Vendor Spotlight: Posh Paperie
If you don’t know about Posh Paperie than you must read further– if you do know of the lovely ladies behind this amazing San Diego paper company, than their work below will come as no surprise. I originally met with Elizabeth and Karrie as we collaborated on a project together. I found their work featured on WeddingChicks.com and fell madly IN LOVE with their amazing pinwheels and banners. They’ve been working with us on a lot of projects since our first introduction and I just couldn’t wait any longer to blog about them. Their work is custom for each client and they are capable of taking your wedding paper suite to new levels! From save the dates, invitations, programs, menu cards, travel maps, table numbers, sweet station signs, banners, paper details, unique installations, escort cards, place cards….. seriously, if you can make it out of paper, ribbon and glue, these ladies can do it! Take a look at some of my favorite pieces hijacked from their great blog:
Ladies, thanks for being an absolute source of inspiration for us at Jubilee and our clients! What a joy it is to work with two very talented and supremely creative women. If you are in the market for unique and amazing paper, check out our friends at Posh Paperie.
XOXO
Vendor Spotlight: Lela New York | The Couture Invitations & Stationery Experts
I had the great pleasure of working on a recent editorial project with Maria Cerff, Creative Director of Lela New York . She created an incredible art deco inspired invitation suite for us and I just had to share a bit more about her and her company to our readers! Lela New York is a luxury invitations and stationery studio specializing in creating one-of-a-kind works of art for the discerning client. Their work is sought after by distinct wedding planners, designers and savvy brides worldwide for their couture designs and awe-inspiring creations. Lela New York will help match your special event with a couture invitation equally as special. From hand-drawn illustrations and water color paintings to silk box invitations and unique embellishments every suite is designed to be truly unique. Lela New York is available by appointment for consultations serving clients in NYC and worldwide. Maria’s work has been featured in BRIDES Magazine, The Knot Magazine, Style Me Pretty, and the NY Post! Her portfolio is a variety of engaging pieces ranging from the most formal of social occasions to birth announcements and personal stationary. I love her luxe, opulent design style.
Be sure to visit her website to see an in depth look at her work. For a look into the hottest trends and what’s fabulous, be sure to visit her blog too!
WIN $75 toward stylish Save the Dates by Invitation Consultants!
Invitation Consultants is giving away a $75 gift card toward Save the Dates to one lucky couple on our blog! Invitation Consultants carries a HUGE collection of wedding day paper, including save the dates, invitations, programs, and a variety of other pieces. To enter our contest, leave a comment on this post indicating which save the date you’d choose if you won! The contest ends Friday, December 18th at 17:00 and the winner will be chosen at random and announced next week. Everyone is welcome to enter!
Good luck! xo
Beautiful Flourishes by Primele Calligraphy
I came across the amazing calligraphy of Patricia Mumau. She has a wonderful little etsy store for her gorgeous artwork and also runs an interesting blog. I really love her work — the big flourishes, use of the whole envelope, the little details. So amazing!
A purple, chocolate and gold invitation suite by Lilah Paper
I’m so excited to be able to share our invitations with you!! As many of you know, the first item I purchased for our wedding was my shoes. They’ve been my muse for the entire event and have guided me toward the most amazing gown, linens, and paper. When I set out to have our invitations designed I knew of only one designer who would be able to take my shoes and make an invitation out of them!
Paper is one of my loves, and Kalyn from Lilah Paper and I have worked together on several events and her style really compliments my own. We came up with a custom invitation suite based on a variety of different inspirational pieces that I sent her through out the process. When she sent me our first round of proofs I was blown away. It wasn’t something I had envisioned but it was exactly what I wanted — which is a true testament to her talent! Much like a proud mama, I happen to think I have the most beautiful wedding invitations ever made.
We started out with a pretty belly band holding all our paper goodness together.
Inside, a tri-fold invitation suite. It starts off with lyrics from our soon to be first dance song by Van Morrison…
Our actual letterpress invitation to the ceremony with double backing layers. Photographs cannot do it justice! It is so gorgeous!!
Our pretty letterpress enclosure cards. We’ve gotten so many compliments on the cute vintage inspired food selections. We’ve also received A LOT of interesting first dance songs!!
