Clarins, Earth Day Celebration with Calligraphy

This past week I had the pleasure to create these fun calligraphy and painted flower pots for Clarins at Bloomingdales on Michigan Avenue. They were celebrating Earth Day with a qualifying purchase you received one of these custom flower pots, a pack of seeds and a tree planted in your name. How amazing is that?

I loved the different ideas people asked me to paint including a dog themed one for a frequent customer who brings in their dog in often, a French inspired pot, a pot for a librarian with hand-drawn books and even an original illustration by me based on the flowers on the table!

Thank you Clarins and Bloomingdales for having me!

David Yurman Jewelry , Live Calligraphy

It was a pleasure to be back at the Michigan Avenue Bloomingdale’s, this time adding calligraphy to David Yurman Jelwery cases. This simple but elegant touch was a great way to compliment the already gorgeous jewelry. Thank you for having me Bloomingdales and David Yurman Chicago!

Live Engraving with Bloomingdales for Valentine's Day!

This past weekend I was back at Bloomingdale on Michigan Avenue for a Valentines Celebration! Live calligraphy is a beautiful and fun way to elevate your gift with a special note or monogram.

Room 1520 Mirror Calligraphy: Wedding for Lauren & Michael

Michael and Lauren were married this past winter at the gorgeous Room1520 in Chicago, IL. I loved being able to write out their bar menu, complete with monogram and specialty drinks including the “Olive Love You” Dirty Martini and the “Barrera-ita” Margarita—a play off the new couples last name.

The monogram and type was carried over to the couples reception seating chart where I matched the calligraphy and font from the seating chart print outs to fill in the mirror space below.

Congrats Lauren and Michael!

Photos by Courtney Cimo

Jennifer and Nate - NYE Wedding Chalkboard

How fun is this wedding chalkboard on New Year’s Eve? It is always fun to help a client’s idea come to life. For Jen and Nathan they wanted more of the party feel to continue onto the chalkboard. We added fireworks, florals and fun sparkles to match the NYE vibes.

Congratulations to Jennifer and Nathan!

The Big Fake Wedding, Chicago: Inspired By Morocco

On a warm August night, a handful of vendors came together for a gorgeous vow renewal on the rooftop of Lacuna Lofts under a gorgeous floral arch.

The invitations and paper good were inspired by traditional Moroccan patterns and colors as well as the lush colors of the florals. I loved getting to pull in warm tones to a lighter palette with the contrast of a deep wine color as the RSVP envelope. To add a hint of glamor and a little more elegance, the calligraphy is done in a metallic gold with the invitation foiled in a warm gold.

The theme continued on the beautiful table scapes with arched menus in the same sand color pulled from the invite palette with mimicked arched acrylic placards, bringing in a pop of green to this already stunning table.

CAKES & CATERING:

• Blackout Baking Company | @blackoutbakingco
  LM Catering & Events
  Sweet Home Cakery | @sweethomecakery

• CEREMONY MUSICIANS:

• Midtown Strings | @midtownstrings

• FAVORS & GIFTS:

• Birdy Grey | @birdygrey

• FLORAL, DESIGN, & DAY OF COORDINATOR, TABLES 1 & 2:

• Morr Events | @morrevents

• FLORALS & DESIGN- CEREMONY BACKDROP, TABLES 4 & 5:

• Vintage Floral Designs | @vintagefloraldesigns

• FLORALS & DESIGN- TABLE 3 & BOUQUETS:

• Posh Petals | @poshpetalsgr

• GROOM & HIS MEN:

• No Cold Feet Co | @nocoldfeetco
  SuitShop | @suitshopofficial

• HAIR, MAKEUP & BEAUTY:

• Rare Bird Brides | @rarebirdbrides

• HOTEL:

• Staypineapple Hospitality | @staypineapple

• LIGHTING, ENTERTAINMENT & PHOTO BOOTH:

• FEMPRESS Fit | @fempressfit
  Hitched Wedding Bands | @tryhitched
  Lavish Exposure Photobooth | @lavish_exposure

• OFFICIANTS:

• American Marriage Ministries | @americanmarriageministries

• PAPER GOODS & CALLIGRAPHY:

• Lina LuLu Paperie | @linalulupaperie

• REGISTRY:

• Macy's | @macys

• SIGNAGE:

• Leah Marie Letters | @leahmarieletters

• VENUES:

• LM Catering & Events

• VIRTUAL VENDOR:

• Lively House & Home | @livelyhouseandhome

• WEDDING DJ:

• The DJ Firm | @thedjfirm

• WEDDING DRESSES:

• Grace + Ivory | @grace_and_ivory_

• WEDDING FILMS:

• FourFour Pictures | @fourfourpictures

• WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

• Sandra Armenteros | @armenteros.weddings

Featured on: Lakeshore In Love

This gorgeous styled shoot is the perfect inspiration for any Spring or Summer wedding. The earthy tones and sweet pops of pink and green are perfect for any locations. Find the full gallery and feature here!

