Elva Marie's Fine Paper

New Mexico Dream Wedding Kick Off Party

2009-09-10T19:47:00.004-06:00

Hey ladies - and guys too! It's that time of year again...the $50,000 New Mexico Dream Wedding contest is just about to open registration for this chance of a lifetime! This year a lot has changed and you don't even have to write an essay, which was always required before. All of the new rules and regs are going to be given at the Kick Off Party on the 17th at the Tamaya Resort, by the way that's where the wedding and reception will be held-are you kidding me!? Have you seen this place? It's amazing! Check out the NMDW website for more details and pitures of all of the details from last years wedding. Oh, and stop by the party! They'll be tons of food, drinks, and did I tell you about the prizes...?I don't know what all the prizes will be, but I'm giving away a gift certificate for 50 wedding programs that is worth over $125. If you have a chance stop by and say hello!

In the Studio

2009-09-06T16:50:00.006-06:00

Here at the studios things are winding down for the season, and thought you all would like to see some of the things we worked on...

I made Cristina and Robert's pocketfold invitations early this year. Cristina wanted the same tags that were on her invitations to be on her programs, so here they are...These are cool tags because they can be used for favor tags as well.

Cristin and Bryan also got pocketfold invitations, but I love the design of the invitation card that went inside so much that I wanted to highlight it on its own.

Janice and Tom were just married yesterday, and I worked in collaboration with the brides sister Cathy John of Cathy John Design Studio. She created the letterpress covers, and I did the printing and assembly of the inserts. They came out simply stunning!

Marissa and her mom came up with the design of her wedding invitations. We used a deep champagne colored cardstock with midnight blue printing and backing. The thermograph ink looked amazing on this tea length invitation.

Kodie wanted a white invitation with accents of brick red and black. The pocketfold that we used was a shimmery with a lined texture to it. They came out Niiiice!

This was my favorite of the season. Melissa and Chad had a hard time deciding on a color palette for their labor weekend wedding. We started with eggplant and coral, next was an autumn palette of gold, brown, red, and burt orange. Finally Melissa decided on Tiffany Blue and hues of pink. This square pocketfold is what we finally decided on, and wow! I love it!

My first baptism invitation! We used a shimmery white cardstock and printed in a simple black ink. The cross motiff is simple but very elegantly adorned with a small Swarovski crystal. We used platinum colored envelopes instead of a plain old white one.

Rachel and Michael were also married this weekend. Rachel found me on Etsy, and we were able to design this all over email. We also did a similiar Save the Date. This invitation is so sleek, it was perfect for the couples Malibu wedding.

Real Wedding: Stefanie and Nathan

2009-09-06T02:08:00.006-06:00

I haven't posted a Real Wedding feature in awhile, and I am so excited to show off this wedding I was able to work on from earlier this year.

Stefanie and Nathan were one of the coolest couples that I've been able to work with. They were so laid back, and very very kind. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of the photos from their wedding...It ended up being amazing (I knew they would), and you can see for yourself that every detail came out beautiful.

Here are the details:

Colors: Tiffany Blue and Espresso Brown
Flowers: Tanya Cole of Tiger Lily Floral
Cake: Suzy Kaplan of Patisserie C
Venue: Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town
Decor: Distracted by Decor
Photography: Kristina of Blue Rose Photography Studio
Invitations: Elva Marie of Elva Marie's Fine Paper
Hair/Makeup: Maychel of Salon Helena
Officiant: Richard Stoops of Marriage Makers
Favors: loose leaf tea from Adagio Teas
DJ: Too Hot to Stop

Thanks Stefanie and Nathan! I loved working with you...best of luck for a long and happy marriage!

Remember, if you are a planner, photographer, or bride who would like to have a wedding featured, please send photos and detailed information to info@elvamariesfinepaper.com for consideration.

Seth Goodman Updated his blog!

2009-07-24T16:03:00.002-06:00

Check it out here...

What the blog!?

