Grab a napkin to catch the drool before you look at these pics!
all photos via YourJustLucky.com
Would you ever consider an invitation that is entirely hand lettered??
Showing posts with label stationery guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stationery guide. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Incredible Hand Lettered Invitation Inspiration
Ok..so I've decided I want to be a hand lettering artist when I grow up! The things these people can create with pen and paper are simply stunning! Take this hand lettered invitation designed by artist and groom Drew Melton. Can you imagine having a fiance with this kind of talent!? The couple was inspired by the vintage elements of old newspapers and posters and designed the suite to have a timeless feel. I'm pretty sure I would frame this invite if I got it in the mail! And it's definitely one that would be AMAZING to enlarge and display as decor on the wedding day like this couple.
Grab a napkin to catch the drool before you look at these pics!
Would you ever consider an invitation that is entirely hand lettered??
Grab a napkin to catch the drool before you look at these pics!
Would you ever consider an invitation that is entirely hand lettered??
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Make Your Own Patterned Paper
Patterned paper is a super simple way to jazz up your wedding decor! There are a ton of gorgeous options out there just waiting for you to buy but they aren't always affordable and finding enough of the same pattern can sometimes be a challenge. So..why not make your own? Pick up a roll of plain paper in any color and buy a patterned paint roller and go to town! Try different color combinations and even multiple rollers on the same paper to create your very own customized paper. Use your newly minted paper to line your invitation envelopes, create ceremony programs, make table runners, and wrap up your guest favors.
Get started with one of these fun rollers...
Get started with one of these fun rollers...
Monday, October 29, 2012
Wedding Monogram Inspiration
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| design by Kate Marie Paperie |
I LOVE wedding monograms! It's like a custom designed logo for your wedding and for your new family. Plus your brand new monogram can be used in SO many ways. Here are just a few...
- Invitations
- Programs
- Table Numbers
- Ceremony & Reception decor
- Wedding day robes for getting ready
- Decorate cakes
- Labels for everything from belly bands to favor boxes
- New return address stamps
- Thank you cards
- Towels for your new house
- Stationery
- Jewelry
Sounds like a great investment in fabulous to me:) Check out some of these wonderful wedding monograms and the creative ways they are used...
Are you planning on branding your wedding?
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Paper Primer ~ The Proper Way to Assemble Wedding Invitations *FREE PRINTABLE*
Your wedding invitations have arrived! You eagerly open the box only to find piles and piles of different pieces! Oh my goodness....how in the world are all these supposed to go together?? It's like an invitation puzzle!
Assembling wedding invitations for mailing is probably something that most couples will have to do themselves whether they are custom designed or ordered online. Here is a handy little guide on the proper way to put your invitations together with several tips and tricks to ensure you assemble like a pro.
Monday, October 15, 2012
10 Great Belly Bands for Your Wedding Invitations
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| source |
1. Ribbon and Rope
Layer a ribbon in a pretty pattern under a solid colored rope for a rich textured feel.
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| source |
2. Accessories
Choose an accessory that coordinates with your wedding theme and incorporate it into a rope or ribbon belly band.
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| source |
3. Paper Cutouts
Order laser cut paper in a variety of intricate patterns or create a similar style yourself using a craft punch and cardstock.
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| source |
4. Lace
Alone or paired with ribbon or string, lace is a great way to bring timeless elegance to your suite.
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| source |
5. Fabric
Add warmth and color with a strip of fabric attached with ribbon or string.
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| source |
6. Wax Seals
Wax seals are a classic addition tor formal wedding invitations. Add a little twist by using them to seal the belly band instead of the envelope.
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| source |
7. Monograms
Show off your newly minted monogram and give your guests a sneak peek and what's inside with a printed cardstock belly band.
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| source |
8. Baker's Twine
Baker's twine is an affordable alternative to fancier ribbons and you don't have to worry about sacrificing style!
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| source |
9. Shape Tags
Use a craft punch or good old fashioned scissors to cut shapes out of cardstock and attach with ribbon or string for a touch of whimsy.
