The Two Magic Words: SAMPLE SALE!

Calling all brides-to-be! Monique Lhuillier is having a one day only Sample Sale on Sunday, December 12th in Downtown, Los Angeles. Sure it's going to be crazy with brides in full wedding mode, but your special dress might be there. 40% to 90% off... do you really want to be at home wondering if you might have missed out? Another great perk, you can make it a Girls Day Out and take your bridesmaids with you!

Good luck!

Monique Lhuillier Sample Sale

1201 S. Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Sunday, December 12, 2010

10am-4pm

The Perfect Song

A lot of you may have your perfect song for your wedding since the day you first met eyes and fell in love. Others, have had more trouble finding that song that defines their love. Whatever the situation, a song sets the mood but don't try too hard and make sure it is a song that you both agree on and love.

Music is so key to an event and brings out emotions that sometimes words alone can't. I have seen so many countless wedding videos and cinematography that the music just makes it ten times more emotional and heartfelt.

Speaking of trends, one of the songs I have been seeing in many wedding videos lately and I absolutely love is "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap. Simply genius. Just a suggestion to consider if you are having trouble. What is your song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKjOOR9sPU

Guestbooks

We just came across this really cute online Guestbook Store that customizes your guestbooks for every occasion down to how many pages you need. It is a really cute, personal guestbook. You can draw a picture of the couple, give your own special advice, write down qualities of the bride and groom, make predictions and just really have fun with it. They also have a wide variety of album covers to choose from as well. I think guests will have a good time thinking of stuff to write and the guest(s) of honor will love sitting down and reading them after the party is over.

Check out Guestbook Store.

Crazy for Jungle Animals

We just custom designed these adorable jungle-animal themed Baby Shower invitations for a couple who knows what they want. From the particular safari animals, to the monkey with a banana in his hand, to the crib and turtle in the grass - everything was hand picked and custom designed to our couple's exact requests. We even turned all the safari animals on the front cover into plush for the mobile over the crib! Do you notice all the little details? We had a blast designing them and guests are sure to enjoy receiving them.

This unique and fun invitation was printed on 14 pt gloss paper in a booklet-fold format. It will definitely get anyone in the mood for some baby fun! Inquire, order and custom design your invitations or baby announcements now!

iPhone App: Super Planner to the Rescue!

Now this is something that will be very useful to anyone planning a wedding or event. This application takes the knowledge of event professionals, created by one of our own industry experts -Howard Givner, and makes it functional and sensible. We all know the fun and creative part of planning a successful event but what about all the logistics, projections, and calculations behind the scenes that can truly make or break an event? This new application will truly put any event planner or couple at ease.

Check this application out for yourself! It truly has everything you need from pricing, catering, table seating and more! Sounds like a lifesaver to us or more like a Super Planner! =)

We Heart Centerpieces

There is nothing like a beautiful centerpiece to set the mood at your wedding. We have seen the works... from vintage, to ecological, to classic, to fun... there is an infinite amount of possibilities and arrangements a couple can think of and we love how it makes every wedding unique. The couple gets to express their style and run wild with their color combinations and the dining tables are their canvas.

Check out Martha Stewarts 50 Great Wedding Centerpieces to get your creative juices flowing. Remember, although it can be very overwhelming and you may find it hard to choose one style, the most important thing is to stick with the style that you feel best fits you and your fiance. NOT what you think your guests want. This is YOUR Special Day! Enjoy and don't forget to have fun. =)

Poems at Weddings: Clinton-Mezvinsky Wedding

We all know that there are those certain celebrity weddings that are long awaited and the talk of the town from what the bride wore to what was served at the reception. But not many entertainment feeds talk about the romance and magical part of the weddings, the loving stares the couples exchange or the beautiful vows written. One of my favorite aspects are when poems are read. This past weekend, Chelsea Clinton married Marc Mezvinsky and the following poem was read.

The life that I have

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Leo Marks

I love this poem along with many others. Are you going to be using a poem at your wedding and if so, which one? One of our personal favorites is Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How Do I Love Thee..."

