Logo Design for Aspire to Plan

You may recall the design work I did recently for Wendy Robinson of Sacred Moment Weddings. (If not, click here to see what we did.)

In addition to planning weddings, Wendy has recently started a new blog for aspiring wedding planners, aptly named Aspire to Plan. Wendy contacted me to create a logo for her new venture, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her again.

The Sacred Moment project called for more of a logo "refresh" than a complete overhaul. So with this new project, we literally built something from scratch. Here's a peek at a few of the concepts we liked best:

Concept One:

Concept Two:

Concept Three:

Concept Four:

These concepts were derived from the answers Wendy provided to my creative brief. In addition to consultation, I also have clients fill out a simple questionnaire with questions about the client, the business, the goals and some of the desired creative elements. These briefs are mutually beneficial as it will give you (the client) a chance to really think about your business and how it should be presented, and it will give me (the designer) an opportunity to get in your head and create concepts that are both relevant and aesthetically pleasing.

After much discussion, we did finalize the logo and Wendy has since updated her site with the new look. If you are interested in the wedding industry and would like to learn more about becoming a wedding planner, this is a great site with loads of pertinent information. Thank you, Wendy, for the opportunity to work with you on this great new venture!

If you are in need of a logo or other design services, please shoot me an email: info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Torture - Kate Spade style

Are you kidding me, Kate Spade? I could eat this bag, it's so delicious.

More from Phoenix Bride & Groom...

I was positively giddy when I got the mail today because in addition to bills and miscellaneous catalogs, I received a disc of images from the "Tickled Pink" spread that you can see in the new issue of Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine.

Ben Quillinan, photographer genius from BQ Photography, was kind enough to share the images from this amazing shoot. I am still in complete awe of the way it all came together. What started as a "pink, black and white table" soon morphed into this insane fabulousness:

It's so exciting to participate in something so gorgeous! Thank you so much, Ben, for sharing these incredible images!

Credit belongs to the following fabulous vendors:

Photography: BQ Photography

Floral and Set Design: Angelic Grove

Location: The Farm at South Mountain

Rentals: Tri-Rentals Event Specialists

Linens: Southwick Linens, Wild Flower Linens

Paper Products: yours truly

Videography: My Wedding Film

Photo Shoot Coordinator: Victoria Canada Weddings & Events

Birth Announcements for Niece #1

Last month I went to Denver to meet my very first niece, Leah Mae. During our visit, we staged Leah's first photo shoot. As you can see, she's already a pro in front of the camera -- she didn't cry once. In fact, I'm pretty sure that aside from eating and sleeping, Leah's favorite things include modeling headbands and having her picture taken. 

As you may already know, I recently introduced my own line of baby announcements on my Etsy site. You can select one of the styles available in my shop, or opt for a custom designed announcement. Contact me: info@kellyashworthdesign.com for more information.

Happy Anniversary, Phoenix Bride & Groom!

The new issue of Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine is out, and they really went all out for their big 10th Anniversary issue! 

Check out the amazing cover photo, shot by the amazingly talented duo at Sedona Bride:

Kelly Ashworth Design was featured for a section devoted to all things papery, as well as an amazing on-site photo shoot orchestrated by the amazing Victoria Canada of Victoria Canada Weddings & Events. Here's a sneak peek of the invites, image courtesy of Eyes 2 See Photography (Stuart, you rock!)

I love this paper, with its mod quatrefoil pattern on the most perfect shade of green. I was so excited I had the opportunity to share it with the world! (Or at least the greater Phoenix bridal market).

To get more info on the magazine, check out the Phoenix Bride & Groom website. Congrats on 10 amazing years, ladies!

For the Preppy Bride

Are you kidding me? A STRIPED wedding gown? Where were you when I needed you for my walk down the aisle, JCrew? 

{ $2,800 right here. }

Travel Guides that don't suck

One of the things that can make or break your vacation is a good guidebook. This is especially true if you're traveling overseas. My husband and I have purchased mountains of guidebooks (some to countries we haven't even visited yet) and I think we can safely say, these guides are our most favoritest:

Rick Steves specializes in Europe "through the back door". You can catch him on PBS touring all the great cities of Europe. He's also got a very comprehensive website, filled with great information for anyone planning a Euro tour. We brought his guidebook to Italy with us on our most recent trip, and it proved to be insanely helpful. In addition to the guidebook, we also downloaded a few of his podcasts onto our iPods. 

This was awesome for several reasons: 

1) they were free, 2) you look much cooler listening to an iPod whilst traipsing through centuries old ruins (rather than those blocky audio guides that cost more than a mortgage to rent), and 3) you learn a lot outside of "this place is old and something important happened here."

I'm also a fan of the Lonely Planet guidebooks, available for just about anywhere you care to travel - international or stateside. A fair warning - depending on where you're traveling, the books can take the form of a bible/concrete block/small village in size. The New Zealand book weighs roughly 8 pounds. But if you're looking for a pizza place in SmallTownWhereTheHeckAreWe, New Zealand, this book will tell you where to find it. These books tend to have a bit of a bias toward anything chain related (hotels, restaurants or otherwise), but are overall very useful. 

