{Couture Cocktails | An Herbal Twist on Refreshment}

We promise everyone that we here at Lucia|Paul Design do not sit around dreaming all day of different drink concoctions but we do LOVE a good and fun drink, especially for an event. It's a great and trendy way to compliment your style. PLUS, we ARE celebrating Laura's Birthday today so we must TOAST her!!!

So as your getting ready for the weekend, we wanted to share these fun herbal beverages with you. Herbal beverages are not only quickly becoming popular, but they are also easy to convert to a non-alcohol cocktail.

LAVENDER LEMONADE


1 1/2 ounces Rain Organic Lavender Lemonade Vodka
3 ounces Fresh Lemonade (lightly sweet)
1 dash Lavender syrup

Serve in a highball glass full of ice and garnish with a lemon wheel.

Lavender syrup: Steep 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender in 1/4 cup of hot water. Remove lavender and add 1/3 cup sugar and mix until sugar dissolves.
Non-alcohol cocktail: 6 ounces Fresh Lemonade and 2 dashes Lavender syrup.

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LEMONGRASS LYCHEE MARTINI


2 ounces vodka
1 ounce Lemongrass simple syrup
1 ounce Lychee juice (from canned lychees)
1 lemon wedge

Serve in vodka, lemongrass simple syrup, and lychee juice chilled in a martini glass. Squeeze a lemon wedge into the martini, then garnish with a few lychees.

Lemongrass simple syrup: Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, and 4 stalks of lemongrass (cut into thirds) in a small saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.

Non-alcohol cocktail: Substitute vodka with club soda.

We hope you enjoy! Have a safe and fun weekend!

Photos from:
Shindig 411
The Vogue City

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the most amazing person ever!!! Laura, SOOOOOO happy and blessed to have you as part of Lucia|Paul Design! Happy Birthday, beautiful!

{Vendor Spotlight: Stones 'n Sterling}

Following our Style Me Pretty feature over the last week, we couldn't resist giving one of our most devoted fans a little credit for the show stopping necklaces she designed for the shoot.

Vikki Richardson, owner of Stones 'n Sterling (and also Anna's mom) is the amazing woman behind these spectacular pieces. Vikki has always had a love for making jewelry but Stones 'n Sterling was conceived after she attended a bead show in Orlando. Leslee Frumin was teaching a beginners class in soldering and from that moment on, Vikki was dedicated to learn as much as she could about the craft.

Here are a few pictures of Vikki's creations for the Style Me Pretty photo shoot.

A HUGE thank you to Vikki for creating these pieces especially for our shoot! If any of you gorgeous brides are looking for custom bridal jewelry for your BIG day (something that no one else has), contact her and she will create a one-of-a-kind custom bridal jewelry creation just for you.

Check out more great custom pieces from Stones 'n Sterling on her website:
stonesnsterling.com

~Laura

{photos by Jessica Johnston Photography}

{Lucia|Paul Design Featured on Style Me Pretty}

We here at Lucia|Paul Design are so excited about our feature posted on Style Me Pretty this past Friday! If you remember, last week we gave you a sneak peek at our internal Inspiration Board here. Well, we couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out and we were even more ecstatic to hear that Style Me Pretty loved it too!

We must confess, doing this Inspiration to Reality photo shoot,was a bit of a planning challenge. Choosing such awesome vendors meant that we also had to work around very busy schedules and to add to the activity, we were in the process of relocating our headquarters to Florida while the shoot was taking place in Michigan. We actually had to reschedule this shoot 3 times before we were finally able to pull our creative acts together! On the day of the shoot, the stars aligned and we all had such an amazing and fun time and so enjoyed creating something that turned into, what we feel is a beautiful design.

Obviously we were blessed to have some of the best vendors in the industry (at least that’s our opinion) working with us. Everyone put in 150% effort in to making this shoot unforgettable and we can not thank them enough. The icing on the cake was that we were able to use an amazing venue....the historic Lovett Hall which is part of The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Lovett Hall at one time was Henry Fords private Ballroom and the history that is infused in the venue is classic. Talk about a piece of timeless history for a timeless affair!

Check out the full 4-part feature, all of the gorgeous pictures and the adorable story of our real couple here:

The Inspiration - Part I
The Design - Part II
The Design Continued - Part III
The Video - Part IV

Again, one more thank you to our awesome vendors!