Congratulations to Chelsea and Marc!

Dresses to Drool Over

I just discovered this designer, Enzoani, while browsing Fashion Week in L.A. and immediately fell in love. He showcased his new 2011 line on July 17, 2010 in Downtown L.A. and surely did not disappoint. His show consisted of 78 looks from four lines: Blue, Enzoani's couture inspired bridal line, Love (occasion line), and new this season - Modeca (a collaboration with the successful Holland-based bridal wear company). His designs are absolutely breathtaking, bold, and European-inspired. Check out his website and there is even more to drool over. How great it is to be surrounded by such beautiful designers who truly make your wedding a fairy tale and make brides feel like princesses. =)

Party Favors or Party FAVORITES!

There are so many websites out there with such cute, creative, and beautiful party favor ideas. I just found one of my new favorite sites! favor please by Kate Aspen! Check it out! Above are only a couple of their wide range of party favors for every occasion. I am just in love with this site and all their ingenious ideas. These will surely be Party FAVORITES by your guests.

Best part of all is that La Design Boutique can help you design matching tags and monograms for any of these party favors. Still want to go along with the theme and/or design of your invitations? Let us complete the look for you!

Shop now! http://favorplease.theaspenshops.com/

The Secret to Success: Children at Weddings

Anna Quach, Creative Director of La Design Boutique, came up with this brilliant idea when it came to her wedding. Like many engaged couples, there is always that question about allowing children at a wedding and how things can go wrong. Some decide to put "Adult Reception" to let their guests know to not bring their children, others don't mind it at all. For Anna, there was no doubt she wanted kids at her Wedding because they were family and believed that children gave more life to any party. However, being the perfectionist she was, she still wanted to ensure there were no "hiccups" when it came to the first dance time, toast time, and any other part of the itinerary that may have required additional cooperation from the youngins.

So she came up with this great idea of Goodie Bags for the kids. It was brilliant and when you think about it, we see it everywhere. At restaurants with kid's menus and at birthday parties. So why not incorporate them into weddings where you REALLY want to ensure that the kids are happy and pleasant? Of course, this may add another thing to your list, but it can be well worth it. You can also make it easily match your decor.

For example, for Anna's green and chocolate brown wedding, she bought these chocolate brown paper gift bags and green tissue paper. She then personalized each one on the outside with each of the kids' names. This was the initial well-thought maneuver to get the kids already in a good mood when they see their names on their bag and feel extra special apart from the rest of the guests. Inside, she added a notepad, coloring book, crayons, stickers and other knick-knacks that the kids would enjoy and stay occupied. The plan worked out perfectly. The kids came in with a good mood, were busy exploring their toys during the first dance and speeches and then were fed. Once they were even slightly tired or bored of the toys, it was dancing time and they, along with the adults, could let loose.

Sounds like a win-win situation to us. What do you think? Try it out! There really is no risk and the parents will surely be touched as well by your gesture and consideration of their kids.

Project Wedding Budget Savvy Bride Contest

Every couple has the overwhelming stress of "staying within budget". If you have a creative and ingenious way of doing this, why not share it with other brides and possibly get a prize for it! Check out Project Wedding's contest now!!!! Hurry though because the contest ends on July 19th!

Recession or not, brides are looking for ways to save money on their weddings, that’s why Project Wedding is delighted to announce The Budget Savvy Bride Contest! Simply create a community article by clicking here telling us how you saved (or plan to save) a bundle on your wedding and you’ll be entered to win one of three great prizes.

(Just so we know you've entered, make sure your title includes the phrase "Budget Savvy Bride." For example--Budget Savvy Bride: Alison's Story)

1st Place: $500 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Place: $300 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Place: $200 Amazon Gift Card

Project Wedding is seeking creative, detailed responses. We want to hear your story and see your pictures. In fact, the more we know the better! Feel free to write as much as you'd like, and upload as many photos as you think tell your story.

Good Luck -- you can enter starting today through July 19th! Here are some examples from last year to help get your creative juices flowing.