2009-07-24T15:29:00.002-06:00

I have been, needless to say, a little missing in action these days...I have been having a whirlwind of emotions that I thought I'd explain. In October I graduated from grad school, my parents relocated to a new town, the relationship I thought was going to last a lifetime ended, I started dating again, I got ripped off by 3 separate clients!, I nearly went bankrupt, and sometimes I feel completely lost and discouraged! Though my circumstances have been up and down these past few months, I still feel very optimistic that things will turn out exactly the way I want them to and I am officially turning over a new leaf in both my personal and professional life...One of the first things I've been working on is myself. My mind, body, and spirit all need some improvement and slowly but surely I am getting to a better place. I started working out a few nights a week, I'm surrounding myself with positive friends - old and new, and I'm watching my diet. The second thing and the most exciting thing that I am going to do in just a few weeks is have a personal boudoir session done by Jones Photo Art. I think that this is going to do wonders for my self esteem and I can't wait to show you all the final photos! I really want my business to be successful, so I am strategically revising my business model to better suit my client base. So in a nutshell, that's what's been going on! It helps me to write about it and get it all out in the open. I know that things will turn around, I just hope it's sooner than later!

Featured Vendor: Tiger Lily Floral

2009-05-13T11:03:00.005-06:00

My good friend Tanya Cole owns Tiger Lily Floral in Albuquerque, and she recently made some HUGE changes to her shop. She used to be located on Central near the Frontier Restaurant, but made a move home in order to focus on some different projects that she has in the works including more events and weddings. If you've seen her work, I am sure you'll agree that she is absolutely amazing! If you have a chance check out her revamped website. In addition to adding a ton of new pics to her gallery, she also has a page that can help you with your planning by showing photographs of popular flowers that you may not know the names of... check it out here!

Do you know what these are? The first one to answer correctly gets a box of Thank You cards!

Postage Rate Increase

2009-05-11T19:53:00.004-06:00

In case you haven't heard, the US Postal Service raised their first class stamp rates to $ 0.44. If you bought a stash of the Forever stamps with the bells on them, your in luck - they are still good to use.

This leads me into a series of Frequently Asked Questions about invitations that I have been dying to answer!

How much is it going to cost to send out our invitations?
This can really only be answered by an aficionado at the post office. More than likely they will cost more than an average letter or greeting card because of size and weight.
I would suggest that once you have your invitation suite in hand, to have it weighed and measured so that you are not in shock when you are ready for mailing. Since your invitations are more delicate than most other mailings, I would suggest that you splurge and have them hand canceled instead of having then sent through the post office machinery. Some post office won't even charge you extra.

Do I have to put a stamp on my rsvp envelope?

You don't have to do anything BUT if you are expecting your guests to actually send them back a stamp is a good idea. Since this card is generally smaller than the actual invitation, using a standard first class stamp should do the trick.

Where can I buy cool stamps?

Here a couple of places that I usually recommend:

http://www.zazzle.com/

http://www.everafterpostage.com/

http://www.championstamp.com/

For more on invitation FAQ's, as well as other general wedding category check out the New Mexico Wedding Professional official blog here!

New Fonts

2009-05-08T14:24:00.003-06:00

Check out these new fonts that I just got in!

Custom Wedding Monogram

2009-05-06T14:34:00.006-06:00

Recently I worked with local wedding planner extrodiare, Bentley Clark of Savoir-Faire Events, to create a custom wedding monogram for her upcoming July wedding. She was so easy to work with! In fact, I think that we just exchanged a few emails and she gave a me quick vision a I came up these ideas:

My favorite was the first one, but Bentley chose the second one. Check out these super cool Save the Dates that Seth and Desiree at Jones Photo Art made with it using some of their engagement photos. Love them! (The pics scanned in crooked, they cards were perfect)

Do you need a custom monogram? Contact me for pricing! info@elvamariesfinepaper.com

Cool Blogs

2009-05-06T09:34:00.003-06:00

I just posted a link to some of coolest blogs!

First, I found Felt and Wire by Strathmore Writing and Script. This will surely impress you if you are as addicted to paper as I am! Right now they are featuring a sampling of cool circus themed letterpressed pieces...Sigh, letterpress! Where are you in NM?

Second, Karen from Celebrations! Wedding and Events has just started her blog to talk about some of the weddings that she's recently worked on. Right now there is a princess wedding featured - that I was fortunate to work on with her.

And finally, there is Midori Ribbon's blog that I just love for love's sake. Midori Ribbon is the best ribbon out there, and I sure have been buying a lot of it lately!

