Cigar box centerpieces

I tweeted ad nauseam about our search for a collection of 120 specific cigar boxes. That's because we were working on tower centerpieces for a fundraiser for the Rocky Mountain MS Center in Denver, CO. Their theme was "Havana Nights", so we designed a centerpiece of three stacked cigar boxes, decked out in bright colors and authentic designs, all held together with a custom designed and printed paper band with the table number in English and Spanish. The top box held chocolate cigars with a logo band, for guests to take.

Now for a girl who has not partaken in a cigar, this was a challenge and then an adventure. First I fell deeply in love with the packaging. Then the artisanal options, with the help of a very knowledgeable aficionado. The smell never quite captivated me, but the chocolate versions that we customized and the towers we created did. We hope they transported guests right to the tropics!

-Heather

We're blushing...

We've had three fun things happen today and had to share...

• We're really excited about our "Fresh Face" feature in Bizbash Washington and love being called a "gift guru"!


• Spotlight on our firebranded boxes on Southern Weddings site.


• Recorded another fun interview with Kimberly Wilson for her Tranquility du jour blog and podcast. Will post when it's up!

Rehearsal dinner: sign-in and favors

As you know, we’re in love with etched wine and champagne bottles in a big, big way. We've been working on so many of them as sign-ins that it's hard to keep track, but we wanted to share a few...

We think each one is more fabulous than the other - and they look equally amazing etched with something delicate like a hand-drawn tree, or with a striking simple design like the "L+M".

We like the unexpected proportions; the oversized magnum (15" high, 4.5" in diameter) paired with the petite split (7.5" high, 2" diameter). And we love envisioning the magnums with each guests signature and message scribbled all over the bottle.

The splits (first photo) were etched with the couples' custom design (created by j papers) in ivory and were at each place-setting. The matching magnum was used as the sign-in (gold pen included!) We also fire-branded the design onto the sliding lid of the hand-made wooden box; a great way to protect something they will keep forever.

We're in the middle of working on one with a very cool patterned background... we'll be sure to share as soon as it's done!

Another Maine Event

We love creating items for weddings in Maine (click here to see what we've done in the past) Red lobsters - as lollipops, in gummy form, and otherwise - seem to always make the list. But here are some other fun items we put together for the lovely ladies at David Reinhard Events.

• Gray beach pebbles made out of chocolate, housed in a small, clear box and topped with a custom sticker by Felix Doolittle
  
• Magnetic table numbers (with a drawn rope border) on galvanized tubs as the centerpiece for the rehearsal lobster dinner, to be filled with beer and wine.
• Custom printed lobster bibs with the lobster design and their names.
• Blue rain ponchos in a pouch - we love this idea for a "just in case" amenity.
• And yes, red gummy lobsters!
  

Work in Progress: Flag Invitations

We are busy at work designing Mika's seventh birthday invitations. Yes, it's 11 o'clock at night and yes, it is date night. But what can we say, we are in love. And when you're in love, you do crazy things sometimes.

So if this invitation was a literal love note, it would go something like this:

Dear Mika,
On the occasion of your seventh birthday, we want you to be surrounded by the things you love and the things you love to create; dumplings, sushi, lollipops, and your imaginary friend "owl" (the king!). We want to dazzle you with drums and diggers, spark your imagination with your "electricity" sculptures. We want to make your dreams come to life, first on paper, and then on the flags you love to wave.

Hopefully when your day rolls around next month, these flags will herald in our family and friends, eager to pick pumpkins, jump in the hay bales and party! For you, my little love, are something to celebrate.

xoxo, M + D

Stay tuned to see Mika's invitation in progress, next stop is the printing press!
-Heather

Custom printed beach tote

It's somewhat odd to call a bright orange tote "subtle", but strangely enough, it is. Instead of a monogram, date, name or reminder of the event, they used a double-horseshoe design placed on the bottom right of the bag. Because of that, it's a beach bag I would have bought myself (especially since I have a love of all symbols relating to good luck!)

We worked with Jill Gordon Celebrate on this nylon beach tote. It's sturdy, has pockets in the front, and sand will be a cinch to clean out. All the makings of a great beach bag -- and the perfect welcome for guests at a wedding in the Hamptons.

- Susan