Parties You Love

Alton Brown’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Christina — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:05:07 +0000

Christmas is a mere three days away. A time when friends and family gather to celebrate the love and merriment of the season, wearing ironic and hideous Holiday sweaters and swap stories (the good, the bad and the down right hide under the table kind). Our family has many traditions but one that comes to mind is the huge Christmas brunch my mom makes every year. One of the things often included is the spread: cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls are a personal favorite of mine but I especially love them this time of year.

If you’re looking for ideas to serve to your family on Christmas morning, check out this great video recipe via Food Network for Alton Brown’s Cinnamon Rolls. These delectable eats require an overnight head start but are so worth the wait.

Happy Holidays to our families, friends and lovely customers. As a reminder our website and our Woodlands area retail store will be closed Friday, December 23rd until Tuesday, January 3rd. Merry Christmas from all of us to you and yours!!

A Whale of Tale

Christina — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:59:28 +0000

On this day, the first edition of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick was published in 1851. And since, whales have continued to be one of the most fascinating animals on earth - both in nature and pop culture. We love this Whale Photo Birth Announcement by Jasmine & Woo. And be sure to check out the coordinating invitation, thank you note, mailing label and return address label. What a great way for your baby’s debut to make a big splash!

Natalie & Joe: The Petroleum Club, Houston

Christina — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:30:53 +0000

In our Wedding Wednesday series, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the nuptials of Debbie’s daughter and my sister, Natalie Johns and her now husband, Joseph. Natalie and Joe met on Valentine’s Day, 2009 and became engaged that same Christmas. It’s little surprise that the daughter of an Air Force vet married a guy who proudly serves our country in the same military branch. After spending nearly their first year of marriage at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Natalie and Joe just moved to St. Louis where Joe now serves at Scott Air Force Base while Natalie works in sales. It was clear from the start and more-so every day, that these two were destined to spend their lives together. So when Natalie asked me to be her Maid of Honor, I knew it was not only the beginning of a fun journey down the aisle but a lifetime of happiness for her and my (now) brother-in-law.

For a better part of last year, our family was wrapped up in the joy of wedding plans. However, Natalie was anything but an indecisive bride. Sticking to her love of sophistication and traditional values, Natalie’s reception brought back the classic style of ballroom weddings we all know and love. Blending traditional and modern aesthetics, Natalie stuck to a black and white color scheme for every detail of her wedding. Growing up in the stationery business, she had a version specific vision for her invitation and coordinating paper accessories. She worked with bridal consultants at Papers By Design on a beautiful letterpressed invitation. Personally, I love the use of traditional script with a crisp block font - the perfect type treatment “marriage”.

Natalie and Joe had a traditional ceremony at our childhood home church, The Woodlands United Methodist Church in The Woodlands, Texas. Following the ceremony, the reception was held at the Ballroom at The Petroleum Club in Downtown Houston.

When it came to the decor, Natalie stuck to black and white with accents of gold and silver in the ballroom. Decorations were kept to a minimum to highlight the jaw-dropping views of Downtown Houston seen through the ballroom’s windows. For Natalie and Joe, as well as all her family and friends… it was a night to remember. Not just ’cause of the fabulous sophisticated touches and the gorgeous bride, but also the union of two people who were truly made for each other.

Number of guests - 110
Invitations - William Arthur at Papers By Design (281.259.8648)
Flowers - Blooming Gallery, formerly Flowers by Lisa (713.398.3633)
Venue - Ballroom at The Petroleum Club (713.659.1431)
Lighting - n/a
Cake - Who Made The Cake (713.528.4719)
Dress - Martina Liana at Brickhouse Bridal (281.681.3430)
Favors - donations to Bryan Brothers Foundation
Hair/Makeup - The Perfect Face (713.977.3223)
Video - Blue Star (281.330.9310)
Music - Band - Nite Beat (281.324.2263)
Rehearsal Dinner - America’s The Woodlands (281.367.1492)
Honeymoon - Bora Bora

Chelsea and Alex Vintage Malibu Wedding

Christina — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:11:19 +0000

Happy Wedding Wednesday!

There’s nothing I love more than a wedding. Add in some vintage flair and lots of personal details and I’m in heaven.
This wedding is full of delicate vintage details from the decor down to the bride’s shoes.

