Five Dot Design • Blog

I can honestly say I’ve never been more excited to be a part of a bridal show. love+bash won’t be your typical bridal show…. no 8×8 booth with black drapes. No aisles, no folding tables. Just creativity.

The Leapin’ Lizard Lounge is separated into 2 levels… you’ll come into the main level and find hand-selected wedding professionals not only milling about the place looking to chat with you, but showcasing their work in non-traditional ways (I’m setting up with Kelly of Cinci Makeup). Four mock tables will also on the first floor- I collaborated with Marti of Marti’s Floral Designs and Jen of Your Wedding by Jen on a fun kitschy table. After you’re able to grab a few drinks from the bar, you can head upstairs to watch the fashion show.

One lucky bride will win a free wedding from Nikita Gross and many of the other professionals will be raffling off some great prizes. I have offered up $500 towards their stationery in Nikita’s Wedding Giveaway.

I hope to see you out there- it promises not only to be a great show, but a great time with more than great wedding professionals!

Robin and Ryan’s wedding was the first client wedding I’ve attended that was not a friend or family member. I have to say- they know how to throw a party (and chose some awesome vendors to help them show their guests a great time!) I tagged along with the ladies of the 3bc just to see how everything comes together the day-of. For a girl that normally wraps up her work with the bride and groom a week or so before, watching the entire day come together not only taught me how to provide better service to my brides, but it was really just fun to be there from the almost-beginning to the last guest leaving the reception. It was great to put vendor faces with vendor names (Hi Dan and Steve!) and get to see everyone in action, doing what they do best.

Robin and Ryan came to me looking for something elegant, but something unique and that looked like “them.” We started by picking a black backing paper that had a slight texture to it. That pebble-like texture was then paired with a smooth satin wine colored ribbon to add some depth to the entire piece.

After taking in the considerations the events of the weekend, we separated the invitation into 3 sections: Invitation, Itinerary and Information/RSVP. The RSVP was perforated to keep all of the pieces of the suite together and was then folded up into the Information card.

All of the pieces were then, literally, wrapped up and tied with a bow. Add a little bling to the monogram and you’ve got yourself a lovely little New Year’s Day wedding invitation.

The popcorn bar was a hit- great work Marti!

Photography: JMM Photography

Florist and Popcorn Bar: Marti’s Floral Design

Planning: Creative Afflairs

Make-Up: Cincy Make Up

Video: Poetic Cinema

DJ and Lighting: Steve Bender

Cake: Bonbonerie

Church: Covenant-First Presbyterian Church

Reception Venue: Millenium Hotel

This is the post that I usually write 2, 3, 4  times and then on the 5th time, I sit down kind of late at nite and write the whole thing start to finish in one setting. Excessive and a bit weird? You bet. Necessary to write? Absolutely. (A little mushy, too, so don’t say you weren’t warned.)

Though I can’t speak directly from experience, the only way I can think to describe this past year is swimming with dolphins. You see these people hanging on really tight to the dorsal fin, pulling themselves up with all their strength so they don’t get pulled under water, all while it’s splashing in their face, blinding them from what’s ahead. They end up watching with one eye shut, spitting water out every few seconds because they can’t help but smile thru the whole ride. They finally let go, tired and winded, and yell “Let’s do it again!”

Yeah, that’s how I describe 2010.

O.M.G

Everyone says it and everyone means it, but it’s definitely something that can’t be said enough…
My. Clients. Are. Amazing.
Seriously. If any of you girls are reading this, I can’t thank you enough for your willingness to do things a little differently and to think outside of the box. All of you allowed my creative mind to wander while creating something for which both of us could be proud and really, that’s all I ever really want at the end of the day.

