TRUE & WESSON Philosophy # 27

Created by the super talented Julene!!!

Monday Typefaces....Stones on the Beach

Pebble Alphabet created by Coltilde Olyff.

New Staircase!

I think we need to renovate again! How fabulous and fun is this staircase?!

Found via Cookie Magazine.

Style Me Pretty... Wedding Workshop with Justin and Mary

Just found out the photo shoot at Chamard is being featured by the fabulous Abby Larson on Style Me Pretty today!

You Wash, I'll Dry Photoshoot at Chamard Vineyard

This week I was on location at Chamard Vineyard with the fabulous Justin and Mary Marantz to help style and coordinate the details for their latest photo shoot. They hosted a workshop for photographers with special guest Gene Higa, and a full day of classes on everything from life balance to marketing to finding your signature style. After their sessions the day ended with a really amazing shoot that had the most incredible details. (for more images check out J&M's blog)

Theme & Design by Mary Marantz & Julia Gargano
Location: Chamard Vineyard - Clinton, CT
Styling & Coordination: Sarah True - True Event
Rentals: Rentals Unlimited
Flowers: Yumiko Fletcher - Hana Floral
Cupcakes: Sugarbelle
Dresses & accessories provided by The White Dress by the Shore
Bride's dress: Melissa Sweet
Bridesmaid dress: Vineyard Collection
Models: Bride & Groom: Esther & JC Bridesmaid: Lindsay Milan Mamula
Make-up: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library

Chamard is the perfect venue for hosting an event. Inside the winery in one of the barrel rooms or out amongst the vines, it is a premiere destination. For more information on hosting an event there, email sarah@trueevent.com

Custom Paper Silhouette-1st or 8th Anniversary...

These beautiful hand cut paper silhouettes are created by Joe Bagley at PaperCuts By Joe. They are entirely custom and he also can incorporate the couples names and the date of the big day! Not only will Joe create a silhouette of the couple, he will even do a silhouette of the location of your event! What a creative and one-of-a-kind gift!!

Thanks Joe!

True & Wesson Recent Press... Perk Up That Patio

True & Wesson Design Space for the 2009 Junior League Show House in Hartford, photo by Orchard Cove Photography

We were so excited to receive a call last week from a reporter from the Hartford Courant that saw our space at the Junior League Show House in May. She loved our use of color and pattern to accessorize the patio and came to us for design inspiration and advice in putting together an article on how to "Perk up your Patio" for the summer. Check it out!

Nests...

These beautiful and delicate glass nests are created by Heather Palmer and can be found at her store on Etsy .  No two are alike and come in the most beautiful array of colors. They would be absolutely stunning  in Jennie Fresa's new studio holding her fabulous new makeup line!

TRUE & WESSON Philosophy # 26

Handprinted tile created by the talented Robert Ryan and found at his Etsy shop misterrob.

Vendor Spotlight... Videography and Buzz Media

I think videography is sometimes overlooked when planning a wedding, and couldn't disagree more with that decision. Quite often I meet with brides and I tell them how important it is to have someone there to capture their day on video and they don't always agree with me until after the wedding when they wish they could see the ceremony again, relive the moment of when they first walked into the church and saw their future husband's face, their first dance as husband and wife, what their friends were doing on the dance floor while they were greeting guests...

These are precious moments that happen throughout the day that are all so overwhelming and incredibly special, the kind of moments that you could watch over and over again, each time evoking a different emotion. Some of my favorite memories to date are of our wedding day, and every year on our anniversary my husband and I watch our wedding video and relive that incredible happiness we felt that day all over again. There is just something so amazing about video, and Buzz Media Company are truly artists in what they do!

The philosophy is simple: do creative work, collaborate with talented people and live and work in a beautiful community near family and the ocean. Most importantly- we feel fortunate that our work is about shining a light on some of the most meaningful moments in peoples lives. -Mike Cyr

Videos:
Michelle and John's Engagement

Laurin & Brad

Monday Typefaces...Summer Carrots

Carrot Typeface created by Florian Verhagen.

Custom Vases...For Weddings or Anniversaries.

Great idea for a wedding or anniversary gift! 

 Created by Felicia at Maid of Clay.

I'm off to the Beach... Cape Cod Weekend Getaway

I am so excited to be getting away for the weekend with hubbie, sister and one of my best friends. We are heading to the Cape. I used to summer there every year when I was growing up and have such fond memories of building sand castles on the beach, collecting white sand dollars at low tide- on an island you could only get to if the tides were right, boogie boarding in the crashing waves, and enjoying the most delicious seafood- the mussels are the sweetest you will find. I am really looking forward to a little break and praying for some sun shine. Happy Weekend!