Planning + Styling:K & K Celebrates, @kandkcelebrates

Photography:Ashlyn Henry, @ashlynhenry_

Floral:Fleur, @fleurinc

Cotton Candy Cart:Bubbly Events , @bubblyeventschicago

Stationery: Lina Luna Paperie @linalunapaperie

Bridal Gowns: Jenny Yoo, @jennyyoonyc

Bridesmaids Dresses:Jenny Yoo, @jennyyoonyc

Models:Madison (Bride) @madisonannx , Ashley (Bridesmaid) @ashmow , Cacha (Bridesmaid) no instagram Hair + Make Up: Goldplaited, @goldplaited_

Jewelry:La Kaiser Jewelry @lakaiserjewelry

Cake + Sweets:Toni Patisserie, @tonipatisseriecafe

Rentals: Halls, @hallsrental Venue:Eden , @edeninchicago

Linens: BBJ, @bbjlinen and La Tavola, @latavolalinen

Wedding Inspiration: Neutral, Boho Style

This mix of neutrals used for this vibey city wedding is the ideal mix of urban and nature. I chose to use only hand-drawn eucalyptus branches in both the invite and the complimentary wax seal matching the vibe of the organic color palette. By adding a more traditional calligraphy style, this invite became a beautiful mix of traditional and organic.

I loved seeing the mix of natural and more urban elements with the pops of colors in the decor and florals. The perfect inspiration for a city, boho wedding.

Venue: @ovationchicago⁣
Dress: @bhldn⁣
Earrings: @bhldn⁣
Prop & Event Hire: @poshstudiorentals⁣
Florist: @cityscentschicago⁣
Hair Stylist: @emilyraebridalhair⁣
Makeup Artist: @alyssadianamakeup⁣
Invitation Suite: @linalulupaperie⁣
Cake: @thesweetreservebakery⁣
Models: @emfoertsch, @poukenik

Wedding Inspiration: Romantic Spring Hues

Early Spring weddings are filled with soft, pastels—and this styled shoot from K and K Celebrates is the perfect inspiration for a dreamy pink and gold inspired casual wedding. Staying in line with this dreamy decoré, I chose minimum design elements and brushed, watercolor florals to accent the paper goods both on the invite and escort cards, Each was topped off with antique gold wax seals to add texture.

Planning + Styling: @kandkcelebrates
Photography: @ashlynhenry__
Stationery: @linalulupaperie
Floral: @michaelamantarian
Rentals: @hallsrental
Venue: @chezweddingvenue
Linens: @bbjlinen
Cake: @tonipatisseriecafe

Wedding Inspiration: Romantic Blues

Another gorgeous shoot from the minds of Kristie and Kim at K and K Celebrates wedding planning! This beautiful mix of Grandmillennial and boho vibes has just a touch of romanticism that pulls is all together. I loved using the beautiful floral tablecloth as the main inspiration for the stationery. The toile inspired illustrations carried over from the invite onto the placecards at the table with a touch of pink in the calligraphy.

Planning + Styling: @kandkcelebrates
Photography: @ashlynhenry__
Stationery: @linalulupaperie
Floral: @michaelamantarian
Rentals: @hallsrental
Venue: @chezweddingvenue
Linens: @bbjlinen
Cake: @tonipatisseriecafe

Wise Wedding: Menus

Menus, should you have them or not? When it comes to weddings, the esthic and design of your reception is the largest portion of time people will focus on, and rightfully so! Though I will always say the ceremony is THE most important aspect of the wedding, your reception is where your personality and the design of the day really gets to shine. The small details add up to big impact and that includes menus!

These informational pieces do not have to be boring! Consider them to pull double duty and use them to include:

• Guests place cards

• Thank you note from you as the couple

• A place to request a card and hand it in to the DJ

Additionally these do not have to stay a simple rectangle. Consider other elements in your day such as arches or making the menu fit in the charger of your guests place setting. These details are so fun and won’t go unnoticed by your guests!

Wise Wedding: Escort Card vs. Place Card vs. Seating Chart

There are a lot of terms when it comes down to planning your wedding and the day-of items involved. With traditional rules being “broken” more casually these days for formal weddings, the terms you are hearing can easily be combined or misinterpreted. A casualty of these “broken rules” are place cards and escort cards. These two terms are often interchangeably used, but did you know they are actually two different things?

