With every event regardless of size, budget, time of year, an invitation is always a key element in the planning process, a key decision to be made; after all the invitation is somewhat a prelude to the event. The invitation sets the tone to the event; it gives your guests an idea of what’s to come and what’s to be expected. Whether you’re requesting the company of your guests to attend a farewell brunch, a bachelorette party, an intimate dinner party, or a wedding, you want the invitation to impress! You want that first impression of the event which you’re planning to make a statement and nothing will make a nicer statement than a beautifully designed invitation.
I have to confess that I’ve had a very healthy obsession with the amazing designers at Praez Occasions! If you’re ever lucky enough to work with those phenomenal designers, you too will develop a healthy obsession with their work!
Praez Occasions full-service design firm, a true atelier with an unconventional flair for the fine details, committed to helping you announce your life’s most precious moments with exceptional quality and sophistication. Their passion is the expression of your unique vision, style, and taste. Inspired by everything around them, Praez Occasions custom design and handcraft creations that evoke lasting memories, from your Save The Date to your Thank You notes.
I love these planning tips from their website which I think most brides can certainly appreciate. Off course you absolutely must visit their site for more information about their scrumptious invitations.
Planning Advice from Praez Occasions.
We employ a collaborative 3-part process that spans approximately 8-10 weeks, during which we analyze your needs, explore custom styling options, and execute the fine details. For best results, we offer the following tips:
• Start out a minimum of 3 months before the event to provide ample time to achieve your desired results
• Share your ideas & “design wish list”
• Provide details and images of the event site
• Submit venue maps & directions, as they can be incorporated into your design
• Submit images of your floral arrangements whenever possible
• Supply any special wording or phrases that you want to use
• Proofread everything carefully! It costs more to fix a mistake than to do it right the first time
We provide digital proofs on every design via Adobe PDF file by email, and make a physical sample available for final approval before commencing production.
Loving everything Praez Occasions,
Violaine Diogene
“Prisoner of Love!” This is my absolutely, without a doubt my favorite invitation. The title sums it all for me. Can you imagine being the invite to receive such an invitation? What would you think about this wedding? I know I would gasp!
Can you imagine getting this as your Save The Date? I’m giggly just thinking about it!
I just love the peacock feathers in this menu card. What a grand way to dress the tables and make a statement. Do allow your eyes to wonder to the little details of the fine fabric and peacock studs.
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If you attend any event this month, make it count and attend Wish Upon a Wedding Atlanta Official Launch Party!
Wish Upon a Wedding is the world’s first nonprofit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances regardless of sexual orientation. Our organization offers couples a chance to enjoy a very special day, without any thoughts of existing health or other serious issues, while surrounded by their closest family and friends.
By celebrating the courage & spirit of these couples, we help create lasting memories that will be cherished for years to come. It is our hope that others facing similar situations will find hope, strength, and the promise of eternal love.
Officially launched in January of 2010, Wish Upon a Wedding currently has over a dozen chapters to serve Wish Applicants. We service couples residing in or wishing to get married within 300 miles of any one of our chapter locations. New Chapters open regularly.
If you would like to be a part of our Wish Granting Team {or know someone who would} please submit a Wish Granter application.
A few months ago I had the sheer joy and pleasure of planning one amazing slumber party for a very deserving twelve year old. Since I’ve received a lot of requests to blog about some of my events, I figured this slumber party would be a great place to start. I know it’s not a wedding but planning this slumber party felt as though I was planning one. You see, the twelve year old is my twelve year old daughter, Nastajea which put the pressure on me to deliver.
This party was the celebration of many different things. One was turning twelve, a year spent on the honor roll in an honors program and her very first slumber party just to name a few.
To start, Nastajea invited eight of her closest girlfriends from school. After a few site tours, Nastajea choose the stunning Mansion Hotel on Peachtree because she always wanted to have a pool party and with a February birthday, such party was never possible. The Mansion Hotel on Peachtree featured an amazing indoor pool as well her favorite restaurant NEO which is where the girls would have dinner for the evening and breakfast the next day.