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| source |
10. Layers
Combine any of the previous belly bands to create an elegant layered look.
That's a wrap on belly bands:) Which one will you be using on your invitations?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Paper Primer ~ Hand Cancelling Your Wedding Invitations
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| photo via Pinterest |
What in the world is hand cancelling?? If you are anything like me when I was planning my wedding you are probably asking yourself this question. Well, grab one of the zillion pieces of junk mail that you get and take a look at the envelope. You will notice a stamp at the top with several squiggly lines that run through the postage as well as a couple lines of text telling your where the mail originated. Then at the bottom of the envelope there is a barcode and sometimes a series of numbers. The primary purpose of these markings is to prevent the postage..aka the stamp..from being used again. These traditional cancelling marks are put on the envelope when they are sent through a sorting machine at the post office. Hand cancelling accomplishes the same thing but it is done by hand which means no extra barcodes and no scary sorting machine.
So....why should you hand cancel your wedding invitations? Well, for one..having one cute little round stamp over your postage looks ALOT nicer than having your envelope marked up all over the place. Especially if you've gone through the extra effort of finding pretty vintage postage stamps (here's how to do that..) and having a calligrapher address the envelopes. The second reason to be pro-hand cancel is to protect your beautiful invitations from the sorting machine. These machines have a little bit of an appetite for paper and you would hate for them to snack on your invitations!
Here are a few tips on having your invitations hand cancelled....
- To have your invites stamped by hand, simply request that they be hand cancelled when you mail them at the post office.
- Call ahead to the post office and find out when their "slow times" are. Hand cancelling takes a little longer and they might be more willing to accommodate your request if they aren't busy.
- Be nice to the attendant! I've heard that some post offices will still tell you that the USPS does not hand cancel but that's not true! Sweet talking the attendant goes a long way in ensuring your invitations are handled with care.
- Think about sending a test invitation to yourself to see if the invitation is correctly hand cancelled.
- Consider sending your invitations to a city with a lovey dovey name to have them hand cancelled. It's a small detail but imagine having your invitations arrive from a place like Romance, Arkansas. To do this, simply place your stamped, addressed envelopes in a large package with a note requesting that they be hand cancelled. Send them addressed to "Postmaster" in the city and state where you would like them stamped. Tracking your package as well as calling ahead to the post office are both excellent insurance policies if you choose to do this. Check out Martha Stewart Weddings for a list of cities with pretty names.
A tiny word of warning......
No matter how sweet you are toward your local post office attendant, your invitations will eventually leave that location and could still find their way into the sorting machine. Hand cancelling does not guarantee a safe arrival for your invitations but I still think it's worth the tiny extra effort. Hey, it's one thing that won't add a cent to your wedding budget!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
*Guest Feature* Tyler Adams ~ Invitation Wording
As promised the wonderful Tyler Adams of The Girl Tyler is back for another Wed-iquette lesson. This week she is going to chat about invitation wording which we all know can get a little tricky! Have no fear! She breaks it down into easily understood bits that will have you on the right track in no time. If you missed her great post on the anatomy of an invite from last week you can check it out here. It's a great reference to keep on hand as you navigate your way through the world of wording.
***
There is
etiquette for everyday and then there is something extra special that I like to
call “Wed-iquette.” Let’s be honest, your wedding day requires a whole new set
of language and rules for proper correspondence. What used to be the right way
to word an invitation and it’s enclosure cards has since gone out the window
and branched off into endless options for the modern couple. I know there are
those that might cringe at some of the wording out there today, but weddings as
a whole are no longer the same celebrations our parents had decades ago. Couples are having all sorts of ceremonies
and receptions these days – from big formal bashes to small destination beach
weddings. They are also putting on their big day in a variety of different ways
– everything from the bride’s parents hosting to everyone chipping in to support
the happy couples. Overall, people are also putting more personality into their
weddings, which means they need to put their personality into how they invite
their guests too!
