With love | Valentine's Day Cards




With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought these cards from foxinthepine were too cute not to share! I love the little animals, whimsical designs, and the use of non-traditional colors (I can't lie, I love red and pink, but it's nice to see some variety). This holiday centered around love has long been a favorite of mine. It's good to remember that whether you're married, engaged, single or dating, there are a lot of people in your life that would love to get a little note from you. I like to send cards out to friends and family and make sure they know I'm thinking about them. So spread the love this year! (and get started soon, it's easy to end up scrambling around two days before to get cards written, sealed and sent...not that I would know anything about that!) 

2012 Weddings Round Up | Favorite Dresses

The wedding gown is usually one of the biggest decisions of the wedding- it needs to reflect the bride as a person while complimenting the style of event as well. Modern, classic, traditional- so many choices when brides are choosing their look for the day. 2012 was affectionately dubbed the year of the dress here at Soiree- all of our brides donned lovelies that took our breath away. And I would go so far to say it was also a throwback to classic elegance...here are some of our favorites from the year. 


Kristen in her stunning Monique Lhuillier
Images via Ampersand Studios 


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Emily in a gorgeous Casablanca
Images via Ampersand Studios

 -
 Lindsey in Watters
Images via Sara K Byrne

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Tiffany in a backless Maggie Sottero
Images via Tana Photography

  -
Brandi wearing the stunning gown by Maggie Sottero
Images via Tana Photography

 Marisa in Tadashi Shoji
Images via Tana Photography

 Sam in her oh so elegant Paloma Blanca
Images via Ampersand Studios 

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Caitlin in BHLDN
Images via Two Bird Studio

Xo,


Creative Wedding Magazines For Your Welcome Bags

I love love love that I stumbled across these the other day. We are always looking for new ways to welcome (read: wow) guests as they arrive, and I think these little ditties will do the trick. For us, we find that most of our clients are planning their weddings from out of state, and their guests are coming from all over the country (and the world, in some cases). Many of the guest groups haven't even heard of Idaho (I'm really not exaggerating on this either), so we really do try to make their experience extra inviting from the get-go. Our welcome gifts always include a weekend itinerary with necessary event information as well as local must-sees for leisure time, so when I found Twenty Pages I was beyond myself excited at this new concept for showing your guests a good time.



In a nutshell, Twenty Pages is a company that produces personalized wedding magazines perfect for welcome bags or even a unique twist on the traditional wedding program. Different than a printed weekend itinerary, the glossy enables the couple to tell their story a bit through pictures and text, as well as provide a unique view into the weekend to come for the guests. Just imagine if you just arrived in town, checked into a hotel and were greeted with a magazine featuring the weekend ahead...wouldn't you be so excited for the festivities to start? And not to mention, these magazines are fabulous keepsakes for you and your family members.

Fully customizable to your taste and style, these wedding magazines are a well-spent addition to the overall experience of your event.

So tell me, would you use a wedding magazine as part of your welcome bags? What do you think of these? 

Xo,




2012 Wedding Round Up | Takes The Cake

This is one of our favorite parts of a wedding- I try to only eat cake if it's really worth it, and nine times out of ten a piece of wedding cake is really worth it. Here are some of the more unique cakes we saw last year, from white and textural to whimsy and colorful:


This textural white wedding cake was a compliment to the linens, also monochromatic and textured.


Our play on a whimisical garden theme, this poppy colored wedding cake was adorned with anenomes (bestow my heart how I love these flowers and they're only available in spring) and sat in its own garden.


We're all about making sure the cake is a statement piece- that means the placement and how it's displayed. For this shabby chic wedding we used a stone-looking table with a glass top rather than a traditional linen.


Cupcakes and a wedding cake on one table is always beautiful, especially when you glam up a rustic look. The cake had faux bark fondant that mimicked the invitations, and the wood box stands were a lovely addition if we do say so ourselves. And don't get me started on cake linens- if you're going to splurge on at least one specialty linen, do it for the cake. One of the top spots for photo opps, and there's your wedding tip for the day.


Faux bois is a modern trend that I don't mind one bit, especially in monochromatic tones.

*All cakes by Greg Marsh Designer Cakes

What styles or trends are you loving for cakes? 