My Shopbop Beach Getaway Essentials:
1. Karina Grimaldi, Maria Strapless Romper, $174
2. Diane Von Furstenburg, Liz Cover-Up, $295
3. Rachel Pally, Print Beach Bag, $70
4. Dolce Vita, Able Birdcage Flat Thong Sandal, $91
5. Pour La Victoire, Ella Zip Ruffle Flat Sandal, $225
6. Citizens of Humanity, Amber High Rise Boot Cut Jean, $154
7. Vix Swimwear, Sunset Bikini, $162

Friday Business Cards.....The Royal Chains

Genius!!! Business card created by Kelli Anderson for the band The Royal Chains.

New Exclusive Venue... Priam Vineyard

I am so excited to introduce all of you to this fabulous new venue that True Event is managing for hosting all kinds of events; from rehearsal dinners, to anniversary parties, weddings, and corporate outings. It is truly a unique space and a beautiful blank canvas for building your tented affair. The venue is set amongst 24 acres of vines, and sits atop a hill that overlooks the city of Hartford in the distance. For more information about the venue email me at sarah@trueevent.com

About Priam Vineyards:

Priam Vineyards sits in the Salmon River watershed area, just minutes from Mohegan Sun Casino, Moodus Resort area, The Goodspeed Opera House, and a number of state parks, as well as the Airline Hiking Trail. The seasonally beautiful surroundings of the area offer a number of outdoor activities from hiking, fishing, canoeing and golf, to horse-back riding and cross-country skiing. Priam Vineyards' 40 acre farm has 24 acres of grapes in production, with a breathtaking 35 mile view of the New England countryside. We benefit from the unique microclimate of the hills of New London County, just 15 miles from Long Island Sound, where we grow classic European varietals: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat and Merlot as well as French-American hybrids: Cayuga and St. Croix. The rich gravelly soil mimics that of Graves, France. Our climate is very similar to the Alsation region of Northern France and Germany. This combination along with the sloping hillside and constant breeze provide the perfect climate for these varietals.

Inspiration...Element Clay Studio

Element Clay Studio, Wall Tile Collection

I was born and raised on one end of the Connecticut shoreline and now in later years find myself living on the other end. The ocean has had a strong influence on my life as well as in my art. Whether it's in the texture or color of the ocean, it somehow creeps its way into my design of weddings, invitations, table decor, logos, websites, interior and exterior spaces. I am always on the search for the unusual, one-of-a-kind piece, that will inspire me as well as adding to my growing collection of artifacts of the sea. I never have taken a ceramics class but have been in love with it since I was a child. So when I found Heather Knight's store on etsy, I fell deeply in love. Based out of Asheville, North Carolina (very close to my alma mater in Virginia), Heather Knight has created one-of-a-kind ceramic tiles, bowls and vases inspired by the sea. Delicate to the touch, her pieces are made from white earthenware clay and are both food-safe and dishwasher safe. She has even created a page for wedding registry! It makes me want to get married all over again!!!

Thank You Heather for inspiring me!!

Element Clay Studio, Set of 3 Micro Wall Tiles in Hydrangea, Turf and Fungi.

Element Clay Studio Scallop Bowls

Element Clay Studio Urchin Bowls in Ice Blue and Chartreuse.

Element Clay Studio Clam Shell Bowl and Coral Bowl.

Office Inspiration... New Space

Image via With a Flourish

True Event is opening a new space in Clinton, CT in the Red House at the White Dress by the Shore with the uber talented Miss Jennie (Jennie Fresia Beauty Library), and I couldn't be more excited about my new neighbors.

With the new space comes lots of design ideas! Now if only I could magically make the design in my head come alive in the space without having to do any of the work, that would be a real talent!

Miss Wesson and Chocolate Creative Design will still keep their home base in the studio in Stonington, so together we can really stretch up the shoreline.

Today I am inspired by the design of this office and on the hunt for the perfect white desk and zebra print carpet. Stay tuned for pics of the finished space!

TRUE & WESSON Philosophy # 25

Would love this on my wall at home!

Found on I Can Read.

Grace Ormonde Photoshoot... Modern Coastal Opulence

The Jewel Tone Color Palette we were provided for table design.
On-site at Loading Dock, Production began at 9am.
Ashley from Hana Floral Design. Note the coral pattern in the center of the runner, it was fabulous!
Capiz Shell Chandeliers, Lucite Table, Oyster Burlap and Floral runner with Coral Pattern down the center.
Pearl Lustreware Chargers, Crystal candlesticks, Hand painted Menus and Sea fan decoration on chair, Pink Stemware

Photos from my digital camera, we can't wait to see the images Matthew Wagner took, he is brilliant!

