My Love For Damask...

{Courtesy of Accent The Party}
I absolutely love damask patterns with a splash of green or fuchsia as an accent color . I recently found personalized damask lollipops which ties together two of my loves, lollipops and the damask pattern...yeah!!! Accent The Party is favor heaven for brides and grooms and the personalized damask lollipops come in 63 colors, multiple font and ribbon options. What a perfect addition to any wedding, bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party and if you are looking for other unique favors be sure to look at what Accent The Party has to offer. I also loved the creative cupcake holders... be sure to take a look at those as well. www.accenttheparty.com

Warmest Regards,
Veronique

"Out Of The Box" Tuesday

{courtesy of Lisa Takao}
I'm a true lover of paper and I get that love from my mother who does scrapbooking for family members and friends. I'm constantly in awe of the paper selection my mother chooses when she starts a new scrapbook, she always says she's looking for the unique and exquisite designs and textures. When I look for wedding invitation designers I look for the designer who creates something that represents a client who is looking beyond the traditional invitations. I found Lisa Takao's creativity breathtaking and her speciality of creating the "perfect little package" reflective of the clients I wish to coordinate special events for. I invite you to take a look at Lisa's Fine Couture Invitations {at} www.lisatakao.com

With Warmest Regards,

Veronique

Out Of The Box Tuesday

{Courtesy of Tejani}
As a lover of exquisite jewelry I found some truly "out of the box" gorgeous pieces by designer Urvi Prunier of Tejani. Tejani is derived from the designer's family name which means "brightness & sparkle" and that's exactly how I would describe Urvi's collections. Her pieces encompass a touch of her ethnic heritage and contemporary style modern brides are looking for. Here is one of my favorite pieces, which I would describe as something old, something blue....
Take a look at her gorgeous collections @ www.tejanibridaljewelry.com

Warmest Regards,
Veronique

Bridal Bag Glam....

{Courtesy of Susej Designs}
I recently found a beautiful bridal handbag that I thought would be perfect for a bride that’s not afraid to embrace fashion. When I saw the bridal bags they spoke volumes to me but of course I’ve never met a bag that I did not love {ok, I met a Louis Vuitton that was $2500.00 and I couldn’t image paying that much for a handbag}. Dionne Green is the artistic designer behind Susej Designs and looking at all of her creative handbags you can appreciate the intricate details. Each bridal bag is customized with the couple’s wedding date with an inscription that reads “on this day of (the date is written),” I will marry my friend.”. What a great gift to give a bride or maid of honor…. The front of the bag is a white wedding dress with clusters of tulle and flowers adorned with faux pearls to form the skirt of the dress . The bustier is decorated with a single strand of Swarovski crystals and faux pearls and the bride is wearing a veil. The entire bag is beautiful and I invite you take a look at Susej Designs {at}www.susejdesigns.com

Warmest Regards,

Veronique

Out Of The Box Tuesday

A new edition to The Art of Inspiration blog is “Out Of The Box" Tuesday. This is dedicated to the entrepreneur who thinks outside of the box, who inspires others or simply has that “wow” factor. I decided the entrepreneur would not only be from within the wedding industry but anyone who inspires others.
My first “Out Of The Box” honoree is Renae Bluitt, the founder of Crush Media and In Her Shoes blog. I chose Renae because she’s an inspiration to others and let’s face it... she has that “wow” factor. As I read her blog I realized there is something for everyone, no matter what's your style, you'll walk away with something. I encourage any reader looking for something uplifting & empowering to check out In Her Shoes Blog{@} www.inhershoesblog.com.

Renae keep bringing the flair!

Warmest Regards
Veronique

Happy Memorial Day

I want to say thank you to all the men and women in the armed forces past and present for their great sacrifice keeping our country safe.