Photography: Jessica Johnston Photography / Event Design and Styling: Lucia|Paul Design / Cinematography: Epic Motion / Venue - Lovett Hall at The Henry Ford / Stationary and Sweets Table: Dooby Design Group / Floral: Bellisario Florist / Linens: Gala Linen / Bridal Gowns, Hair Accessories, Jewelry: Katerina Bocci / Lighting: The Lighting Guy / Draping, Chandelier and Rentals: Colonial Party and Event Rental / Cake and Baked Goods: Sweet Heather Anne / Chairs and Chargers: Special Events Rental / Hair and Makeup: Figo Salon / Jewelry: Stones ‘n Sterling / Decorative shapes: Sugar Papers / Models - Laura and Caleb Collier / Shoes – BCBG

{COUTURE COCKTAILS | True Blue Martini and Mojito}

It’s Friday! And…it’s summertime! So in honor of both of these wonderful things, we wanted to cool you off with your “something blue.”Blueberry cocktails are a yummy and refreshing summer choice. Blue Curacao is a perfect liquor to add a blue hue to any cocktail. Here are a couple of recipes that are just too good to keep to ourselves.

Blueberry Martini

2 1/2 oz. Van Gogh Blueberry
1/2 oz. Cointreau Splash of sour mix
Splash of blue curacao for color
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Blueberry Mojito 2 oz. Bacardi3/4 oz. Cointreau
A handful of mint leaves
2 Limes A handful of blueberries
Splash of soda water
Simple syrup to taste
Muddle mint leaves, limes, and blueberries. Then, add Bacardi, Cointreau, and simple syrup (you can add a splash of blue curacao for color). Strain mixture into a highball glass, add ice, and top with soda water.

We hope you enjoy!

{Etiquette 101 | Being the Best Guest}

In our day and age, quite honestly, etiquette has seemed to go by the wayside. We see it all the time with our clients asking “why would a guest do that” and “how do I handle a situation”. So, instead of talking about Bridal or Wedding etiquette, we decided to have a little discussion on the “Role of a Guest”. The majority of wedding guests quite honestly have never been given the proper information nor have they really even thought about being a "good guest". But being a “good guest” is important and something that is just common courtesy. In most circumstances, a type of courtesy that you would probably appreciate if it were your own wedding too!

So, here are a few tips that will hopefully help all of us being a “Best Guest”!

• Respond to an invitation in a timely manner. Try to answer a wedding invitation no longer than a week after receiving it. That’s why they ask you to Rsvp ("Répondez s'il vous plaît" or “Please Reply”) so they can properly plan everything from the number of rental chairs to the amount of food to be served for guests.
• If you accept an invitation and then later find out that you are unable to attend, don’t waste time in letting the inviter know. Call, email or send a letter immediately explaining why you are unable to attend.
• Never ask if you can bring someone if you were the only person listed on the invitation. If the invitation is addressed to, for example, “Ms. Adrianna Cole” then only one guest is being invited.
• If you are engaged and the inviter is not aware, then in this instance it is okay to ask. But use discretion. If the inviter is aware that you are engaged or live with someone, don’t ask. There may have been a reason for you being the only one invited; such as it’s going to be a small wedding.
• If your children have not been invited, do not ask if it’s okay to bring them. This more than likely means that it’s going to be an adult only reception.
• Never skip the ceremony and just attend the reception. It’s just plain rude!
• While you’re not required, you should still send a gift if you know the couple well and are unable to attend the wedding…however, it doesn’t need to be expensive.
• It is preferred to send a wedding gift before the wedding. While completely acceptable to bring the gift to the wedding, remember that it's just one more thing that the bride and groom have to worry about on their wedding day.
• If a bride and groom registered, play it safe and purchase off of their registry. Gifts that are original are always a nice gesture, but sometimes the bride and groom may not share your same taste. So unless you know the couple extremely well, go off of the registry.
• Arrive to the ceremony early! DO NOT be late…this is NOT okay. If you do arrive late, either stand at the back of the ceremony or slide into one of the back row seats. DO NOT make a spectacle and take anything away from the Bride and Groom.
• If the aisle is roped off or closed, that’s for a reason and means it's reserved for the Bride and her bridal party. Therefore, enter on the outside of the seating area. When in doubt, ask. DO NOT jump over anything and DO NOT take it upon yourself to move décor without asking. Same goes for taking centerpieces off of the tables. It’s NOT okay. If it’s causing a major problem (like a fire hazard), then ask if it can be removed. You are a guest and the Bride and Groom probably spent a lot of money on that décor and remember, it’s their wedding, not yours, so please just deal.
• If you insist on taking pictures during a ceremony, be discrete. They hired a professional photographer, and in some instances a videographer, for a reason, so please stay out of their way and let them do their jobs. Also, NEVER ever take it upon yourself to stand on or next to the alter, or where the bride or groom are standing, to get a picture. Trust me, we have seen it before and it never leaves a good taste in the Bride and Grooms mouth.
• TURN YOUR CELL PHONES OFF! Or at least on mute…during both the ceremony and reception. If it’s an urgent call, dismiss yourself and step outside, quietly.
• DO NOT get excessively drunk at a wedding. Control your intake and know when to cut it off. No one really likes that girl or guy!
• Do try to find the parents of the Bride and/or Groom, or the Bride or Groom themselves (depending on who threw the wedding), at some point during the reception and thank them for being invited. While it’s not required, it’s also an extremely nice gesture to send thank you letter showing your appreciation to being included in such an important day to them. If you didn’t get to say thank you at the reception, then you really, really should (MUST) send a short thank you. Be a gracious guest!

