Planning a Bar Mitzvah

Thank you to Mitzvah Market for featuring our creative cupcake escort card project on their homepage!

Handcrafted Holiday Cards

Though it may feel early for some, I know others of you have already started thinking about the holiday cards you plan to send friends, family, clients and colleagues this year. I am positively delighted to introduce you these thoughtful and original handcrafted cards. This Brooklyn-based designer just debuted a shop on Etsy. Familiar with Etsy? If not, be prepared to be swooned. Etsy is an online community that creatives and artists use to showcase their original work. I am so proud of my friend. Please visit her shop on Etsy here.

In the spirit of the season, the designer is graciously offering readers of the Tammy Golson Events blog a 15% discount. Comment on this post below to redeem the generous offer.

What is your favorite card?

Here are a few of mine:

Montauk Beach Wedding in The Knot

For those of you outside of New York and for those in New York who have yet to see Gabrielle and Michael's Montauk Wedding featured in the fall/winter issue of the knot magazine in print, I just received these online images of the actual pages.







Many thanks to the knot for their recognition and to Robert Wagner for his fine photography!

Cupcake Escort Cards

I have loved miniature cupcakes for years, I could take pictures of my friends forever, I am no stranger to facebook and get weak in the knees for original and creative ways to personalize weddings. When I met Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs at Eventology back in April, and she told me about this contest, this cupcake escort card idea came to mind immediately and I thought it might be an excellent submission. With a shoot scheduled two days after my spill, it almost didn't happen, but I am so thrilled we were able to pull it off. Big thanks to my team of Jen Huang, the magician who makes beautiful things look better, always. Ana Dolan, I could brainstorm with you all night long. I tell her everything I like, love and want to convey in a design and again like magic she make it a reality on paper and often better than I could have envisioned. Betsy of Nine Cakes was vital to this concept and her willingness to participate is so sincerely appreciated.

Big BIG Brooklyn thanks to Bino for letting us use their restaurant. Haven't heard of it? It's a Carroll Gardens mainstay just changed names. With the original amazing and hospitable owners and same loyal staff, the menu was tweaked slightly. This Smith Street gem should be a must in your dining rotation-- they even deliver for those tired or rainy nights you can't fathom going out! Thanks Jonathan and Sarah!


Incorporate creativity into ever aspect of your wedding reception. This couple placed a great emphasis on their passion for food and showcased culinary inspired table names.







Friends and family photos were sprinkled though the guest book.



Please check out the full story here at Elizabeth Anne Designs. We are collecting comments too, if you are so inclined please share your thoughts on the EAD post. We sincerely appreciate your support!

Real Weddings: Mandy and Dan

Mandy and Dan were married in Kansas City, Missouri on September 26, 2009. This wedding gives me goosebumps and when I saw the professional pictures I knew I could not keep it to myself. I am happy to share the story of their wonderful day!

The bride's bouquet was wrapped in blue satin to match her something blue shoes. I love the corn field backdrop.


Their dresses and flowers coordinated, but Mandy's attendants each wore the same shoe in a different fall color.

Sports have always played an important role in both of their lives. Escort cards that look like game tickets were an excellent personalized detail at the reception. Instead of traditional numbers, the couple labeled each table using stadium names from cities where they have lived.

The bride and groom's favorite sweet is cookies. They offered a cookie bar for guests after dinner. There was chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter and snickerdoodle.

The speeches were so personal, well thought out and lovingly delivered. Big kudos to their attendants. The bride loves shoes, her matrons of honor, her sisters, based their speech around shoes. It was Mandy's journey through life and they had actual shoes to symbolize each stage. Tennis shoes for her sports days, sassy shoes to ensure she and Dan have nights out and baby shoes for the future.

Kevin, the man pictured in this cut out, would have been the best man. He is currently serving our country. The night before he left for Iraq, he got dressed in his dress blues and recorded his toast on video.

Kevin's video speech was very heartfelt, funny and loving. Kevin said how gorgeous Mandy and all the bridesmaids looked (funny since he saw none of them.)



Congratulations Mandy and Dan!


