You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘wedding’ category.
Imagine designing your life-changing event around a bird, albeit a gorgeous fowl. These two cuties did.
Nicole Ponist and Devon Simmons met their junior year in high school at Central Bucks East. It’s fortunate that they met because they had so much in common, sort of.
The couple approached Heirloom to design their 2013 “Peacock Inspired” wedding suite. Heirloom took the challenge. Since we had the dear bird for reference, colors were easy. Jewel-tones print very well, but we needed a concept. How does a designer take two similar but drastically different personalities and combine them into one compelling STORY of Love?
I began by pointing our their similarities, I mean differences, with little bubble pages and bound and entitled them…Birds of a Feather, a glorious tale of Nicole and Devon.
This is the cover of their 8-page wedding invitation book.
Inside, I tell the tale of how they met, why they love and on the last page, invite guests to their “flocking”, or ceremony of marriage. Dating images and jewel-toned bubbles convey their messages of loves & likes.
Giant Polka-dot Programs rounded out their suite and little hand-made round guest tablets and peacock pens made interesting Sand Castle Winery Placecards and Favors- all in one.
Even the funky response cards prove rsvp’s should never be dull.
I enjoyed the simple but very nice “peacockish” touch created with the little polka-dot table numbers. This is a great example of creativity ruling over cost!
The very simple bold confidence of their cake, really impressed me.
Feathers off to Nicole and Devon. Wedding well done.
Contact Kim at Heirloom for help designing your next life-changing event!
The countdown is on for Valentines day, my second favorite holiday of the year. So in honour of St. Valentine, I am sharing inspirations, tales, ideas, and images of My True Loves. Soak them in & celebrate these weeks of waiting, sentimentally.
To begin, it’s certainly not cheating if I am in love with a font, or twenty. Here’s one I desire. It’s called Desire, and it’s designed by lettering artist Charles Borges de Oliveira. With hundreds of ligatures and alternates, the sky’s the limit.Yippee.
“Always choose the right font.” People notice even though they don’t realize it. Heirloom’s –The Art of Marriage– Wedding Suite created for Stephanie and Clayton Kissel and their wedding at Fonthill Castle, told their true love story, with text.
This font is Absinthe. It’s just perfect.
I was recently asked to become a founding member and designer for an elite group of specialists, the Bucks County Event Specialists. We are all award-winning Bucks County Artisans, creating together and inspiring each other, to elevate upcoming special events. So whatever your event, holiday party, birthday, anniversary brunch, wedding, backyard picnic…let us help you elevate. Follow us on facebook.
*Design
*Illustration
*Invitations
*Calligraphy
*Photography
*Printing
*Florals
*Favors
*Make-up
*Music
*Culinary
It feels good to win. Recently Heirloom held a facebook contest and Katie Hopkins Kessell of Bucks County won our GRAND PRIZE DESIGN: her very own LOGO!
Several designs were submitted and this is the one she chose. It’s nice to have your own piece of graphic art to use whenever you want, on whatever you want. Here are some great uses:
Gobo lights for a party or event
Gigantic wall art for a kids room
Box design for homemade holiday sweets
Fabulous family t-shirts for a vacation or reunion
Rubber stamps for classy mail
Trendy designed cake topper for an anniversary or birthday
Cocktail napkins for funky backyard events
Wine or beer bottle labels
Thank you cards for everyone
Custom designed hair ribbons
Fabric or wallpaper design
Designer luggage tags
Personal gift tags
Personal logos $100, Corporate logo design by appointment
It’s Easter, my favorite week of the year. As I watch the birds outside my studio perch on limbs with brand new buds, I anxiously prepare for our Annual Vintage Easter Brunch. Each year I try some new ideas, simple cakes, lavender cookies, and a little luxurious outdoor table art. We live in the Northeast, so we can’t always rely on the weather to cooperate, but we try our best to set a few pretty tables outside, just in case we get lucky!
I am obsessed, by the way, with this artform, so I studied the internet for some great examples for you. You can also see them on my new pinterest board which will be continuously updated, Outdoor Tables.
