Comments Off on Hand-Painted Weddings published in Celebration Society Weddings Magazine
by Allison
The effervescent Water Ripples watercolor wedding invitation was featured in the Summer issue of The Celebration Society Weddings magazine! I supplied the artwork for an editor of the magazine in the Spring, but it was actually one of my clients who worked on a yacht all summer who told me she saw it featured in the magazine, that alerted me that it was published…how funny is that!
I don’t have a big advertising budget, especially for print, so opportunities like this are really exciting! The Water Ripples invitation is featured alongside a lot of other inspiring “Beachy blue” wedding and decor items. I adore that clutch!
The Water Ripples invitation is a great invitation for a wedding happening during the summer and/or for beach weddings. It would also be a beautiful invitation for a wedding happening near a lake or the ocean. Most destination weddings are near the water, so this invitation would also be very fitting in that setting.
Comments Off on Named 1 of 10 Philadelphia Wedding Vendors You Should be Following on Instagram by Philly in Love
by Allison
Hand-Painted Weddings Named 1 of 10 Philadelphia Wedding Vendors You Should be Following on Instagram by Philly in Love
I am so excited to be included as one of the top 10 instagrammers to follow in Philly by Philly in Love blog.
I follow A LOT of Philly wedding vendors on Instagram so I know the competition is steep to make it to this list! Check out the full blog post to see my fellow Philly wedding vendors to follow on Instagram.
For Hand-Painted Weddings, Instagram is a place to get a behind the scenes glimpse of what is happening in the studio, from inspiration, to close-ups of (still wet) watercolor paintings, or photos of finished pieces hot off the press. From time to time you will even get to see a time-lapse video of me painting, which is always fun!
If you aren’t already following me, you can follow me here.
Comments Off on Alice in Wonderland Wedding Featured on Ruffled Blog
by Allison
On Monday I announced on social media that the Alice in Wonderland styled shoot I created paper for was featured on Ruffled blog! Styled shoots are a lot of fun because they give wedding vendors and artists a chance to express their creativity and go crazy with ideas for the sake of inspiring engaged couples. By using creativity with no limitations, a styled shoot has the power to open up new ideas that might connect with couples getting married – it is pretty powerful!
Styled shoots are also a great way to meet new vendor friends. In the case of this styled shoot, I worked remotely with vendors in Chicago. One of the things I love that within my career I can collaborate with people all over the country, even the world!
This styled shoot is chockfull of colorful, whimsical wedding inspiration, that you should definitely check out. Above is just a snippet of the post, so click here to see the full post.
This is a group of really beautiful invitations, some more subtly fall themed than others, and I’m really happy to be included. Definitely check out the full list on the blog post here.
Just to reiterate from my previous blog post featuring their lovely wedding, Megan and Mike did such a great job seamlessly incorporating natural and calming elements into their wedding, while still leaving room for fun details like the bride’s green shoes and their travel themed postcard guest book. I’m actually not surprised at all that this wedding is being featured for other couples to be inspired by, because it is quite inspiring. I’m so happy that I could be a part of it and create their custom watercolor invitation set as well as their escort cards.
Comments Off on Featured Watercolor Art in Hatch.co Mother’s Day Campaign
by Allison
I am excited to share that I recently created some watercolor washes for Hatch.co‘s Mother’s Day campaign. For these watercolors I was inspired by the soft pastels of spring. I also played around with some layering of the watercolors as seen in the second page above.
Hatch is a website full of creative and talented makers, and I am so grateful to have my artwork spotlighted in this special campaign for Mother’s Day. Support makers and shop now for your unique Mother’s Day gifts on Hatch.co…Mother’s Day is right around the corner!
Comments Off on Featured on Hatch.co International Women’s Day!
by Allison
I am very excited to announce that Hand-Painted Weddings was chosen as one of 7 up-and-coming female creatives celebrating International Women’s Day on Hatch.co! It was such an honor to be chosen for this feature. For those of you that don’t know, Hatch.co was founded by a woman, Anastasia Leng, who left her job at Google to create a “a marketplace for unique made-to-order products created by a community of handpicked professional designers and makers.” Hatch is similar to Etsy but much more refined because an artist needs to qualify to sell products on this site.
Anastasia contacted me directly to see if I’d be interested in celebrating International Women’s Day by creating an interpretation of the Hatch logo. The only stipulation was to keep the tipi intact. I was like, of course!!