Chelsea and Alex were married this year on Saturday, the second of July at the beautiful Rancho Del Cielo in Malibu, California.
Although Chelsea is from Houston and Alex is from Seattle, they wanted to marry in Malibu because that is where their story began when they met as freshman at Pepperdine University.
Here is the happy couple:

Chelsea wore a lovely Pronovias gown. To add in a personal touch she wore her Grandmother’s gown for both her bridal portraits and the grand exit.

Check out her shoes!

I love how Chelsea went above and beyond to keep with the vintage theme. They found an old door and cut it in to pieces. Then, family members wrote words of advice on the pieces that were put on display around the venue. Flowers were provided by Marion Curson and decor was courtesy of Found Vintage rentals.

Finally (but never least), the wedding invitation. Notice how the style of the invitation sets the overall “mood” for the wedding, very important. Chelsea went with a beautiful ecru invitation from the Jasmine and Woo Enchanted line mounted on a Kraft pocket from Envelopments. The coordinating response postcard and direction/accommodation card are also from Jasmine and Woo. Chelsea purchased her invitations and coordinating paper accessories at Papers By Design in The Woodlands, Texas.

The wedding was photographed by Nickel Images.

Tennis Love

Christina — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:18:14 +0000

I’ll admit, that when it comes to sports - I’d definitely say my favorite is shopping. I am the furthest thing from an athletic person but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate (and in a way, envy) those who have a love and a talent for sports. Anyway, when it comes to actual sporting events, I’d have to say my favorite is tennis. And did you know, that on this day in 1973, female tennis phenom Billie Jean King defeated former No. 1 ranked male tennis player, Bobby Riggs. The highly publicized event was somewhat of a “Battle of the Sexes” and well, ladies - in this case… King carried us to the top.

In honor of Billie Jean King’s victory, I wanted to share some of my favorite “girly” tennis stationery. I love both the S.E. Hagarman Trendy Tennis Embellished Note Set and the Inviting Company Tennis Mix Invitation. Perfect for yourself or the ultimate tennis gal in your life!

Halloween Photo Cards

Christina — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:13:27 +0000

Looking to get a jump start on your Holiday cards? Why not consider sending out Halloween cards instead. Next to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite Holiday of the year and I love celebrate the fun with all my friends and family. Here are a few of our favorite Halloween photo cards from Jasmine and Woo.

Jasmine and Woo Trick or Treat Photo Card

Jasmine and Woo Spooktacular Photo Card

Jasmine and Woo Modern Orange Photo Card

Fall in Love with Autumn

Christina — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:04:31 +0000

I have to confess, I’m one of those people who spends the whole summer waiting for the leaves to change, the hot beverages to circulate and for the Holiday prep to begin. That’s right, I’m a total Autumn junkie. And as of today we are officially ten days from the start of the new season. Although my enthusiasm may come a bit prematurely - I’m counting down the five things I love most about fall.

5. PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES
Enter any Starbucks this time of year and the usual coffee aroma is joined by spices such as cinnamon and clove. For me, the beginning of fall starts not by the calendar but when Starbucks starts serving their classic Pumpkin Spice Lattes. The spiced drink is on sale now at Starbucks. In addition to brewing these aromatic beverages, Starbucks also switches from its traditional white cups to festive red ones beginning in November.

4. OUTWEAR
For me, the staple of any fall and winter wardrobe is a beautiful coat. Although they can often be pricey, I consider a quality, well tailored coat to be an investment piece just as much as a nice shoe or handbag. This season I love the Townhouse Trench by J.Crew.

3. HOLIDAY MOVIES
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve LOVED Holiday movies. Some of my all time favorite movies are centered around the holidays. For me, a childhood staple was Home Alone (who can forget that one, right?). I also love the Steve Martin classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles which puts a comedic spin on hectic Holiday travel. In recent years, movies like Love Actually and The Family Stone have been some of my Holiday-themed favorites.

2. CHRISTMAS CARDS
Sure, it’s a little early to be thinking that far ahead but guess what? I love sending out Christmas cards so much, I start contemplating my selection months in advance. It’s the one time of year I give and receive an influx of grin-inducing snail mail. I love this Red Modern Ornament Photo Card by Jasmine & Woo.

