La Vie Créative Archives - Wedding Style File

Jan 13, 2013

13 Jan 2013

I’m baaaaaack!

Hello friends! I know, I know, it’s been ages since my last post. Running a wedding blog (or any blog, come to think of it) requires an enormous amount of time, effort and energy which I will try to dedicate more of in the coming year. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re writing for other people, which I’ve been doing a lot of over the past few months. I feel so blessed and fortunate for the opportunity to write about a topic I am so completely nuts about for one of the most creative bridal publications in Canada (more about that in a moment!) However, I will admit it’s been difficult to come home and work on my blog afterwards because most days I feel like I’ve used up my quota of creative juices before I can even get my hands on Wedding Style File. I know that’s a pretty lame excuse but it’s also the truth: I love all my readers and want to keep it real. In any case, that’s the reason. I sincerely apologize for being negligent, especially since I have some fantastic new vendors and blog posts waiting for you! Before we dig in to the meat and potatoes, however, I wanted to get you all caught up, since so much has happened in my absence!

1. I completed a four-month internship at Weddingbells, during which time I served as Online Editorial Assistant and got to write a whole lot of original wedding content. It was an absolute dream and I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to work behind the scenes at a major wedding magazine. And boy is it buzzing! The Weddingbells team is such a creative, inspiring bunch and I am so happy to have met Alison, Nicole, Rosie and all the other wonderful girls involved with this phenomenal publication. No one had a bigger influence on my experience, however, than Jen, Weddingbells’ Online Editor, who became my mentor and provided more warmth, encouragement and guidance than I could have ever hoped for. In addition to being a remarkably talented writer and editor, she is also the backbone of the entire Weddingbells website and it was an absolute honour and privilege to work with her.

2. Although my internship has now come to an end (*sniff*), I will still be contributing a weekly post to Weddingbells.ca. I feel so honoured for the opportunity to continue working with the wonderful girls I got to know during my time as an intern and to still have Weddingbells be a small part of my life. Jen and I have come up with some really, REALLY good stuff, so keep your eyes peeled on Weddingbells.ca in the coming weeks. You can see all of my Weddingbells posts here. Here are some of the biggies that have been published lately:

3. New year, new career! (Well, sort of). I am thrilled to be joining a local floral shop and learning floral design, which I will begin in the next couple weeks. Expect to see a lot more flower-related posts around here!

What about Wedding Style File?

I have a number of changes planned for the New Year which you will see reflected on Wedding Style File: the biggest is that the posts will likely be more sporadic. When I started Wedding Style File, I was working as a freelance social media consultant out of my apartment in Tel Aviv and was able to basically run this thing as a full-time gig. However, since returning to my native Toronto and jumping head-first into the local wedding industry, I don’t have the same time that I used to to dedicate to Wedding Style File. This absolutely does not mean the blog will be going anywhere. In addition to everything else, Wedding Style File has become a coveted creative outlet for me, and I look forward to sharing so many more wedding ideas and inspiration with you here.

However, it is difficult for me to predict my future posting activity, since running a blog requires researching posts, writing posts, sourcing images for posts, scheduling posts, promoting posts and generally revolving your entire life around posts. Although I can’t anticipate what exactly I will have time to do with Wedding Style File going forward, I can guarantee that if I think of some ingenious new wedding idea or discover a local vendor who really knocks my socks off, you will hear about it.

Much more, extremely soon.

Filed Under: Behind the Screens, La Vie Créative, Vive le Blog, Weddings, Will Write for Food Leave a Comment

Oct 11, 2012

11 Oct 2012

A Peek Inside My Dream Home

I know it sounds hard to believe, but I actually have other interests besides weddings. The first thing I ever wanted to be as a kid was an architect (or maybe the second thing. I think I wanted to be a mermaid first). I spent hours drawing floor plans in magic marker; it was pretty much my favourite thing to do, while everyone else was out on the playground or running through sprinklers (I know, I’m a freak). Though my architecture career never took off beyond the kitchen table, I’ve always been mesmerized by interior spaces. Every now and again, I spot one which inspires me just as much as a piece of knockout bridal couture.

