting reveal by adding some color on the inside.

So there you have it. Some of my favorite details and finishings. They can be done individually or paired. Heck you can even do all of them! Either way, they are a great way of making you invitations unique and special.

All images come courtesy of Graphic-Exchange

Furniture Designer: Tanya Aguiñiga

2010-04-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

Today I'm posting about a designer and artist who makes remarkable furniture that walks the line between 'traditional' industrial design and art. I was immediately drawn to her work and the amazing textural quality it possesses. Her name is Tanya Aguiñiga and she is a Los Angeles based furniture designer.

She was raised in Mexico. which I think is one of the reasons why her work is so inspired by global and cultural influences. She uses furniture as a way to translate emotions into three dimensional objects that tell a story through color and touch. She encourages users to rethink the objects they use on a daily basis by creating work that explores an objects’ unseen aspect. For example, half chairs that rely on the wall to function and whose image is only complete as its shadow is cast upon the wall.

Here are some of my favorite pieces...

Teotitlan Edition 1 and 2

Named after archeological ruins in Oaxaca, Mexico, the lines that these chairs create evoke the complex patterns and geometry of Mexican textiles and fabrics.

The details are to die for! This is as intricate as weaving from a loom!
My next favorite is a piece called Plaid. It's a table made of steel, walnut veneer and plywood.

Again, the details are phenomenal!

Paper Arts : Yulia Brodkaya

2010-04-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a pleasure (not to mention really exciting) for me to put together this post about one of my favorite 'paper artists'. Yulia Brodskaya is an amazing artist, designer and illustrator from Russia. She came to the UK in 2004, immersing herself in the learning of textile painting, origami and collage as well as traditional fine art. She has earned an international reputation for her innovative paper illustrations and continues to create beautifully detailed paper designs for clients all around the world. Her client list is extensive (and varied), from Starbucks to Hermès with everything from Target, Google and Nokia in between.

It's so innovative and unexpected! Love the Hermes logo in this style!

There are so many original ways to fold, crease, bend and place these paper shapes!

This is really cute, not to mention clever!

This piece reminded me (in color and techniques) to George Braque collages. I put them side by side. On the left is Yulia's collage, on the right is Braque. Loving it!

New York Weddings Event 2010

2010-04-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

We had such a blast at Wednesday night's NY Weddings Event at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. The show lasted 3 hours and was such a great success! We're so proud to have been a part of it.

We got a chance speak with lots of couples and brides about their weddings while also reconnecting with some of our favorite friends and colleagues in the wedding and event design industry.

Lots of people waiting outside before the opening

Me at our booth! Yay!

More samples of our work with our cute little tablescape (complete with New York Taxi and everything!)

One of our lovely neighbors Tantawan Blooms and next to them, Great Performances Events at the Plaza

And we met Marisa (who is one of the nicest people in the world) over at Marisa Perry Jewelry. Beautiful jewelry and gorgeous engagement rings and wedding bands.

This is like Where's Waldo.. More like 'Where's Margot'

Looking forward to attending the Wedding Salon on Monday!

Details: Established & Sons

2010-04-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Something clients will always hear me say is that the devil is in the details. And I think that it's a philosophy and inspiration that can be taken from virtually any artform and craft. I very often look to industrial design, furniture design and architecture to solve some of the problems I encounter during the design process. You'd be surprised how the detail on the ceiling of a building, or the closure on the opening of a tea kettle can spark an idea that can lend itself directly into what I'm doing (as completely unrelated as it may seem). Come to think of it, I'd love to do a post that illustrates how inspiration from daily discoveries come to life in the designs I create.. Definitely something I'm going to do soon!

One of my most recent inspirations comes from an amazing industrial and furniture company by the name of Established and Sons. They represent some of the most innovative and leading designers, architects and artists to create a collection that is truly unique.

Sleek and streamlined table...

Friggin' AMAZING detail and wood finishing at the joints

The colors on the base of this table make such a statement...

But when you realize that it's knit from thousands of folded pieces of paper, it's even better.

An awesome lamp

Is actually an intelligent lamp that transforms into different, graphic looks at the touch of your hand.

Packaging and Paper Engineering by Design Students

2010-04-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

I'm always blown away by the ideas and innovation that emerge from design school student work. This 'exercise' in paper engineering and packaging comes from the class of Sylvain Allard, a professor at École de design. He asked his students to do solve the following problem:

"From a single sheet of paper, they should design a label for a bottle of wine. Through manipulation, bending, cutouts, and mechanisms or in repeated patterns and structures, they should create an image consisting solely of paper. All work should explore the potential of the paper and printing was not allowed.

Since it was meant to be an exploration to push the limits of paper. Transportation constraints, marketing and handling were not an endpoint. In contrast, research, innovation, virtuosity, originality and skill were the criteria for evaluation."

So in this instance a two-dimensional piece of paper becomes a three dimensional, nearly architectural structure. It's also interesting to see how the contrast between the white of the paper and the dark color of the bottle starts to build shapes, patterns, images, geometry, etc..

If only we had packages like THAT in the marketplace!

A trip to Droog

2010-03-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

For those living in New York who have never been, I would highly recommend a visit to New York design and furniture shop, Droog. The shop is in SoHo and features two floors of decorative, industrial and furniture design pieces. The lower level is a gallery space with tons of high concept pieces. I was there a few weeks ago with a friend and colleague of mine and I have to say, we had so much fun exploring the amazing (and sometimes fantastically bizarre) pieces in this store.

