Welcome to the jubilee journal
Here, we share expert planning tips, design inspiration, real event stories, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the magic we create. Whether you’re dreaming up your wedding, hosting a milestone event, or simply looking for creative ideas to make life’s moments more special, our journal is filled with insights to guide and inspire. At Jubilee Events, we believe every celebration should be as meaningful as it is beautiful—so let’s bring your vision to life, one unforgettable detail at a time!
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Preppy Save the Dates in Navy & Magenta
Megan and Mike were such fun clients. They enlisted me to design their Kate Spade inspired fete– which was a dream come true for me! When Megan mentioned that she wanted to use images from their nautical engagement session with the effervescent Bruce Plotkin for her save the date, I knew we had to do something different. Cue some preppy save the dates!
She loves paper and has an open mind for design, so I approached Nichole of Coral Pheasant with the simple idea: can we do something different with someone’s engagement pictures for a save the date? Bingo! Nichole had actually been visualizing this concept for some time and Megan fell in love with it! A tri-fold card with their pictures on it, neatly tucked into a stitched envelope. Another card in the right hand pocket contained all the important date saving details. Add in some gorgeous calligraphy and a few vintage stamps and you get the prettiest save the date. Ever! Below is the result of our preppy save the dates in navy and magenta:
{ photo credit and save the date design courtesey of coral pheasant stationery + design }
Paper Crush: Britt & Peter’s Wine Inspired Save the Dates
We are totally crushing on our clients’ paper stories as of late, largely in part to the talented genius of Nichole Michel at Coral Pheasant Stationery + Design. She happens to be responsible for about 99% of our clients invitation stories. These boozy wine inspired save the dates for Britt and Peter, who were married at Jonathan Edwards Winery this past September, are some of our favorites.
Britt & Peter wanted something fun to send their guests. Most of their guests travelled from far and wide to attend their destination wedding on the Connecticut Shoreline in Stonington. Nichole dreamed up this fun save the date with a red wine stain and some cheeky language. Love!
{ photo credit & design of save the dates courtesy of coral pheasant stationery + design }
Your Save the Dates can be any style you’d like– and don’t have to be inspired by your weddings overall design. Don’t get stuck on figuring out what your entire wedding will look like in order to come up with a design for your save the date. Instead, find something that’s inspired by your location, destination, personality– etc! The possibilities are endless. And the good news is that if you love wine, well, Nichole at Coral Pheasant can hook you up with a boozy wine inspired save the date like these!
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!
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!
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!
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
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.
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!
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.