This next little gem was too good not to share, seeing as it’s basically my dream home. Thanks to Design*Sponge, one of my favourite interior design blogs, I first caught a glimpse of the place last night and have been pining for it ever since. Styled by textile designer Caitlin Wilson, every nook and cranny is bursting with beauty and brilliance. Frankly, I can’t stop staring, it’s simply that spectacular.

Take a peek!

Courtney Apple Photography

Check out the full feature here.

Back to weddings shortly!

Filed Under: Assorted Inspiration, La Vie Créative, Spaces and Places Leave a Comment

Oct 5, 2012

05 Oct 2012

Happy 1st Birthday Wedding Style File!

Elizabeth Messina

One year ago today, I made the decision to combine my passion for weddings and writing and created my first post on Wedding Style File, which was kind of a big deal as it basically meant admitting to the entire world that I bought my first bridal mag at 16. It also put me in contact with more wedding junkies than I ever knew were out there, married and single alike. Quite a lot has happened since then. I’ve had the privilege of contributing to some fantastic wedding blogs, notably Hatunot (the first English wedding blog in Israel) and East Coast Bride. I met one of my industry idols Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty, who is both incredibly sweet and insanely creative. I worked with Laura Jane Designs, who designed a phenomenal logo and layout for Wedding Style File that exceeded my every expectation. I re-connected with old friends who are now working in the wedding industry and made some lovely new ones. Most recently, I’ve had the honour of joining the team at Weddingbells as their online intern, all while hustling to grow Wedding Style File from a teeny little wedding blog to a major visual caddy.

There’s still a ways to go. In the past year, I’ve encountered technical difficulties, personal setbacks and some big disappointments. Above all, I’ve received so much love and support for this project to make the world just a little bit prettier — from family, friends and strangers alike. To those who have left me comments, dropped me an e-mail, connected on Facebook, tuned in on Twitter and checked back again and again for wedding ideas and inspiration, thank you. I am extremely humbled and grateful to have you as readers and promise to work to make Wedding Style File even bigger this year than the one before. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your love and support — it means more than I could ever hope to express.

Love,
Rachel

Filed Under: Behind the Screens, Celebrating, La Vie Créative, Vive le Blog Leave a Comment

Dec 14, 2011

14 Dec 2011

Snippets of Inspiration

One thing I adore about weddings are the unguarded borders with fashion, interior design, graphic design and boundless other realms of creativity; a door knob, wallpaper pattern or sparkly pair of heels can guide a wedding vision with the same authority as a Pantone colour swatch. Here’s what’s inspiring me today:

Jen Lynne Photography

via Club Monaco Culture Club

via ispy-diy.com

Andrew Durham for The New York Times

via Tumblr

Jen Curtis

via Tumblr

What little things inspire you? Comment below or tweet @RachelCravit.

Filed Under: Assorted Inspiration, Fashion, La Vie Créative, Spaces and Places Leave a Comment

Oct 7, 2011

07 Oct 2011

All the Small Things

People.com

If you check back often enough, you’ll probably encounter one or two posts about my ultimate celeb crush Tori Spelling. Not only is she a genius wedding planner and total animal lover, but she has a fantastic philosophy:

“I think everything in life is an art. Your choice of words, what you wear, how you smile and put others at ease, the way you pack your kids’ lunches, or how you gift wrap a present, even the stuff you put in your purse, says something about you… Even if you feel like going to the store in sweats and lounging in front of the TV drinking orange bang all day, you can do it in a comfy, yet chic caftan while serving orange bang in a fabulous tumbler.”

Unsurprisingly, people like this run a high risk of becoming wedding junkies, because they just get what it’s all about: making the world a little more lovely, one detail at a time. They also typically manifest as interior designers, fashion designers, artists, chefs and other creative specimens.

Once upon a time on Church Street, I strolled into what is now one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto, Golden Thai. I was delighted to find fresh pink orchids placed in blue glass bottles on every table, which left as strong an impression as their killer Pad Thai (and I am not easy to please when it comes to Pad Thai). Another time, at a trattoria further up town, my family and I were gorging on brick oven pizza when our waiter surprised us with a round of Limoncello shots on the house. Although the two restaurants were worlds — or at least countries — apart, both possessed the knowledge that dynamite comes in small packages, and it’s often the little things that pack the most punch.