Warmest Regards,
Veronique

Wedding Wishes Contest

Katrina McCllum of Made of Honor Weddings and some of Jacksonville Florida's elite wedding professionals are granting one couple the wedding of their dreams. What a wonderful gift to give a couple during such a difficult economy. Participants must be 21 years or older and engaged prior to the contest and submit a 400 word or less essay telling why they should be chosen. The contest will end on May 30, 2009, check out the website for further information… www.madeofhonorweddings.com
Good Luck,
Veronique

Featured Vendor

{Courtesy of CamiCakes Cupcakes}

Jacksonville’s Original Cupcake Bakery
There’s a saying , a cupcake is a cupcake is a cupcake. Well that’s not the case at CamiCakes Cupcakes, which showcases at least 16 varieties of the sweet treats. Cupcake connoisseurs can sample favorites like Red Velvet and Strawberries n' Cream but shouldn't overlook the Classic Cami Cupcake. The Classic Cami Cupcake is the signature yellow cake with classic pink buttercream frosting which is truly one of my favorites. At $2.50 a cupcake, it's okay to indulge. I would highly suggest if ordering a dozen or more to place your order 24 hrs in advance….

There are two locations to sweeten your day: the Orange Park location 1910 Wells Rd., Orange Park, (904) 541-1099 & the Tinseltown location on Southside Boulevard, 9734-5 Deerlake Ct., Tinseltown, (904) 998-4611 [ www.camicakes.com ]

Yummy!

Veronique

Social Networking

Well it's been a long time since I have posted anything and I recognize I'm not the most savvy blogger but I have decided I would try to post interesting things on a reqular bases. I've been working on updating my look on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and Bridal Tweet and I'm excited. It's interesting to see what other wedding vendors are doing during these tough economic times. I realize this is the time to re-introduce myself and reach out to other wedding vendors.

Warmest Regards,
Veronique

From Raceway To Romance

As I have begun to familiarize myself with the very diverse wedding venues located in and near the Jacksonville area I've had the opportunity to visit Daytona Beach. Yes.... I know Daytona Beach is well known for two things, Daytona International Speedway and spring break but just a few miles away is a coastal paradise at the Shores Resort and Spa. What a gorgeous destination wedding spot right here on the coast of Florida. The Resort's rooms and suites offer an array of amenities and entertainment to include Indulge Day Spa, Azure Restaurant, an outdoor tiki bar and cabana service and an outdoor pool just to name a few. The Shores professional staff will tailor their guests wishes to accomodate all the wedding details, from the menu, customized wedding spa packages to the final farewell brunch in Azure.

(images courtesy of Shores Resort & Spa)

Absolutely Gorgeous……

(images courtesy Amsale)

While reading Martha Stewart’s Wedding magazine I came across the most breathtaking gown. It is by Amsale, which happens to be one of my favorite designers. It's a halter gown with an organza flower in the center with a silk ribbon tied around the neck. It really spoke volumes to me... the model is young and glamorous and the gown itself is very elegant with a romantic feel. This gown is for the bride not afraid to step outside the traditional bridal attire. It’s a contemporary gown setting the tone for the ceremony and reception. I envisioned the wedding taking place at the famed Museum of the City of New York.

Changes at Elegant Creations

There have been so many changes at ECbV that I am excited to tell you about. My family and I have relocated to Jacksonville, Florida and let me tell you we have been taking advantage of the cool temperatures and beautiful white beaches. Even though I am no longer residing in Dallas I am still available for coordination and decor consulting. The relationships that I have cultivated with other amazing and professional specialists in the Dallas wedding industry allows me to expand my parameters. So please do not hesitate to call or email me with any questions. I am looking forward to bringing the flaire Dallas weddings are famous for to Jacksonville and other surrounding cities. I invite you to return to "The Art of Inspiration" to see the new and exciting things Elegant Creations by Veronique has in store.

Featured Vendor Of The Month

This weekend I had the wonderful pleasure to visit with the inspiring and beautiful Kerrie Barton and her husband Nathan at Posy Lane in historical downtown Mckinney. I met Kerrie months before and her uplifting personality left a great impression on me and I knew just where to go for help designing my logo and business cards. With Kerrie's awesome personality and experience she listened to my ideas and guided me to creating a distinctive logo.
Posy Lane has been opened four months now and their selections have grown tremendously
which is due to the unique and distinctive selections of invitations, announcements and gifts for every occassion.
Brides looking for unique and one of a kind save the date, invitations and/or response cards I recommend you visit Posy Lane and be prepared to receive warm and courteous service.
Kudos to Kerrie and Nathan!