Consider investing in a decent guidebook before you go anywhere that involves major sightseeing. And if you don't, good luck finding decent pizza in New Zealand.

Where the Travel Deals Are

According to the Trip Advisor app I have installed on my Facebook page, I have visited 89 cities in 11 countries. Not bad. 

I'm no travel expect, but I do get my fair share of questions related to my travels. Namely, "how'd you find that deal?" In all honesty, the credit goes to my husband. He's kind of like the Gandalf of travel. He tracks airfare as a hobby. But believe you me, it all pays off in the end. 

Travel planning can be daunting, but nowadays it's easier than ever to plan a dream trip that fits within the confines of your budget. Here are a few of my favorite places to find great travel deals:

1. Southwest DING! Fares

For domestic travel, Southwest can't be beat. The seats are comfortable. The staff is friendly. And if you download this free application, you're likely to find some killer deals on airfare. My husband and I recently flew to Denver for $105 each. Other airlines were charging double. This is the beauty of DING! You have to check everyday, and you have to be relatively flexible with your travel dates, but it's all worth it. I'm still waiting for Southwest to come up with a DING! app for iPhone...are you listening, Southwest???? If Southwest doesn't currently service your market, keep checking back. They add new routes all the time. 

2. Budget Travel Magazine

Behold the holy grail of cheapskate travel rags: Budget Travel magazine. A subscription will only set you back $12.00 and the information is invaluable. Seriously. We have stacks of these saved for future reference. Don't miss the Real Deals section - loads of vacation packages at amazing prices. (Example: Paris and Barcelona, Air/6 Nights Hotel from $1,099)

I read this magazine cover to cover. Totally worth the twelve bucks, trust me.

3. G0-today.com

Fantastic website for package deals all over the world. We booked a trip to London several years ago with this site. Search deals by region, and customize your package to suit your specific needs. Many packages include airfare, hotel and in some cases, ground transportation. You'll also have the opportunity to see photos and reviews of the hotels you have to choose from.

I could go on forever, of course. But these three sites will get you started. And like everything else in life, patience is a virtue. What may seem unattainable now may be totally affordable in six months. Case in point -- Last year at this time, a trip to Italy seemed like a pipe dream. Airfare was sky high and the exchange rate was atrocious. Fast forward a year later and plane tickets were less than half the original price. 

What are your favorite travel resources? Leave a comment and share with the group!

Great gifts for Honeymooners

Having just returned from vacation myself, I have decided to devote this week to all things travel related. Today let's focus on the bride and groom, shall we? 

The honeymoon is often overlooked with all of the hullabaloo that goes into the wedding itself, but a carefully planned gift for the honeymooners will definitely win you brownie points. You can stick with a few basic items if you're footing the bill, or go all out if you have a group contributing. Here's what I'd do:

Start here: a stylish, sturdy beach tote. This one if from LL Bean and also comes in a crab motif. Starts at $30 right here. (*Note - I believe LL Bean has discontinued the Lobster and Crab totes -- you can find a great selection of other totes right here.)

Then move on to beach towels. These coordinate perfectly with the tote! Even if the bride and groom are not traveling to a beach locale, beach towels can be used to plump up wimpy hotel pillows when folded. And who doesn't need beach towels, I ask? These are on special at Pottery Barn for $29 each right here.

Adapters are easily the most important accessory for overseas travel, and often the most forgotten. You can buy them in your vacation destination, however they are often overpriced because the locals know how desperate you'll be to use your hair dryer or plug in your laptop. I found these at Amazon for $12.88 right here. 

Luggage tags need not be boring. Supply the bride and groom with these cheeky tags from Pamela Barsky, $14 right here. 

In addition to the staples above, you can finish the bag with a selection of magazines and DVD's. iTunes gift cards are also great so the couple can download their favorite music or movies before they leave. If the bride and groom are traveling internationally, an international calling card is also a super thoughtful gift. You can find these at Costco for around $30.

Resist the temptation to include sunscreen or any other liquids. But aspirin or antacid medicine are both inspired choices. To complete the gift, you might offer to drop off and pick up the couple from the airport. (Parking costs have skyrocketed at most airports.)

I collaborated with a few other couples a few years back to supply a similar honeymoon gift for my sister-in-law and her new husband, and they absolutely loved it. 

What items are you lost without on vacation? Consider these things when putting together your own "honeymooner kit." 

Place Card Chic

I'm back from vacation, and while sifting through an email explosion, I happened upon these cuties from Jonathan Adler. Wouldn't they look great at your next dinner party? 

{ Bird, Bull, Dachshund and Fish placecard holders, $28.00 each right here }

So much great stuff coming out of the house of Adler right now, check out the new section of the website for a killer selection of salt and pepper shakers and some great napkin ring holders.