It may only be August, but Spring 2011 is in the air. New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week starts in 9 days and my fashion obsession is bursting at the seams with excitement. I get this feeling every six months when the worlds most talented designers, and those who love their work, flock to New York City for 8 days of all things fashion. This season marks major changes to fashions largest industry event including a technology upgrade to the 21st Century, a schedule packed with over 90 designers showing their Spring 2011 collections and the move from Midtown to Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center. This season everything will be digitized including invitations, access to the venue and seating assignments. With the promise of no longer having to wait in endless lines before each show, I’m really looking forward to a seamless show experience and I can’t wait to see my tweets on the American Express Tweet Wall. This season will also host the largest schedule of designers presenting their collections to buyers and the press. Many designers who have shown at New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in the past, are back for this season. The most obvious change is the move uptown. At first I wasn’t crazy about the move from Bryant Park, the coveted destination for up and coming designers, but now I look at it as a new chapter in fashion history. So while the tents will no longer transform 6th Avenue between 40th and 42nd Street, I am anxiously anticipating all the Lincoln Center has to offer.

One of the great things I love about Fashion Week in September is that it marks the change of seasons from Summer to Fall. It gives me a sense of new beginnings, new goals and inspiration for fresh ideas. The other great thing is Fashion’s Night Out which will on Friday, September 10th from 6:00 – 11:00 pm. The goal of Fashion’s Night Out is to support the fashion and retail industries. Click here to Learn more about the participating stores. I’ll be keeping you posted on the daily happenings at Damrosch Park right here on the House of Papier blog. I’ll also be Tweeting live about the shows and my escapades during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, so be sure to follow me at @house_of_papier. 

In the words of Coco Channel: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Fashionable Yours,

Mr. and Mrs. Schakim Ammarah are the newest couple to make the House of Papier Über-Fabulous list. Not only did House of Papier create the couples custom invitations and wedding stationary but Tyra, the bride, just happens to be one of my best friends. So what makes this couple Über-Fabulous? The location of their wedding, the decor, the dress and their lovely personalities. The couple are from Los Angeles and got married at SkyLinks at Long Beach, a posh golf course in Long Beach, California. The venue boasted luscious greens and rock waterfalls, one of which was the backdrop to the ceremony.

The bride wore a beautiful classic sweetheart dress with ruching at the waist and a flowing train. The bride and groom brought their humorous personalities to the celebration by dancing their way into the reception during their introduction to guests as Mr. and Mrs. Ammarah.

So one of my favorite elements of the wedding was the “Just Married” golf cart. The bride and groom drove off in the decorated cart after the wedding ceremony to take their pictures on the golf course. What a chic idea! The bride’s cutie pie niece was the flower girl and I must say she did her job very well.

The wedding colors were ocean blue and orange. Who knew those colors went together so well! The blue was radiant and the orange provided a pop of color. The cake wasn’t just beautiful, it was yummy too. The floral arrangements with blue and orange roses were just gorgeous. From the brides bouquet to the flowers that adorned the ceremony archway, to the floral embellishments on the cake to the reception centerpieces – the eye catching flowers were definetly the highlight of the wedding decor.

House of Papier created the couples custom invitations, menus, escort cards, table cards and dance cards. What is a dance card you ask? Well it’s a game that the bride came up with for the reception. Each table had a card with the title of a song and every time the DJ played that song, everyone at the table had to hit the dance floor and dance. All in all, the wedding was Über-Fabulous and the sunny southern California weather was just an added bonus for an outdoor wedding (after all, it never rains in southern California right?).

Congratulations Tyra & Schakim!

xoxo,

I’m so ready for Summer to be over! Fall is my favorite time of the year and I’m so over the heat and humidity, especially after just coming back from Los Angeles where the weather is God-sent. This Summer has been kind of crazy and I’ve been traveling in and out of town since June. So I’m looking forward to the change of seasons and the next page in the history of House of Papier. We have a lot of projects we’re working on and more coming down the pike. I’m really excited about sharing some of the new things we have going on and the new invitation designs we’re creating. The invitation presses are in full swing and here are just a few projects:

XOXO,

My how time has flown! May is here once again and that means the National Stationary Show is in town. I’m looking forward to attending this year for the fourth time to check out new trends, meet up with my invitation friends in the biz and of course, find lovely products for House of Papier to carry. The show takes place on May 16th – 19th in New York at the Jacob Javits Center. This will be my first year attending the opening night party in Battery Park so I look forward to mixing and mingling with all my friends in the trade and with those invitationeers I tweet with. We’ll be tweeting from the show, the seminars and the party, so follow us on twitter at @house_of_papier.