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| Design by The Girl Tyler. Photo by Bit of Ivory Photography |
WORDING YOUR INVITATION
The paper
goods you’ll need for your wedding aren’t only just about creating pretty
pieces, they are essential for communicating the who, what, when, and where to
your guests. A great place to begin your “wed-equitte” education is invitation
wording.
Start planning
your wording by considering the formality of your wedding day, which is
typically dictated by location along with date and attire. Is your big day
happening on the beach in flip-flops with a casual cookout style reception or
will it be at your house of worship with a seated dinner in a grand
ballroom? Thinking about this will help
you determine how traditional or casual you can be with your wording.
A
“LINE BY LINE” BREAKDOWN OF THE INVITATION WORDING:
Host Line – Who is helping to throw the grand (or
intimate) affair? These days it could be one set of parents, both, split
parents or just the bride and groom. The “hosting” line on invitations is a way
of acknowledging this support so you’ll need to think about who gets included
and how that gets worded.
- Formal: Dr. & Mrs. Peter M. Price
- Casual: Peter and Cindy Price
Request Line – Asking for the guest to join
you at the celebration! Consider the wedding location – religious or secular
will determine how you word this. Typically use “honour” for religious venue
and “pleasure” for a secular space.
- Formal: request the honour of your presence at the wedding of their daughter
- Casual: requests the pleasure of your company at the wedding of
Bride & Groom Line – Where your names go! You can
choose to be formal and include your full name or go more casual by using only
first and last, even simply what people call you (ex. your name is Katherine
but you go by Katie)
- Formal: Katherine Anne to Mr. James Ernest Smith, son of Mr. & Mrs. Charles F. Smith*
- Casual: Katie Price to Jimmy Smith.
*two things to note here:
1. since bride and her parents have the same last name, it does not need to be listed again here
2. Formality can also include an acknowledgement of groom’s parents
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| Design by The Girl Tyler. Photo by Bit of Ivory Photography |
Date & Time – List the date of the wedding
and time the ceremony will begin. Choose
to go formal with the numbers spelled out or be more casual and use actual
numbers. Another piece to consider here is if your events be held over a
holiday. If so, you may want to work that into the wording by mentioning both
reasons to celebrate! It’s also a factor to consider in when to send out Save
the Dates and Invitations… but paper timelines are another post all together.
- Formal: Saturday, the thirty first of December, Two Thousand Twelve, half past four in the afternoon
- Casual: Saturday, December 31st, 2012, 4:30pm in the afternoon
Location – List where the ceremony will
take place, include name of location, street address, city and state (no need
for zip code). If you are having the
ceremony and reception in different locations, you will need to provide the
reception location either in the line to follow or on a separate reception
card.
- Formal: Christ and Saint Luke's Church
Norfolk,
Virginia
- Casual: The Sanderling Resort & Spa
1461
Duck Road
Duck, NC
Reception Line – What will come after the
ceremony? This is a newer addition to the invitation as previous sets typically
included a Reception card.
- Formal: A dinner reception will follow at the Chrysler Museum of Art
- Casual: Dinner, dancing and merriment to follow
Other
things to remember when wording your invitations, is the importance of titles (for
example doctors, lawyers, military)… but we’ll do another post on that when we
address, well addressing!
Great sources
to get you started on wording your invitations:
- Emily Post - http://www.emilypost.com/weddings/wedding-invitations-and-announcements (they have their own “etipedia” to help you too)
- Martha Stewart Weddings - http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228634/wedding-invitation-wording/@center/272440/wedding-etiquette-adviser (will walk you through the anatomy of an invitation suite)
- Hello! Lucky - http://www.hellolucky.com/wedding-advice/wedding-invitation-wording-samples.html (some of my favorite invitation designers who also happen to be etiquette sages)
- Invitation Consultants - http://www.invitationconsultants.com/sw-main.aspx
- Wedding Paper Divas - http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/wedding-invitations-sample-verses.htm
***
Thank you Tyler for another great lesson!!
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