Our envelopes were hand written by the extremely talented Lisa Ridgely of Pen and Ink Calligraphy. I LOVE working with Lisa — she is SO good to my brides and it was so much fun to be one of hers! We chose this gorgeous red ink color for a fun pop.
I had so much fun working with Lilah Paper and absolutely love the couture suite she came up with for us. The quality was so important to me, and our invitations are above and beyond what we could have imagined. We were SO thrilled to mail them all out (except for the $.78 stamps on each one) and have gotten so many RSVP’s back. Its a joy every afternoon to run out to the mailbox!
I’ll have some prettier pro pictures after the wedding with the rest of our amazing paper!
Matt + Kim = Mr. & Mrs. Uccellini: Saugatuck Rowing Club, Westport Connecticut
Matt and Kim were married on May 30th, 2009 at 2:30 in the afternoon at the Assumption Church in Westport, Connecticut. Immediately following, guests enjoyed a gorgeous preppy and nautical inspired fete at the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport. Kim and Matt were an amazing couple to work with! At our initial meeting I knew we’d be a good match — they wanted a preppy, tailored, and nautical wedding in blue and yellow with pops of red.
The day began with Kim getting ready at her apartment with her parents and bridesmaids. Kim had her makeup done by the talented artists at Naomi’s Makeup Studio out of West Hartford. Kim wore a gorgeous and simple Matthew Christopher satin gown with an elbow length Mantilla Veil, purchased at Bridal Trousseau on Main in Branford. Her bridal bouquet (by Peter’s Wholesale Florists in Stamford) was made up of white peonies, yellow ranunculous, and white hydrangea wrapped in yellow and white polka dot grosgrain ribbon. It was absolutely stunning!
Matt and his Groomsmen spent the later morning and early afternoon having lunch at his parents house. They wore gorgeous seersucker jackets from Brooks Brothers with a navy brooks brothers tie and khakis. The groom wore a head of ranunculous as his boutonniere and his groomsmen wore a single yellow rose. The flower girls and ringer bearer were all Matt’s nieces and they wore the most darling little red and yellow polka dot dresses!
After their beautiful ceremony at Assumption Church in Westport, Matt and Kim went to the spot that was very meaningful and sentimental to them. A place where they spent many nights watching the sun set as a couple. They love Combo Beach in Westport and try to visit at least once every weekend during the summer months. Her love of rowing and his love of the water really drew them together. After the ceremony, Kim took off her gorgeous veil and pinned a fabulous little white flower in her hair. Doesn’t she look STUNNING?
The reception was held at the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport. The views? Stunning. It was obvious to them that it was the perfect location, which would marry her love of rowing and his love of the water. Guests were greeted on the blue slate patio overlooking the Saugatuck River and the docks that lead out into the water. They enjoyed Matt and Kim’s signature cocktail, the Pimms Cup, served from large sea glass canisters into high ball glasses which were garnished with a lemon wheel, cucumber spear, and a seersucker swizzle stick. Heaven.
The tablescapes were gorgeous and filled with SO many details. We used navy linen as a base, and brought in beautiful beechwood chiavari chairs with white pads from Party Rentals, Ltd out of Greenwich. Centerpieces were of one tall, french galvanized bucket filled with white peonies, ranunculous and hydrangea. They were fluffy and tightly filled — so gorgeous! There were three satellite arrangements of yellow and white gerbera daisies in smaller galvanized buckets. Each bucket had the same yellow and white polka dot grosgrain ribbon from Kim’s bouquet wrapped around them. The taller, french galvanized buckets had thick red grosgrain ribbon.
Each place setting had a rattan charger with an accompanying blue polka dot plate and clear glass saucer for the chilled gazpacho, all rented from Party Rentals, Ltd. Their navy napkins were rolled and tied onto them was a menu “tag”, which we created in the round. It had a seersucker boarder and a cute little yellow grommet, tied together with white grosgrain ribbon. Each guest received a cute little galvanized bucket filled with red swedish fish. We created red and blue favor tags with lyrics to their first dance song by U2 and tied it on with red grosgrain ribbon.
Each table was named after a New England town that held special significance to the bride and groom. Places like Westport, Newport, Nantucket, Block Island, Bar Harbor, Mystic…. we even inserted the GPS coordinates of each location onto their table sign. A fun little detail we carried through out the event — like on the custom stamp we made for their invitations!