I did a lot of talking, a lot of listening and a lot of observing this year… which lead to a lot of learning. Business is definitely not something you can and should do alone. Outside perspective, no matter who is giving it and what profession they are in, is valuable information. With that, however, my belief in standing on your own two feet, having your own identity, thinking for yourself and relying on your own hard work was reaffirmed to a whole new level. I truly believe by owning that notion to the fullest extent, I made my business and myself much stronger. Walking into a new arena is tough. It’s intimidating and it’s scary. But once you get in the ring and you start talking, you confirm what you already knew- that everyone in the ring had been in your shoes once before.

Whenever you enter a new circle, such as this, you expect to make friends, but you never really expect to come across people that are rooting for you and honestly and truly want to see you succeed in your business- especially for not being in the game very long. Many have sat and talked with me, be it over drinks or until 2am on the phone, answering my questions honestly, offering ideas and suggestions on ways to better myself and my business and helping me to work thru roadblocks and frustrations. Most of the time, all it has taken is someone listening to me talk out loud to find the solution on my own, but being there to validate and support the solution that came to the surface. You are invaluable to me and in sharing what you’ve learned and experienced, it’s a gesture I truly appreciate.

Every day is like shaking the 8 Ball, anxiously waiting which prediction comes to the surface. Some days it’s in your favor, some days it’s not, but my support system stays strong no matter what hand I’m dealt. I’ve made sacrifices that I know will ultimately pay off in the end and my family and friends remind me to stay focused and driven- they’ll be there when I finally reach my goals and that’s what keeps me moving forward. You’re always going to have people pop up and situations arise that make the road a little rougher, but I’ve found that by staying focused and following my instincts, the road eventually smooths out. As I gear up for my next trip around, I feel much more prepared, much more calm and overall ready to learn even more about the wedding industry, my business and more importantly, myself.

P.S. A huge thank you to the talents that allow me to post their images which showcase my work. Without you, I would rarely get a chance to sneak a peek at the end result in a day-of setting or just have photos that make me proud of what both you and I are capable of creating for our clients. Another huge thank you for those that helped me pull my table together for my first bridal show this year- I hope to be able to repay the favor sometime. And lastly, thank you to my vendor-friends that have hired me for my talents. It’s always an honor to do work for someone in the wedding circle, so I hope to have the opportunity to repay your kindness… and to work with you again!

Leah Robbins Photography shared these images of a wedding we both worked recently… I love weddings and events at The French House and this one is no exception! In meeting with the mother-of-the-bride, she was concerned with the lack of color on the white tables under the white tent. The sage sashes and linens were provided by Adora Event Rental, so we added just a touch of that sage into the backings of the name cards and on the menu.

I’ve known Carolyn since grade school, so when we met to go over her wedding plans and talk invitations, it was really us sitting down to catch up. Her cousin, Bridget and I graduated high school together, so I was excited to see one of my friends be part of the wedding, as well.

Carolyn was all for adding texture and color to her invitations– her vision for the wedding was very eclectic and she was very open to suggestions and off-the-wall ideas. This wedding was centered around casualness and fun… but she had one request: that an elephant make an appearance on the invitations.

We started with a linen paper for the invitation. It gave the printing more of an aged feel, as the ink wasn’t able to settle into all the grooves the paper. Instead of opting for ribbon or paper to wrap the invitation in, we went with fabric. Fabric allowed more vibrant colors (with blue being a constant), a wider variety of patterns and it added a very unexpected handmade touch to an already unique invitation suite.

Next came figuring out how to work this elephant into the mix (whom we lovingly called “Stampy.”)– he played a significant role in Carolyn and Sam’s engagement story, so he was a must. I knew a photograph wouldn’t give off the right feel and an illustration wouldn’t work either. Carolyn actually ended up drawing Stampy and I added the watercolor wash to give him a little more presence on the page. I love the fact that she was able to add a personal touch to her own invitations.

Carolyn and Sam: thank you so much for letting my mind wander outside of its creative box! You guys were amazing to work with and I thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your day!

To see more shots of Carolyn and Sam’s wedding courtesy of Marissa and her second shooter, Corrie, go here. You’ll find the programs over there as well!