Thank you... and happy holidays!

Before I head out to celebrate the holidays with my friends and family, I would like to send a huge round of thanks to all of my fabulous clients for making 2009 a wonderful year. It was a pleasure to work with each and every one of you!

Second, I'd like to acknowledge all of the lovely bloggers that made a mention of my holiday cards this season. I hope I haven't overlooked anyone as I send blog love to the following sites:

• Paper Crave
• Classic Bride
• Oh So Beautiful Paper
• Lovely Little Things
• Into the Fray
• Geek + Nerd
• Post Crossing
• Design Crush
• Poppytalk
• The Sweetest Occasion

To each and every one of you, happy holidays! See you in 2010. =)

Beautiful photo by Nicole found here

One great photo.

Isn't this serene and beautiful? Truly a moment in time that has been perfectly captured.


Photo by Weddings by Wojtek Dabrowski and Sandi Gunnett

Color Combo: Peacock blue, Moss + Gold.

Credits (clockwise from top):
Brides.com, ClutchThat, J.Crew

A lovely winter wedding.

If you didn't see Nili & Anthony's rustic winter wedding on Green Wedding Shoes earlier in the week, I urge you to take a peek. The lovely couple's Vermont setting is so serene, and photographer Leigh Miller did a fantastic job in capturing that. A few of my favorites follow below... Enjoy!

A very plaid dessert buffet.

I adored The Inspired Bride's DIY dessert buffet so much that I decided to create one of my own this past weekend. Since we encouraged guests to wear ugly holiday attire, I went for a quirky, traditional look. Using this tutorial as inspiration, I even rolled my own chocolate covered pretzels. They were super easy and yummy!

The main items I purchased to create this buffet were:

• Plaid cupcake liners (Cupcake Social)
• Evergreen tree toppers (Cupcake Social)
• Bouchon mold (Williams Sonoma)
• Plaid fabric (JoAnn)

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Even though I despise the cold, I love, love, love December... if only for the holiday parties! We hosted our annual shindig this weekend and fun was had by all. I surprised our guests with a dessert buffet (photos coming tomorrow!) and my DH continued his own tradition of playing a few songs on his guitar. Here's how this year's invitation looked:





Do you plan to host a holiday party this year? Any special surprises for your guests planned? Feel free to tell me all about it in the comments. ;)

The winner is...

Congrats, Jummy! I'll send an email to you in just a few. Thanks to all who entered! =)

One great photo.

This image is simply stunning. Have a great weekend... and don't forget to enter the giveaway before Sunday evening! ;)

Photo by Nina Westervelt

Etsy find: One Little Dove.

How great are these vintage-inspired goodies from New York designer one little dove? Drop by her site to see a selection of handcrafted birdcage veils, too. Tres chic!

Enter to win some wintery goodies!

Baby, it's cold outside! In celebration of all things wintery, I'm offering a reader a copy of the newest issue of New York Weddings Magazine and a letterpress holiday card (as found in my Etsy shop). If you win, you'll have plenty of good reading to cozy up with this December.

To enter: Simply complete the following tasks by Sunday, December 13 @ 8:00 PM Pacific. At that time, a name will be chosen at random and the winner will be contacted.

1. Leave your name and email address in the comments below (or feel free to email me).
2. Either follow me on Twitter or become a fan of Maida Vale on Facebook.

Good luck!

Sweets.

Well, I'm embarrassed to say it, but my December eating habits are in full effect. For shame! Instead of satisfying my sweet tooth today, I thought it might be better to just share some images of lovely and inspiring cakes by Michelle Doll. I especially love the gradated pink one. It's so unique. Enjoy!

Karen + Frank.

Hello all! Today kicks off a week of New York-inspired posts. And, as I mentioned on Friday, stay tuned for a little giveaway later in the week. In the meantime, enjoy Karen + Frank's rustic and rural NY celebration. I just can't get enough of the stencilled cakes!

Via New York Weddings

One gorgeous gown: Ahna.

Apologies for my absence this week! My mother-in-law was visiting for Thanksgiving, and I got a bit swamped after she returned home. It was a great visit, though. We took off to Vancouver for a couple of days and relaxed plenty.

Anyhow, thought I'd pop in to share one gorgeous gown: Ahna by Selia Yang. I love the yo-yo-like detailing. It's so unique!

Be sure to check back next week. I have a fun little giveaway in the works!

Eye candy (now with kilts!).

Remember that glorious photo from last Friday? I thought I'd head into the holiday break sharing more of Heather Waraksa's amazing photos. I love her modern spin on classic portraits. Everything about these three makes me smile.

I'll be back mid-next week. Until then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gown love.

Today, I'm adoring the unexpected vintage-inspired details found in these Temperley London gowns. They're exquisite, aren't they?

Damask table numbers + more.

New goodies have arrived in the shop! Damask table numbers and personalized placecards are now for sale. Follow the link above for the details. =)

Friday photo inspiration.

Thought I would end the week with one oh-so-delicious photo from Heather Waraksa. It's pure genius, no? Have a fab weekend!

Amy Kuschel.

I love the beautiful simplicity of Amy Kuschel's gowns. Each design has a little surprise detail that makes it special. Look at the back of this one, for instance. It's sexy and romantic all at the same time. Enjoy...

A very clever wedding.

I'm a Scrabble nut. It's actually one game I can beat my hubby at. ;) So, imagine my delight when I came across Terra & Paul's adorable wedding over at Ruffled. They incorporated a subtle Scrabble theme in very clever ways (see photos below).

If Scrabble has a special meaning for you, there are many, many things you can do to bring it into your big day. A fabulous groom's cake, gifts for your wedding party or cufflinks for your man would all make for fun little touches. Are you having a themed wedding? Leave a comment with details!




Photos by You Look Nice Today

Calling all crafty types!

Have you signed up yet? Follow this link to take part in Brooklyn Bride's annual card swap. =)