MountainGate Country Club Puts on a Show

Sunday evening, Petalos di Pauli was a featured vendor at MountainGate Country Club's Fall Bridal Show and Open House. We loved sharing the spotlight with our friends at Emily Rose Papers, a great company we always enjoy collaborating with. We welcomed a steady stream of exuberant brides, showing and telling them about our products and services.

Paula Estes with owner of  Emily Rose Papers

Wedding invitation--maroon with intricate gold detailing

Escort cards displaying the artistry of our calligrapher

Located in Los Angeles, MountainGate Country Club is an extremely beautiful location for weddings and receptions, combining elegant indoor and outdoor event spaces with a spectacular view of the Santa Monica Mountains. Paula noted, "Our flagship line of botanically embellished invitations definitely help set the tone for such a magnificent and lush garden-like setting."

MountainGate Country Club outdoor ceremony location

All in all, the show was a tremendous success--with enticing hors d'oeuvres prepared by the MountainGate chef, stunning decor, and so many other exciting details--made possible by the contributions of talented, top-shelf event companies we'll be highlighting in upcoming posts.

Thank you, MountainGate, for hosting a wonderful Fall Bridal Show event! We look forward to many happy returns.

~Jaimie

The Gracious Guest List

Before you can figure out how many wedding invitations to order, you have to finalize your guest list. The quantity needed is sometimes the last piece of information a client will provide us with, because firming up the guest list can be a tough job. It's a task that involves the effort of more than just the bride and groom but also both sets of parents, and each has their own VIP list. There's the budget and the size of your venue to consider and logistically it's just not realistic to invite everyone. At the same time you don't want to start off your marriage with strained family relations, especially with your new in-laws. My advice when you're looking for where to draw the line, think graciousness and hospitality, and be as tolerant as possible of your parent's requests. Here's why I feel compelled to offer this suggestion. 

Recently, my friend Donna and I took a trip to Catalina Island with her nine year old daughter,Vika, and pre-teen son, Brett. That day we made lots of summer memories, feeding the fish on the glass-bottom boat tour and enjoying candy apples and frozen bananas. Donna told me about a woman who she thought worked on the island--a dear old friend of her mother. This person had the title of BFF and was 1 in a group of 3 women who had traveled the world together, shared some wild times and made memories of their own. Some investigating revealed that she was indeed on the island and my heart was warmed by their gleeful exchange.  Donna's mom is no longer with us, yet I felt that some part of her shined through the light in the eyes of her very good friend. It was a special moment to witness.

The moral of my story is that nostalgia plays a major role in weddings, and some day you too may be very touched that your parents' oldest friends care enough to reconnect as you realize that they in fact do make your circle complete. I hope to, someday, be invited to the weddings of Vika and Brett, as someone who is like a sister to their mom.

Graciously Yours,

Paula Estes

A Show For The Modern South Asian Bride

Recently, Petalos di Pauli participated in a magnificent and well-attended Summer Bridal Show, hosted by Wedding Store 24, located in the heart of Little India. The Westin South Coast Plaza was transformed into an exotic display of South Asian culture that included fashion shows, dancers, live music and delicious Indian food.

It was no coincidence that we presented our new “Jewel Collection” of invitations and matching table decor featuring the vibrant colors and motifs of South Asia.

It was a pleasure sharing the limelight with friends like Erin Holloway, owner of Sugar Sugar Candy Buffet, and Melissa Gruber of My Specialty Cakes. Not only because I have an insatiable sweet tooth but because these women, like myself, have a passion for what they do, and they do it well. I'm not a vegetarian but I did try the eggless versions of the chocolate raspberry and lemon cakes. . . over and over again! Phenomenal, who needs eggs?!

Capri Flowers, put the awe in awesome with their breathtakingly beautiful display of floral creativity.

Bridal Expos such as this one make for great one stop shopping for brides and grooms and it's also an opportunity for us vendors to make new acquaintances. I am a new fan of Diva Decor, as I was totally drawn to the sparkling collection of bridal accessories and decor. Looking for bling? Two words: luxurious and fabulous, darlings.

