StyleSchool

This week we're chatting up Melissa Foster of Elum Designs (elumdesigns.com) in San Diego about what brides need to know about wedding stationery.

What's your best advice for the recently engaged entering the world of wedding stationery?
1. Know your timeline. On average, it will take about 4-6 weeks to complete a custom stationery order, and this doesn't include the time it takes to actually settle on a design.There is a lot to see both on the internet and in retail stores, and trust me, you will get very excited about the options available. So make sure you are not in a rush to complete the process; it will be so much more fun.

2. Stay true to your personal style. There are an overwhelming number of designs to choose from, so stay focused on what reflects you as a couple, in addition to the style of your wedding. The invitation creates a mood guests should feel before they even arrive, so decide what you want that mood to be before you start your search.

3. Don't get caught up in the "Matchy-ness" of it all. Don't lose sleep on whether your bridesmaid dresses are an exact match to the ink on the invitation. No one is going to hold it up for a 'color match' at your reception. And, if you're getting married at the beach, but your flowers are yellow and orange, whose to say you can't have a seaside blue on the invitation? A good design group will find a way to help you make it work.

What's been your favorite design so far and why?
I think a good designer is always trying to top him or herself on their next design. So, to be honest, it is hard to go back and have a particular favorite. I fall in love with every new design, but that's what keeps me going. What I love about our collection is that each design gives something new and different. We have a design for almost every kind of wedding celebration. When I am creating for our album, I gather the inspiration from couples that might buy the design. I ask, What are their personalities? Are they risk takers or are they hopeless romantics? When the design is complete, I know exactly who I am selling to. There is always someone new to create for.

What's your best stationery cost-cutting tip that doesn't sacrifice style?
Stick to the basics. Your invitation package should include the essentials: invitation, reply card, reception card (if held at a different location than the ceremony) and mailing envelopes. You can eliminate the need for a printed accommodation card, map and directions by creating a wedding website. Simply reference the web address on one of your formal printed pieces. A wedding website also allows you to make up a list of personal recommendations for your out of town guests. What better way to welcome them into town than with a list of your favorite restaurants and fun and interesting things to see and do while they are in town.

What makes Elum different from other stationery companies?
We are absolute perfectionists. Sometimes I drive my staff crazy with the quality standards we uphold for everything from design and type treatment to printing and finishing. But it is the seemingly small details that set us apart from the masses. We are constantly pushing the limits of design within the wedding industry and at the same time pushing the limits of design that can be achieved through the medium of letterpress. We are often the ones to set the design standard for what is considered new and modern in wedding stationery, and for that I am incredibly proud.

What's your biggest wedding stationery no-no?
It's a toss up between including a color-copied map with your gorgeous custom printed invitation and listing your registry information anywhere on your invitation package. Oof!

To learn more about Elum and see their entire stationery collection, go to elumdesigns.com or visit them on Twitter at twitter.com/elumdesigns.

Weddings are about people coming together to form new bonds—and we’re not just talking about the bride and groom. His family meets her family, friends meet friends, and so on.

If you're worried, though, about guests sitting at their tables staring at each other in silence, ensure the conversation gets flowing with Table Topics ($9; tabletopics.com). These cute cards are filled with queries that begin “Would you rather...” or “If you had...” to help break the ice. Even better, they come in cute colorful boxes that won't look out of place on your beautifully designed reception tables. 

Table Topics are available in different themes, including the new bridal trio, which have questions centered on the wedding shower, bachelorette party and honeymoon. For more info or to buy your set, visit tabletopics.com.

—Jessica Derschowitz

This week we're checking in with Boston-based pastry chef Jenny Williamson of Jenny’s Wedding Cakes (jencakes.com). After working in the catering business for several years, she created her first wedding cake in 1998 and the rest is history. Here, Jenny dishes on what she thinks is delicious.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
As a designer, I have developed a specific look over the past several years. I love modern, yet delicate and feminine cake designs—one of our specialties are our hand-made sugar flowers. Also, because of our small size, we are able to offer more attention to each bride and more specialized cake designs, like a zebra striped confection or banana cream cake layered with caramel buttercream.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
I love that every single one is different, which presents a new challenge every week. And, of course, the smell!

What’s been your absolute favorite cake you’ve designed so far?
One of my favorite cakes is a cake we made last summer that was inspired by an exquisite birdcage wedding cake topper that the bride found. We mimicked the soft green and yellow colors of the topper and made delicate little sugar flowers.

What’s been the most unique cake you’ve worked on so far?
I once made a buttercream cake look like a regular stone. Another off-the-beaten path one? A Nascar-themed wedding cake.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Put a little bit of your personality into the cake to make it memorable. I ask a lot of questions about the rest of the affair to try to make each cake special for the couple. Make sure to ask your designer about their own ideas based on the wedding’s additional design elements.

To see more of Jenny’s work, visit jencakes.com.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

To ensure your lips look perfect for every kiss, your eyes glisten with every flutter and your nails shine with every gesture, look no further than Paul & Joe’s Spring 2009 collection.

Lipstick C (available at Bergdorf Goodman, call 800.558.1855 for locations) is a creamy lip color formulated with white lily extract and orange flower water to provide lasting moisture and shine. It comes in two limited edition shades—Opening Night (a pearly pink) and Backstage (glimmering taupe)—both of which are perfect for brides.