A Style Worth a Million Looks

If you have already started brainstorming on a look for your invitations, you will soon realize there are soooo many styles to choose from, formats to use, and colors to play with. Where do you begin????

First thing first, know the colors you want and the vibe of your occasion. Whether you are going for fun and colorful, bold and elegant, vintage and earthy, etc.

Second thing.... go to our website and see the different "designs" we have to offer. This is where you have to think outside the box. For any design you see on our website, you can change it to whatever color scheme you want and will realize that changing the colors will change the look to exactly what you are looking for. We are hoping to show more color schemes for each of our invitations in the near future. In the meantime, you can always be assured we will be able to do this and send you proofs to look over and color match.

Third thing, the paper, font color, and envelopment you choose will be the perfect finishing touch. Just look at the images above and see how your invitations can be transformed with any of the designs we have to offer.

Lastly, if you don't see what you are looking for and have some pictures of your own, you can always send those to us and we will custom design your invitations to the designs you provide us.

Like our motto says.... "Getting everything you dreamed of could never be this simple..."

Ask for a free quote and consultation now!

Wedding Wire - Your One-Stop Shop to Wedding Planning on a Budget

La Design Boutique is proud to be a member of Wedding Wire, a website that has all the resources you need to plan your perfect Wedding. Best of all, they just partnered up with Project Wedding, making it sure that they are the leader in featuring the most renown vendors in the industry. Please go there and visit our Storefront and read what our customers have said about us.

If you have been one of our clients, we would truly appreciate a review from you as well. Getting reviews from our clients is so important and your review is a great way to help other couples choose their vendors. It is a huge industry out there and there are endless decisions to be made. Wedding Wire is the most ideal place to start your planning.

Best of all, they provide you with a free wedding website. In this day and age, more couples are creating their own wedding websites with all their information and a convenient avenue for their friends and family. Even for those who are not as computer-savvy, just with a couple clicks of the mouse, you have a professional and detailed website. You can put your wedding registry here, guestbook, pictures, bridal party, and more! The thing we like the most about it is that it sets the mood for the upcoming wedding. Guests can go there and read about the couple, learn more about their story and proposal, see pictures and grow a stronger sentiment for the couple. We are all about setting the mood and we absolutely love it!

One other great perk about a wedding website is that it helps couples on a budget as well! You may not realize, but you can cut so many costs. For example, for those out of town guests, instead of printing an additional insert card for your invitations, all you need to do is put your wedding website on the invitation so that all the additional information like hotels and directions can be found on the website. You can also have your guests RSVP to you on there as well.

There are many other websites like Wedding Wire and Project Wedding out there, but these are the two that La Design Boutique vouch by and are impressed by the amount of information and quality vendors that are available. Check it out now!

Style Me a Princess and Color Me Pink

We just created the cutest and most fun Birthday Invitations for two sisters and their upcoming birthday party. Their only requests were that they wanted a princess/royal theme with pink and green colors and basically just really girly! So you can see what we came up with above! The best part about it, they absolutely loved it!

We thought the fireworks with their names and ages was a nice touch and this was different and unique from the normal Disney Princesses generic invitations.

What do you think of them? Let us help you design your kid's Birthday Party to make them feel even more special and have their friends squealing with glee.

Invitations on a Budget

One of the biggest issues in wedding planning is staying within budget. It is so difficult to try to find everything you love at an affordable price. Well, here at La Design Boutique, you have found your one-stop shop for invitations! We give you everything you want, at the price you want, without compromising style and quality. We understand how much money goes into a wedding, especially with the economic crisis we are in, and we will do whatever we can to stay within your budget! We have so many different DIY options as well to save even more money!

One of the many different ways you can save money on your invitations is making your RSVP Card a Postcard. This will save money on an Envelope as well as extra postage. Postcards cost $0.28 to send rather than $0.44 for a regular letter. Postcards can range in a couple sizes from 4”x6”, 3.5”x5”, 4”x5”, etc. (The required specifications for a postcard are listed below.) An RSVP Envelope can cost anywhere between $0.10 to $0.40. You do the math! This is one of many ideas we can share with you… Email us now to explore the possibilities! We would love to be a part of this special time for you.

