Chic Vendor Spotlight: Couture Invitations by Lela New York

Yes, invitations set the tone for any soiree, but it's often hard to find a pre-designed suite that captures all the elements of your wedding, or a custom designer who can create something cohesive and all-out fabulous. In such situations, we always turn to Lela New York, a Manhattan-based couture studio specializing in some of the prettiest silk boxed sets, hand drawn illustrations, watercolor paintings and luxurious letterpress finishing we have ever seen...
Creative Director Maria Cerff has become a mainstay in the Manhattan event business, having designed couture invitations for many opulent weddings and social affairs. Below, the young bespoke designer chats with Merci about all things Lela- from product, to studio space, to daily inspirations- and gives us a glimpse of her luxe, opulent aesthetic.

How does living and working in New York influence your work?
I love how clients from all over the world come and visit me at the studio. Every one of them has a different story to tell and I try to incorporate that into their luxury invitations and stationery. It truly is what inspires me to create different designs every time.

What do you like most about the New York City wedding industry?
I must say that the New York wedding industry has really some of the best in the business and am very proud to be among such talented pros... And now with all the social media out there, I get to interact with so many of them. Love that!

How does your studio convey your professional aesthetic?
When designing the Lela New York studio, I wanted to convey a feeling of a fun, creative space, which would give an uplifting feeling when you walked into it. I mixed both modern design aesthetics with antique patterns. For example, I mixed floating glass table tops and lucite chairs with pink and silver damask patterns. It's fun and I think clients like seeing my creativity extend past the designs.
What keeps you inspired day-to-day?
I love my pink walls! They warm up the design studio with a soft glow. It keeps me upbeat all day long. I also like keeping recent work out; it inspires me to move forward with my design.

If you could wish for one thing to help your business, what would it be?
I would wish to have my printer move next door, although I don't think he would like that very much!

The Lela New York studio is located in midtown and open by appointment only. Be sure to check out the Lela New York portfolio and blog for more of Maria's fabulous work.