Uh-oh!

2009-04-22T20:56:00.002-06:00

This is how it all begins....

Love this photo! Check out the website and blog of local photographer Monique Duke for more...

In the Studio

2009-04-19T15:08:00.008-06:00

It's been a crazy crazy past few weeks, and I finally have proof that I have been working! Take a look at some of the jobs orders that I have finished recently...

Veronica and Simon are having a sophisticated wedding set with coppers, creams, and indigo. We came up with the most beautiful Save the Date, and it was hard to come up with an invitation idea that would compliment it but not be exactly the same. We came up with this beautiful pocket fold invitaton with Midori ribbon and Swaroski crstal accents. Love it!

Molly and Josh are having an outdoors wedding at the stunning Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe. Molly definatley wanted to stick with a sunflower motiff, as this will be the 'theme' that is carried throughout the wedding. Her colors are clover and white, and together we came up with this simple, but elegant invitation to match.

My first quincenera invitation was for Evelynn, whe is turning 15 in May. I was excited to take on this job for 2 reasons; 1. It's the first quincenera that I've done from start to finish and 2. because the family of from a small town called Socorro, New Mexico and I was excited to branch into new territory in the state. Anyway, Evelynn is a girl who knows what she likes and she loved this turquiose pocketfold invitation white linen inserts and thermo ink. On the cover we choose to use a hot pink border and a Swaroski crystal accent.

Estella and I met in our College of Santa Fe days, and she is having a Black and White Ball to celebrate her upcoming MBA graduation. This piece is sooo totally different than the standard issued college gradation invite! I love it! It also gave me the chance to show of some super cool fonts that I recently purchased. Congrats Stella! I still haven't decided if I'll be walking the line with you all...

Betty and Larry are an older couple who wanted something simple, but elegant. I think that these ecru linen and teal invitations fit the bill. We used thermo ink in black and teal and then attached the invitation facecard to another teal layer of cardstock.

There are even more to come so keep looking out!

Wow!

2009-04-19T02:30:00.003-06:00

You have got to see the wedding that was just posted on Dry Heat Photography's blog. I can't think of anything to say about it, except for - WOW!

PS. I just took a ton of photos of some projects that I just finished. Stay tuned to see what's up in the studio...

Absoultely Stunning

2009-04-12T23:18:00.002-06:00

I keep telling you about local photographer Seth Goodman, but I absolutely love his work! He just posted some new pics of this gorgeous couple Stephanie and Nick. I love this shot, it looks like it should be in a magazine...

Keepin' Up with the Jones'

2009-04-09T09:32:00.006-06:00

Sometimes it's hard to keep up with my good pals Seth and Desiree at Jones Photo Art! They live on the edge of cool, and like to keep their images in tune with what's hot in the industry. Check out their new blog to see what I am talking about!

Here are a few pics to tease you...

Real Wedding: Kristin and George

2009-04-01T16:40:00.005-06:00

Check out these photos from my good friends at Dry Heat Photography. They highlight Kristin and George, who were just married in January. This is the most gorgoeus couple! I helped Kristin design the most perfect Save the Dates and DIY pocketfold invitations. I was lucky enough to get the inside scoop on some of the details, and here they are since I'm sure you are dying to know...

Colors - Fushia, Ivory, Granite, and Pink
Ceremony Venue - Church of the Risen Savior
Reception Venue - Marriott Albuquerque Pyramid North
Photographer - Dry Heat Photography
Cake - Unique Cakes by Karen
Invitations and paper goods - Elva Marie's Fine Paper

Thanks Kristin and George! Your wedding was amazing! I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Elva

Updated Terms and Conditions

2009-03-13T13:29:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to let you know of a small amendment that I am making to our Terms and Conditions.

"Effective immediately, at the conclusion of the design consultation a $50.00 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a space in the production schedule; it is then applied towards your final invoice."

Should you have any questions, please contact me at info@elvamariesfinepaper.com!