I have to say that this project was one of those projects that I had a breakthrough (ah-ha moment) around midnight the day before it was due, and I was so happy with the creation that I could barely fall asleep and was still glowing with excitement for days after! After I sent the artwork to Hatch, I received a response that the team gasped when they saw it! Have I mentioned that I love my job!
I had another ah-ha moment when I was digging into the inspiration of this logo interpretation, and why it resonated so strongly with me. I am copying the blurb that is beside the logo below for readability:
“I am an artist and a businesswoman. I find my peace in my daily yoga practice, while I find my energy every day in the gloriously energetic city of Philadelphia. I find that this balance between opposites is where I like to create and be. It is also how I paint; I have chosen watercolors as the perfect medium for Hand-Painted Weddings because while it is loose and flows, I bring an distinct attention to detail in my paintings, creating that sexy balance between the two in my work.
The design is inspired by my favorite flower, the pansy. I love how the pansy is delicate yet bold in its colors. The bold watercolor flower painting is juxtaposed with the sexy, metallic gold diagonals of the Hatch logo, creating an intriguing balance between explosion and structure. As businesswomen, we strike many balances in our lives, and I wanted to express that strength and power in this logo in celebration of Female Creative Business Owners.”
I feel like I found my voice in explaining my process, which is so personal that it is hard to distinguish and put into words. I’m sure other creatives feel similarly; it is really hard to explain your creativity as an artist (where it comes from, what drives it). It makes interviews and “About” pages challenging. After yoga one day, when my head is the most clear, I realized it… I have struggled explaining who I am because I don’t really fit into a box. I am a balance of opposites (sometimes teetering), but once I saw it, I noticed the idea seemed to flow through many aspects of my life from the way I paint, to the way I work, to the way I am. I’ve got to tell you, it was a revelation.
Comments Off on Hand-Painted Weddings in Philadelphia Wedding Magazine!
by Allison
Earlier this month when I was in Orlando on vacation, the December edition of Philadelphia Wedding magazine came out on shelf and guess who was one of the featured couples?! Julia and Dan! I loved working with these two and am so excited to see this wedding being featured in Style Me Pretty and now Philadelphia Wedding magazine! It is quite exciting! I also am excited to see how much of my work made it into the spread. I feel very blessed.
To reiterate what I said in earlier posts, this was one of the most fun weddings to work on. Seeing a concept go from invitation through so many elements such as menus, signs, thank you cards, escort cards, was quite a wonderful process. I also was fortunate to work with so many talented vendors such as Chrissy from Truly You Events and Amanda from Love Me Do Photography. Be sure to get a copy of the December issue of Philadelphia Wedding magazine soon before it leaves shelves!
“The artists” were the perfect compliment to Wed Altered‘s elite group of wedding dress and accessories designers. A group of down to earth, friendly women who are very much in love with weddings. Having these artists at the Wed Altered NYC pop-up shop really rounded out the experience for the brides, because it added a little bit of flair to the experience. It was just another reason why this pop-up shop is such a unique and special opportunity for brides.
Comments Off on Wed Altered Video 2 by Mae B. Films
by Allison
Here is the second Wed Altered film made by the talented Nikki Miller of Mae B. Films. This video focuses on fair-trade and philanthropy, and the unique fact that Wed Altered is the only wedding show of its kind that focuses on sustainability and socially conscious artists. These artists have really amazing missions. Check out the film to hear more.
Comments Off on Wed Altered Video 1 by Mae B. Films
by Allison
Mae B. Films did a beautiful job capturing the essence and heart behind Wed Altered in two short films. Here is the first video, which you can also view directly through Vimeo here. Around the midway point you will see a little cameo from yours truly! There is something about the overall vibe and seeing the textures of the dresses with movement that feel so much more real on this film than I could capture in photos, so please check it out.
The second video which focuses on Fair-trade and Philanthropy will be posted soon.
Comments Off on Wed Altered Recap Part 2 – The Accessories Artists
by Allison
The accessories artists at Wed Altered were a talented bunch. They were the perfect complement to the gorgeous dresses at the pop-up shop.
Wed Altered mission is pretty incredible. A piece from their mission (I just had to share!):
“We know that brides are ready for options that mean more. They’re ready to find wedding fashion that reflects their values and their personal style all at once. They want to do good as much as they want to be their own kind of beautiful, and they want to be a part of a movement and a community that’s joining together to make that happen. Remarkable ideas and action from people with big hearts can catch the world off guard.”
I am so proud to be a part of this community of dress and accessories designers that support unique, personal weddings!