Go Red For Women

Did you know heart disease is the number one killer of men? Did you know that it's not just a disease that affects men but it's also the number one killer of women? 850,000 people in America die of cardiovascular disease annually... so I ask that you show your support for heart disease prevention by wearing red to work Friday Feb 1st.

Heart disease is preventable by choosing to lead a healthier lifestyle... eat healthy, lose excess weight, quit smoking, know your family history, complete a health assessment and start an exercise program by simply exercising 30 minutes a day 3 or 4 times a week. Take action against heart disease and remember it starts with you. For more information visit http://www.americanheart.org/.

Words of Inspiration

My good friend and mentor, Gabrielle Tucker recently gave me a good piece of advice and I wanted to share it. Gabrielle and I are up and coming business women in the wedding industry, we're also wives and mothers as are many other women entrepreneurs but she said "take five minutes out of your day to blog". Now that's not an Epiphany but those words had a profound effect on me. When will I get the time to blog in between working a full time job, finding time for my husband, going to functions with/for my children, not to mention trying to build my business with everything that entails? It has always been my philosophy of how bad do you want it? If you want something bad enough you have to work for it, so I knew I would have to find time to blog. So I say to up and coming entrepreneurs who are grapling with how to get things done when there seems to be so much to do: put God first, take one day at a time and prioritize ...prioritize...prioritize. I hope these words of inspiration finds someone just as they were needing a little bit of encouragement.

With Best Regards,
Veronique Carter

I'm Baackkk...

Hi,
I've been busy attending local event planning meetings and focusing on moving the company to the next level...anywho I'm back and will try to stay more active in "The Art of Inspiration."

Best Wishes,
Veronique

Giving Back To The Environment

Lilyfield Cakes is giving back to the environment with Isca. Isca which literally means "dream", is made of 95% green materials which consists of recycled chip board, tissue, vegetable dyes, hemp and natural & decorative chicken feathers. With each Isca package sold a white pine tree will be planted through the Billion Tree Campaign. What a way to give back to the environment!
www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign

For The Shoe Fanatic

Gold Toned Topaz Jeweled T-strap ankle wrap and double strapped slide ins with just a click of the straps gives the fashionista two different looks.


(Images courtesy of Jour & Nuit)
Pink Cat Eye and Crystal T strap with ankle tie and Rose Karung and Pink Burma V-design with buckled ankle strap. One says sexy and ready to attend the new product launch and the other says funky and ready for the bridal shower.

Jour & Nuit "the only shoe you will ever need" states the brainchild behind Jour & Nuit, Hilary Chan Latos. Just a simple switch of the straps will allow you to create different looks for the same shoe. Each pair of shoes comes with 2 sleek straps to be used interchangeably. 2 beautiful pairs of shoes for the price of 1... for shoe fanatics such as myself, how can you go wrong.

The Coveted Birkin Handbag

(Images courtesy of www.shopping.com)
One day a good friend of mine came to work with her "wish bag" the coveted Birkin Bag... She went on to describe the $18,000 handbag that you had to be on a waiting list to purchase. Well that piqued my interest but what really fired me up was, one of my favorite stylist to the stars stated she had three and she didn't have to be on the long waiting list. Jay Z states his girl "B" (Beyonce) is also in possession of the exclusive Birkin Bag. Hermes states "the Birkin is not for everyone" based on the price alone. He's not far off because I've seen a Birkin Handbag the price of a luxury car. Here's to you my good friend and your love of the Birkin Bag.

Pamper The Goddess in You

(Images courtesy of the Pamper Goddess)
The sexy Karma Kit, for couples who want to take their sensuality to new heights. The kit includes sensual massage lotions, fragrant candles and incense, what a way to start your honeymoon.