Dimension Minimum Maximum
Height 3 ½ inches 4 ¼ inches
Length 5 inches 6 inches
Weight 0.007 inch 0.016 inch

- Any item smaller than the minimum dimensions is not mailable
- For postcards, length is the dimension parallel to the address
- Postcards must be rectangular and be made of unfolded and uncreased paper or cardstock.

Be Kind and Reply by the Date in Mind (Proper GUEST Etiquette)

Now we always talk about all the etiquette rules the Bride and Groom have to follow among the other million things they have to plan and coordinate, but we don’t always hear about guest etiquette. The one thing that is soooo important but many guests don’t realize is RSVP-ing. Guests, there is a date that you need to RSVP by for a reason. Your punctuality in sending in your card determines the number of tables and seats so be set up, the amount of food that will be served, the amount of party favors, menus and other stationary that need to be printed, and most importantly (sometimes one of the most stressful part of planning for a couple) the seating arrangement. The deadline is not written in vain but specifically for all these aspects of making sure the Big Day runs smoothly.

Behind the scenes, there is a huge production being set up and the happy couple do everything they can to send out invitations ahead of time to give you proper time to plan and move things around. If you don’t want to send it back immediately, then put a reminder somewhere as to when you need to send it in by. Whether you use Outlook or a post-it on the fridge, make it a point to remember. Your tardiness catapults a series of events…. The couple will then need to “ballpark” the head count for all the items listed above, the seating arrangements can’t be finalized, and the place cards cannot be done. And to add to all of this, the couple have to take the time to awkwardly call you up and ask you if you are still going to attend and get all the information from you personally.

Also keep in mind that this effects you as well… your tardiness may result in your being seated at a table much farther than you expected. Why? Because the couple have already started arranging seats with the list of guests that have RSVP’ed so the better tables are surely taken already. Now I know you definitely don’t want that. In addition, when filling out the RSVP Card, please make sure you fill it out properly. Please write down the TOTAL number of guests attending and legibly list the full names of EVERY single guest attending. Firstly, you don’t want your name being misspelled on the place cards. Secondly, you don’t want your guest’s name to be anonymous and be known as just your guest or your +1. (Please refer to image above).

I don’t mean to lecture or scold anyone but I think it is important for everyone to understand the situation and proper etiquette. Oftentimes, brides run out to buy actual Etiquette books so they know they are doing everything properly. It would make a world of difference if guests can take it into consideration as well… Believe me, the happy couple truly appreciate this even if they can’t tell you personally.

So, on behalf of every happy and blissful Bride and Groom…. please…. Be Kind and Reply by the Date in Mind.

Get Married in Style and Color

Color Color Color!

Spring has arrived and so is Wedding Season riding on its coattails! What is one of the first things a couple does when they first start planning a wedding? Sure, start buying bridal magazines, researching vendors, and of course shopping for the dress! But what is the one main thing that sets the mood of the wedding and every little detail of it? The one essential detail that determines the flowers, the wedding party attire, and my personal favorite, the stationary…. It’s your wedding colors! Your wedding colors are so important because they are an extension of your personality and style. The great thing about this one big decision is that there are inspirations everywhere! In a previous blog, we spoke about everyday inspirations where we designed an invitation based on an Ikea placemat. There are every day inspirations for wedding colors everywhere! All you have to do is walk on the streets or step into a store. It’s in the clothes you wear, the art you hang on the walls, and the environment we breathe in around us.

I have to point out that I was recently inspired by a beautiful collection from my favorite store, Target. Target just picked up a new designer, Liberty of London, that is hard to miss. I love everything about their style. There is color and life to their designs and simply makes me smile. That is what a couple needs in their wedding colors. Colors that pop and make you happy and feel good…. Your wedding day is a day of celebrating love and a union of two people. Nothing says love like colors.

