For Your Party

Getting custom printed items is now easier than ever thanks to ForYourParty.com!

Their site features predesigned template collections from well known stationery designers, which you can customize with your name and wedding date.

One thing I love, is that they offer a wide variety of products such as napkins, matches, gift tags, coasters, mints, stir stick & more! They also carry design themes for anniversaries, holidays, birthdays and numerous other occasions.

Their templates are very easy to use. I found a set of coasters I liked (shown to the left) so I decided to try out the functionality of their website.

Within a few minutes I had created custom coasters for hubby and me!

(See image below)

The one thing I liked most about this site, as a designer, is that I can e-mail them my own designs and have them print them!

So, if you are thinking about having a custom wedding logo designed, once the design is finalized, we can e-mail that very same logo to ForYourParty.com to be printed on any of their customizable items!

Cool stuff!

Ahh...I love weddings! =)

You Save Money as your guests Save the Date!

Brides may need to be more budget conscious these days, and I'm happy to say that when it comes to your Save the Dates, there are a few low cost alternatives you can take before nixing this piece from your wedding stationery.

Below is a list I have put together with a few creative suggestions that will allow you to save money as you notify your guests to save the date:

• Buy less and send them only to your out of town guests.
  
• Go small and save a tree while you're at it!
  By selecting a smaller sized card such as a 3.5x5 note card or business card size for your Save The Dates, you'll save on printing and paper, and you'll help protect the environment by creating less waste.


• Use post cards featuring a photo or a wedding logo on the cover, details and a hand-written note on the back. You will save money on printing and postage.
  
• Use custom maps as your save the dates.
  If you know the location of your wedding ceremony and reception months in advance, hire a designer (ahem...Dio Selina Custom Designs) to create a custom map illustrating the location(s) and other points of interest. This will save you the cost of printing an extra map insert for your invitations and will allow your out-of-town guests to Save the Date and do some research ahead of time.
  
• Invest in a wedding logo and have a few hundred note cards featuring your logo and nothing else. Use some of these branded note cards to hand write your Save the Dates and use the remaining note cards as Thank You Cards for after the wedding. Remember, when it comes to printing, the more you buy in one print run the more you save!
  
• If you go with the note card option mentioned above, you can always purchase custom "Save The Date" postage, so that your guests receive the news before they even open your envelope and read your heartfelt handwritten note.

Whichever route you wish to take, I am here to help you with all your stationery needs.

Business Cards, Finalizing the Design

Several weeks back I had blogged about a logo and business card design I was creating for for Tom Lang, a wedding minister servicing the Greater Chicago and Greater Palm Springs areas.

As we finalize everything, the color has changed and so has the layout, creating a cleaner and more modern effect!

The same happens with invitations. Many times during the design process, clients call or e-mail feeling terrible about last minute color changes or things of that sort.

As long as we're in the design process, fonts, layouts and colors can always be changed to reflect the direction the entire event design is heading in. The nice thing about it is that things usually work out for the best!

Bride Wars

I finally got watch Bride Wars a couple of weeks ago, and I must admit, I loved it! It really wasn't as predictable as some of you may think. It was funny from beginning to end, not your typical cutsie girly movie, but in reality a story of two girls turned bridezilla's who put up very creative fights in their attempt to attain their dream wedding at The Plaza Hotel, NYC. It's a great movie to watch with your bridesmaids!

Custom Map Illustrations

As part of my wedding stationery design services, I often design custom maps for guests to find their way around on the big day.

I recently took on a different kind of custom map project. This was for the Villa Royale Inn. It's a beautiful inn, tucked in a residential area right across the street from the new Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.

The inn has been operating since since 1947, as soon as you walk in, you feel like you're in a different country, somewhere in Europe. Then, you walk into their four-diamond restaurant, Europa, or any of their uniquely decorated suites, and you'll see a bit of an Asian flair. It's a rather eclectic yet charming place.

Well, the property map wasn't quite as charming, until now. =)
Ready for the before and after images? Here we go...

BEFORE:

AFTER: Closer view of details:
Of course everything on here is my original artwork, from the water fountains to the fireplace and the little fish in the pond!

After the wedding comes "The Bump"

I'm not talking about a bump in the road, more like a bump in your mid-area, you know, a bun in the oven!

And when the time comes, I can definitely create some really neat ultra couture baby shower invitations or birth announcements with all the textures and intricate details that your loved ones will forever cherish. But for those of you who are seeking easily accessible chic & modern stationery for your growing family there is now BabyDio.com! This is a really neat gallery featuring only my original artwork and stationery designs for baby and you!

Everything from announcements, invitations, custom labels, postage, magnets and much more available at BabyDio.com!