Ritzy Bee Blog

Look what just arrived {oh joy!}

Hosting a {baby} shower

We love baby showers here at {ritzy bee} and wanted to feature some fun ideas for hosting {or helping} to plan one for the special mom or dad to be.

Theme

We like an event that is unique and meaningful! To come up with some theme ideas consider the following: the baby's nursery {think colors & theme}, a favorite children's book, a picture hanging on the nursery wall, etc. Be sure to take cues from the mother and/or parent's to set the tone of the party. Do they prefer modern over traditional? Casual vs. formal? Be sure to carry the theme thru from the invitations to the favors!

Photo credits: Poster by Binth

Invitations

Send invitations six weeks prior to the party. Be sure to include: details of a theme, if it will be a boy/girl/or a surprise, and a list of where parents are registered for gifts. Consider holding the shower over Sunday brunch or on a Saturday afternoon between lunch & dinner.

Photo credits: Coaster invite by Snow & Graham via Broadway Paper, elephant invites by ink and wit

Decor

Carry colors into decorations - concentrate on decorating in one area, such as where food will be displayed. Instead of a centerpiece on the food table, opt for a hanging mobile...even better if it can be utilized in the nursery following the party!

Photo credits: Martha Stewart

Food

Serve light appetizers and drinks for an afternoon affair or brunch for an event between 9 am & noon. For menu ideas visit Food Network for recipes.

Photo credits: Blueprint

Gift giving

As the host, give at least one gift not on the registry. A good idea are theme corresponding thank you cards they can send to everyone that attended {if you have the time, label & address envelopes for the parents-to-be}

We love these baby update cards from Cotton Idea Studio as a fun gift for parents!

Photo credit: Blueprint, ink and wit, Cotton Idea Studio

Give a {group gift} to a mom-to-be such as a pregnancy massage, maternity photo-shoot session with a professional photographer or a larger registry item!

Photo credit: Whitebox

Other details

Be sure to designate someone to take pictures

Give something edible as a parting gift such as custom sugar cookies from Eleni's

Play a fun "lullaby" playlist

Compile a photo book about the baby's family & family members to read to them when they arrive

Photo credits: Martha Stewart

Spotlight on: {ink & peat}

Happy Friday! Two of our favorite sources of inspiration come from one incredibly talented woman...the lovely Pam, owner and creator of ink & peat and housemartin.

ink & peat is a custom floral design and retail store {opening soon in Portland, Oregon} with some of the most beautiful organic creations we have ever laid our eyes on! housemartin is a daily blog read here at {ritzy bee} with all things inspiring surrounding home decor, floral and design.

We hope you enjoy our {spotlight} on Pam and her gorgeous work...click images to enlarge

{rb} Can you tell us a little bit about your company, ink & peat?

P: I do custom floral design from a home studio. I am planning to open a home decor and floral lifestyle store. ink & peat is the realization of that.

{rb}: How exciting you will be opening a retail space soon! Can you please tell us a little bit about what we will find in your store when it opens?

P: The aesthetic of the shop is organic modern. Beautiful pillows, candles, artesian pottery, glass and some vintage garden finds - all inspired by nature. This is all accented with our custom floral designs. Our style is eclectic, romantic, modern, and whimsical at times.

{rb}: Where do you find inspiration to constantly create such unique and beautiful floral arrangements?

P: Nature is my inspiration. I notice the subtle beauties in the natural world. I may find inspiration in colors in one flower for a whole color story. Or notice how one branch has a delicate curve that will add movement to my arrangement.

{rb}: What inspired you to start your wonderful blog, housemartin?

P: I started the blog because I wanted to start building a voice around my brand for ink & peat. I show all the things I love - home decor, antiques, and floral design (with a few travel and shopping tips mixed in!)

{rb} What do you love to do when you  have time off?

P: Right now there is not a lot time off as I am ramping up for the store to open in June. I am dealing with contractors and lighting, and building sinks to get the shop ready as well as ordering the wonderful goodies that will be in the shop. Owning your own business can be a challenge but when you focus on what you love it is worth it!

Thank you so much Pam! Best of luck with ink & peat and we will continue to be inspired by you daily on housemartin!

Pretty as a {peacock}

We recently stumbled across a picture in New York Magazine of Sarah Jessica Parker shooting a scene for the new Sex in the City movie and {spoiler alert!} noticed Ms. Carrie Bradshaw in a wedding gown with peacock feathers in her hair, inspiring today's {little detail} feature on one of the most beautiful things nature has to offer...the peacock...and what a lovely detail and color it can add to event details & decor.

click images to enlarge

Photo credits: {from top to bottom} New York Magazine, Hello Lucky, Laura Hooper Calligraphy, Grey Willow Studios via Etsy, Hostess with the Mostess, Brides.com, People.com, Brides.com, Enfin, La Voila! via Etsy, Hostess with the Mostess, Liz Banfield via Two Paper Dolls, Home Click, For Your Party, ZGallerie, Baron Cards , Rock Paper Scissors

Celebrity bridesmaid {Michelle Williams}

We thought it might be fun to start a new little feature on {ritzy bee} called "celebrity bridesmaid"...taking a favorite celebrity in a stylish outfit and seeing what wedding detail inspiration we could drum up from that potential bridesmaid outfit...

Our first {bridesmaid} is in one of our favorite looks of all time, a marigold Vera Wang, Michelle Williams wore at the 2006 Oscars

click images to enlarge

Photo credits: {from top, left to right} InStyleWeddings.com, Brides.com, Wiley Valentine via Snippet & Ink, Brides.com, Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, Brides.com, Laura Hooper Calligraphy, {lemon coasters} A Day in May, Martha Stewart, Brides.com, Brides.com, Brides.com, Brides.com

Be sure to let us know what you think and leave a comment on what celebrity bridesmaid you would like to see!