Photographer: Chris Bendet
Dress: Maggie Sottero
Shoes: Michael Angelo
Florist: Lyn Dowdle
Ceremony: Church of Annunciation
Reception: Marriot Country Club Plaza
DJ: DJ Cruz
Videography: Romantic Reels Media

Original Escort Card Alternative

What is this? I too was unsure when I first saw it on-line. Then I arrived at The Knot Party and saw my name in color! Even party professionals love to see their names upon arrival to an event. It's the univeral, welcome, we are glad you came message which sets the tone for the wedding, party or bar mitzvah. This chart was Elana of Melangerie's answer to the escort card table. She personalized this chart to list all the wedding professionals attending this industry event hosted at the very hip New York Academy of Sciences building on the 40th floor of 7 World Trade Center. There were crowds of people surrounding the chart looking for their names. We love original ideas! Each catergory: planner, florist, photographer, etc. was represented by a different color. Imagine your family in purple, his family in brown, your college friends in green, high school friends in tan. Customize a chart for your next event and create a keepsake. Thanks to Elana and her team for always introducing us to the coolest new concepts. Love it!

Creative Escort Cards and Original Wedding Invitations

“I am only as good as my tools!”

Ana Dolan says she is not an artist. This is arguable, but instead she refers to herself as a creator. She has an eye for putting colors, textures and type together. Growing up in a military/IBM family she moved a lot. Among other places, she has lived in Hawaii, Guam, Vermont, Connecticut and is now happy to reside in New York City. She draws inspiration from all of her life experiences. After 14 years in financial accounting she realized it’s impossible to make balance sheets look pretty.

Ana is having a very good week. Saturday she changed her facebook status to announce a two page spread featuring photos of her escort cards in the fall/winter issue of The Knot, which just hit the newsstands. On Wednesday, theKnot.com aired a live webcast featuring Ana's designs. Her assignment was to create “wow factor” wedding invitations.



We work together for Leslie Price and Eyal Tessler of In Any Event and the pages in The Knot were their designs.

I met Ana years ago at a bat mitzvah at The Yale Club. She was hired to guide the young guests through a project of writing letters to the troops. Later she was overseeing the creation of a guest book using Polaroid pictures. The next time I saw her she was dropping off hundreds of boxes of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at Gotham Hall. I worked a wedding with In Any Event at Tribecca Rooftop and was blown away by the design of menus, programs and escort cards, all layered with gold-flecked cork. I later learned these were Ana’s creations.

She creates: Save the Dates, Invitations, Programs, Place cards, Escort Cards, Favors, Welcome Packages, Logos, Monograms, Sign in Boards, Guest Books, Baby Announcements, Stationery and Web Designs. If you have a specific, original or crazy idea, I have a feeling Ana would love to hear it and help you make it a reality. When not creating, she may be rooting for the Yankees or listening to the latest from David Gray or ColdPlay.

With a tasting of Cafeteria’s three mac & cheeses (Gouda & bacon was the winner!) in front of us and a blackberry lemonade in hand, we got started.

T: Congratulations on your recent spread in The Knot, please explain the process of having your worked featured in a magazine and what inspired these escort cards specifically?

A: Thank you! Eyal Tessler of In Any Event, called me and told me he had a unique opportunity to showcase two original escort cards in The Knot. They had to be black and white and priced under $350 for 50 cards. Eyal found the black and white tile, and we talked about personalized checkers. The chairs I had used before for various weddings. The photo shoot took most of the day and I loved every minute of being "behind the scenes.”

T: What was the assignment for the recent webcast on theknot.com?

A: They wanted three original invitation ideas not on paper. I came up with five using a shadowbox wood frame, velvet, a cylindrical clear box and more. With the box, I was contemplating filing the box with tulle or shredded paper. I asked Eyal for his input on this and he suggested candy. They wanted the invitations to be bright, so I ended up using a colorful collection of candy.

T: In a city of wildly talented Graphic Designers, how would you describe your design style?

A: Artistic, Antique, Architectural. Traditional with a flare.

T: What is the creative process with clients generally like?