Thanks,
Elva

In the Studio

2009-03-06T22:43:00.015-07:00

In November, I started to freak out because the phone stopped ringing! I had been working on invitations pretty steadily since January, and then it just stopped. I was totally unprepared for the down time... BUT it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I had finished graduate school in October and I (unbeknown'st to me) needed a break. Fast forward to January - the phone and email requests are pouring in and I feel so much better about the direction the business is heading in. I've done a few quick Save the Date sets, and I've just delivered the third major job of the season! It may not sound too impressive, but I have about 20 more in the works for May, June, and July brides. So folks, hold on to your hats! Wait until you see what's coming. The brides that I have been working with are so unique and have some amazing ideas.

In the mean time, here's a peek at the season so far:

Melinda and Clayton - This one is near and dear to my heart as it was my first big Etsy sale. Melinda chose an invitation with a vellum overlay in champagne and navy. I used the design from the overlay to make some pretty incredible place cards as well.

Stefani and Nathan - I think that this was the nicest, coolest couple I have so far! Their colors are chocolate and Tiffany blue. After 3 years this color combo is still going strong. I LOVE this design!

Jennifer and Javier - I think that this invitation is so cool! It's a program style invitation that includes all of the pertinent information on the back cover. The bride really wanted to eliminate the amount of inserts that her guests would receive, and so the only thing included was an rsvp. I love the polka dot ribbon on this - even though it took a bazillion years to get here and caused a ton of unnecessary stress. The invitation is really based on her whimsical cake design. Her wedding in not until August, but she has already promised the pics! I can't wait!

Featured Vendor: Seth Goodman Photography

2009-02-25T22:58:00.010-07:00

Do you all know about Seth Goodman Photography? I have mentioned him a few times, and have featured some of his work on my blog but you haven't seen anything until you have seen the beautiful shots that he recently sent over to recap some of his 2008 weddings. Man, I love his work! He is the best at getting the money shot...you know the one that brings tears to your eyes even if you don't know who the couple is. He really is an expert at showing the couples love. Anyway, you have to check out his blog to see some of his real weddings! He puts them in montages that are set to music. They really are something to see! I recently had the chance to probe Seth for some of his thoughts, and thought that I would share.

1. Besides the usual questions about cost, what are the top three questions that potential clients ask?
Clients typically want to know if they get black and white and other manipulated photos with their photos. I typically pick out up to a quarter of their images and will add those artistic touches. They also want to know what my shooting style is. I love being a fly on the wall, and making the photos as they naturally happen. I try to always carry to cameras, one for natural light and one flash. Then I don't have to use the flash as much, which allows me to be as unobtrusive as possible. Of course there is always times when we need to do some formal posing. Brides and Grooms also want to know where is the best spot for engagement session. My response is typically what do you like to do together. If you like to go on hikes then maybe the foothills or the bosque. Or if you are into going out then maybe downtown or nob hill. There are so many beautiful places around here. The trick is finding one that matches your personality.

2. How quickly are you able to have proofs completed for your clients?
The photos are posted online in a week or two and then the physical proofs come in a week or so after that.

3. What is your favorite part about weddings?
I really like the toast. It's really fun to hear what friends and family have to say about the bride and groom. Some my favorite photos come from the toast.

4. As a small business owner what has been your and/or your business' greatest accomplishment?
I really like the fact that I have created photos that people will cherish for the rest of their lives and hopefully for generations to come.

5. Please think of something clever to say! I can't think of a 5th one!
When I meet old friends and they find out that I am wedding photographer their reaction is typically "wow that must stressful." It really isn't that stressful. At times your equipment can do wacky things, but that is why I always carry at least to back ups of everything I need to shoot a wedding. The hardest part of doing this job is the many hours in front a computer editing the images. My goal is to give my clients the absolute best photos possible.

Thanks Seth, It's always a pleasure! Send over work whenever you'd like!

Albuquerque's best Bridal Show is happening this weekend!

2009-02-18T20:09:00.005-07:00

Newly engaged and don't know where to start? Stop by the Perfect Wedding Guide bridal show this Sunday at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Albuquerque. This is the third year that I have participated in this show, and I can tell you that it has by far the best vendors in town! If you register early at the Perfect Wedding Guide website you can bypass the huge registration line. There are a couple of things happening that are worth mentioning. First, there is the 'Great Diamond Dash' - 5 winners are chosen to smash up a HUGE cake that diamonds are baked into. Second, the winners of the $50,000 New Mexico Dream Wedding give away are going to be announced! Annnnnddddd, if you stop by my booth you can register to win a fabulous surprise prize!