Guests dinned on chilled gazpacho, surf and turf with filet mignon and lobster tail with steamed red potatoes and corn on the cob. There were even toothpicks on the table for pickin’ corn out of your teeth! The entire event was catered by the Club’s restaurant, Riverview Restaurant. Chef Danny and his team did a fabulous job!
Their delicious cake was made by Sweet Cakes out of Fairfield, Connecticut. Suzette did a fabulous job bringing Kim and Matt’s vision to life. The guests REALLY enjoyed the cake and complimented on how delectable it was! We displayed escort cards on a red linen wrapped cork board with some retro metal pushpins. It was perfect! We also had custom napkins, swizzle sticks, and coasters made for the event. The beautiful calligraphy was done by Lisa Ridgley of Pen and Ink Calligraphy out of Westminister, Maryland. I LOVE Lisa. She is so good to our brides and does AMAZING work! One of the little details I loved most about this wedding that you may not be able to notice was the lowercase letters we used on everything — even their yellow monogrammed letters that were tied to the back of their chairs. When I think preppy I think kate spade and j. crew, so we channeled some of their branding. A little detail that goes a LONG way! In lieu of a traditional guest book, guests also signed rowing oars. They also dropped their cards in a lobster trap.
Guests danced the night away to music provided by Jim Nuzzo of Dance to the Music Entertainment. He did an AWESOME job! Photographs are courtesy of Kelley and Todd Whittaker (website coming soon). Matt and Kim made their grand exit via a sparkler send off and rounded out the evening across the street with their family and friends, sipping Margareta’s at Vivas!
The day was captured on video by Matthew Fink of Digital Media Odyssey. He already has their teaser trailer up! Check it out below!
Kim and Matt Teaser Trailer from Matthew Fink on Vimeo.
Thanks Matt and Kim for letting us share in your SPECTACULAR day. It was a pleasure designing your event and working with you.
Things We Love, Vol. #3
This is one of my favorite weekly posts. I love to star my favorite blog posts through out the week and share them with you all. I also really enjoy reading YOUR weekly round up posts as they always point me in the direction of very talented people!
Okay, so the photograph above? I am loving this pink and navy wedding posted on The Brides Cafe Blog…. everything… the bridesmaids dresses… the flower girls cardigans… ALL of it… I LOVE IT. So much style!
I love this Mary Norton chiffon rosette purse featured on SevenEight…. it is super dreamy.
Real Simple’s advice to accessorize with shimmer instead of a scarf this season… love their choices. I agree, a little shimmer on the collar bone makes such a difference!
I have a love of chalkboards, and had to share 8 cool chalkboard finds on Real Simple’s blog.
Having an e-session soon? Take note of inspiring details from style me pretty!
A little floral inspiration from Sarah of Party Perfect. Just what you need on a gloomy and rainy day!
Love banners, especially this colorful DIY celebrate banner from Once Wed.
I’m totally drooling over these Save the Dates and Invitations from Katie and Ben posted on Brooklyn Bride… i’m such a sucker for awesome packaging!!
I love the crystals and chandeliers from this wedding featured on style me pretty.
These stylish bridal sashes posted on Classic Bride are gorgeous.. if you know me, you know I love embellished belts (with flowers!) so these are right up my alley!
Vendor Spotlight: Paisely Quill
I received a really lovely email from Molly Myers, one of the two owners designers at Paisley Quill, a custom wedding invitation and stationery studio. Once I saw her work I knew she’d be a great fit for our brides! Here is a sample of their most recent work…. can you say swooning over this pretty pink invitations? So feminine and romantic!
And these gorgeous fuchsia and navy invitations? Love! It is such a hot color combination and I love the regal feel of these.
Thanks to Molly and Megan for sharing their fabulous work with us! Visit their website and portfolio to see more of their work and learn how they can create a couture invitation suite for your next event. They also have a super awesome blog too that is a must read and in our RSS feed!
Things We Love
Here are some things we absolutely LOVE from around the web for this week!
The above vintage photograph of an amazing couple from the 1920’s? via one of our favorite blogs, Vintage Glam Weddings
A great tutorial on how to create a spring inspired centerpiece with some edible material from The Party Dress.
DIY Paper Wedding Cones from the talented ladies at Once Wed.