Some of my favorites

This piece was so incredibly cool. it's called Crystal Virus and it's a studio piece. It's basically a maple wooden table with about 25+ crystal amorphous, organic looking vases sitting on top. The vases are strategically placed across the table (some of which are bulging over the edges) and under each of them, the wood is charred black. the result is very cool and unexpected.

The next piece is a chest of drawers made entirely of waste material as social commentary of wasteful our consumer society. It became an icon of the nineties and is now a collector’s piece.

This one is probably my favorite piece and reminds me of this huge teak table my parents own in the Philippines. It also reminds me of my travels to Bali and the incredible wood carvings they create in Ubud. This enormous table, called the Godogan table is completely handmade by expert Indonesian carvers. The woodworkers were challenged to the utmost with this extremely complicated design depicting an Indonesian fairy tale. This table could not have been carved in the West where comparable craftsmanship does not exist anymore. It also kind of reminds me of MC Escher drawing with the way the lizards emerge in and out of the composition.

Here's an MC Escher

Bird collages by Kup Kup

2010-03-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of Etsy.com and am constantly amazed by the creativity and uniqueness of the products made by its members. The other day, I stumbled upon these awesome bird collages that just blew me away. What also blew me away were the price! $75 for these entirely handmade original works of art? It's practically free considering how much work must go into each of these. The store name is Kup Kup and here are the pieces that I just adore..

Tina Kalivas

2010-03-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

I discovered this fashion designer a little over a month ago and was really excited to blog about her. Her name is Tina Kalivas and her 2009 collection is to die for! She is an Australian designer, based out of New South Wales, and trained in London for 8 years with several designers, one of whom being the extraordinary British designer, Alexander McQueen.

Her latest collection appears to reinterpret patterns, textures and colors from African and Polynesian cultures. I just love the vibrant colors and structural (nearly architectural) forms. She's able to apply all these dramatic and boldly graphic details and yet the final result is still something totally wearable!

And the artist at work in her studio...

The Ultimate Engagement

2010-03-10T04:36:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a special post today to let everyone know about The Ultimate Engagement bridal show we're participating in this Sunday at Gotham Hall. We're so very excited to be one of the masters appearing at this show. Let me tell you a little bit more about the event.

The Ultimate Engagement is a very unique bridal event in a sense that instead of the traditional trade show booths we've come to expect at most shows, this is set up very differently. Couples get to schedule 10 minute appointments with wedding vendors, all of which are absolutely world class. You’ve read about them in magazines, books and blogs and you've seen them on TV. What this does is that it gives each couple a chance to get sort of a mini-appointment with tons of great vendors all in one day. It's a one stop shop for your wedding planning. Sprinkle in some hors d'hoeuvres, champagne, exclusive trunk shows and you've got yourself the ultimate in luxury wedding events.

We're really proud and excited that we were invited to attend and will be there (with bells on) on Sunday. Hoping to see you there! The show starts at 9:00am and goes all the way out to 7:00pm. To buy tickets, check out the Ultimate Engagement website

Paper Engineered Lighting by 7GODS

2010-03-09T05:13:00.000-08:00

Paper engineering is truly an art. I remember during my foundation year (the first year of art studies before you get to chose a major) at Parson's, one of the projects we were given as students was to create wearable footwear entirely made out of paper. No adhesives, tape or staples were allowed in the execution of this project. And let me tell you, that project was no joke! Come to think of it, I wonder if I still have pictures...

So when I saw these amazing lamps created by 7GODS, a british design agency I was immediately blown away by the beauty and ingenuity of each of these amazing lamps. All the designs are handmade and available on limited edition. Here are some of my favorite selections.

I love that they kept all of these sculptures white so that you can fully enjoy the sculptural effect.

Magda Sayeg: Knitted Graffiti

2010-03-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this a few days ago and was so completely amazed by it that I just had to share. An artist by the name of Magda Sayeg has been creating these delightful public 'installations' for years using knitting as a medium. She has travelled the world from Sydney to Milan making these truly wonderful pieces of art. I once tried learning to knit (failing miserably I might add) but I would suspect one would get really good and fast, not to mention p-a-t-i-e-n-t at knitting by attempting a series like this.

Here are some of my favorites...

I can't begin to imagine how she got this one done...

The artist at work...

Andy Gilmore

2010-02-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

I would like to make my first post (after my short introduction below) about an artist and illustrator I have admired for years and with whom I've had the pleasure of working with. His name is Andy Gilmore and I absolutely LOVE his modern and colorful geometric patterns and illustrations. I've Included some of my favorites below.

This one reminds be of some of the acrylic color studies we used to do at Parsons during my foundation year.

Finally! Our Own Blog!

2010-02-23T20:09:00.001-08:00

After much discussion and development, we've finally taken the leap and started our own blog! My name is Margot and I am the founder and creative director of Atelier Isabey, a luxury invitations and stationery studio based in the heart of New York City. I founded Atelier Isabey in 2007 after getting engaged myself. I have a background in consumer packaging and have worked with some of the largest agencies in New York on packaging and branding for some of the biggest global brands and corporations. Invitations was something I figured I could handle in the wedding planning process. Cut a long story short, I fell in love and have been immersed in the world of stationery ever since. My husband Steve finally decided to join me last year to take on some of the logistical and business aspects of the company.

So here we are launching our very first blog. A bit daunting but exciting nevertheless! What we aim to do with this blog is not only to share with our readers the behind the scenes going on at Atelier Isabey at the moment, but also to share with you the things that are inspiring us at the moment. The notes we're taking down, the sketches we're drawing, the trends we're following, the exhibitions we're attending and the artists, clothes and objects that are inspiring us. Because at the end of the day, inspiration we collect will transcend the next project we create.

I'm greatly looking forward to it!!