Here are some simple ideas that do NOT need to be reserved for weddings and big events. Try some of these the next time your best friend is coming over for lemonade, or when your kids invite a few friends for backyard soccer. Lovely ideas when the neighbors stop by with a new bottle of wine. And remember, don’t buy anything, instead use vintage tablecloths from your grandmother, buckets from your shed, pretty vintage glasses from a consignment shop, and any pretty plates you pick up! Place your table in an unexpected spot and enjoy.
Take note of the bucket of flowers off to the side and the mix matched chairs –
all colorful and perfectly positioned in this lovely orange grove above.
I think this table is stunning. Fun bird houses dangling from trees.
You can use a giant curtain and just throw it over any old table.
I just love lime, so this image above spoke to me.
I could not take my eyes off this table and natural lattice. Dangle a little chandelier, and you are all set.
This is colorful and fun. Just hang some paper butterflies or birds above your table of cakes.
Every afternoon should look like this.
My favorite place.
Above I love the big benches and the huge vase of water and greens.
Simple and easy. Enjoy Easter and Passover, a little bit outside if you can!
– Award-winning, CUSTOM DESIGNED STORY INVITATIONS for EVERY EVENT –
Happy New Year. After that cold spell a few days ago, aren’t we all ready for a little snow shower? If it’s going to freeze, I think we should shiver in a blanket of white. There is something very pretty about a simple snowflake. Here is the story of how one transformed a July wedding. Yes, you heard me, July.
Several years ago, my sister and brother-in-law came to me searching for the perfect wedding story to enhance their invitations. After a few conversations we settled on a sweet and simple story they told me about their engagement. The entire suite consisted of several 4″x 4″ stacked square cards tucked into a hand-sewn cream fabric pocket and placed into a decorative square envelope.
Quickly we had the story, then the words developed, but we still needed the ART. We decided to commission a dear friend of the bride. This subtle cream snowflake illustration was painted with watercolors and then used as the central focus throughout the wedding. Taking advantage of the talents of a friend or family member to create your artwork, saves on costs and adds that “something sentimental” to your day.
Small response cards, doubling as escort cards, were die-cut into circles and hung on a tree of brown branches to look like snow. Guests removed them to find their table.
Little square Thank You Cards were included in the stationary suite. They were printed at the same time to save money, but sent after the affair. If you or someone you know is planning a winter event (or even one in July), Take a look a this blog by the Offbeat Bride – Alter your thinking. I hope it alters your plans.
Thank you to my dear loyal readers. Contact Kim at Heirloom to design your next event whether large or just a simple snowflake of an idea.
For the bride who is not interested in the ordinary, Heirloom has created a twist on the traditional. LOVE NOTES ®, exclusively by Heirloom, provide a sentimental way for a couple to express their thoughts, and bring their guests to tears, just before they walk down the isle.
Little love letters are written privately by the bride to the groom and by the groom to the bride. They are luxuriously printed and tucked into a small, coordinated envelope along with a thank you note, entitled “LOVE NOTES”. When guests arrive, instead of reading a traditional, and sometimes boring, wedding program, they are surprised by love letters from the couple. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?
Heirloom Luggage Tag Designs
Take a look at this fresh and fabulous little design project going on at the Heirloom Studio. Custom Luggage Tags for your Travels. This colorful set was created for a bride and groom’s honeymoon. One for each, and a bunch for their bridal party. Tags can be created to match a Sweet 16 party, a child’s birthday, or a Corporate Event. They make a nice little expression of gratitude with your company logo or personal monogram added. Call for your own custom design and pricing. 215-230-8223
I love my extended family….because creative doesn’t begin to describe them. I’ve had the privilege to be inspired my entire life by so many fun and interesting cousins, aunts, uncles and now, kids. I spent my Labor Day weekend watching my cousins throw a 2nd wedding surprise for their mom and dad. This time, with a scavenger hunt, bubble gum contest and watermelon sipping. They asked me to create a small invitation to send out to our family and a few friends, inviting them to our Annual Labor Day Picnic, only this time, the guests of honor, would be walking into their own 2nd wedding.