Congratulations and many thanks to Neema Lodhia, who had the vision and expertise to pull off such a wonderfully successful event that entire families came out to enjoy.

For professional photos, check out images captured by Duke Photography.

Pansies, and Larkspurs and Nigelias. . . Oh My!

The word is out about "Tangerine Tango," Pantone's pick for color of the year! We've found that you either love or hate this cheerful reddish orange (Pantone 17-1463). We know about orange, not because we're located in Orange County, CA (couldn't resist that one) but because we gave you a taste of it this month at the MountainGate Country Club Spring Bridal Show. Most of you loved the energy and warmth that our invitation display evoked.

This year we envision monochromatic palettes of peaches and oranges. We've already received requests for orange paired with neutrals. Petalos di Pauli is known for its unique signature botanical touches. And we predict brides may want to incorporate the color in flowers like pansies, and larkspurs and nigelias. . . Oh my!

Love and Postage

If you're sending out invitations to your wedding or other special event, here is something you should know. On January 22, 2012 the price for a one-ounce First-Class Mail stamp increased from 44¢ to 45¢. A penny might not sound like a big deal, but it is when it comes to stamping your RSVP envelope. Using the wrong postage could make receiving each guest's response a real nuptial nightmare.

This year's Love Ribbons stamp features swirling satin ribbons that spell out the word "Love". It's the perfect depiction of the beauty of love itself, and a fitting accompaniment to those little envelopes.

Another lovely option is the Garden of Love stamp, featuring a colorful mosaic of flora and fauna. Both LOVE stamps were issued as Forever Stamps, which are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Whether you are sending out your own invitations or letting us do the mailing for you, Petalos di Pauli has your back.
Source: shop.usps.com

All the Elements of Love

Love comes in all shapes and sizes, and for Linda and Paul, this was it. It was in this inspired invitation design; the real flowers, a rose crystal, and a sprinkling of ornaments that sparked nostalgia. It all added up. LOVE; timeless and sublime. This Petalos di Pauli custom, handmade creation has all the elements of love.

Meet Flyboy Naturals

Petalos di Pauli is so fortunate to work with some of the best vendors in the country and we consider freeze dried flower petal supplier Flyboy Naturals (www.flyboynaturals.com) to be such a talented and creatively generous partner in so many of our projects.

 Says co-founder Jami Brown: “Our petals are all natural and we do our part to help the earth and environment. We use wind energy to process our freeze dried petals (including roses, lilac, peony and hydrangea) and grow all our flowers using a certified green pest-control program.”

We love talking to “petal specialists” at their Myrtle Creek, Oregon operation whenever we have a question such as how many petals will line a specific size presentation box. We left petals out overnight on a major design project recently and it was Flyboy to the rescue when during a California heat wave, the petals became dry and a bit difficult to work with. Flyboy Naturals provided just the right solution to restore their beauty and suppleness. Likewise, they feel free to call on our expertise, such as recommendations for the best kind of glue for using with petals.

Jami’s freeze drying expertise started back in 1988 doing whole flowers and a line of everything from wreaths and topiary to swags, garland and centerpieces. Former pilot husband Jim and Jami started Flyboy Naturals in 1992 and the couple “found our slice of heaven on the mighty south Umpqua River in Oregon.”

 We consider Jami a creative soulmate because, like us, she and Jim love being surrounded by beauty and making others happy in sharing that beauty by providing a beautiful, natural, eco-friendly product at very affordable prices.

The Petalos di Pauli studio has a palette of 100 varieties of petals from Flyboy in various petal sizes and color blends which we love showing to clients. Call us to make an appointment to see this fabulous collection and hear ideas on how you can use Flyboy petals for your next project. 

Did you know that freeze dried rose petals are preferred for most wedding venues today? That’s because live petals can stain and are slippery on floors. No such problems with freeze dried petals! So many of the wonderful botanical effects created by Petalos di Pauli are made possible using freeze dried petals from Flyboy Naturals.

