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Historic Houdini Estate Wedding in Los Angeles

    What on Earth could be more glamorous than a wedding at the fabulous Harry Houdini estate in Los Angeles? Steeped in history, this magical estate served as a backdrop to Meg and Brett's vintage-inspired wedding. The cascading waterfall, creek and lush garden was an extraordinary setting to exchange nuptials.


    Built in the Edwardian tradition in the early 1900s, the Houdini Estate still has caves, hidden tunnels, terraced gardens, and a deep-water tank where Harry Houdini reportedly practiced his underwater escapes. The secluded property was the perfect retreat for America’s foremost Magician. Houdini used the estate’s pool to practice his amazing feats of escape and illusion before his death in 1926.


    For their Save the Date invitations, Meg and Brett started with my Art Deco "Swinging on the Moon" design. They utilized the same theme for their wedding invitations and event stationery. The large lavender welcome poster greeted guests and the corresponding programs alerted them to the evening's events.


    Paper Moon Shoppe built a phenomenal Paper Moon photo backdrop for guests to really go "Swinging on the Moon". You will honestly never encounter such a unique way to memorialize your event than with a portable old-fashioned paper moon photo studio. Famed Photographer, Margot Landen shot the glamorous affair. Check out a few of her stunning photos!


    Photography: www.margotlandenweddings.com @margotlanden

    Planning: www.heartthrobweddings.com @heartthrobweddings

    Florals: www.tropicofflowers.com @tropicoflowers


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    Meg + Brett at the historic Harry Houdini Estate in Los Angeles




    Paper Moons - Perfect for that stellar, vintage wedding!

      Shoot for the stars… if you miss, you’ll end up on the moon-- so wrote Artie Shaw. Paper moon photo booths started around the turn of the century and remained popular through the 1930s.  They popped up at state fairs, carnivals, seaside resorts and any other place that people went to have a good time.  Paper moon photo booths offered party-goers the opportunity to smile at the camera and take home a souvenir photo of their dazzling day or stellar evening. The backdrops featured a luminous giant smiling moon, but other fantasy themes appeared as well… hot air balloons (one of my favorites), snow scenes, boat scenes... to name just a few. By the 1930’s people took their own cameras on outings and well, they were gone…. until now! 


      It gives me great pleasure in knowing that the Paper Moon Shoppe is in full swing and able to bring to your wedding, a bonafide vintage-style paper moon. And not just one paper moon. Shop owners Victoria and Chris have designed and built the world's largest collection of paper moon backdrops and at least a dozen other specialty backdrops including an Art Deco trolley, Chrysler Building eagle, and that famous George Melies silent movie Moon and Rocket. 


      I have had the pleasure of working with Victoria and Chris on several weddings and they have custom-built giant photo backdrops to suit each theme. They constructed a large-scale Victorian clock used in a moody Gothic-inspired wedding shoot. The giant timepiece featured a moon, stars and clouds as well as a dial with adjustable arms.  In addition, they created a gold geometric moon for one of our Art Deco shoots. And just last month, they designed an Autumn-themed auburn and burgundy tree backdrop based on the graphics from one of my wedding invitations for the Wilshire Ebell Theater. 


      Paper Moon Shoppe has several package options for you to choose from. They meticulously transform your space into a spectacular celestial showpiece! They off a fast printing station, unlimited souvenir prints, online albums and vintage props. They even offer old-fashioned souvenir flipbooks that you can order for your guests. Lastly, if you order a wedding invitation suite from Gilded Swan Paperie and then book a paper moon booth, Victoria and Chris will give you a $50 discount on your order.  Go vintage glam with Paper Moon Shoppe! You will honestly never encounter such a unique way to memorialize your event!



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      Sitting on the moon with the Paper Moon Shoppe




      Anatomy of a Reply Card

        Updated: Jan 24, 2024

        The who, what, when, where and why of wedding invitation response cards. I get more questions regarding reply cards than any other. Reply cards are also known as RSVP cards. To begin with, RSVP stands for répondez s’il vous plaît. In French, “please respond”. You must have some way to let your guests tell you that they are, or are not attending your wedding.