Paul & Joe’s Eye Colors (($20 each; beautyhabit.com), which are specially formulated to keep powder from caking, come in transparent shades that can be layered to create color with depth. My favorite is the swipe-and-go Belle De Jour, a subtle nude with a touch of pink.

Last but not least, the beautifully gilded nail enamels ($14 each; beautyhabit.com) are the perfect opportunity to introduce a bit of color. Soleil or Gilded are great big day shades.

—Samantha Giordano

Our real wedding feature this week comes courtesy of Ira Lippke Studios (iralippkestudios.com). He shot Nicole and Alexander's beautiful wedding at Shady Canyon in Irvine, California and we're loving the fresh yellow color scheme. Congrats Nicole & Alex!

Our Q&A series has been going strong, but let's be honest: you simply can’t talk about weddings without talking about the gown! That's why we’ll be chatting with bridal designers every other week, so you can meet the people behind all that tulle and taffeta. Finding your dream dress just got personal.

Matthew Sobaski, the designer of Matthew Christopher, is getting things started.

How did you get started designing wedding gowns?
I was only ten years old when I picked up my first bridal magazine! I opened it up and there’s Galina, and Jim Hjelm, and Lazaro, and Fink and I just knew I would be designing wedding gowns one day. I actually started sewing when I was eight and I hated it. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started making prom and evening dresses, and when I was in college I had my own little business and I’d make custom wedding gowns for local brides. When I moved to NYC, I was lucky enough to work at several big bridal houses like Demetrios, Galina, and Watters. I started my own company in 2002, and now here I am!

Describe the Matthew Christopher bride.
My aesthetic changes. For example, today my bride is more sophisticated. She’s intelligent, she has a career and very discerning taste. She knows what she wants. Her dress is beautiful, traditional with a twist, I’d say.

What are you working on now?
I’m just starting to sketch for my 2010 collection. I’ve been hearing from so many brides that they want something light, nothing heavy, and also more interesting necklines. I’d love to get a sleeve in there if possible, too. Brides seem to be favoring more traditional silhouettes right now and I imagine that has a lot to do with the economic climate. With that in mind, I’m also designing some less expensive dresses, around the two-thousand dollar price point, which I think is important right now. It's very important for me to pay attention to what my brides are looking for—I always listen to their feedback. 

I’m also working with Tara Sacco, an event planner in N.Y.C., on Matthew Christopher Lifestyle Weddings. Basically, I style everyone in the wedding party on the day of the wedding and Tara handles all the event stuff with vendors. Then three days before the wedding we swoop in and take everything over so the bride doesn’t have to worry about a thing. She can just relax and enjoy the experience. 

What's been your favorite gown so far?
I don't have a favorite; they’re all my children. There have been a couple that have made me say, "What was I thinking?" But only a couple of those in my life. I love wedding gowns because they're such a meaningful thing and I’m proud of my work. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

To learn more about Matthew Christopher, visit matthewchristopher.com

—Laura Wasson

They say good things come in small packages, and that’s definitely the case with KARMA California Brut (www.karmachampagne.com). The sleek, single serving bottles of sparkling white wine are a compact and tasty way to celebrate your engagement or nuptials with friends and family.

KARMA’s appeal is all in its packaging. The perfectly portioned bottles are the equivalent of a glass and a half of champagne, and ideal for sharing with a friend. Even better, the sleek bottles are made from recycled materials, so you can drink better knowing you’re doing some good for the environment.

Once you screw off the lid, KARMA only gets better. Resealable and portable, KARMA is so much more refined than beer and easier to tote than a wine. Bet you can’t say the same for you favorite cocktail.

—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant

From innovative invitations to a chic (and cheap!) bridesmaid gift, we’ve compiled the best of what we found around the Web this week. Read on for the highlights!

—Jessica Derschowitz

Image courtesy of With This Ring

Looking for the perfect outdoor wedding destination? Church Estate Vineyards (church-estate.com) in Malibu, CA is a gorgeous French chateau surrounded by 9 acres of stunning gardens and vineyards and boasts breathtaking views of the California countryside. It's the perfect option for brides who love the landscape of the French and Italian countryside, but want a wedding a little closer to home.

The owner, Robert Church Haggstrom, has taken special care to make sure every detail—from the multi-level stone patios to the waterfalls—harmonizes with the natural contours of the land. "I realize how important it is to surround oneself with beauty," Haggstrom says of this sanctuary. "Sharing the beauty of this place is important to me."

As one last selling point, Fergie and Natasha Bedingfield both recently exchanged vows here. 

For more info and to see some of the gorgeous ceremony, cocktail hour and reception options, visit church-estate.com.

—Jeanine Edwards, Associate Editor

Seda France (sedafrance.com) is known for its super-luxurious candles. Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman loved them so much, they gave them out as favors at their wedding in November 2005. Capitalizing on that popularity, Seda France now offers their sweetly-scented candles in personalized boxes. Could there be a more perfect gift for your attendants?

Every order is custom created to your likings, from the imprint on the box to the ribbon color. You also get to choose between paraffin or soy wax candles—great couples having a “green” affair. Best of all, of course, are the fragrances. My pick? Gardenia bouquet, which features notes of jasmine, peach, lily, grape and musk.

To order your own 10 oz. candles or for more information, visit sedafrance.com/bridal or call at 1-800-474-0854.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor