“A wedding shower in a brewery?”
Yeah, I hear you – but look! Look how bright! Look how stylish! Look how colorful! (I also have to say, beer at a bridal shower would really go down well with THIS blogger.)
Danielle hosted her bridal shower at a location of Gordon Biersch Brewery, and photographer Ali McGhie was there to capture these beautiful photos, below. Because Danielle owns The Wooden Trunk, a vintage decor rental company in Las Vegas, the styling is immaculate.
Chevron, bold striping and polka dot patterns details added a modern touch, along with pops of color from bright flowers in mason jars. And… are those bon bon wrappers in the apothecary jar? AMAZING! The event reminds me of a farmhouse longtable dinner, with all your besties along for some fun. And really, that’s how bridal showers should be!
Of course, because it was a wedding shower there were personal touches like photos of the bride and groom hanging off rickrack in a whimsical window frame, ornate frames with handwritten signs, recipes for the bride to take home and games, of course. And cupcakes! Let’s not forget the cupcakes.
Venue and Vendor Goodness:
Photography: Ali McGhie / Venue: Gordon Biersch Brewery / Event Decor & Styling: The Wooden Trunk
Posted by Little Vegas Wedding
One of the things I love about wedding blogging is that every single day I get up, I’m inspired. By a photograph I see, a wedding submission, a wedding on another blog, a typeface on a piece of stationery – the list goes on! One of the things I find most inspiring however, are the amazing Las Vegas wedding industry professionals.
So, the last time I visited Las Vegas in March, I set up a studio visit with the inspiring Brooke and Michael Coxen at Paper and Home. I’ve been a fan for some time, seeing their invitations and design work in the submissions I’ve received. And I’m a big fan of their Twitter feed and Pins.
They were incredibly gracious and let me into their home studio in west Las Vegas so that I could learn a bit more about their work, their business and them!
Brooke and Michael’s passion for paper stems from successful careers and their meeting (and courtship) in New York City. Originally from southern California, Brooke worked for some time with a luxury, high-end wedding invitation and stationery studio in New York City and learned the ins and outs of the trade, while honing her design talents.
Born and raised in New York, Michael was a marketing guru who specialized in music and media at the time. (The couple met at a music gig!) Drawn together by their love of music, food and great design, they made it official and were wed!
After creating this relationship with dash of creative spirit and business know-how, the Coxens relocated to Las Vegas in 2010 and are in every sense a team operation. Brooke heads up design and Michael takes care of branding. And yet they both wear many hats, and are both extremely knowledgeable about their products and industry.
An indication of what lies within…
I rolled up to their home and was met by a beautiful sign. (Shocking, I know!)
Stepping into their tidy, modern studio I couldn’t help but instantly fawn over the invitation samples out on display once my eyes were drawn to them, and wanted to immediately look through every sample book on their impressive shelves! It’s a bright and comfortable space, and full of creative energy, inspiration and ideas to draw from.
What sets Brooke and Michael apart from other stationers in the area are the premium and exclusive lines of stationery available to them. They’ve handpicked products and vendors that they know, love, and stand behind. Just some of the design houses they are able to offer exclusively to Las Vegas are: Dauphine Press, Smock, Alee & Press, Spark Letterpress and Smudge Ink.
But what is print unless it has some great paper to back it up? Paper & Home offer a luxe line of beautiful paper styles. Of special interest to me were the ecologically and environmentally-minded options such as seed woven papers, recycled papers and sustainable materials being used in yet others, such as bamboo and cotton.
How lovely would it be for your wedding invitation recipients to plant their invite after receiving it?
An example of the Bloomin’ brand seed-laden papers Paper & Home offers
Looking beyond design and paper, they work with vendors they have formed strong relationships with to create unique graphic designs and provide beautiful services such as calligraphy, foil printing, letterpress and illustrations.
I was blown away by the custom watercolor illustrations done for this wedding invitation, below:
Rock climbing, camping and their dogs – how perfect is this bespoke invitation with watercolor illustrations?
As we bonded over our love of visiting the post office, mail and the written word, I knew that they were very passionate about what they have chosen to do. And that’s what I find inspiring. They apply their personal touch and standard to everything they work on – as if it were their own!
Brooke uses her critical eye cultivated through years of working at a demanding high end stationer to apply that to your invitation suite – be it for 10 people, or 1,000. As they showed me some of their work that typified their varied design sense and abilities, I grew incredibly jealous of the personal touches, quality and colors in the suites I saw.
You see, I designed my invites via a stationer on Etsy, and did yet other parts of my invitation and day-of stationery myself. I look back fondly now, but I cannot tell you how much I regretted my decision one particular night at my friend’s house after I broke her printer for the fifth time and we both got toner all over us like something out of an I Love Lucy skit. If I could do it again…
Paper & Home are extremely service orientated and will take care of you from start to finish – initial design to licking the envelope, essentially. Working with you, they want to take your ideas and turn them into reality to create your couture invitations.
They aspire to have a couple’s proofs back within a week (you can read about their entire design process here) and offer unlimited edits to your pieces. They really want you to be happy with what you are getting and for you to get an unforgettable piece that is one-of-a-kind.
The Coxens also strive to work within your budget, no matter what it might be. In light of that, they are very transparent in their pricing and billing breaking costs down line by line, and offer a la carte services.
Keep in mind they do not just work on wedding invitation suites, either! While in their studio I saw phenomenal birthday, announcement and card designs for all occasions. I love a good electronic card as much as the rest of you, but let’s bring the paper back folks!
Thank you, Brooke and Michael for taking some time out of your busy day and allowing me to step into your studio and world. I can’t wait to see what exciting plans Paper & Home has for 2014!
I encourage you to view more of their designs below, online or to set up a complimentary appointment with Brooke and Michael. They love to talk paper and design and are very welcoming!
Paper & Home
www.paperandhome.com
Premium Stationery & Design Studio
Las Vegas, Nevada
Consultations and Studio Visits by Appointment Only
As Seen In: Style Me Pretty, Inspired by This, this beautiful styled shoot inspired by the film “Amelie” and most recently the Wedding Week series on TV’s MORE Fox5 {video} sharing tips and tricks on planning your wedding!
A cinema-themed invitation (the couple even requested RSVPs by video!)
Indian weddings are multi-faceted with many different parts and traditions, so it makes sense that the invitations were multi-layered as well!
I was in love with the foil detailing and – can you see it? The little jewel between the E and the T!
Custom map? Yup, they can do that too!
PS: In case you were wondering… the “home” part of Paper & Home? That stems from the other part of their business, home organization. Brooke is a qualified personal organizer. You don’t need to look any further than their immaculate studio to see they practice what they preach.
(Photos by Yours Truly)
Posted by Little Vegas Wedding
Meringues from Chocolate & Spice Bakery
File this one under “It’s a Hard Job, But Someone Has to do It” – when I was in Las Vegas recently, I spent an entire day – yes, 8 hours, driving around the city trying all the different treats and desserts that could be had. Why? Research, for this article of course.
Las Vegas weddings are a little out of the ordinary, so why not go with something original for a post-wedding dessert? Wedding cakes will always be popular, but there are so many other choices if that’s not your speed, or you are having a smaller guest list that allows for more variety.
Below are 11 wedding cake alternatives available at bakeries in the Vegas area. Keep in mind many can be arranged in a wedding cake shape thanks to a tiered display cake tower, or stacked into a wedding cake shape if you still want that classic look for photos. Check out the Pinterest board of wedding cake alternatives I compiled. It’s full of different ideas on how to incorporate the desserts below into your wedding, from tiers of donuts to macaron “trees”!
Also know that many of these bakeries still do fabulous traditional wedding cakes as well.
Delicious doughnuts at Ronald’s Donuts
Donuts or donut holes
{Ronald’s Donuts, 4600 Spring Mountain Road}
Not too far off the Strip is a place of doughnut wonder, Ronald’s. Yeasty, a little sweet, fresh and moist – these doughnuts were amazing. Sprinkles, jelly-filled, classic glazed, chocolate, cake, powdered, peanut and cinnamon sugar were on offer the day I visited.
Display Ideas: They (donuts or just the holes) would look good stacked into a cake shape, vertically or horizontally!
Prices: $0.80 a donut, $1.00 for jelly filled, $1.30 for fancies. $1.00 for a dozen donut holes. Volume discounts available for orders of over 10 dozen.
Glorious cake pop “cake” by SugarBella
Cake Pops
{SugarBella, online}
I did not personally sample these since they do not have a retail outlet, but SugarBella offers a variety of cake flavors in cute bite size pops and a beautiful stand to display these sweet bites. They’re cake combined with cream cheese or buttercream frosting then dipped in chocolate and decorated. They’re very on trend right now, don’t you know?
Display Ideas: Uh, see photo above. 
Price: Cake pops start at $24 per dozen and bouquets at $38.
Haha – can you tell when I visited Nothing Bundt Cakes for this photo?
Mini Bundt Cakes
{Nothing Bundt Cakes, 9711 S Eastern Avenue and 8320 W Sahara Avenue}
These delicious morsels are available in two miniature sizes: bite-size bundtinis and slightly larger bundtlets. 10 different flavors like cinnamon swirl, red velvet, white chocolate raspberry and a few classics are among the varieties and they are topped with cream cheese frosting. They’re moist and so cute!
Display Ideas: The bakery also rents cake stands for these.
Price: $16.50-45 for a dozen
Meringues from Patisserie Manon
Meringues
{Chocolate & Spice Bakery, 7293 W Sahara Avenue and Patisserie Manon French Bakery, 8751 W Charleston Boulevard}
I sampled meringues from both of these locations, and found the ones at Chocolate & Spice to be a little bit fresher, but the flavors at Patisserie Manon to be more varied. Meringues shouldn’t crumble in your mouth, they should melt.
Display Ideas: These would be stunning with their ripples and ridges on a tiered silver cake stand or as a tree.
Prices: Classic available at Chocolate & Spice. Vanilla, coffee and cherry available at Patisserie Manon for $0.50 each
Top: macarons at Patisserie Manon, Bottom: super size macarons at Bread & Butter
Macarons
{Bread & Butter, 10940 S Eastern Avenue and Patisserie Manon French Bakery, 8751 W Charleston Boulevard}
This French delicacy pops up all over Las Vegas, but my favorites were at Bread & Butter (great sandwiches, too) and at Patisserie Manon. The flavors at Bread & Butter were fabulous, but the colors and texture got me at Patisserie Manon. Other popular places to get these include Payard Patisserie at Caesars Palace and Bouchon Bakery at Venetian.
Display Ideas: The larger ones could be stacked into a pyramid, or stuck to a cake.
Price: $2.50 each for a larger size at Bread & Butter flavors change but included mint, lemon, pistachio and root beer the day I visited. $1 a macaron at Patisserie Manon, flavors included peanut butter, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, lemon, raspberry, mint chocolate, coffee and ginger. They also offered cakes decked out with macarons.
The mother of all cookies, Retro Bakery’s Megachip, on the bottom
Cookies
{Retro Bakery, 7785 N Durango Drive and Drago Sisters, 6870 S Rainbow Boulevard}
I can never say no to Retro, and while I was there visiting and sampling, I picked up one of their legendary Megachip cookies. Three kinds of chocolate chips, and so jam packed I don’t know how the dough held it together. Perfect for cookie monster at your wedding. Doreen and Diana at Drago Sisters offer classic chocolate chip style cookies, but I nearly fell over when I saw they also sold perfect crescent shaped rugelach, just like my mom makes – flaky and not too sweet.
Display Ideas: Why limit yourself to just one kind? Make a cookie buffet!
Price: Cookies at Retro Bakery are $1.50 each, or they can make an 8-inch cookie cake with a day’s notice. Flavors rotate but include megachip, chocolate chip, oatmeal scotchies, red velvet chip and peanut butter choco chunk. At Drago sisters, sugar cookies, chocolate chip, nut white chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles, linzer, Mexican wedding and shortbread style cookies are also available. $7.95-$9.95 a dozen
Top: coconut cream minipie at Drago Sisters Bakery, Bottom: flaky fruit minipies at Chocolate & Spice Bakery
Mini Pies
{Drago Sisters, 6870 S Rainbow Boulevard and Chocolate & Spice Bakery, 7293 W Sahara Avenue}
I remember when I first started seeing pies go viral on big wedding blogs a couple of years ago and I immediately groaned, “Why didn’t I think of that!” when it came to my wedding. I do love cake, but I love pie even more. Miniature pies are perfect for single eaters, and I think the dough is more tender in smaller versions. Plus – they’re cuter!