1. PARTIES!
My favorite thing of the fall season is probably the celebrations. I love gathering friends and family, be it for a Halloween costume party or an intimate Christmas dinner. My birthday also happens to be in the fall, very close to Christmas. I look forward to celebrating the spirit of the Holidays (and my birthday) with loved ones every year. And for those looking to host a fall party, maybe one that is not specific to any particular Holiday, check out this Classic Argyle Orange Invitation by Jasmine & Woo. The colors and the argyle pattern are perfect for fall!

Wedding Attire Style Guide

Christina — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:12:42 +0000

As I mentioned in my previous post, Fall Wedding Invitations, I’ve been invited to a lot of wedding this season. And if you’re anything like me, always concerned with staying stylish… a wedding always begs the question “What to wear?”. In addition to blogging for Parties You Love, I also have an individual blogging endeavor - Style Phile. It’s one of the many, many fashion blogs on the web but it’s where I like to divulge my own point of view on the subject. Recently, I posted a comprehensive guide on what to wear from bridal showers to the wedding itself and I’d like to share some of those tips. Here are just a few general pointers when dressing for a wedding or a wedding-related event.

1. It’s an age-old rule not to upstage the bride but it’s so critical. Believe me, I love to stand out with my clothes but when I’m attending a wedding event, I stay away from anything too bold or flashy. Just stylish and sophisticated.

2. A lot of weddings or showers revolve around a theme. For example, the bridal shower I am attending this weekend has a vintage feel to it. The guests are asked to dress in vintage attire. Be respectful of these details and pay attention to any attire suggestions that are mentioned on the invitation.

3. People often wonder the difference between “Black Tie” and “Formal Attire”. The difference comes into play more with men but essentially Black Tie designates that men wear tuxedos as opposed to dark suits. For the ladies, Black Tie means full length gowns instead of cocktail attire. For more on these specific terms, please see an article on Party Definitions.

And check out this great style inspiration board on what to wear to a formal wedding:

Dress: Milly; Clutch: Forever 21; Bracelet: Alexis Bittar; Shoes: Elizabeth and James

Re-posted with permission from StylePhile.net

Fall Wedding Invitations

Christina — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:51:42 +0000

It seems as though this fall, wedding bells are ringing! Normally summer is a big season for weddings but for me, personally, I have never received as many wedding invitations as I have for this fall. So, because I am in “wedding mode” I’ve decided to showcase a few of my picks for fall wedding invitations from the newly released Enchanted by Jasmine & Woo line.

This Plum Flourish Invitation has been a definitive best seller and is a personal favorite of mine. I love the classic yet ornate look of the flourish as well as the deep plum hue. The best part about this line are the matching printed envelopes they offer as well. Perfect for brides looking to add an extra bit of sophistication to their wedding invitations.

I also love wedding invitations that are more typography based such as this Rustic Orange Wedding Invitation. Perfect for an outdoor ranch style wedding. I love the fall colors and the amazing type treatment on this invitation. So chic and modern!

And finally, this Red Birds Invitation. I absolutely love the chocolate brown and scarlet red hues. Another great thing about this particular invitation is its versatility. While it’s gorgeous for a wedding, it would also work just as well for a shower, luncheon or birthday party.

Be sure to check out the entire Enchanted by Jasmine & Woo Wedding line for many more gorgeous style. Happy (fall) Wedding Season everybody!

Back to School Stationery

Christina — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:53:34 +0000

Next week kicks off the flood of kids heading back to school. It can be a fun, scary and exciting time for children and teens as they delve into new experiences. And whether your kid is going to school for the first time or leaving for college, what better way to engage them into socializing than with stationery. In age that is ridden with e-mails, I happen love the sentiment of a handwritten thank you note. I know I’m not alone. All the time, I hear about how a person’s day is brightened by a note or a card from a loved one.

Here are some of my personal favorite picks for thank you notes. Perfect for kids and teens alike, these thank you notes are a great way to kick off the school year in style.

Whitney English Sport Stripe Red Note Card

Whitney English Rainbow Circle Note Card

Whitney English Flame Stitch Note Card