See you there,

Calling all engaged  couples! My friend Christopher Duggan, is the founder and principal photographer of Threshold Visions Photography in New York City and his holding the 4th Annual FREE Spring Engagement Day on Saturday, May 15th in Central Park. Engagement Day is designed to help couples choose the right wedding photographer. The session is limited to 10 couples and includes the following:

A 30 Minute Photo Experience

Professional Hair and Makeup Artist On-Site

A Chance to Win a Custom Designed Lovebook

Digital Negatives of Images

In order to be considered for the FREE Engagement Day session send an email to studio@thresholdvisions.com with the following information: Wedding date, wedding location and venue, a current fun photo of the two of you and a brief description of your story or wedding plans. Submissions must be received by Friday, May 7th in order to be considered. To learn more visit the Threshold Visions Blog.

Happy Photo Shooting,

Here’s another design from the Designs by Missy Collection ©2010. “The Peacock” set comes in a rectangular chocolate box and includes a response card, return envelope and mailer. The invite is adorned with a peacock feather and the outside is laced with a corner ribbon and rhinestone buckle.

{The Peacock ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

{The Peacock ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

{The Peacock ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

XOXO,

Last night, House of Papier unvieled it’s newest invitation collection at the Exclusive Private Bridal Showcase. The showcase was an elegant affair coordinated jointly by Jewell Staley of Remember Our Day and the 3 West Club in New York. The exclusive event was held at the 3 West Club which is located on 51st street off of 5th Avenue. The Solarium was the perfect room to host this event with a terrace that provides a beautiful view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The showcase was well attended by brides, engaged couples, wedding planners and other wedding industry affiliates who parussed a number of vendors to help them plan thier perfect day, including: Remember Our Day {Wedding Favors}, Elle Belle by Yaelle Designs {Couture Hair Acessories}, Eleni’s New York {Decorative cookies and cupcakes}, Threshold Visions {Photography}, Selavi Productions {Event Production}, A Floating Affair {Balloon Decorating}, and Miriam Lei {Custom Jewelry Design} to name a few. Be sure to check out thier websites to learn more about thier products. Here are some pictures from the event:

{House of Papier’s Designs by Missy Collection}

{House of Papier’s new Designs by Missy Collection}

{House of Papier’s Silk Box Collection}

{Remember Our Day – Has the BEST wedding favors and gifts!}

{Cupcakes from Eleni’s New York – they were sooooo good!}

{Custom Jewelry Designs from Miriam Lei}

{Couture Hair Acessesories by Elle Belle by Yaelle Designs – I love the birdcage veils!}

Happy Wedding Planning!

xoxo,

Tomorrow, House of Papier will unveil its new Designs by Missy Collection^TM at the Remember Our Day private briadal showcase. So I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at one of our new boxed invitations:

{The Parisian ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

{The Parisian ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

{The Parisian ~ Designs by Missy Collection ©2010}

Happy Wedding Planning,

House of Papier is launching its new line of boxed invitations. The Designs by Missy Collection is the newest addition to our couture invites. For the past three years we have offered top-of-the-line couture silk box invitations. Now by popular demand, and at the request of our clients, House of Papier will also offer more economical boxed invitations. Our new product will be unveiled at the Remember Our Day Inc. Private Bridal Showcase which will take place:

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

3 West Club
3 West 51st Street (Between 5th & 6th Ave.)
New York, NY

6:00 – 8:30 pm

Please click HERE to RSVP

This event will also showcase wedding favors, bridal party gifts, a photographer, music,  a floral designer, specialty cupcakes and dessert, special occasion hair and make-up, wedding cakes and more! We look forward to seeing you there.

All House of Papier invitation orders placed at the event will receive a 10% discount. Here is a sneak peak of our new Designs by Missy Collection:

Happy Wedding Planning!

::PERRY ELLIS::
Fall 2010 Collection/February 15th 7:00 pm/Promenade at Bryant Park

The Perry Ellis Fall 2010 collection under the creative direction of John Crocco was absolutely amazing. Not to mention, it was a breath of fresh air to see male models don the runway during a week where the ladies dominate. The Perry Ellis collection was full of dark hues of black, shades of gray and a pop of red here or there in a jacket or sweater. The iconic label held true to its classic and emaculatly tailored look. The over-sized turtle neck sweaters were my favorite. Visit Perry Ellis online at http://www.perryellis.com/.

Perry Ellis Creative Director, John Crocco

Got to meet T.O. backstage who was front row for the show

With love from Bryant park,