Matching Bouquet, Capiz Shell Wrap (Hana Floral Design)

We were so honored to be asked to design a table for the January issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine yesterday at the Loading Dock in Stamford. The Creative Direction we were given was to create a table that illustrated Modern Opulence, using fashion for inspiration and that was in the jewel tone color palette provided above. "A very fresh, romantic, clean, yet fashion forward table design."

Table Details: We took the inspiration provided and incorporated coastal design elements, using the capiz shell chandeliers, handpainted coral menus, sea fans on the backs of the chairs and pearl lustreware chargers that had the same sheen as the capiz shell lighting. Down the center of the table we ran a natural burlap runner to add texture to the lucite table with a handmade floral runner of over 400 pink carnations. Running down the center of the floral runner were 100 hot pink carnations that mirrored the coral design on the menus.

Together we have created hundreds of "coastal" weddings, but this by far is one of our favorite designs! Can't wait to create this table for a full event.
Thank you to everyone that collaborated with us on this design we couldn't have done it without you!

Collaboration:
Table Design: True & Wesson (True Event & Chocolate Creative Design)
Floral Design: Hana Floral Design
Stationary: Chocolate Creative Design (Wesson)
Rentals: Party Rental Ltd.
Table/Chairs: Taylor Creative Inc.
Photographer: Matthew Wagner

Monday Typefaces...Spheksophobia

Its summer and it's bug season! 

Spheksophobia (fear of wasps) created by Aaron Alexander

Something about Lori and The Housewives of Stonington

I have been extremely lucky in my life when it comes to the vast array of friends I have made along the way.  Most live in the vast reaches of  our country.  I have my "Ladies" from NYC and of course most recently "The Houseswives of Stonington". 

The first one I met was Lori, whose son Beckett and my son Creighton started school together at the age of two.  Like mother, like son the connection was immediate between the four of us.  The boys even had their own language between them. Lori's southern charm and energy was a great departure from New England. From that point on, we have all traveled a journey with one another from holidays, birthdays, vacations and to various schools..leading us to A Child's Garden.  From there,  surprisingly (and this does NOT happen every day), all of our children became friends as well as the mom's, creating a wonderful supportive family. So when Lori announced to us all that they would be moving to Florida, our hearts felt an immediate loss. We are a certifiably bunch of crazy women. Crazy in love with our children, crazy in love with our careers and most importantly crazy in love with making each other laugh so hard that tears stream out.  

So, we wanted to have a nice surprise going away dinner for our friend. But, nothing is ever boring with this crew. So in light of our friend moving to TAMPA, we couldn't resist having a little fun.  There in lies the "Something about Lori" theme.  It was a combination of a girly southern dinner with a bit of "Magda" thrown in.  The plan was simple.  First get dressed at the Taylor's house in the Borough, where the hors d'oeuvres and Champagne would be waiting for us, have the guest of honor arrive, drag her down to Water Street Cafe for a glass of champagne and humiliate ourselves in the process and head to Heidi's house for dinner.

The Fabulous Housewives of Stonington.

Luckily, we had the super talented Anna Sawin capturing the antics of the evening!

Who knew that we had a professional hair stylist & makeup artist on hand....later did I realize it was from all those Ted Nugent Concerts in the late 80's that began her training.

I was able to channel Marissa Berenson thanks to my mother's closet.

Some could not keep away from the bronzer and the coral lipstick....

While others remained in character all evening.

If I am correct, that is Steven Taylor's entire sock drawer.

Forget dying your shoes, Krylon indoor/outdoor spray paint in Bahama Sea gloss works miracles!

Heidi and I teamed up again (we designed a wedding together for her friend on Island Farm last summer) and designed the table. In honor of Lori's Southern heritage, pink peonies, vintage pink and green china, vintage glass candlesticks and vintage silverware adorned the table.

Heidi chose the menu from Bon Appetite, " A Champagne Dinner for 8" (Lori's drink of choice). Check out Anna Sawin's blogpost and it will give you the recipes for this amazing dinner! Menu and place card created by Chocolate Creative Design.

Everyone brought a dish from the Menu as well a bottle of champagne for each course. The Shitaki, Goat Cheese and Chanterelle Pizza appetizers were created by the Taylors at their house in the Borough, whose table was beautifully designed and "The Girl from Ipanema" played softly in the background. The salad was created by Bo, Shrimp and Beans by Heidi and the Risotto by Amy. The amazing dessert was by Anna.  

Laughter is truly the best medicine and an amazing time was had by all!

An end to a fabulous evening!

To see a fabulous slideshow of this event, check out Anna Sawin's blog!

Stay tuned for the next episode of the Fabulous Housewives of Stonington...