Ceci New York {paper + print = LOVELY}

We just love paper goods here at {ritzy bee} and are excited to share images from one of our favorite invitation designers, Ceci New York. Synonymous with style, luxury and great taste, Ceci New York has received awards from both the design and wedding industry and they continually create trendsetting work! We poured over the website for over an hour last night in awe at their unique approach that sets the tone for and event {and then some!}. It was too hard to pick just a few images to show...so we figured it would be fun to show a bunch...enjoy!!

click images to enlarge

{LOVE the bees!}

Our personal favorites...so fun and original {below}

Spotlight on: Kate Triano {picture perfect}

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

We are very excited for today's {spotlight} for several reasons...first of all she is extremely talented and sweet...second, we are proud to say she is from the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area! Say hello to Kate Triano of Kate Triano Photography!

Kate is a photographer who captures weddings with a photojournalist style...her images are brilliant and beautiful! We hope you enjoy reading more about Kate and her advice to couples on working with a wedding photographer and seeing her gorgeous images...

{rb}: Can you tell us a little bit about how you first got interested in photography?

KT: I've always had an interest in photography. I have silly photos of myself on vacation as a child with my little Kodak camera around my neck. In college I took a few B&W Darkroom Photography classes that really taught me the basics and fueled my passion for the art. In early 2005, while planning my own wedding, I became mesmerized by wedding images in magazines and bridalwebsites.

The search for my own wedding photographer was the start of my own new career. I expressed my love of photography to my wedding photographer and she told me I could assist her at a wedding sometime to see if it was for me. Needless to say, it was! I instantly fell in love with photographing people on the happiest day of their lives. Being able to capture those special moments for other couples is such an amazing job and a feeling I just can't describe. I love it! It was not a hard decision to quit my Accounting day job one year later, to pursue my dream full time.

{rb} What do you love most about photographing weddings?

KT: Seeing the love between the bride & groom, and their families. I can't remember a wedding where I didn't cry at least once. It's usually the toasts that get me. I always feel like I am a part of something really special, and I love being able to produce images that document that.

{rb} Leading up to a wedding, what is your advice to couples on planning their wedding day agenda to allow for enough time for photos?

KT: See each other before the ceremony. I cannot stress this enough! It truly makes the day go seamlessly, and it allows the bride and groom to have an intimate moment together before all the craziness begins. It also makes for fabulous photographs :) There is always plenty of natural light left in the day and we have the time to get some really fun and creative shots. I also highly recommend getting a wedding planner. They are great at helping plan all the little details and also putting out any fires that may come up on the day of.

{rb} If you could give couples one piece of advice relating to their day of photography, what would it be?

KT: Get your hair and make-up professionally done. This ensures that you will look your best in your photos. Also, relax! If you are uncomfortable in front of the camera it will show. Prior to your wedding day book an engagement session with your photographer. Not only will this help you bond but it will get you use to being in the spotlight. Plus, you get fabulous photos of you and your sweetie!

{rb} When you aren't busy working, what do you enjoy doing for fun?

KT: Relaxing with my husband Joey and our pup Pancakes. Watching American Idol - I love to hate it. Checking out other photographers blogs - it's an addiction!

Thank you SO much Kate for giving us such great advice and sharing all of these wonderful images! Be sure to check out Kate Triano's website!!

Laurel Denise {gifts for your favorite girls}

We are so excited to feature an extremely talented designer today on {ritzy bee}, Laurel Denise! Featured in publications such as Lucky Magazine, we can not say enough about how beautiful and unique their necklaces and stationary are!

These are the perfect gifts for bridesmaids, a best friend's birthday, for a new mom...or just as a thank you for one of your favorite friends...

To view more designs {they have about 200 pendants to choose from and you can change the chain type, length or add a gemstone} you must check out the Laurel Denise website. If you are interested in receiving a catalog or talking about a custom design you can contact Laurel Denise directly via email.

Be sure to also check out the stationary line on Laurel Denise for fun cards, journal books and more...

{We are in love with everything Laurel Denise}

The {drink} calculator

We get this question often with planning events: "How much alcohol should I order for my party/wedding?!"

It can be very daunting to estimate how much is too much or too little. Well fear not! Here is a GREAT tool that we use all the time at {ritzy bee} and it has not failed us yet.

The Drink Calculator available on Evite.com is genius and gives you the option to select what you are planning to serve (beer, wine or liquor) as well as what type of drinkers you plan to have at your event (light, average or heavy). Simply type in the number of hours your party will be, your guest count, drinker type and what drinks you will be serving and...VOILA...easy as can be!

Tip: Keep in mind when buying alcohol it's much better to over order and be prepared then to run out on your guests. Also, be sure to buy from a distributor/store that will allow you to return any unopened bottles.

{cheers!}

Photo credits: InStyleWeddings.com

Good Stock {the perfect gift}

Sorry for the short post today...on work travel in sunny San Diego and it's been a hectic few days. However, we wanted to share a company and concept we ADORE...

Good Stock Press & Bindery

"We make books that tell your story."

Good Stock takes old photographs, new photographs, letters, news clippings, baby pictures, wedding pictures, memoirs, sketches, family trees and family lore and produces beautifully bound books with this content. Each book is professionally designed, digitally printed, and bound into a beautiful book.

Such a sweet and touching gift...especially for those hard to shop for parents/in-laws/grandparents. While it is a little bit of a pricey gift, think of milestone occasions (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc.) and going in with other family members when giving this gift!

This is the sort of gift that will always be cherished and passed down for generations...you must see their website for more pictures of their work and great ideas!