The gorgeous paper from the real wedding of Anne & John featured on Style Me Pretty. It was all designed and crafted by the bride!
Inspirational floral design featured on 100 layer cake of florals from Dandelion Ranch. Swooning!
Yummy and beautiful organic cakes by Sarah Magid’s and featured on Oh Joy!
Calligraphy
Calligraphy. . . a word that may strike fear into the hearts of brides to be. But just about anyone can do Calligraphy, its not as bad as it sounds. The first thing you will need is a Calligraphy pen and ink. When I first started doing Calligraphy 9 years ago I purchased a Sheaffer Calligraphy kit similar to this one. You will also need 2 pieces of paper, one of which will be for the writing and the other will be your guide to make sure that your writing stays in a straight line.
Once you have a Calligraphy pen my first suggestion is to play with them. Hold your pen at a slight angle and draw squiggly lines so you can start to get a feel for the flow of the ink. There are different nibs that come with your kit. What is a nib you ask? Well, the nib is the tip of your calligraphy pen. The thicker the nib the thicker the line you will end up with.
Now that you have started to get the hang of your calligraphy pen you can begin to experiment with lettering. Most letters you will need to use at least two strokes to complete the letter. For example here is step one of the letter ‘a’. Your basically drawing what looks like a ‘c’.
Then you are going to add the back and the tail end of your ‘a’.
One more example is the letter ‘g’. Again you are drawing a ‘c’ using your second sheet of paper as your straight edge.
Now you will add the side and bottom of the ‘g’. With calligraphy the fancier the better!
When doing a full name you can see here that due to the straight edge you are not able to add on the bottom of the ‘J’. This just gives you the opportunity to focus on how you would like to add to your letters.
step 1: 
step 2: 
Lastly when doing mailing addresses you can do two different things. One, you can center the address on the envelope. Secondly, you could stagger the address on the envelope. These are two very different looks and my suggestion is to try both out and see what works for you. Enjoy!
In Love: Calligraphy
I love calligraphy. There is no denying that when you receive an invitation hand addressed by one of these artists, you feel so special! Having your wedding invitations hand calligraphed may seem like an antiquated tradition that you don’t need to do (printing envelopes on the computer is so easy, right?). Well, it is an old tradition, but one you shouldn’t skip if you can afford. A wedding invitation isn’t just any old invitation to a party: it is something extremely intimate and important and it should be treated as such!
Take a look at some of this calligraphy eye candy. Notice how the styles are so different? The options out there are truly endless. These are some of my absolute favorite calligraphy artists.
Lisa Ridgley; Pen & Ink Calligraphy
http://www.penandink-calligraphy.com
Kathryn Murray; Kathryn Murray Calligraphy
Laura Hooper; Laura Hooper Calligraphy
Jessica Slutsky; Jessica Slutsky Calligraphy
http://www.racetothealter.blogspot.com
Wedding Invitation / Save the Date Labels
So when I was getting ready to send out my save the dates I didn’t want to do them all by hand. I felt that I wanted to save that little something special for the invitations themselves. So I created a template using photoshop and incorporated my colors. These wrap around labels were not only used for my save the dates but when wrapped around the opposite side they make for the perfect return labels for your RSVP’s.
So once you have your template printed out your handy dandy paper cutter comes in to save the day. . .
and now you are left with your labels, I suggest folding them in half so you know exactly where to place the label on your envelope.
all you have to do now is apply your adhesive and put on your envelope
and here is your finished result!
Vintage Inspired Save the Dates
It is save the date season and I thought I’d share a few of my favorite vintage style save the dates in this round up of inspiration! Really beautiful paper gets me all excited and inspired, and I’m sure it will have you feeling creative too. I’m really in love with this first save the date vintage hankie from Lucky Luxe Designs. Isn’t it magnificent and just plan awesome? I wish I had done this with my own save the dates!
The next save the date is from Letter Punch Design. This punch save the date card reminds me an old train ticket. Isn’t it sweet?
This save the date is also from Letter Punch Design. I love this one because it has a little bit of an Art Deco style to it (one of my all time favorite periods). It also plays with the idea of time a bit and would be perfect for someone getting married at the old Timex Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut! I love the little corner punch detailing.