After the invites went out last June, plans were drawn up for a secret scavenger hunt. My aunt and uncle were sent to write their vows over a cup of coffee at McDonalds. They did not know they were writing vows, because they were just answering some silly questions. Next, they were sent to change their clothes. Again, this time a bag of island wear was waiting for them so they would look appropriate. The third stop was to the florist they used on their wedding day – 40 years ago, where they picked up a small yellow and white bouquet, “coincidentally” very similar to the bride’s wedding bouquet. Last, they visited the home of their best man to pick up their actual vintage wedding veil. Then and only then, were they permitted to drive back to the picnic grove.
When they drove up, they were greeted by our entire extended family, their minister and a colorful mock alter created with paper parrots, tiki faces and inflatable palm trees. Precious grandchildren posed as ring bearers and a flower girl. Daughters, dressed in blue, filled in as bridesmaids. Ken and Beth said their newly written vows with ring pops and even cut a homemade cake which looked suspiciously like their wedding cake. The cake was baked and decorated by another cousin, who just happens to “make wedding cakes for fun”, and because she’s amazing with sugar. Below see some cake smashing in action.
Here you see, their cake smashing technique has probably had something to do with their many happy years. They did it, and still do it with ease.
After the cake cutting and official wedding portrait, a bubble-blowing contest got all the older kids involved, while the younger ones sipped watermelon juice straight out of the melon. Both of these rituals, new this year, will hopefully find their place in our annual event. To top off the afternoon, the crowd danced to favorites, and we all enjoyed a delicious clam bake.
So next time you have something wonderful to embrace, grab from your pool of talent, and create your own version of a grand celebration! And remember, sometimes the less formal, the more memorable.
Sugar, spice and everything Vintage Ric Rac. Last week my daughters and I created a party. By that I mean, in one day, we had to come up with something interesting for Tessa’s 8th birthday bonanza. We pulled out everything we had in the house, colored paper, lace hearts, gems stones, ribbon and ric rac. Tons of vintage ric rac. I LOVE the stuff. I try to adorn every gift, basket and card that leaves this place with pieces of it – if I can.
The idea to create hats was inspired by an obnoxiously expensive party hat we saw on a store shelf in Rehoboth Beach a few weeks ago. I made a mental picture, and then set out to recreate the beauty with my girls. These are nothing permanent and everlasting, but we were proud of our single afternoon activity. Keep some ric-rac supplies on hand by ordering from this nifty little site: The Ribbon Jar
We delicately tied them to the heads of ten little girls as they approached the party, then sent them out for a backyard pose.
A few days earlier (on her REAL birthday), we set off Sky Lanterns on the beach. Now I won’t tell you how we almost single handedly burned down the boardwalk and a 150-year old Victorian Hotel, but let’s just say…don’t take Sky Lanterns to a beach! For BETTER results, launch them where it’s not windy!
It was, however, spectacular and I do think we were the “talk of the town” the next morning when all the sky lanterns disappeared off the shelves of the local shops.You can buy them anywhere online, but here is a link if you want to take a look: Sky Lanterns
To “frill-up” her dessert we baked Orange Dreamsicle Tulip Cupcakes, topped with Cool Whip and a few sprinkles! They were delicious, very summer, and very “girly”. The recipe calls for orange jello which you actually pour into the cake via little tiny holes, then refrigerate. I placed them on two antique glass dishes from my husband’s grandmother, and they looked and tasted DREAMY, to say the least! The paper petal beds were discovered one day at A.C. Moore.
I hope this blog inspires more people to create HOMEMADE fun. The memories are priceless and the celebration was very inexpensive.
Party Hats: free (use materials you have around the house)
Sky Lanterns: $1.50 each
Tulip petal beds: $3.99 for 24
Throw an old-fashioned homemade party in your home.
Heirloom Birthday Art
Custom invite design
Envelopes
Calligraphy
Themed party art
Logos, monograms, icons
Favors – tags – bags – decor
Creating Heirlooms 