What’s the difference then?

PLACE CARDS

Place cards are used to assign seating and are placed at the place setting for the guest to find at the table. They contain a single guest’s name, no table number but can include a meal choice indicator. They can help the serving staff at a formal sit-down dinner to know which meal you have chosen for the evening. They are often used at more formal or black-tie weddings.

ESCORT CARDS

Escort cards are used to direct your guest or guests to the table they will be sitting at. These cards traditionally will have the couple’s name together or the single guest’s name along with the table number. This is essentially a seating chart in individual cards as they will be set-up in the reception hall, typically towards the entrance. If you do not have specific place cards at the table, these help guests “reserve” their spot at the table to ensure they can sit by whom they like or the direction they would like to face. Though they can be used alongside a place card at an event, they are viewed as the casual alternative to a place card if used alone. If need be, they too can hold the meal choice to helpt the serving staff indicate food allergies or special meal requests for the guest.

SEATING CHART

An alternate choice for both a place card and escort card can be a seating chart. Seating charts are a large board, mirror, or another beautiful art piece that displays all your guest’s names and which table they will be sitting at. These make beautiful decor pieces for your reception and can cut down on the use of paper for your event and/or free up space if you do not have room for another table to place your escort cards on. A seating chart is typically used at a wedding when the guest count is too large for escort cards and/or when the wedding guests didn’t have an option to select their entree in advance. This style of seating is perceived as more casual, but can also be used in tandem with a place card.

What should I use then for my wedding?

I am often asked if both escort cards and place cards are necessary, or if they should scrap both and go with a seating chart. Guests want to know where they are sitting and often will look for their seats first thing at a reception to place down purses or to get a “good” spot to view the important events.
Here are my tips for you to help decide what fits best for you:

• If you are having a smaller wedding, 30-50 people or under, I would advise a seating chart. Then based on how you have your tables, I would also recommend place cards for a small wedding to help get the more important guests (such as parents, grandparents, etc.) to the spots that they can see all the special events without obstruction. Nobody should be blocking mom or making grandma crane her neck to see the cake cutting.

Example of place card

• If your venue is asking you to use a card for meal purposes, traditionally a place card would be used alongside an escort card or seating chart. For a less formal feel, you may use an escort card and place an icon (as seen above) or letter such as “F” for fish to help the serving staff quickly decipher the meal for each guest.

• If you choose to use both an escort card and a place card, ensure that the two look different. For your place cards, instead of a traditional paper card, choose a unique item that can add to your tables decore such as a seashell, tile, leaf, or a sentimental favor with their name attached on a tag (See example below). Guests will be delighted by these unique items and they take them home as personalized favors!

Example of unique place card for guests.

Regardless of the direction, you take your guest seating, I always advise you have a seating plan. From formal place cards that direct guests to the correct seat, to the less formal escort card to direct guests to the right table, make a clear plan with whoever is setting up your reception. This will ensure your reception gets off on the right foot.

Styled Shoot: Romantic, Pink table at DL LOFT

Here is the beautiful second shoot from the minds of K and K Celebrate! I love the mixture of prints, dusty pinks, and accents of metals that touch the table. The gorgeous florals mix perfectly with the glass accents that accentuate the light flooding throughout the venue. I loved getting to use a mixture of paints, calligraphy, and watercolor for all the paper goods! By using florals and textured paint strokes to create a pattern, the paper goods felt enhanced but not too over done.

The incredible team includes:

Planning: K and K Celebrates
Photography: 606 Photo
Grazing Boxes: Sage and Jam |
Floral: FleurInc
Venue: DL Loft, Chicago
Bubbly Wall: Bubbly Events Chicago

The perfect mix of elegance, romance and a dash of modern!

Wise Wedding: All about Envelopes

Envelopes are one of my FAVORITE paper goods! They can add so much to the experience of receiving your invite, not to mention build anticipation for your guest to open the envelope to see what’s inside. There are endless combinations and styles to choose from, but let me talk you through a few of the common ones.

Calligraphy

I rarely miss an opportunity to talk about having a calligraphed envelope for your wedding. When else do you have such an open opportunity to make an envelope look extra special?

Calligraphy is a beautiful and timeless option for your envelopes, but not the most inexpensive. Since there are a variety of calligraphy options, you can truly match the feel of your wedding to the style of calligraphy you would like to have on your envelope.

