So Long Farewell......

Image found via oh hello friend

I woke up this morning to huge flakes of fluffy white snow drifting and dancing past my windows.

It was yet another day of school closings and unplowed streets causing delays for everyone in Connecticut.

But then the sun came out...

Cloudless bright blue skies as far as the eye could see and fresh clean white snow blanketing the ground.

It made me realize that for every goodbye there is a hello..

So as this may be a goodbye and the last True and Wesson post..

There are 2 new hellos...

So run don't walk...become fans, bookmark them and subscribe to

Glitter, Glue and Fireflies & True Event Blog

(Chocolate Creative Design & True Event)

(Lucinda Wesson & Sarah True)

Now you honestly didn't think we could leave you without a little song and dance number...

ENJOY and THANK YOU for all your kind thoughts, words and support throughout the years!!

So Long, Farewell
The Sound of Music at MOVIECLIPS.com

Holiday Gift Guide Day 10 Running by Sarah True!!

Check out Miss True's Gift Guide on Running over at Glitter, Glue and Fireflies!!!

Only 2 more days left of the guide!!

Macs and Photography are tomorrow!!

LSW

Holiday Gift Guide......

It's finally arrived!!! Check it out here.

LSW

Butterflies.... True & Wesson

It seems like yesterday that we were striking a pose for the Marantz’s on what was a very cold but very clear day almost 2 years ago. What we love most about these images? The movement. It represents us to a tee, as we are never standing still for too long. It’s funny, since those images have been taken, the doors have been re-painted and the fabulous yellow, grey and white palette has disappeared. But like those doors, we too are constantly changing, morphing and seeking out new and creative ideas….Isn’t that what designers are supposed to do?

It is our job and our passion to keep moving, we are visual adventurers, always looking for something new to inspire which inevitably gets translated to our clients.

Thanks to all our supporters, clients, friends and family, True Event and Chocolate Creative Design have grown so quickly, never in our wildest dreams could we have ever imagined such growth. Yet, with growth always comes change.

So, instead of just one blog…we will now have 2!!

Our hearts are filled with the love and support of all of our readers…Readers, that surprisingly and amazingly cover the entire globe!!

So, we hope that you will continue to follow along with us. There will be new voices, new inspirations and new ideas to be had…

Some things will forever and always remain the same…We are PASSIONATE about design, we LOVE to collaborate and we absolutely ADORE our clients!

So without further adieu…..

True: True Event blog is on it's way..look for it January 2011-

Meanwhile, we'll still be posting on the True and Wesson blog until the end of the year.

Wesson: Chocolate Creative Design

Check it out!

www.glitterglueandfireflies.blogspot.com


”If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.” ~Author Unknown

Chocolate & She Said Yes!!!! Fall Inspiration Series...Cake Toppers.

Images by Anna Sawin Photography, Figures created by Chocolate Creative Design

Run Run Run over to the She Said Yes blog today to check out Chocolate Creative Design's guest post on cake toppers.

The Fabulous Miss Jacin has created an amazing series called Fall Wedding Inspiration.

It is a visual smorgasbord of pure delight with a guest post line up to die for!

Cakes: Here I Bouquets: Sparkle & Hay I Placecards: bWed Exclusive

Paper: Paper Moss I Inspiration Board: Ruby & Willow

Drinks: Bubblerock Studios I Boutonnieres: Jacin via Guest Post on Valley & Co.

Cake Toppers: True & Wesson I Centerpieces: Landlocked Bride

Decor: Every Last Detail I Favors: Rachael Passing Notes

Card Boxes: Creative Custom Card Boxes I Accessories: Oatmeal Lace Design

Thank you Miss Jacin, Chocolate Creative Design is deeply honored and touched to be a part of such an amazing project!!

LSW

Fa la la la la la..Elements...

Run don't walk over to my dear friend Amy Graver's blog for her company Elements Design. She invited Chocolate Creative Design to guest post today for a Holiday Board!!!

Thank you Ms. Graver for allowing me to just be myself!!!

LSW

A Big Tease...Sparkle in the Hayfield.....

Image by Anna Sawin Photography

I absolutely love my monster with all my heart but sometimes I miss out on all those glamorous industry parties. Tonight however, I am heading over to Long Island via Ferry to drink some amazing sparkling wine in the middle of a cornfield at the fabulous Sparkling Pointe Vineyard. Being in that cornfield reminds me of another Sparkle in my life..Miss Erin of Sparkle and Hay! 3 weeks ago Miss Erin became Mrs. Dan Ethier so I couldn't resist a little teaser of hers and Dan's wedding invite!

I promise more is to come...

Happy weekend and I will raise a glass tonight to all those amazing Veterans!!

LSW

Ohhh Tommy...ducks and wood paneling.....

I was incredibly honored when Justin and Mary Marantz asked me to create the paper details for their Walk Through a Wedding Workshop this past October (I am dying to see the whole shoot! Patience, Patience). The sweet as pie, Julia Gargano, created the brilliant mood board above. Yet like every good designer, I had to do a little more research so as to get into character. Well....it wasn't very hard as all I had to do was channel my inner wasp. In doing so, I found the most fabulous photoshoot from the Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2010 line that hit me right to the core.