Now go out and be that “Best Guest”!

XOXO, Anna

{Photo above via Jessica Johnston Photography from one of our weddings)

{Etiquette 101 | The Perfect Setting}

I know that this may seem like an unneeded post for most of you but you would be surprised how many people out there do not know how to set a table. The other day I was looking at photos on a popular wedding blog (we won't name names) and there was a gorgeous picture of a table but the knife was on the wrong side of the plate! I was so shocked that no one caught this!

Setting a table correctly says a lot about your knowledge and skill in the entertaining world - I want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward so here are a few tips on setting the proper table.

The general rule of thumb for silverware is to work from the outside in. The first course will be on the outside and the last course on the inside. Forks on the left. Spoons and Knives (blades in) on the right in order of service. At the top of the place setting is the dessert fork/spoon.

Stack the plates in the order guests will use them: soup bowl on top of the salad plate on top of the entree plate. Butter plate and knife go on the left above the forks.

Finish with glasses on the right hand side above your knife and spoons: starting inside and moving right. There should be no more than four glasses (again, in order of use): water glass, white wine glass, red wine glass and champagne (if being served). Oh, and another tip...leave the coffee cup and saucer off of the table. There is no need to have that placed before the first course is even served. If someone wants coffee with dinner, then by all means serve it to them, but don't clutter your gorgeous table setting when it's not necessary.

Those are the basics and for further assistance, no one says it better than Emily Post. She has wonderful articles on both formal and informal settings on her website.

Wholesale Table Linens is a great site to use as a reference for this topic also. You can actually select the silverware, plates and glasses you will be using and the site shows you a picture of how it should be set.

Hope this helps!!

Have a great weekend!
~Laura

{Photos courtesy of Widdis Photography from a recent wedding of ours}

{Inspiration Board | Special Project}

Here's a sneak peek at an Inspiration Board, that we created, for a special project that we recently did for Style Me Pretty (with some amazing vendors that will soon be announced). This is all we can show you right now, but make sure to check back in a few weeks with us and with Style Me Pretty to see the outcome!!

xoxo,

Anna

{Real Event | Chanel Inspired Bridal Shower}

Here's a look at a sleek and chic Bridal Shower that we did back in March of this year, for a wonderful client that we just love, at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, MI. We had a super fun time working on this with the fabulous Dooby Design Group to create our clients dream Chanel Inspired Bridal Shower. So please enjoy these beautiful photos captured by the wonderful husband and wife team at West Park Photography.

{List of Vendors below!}

Designer and Planner: Lucia|Paul Design

Photographer: West Park Photography

Venue: Royal Park Hotel

Floral: Dooby Design Group

Cake: The Holiday Market

Desert Table: Dooby Design Group

Stationary: Dooby Design Group

Rentals and Linens: Special Events Rental

{Aisle Style | Rosa Clara Veils}

I know that veils are not for everyone but for me, the veil is when you know you’re a bride. When the veil goes on is the moment when my eyes fill with tears for happiness for the bride. So because of my love for veils, I just had to share some of my favorites from one of my favorite designers, Rosa Clara.

~Laura

{Current Obsession | I Do Linens}

My current obsession is with these two fabulous custom linens from I Do Linens. I mean, how can you not be obsessed!??? LOVE!

{found via StudioWed}

XOXO,

Anna

{Style Inspiration | Summer Flowers}

When choosing your wedding flowers, there is a lot more to keep in mind than just your color scheme. Season and heat play a huge part in choosing your flowers. Sure, growers are now able to fly almost anything in from the other side of the world, but you will have to pay a pretty premium for that.

While you might love the enticing aroma of gardenias, know that body oils can easily bruise them, especially in warm weather. For a more resilient scented flower choice, try phlox flowers. Poppy, stephanotis, hydrangea, zinnia, and lisianthus flowers are also great summer flower choices. Waxy flowers like the iris and the orchid are better options for an exotic look; and orchids are sturdy flowers for both décor, as well as hairpieces.

One of our favorite summer flowers is the Peony. Peonies are perfect for a romantic summer wedding – they can be used for so many different pieces in a wedding; hand tied bouquets or an amazing centerpiece for the reception. Peonies are available in a variety of beautiful colors so there is sure to be one to suit your wedding color scheme. But remember, they are typically only available May-June (sometimes into July) and are on the higher price range per stem.

{Peonies via Style Me Pretty}

{Lisianthus Bouquet}

{Blue and Green Hydrangea}

And a last tid-bit of advice, make sure to ask your florist which flowers are best for the summer heat, your venue, and accents.