ORANGE YOU GLAD?

I’m a big believer in not always having to be so serious with your invitations. So if you’re thinking of having a little fun with your designs, you’ve come to the right place!

Still, you may wonder if it’s possible to take a playful idea and make it elegant. I’m here to reassure you that it is! Just look at the invitation suite we created for Elizabeth and Matthew, whose wedding was spun together by the fabulous event planner Jill La Fleur. The couple was getting married in Ojai, California, which is famous for its oranges. Given that the bride loves everything from the fruit’s scent to its color, we thought we would use the iconic citrus as inspiration and truly personalize the results. For a bit of fun, we riffed on the classic orange joke by adding the line “Orange You Glad You’re Invited” to the save-the-dates and incorporated the actual color into the more formal, flourish-filled invitations. See the whimsical but elegant results here.

We couldn’t resist continuing the playful mood in this week’s issue, so make sure to check out the orange-themed items in this week’s Get the Look. Plus, if you’re still jonesing for more bright color, take a look at Sephora’s fun new collection of beauty goodies, inspired by Pantone’s recently revealed “Color of the Year,” Tangerine Tango. Orange you glad you’re reading this issue?

The Creative Team

• Photography: Brian Dorsey Studios
• Hair Styling: Gina Marie Pareti
• Makeup: Heidi Evora-Santiago for Damali NYC
• Fashion: Diane von Furstenberg
• Jewelry: Amelia Rose Jewelry
• Jewelry: Stella & Dot by Cindy Anzel

Create an orange-themed vibe with pieces that are both stylish and fun

1. CALIFORNIA DREAMING
   Let your wedding invitations exceed your dreams. The ones we created for Elizabeth and Matthew took a whimsical orange theme to elegant new heights (various prices, cecinewyork.com).
2. SLICE OF LIFE
   Just in time for greenmarket season, Kate Spade brings wit to the basic straw tote ($245, endless.com).
3. BRIGHT FUTURE
   Go for something a little different on your toes using Essie’s Orange, It’s Obvious nail polish ($6.90, amazon.com).
4. ORANGE ENERGY
   Don this bright, slinky dress from Donna Karan and stand out from the crowd (donnakaran.com).
5. DRINK UP
   Send a playful message at your next party with these striped paper straws from Sip Sticks ($11.97, sipsticks.com).
6. MADE IN THE SHADE
   Framed in cheery orange, Cutler and Gross’s oversized sunglasses make a sunny statement ($475, net-a-porter.com).
7. GREEN ACRES
   This old-fashioned Orange Blossom Brand art print ($9.99, amazon.com) would be fun to frame and hang in the kitchen.
8. PRESSING MATTER
   Crave a glass of freshly squeezed OJ this minute? There’s no tool easier than this large orange juicer ($14.95, surlatable.com).
9. FLAVOR AID
   Bring the bright essence of orange to dishes both sweet and savory with a few drops of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Orange Extract ($5.95, surlatable.com).
10. FRUIT ARRANGEMENT
    Turn your backyard into a mini fruit orchard with this easy-to-move Blood Orange Patio Tree ($69.95, harryanddavid.com).

Be inspired by Elizabeth and Matthew’s elegant orchard wedding in Ojai, California

Invitations by Ceci New York

PLAYFUL SAVE-THE-DATES & ELEGANT INVITATIONS
by Ceci Johnson
Invitation suites with personality are a sure way to get your guests’ attention and build excitement. Personally, I’m always thrilled when I get to work with a client who embraces being unique and loves to have a little fun with their designs. But can you be whimsical even if you’re planning a formal wedding? Of course!

My advice: do it with your save-the-dates. They’re the perfect opportunity to do something less formal; you can always follow with a more traditional invitation. Take, for example, what we did for Elizabeth & Matthew. To have some fun with their orange obsession, we played off the typical “Orange you glad?” jokes and put “Orange you glad you’re invited?” on the cover of their save-the-date booklet. When guests opened the envelope, they couldn’t help but smile. Each page followed with personal messages from the couple and all the details of their wedding weekend in Ojai, California, set against a backdrop of vintage orange crate labels! Even the cover was made of wood-grain embossed paper alluding to the wooden orange crates. Love these kinds of details!

The invitations that followed were made to look more elegant. Our team hand drew the couple’s names in flourished calligraphy and designed an intricate family crest that incorporated all their personal details. We kept the orange theme going through the ink color and playful little icons on the RSVP card. For the welcome note that guests received when they arrived at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, we brought back the vintage orange crate label theme and greeted guests with the line “Orange you glad you’re here?” to put them in a happy mood for the weekend.