        We never put response requests ON our formal invitations. No matter how small your budget, it is never done. Printing this on the formal invitation gives one the impression of extreme thriftiness on the part of the sender and is frankly, just too casual. Email, phone numbers and websites on the formal invitation look cluttered. You only get married once, we hope, so let’s at least have some decorum and put these details on another card.


        The reply card will have the following:


        Reply by date:

        Traditionally, invitations go out two months prior to your wedding. Your reply by date should be three-four weeks before your wedding.


        Formal: The favor of a reply is requested by the tenth of June

        Informal: Kindly reply by June 10th

        M________________________

        What is this M in front of the name line? I get this question all the time and it saddens me that this tradition is going by the wayside. Lately, I have replaced M with guest(s) as couples do not care to embrace this tradition today. M in front of the line is for Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss. Historically, this is traditional proper protocol.


        Reply envelopes:

        You must include them with your response card and either handwrite or have your Stationer print your return address on the front. Self-mailable postcards are informal but still do the trick if you forgo a proper response envelope.


        Stamps:

        You must place a stamp on the self-mailable reply card or on the reply card envelope. It is bad form to ask your guests to pay for the response to your wedding.


        Meal Choices:

        Many couples like to include meal choices on their reply card so that their caterer can better prepare for the wedding day. This is entirely up to you. A major reason couples send out their invitations late is that they wait and wait for the caterer to sort out the meal choices. Caterers do not care about invitation deadlines and the stress this causes the Stationer (me) and the couples (you) is tantamount. If you must put meal choices on your response cards, then go with the bare minimum: meat, fish, vegetarian.

        Mailable response card vs an online reply, which is best for you? It depends. If you are having a very formal black tie wedding, something in a grand home, country club or ballroom, you would want a proper mail-in reply card. Below are the pro’s and cons of each side of the argument:


        Online Reply Card Pros

        • You will receive responses sooner

        • Since you do not need an envelope, you will save environmentally and in your wallet

        • Easier for some guests


        Online Reply Card Cons

        • Out of site, out of mind; spend more time tracking down responses from guests who simply forgot

        • Too casual for formal weddings

        • Older guests may have a hard time navigating the web

        • How do you indicate how many are invited with just a link? You will have to have numerous conversations or a way to indicate online what the guest limit is. You may not want everyone to bring a "plus one".

        • You must have a shortened url. It is difficult for older guests or guests on mobile devices to type something like this in order to reply: theknot.com/us/courtney-hanley-&-stephen-shaunessey-get-married-2020


        QR Codes

        • Insanely ugly and detract from the invitation design

        • Are difficult for many guests, particularly the elderly

        • If I did not stress this enough above, they are really unattractive



        Mail-in Reply Cards Pros

        • A physical card that requires action is more reliable for getting responses

        • It’s classier

        • Every day you receive a response in the mail is like getting a letter from a friend. When do you ever receive letters these days? Many guests take the time to write a little handwritten note on your reply cards. You can even add a few lines on your card for this. I kept all of mine and tied them with a pretty ribbon.


        Mail-in Reply Cards Cons

        The added cost of the stamp and envelopes

        Not as environmentally friendly


        With the advent of technology, we seem to lose little pieces of traditions every day. It would be a shame for weddings to go fully digital. When you look back on your 50th wedding anniversary, what will you have besides your love and photos? Paper will be there. Texts, wedding websites and email confirmations will all be long gone after your wedding day. Let’s ditch the traditions that are not so important to us. Tossing the garter can go, bridesmaids don’t always have to wear the same dress and we really do not have to throw rice. As a self-proclaimed paper and etiquette collector, I admit the online reply is becoming more and more popular. Let’s just make sure we keep it OFF of the invitation and ON a separate card, no matter what you decide to do.


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        A traditional reply card




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