There she was...navy, boxy and beautiful with gorgeous wood paneling. If there ever was a car that could make me weak at the knees, it would have to be the Jeep Grand Wagoneer circa 1984. One day I say, I will own this car. Ok..it pollutes our air, guzzles gas by the gallons but the memories are priceless. My best friend's father owned one and fortunately for me, she was a year older so this was our chariot of choice. So many adventures, so many laughs, our first taste of freedom and I can still hear "Young Americans" by Bowie and "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" by the Gap Band playing at the highest level possible (that would be 11). This is what I call "Old School Prep" at its best and Mr. Hilfiger certainly gets an A+ for re-creating it with a modern twist! So what do "Old-School Preps" wear you ask?

"Old School Preps" don't wear anything new...They love things to be frayed and faded. Men certainly don't wear polos with their collars turned up or brand new Nantucket Reds...They wear broken-in white button-down oxfords with a small monogram on the pocket with faded Levis or faded Nantucket Reds that are frayed at the hem because they are a little too long and.... wasps don't have cabooses. They wear L.L. bean boots that have been methodically broken in by the saltwater while the laces have been tied halfway-up and into perfect Sailor's knots. Most importantly, they NEVER wear socks..especially with penny loafers!

Women, well women also wear the coveted L.L. Bean boots but they are mixed with a string of pearls and perhaps a handed-down charm bracelet. As for Lilly...it is never new, it is always vintage and often swiped from Nana's or Mumsey's closet.

There is always a wool plaid blanket in the back of the car for an impromptu tailgate (vintage monogrammed silver flask included and conveniently tucked away).

So....Mr. Hilfiger..you certainly got it right and I absolutely would love those super delish high heeled duck boots. But alas, I know I would break my neck chasing after my monster on the rocky shoreline of Connecticut...sooo

I might just have to stick to the new and improved one from L.L. Bean...Shearling..where have you been all my life??

Now forget that Preppy Handbook...The real scoop on Wasps is The Wasp Cookbook by Alexandra Wentworth. Genius and hysterical..a must read!

So... Thank you Marantz's for taking me down memory lane, Thank you Mr. Hilfiger for getting it right and Thank you Mr. Allen for allowing your daughter and I to have SO much fun in your car.

LSW

Kerry & Andrew....loopy loops, airplanes and grapes...OH MY!

One of my favorite things about designing wedding invitations is the collaboration and process that is involved with every one of my couples. The process can begin as early as a year out, thus our relationship can begin starting almost immediately after the engagement. Most brides and grooms are eager to get their Save the Date out as quickly as possible...who can blame them..they are in love and want the world to know! As Paper Designers, we get to be there in the beginning...There is so much excitement, wonder and energy in that first meeting. We are allowed the priviledge to set the tone for the event in our first piece of paper....

I find that when I start designing for my couples, it is much easier to come up with a few design motifs that will travel throughout each piece of their celebration. A perfect example is that of Kerry and Andrew's wedding....It started with the graphic grape design and then a vintage styled loopy loop airplane was added (It was so liberating to finally bring pencil to paper with the airplane motif as well as honor Saltwater Farm Vineyard's history). Just as important to continue the color scheme throughout, these motifs help to bring cohesion, beginning with the Save the Date and ending the moment the guests step into the reception.

The hardest part in designing paper for weddings.....the fact that we don't get to see the final reveal...Usually that day my cuticles are non existant...dying to see a years worth of work and the couples faces as they walk into the room...Luckily for me, photographers like Justin and Mary Marantz have the amazing abilty to capture perfectly not only those details but the emotion and love of their couples, their families and their guests.. When I saw these images from Kerry and Andrew's wedding...ok yes there was a tear...I felt extreme gratitude to Justin and Mary for allowing me, through their imagery, to walk alongside Kerry and Andrew.

Gorgeous table design by Sarah True of True Event and

breathtaking flowers by Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral Design

The grape motif from the Save the Date made it on the custom wine bottle table numbers and the loopy loop accented the delicious menu by Jordan Caterers.

The vintage loopy loop airplane showcased the most decadent flavored cakes and cupcakes ever concocted

by Victoria of Toria Dolce

Collaboration at it's best...Andrew and Kerry originally wanted their Save the Date to be a coaster but as every great design idea can change and morph, Kerry came up with the idea of having coasters for guests to sign and then later laminate them to use in their home. They opened up a fun dialoge as they had sayings such as

"Having a husband is like", "Having a wife is like", " A key to a good marriage" and "Always remember to"

(I'm dying to see what many had written!)

One of my favorites....Not just because the windows came from my antiquated home (I had to secretly get them out so as not to let the husband know they were leaving) but that they were made with love from Kerry's familly who beautifully and painstakingly handwrote all the guests names..

So cheers to Kerry and Andrew who allowed me to add a little whimsey and become not only a part of their fabulous day but a part of their lives as well.

To Miss True who made the collaboration possible.