Here are a few of the accessories designers’ online shops…be sure to check them out!
Next week, I will recap the other artists, like the photographer, videographer, caterer, and makeup artist, and of course, a post about my table at Wed Altered.
Comments Off on Wed Altered Recap Part 1 – Oh, the Dresses!
by Allison
Wed Altered created a dream environment for brides looking for their perfect wedding dress. At Wed Altered‘s pop-up shop in NYC, the bride can not only choose from a wide variety of ethically sourced, unique dresses, but she can also meet the artist behind the dress! As an artist myself, I find it makes such a difference to meet the artist that created something so intimate for your wedding day. Also, to see the dress designer’s face when one of the brides tried on their dress…priceless! It really was beautiful to see!
Did I mention that Wed Altered took place during NYC Bridal Fashion Week? Complete with a small runway that was intimate enough that the models all walked around and met the other vendors during breaks.
Even though I can’t say I know much about fashion, I felt a very warm welcome from my fellow artists. The group of people at Wed Altered were some of the sweetest down-to-earth people I have met. I feel very blessed to have met such talented artists and wish them all the best in their businesses.
Today I head to NYC to participate in this really awesome bridal show/pop-up called Wed Altered at the beautiful Studio Arte building this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13.
Hand-Painted Weddings will be the exclusive invitations designer at the show. Our table will feature a beautiful table display complete with dinner plate, salad plate, and placemat showcasing a hand-painted menu, escort card, table number, and coordinating invitation set. My goal is to show how a design can weave throughout the entire wedding from the save-the-date to the paper goods at your reception. We are also doing a raffle for a free Thumbprint guest print. Also you wont want to miss a intimate peak of me painting; I will be set up to be painting the entire weekend at my table!
I can’t wait to meet some NYC brides who will be there for unique bridal gown fittings. I also can’t wait to meet more creative wedding professionals!
If you are attending Wed Altered this weekend, please stop by and say “hi” and don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for our raffle!
Also, be sure to read Chrissy’s (the wedding planner from Truly You Events) recap of the event. Here’s a snippet…. “Having dated for 10 years and attended many weddings together, Julia and Dan were strongly committed to creating something totally personal and unique for their special day.”
The amount of talent that went into this wedding was amazing! See below for the vendor list:
Comments Off on A Few Glimpses of Julia and Dan’s Wedding
by Allison
As a stationer I often feel very connected with a couple during the planning and preparation phases of their special day, but often miss seeing how all the elements come together in the final masterpiece, also known as the wedding day! It is for this reason, I love being connected to the photographer of the event in order to get a glimpse of the day through the talented eyes of another artist.
That was certainly the case for Julia and Dan’s wedding. I wasn’t attending the wedding, but I was checking the weather forecasts in hopes for a beautiful day for their laid-back, outdoor wedding. In the beginning of the week of their wedding, it wasn’t looking good in terms of the weather, but as the day approached the chance of rain went lower and lower and they were able to avoid any rain during the hours of their wedding! I was very happy for them! As a previous bride who had rain on her wedding day, I really understand the extra stress that brings.
Here are a few glimpses of the wedding day festivities, particularly the table settings and dining aspect of the wedding. Tomorrow I will share with you more photos from this beautiful wedding!
Comments Off on Wedding Paper is the Glue to the Wedding
by Allison
I love my clients! I love hearing about the details they want incorporated into their wedding. Some people may think about wedding paper as one element to the wedding, but it is so much more.
A great way to look at wedding paper is as the glue to the wedding. It really packages up the beginning (invitations) and ending (thank you cards) as well as connecting all throughout the day from the ceremony programs to the escort cards to the menus. Other fun wedding paper ideas include thumbprint guestbooks, signature drink signs, dessert table signs, table numbers, welcome bag notes, reserved seating signs, bride and groom signs, and gift tags.
Because wedding paper flows throughout the entire event, it is important to me that I know all of the other details you have in mind, so that your wedding feels cohesive. It also sparks my creativity! For example, I knew that the client above, Julia, was likely going to do something fun with her signature drinks, and she told me that they were going to serve their signature drinks in mason jars with peach striped straws, so I was sure to incorporate those details in the Signature Drink sign.
I love bringing ideas to the table in my paper that can also spark something in the event design as well, such as affecting the color palette. From this post I hope you see that wedding paper is so much more than wedding invitations! As Julia says…It can be the cornerstone of your wedding and define the look and feel for the entire event!