Display Ideas: Miniature pies on a table, mixed with miniature cakes, or how about individual ones served with ice cream? Perfect for rustic, homegrown weddings. I also like these three different sized pies stacked in a tier
Prices: Drago Sisters do miniature coconut and chocolate cream pies (I ate mine in the car) starting at $2.95-$4.95. Chocolate & Spice has more variety like apple (sold out when I was there, drat it), banana cream, pecan and more, priced at $5.25 and up.
Mint ganache filled chocolate sandwich cookies at Sugar Bee’s
Homemade Oreo-style Sandwich Cookies
{Sugar Bee’s, 7835 S Rainbow Boulevard}
These perfect cookies at Sugar Bee’s were a mint ganache stuffed between two crisp chocolate cookies. They were photogenic and delicious – what more do you need in a wedding dessert? Thomas Keller, of Bouchon fame, is well known for his TKO cookies – “Thomas Keller Oreos” which are available at Bouchon Bakery in Venetian.
Prices: $2.50 each for these grasshopper pie-ish cookies at Sugar Bee’s
Truffles and chocolate as far as the eye can see at Chocolate & Spice
Truffles
{Chocolate and Spice Bakery, 7293 W Sahara Avenue}
Perhaps better suited for favors, these truffles are all custom and handmade at Chocolate & Spice. While I was there I tried a few varieties including an imaginative Guinness and Bacon combination! Also on offer were too many flavors to share here: Earl Grey, maple pumpkin, raspberry, Champagne, blackberry sage, fleur de sel, mocha, açaí. The delicate treats did not stop there though – truffle pops, dipped bacon and chocolates were also available.
Display Ideas: Two word – truffle tree
Prices: Truffles and chocolates started at $1.50 each, truffle pops $3 each and dripped fruit and nuts $2.
How is a blogger to choose? Retro and Hop Scotch from Retro Bakery. Shortly after this photo was taken, I fell over, in diabetic shock
Cupcakes
{Retro Bakery, 7785 N Durango Drive}
Arguably the most well known stand-in for wedding cakes these days, I think the best choice for cupcakes in Vegas is at Retro Bakery. You want fun flavors when you get a cupcake, and Retro has that in spades. Plus, they also do delivery to The Strip!
Flavors – where do I begin? They have seasonal choices but also well over 20 “standard” flavors like the popular and wild Hop Scotch, Apple Cider, Glazed Donut, Cotton Candy, Peanut Butter Cup, Maple Bacon and my favorite, Retro.
Display Ideas: A tiered tray, with a “supersize” cupcake on top, perfect for cutting for photos. You can mix flavors, and get all the joy of cake without having to wait for a piece to make it around
Prices: Available in regular and mini size, $29/dozen and $12/dozen, respectively.
A candy buffet with an Earth and forest colored theme by For the Love of Candy
Candy Buffet
{For the Love of Candy, online}
Can’t decide? Want to really indulge someone’s sweet tooth? Go all the way with a dessert candy table buffet by For the Love of Candy! It’s a great three-in-one for your budget: coordinating candy by color makes for a great impact for decor and it also allows your guests delicious treats and, if you provide little bags, favors to take home! Again, I’ve never sampled the sweet treats at For the Love of Candy – but you can never go wrong with ANY kind of candy. Especially gummies. Yum.
Of course, there are so many other selections for your wedding cake alternative, or just for a sweet treat at a smaller wedding. Brides on Little Vegas Wedding have had freshly made crepes, and dessert spreads at their weddings, to name a few.
Brownies, ice cream…what’s your favorite non-wedding cake wedding dessert?
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God, if I could have just one more bite of this Ronald’s Donut…
All photos by me, except for SugarBella and For the Love of Candy which were done by them.
Posted by Little Vegas Wedding
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