Creative Collaborations

The most successful special events are always a collaborative creative effort. We recently had the pleasure of working with Santa Barbara event planner Merryl Brown (www.merrylbrownevents.com) to support the elegance and charm of a Bohemian Chic wedding her firm designed for an open air venue.

Normally we work from our Orange County studio, but it was a special treat to work onsite for this occasion smack dab in the middle of the woods, so a lot of this design was done on the fly. The bride’s wedding dress and fondness for daisies inspired our use of this flower on the sweet heart table, crowning the menu cards, for the escort cards designed as miniature take-home daisy bouquets and the wedding invitation featuring a bright yellow gerbera daisy with metal embellishment. The results, as you can see from these photos, are magical, combining heirloom tradition with a little bit of 70s funk!

Natural wooden elements are used in chair signage.

Yellow, white and lime green hues centered around a daisy theme.

The daisy theme is carried out in the menu cards.

The wedding invitation sports vibrant colors to carry out the Bohemian Chic theme.

Burlap sacks provide an eco-friendly take-home daisy bouquet.

Fresh flowers accent the heirloom objects

Event design by Merryl Brown Events. Photography by Melissa Musgrove Photography. Floral design by Cody Floral Design. Lighting design by Bella Vista Designs. Creative Consultant Kimberly Anderson.

Five ways to make special event stationery eco-friendly

Image by Organized Light Photography

Kermit the Frog may think it’s not easy being green, but when it comes to designing eco-friendly special event stationery, we beg to disagree, dear Kermie! Here are five things to consider when designing your invitations, menus, reply cards, envelopes and other special event collateral that will make your efforts more earth friendly:

1. Less is more: using less paper is not only eco-friendly; it will prove more economical for you in the long-run. 
2. Double the pleasure: consider printing on both sides of insert cards instead of using two separate cards.
3. Tree-free doesn’t mean paperless: investigate the many wonderful paper options that don’t require tree kill.
4. Toxin-free papers and inks: vegetable dye-based papers and soy inks are the earth-friendly way to go. 
5. Choose local first: whether a local printer or using locally grown flowers, eliminate the environmental emissions caused by transporting or importing your design elements long-distance by choosing local whenever possible. 

Petalos di Pauli has lots of crafty ideas when it comes to designing good-looking and eco-friendly stationery products.  As purveyors of paper, we bring to you a range of post-consumer recycled paper sources and feature choices, including Saa (Mulberry tree) and  Lotka (Daphne bush), for sustainable style. Going green may be easier and more beautiful than you think, with our team of knowledgeable creatives ready to help.

Gracious Greening,

Paula Estes
Botanical Artist
Petalos di Pauli

Trends in Wedding Decor Revealed

We introduced The Seed Packet Escort Cards at The Most Anticipated Event of the Season, YWD Magazine's exclusive bridal event, designed to highlight the latest trends in wedding decor and styling. Multiple photo shoot sets were designed as platforms of inspiration for over 1,100 brides, grooms and industry professionals who attended this backstage pass into the making of the YWD Spring|Summer issue.

This project was so much fun for me as one of the hand-selected designers who got to carry out the "Vintage Glamour" theme. Good Gracious! Events lead our team, that included Mille Fiori Floral Design, Classic Party Rentals, Wildflower Linen and Bella Vista Designs.

Each packet of pansy seeds was inscribed with a guest name and table number, functioning not only as the escort card but also as a favor to enjoy after the event. These custom designed gems included the couple’s special wording and an a real pansy on the front, giving them the Petalos di Pauli unique signature botanical touch.

The corresponding invitation incorporated clusters of pansies, along with dramatic pearl and antique gold jewel embellishments. The ensemble was presented in a petal-lined, cushioned, silk box to create a timeless and beautiful keepsake.

Click here to enjoy stunning images captured by Brilliant Studios.LA of our Vintage Glamour photo shoot set.

The YWD Spring | Summer 2010 Issue is on newsstands now (available at Barnes & Noble, Borders and Target).

Call us to find out how custom seed packets can enhance your next special event.

Warn wishes,

Paula Estes
Botanical Artist
Petalos di Pauli