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EMBRACE COLOR: TANGERINE TANGO!
by Ceci Johnson
As a graphic designer, I consider Pantone’s inks an essential part of my design work. Every piece I create incorporates a Pantone (or PMS – Pantone Matching System) ink in it. So naturally when I saw that Pantone and Sephora were collaborating on a line of products inspired by Pantone’s “Color of the Year,” Tangerine Tango – and thereby combining my two loves, color and beauty – I was beyond excited. In keeping with our orange theme this week, I couldn’t resist sharing it with you. Just in time for spring and summer, I encourage you to check out these products. They’re all available on Sephora.com, and the price points make it easy to jump right in. I always love buying a bright new coral lip gloss for the season, and this year I’m definitely going to give one of the choices below a try. I’m thinking Tangerine Tango for my toes, too. Live life in color!

PS: For those of you who want to bring this ink into your printed invitations, I recommend PANTONE 172U. Just tell your invitation designer and they will be really impressed you are speaking their language! Have fun!

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ELIZABETH RAUNER BREWER
Take the time to set up meetings with industry professionals and choose to work with people that “get” you. Planning goes much smoother when you don’t have to worry about explaining what your version of “rustic elegance” looks like. Know your overall concept and what will be important to you before hiring your team, then be open to input and insight from your vendors – they do it for a living! We really wanted to show why Ojai was important to us – it is where we met and attended high school. The invitations, the red barn and orange groves at the rehearsal dinner and reception were exactly what I imagined thanks to the creative direction of the talented people who made our wedding happen.

What It’s Like to Be a Ceci Bride:
For me, being a Ceci Bride was so much fun and one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. We knew what a great impact invitations can make leading up to an event and we wanted to ensure guests had the right information to make travel plans. Ceci perfectly helped us package the practical and the decorative for our wedding. Being from out of town, I found the design process easy via phone conversations and electronic proofs. I loved that Ceci got exactly what we wanted with the first drafts – it’s as if she read my mind!

View Elizabeth & Matthew’s wedding invitations and photos in Our Muse

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As you can see from the beautiful makeup Mar Romero and her crew at TEAM Hair & Makeup have done for Elizabeth’s wedding (in these gorgeous images shot by my friend Jose Villa), Mar knows a thing or two about making people look effortlessly beautiful. I asked her if she could share with us her top five everyday beauty tips that we could all try at home and she agreed to let us in on her secrets! I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely trying the braided bun for work. And even though it sounds crazy, I’m going to whip me up a batch of that avocado-and-beer hair remedy and give it a try ASAP! See below for more. Thanks, Mar, for sharing.

MAR ROMERO, TEAM HAIR & MAKEUP
Mar Romero, a fourth-generation Latina, was raised in San Diego, California, with dreams of becoming a makeup artist. She began her career in the mid 1990s, working as a national makeup artist for major cosmetic lines, including Bobbi Brown and Christian Dior. Mar quickly advanced into TV, independent films, commercials, and photo shoots. In the late 1990s, Mar was asked to do makeup for several Oscar nominees at the Academy Awards. Soon after, these high-profile celebrities began recommending Mar to friends and relatives for special events and weddings. It was then that Mar began to turn her focus towards the wedding industry. Using her artistic talent and creative vision, Mar launched TEAM Hair and Makeup in 1999. Mar has traveled to the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Bali, Italy, Hawaii, and Central and South America to style fashion shoots and weddings. Through perseverance and dedication, Mar has transformed herself into a master of her trade.

5 Hair & Makeup Tips by Mar Romero, Team Hair & Makeup

1. Quick hairstyle: Want that I’m-not-even-trying hair? Dampen your hair with water and mousse, then braid your hair tightly into a ponytail and wrap it into a bun and pin. Take your blow dryer and dry your hair for three minutes on high heat, then unfold your bun and braid for some beachy waves without the fuss!
2. Hair treatment: Dry ends? Here’s a natural way to get sleek, shiny hair! Grab two avocados, a can of beer (don’t drink it!) and an egg and mix them together. Once blended, massage the mixture into your hair and slip on a shower cap for 30 minutes. Rinse and condition for a smooth, healthy-looking do!
3. Moisturizer: Before applying foundation, always prep the skin with an oil-free moisturizer to ensure your skin glows naturally all day.
4. Lips: To ensure your lipstick lasts all day, remove all gloss, chapstick or makeup and apply lipstick on a bare lip, then blot and reapply.
5. Eyes: For a natural “smokey” look, toss out any dark shadows and replace them with a light shimmer shadow to sweep across your lid. Using a gel liner in black or black/brown, line the inside of your waterline and then smudge out with your finger for a natural, sultry eye without all the drama!