Real Connecticut Wedding: Ashley & Mark | The Details & Reception
I love brides who roll up their sleeves and get involved in the process of creating for their wedding. Nothing is more amazing than when a bride hand crafts her invitations from scratch. Ashley did just that when she created these thoughtful and amazing invitations for her wedding! I love how the story of how they came to be unfolds in the invitation. You can see how much time and thought they put into designing them and she did such a wonderful job!
Ashley decided to make her own invitations when she couldn’t find what she wanted. She researched paper and ordered samples over a series of three months. She hand folded the accordion style invitation, cut and glued the printed cardstock and pictures on each panel. The final touches were the ribbon which held it closed and the printed inner and outer envelopes. To put it in her own words: “It was a lot of work!” They ended up being her pride and joy and really started the whole theme of “home,” which you can see throughout their wedding. This led into the napkin cards which was a letter that she to their guests thanking them for their love and support. To tie it all together, she created her own favors which were a set of 4 stoneware coasters. Three of them had the images used in the invitations of their three main “homes” CT, CA, and England, and the fourth had the main line from the napkin card, “Home is the comfort, support, and love of friends & family.”
I asked Ashley to describe her wedding day decor and style. She wanted to use her favorite color, pink, but add a spin to it as they were married during the fall. She chose a warm, salmon colored pink to fit in with the season. For her tablescapes she ordered 289 class cylinder vases in varying sizes, which she and her mom covered with a beautiful coral colored tissue paper. Now that is DIY dedication! This tablescape provided a really romantic glow with all the candles lit inside and provided the exact kind of atmosphere that Ashley and Mark wanted!
The flowers in her bouquet were shades of coral, salmon, peach and pink with curly willy branches within the flowers. She also used some as centerpieces to give it an authentic, organic autumn feel.
Guests dinned on a personalized menu that the couple crafted with the Seaman’s Inne. They show stopper? A last minute addition to the menu — a seafood pot pie with Stonington scallops and shrimp in a Maine lobster cream sauce. Can you say yum? Ashley and Mark loved that they had local, fall comfort food. They also paid homage to Mark’s British upbringing with the pot pie! e guests enjoyed a sweet little snack on the dance floor as they skipped the traditional wedding cake and opted for butler passed mini cupcakes, which is so Carrie-chic (remember her fabulous book launch party? love it!)
What family traditions did you incorporate into your wedding?
We tried to pay tribute to Mark’s English culture in subtle ways- the feather fascinator in my hair, the pot pie, and lots of British 80s pop on the dance floor! I tied my grandfathers alter boy pin on my bouquet and carried my Gram’s hankie (which I did end up needing halfway through the ceremony!) Other than that, I think it was more about the people we are today, the life we have built together, and the traditions that we maybe created for future generations.
What is the secret to a successful marriage?
I’m not sure if I’m actually qualified to say after only 4 months! BUT… I think what makes mine and Mark’s marriage wonderful is that there is no one else on earth I’d rather spend my time with. We know how to make each other laugh and more importantly, we know how to laugh at ourselves. Everything about us, as a couple, is honest, true, and sincere. I think that overall, what will continue to make our marriage successful over time is our commitment to family. Whether it’s a family of 2 or 10, it’s the commitment to your family and the life you have created together, that makes it a success.
Thanks so much to Ashley and Mark for allowing us to share in their fabulous wedding! I had so much fun learning about them and putting together this wonderful series.
The Vendors
The story of their day was told in photographs by the talented Amanda Herzberger of Orchard Cove Photography. The wedding ceremony was held at Noank Baptist Church in Groton, Connecticut with a classic New England fete at the Seamen’s Inne in Mystic. Hair and makeup for the wedding was by Deanna & Danielle of the Rob Rivers Salon in Mystic. The bride wore a magnificent gown by Cymbeline Paris, purchased at Lili Bridal in Tarzana, California. The bride’s attendants wore beautiful dark champagne colored Jim Hjelm satin dresses. The groom donned a custom tuxedo by Mattucci in Redondo Beach, California with a black and white stripped tie by Brooks Brothers. The groomsmen wore suits by John Galante. Personalized cup cakes were deliciously designed by You Take the Cake in New London. Floral design was by Adams Garden of Eden in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Guests danced the night away to music and entertainment provided by Rich Conway . The day was captured on video by Casey Moran, and the bride created the invitations and designed the wedding herself!