Above are some great color combinations we have come up with that are a little outside of the box. If you see one of these swatches and they just stand out to you and make you feel like you are jumping on the inside or give you a burst of happiness….then those are the colors you need on your special day. Those are the colors that will just add to the joy you will have on your Big Day. So, what are you waiting for? Color your wedding fabulous!

Visit our site now to see even more color combinations to choose from and invitation designs available in those colors. If you don’t see what you are looking for, simply email us and we will make your vision come true!

Cinema Themed Wedding

Recently, I had a wonderful and beautiful bride who decided she wanted to do a Cinema-Themed Wedding. This was the first that I have done one, but I thought the idea was brilliant. We immediately brainstormed and came up with so many ideas that worked perfectly with the theme. She featured a candy bar which was both colorful and yummy! Guests were allowed to fill up their "popcorn boxes" with loads of candy.

The one thing I loved was that she made her table numbers the titles of romantic movies they have watched together. There were also DVD giveaways of the movies.

The stationary for the event was quite perfect. Their colors were purple and silver and it just really worked. The envelopments were hand-made and featured a side reel on the front of the invite with the date of the wedding. Below it was a personalize monogram with the couple's names and a chalk board like the ones they use on movie sets.

The one major hit at the wedding was the "movie ticket stub" place cards for the guests. Everyone was pleasantly surprised and it definitely set the mood for the event. I think that it allowed the couple to have fun with their wedding and also allowed their guests to tap into their love of "date night". Who can't relate with the magic of going out to the movies? Everything turned out perfectly and everyone had a great time. Congratulations to our happy couple!

Style Up Your Wedding: Couture Elegance Meets Original Trends

La Design Boutique is proud to present a new design that has yet to be seen in the Wedding Industry. We now have Magazine Cover-styled Photos! All you have to do is simply send us your picture and we do the rest in transforming it into this new trendsetting design! This will surely catch your guests’ attention and leave a lasting impression. The best thing of all is that you can do whatever you want with it. We send you the files and you have full control on the medium and size you want it in. The list of different ways you can use it is endless:

- Wedding Program Cover
- Save the Date Card
- Wedding Album Cover
- Canvas on Easel for the entrance to the Wedding
- Framed Photo to hang at home
- and any other brilliant idea you can think of!

This is definitely something new and hasn’t been seen. Hurry and order now so that you can be one of the first to set the trend! We are all about standing out and doing something unique and your Special Day deserves a special touch that will be timeless.

Visit our site now for details! www.ladesignboutique.com

Branding Your Event

For any event that you plan and put your heart into, from a corporate event to a special occasion like a wedding, you want to leave a lasting impression on your guests. You want them to come to it admiring every detail put into it and leaving the event still talking about it to their friends and family. This is one of the things that La Design Boutique takes great pride in doing!

We make your event OUR business. We will work with you in creating a logo or monogram and incorporating it throughout all the details of the event. For instance, for your wedding! A wedding is all about the special couple and their union of love. A couture and personalized monogram on the invitations, programs, menus, signage, party favors, and many more possible items brands your wedding! It gives it a special and unique symbol made especially for the happy couple. Contact us now so we can start branding your special day and making it nothing less than unforgettable!

Katie and Stephen's Beach Wedding

Congratulations to Katie and Stephen!!!! Thank you for allowing me to kick start 2010 with your fabulous beach, L.A. wedding that lived up to L.A.’s reputation of sunny skies and being trendy and stylish as ever. I had the honor of doing Katie and Stephen’s wedding invitations, but to top it off, I was able to do their designs for the wedding day as well. As you can see from the collage above, I covered everything they needed in their stationary needs:

- Wedding Signs
- Place Cards
- Table Number Signs
- Custom Monogrammed Party Favors
- Money Box
- “Guest Sign-in” Sign

Katie and Stephen’s combination of blue attire and signage with the vibrant red, yellow and orange floral arrangements were a perfect look for the beach wedding. It is this kind of creativity and imagination that makes all the weddings I witness so fresh and exciting! I am so happy to be a part of it all and have the opportunity to contribute to such beautiful masterpieces. You were both a pleasure to work with and La Design Boutique wishes you a life filled with love and happiness.