Since calligraphy is hand-done, it will take longer to have ready to send immediately. I’ll let you on a little trick: Take your Save the Date spreadsheet of addresses, add any additional guests and pass it on to your calligrapher as soon as possible. Once you have picked out your envelopes, order them and send them to your calligrapher. They can have them done right when your invites are getting printed or even earlier. This will keep your wedding timeline going smoothly and allow your calligrapher enough time to get them done with our adding rush fees—win, win!

To find my calligraphy styles and prices check here!

Printed Envelopes

Calligraphy may not fit your wedding vibe or even may not fit your budget. A beautiful and cost-effective option is having your address printed on the envelopes. You can also try printing the proper address and write the name in calligraphy to add a modern but elegant touch. These two combinations can create a more cost effective but equally stunning outcome that you’re looking for. This option is also a time saver if you are getting married in a shorter time period than typical or time is running low on when to get your invites out.

All the Details

Adding extra detail to your envelopes can be a fun way to make them more personal and infuse your style. Here are a few ideas on what to add:

• Envelope liners: Once used to block the inside contents of an envelope, these additional pieces are a beautiful way to add color, texture, and elegance to your envelope and invite suites.

• Wax Seals: These are fun additions to close ( or seal) your envelope with, but can be costly in the long run both in expense and the time the envelope will make it to your guest.

• Decoration: This, in my opinion, is always a great option! From handpainted details like the envelope below to small printed flowers on the envelope flap, make your envelope your own! The options are endless.

As your stationer, I would love to walk you through the additions you can add to your envelopes without making costly mistakes such as wrong address formatting or other mailing faux pas.

Stamps

Stamps are the most important detail of your envelope! With out them they will not get very far to your guests. There are a variety of stamps from USPS that are perfect for any suite. If you are looking for vintage stamps, remember to make sure the total adds up to modern day postage price. I also suggest finding a beautiful theme ( such as botanicles or travel) or color combination ( like the pink and gold below) to make them pop off your envelope.

A few last items to considerations with envelopes are:

• Shape: Anything outside a rectangle will cost more in postage.

• Address: Whatever way you choose to address your envelope, make sure it is readable, in the correct area on the envelope, and you include a return address.

• Thickness matters! Make sure you are aware of what you are putting in the envelope and that the envelope is the right material to hold it all.

• Color: Don’t forget color is an option for your envelopes.

Have questions or concerns about envelopes? I would love to help you, just let me know your questions below!

Styled Shoot: K and K Celebrates, Frosty Blues

This past winter I had the pleasure of working with K and K Celebrates, a talented sister team based out of Chicago for two styled shoots. These two dreamy concepts were so fun to work with and create concepts for! The first one was this elegant, frosty blue color-scheme with hints of silver, white, and a pop of red florals.

The incredible team includes:

Planning: K and K Celebrates
Photography: 606 Photo
Grazing Boxes: Sage and Jam |
Floral: FleurInc
Venue: DL Loft, Chicago

These beautiful grazing boxes by Sage and Jam serve as both a great cocktail hour solution, but a fun way to make sure all guests receive and locate their seats with their escort cards.

To add a special touch to the bar, I illustrated this mulled wine drink. How delicious does the real thing look? Yum!

Styled Shoot: The Clyde

It was a dream to design these fun, patterned invites for this gorgeous shoot! Elisabeth from Ivory + Beau approached me to create this design first with a fun Marti Gras inspired design and summer color. As the shoot was pushed from July to early Fall, the colors darkened but the gorgeous pattern play and art deco feel didn't! I know if I got married today, this dress and venue would be a strong contender in my planning! Check out more of the inspiration and pictures at the Low Country Wed Blog.

SAVANNAH WEDDING VENDORS

PHOTOGRAPHY l Izzy + Co.

PLANNING & STYLING | Ivory + Beau

GOWN & FLORAL | Ivory + Beau

VENUE | The Clyde

PAPERIE | Lina Lulu Paperie

CAKE & PASTRIES | Sugar Whisk Co.

MOBILE BARISTA | Origin Coffee Bar

EVENT RENTALS | Bounce, Play, Love Event Rentals

BRIDAL ACCESSORIES | Anna Roses Atelier

HAIR & MAKEUP | Megan Anslie Johnson

MODEL | Victoria Gutierrez

Wise Wedding: Details and Insert Cards

In the last few weeks, I have talked through how important the invitation is, how to word the invitation but many people get tripped up on what to include WITH the invite suite. Today we are talking through the “extra” cards you include in an invitation suite to help your guests fill in the rest of the information gaps. These cards also keep the questions to you, your forever love, and your parents to a minimum—hooray!