And to the Marantz's, who beautifully captured their day and allowed me to silently walk and admire two families come together.

LSW

A Little Sparkle and Hay... Sneak Peak at Erin & Dan's Wedding

Gorgeous bridal bouquet,Yumiko, Hana Floral Design

Images by Anna Sawin Photography (Saltwater Farm Vineyard)

I was SO excited when I got home last night to receive a few sneak peak images from Erin & Dan's (Sparkle & Hay) wedding last weekend. The magic and love that filled the room was incredible and the details, WOW, the details were just amazing! Here are just a few, so much more to come, of the gorgeousness that filled the day, and one of the most adorable couples! Congratulations Erin & Dan! Can't wait to share the story of your day and the inspiration behind one of my favorite weddings this year!

If only.......

Image found via FFFFOUND

A girl can dream can't she???

LSW

Glitter, Glue and Pumpkins...

Image found via Weheartit

October has been the busiest month for Chocolate Creative Design. In one week alone, we had 2 sparkly weddings, one to design for and another to attend. With that being said, I have been a very bad mommy. There has been no indication in the Wesson household that Halloween is on it's way. So...what's a girl to do?

There are two items in my studio that I know I can always count on..glitter and glue. Glitter has become a staple in my styling bag for years...it can go on anything, reflects the light beautifully and in my opinion, it makes any image become less flat. Now, I may be a whiz with an X-acto but I certainly am not with a knife and a pumpkin. So in researching, I found some great ideas with only using glitter, glue and pumpkins (no carving required!)

Image found via Undomesticchica

Image found via Better Homes & Gardens

Image found via Ladies Home Journal

So we gathered the troops and set to work...

There is something that I must admit first...Recently, I was paid a huge compliment by 2 very dear friends...They said that they loved how I added "whimsey" to every project that I have created. Honestly, I never quite used that word...what usually comes to my mind is insane, crazy or silly, but "whimsey" i'll take that anyday (plus it's my Mom-in-Law's favorite word). So where does that come from? I can tell you that selfishly it comes from working with kids. Since I moved to larger studio, it has surprisingly and amazingly become a place where kids can create..They love it and I, well I get back that feeling of coloring outside the lines...Working in an industry filled with Martha Stewart, I find that it so important to allow yourself to just let go and have fun..don't worry about getting glitter on your shoes or hair and face. Sometimes by not being perfect, the mistakes you make can turn into something more beautiful than you could have imagined.

We found that Elmer's Glue may be hard to work with on a round pumpkin...but what can happen is purely magical...

Last but not least..one of my favorites...

So a huge thanks to Miss O, Miss G and of course the Monster for allowing me to color outside the lines and to allow "Whimsey" once again back into my life.

Happy Halloween everyone and here's to glitter on your shoe!

Images by Chocolate Creative Design

LSW

Blog Love, A Sneaky Peek and the Marantzs....

I just got in from the most fabulous weekend in Orient Point with my New York Ladies celebrating the baby of the group, "Auntie Regina", who is getting married in 2 weeks. I happened to find this serious blog love in my inbox from the super delish duo, Justin and Mary Marantz and their sidekick, the cute as a button, Miss Julia. I feel so incredibly honored to have been asked to create some fun out of the box details for their Walk Through a Wedding Workshop. If this is just a "Sneaky Peek" then I can't wait to see what's next!!!

Stay Tuned!!!!

LSW

A Vineyard Wedding...Kerry and Andrew

Jennie Fresa and her team did such an amazing job on beauty!

Yumiko, Hana Floral Design, blew me away with the floral!

Jordan Caterers rocked the food with creative presentation!Chocolate Creative Design (Miss Wesson) wove all of the details through the paper, gorgeous stuff!

Power Posse knows how to rock the party!

Toria Dolce designed the cakes with ruffly details, they were little pieces of art.

Saltwater Farm Vineyard glowed well into the night

I am so sorry I have been so mia from blogging the past few months! This season has been truly memorable, exhausting at times, but really amazing! We have been so lucky to have worked with the most fabulous couples this year and continue to finish out the season with a few that I am so excited just thinking about.

I was thrilled the other day when Justin and Mary released images from a wedding we worked on in July. The detail and design woven throughout the wedding from the paper to the linens, to the pillows, couches and vases, flowers, favors and dresses, no detail was missed. This wedding is one that still makes me smile, we had so much fun working together in the process. Congratulations Kerry and Andrew!!

Collaboration:
Event Design/Coordination: True Event
Photography: Justin and Mary Marantz
Floral: Hana Floral Design
Hair/Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library
Paper: Chocolate Creative Design
Calligraphy: Neither Snow
Catering: Jordan Caterers
Cake: Toria Dolce
Music/Lighting: Power Posse Productions
Videography: Buzz Media Company
Rentals: Rentals Unlimited (Lounge Furniture, AFR Furniture Rentals),Party Rental Ltd. (Linens, China, Flatware, etc.)
Transportation: Newport Wedding Trolley
Venue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard
Attire: Kleinfeld's (bride's dress)