Nastajea was really involved in every aspect of planning the party from choosing from her vendors from my list of preferred vendors to the décor. She really wanted her guests to go home feeling like her slumber party was like none other. She begins the design process by choosing her theme base on her love for retro polka dots and bright colors such as fuchsia and lime green. Below are the elements of her slumber party.
Loved planning this slumber party,
Violaine Diogene
The beautiful Mansion on Peachtree
Praez Occasions did an amazing job with the invitations. The designer came up with these fun hand drawn retro polka dots in Nastajea’s colors. Each invitation was customized with the invites names with a sneak peek to the slumber party
Each invitation were delivered in this lime green box with a hand tie fuchsia ribbon. Each invitation also included a sleeping mask.
The girls arrived promptly for the party and enjoyed the ride in the limo to the hotel.
Originally we booked a junior suite for the party but decided to surprise Nastajea with the Presidential Suite.
The girls were surprised with their own personalized swag bags which were displayed on the dining room table. Each swag bag included a silk polka dot pajama short with either a pink or lime green tank top. The bags also included fuchsia or lime green nail polish, earrings and flip flops.
The girls had Hilarye working every minute she was there. I wanted to capture the day so that Nastajea can always have the memories and pictures to reflect on the day she turned twelve. Hilarye from http://www.myfotographa.com/ captured all the photos of the day.
This is what it was all about to Nastajea; being able to go swimming in February with her friends! I love that Hilarye was able to get this shot of them jumping in the pool.
Perfect Petals designed these centerpieces with Nastajea’s favorite flowers; calla lilies with polka dots ribbons around the rim of the vase.
NEO was closed that early evening just before the Valentine dinner rush and the girls had the restaurant all to their selves. They each ordered from the menu.
Sugarplum Visions is Nastajea’s favorite bakery and her cake had to come from their shop. Jamie was so accommodating to this twelve year old. She even had her own tasting!
The girls along with Nastajea were shocked to see that they each received their very own mini cakes to take home.
The birthday girl at the end of the evening….
Like your wedding gown, your wedding cake and other aspect of your wedding; your centerpiece should certainly reflect your sense of style, personality and should make an impression on your guests. One of my current bride really knocked me of my seat when she decided to go opposite of everything she’s ever known. I’m talking about completely opposite and every one of her guests will not believe she had this person in her.
I’m sharing this with you because I want to remind you that this is your wedding and you’re able and allowed to do whatever it is that you wants. If’ you’re a bride like Kelsie and you want to just shock your guests upon their arrival at the reception, by all means make it happen. There is no rule to what and how you should do your own wedding decor. Well, you know what I mean. I don’t want you to go crazy with your colors or anything but I just want you to keep an open mind about what’s available to you. Be creative, step out of the box and surprise the most important guest of all; you!
Below are some of the most amazing centerpieces I’ve ever come across. I love, love and I do mean love the very first centerpiece as it just took my breath away. This actually more than a centerpiece as every other table were graced with handmade canopies of birch and vines which featured dripping votives. While mossy pots overflowed with garden flowers with wooden lanterns and votives to punctuate each lush table. Do you hear that? That’s your guests gasping in amazement as they step foot in your reception!
How do you envision your reception décor? Like to contact the florist responsible for such amazing work? Davinci Florist and Stone Blossom would love to speak with you if you”re a bride who can handle these daring centerpieces.
Daring you to be daring,
Violaine Diogene
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Dear ruffle god, all I know is, I’m totally and outerly in love with these ruffle chargers from Crate and Barrel. It is my belief that ruffles should be everywhere possible and now that you’ve made this possible by allowing some genius person to design these charges, I’m grateful.
Now, I just need to justify the need to have a set of eight in every color for my future theme dinner parties.
Grateful for ruffles,
Violaine Diogene
How incredibly adorable are these lime green costume pair of sneakers by Converse? I came across these while visiting the amazing Memory Journalists who captured the pictures in Sacramento. Oh, don’t worry, your groom can customize his pair as well. I’m truly giddy about personalizing a certain pair for a certain planner. Yours truly; Violaine 
Giddy about Converse,
Violaine Diogene
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Well hello heels! May I introduce you to a new close friend of mine? Meet shoe-clips from Linden Lovebirds. These lovely little flower clips were design to add a burst of color, a little bit of sass, a little bit of elegant funk and perhaps a mini lift?