Part of the Real Connecticut Wedding: Ashley & Mark in Mystic series
- Real Connecticut Wedding: Ashley & Mark in Mystic
- Real Connecticut Wedding: Ashley & Mark | The Ceremony
- Real Connecticut Wedding: Ashley & Mark | The Details & Reception
Q&A session with… Lilah Paper
Do you remember the fabulous feature we did on Lilah Paper a few weeks back? Well I asked Kalyn, the visionary behind this amazing invitation design company, to answer a few of our questions. She was so kind to respond to our questions about Lilah Paper and the process of creating couture wedding invitations. Before you read her interview, take a look at her fabulous holiday collection. I am so in love with the vintage style.
First off, I am so honored to be a guest on Jubilee Event’s blog, Connecticut Weddings! I have been following the blog since July and just love Candice’s beautiful and unique take on style, weddings and event decor. So needless to say when she asked if Lilah Paper would be a guest on her blog I jumped at the opportunity! So, here it goes…
How did you get started in the business of designing couture stationery and invitations?
I got started in the stationery business a couple of years ago while planning my own wedding. Ever since I graduated school I have been working in graphic design, however as time went on I was beginning to feel a bit of the corporate burnout. However, once engaged I found that our wedding was the perfect creative outlet to think beyond the standard page. As I began to design our save the dates, my mind was flooded with ideas and finally I felt the creative spark return! So given the rave reviews from my own wedding stationery and my absolute love for beautiful, boutique paper I decided that I couldn’t turn back and began to design my initial line of stationery. From there I moved from beautiful Colorado to Gorgeous Charleston, South Carolina, where lavish southern weddings are in full swing! While in Charleston, I designed for a custom invitation studio where I gained a lot of insight into the stationery and wedding industry. However, it wasn’t long after that my husband and I decided to put one more move under our belts… back to my home town, Kansas City. Given that there isn’t an abundance of letterpress and invitation studios in Kansas City, I decided to open the doors to Lilah Paper, and I must say that I am loving every second of it!! It isn’t every day that you get to be completely creative in your job and work with clients who are celebrating such joyous occasions. I feel truly lucky to have stumbled upon this wonderful business.
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as vintage… with a twist of playful elegance. I LOVE sweeping flourishes, vintage wallpapers, soft colors and beautiful, creamy papers. Typography is also a small obsession of mine. Any chance I get to play around with old block lettering and unique type layouts I jump at the opportunity.
Where do you draw inspiration from when designing a couture invitation suite for a couple?
I really just listen. Like anyone that has or is planning a wedding knows, it is SO fun to talk about your big day! I draw inspiration from my bride’s descriptions and pictures, specifically of their dresses, flowers, table decor, and venue. You can tell a lot about a wedding based on where it is being held. But outside of the couple, I draw a lot of inspiration from vintage fabrics and beautiful calligraphy.
A lot of couples are not use to the idea of having their invitations designed by someone out of state. Often times they don’t even know that they can work with a couture paperie designer on a national level. How does Lilah Paper cater to this type of couple and provide that one-on-one service that they’re looking for?
Surprisingly the majority of my clients are out of state and the process really works quite similarly. I start with an initial phone consultation, which works just like if the couple were to meet here in the studio. I discuss the bride and groom, their style, their wedding colors, how they would want their invitations worded (traditional vs. non-traditional), and each of the pieces that they may need to be included within their invitation suite (ie. reception card, schedule of events, etc.). From this I gain a good vision of the couple and how their stationery fits into their big day.
For my more hands-on brides, I use a lot of email and good old snail mail. Often times my brides will email me with bits of inspiration, color swatches and themes. This is always helpful when working without of state brides, as the more insight I can gain into their overall vision for their wedding the better. If color or paper swatches are needed, I simply stick them in the mail so that my brides are able to touch and feel the products, just like if they would here in the studio.
After the initial consultation, the process is really quite the same. I provide pdf proofs via email and the editing process is done over the phone or via email. My goal is to make ordering your stationery easy, effortless and most importantly fun!
What are the hottest trends right now in wedding invitations?
Color is always an ever changing trend when it comes to invitations and the bridal industry! The wedding colors are probably the first thing that a bride considers. This year, I am seeing more “dusty tones,” including lavenders, taupes, peaches, grey-blues, greens, tans and pinks. Each of these colors makes a beautiful and stunning accent to classic color choices like chocolate brown, slate grey and creamy ivory tones.