Xo,


Snapshots From A Winter Maternity Shoot

I can hardly believe it...just about 8 weeks left to go with this pregnancy. Baby H is scheduled to arrive sometime around St. Patty's day, so what's normally just a small holiday will be much grander for us this year.

A few weeks ago we had our maternity shoot with Ampersand Studios- we wanted more of a family oriented photo session this time around and we got the sweetest pictures...complete with a bonus: lots of  snow! It was freezing but so worth it for the end result. So excuse today's diversion of weddings to trade in for a little nesting on the blog. If anything maybe it will give you ideas for when it's time for you and your honey to start a family. Many thanks to Frannie at Ampersand for all the gorgeousness seen here, and take a peek at her blog for even more photos!






Xo,


Inspiring Photo No. 62

Today is more like inspiring words....not only is it MLK day (an inspiring day in itself), but these words, found over at Note To Self, just sat with me. It is true, especially in creative work, that I think when you come across an obstacle you find inspiration. So whether you're planning the wedding or creating designs for a client, remember this. And have a very happy Monday and holiday if you're able to sleep in one more day!


Xo,


The Gorgeous Orangery At Ball Manor | In Pictures

Breathtaking is more like it. And very southern meets French...it really spoke to the belles and Francophiles within us. It's just what Boise has been aching for- a plantation style venue (complete with the acreage to accompany it) in the country (but not so far out). Introducing The Orangery At Ball Manor. 

Set to open to brides, private parties, and picturesque photo opps this summer, Boise's newest venue is going to make the ladies swoon. We were so delighted to be brought on board in organizing and designing a photo shoot that would not only show off the venue's natural beauty, but also serve as a gorgeous sneak peek of the endless possibilities on the Orangery's marketing materials.

Some tidbits about the venue: The manor boasts an indoor/outdoor option with roll up and french doors that all open on to about 3000 sq ft of patio space. This means your party can flow in and out, fresh air will be plenty, and the views will be bountiful for your guests. Need more indoor space? The ample space on either side of the venue allows for tents to come right up to the building for a seamless look. And we haven't even gotten to the English gardens that will be gracing the property- I've seen the landscaping plans and it is going to be, well, breathtaking. The entire property as a whole is on about 10 acres, so parties of 80-1000+ will fit comfortably here, all served with ample amounts of charm.

Here are some of our favorite snapshots from our friends over at Two Bird Studio of the photo shoot we collaborated on. Our vision for the shoot was to enhance the natural "French Country" feel the space has as well as play up what the manor will be famous for- it's orange trees. Hope you love it as much as we do!

The Team:

Photography- Two Bird Studio
Design & Styling- Soiree
Flowers- Flowers At Will
Stationery- Dear Ampersand
Cake- Amaru
Petits Fours- Le Bisou
Gown- Heartfelt Bridal
Suit- Sweetheart Manor
Hair- Deco Hair & Makeup Design
Makeup- Gabby Marcantonio for Bobbi Brown










Xo,


Bridal Beauty | Winter Glow

Find photo here
Winter can be rough. Not only are the days shorter and the nights colder but my skin...gets a little lackluster. By January I am longing for Summer and that sun-kissed glow. This usually leads to a loose regimin of applying gradual bronzing lotion once a month or laying in a tanning bed for all of two minutes because the thought of skin cancer or wrinkles outweighs my dream of bronzed skin!

This year I figured I would try working with what I have and create a "Winter Glow" by taking good care of my skin. Instead of using any old drugstore face wash and moisturizer like I usually do, I invested in a new skin care line. My favorite part is the hydrating anti-aging skin serum. This time last year, I would have scoffed at using anything anti-aging, but this year all my resolutions revolve around taking good care of myself and my health. It's never too early to start taking care of your skin and who doesn't want a healthy, glowing complexion? If you're interested, the line I'm currently loving can be found here. There are many carrying similar serums so check out your favorite products and find the best one for you. Cheers to lovely skin in this lovely new year!



2012 Weddings Round Up | Inspiration Board Favorites

Last week we launched our "Best of" weddings round up for 2012, and this week we continue with some of our favorite inspiration boards for clients and projects we were included in last year. Having an inspiration board is such an important part of our design process- it's not a new concept by any means- but we make a big deal out of it because it really brings the focus. When we meet with clients for the first time, the vision may be there but it's usually muddled with so many different ideas that it can seem overwhelming to reign it all in. By working with our clients through a series of meetings, photos, sketches, and lots of questions, we present our design and inspiration boards as a way to ensure we've got the vision and that we've realized theirs.

