FABULOUS things happen when you get to design to your heart’s content.  You would think that happens more often, but usually as a designer, our creation is designed for the client, with their passions, ideas and wishes in mind – we are after all, commissioned to create something for them – even though it always a bit of “us” in it.  So to get one parameter “Use a cultural wedding as an inspiration” and get to design whatever I wanted?  SIGN ME UP!  Of course, I’ve always LOVED Grace Ormonde’s Wedding Style Magazine.  It’s glossy, oversized pages feature glamorous, over the top inspiring decor… yes, its part fantasy, part reality, part inspiration – just like the catwalks of Paris fashion week!  Will most brides have every table at their reception look like the tabletops seen in Wedding Style?  Most likely not – but here at Bella, we find that brides are inspired by these pages, and often have a headtable in similar lush style, if not the whole wedding in a slightly simpler version.  After all, its your wedding, and if you can, go for it!

We were lucky enough to be invited by Grace herself to do a table for her recent Book Tour up in Vancouver – nothing like designing a table for one of Grace’s events!  The most exciting part was that I got to do whatever I wanted – so I feel like this is truly a reflection of my style, my passion…more proof that when you stick to what you believe in, what you love, you create something you can be proud of. From  the color palette, the use of very modern pieces yet ornate linens, and the use of sexy, lush blooms…this tabletop is very “ME.” What do you think?”

Thank you both to the amazing Reine Mithla (whose photo ended up published) who I adore and wrote about in Bella’s ravings about Reine, and the talented Melissa Gidney, who also recently blogged about us on her blog!  Love all around!

On our recent adventure to Vancouver, Canada to design for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, I met the most amazing talent: Reine, of Reine Weddings.  As the photographer chosen by Grace Ormonde to do the photoshoot at the Vancouver Club for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine, she contacted me to see what I was going to design.  She was all at once professional, insanely stylish, amazingly talented and just down right cool AND sweet.  During the shoot she was creative and patient, everything from opening the windows in the ballroom to get the curtains to billow inside the room to  throwing in background pieces – you could see she had a vision, and she was going after it, all while making everyone feel super relaxed.  She was shooting in Medium format, which you don’t see as much anymore, and the results are stunning (we can’t post any pictures until the magazine publishes, but it will be so worth it!)  In order to also have some digitals, she invited some photographers along to shoot along with her – how many photographers trust others on that kind of shoot?

I am enamored by her photography – something about it speaks to me!  Her work is edgy and cool, with an editorial, yet warm and joyful flair. Some pictures are incredibly classic, while others just feel very… authentic. A few are super sexy and raw.  While those evoked feelings may not speak to you, my point is this: if you are in the process of picking a photographer for your wedding, THAT is how you should feel when you see wedding photo portfolios. You should see a photographers work – their art, their vision, and it should make you swoon, it should make you want to say, “I want YOU to take pictures of me!”  Keep looking until you find someone that evokes that feeling inside you.  (Heh, and same goes for the floral and decor – I’ll be happy to evoke those feelings in you!!!)

What do you think? What do these images evoke in you?  Whose work makes you FEEL?

A few weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of designing for Grace Ormonde herself.  Grace Ormonde Wedding Style is one of the most elegant, sumptuous wedding style magazines in the world.  Brides and wedding vendors alike pour over Wedding Style’s pages the moment it arrives on newsstands.  So of course, the minute Grace invited me to design a tabletop for her Vancouver Book Launch Party, my head started spinning with designs!!  The ‘point of inspiration’ I was given by the Grace Ormonde team was to be inspired by a “cultural wedding,”  so of course I started thinking in bright beautiful colors, unique details and lush linens while still keeping with my ‘modern lush’ design aesthetic.  Once the magazine publishes, we will able to release all the photos that the amazing Reine and her photo team took, but for now,  you can see the wonderful video taken by Seattle’s own Cabfare Productions of all the stunning tabletops, interviews with Grace and executive editor Yanni, and some of the designers.  The best place to see the video?  Well, Bella Signature Designs own Youtube Channel, of course!

Enjoy, and come back here to let us know what you think!!!

Bella Signature Design is proud to announce the launch of our brand new YouTube channel! The Bella Signature Design YouTube channel offers exclusive insight into what we do, from inspiration to actual creation. Bella’s YouTube channel will include behind the scenes looks into photo shoots, events, and even Daniela Isabella’s inspirations for the designs she creates.  Scheduled first are a few behind the scenes looks into photoshoots, including an exclusive video showcasing our work for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style.  Eye candy in the form of Real Weddings will also be featured, so be ready to be inspired!  We hope that these videos will offer a source of inspiration for brides and grooms as well as a better understanding of the creative process behind Bella Signature Design. This has been something that we have wanted to do for quite a while and we are very excited to share it with you! Videos will be uploaded as they are released and we hope you will subscribe, leave comments, and check back regularly for new video uploads. Just follow the link to the new Bella Signature Design channel on YouTube. Enjoy!!

It has been a few weeks since I posted.  At times, that creative spirit goes into overdrive and I could lock myself into the studio and create 24/7.  Lately, it’s been a mixture of creating new and exciting proposals for clients, actual designs for magazine editors, and a few designs for non-profit events.  In the past few months, I’ve created some of my best work ever for my clients, pushing myself to take it up a notch each time, to create designs that are personal, stunning, and meaningful.  I’ve finally achieved a long-time goal and got to create a tabletop for Grace Ormonde herself, which was very fulfilling – that will be it’s own separate post!  I’ve been surrounded by colorful swatches of linens, exposed to new and exciting flowers, learned from some amazing people.  I’m ready to create away this season, and am feeling absolutely exhilarated.  My clients get me, AND my art.  Each client, each experience, pushes me and inspires me as a designer, not only to constantly create something new, but to make it meaningful for my client and their experience.  It’s that passion to create something meaningful, something beautiful that inspires me.  And having found some new inspiration lately myself, I hope to use my passion and exhiliration to go even further with it every day.  Thank you for allowing me to create beauty in your lives.