Discover more on Team Hair & Makeup

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Elizabeth and Matthew’s Wedding Video by Joel Serrato Films

Elizabeth and Matthew’s Dream Team

• Invitations: Ceci New York
• Dress: Vera Wang
• Shoes: Jimmy Choo
• Hair/Makeup: Mar Romero of TEAM Hair & Makeup
• Bridesmaids Dresses: Vera Wang
• Groomsmen Suits: J. Crew
• Rings: Trabert & Hoeffer, Chicago
• Venue – Ceremony: Outdoor Chapel of The Thacher School
• Venue – Reception: Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
• Music: The James Gang/West Coast Music
• Photographer: Jose Villa Wedding Photography
• Florist: Mindy Rice
• Planner: Jill La Fleur of La Fleur Weddings and Events
• Videography: Joel Serrato Films
• Catering Manager: Tiffany Emch, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

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Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai, California

Escape to this historic resort of casual elegance featuring luxury accommodations, Spa Ojai, and a championship golf course.

Discover more on Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai, California

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Use this palette as a stepping stone toward creating your own dream event.
Click on the color swatches to see how the colors come to life at a real event or discover more inspiring color stories now.

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MARTHA STEWART WEDDINGS FEATURES CECI NEW YORK!

Real Weddings: Elizabeth Rauner & Matthew Brewer

Ceci New York designed the playful save-the-date booklets and elegant invitations for this elegant and rustic wedding in Ojai, California.

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Olive-Oil Cake with Candied Orange

From Bon Appétit

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours

A mild or fruity olive oil works best in this cardamom-scented cake. Just try not to eat all of the candied orange slices before the cake cools.

Ingredients:

Candied orange and syrup
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup orange blossom honey
3 tablespoons green cardamom pods, crushed
1 small orange, thinly sliced

Cake
1/2 cup olive oil plus more for brushing
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour (pasta flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chopped unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted

Special equipment:
9″-diameter springform pan

Ingredient Info:
Semolina flour (pasta flour) is available at better supermarkets and at Italian markets.

Directions – for candied orange and syrup:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Bring sugar, honey, cardamom, and 3 cups water to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
3. Add orange slices. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, turning orange slices occasionally, until tender and syrup is reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 40 minutes.
4. Arrange orange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; remove cardamom pods and seeds.
5. Strain syrup.
6. Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover syrup and orange slices separately; chill. Return orange slices to room temperature and rewarm syrup slightly before using.

Directions – for cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush pan with oil.
2. Whisk both flours and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil in a large bowl for 1 minute.
4. Beat in yolks, then flour mixture. Beat in yogurt, zest, and vanilla.
5. Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form.
6. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until firm peaks form.
7. Fold egg whites into batter just to blend in 2 additions.
8. Transfer to prepared pan; smooth top.
9. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
10. Pierce hot cake all over with a metal skewer.
11. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup warm syrup all over.
12. When syrup is absorbed, slowly pour 3/4 cup more syrup over. Reserve remaining syrup for serving.
13. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack.
14. Run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides.
15. Arrange candied orange slices over. Sprinkle pistachios over. Cut into wedges and serve drizzled with more syrup.

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LAST CHANCE TO WIN A $4,500 TABLETOP SHOPPING SPREE WITH NEWLYWISH!

As you may already know, NewlyWish is running an exciting contest to help you restyle your tabletop: one lucky winner in their Registry Re-Patterned Sweepstakes will receive a $4,500 shopping spree to use toward chic china, crystal and giftware from Waterford Wedgwood on NewlyWish.com. Renowned for their fine china and crystal for more than 250 years, Waterford and Wedgwood have also partnered with a number of leading innovators in the wedding and design worlds, including Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Jasper Conran, and John Rocha, to name a few (click here to check out all of their beautiful products on NewlyWish). I was invited to assemble my own assortment of dishes from these existing lines. I was so excited to spend an afternoon at the WWRD showroom and have my pick of whatever designs I wanted to mix and match to create my own Ceci collection of dishes. Whatever your mood, this collection allows you to make a personal style statement at your table. See the images below and click here to add to your own registry.

Images courtesy of Allan Zepeda Photography

And as a special gift to our CeciStyle readers, you’ll receive a special bonus entry. What could be better than that!?

There are 2 ways to enter (and you’re welcome to try both and double your chances):

1. Visit the NewlyWish facebook page and follow the Sweepstakes button.
BONUS: Enter referral code CECI2012 in the sweepstakes entry form to receive an additional entry!

2. Create a registry on NewlyWish and be automatically entered.

The sweepstakes ends on April 24, 2012 and the winner will be announced on May 1, 2012.

Enter now and lock in your entries before time runs out!

Best of luck,

Ceci Johnson + the CeciStyle Team

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In next week’s issue: Luxury on the Riviera Maya

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