Here is a compilation of some of our favorites* from last year, and you can see how some of them vary in style as we customized them to the client or project:

This Navy, Gray & Butter wedding was one of the highlights of our summer, with an eclectic mix of formal and fun. We kept the same color scheme for the entire wedding weekend event, but slowly increased the formality each day. The family ended their McCall vacation with a wedding brunch in the Narrows at Shore Lodge before heading home, and what a lovely weekend it was. 

This September wedding at Boise's Linen Building began with a vision of Mad Men, and evolved into lady-like vintage meets rustic masculine. The simple color palette, touches of faux bois, and vintage attire really made our day. 



From one of our photo shoots this year, we were inspired by the fall metallics and pretty pinks, grays and golds. Held in the backyard of a private property, we brought metals and hardware to the otherwise  soft palette. 


Definitely one of our favorites of the summer, we loved seeing how a wedding filled with very neutral colors- khakis, ivory, soft sage and gray- can really pop when subtle vibrant colors are introduced. We took the base colors and added a few touches of cornflower, navy, and powder blue and the result was stunning and perfect for a wedding by the Payette lake. 


Lovingly dubbed our southern wedding of the year, our hearts pitter pattered all over this one. Rustic meets glamour, and the comeback of flower varieties like baby's breath and queen anne's lace was so inspiring and refreshing. 


One of our first events of 2012, this Shore Lodge wedding was a direct representation of the couple, complete with their quirky nature and favorite interests together in mind. By looking at photos of their home, talking about what they loved to do on a typical weekend, and noticing the bride's use of at least one bright color in her outfits, this spring garden wedding evolved. Held in snowy March, we used bright spring colors and many nods to their love of gardening; the result was fun yet sophisticated with lush flowers everywhere. 


This inspiration board was from another photo shoot- the precursor to our Lucky In Love giveaway we teamed up in. All of the participating vendors put their heads together to create an inspired shoot to show potential couples the level of talent they were winning by entering the contest. Inspired by fashion's tribal looks and shades of turquoise, coral, and gold, this project was so much fun to be a part of. 

Hope you are inspired as you begin (or dig in further) to your plans for your event! Come back again on Wednesday for more wedding round ups! 

* Credit information: As we used these inspiration boards solely for the purpose of relaying a theme or vision for our clients, unfortunately some of the sources of the photos were not saved. We respect the privacy and credit of each photo, so if one of these are yours please email us and we will promptly credit the work as necessary. Thank you! 

Xo,



Press | Soiree + Shore Lodge In Pictures

Picture this: The whole team heads to the bridal show a couple of weekends ago to do our yearly walk-thru and catchup with vendors we haven't seen in a while, when we stumble across our friends at the Shore Lodge weddings booth and catch a glimpse of this:



We were thrilled to see our work from this past summer featured in the 2013 Shore Lodge marketing brochure (all photos by the lovely Tana Photography). We immediately grabbed several and tried hard not to look like giddy school girls (I'm not sure if we were successful)....

Stay tuned for our weekly 2012 weddings round up series this week and in the coming weeks as we'll be featuring much of what you see here! 

Have a happy Tuesday!

Xo,



Bridal To Red Carpet | Golden Globes 2013

Like most women you probably watched the Golden Globes last night- if not for the awards then simply for the fashion. We couldn't help but notice several celebrities donning gorgeous frocks from some of our favorite bridal designers, either. Here are four favorite stunners that caught our eye last night:

Carolina Herrera 

Lucy Liu chose this garden variety from one of the most graceful bridal designers out there, Carolina Herrera.



..And loved how she kept the jewelry simple and understated with just some barely-there earrings.

Monique Lhuillier

Bestow my beating heart, if it isn't my favorite bridal designer. And this piece worn by Julianne Hough could easily walk straight to the altar too.



Reem Acra

This lovely lady comes thisclose to my love of the romance of a Monique; could be a tie actually. Isla Fisher looks just radiant in this sparkly number, and how pretty is her red hair with the nude gown?



Jenny Packham

And finally, Kristen Bell in this studded, empire waist style gown is just amazing. 


These were just a few of the gorgeous styles and designers on the red carpet this year. What were your favorites? Can you see any of these styles down the aisle too? 

Xo,




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