Another trend that I am seeing is the use of custom envelope liners. I see more and more brides moving away from the inner/outer envelope tradition and instead using a single outer envelope, lined with a beautiful, coordinating paper.
What are a few ways that couples can save on invitations without compromising impact, design, or quality?
Invitations can be one of the most fun parts about planning a wedding (of course maybe I am a little bias). However, seeing the transition from thinking that the invitation is just another piece of paper that ends up in the trash to realizing that the invitation is the very piece that will jump-start the excitement within your guests and give them a glimpse into the look and feel of your big day is just amazing! BUT… as much as the wedding stationery is a huge part, you don’t want to break the bank either. So, not to worry! There are many ways that you can trim costs when it comes to your invitations without compromising the impact, design and quality, and the top two ways are:
1. number of ink colors
2. the printing process (offset/flat printing vs. thermography vs. letterpress)
For budget-conscious brides, I often suggest that they use thermography or offset printing. And for those who wish to add color, but keep within a 1-color price range, I suggest using backing layers and coordinating reply envelopes to add variety and dimension. However, keep in mind that if you do know your budget ahead of time it is helpful to let the designer know. Knowing your budget allows us to guide you in the right direction and make suggestions that will fit within your unique style and your unique budget!
Holiday Cocktail Party Invitations
The best parties start with a fabulous invitation! Just like your save the dates and wedding invitations, an invite to your cocktail party gives guests a glimpse into the style, formality, and overall theme. If you must, you can always do e-invites, but I prefer to send something beautiful in the mail instead. Here are a few invitations I really love and think you will too:
Invitations by Jubilee
First up are the invitations Jubilee is offering through our etsy store. They all have a vintage vibe to them with fun and catchy phrases. We can customize them for you too, based on your parties color scheme!
Good Golly, Lets Get Jolly
This one is a favorite of mine — and I love that it is double sided! Click here to see more!
Holiday Soiree
This invitation was originally designed for our own fabulous holiday party, which we’re throwing on the 20th of December. I love that it is double sided, too! Click here to see more.
The tree won’t be the only thing that’s lit…
This one is fun and a slight variation to the invitation that Mike and I sent out to our first holiday party three years ago. Click here to see more.
Eat Drink & Be Merry
I love the design and colors in this fill-in-the-blank party invitation by MewPaperArts on etsy. Click here to see more.
Cocktail Party
The rounded edges and vintage details are what makes this gorgeous fill-in-the-blank card! Click here to see more.
Vendor Spotlight: Lilah Paper
I love everything about Kansas City’s Lilah Paper. I found Kalyn through Style Me Pretty’s little black book many months ago and we have become e-friends rather quickly. Her style is very fresh with a bit of vintage. I really think it is uniquely her own! She recently designed these gorgeous invitations for a destination event in Vail, Colorado and I asked her to share them with our readers.
The wedding is in February so the icy metallic blue on chocolate brown perfectly sets the tone for this winter wedding! The bride is having a weekend full of events, from an Aprés Ski Party to Drinks and Dessert and a Brunch on Sunday. So, needless to say, the bride had a bunch of information to be included with the invitation. To keep it clean and neatly kept together, I designed a belly band which holds a 2-sided, accordion fold booklet. Within the booklet is a schedule of events, map, wedding website for more information and a reply postcard that perforates off and is ready to stick in the mail! The graphics are a wonderful reflection of their vintage wedding in the mountains and perfectly reflect the bride and groom’s playful and outdoorsy nature.
Are they not gorgeous? I love the booklet idea. It is a refreshing difference verses the pocket fold invitation which has become so popular. I have a fun interview with Kalyn to post later next week with a peak into her Holiday line and a new addition to her wedding invitation line, so check back soon!
A Bit of Vintage: Our Save the Dates
It is an exciting weekend for this event planner — our save the dates went into the mail! I wanted to share them with you as they were designed and crafted by yours truly. I went back and forth several times with the idea of creating them myself. I certainly have the means and tools to do so, but as any artist knows, it isn’t easy to take on your own projects. I searched endlessly for an easy way out and couldn’t find anything that I simply had to have, so, it was off to Illustrator to begin designing!