These little burst of colored clips are all handmade and custom in your colors. Think how cute these would be on your bride’s maid’s shoes and just think, they can use them over and over again. I vote you buy a few and surprise your girls with a paid in your next opportunity.
I, on the other hand, I’m getting the burned orange, and multi colored rose.
Thinking of my heels,
Violaine Diogene
Dear Posh Girl Vintage, I just wanted to say I love your stunning and delicious 1940s to 1970s dresses. Thank you for being a vintage clothing freak & collector since the, shall we say “tender” age of thirteen as it shows your dedication to provide quality clothing to those whom appreciate the ability to be unique.
After visiting your site on a regular basis, I can tell you that I love just about everything you have on the site, but the dresses below are my absolute favorites. I’m thinking the first two will be in my front door just in time for my birthday!
Inspired by the 1940s era,
Violaine Diogene
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It’s very rarely that get tickled pink about an event but Occasions Magazine has me tickled pink about their next event; the Eclipse Premiere Party! The incredible women at Occasions Magazine are bringing opportunities for us to see Eclipse before anyone else! Uhm, did I tell you how excited I am about this?
If you are a Twilight fan like me and like a few million others, you do not want to miss this event. Along with seeing the movie before anyone else, plan on attending a cocktail party which will feature Twilight-tini’s! Oh, did I tell you that I’m tickled pink about this event?
Here are the details according to the invitation.
What do vampires have to do with brides & bat mitzvahs? Absolutely nothing. Unless of course, you’re a Twilight fan like us!
Occasions Magazine is Atlanta’s magazine for celebrating in style. Period. To celebrate the release of our 1st anniversary issue AND the release of the third movie in the Twilight Saga series, Eclipse, we’re planning a party of our own.
Join us Tuesday June 29th at 6:30pm for the ultimate pre-party and an exclusive screening of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse at Regal Cinemas at Atlantic Station that night at 9pm… before anyone else gets to see it!
There will be food, photo booths, Twilight-tini’s, swag bags, candy buffets, music mixes from your favorite Twilight tunes and…free movie tickets!
So tell us if you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob and get your tickets because seats are extremely limited!
The Ballroom at TWELVE Atlantic Station
361 17th Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30363
Violaine Diogene
I know it’s been a little over a month since I’ve posted a new post but you see I have a great explanation; I’ve been busy with weddings and traveling to design, plan and execute these amazing weddings. I know bloging is part of my job but you know how seriously I take my post and what I bring to you. I would rather not post for months than to post something that I know you would not appreciate or expect from me. I propose that we start our relationship again and start new. So, do you forgive me? Great, I knew you would understand.
Now, for the matters at hand, we’re starting this relationship over with over the top tables and what better company to deliver than Wildflower Linen!
Who is Wildflower Linen you ask? Well, Wildflower Linen is the leading designer and producer of specialty table linens and chair covers for event rentals. Yes, I said rentals. If you don’t believe me, take a look at their website www.wildflowerlinens.com to view for yourself. Wildflower table linens and chair covers are sought after by everyone from discriminating brides and noted event planners to acclaimed designers and celebrities who is looking to add the utmost in style and elegance to their function.
Well, you know the rules; my favorite is always listed first and yes, I love this stunning, over the top gold and cream display. I can imagine that this linen was chosen to compliment a bride’s gown. I can see the overlay features the loose lined ruffles from a gown and perhaps the silk underlay is the inspiration from a simple ball gown? What do you think?
My second favorite just spoke to me because of its timeless and elegant beauty. Everything about this table screams romantic. From the colors, to the appliqués, to the loose layers and ribbons across the chair covers makes my smile and imagine the kind of bride who would pull this look together. Where do you think the inspiration came from for this table? What about the other tables? Would you ever use such grand table linens?
Inspired by table linens,
Violaine Diogene
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