Real Wedding: Michelle and Darryl

2009-02-10T16:01:00.008-07:00

I can't even think of anything to say about this wedding! Well, except for maybe - Stunning! Michelle and her mom were amazing to work with during their planning process. Michelle knew exactly what she wanted, which is always very helpful, and was willing to do a lot of work herself. She was the perfect DIY candidate. She is crafty, and a bit of a perfectionist! Together we designed her pocketfold invites, programs, place cards, seating chart, thank you cards, and table signs. Like her wedding, the suite was stunning!

Check out the pictures to see for yourself. Here are the details:

Colors - Red, White, Black, and touches of silver
Ceremony Venue - Our Lady of Fatima
Reception Venue - Hotel Albuquerque
Day of Coordinator and Linens - Celebrations! Weddings and Events
Flowers - Mille Fleur
Photographer - Jones Photo Art
Cake - Unique Cakes by Karen
Invitations and paper goods - Elva Marie's Fine Paper
Limo Service - Lucky Boyz

Thank you Michelle and Darryl! I am so happy that we had a chance to work together. I can tell from your photos that the love between you will last a lifetime... Congratulations!

Remember, if you are a planner, photographer, or bride who would like to have a wedding featured, please send photos and detailed information to info@elvamariesfinepaper.com for consideration.

Argh! Technical Difficulties...

2009-02-10T13:22:00.003-07:00

My website was experiencing some technical difficulties because of a faulty brand new server, and sadly it was offline for almost all of last night and today. I got word from my host service that all should be good now, and I did check and it appears ok. If anyone can't get on please let me know!

I was in the paper!

2009-02-02T15:44:00.003-07:00

Check this out...this is so exciting! Back in December I got a call from a reporter from the Albuquerque Journal asking a ton a questions about my business and ongoing trends that I was seeing. I was happy to answer, but really didn't think much about what it was for. Later the same reporter asked if I could send over some pictures, and I put it together that there was a chance that I would be featured....I never said anything because I just wasn't sure if it was going to happen. Yesterday was the day though! In the Albuquerque Journal, I was featured in what turned out to be a great article on what was happening locally in the invitation world! I am so excited, and grateful to have had this opportunity. Take a look - if you click on the image it will get larger so that you can actually read what the article says...

Personalized Midori Ribbon

2009-01-26T09:51:00.008-07:00

For awhile now, I have used Midori Ribbon exclusively and I have to tell you that I LOVE this stuff! They have the most amazing color selection, and the quality is hands down the best that I've seen.

I wanted to tell you about the custom ribbons that they have available, that you can purchase directly from Elva Marie's Fine Paper. You can order Monogram or Printed Ribbon in 1/2 roll (27.3YDS / 25M) lengths and select from 20 shades of Double-Faced Satin ribbon. Available widths are: 5/8" and 1". There are 4 ink colors and 2 fonts to choose from.

Please contact us for pricing information, info@elvamariesfinepaper.com!

Real Wedding: Angelique and Robert

2009-01-23T13:28:00.007-07:00

Robert and Angelique began planning their wedding in 2007 and had a hard time finding the perfect stationery. After tirelessly looking through huge invitation books at a couple of stationery shops, Robert was lucky to stumble upon my business cards at Fremont's. He called me immediately, and I met with the couple within days. Once we met, I knew almost instantly that this was going to be a great couple and a fabulous wedding! Together we created the most elegant, regal almost, invitations! I also did coordinating thank you cards, menus, special bridesmaid and groomsmen thank you cards, programs, and they talked me into doing their day of coordination. They didn't have to twist my arm either, because this event was not to be missed!

Check out these gorgeous photos from the famous Jones Photo Art in Albuquerque! I had a hard time choosing which photos to cut out, so I didn't... Here are the details:

Colors: Fushia, brown, ecru, white
Ceremony Venue: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Hyatt Regency Downtown
Day of Coordination: Elva Marie's Fine Paper
Cake and favors: Patisserie C
Photographer: Jone's Photo Art
Flowers: Savon Florists
DJ: Complete Music
Invitations and Paper goods: Elva Marie's Fine Paper
Monogram design: Felicia Designs

Thanks Ang and Robert for letting me be a part of this great day!