I wanted to tie in our wedding’s color scheme with the save the dates so I went with varying shades of purple, gold, and white. After many designs, Mike and I really loved this one the most. It has a very subtle vintage feel and gives a peak into the romantic vintage-style fete we are planning! So, without further adieu, here are our save the dates! Be sure to click the images for a larger version!
The front of the purple envelope with gold metallic lettering and a Betty Davis stamp.
The interior custom lining which mirrors some of the design on the actual save the date.
The beautiful hand calligraphy envelope seals in shimmery gold metallic card stock. These gorgeous creations were made by the very talented Lisa Ridgely of Pen & Ink Calligraphy out of Westminster, Maryland. I found Lisa through her etsy.com shop and knew that these envelope seals were the one touch of glam our envelopes needed. She was such a doll to work with and I can’t wait to recommend her services to my brides. Thanks Lisa!
Oh, I am so thrilled with how they came out! My most favorite part is the varying font style. I have huge love affair with fonts. Am I crazy?
All the elements together so you can get the full “experience.”
Up close and personal!
I’ve already started receiving phone calls about how much our guests love them which makes me so thrilled. I hope you enjoyed them too!
Vendor Spotlight: Teardrop Weddings
I had the great pleasure of meeting a few insanely talented people at the Wedding Salon in Manhattan last week. My favorite of the day was Holly from Teardrop weddings. I’ve admired her work for as long as I’ve been subscribed to her blog – a long time! It was a great pleasure to meet her in person and see her beautiful creations up close.
I love Teardrop’s style and especially love that everything is hand illustrated and custom designed for each couple. Take a look at some of the photographs of her work below to see for yourself how amazing her work is! Be sure to visit her blog too. She has become a bride herself and posts tons of inspirational and thoughtful posts as she plans her own wedding.
The Thank You Card
When you get engaged there will be a lot of opportunities to send out thank you cards. Throughout your engagement, people will often send you gifts, have get-togethers in your honor, and mail you cards of well wishes and happily-ever-afters. Many people are curious about etiquette involving thank you cards, especially when it concerns marriage and all the opportunities there are during the process to send them. When do you send thank you cards? Do you send them for engagement gifts, attending an engagement party, shower gifts, or what about a thank you card for a card? I believe it is important to send a written thank you, even if it is thanking someone for sending you a card. We all have, at one time or another, sent someone a card congratulating them on something (such as an engagement or a new home) and never heard from them. We’re often left to wonder if our card ever reached its destination.
Since there are so many opportunities to “send thanks” to your loved ones, it doesn’t hurt to stock up on thank you cards. Having them handy is one more step to ensure that they are mailed promptly. If you “collect” stationary, like me, than it also doesn’t hurt to shop around for a variety of stationary. Personally, I like to sort my stationary into classes, meaning, I send my expensive “boutique” stationary to the recipients who notice and appreciate letterpress or card stock, while I send my “mass produced” stationary to the recipient who wouldn’t notice those finer details. I also believe in never sending the same thank you card twice, so it is always good to have a variety on hand for that purpose!
I’ve found some really beautiful card collections at Target which fit my personal style. The thank you card pictured to the right and the cards pictured above are part of three different collections I purchased at Target, and are the primary thank you cards I sent out for the beautiful engagement gifts we received. As I said above, I purchased a variety of cards to ensure that I never sent someone the same card twice. I’ve found that Target has a wonderful selection of formal, traditional, romantic, artsy, modern, and unique cards. The main advantage, along with the stylish selection, is the affordability. Most of their card collections are between $4-10 dollars for 8-12 cards per package.
For those wondering, etiquette mandates that you send a thank you card for engagement gifts as soon as they arrive. You should send a thank you for gifts you receive at your bridal shower no later than 2 weeks after the shower. For wedding gifts, you should send your thank you cards no later than 2 weeks after you arrive home from your honey moon. When in doubt, send a thank you in writing. It is a very personal way to connect with someone, especially when they’ve acknowledged this wonderful period in your life.
Along with Target, there are several online websites you can use to create custom thank you cards and stationary. While national online retailors do offer a great selection, I prefer supporting local businesses in your community. You may want to search google for a local stationiare who sells quality preprinted stationary or offers custom designs.
