Seating Card Gallery

Seating cards and place cards are among my favorite pieces of wedding stationery. I love the miniature scale and the wonderful repeat effect created when the cards are lined up at the reception. The seating card designs below come with mini envelopes. Have your calligrapher write each guest's name on the front of the envelope and their table number assignment on the enclosure. It's a good idea to keep a few blank seating cards on hand at the reception so you can easily take care of any last-minute seating changes.

(Seating card designs and photos by Blue Ribbon Design)

Chinoiserie Seating Cards

These chinoiserie seating cards were designed for an upcoming event. I can't wait to see what the cards look like when they come back from the calligrapher.

(Seating card design and photo by Blue Ribbon Design)

Cookie Favors

I designed these cookie favors for a recent wedding celebration (photos coming soon!) and I was so pleased with the way they came out, I just had to share.

The bride wanted to use a beloved family recipe to make cookie favors for the guests and the packaging needed to coordinate with the rest of the printed pieces I had previously designed for the event. Working with the brown and chartreuse palette that had been established with the invitation suite, small cellophane bags were lined with two sheets of paper: a chartreuse layer in front, and a cream-colored layer in back, which was printed with the couple's name, event date and cookie recipe. The perfect combination of decorative and personal, these colorful little packages provided a nice pop of color within the mostly white tablescapes at the reception and passed on a family recipe that could be savored that evening and in the future.

(Cookie favor design and photos by Blue Ribbon Design)

Musée des Arts décoratifs

If you are visiting the Louvre, don't forget to visit the Musée des Arts Decoratifs. The period rooms are full of beautiful textiles, ceramics, glass, and furniture, and the hushed Galerie des bijoux provides a quiet and intimate viewing experience that is a welcome change of pace from the crowds in the main museum.

Musée des Arts décoratifs
107, rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris
Tél. : 01 44 55 57 50
www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

(Photo from museum website: Broche « nœuds », 1819-1838, Paris, photo credit: Laurent Sully Jaulmes)

Les Parfums de Rosine

This tiny boutique is tucked away in the corridors of the Palais Royal - the gardens providing the perfect backdrop for a parfumerie dedicated to exploring the essence of the Rose. The perfumes are delightfully feminine and (of course) I am in love with the packaging.


LES PARFUMS DE ROSINE
Jardin du Palais Royal
105, Galerie de Valois – 75001 PARIS
Tel : 01 42 60 11 51
www.les-parfums-de-rosine.com

(Logo and boutique storefront images from the Parfums de Rosine website. Photos of samples and shopping bag from Blue Ribbon Design)

Decorative Details

Just a few pretty details. From top left: Wall covering from the Grand Trianon, detail of a painted frame in the Louvre, a striking color combination (yellow, salmon pink, black, and gold!), and a close up of de La Tour's pastel of Mme de Pompadour at the Louvre (love the shoes).

Ladurée

One of my favorite places to visit in Paris is Ladurée on rue Royal. Their macarons are known to be amongst the best in Paris and after having eaten here twice during my visit, I can confirm that they are indeed worth a special trip.

The shop's fabled displays of pastel pastries are visually inspiring and the flavors on offer are enchanting: cassis-violette, praliné, framboise, pistache, pétales de rose, caramel à la fleur de sel, fleur d’oranger, citron, pain d’épice...

As a paper person, I especially appreciate Ladurée's flair for packaging and printed details. Wouldn't the initialed tea handle cover above (which is made of a very soft paper, by the way) make a fantastic addition to service at a bridal tea or during dessert at a wedding reception?

And speaking of wedding receptions, if you are having a French-themed celebration, macarons or chocolates from Ladurée would be a wonderfully extravagant wedding favor, especially since Ladurée's sweets are not available yet in the United States and must be ordered directly through the shops in Europe.

Ladurée Royale
16, rue Royale - 75008 Paris
Tel : 01 42 60 21 79 - Fax : 01 49 27 01 95
www.laduree.com

(All photos by Blue Ribbon Design)

Bonjour!

I've just returned from Paris and will soon be sharing a few of my favorite shops and inspiring places to visit in the city of light.

(Vintage Eiffel Tower fabric via Fabric Attic)