A: I meet with clients in person so I can try to create something they will love the first time. I create three samples for the client to choose from. Many of my clients are visual and need to be able to see, hold and touch an invitation before deciding which one is right for them. They appreciate this personalization. Seeing their names printed on beautiful paper in inspiring fonts, using colors coordinating to their wedding is powerfully enticing.

T: What is your favorite store, blog or website that gives you inspiration?

A: I like Luxurious Weddings. While the paper stores on 18th street (in Manhattan) are great, there is one on 12th Street in Manhattan called New York Central Art Supply that I love. I was creating invitations for a 25th wedding anniversary and needed unique silver paper. They had five different silver papers for me to choose from. There is also the Japanese beads and findings store call Toyo, where I find unique pieces to adorn my paper items with. It’s also very convenient since M&J Trimming (a great ribbon store) is on the next corner!

T: Is there someone who you idolize or look up to professionally?

A: I should say Martha Stewart, as obviously she is a great business woman and I have been fortunate to meet her in person. But to be honest, I get more inspiration from architecture, water, sand, and the sky. Places inspire me more than people.

T: What advice would you give to someone who is contemplating making their own wedding invitations or tackling a DIY graphic design project?

A: It’s special when people want to make their own invitations. I suggest you invest in the right tools. “I am only as good as my tools!” Without the right tools and professional printing they will look crafty and homemade, so unless that’s the look you are going for, make the small investment. Also, take your time and make everything as neat and even as possible.

T: What's next in your horizon?

A: I am looking forward to a Marie Antoinette-themed wedding that is coming up in September at the Lake House Inn in Pennsylvania. The bride, Jen is so enthusiastic, which in turn, inspires me to try and make everything as elegant and as exquisite as possible. I don’t want to give away all the fun details but of course the favors are petit fours. “Let the guests eat cake!”

T: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

A: For a long time, I thought I had my life planned out. But you never know where you’ll wind up. If you are fortunate to have something you love and are passionate about, it will hopefully guide you where you should be. In my case, my passion for designing and creating has brought me much happiness. I am very grateful for the life that I have.

The pages look great and I look forward to the webcast. Thank you for your time. See you at the Indian wedding on Friday.

Handwriting Analysis

Q: Do you know what your handwriting says about you?

A: Most people do not, especially in our generation of g-chat, facebook instant messages, tweets, texts, e-mail and bbm. You may not even recognized the handwriting of someone you love.

Weddings are an opportunities to celebrate, acknowledge and connect with those closest to you.

I've discovered an excellent an original idea to introduce at your next event.
Now you can incorporate an analysis of your family and friends’ handwriting into your pre-wedding activities, in a heartfelt way.

It can be:
• a personal and intelligent way to acknowledge the ladies at your bridal luncheon or shower.
• an excellent way for your and your fiance’s families to get to know each other at the rehearsal dinner.
• an amazing alternative to standard place cards when dressing a table.
• an original way to thank your wedding party for participating in your day.
• a great start to a thoughtful and sincere scrapbook.

Adorn this idea with:
• a magnified glass
• a beautiful pen
• personalized stationery
• an engraved journal
• a book
• or simply a (handwritten, of course) love letter

How does this work?
Simply request a one page sample of the individual's handwriting in the event invitation. Provide the paper, a self addressed stamped envelope and give them a choice of a few topics to write about in case they need some encouragement or inspiration.

For example:
• advice on how to have a long and happy marriage
• story of how we met
• love letter
• favorite memory

These samples are used to generate thorough and wildly accurate handwriting profiles. This confidential analysis describes the many important motivational traits that handwriting samples show are a significant part of individual's personality.Particular attention is focused on the characteristics which most influence the relationships with others.

The reports are divided into the following categories:

Communication
Stress Level
Thinking Patterns
Imagination
Goal
Achievement
Emotional Structure


Here are some highlights from my handwriting analysis:

"You tend mostly to be balanced in stressful situations" "You enjoy searching for answers and are resourceful in gathering your own information" "vivid, active imagination" "ability to come up with original innovative ideas" "You are probably happiest when you can work in creative way and you will likely achieve rather spectacular results if you can deal with the practicalities of bringing your ideas to fruition."

Interested? Check out Graphology Consulting or Contact Sheila Kurtz at 212.799.9296