Pretty Postage

Sticking an uncomplimentary stamp onto your envelopes can be like ruining the most beautiful cocktail dress with the wrong accessories. It can take a bit more time and effort to source the stamps and the cost will most likely be two or three times the regular value but it's so worth it in this planner's opinion.

HELPFUL TIP: Here are some ways of finding the stamps!

Hire someone. Many custom invitation designers will also offer the service of finding vintage stamps to finish off your envelope look. Soolip in Los Angeles (pictured above) will source the stamps for $15 -/+ per envelope.

DIY. There are a couple ways of finding the stamps yourself. 1) Ebay has tons of vintage stamps available and I've had great success of finding exactly what I need online. When you enter the search look for "stamps" then click on "United States" ==> "sheets" ==> "New." Most sheets are 50 stamps but read carefully to make sure you're getting the right quantity. 2) Find a local stamp store near you that sells a variety of older stamps. If you're in New York City try Champion Stamps. The cost will be more than finding them on Ebay but the benefit is that there's no bidding, waiting and shipping.

Remember to always always always weigh your entire envelope to see what the postage will be and if it is an oversized or square envelope find out what that extra rates will be on that.

Check out a few recent envelopes we've done:

These purple "B stamps" matched their beautiful envelopes perfectly. The postman asked me if these were for a royal wedding!

(Want to see what's inside?)

Minna Designs did an amazing job on these!

This envelope for a wedding in Lake Como, Italy we used the same jewel tones that were used throughout the wedding decor. Also we choose stamps that represented the couple and their wedding: a Jazz and Amateur radio stamp to showcase the groom's passion for music, an Italian hero Giuseppe Garibaldi for the destination wedding,...

Don't forget the rsvp envelope!

For a wedding for two opera singers I almost fainted when I found this stamp!

It was a perfect touch to the beautiful envelopes Bernard Maisner calligraphied.

I hope I've inspired you all to make the extra effort to finish your envelopes with the perfect postage! Remember, first impressions are everything!

P.S. Get your envelopes hand canceled (so the post office would manually stamp those round cancel stamps over your vintage stamps rather than running it through the machine and getting those wavy line things). It goes with the vintage look and your envelopes won't have a risk of getting damaged when being fed through the machine. It's free for the first 50 envelopes and then only 5 cents for every additional.

People.com Article!

I'm still coming off the high from last night (truly one of the most magnificent weddings Daughter of Design has ever experienced) but wanted to share this People.com article! Congratulations to David Miller and Sarah Joy Kabanuck!

"Il Divo's David Miller Ties the Knot"

More pictures to come!

Save the Date postcards - vintage city and state designs

BORROW THIS IDEA: One of my brides shared a link she found for vintage postcard Save the Dates so thought I would share it with you all. It's $99 for 100 4"x6" cards that you can personalize. Pretty good deal.

Otherwise if you have your own graphic file, I sometimes use Overnight Prints which is only $12.95 for 100 4"x6" cards.

HELPFUL HINT: Remember only send save the dates to people you really want to save the date! Don't send one to someone who is on our B list if you're not sure you're inviting them to the wedding for sure. It totally sucks when you have to explain that you have too many people that are coming now and have to retract the initial invitation you extended to them!

WeddingChannel.com article!

Check out our latest press piece on WeddingChannel.com on "Alternative Ceremony Ideas for Second Weddings!"

To see all Daughter of Design press check out our press page by clicking here.

You count!

Brides and Grooms, remember to include yourselves in the final guest count!

I often notice on my clients' spreadsheets that their names are not on the final seating chart or guest list. This happens at almost 99% of the weddings I work on. You want to eat too right? :)

SAVE THE DATE! War Memorial Opera House, SF

I rarely write about weddings until it's already passed and I can post the pictures but I just can't contain myself on this one! Next July, Daughter of Design will be doing a wedding at the War Memorial Opera House, home of the San Francisco Opera and Ballet. They only allow two weddings per year so to be one of them is an extreme honor. The couple are season ticket holders and actually came here to an opera on their first date so how perfect is that!

For me this has extra significance in that I started my event career here nearly 10 years ago. I worked in Marketing and Special Events for 2 years and have the warmest and fondest memories of the San Francisco Opera and my old "office". It's like coming home...

Check back here July 2010 for photos!

Amy and Sean - Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills

Amy and Sam were JUNIOR high school sweethearts who finally tied the knot a decade plus later at the ever beautiful and classic Beverly Hills Hotel. It was a gorgeous California summer day and what I LOVE about California summer weddings...no rain plans necessary!

Their wedding was recently featured on Style Me Pretty's blog.

Here comes the bride, all dressed in white (and stunning diamond jewelry set she got on loan from her jeweler friend.)

Love these Renee Caovilla's. See my former post to find out how you can possibly get your very own for half off and with no tax!

Let's play a game: can you find these rings shown below in the picture above?

Amy honored her grandfather by pinning his military star on her bouquet

I thought I was a daddy's girl until I met Amy. Her and her father were so adorable and really had a special bond.

Amy and Sean's entire wedding was very elegant and romantic, starting with this lovely garden ceremony.

BORROW THIS IDEA: Have your florist make fun designs with your aisle rose petals.

HELPFUL TIP: You can have your florist make designs down the actual aisle and not just on the sides, which looks fab for pics before the ceremony but once the wedding party walks down may look like a wreck for the bride's processional, just a note.

BORROW THIS IDEA: Goodbye slide shows, hello framed photos of family

The menus were designed to match their invitations which incorporated their Taiwanese heritage with their garden romance theme.

BORROW THIS IDEA: The napkins didn't actually have lace trim but to give the effect and add that extra touch we tucked a piece of lace around the napkin once they had been folded. Low cost, little effort with high visual value.

This sure as hell beats a standard parquet dance floor (and to be honest I can't stand those parquet dance floors!) Amy and Sean went with a circular shape which complimented the large crystal rose light fixture that the Beverly Hills Hotel is so well known for.

HELPFUL TIP: Putting lounge furniture around the dance floor is a great way to keep guests from sitting way back at their tables and staying closer to where the action is at and keeping the dancefloor area looking more dense.

Heck, if you're doing the custom dance floor you might as well get the custom decor on it for a few hundred more :)

This was undoubtedly the most painful thing I've had to do as a planner. I'm a huge Cal Bears fan so to help arrange the USC band to come perform for this Trojan couples grand entrance went against every bone in my body. This just goes to show what a dedicated planner I am. However I took some comfort in knowing that Amy's little sister shared my pain since she was a Cal cheerleader!

What a cake! Shavings of white chocolate really gave the exterior a great texture.

Now here comes the bride, all dressed in RED! Amy changed into the traditional Chinese wedding outfit, qipao, for the last part of the reception. She's a great model and hopped right on top of that piano. Go Amy!

After dancing for hours, it's always nice to nourish and replenish your guests!

These two really are an inseparable pair and each other's best friend. I wish them the world of happiness!