The cards that most often get included in a suite are the RSVP card, a Details card and an accommodations insert. Let’s break down what is most important for each:

The RSVP Card

This item is a separate card that guests mail back to you to let you know if they will be or will not be attending your wedding. These cards are traditionally a one-sided card with the RSVP date, a line to fill in the name of your guest, and a “yes” or “no” to circle or a check box to mark off. Other items that can appear on the card can include a meal choice or a spot to have guests write in a song for the DJ to play.

(Helpful tip: To avoid an uncomfortable conversation or unexpected guest, you can write the expected guests’ names on the RSVP before sending it out. This will help your guests know who is invited, especially guests with children of a certain age or a possible plus one. To make it clear for guests who can bring a date, you can pre-write the guest’s name and the wording “& Guest”, “and plus one”, or have a line for a number of guests and fill in the correct number for them on the RSVP to help them know if they truly have the option to invite a date. We will explore the wording of this in the upcoming Wise Wedding entries. )

RSVP cards are most often sent with an accompanying envelope addressed to the couple (or the person in charge of guest count) and a stamp. For more casual weddings, an RSVP postcard can be used as well. Remember to include a stamp with either choice for your guests.

If you are asking your guests to RSVP through your wedding website, you can still include an RSVP sized card with no envelope in the invite suite. This typically one sided card would contain the address and how-to directions to RSVP on your website. You can also add this information to the details card to cut costs.

Your RSVP date should be set 1 month prior to your wedding date. As discussed in Wise Wedding: Tackle Your Wedding Paper Goods Timeline, always check with your event space and caterer for when they need a final guest count.

The Details Card

Your details card or insert is an additional card to include with your invite and RSVP card. This strictly informational card helps guests understand additional expectations or helps draw attention to anything about your wedding/weekend that they need to be aware of ahead of the day. Many couples now have a wedding website that addresses these concerns and contains the same information. The details card can include this website address, as well as the information you think your guests might miss if they don’t visit your website.

Often these cards are sent with the invitation but can be sent ahead of the time with the Save the Date if important information is needed to conveyed sooner. Such information could be to book accommodations or flights ASAP for a destination wedding, if your wedding date is over a holiday, or is in the same city as a busy event such as Mardi Gras or the Super Bowl.

Other items to include on the details card(s) include:

• If your reception is in a different location than your ceremony, formal etiquette says to leave the address and that information off your invite and place the reception address on the insert.

• Wedding website address

• Accommodations and if you have room block information such as a date to book by or a code provided by the hotel to give a discount to guests.

• Transport information, such as shuttle busses to the wedding or airport location

• Attire. Here you can let know guests to wear a “casual cocktail” or if you have a mostly grass location to advise them to wear sandals or flats, etc.

• Parking or driving information if it is out of the norm or would be hard to find. This could include parking garage information for city locations, signs to look for, or special instructions for locations such as a friend’s house, national park, or more secluded location.

• Special instructions for the venue, time of year, or whether instructions (such as if it rains where the ceremony will be held ).

• Registry information. Though it is not traditional to include registry info with your invite, the details card would be the best location to do so.

Other items you can include in your details insert are special wedding weekend activities such as a welcome cocktail party, wedding brunch, or afternoon picnic. If not all guests are invited to these events, include them on different cards and insert them into your wedding invitation suite.

Make sure to include a heading on your card for guests to easily identify. This can be as simple as the words “Details” or something like “More information” or “We’d Like You to Know…”. If the card is more themed such as directions or weekend details, use those headings for guests to see.

Design of your Details Card

The fun thing about your details card is that since you are not fitting it into its own envelope, you can design it in a more “fun” style and shape. The only rule of thumb is to keep it smaller than the invite to give the invite precedents. You can have a half-circle, a folded card, or a two-sided, skinny card—it’s up to you! Allow the design to be functional, but compliment the vibe of your wedding and invitation suite.

Accommodation Cards

Not all weddings have multiple items for the guests to be aware of. One of the more important pieces of info to get to guests is the accommodations. This information can be on a separate card or the oppiste side of the details card if need be. This separate card can be helpful if you have multiple hotels at different price points or for destination weddings to include airports and rental car information.

Website Cards

As discussed earlier, I’m seeing more couples are choosing to have a wedding website as a one-stop place for all things wedding weekend information for their guests. To help your guests know the address you have a few options:

1. As previously mentioned, include it on a RSVP style card and have guests RSVP on your website.

2. Include the address on the details card with wording such as “Find all wedding weekend information at www….” or “Please visit or wedding website for all information at www…” This is best for more traditional weddings where you use your details card to list only important information such as booking accommodations and reception address. You then can use your website to list such things as directions to the venue, registry information, and other items for your weekend on the website instead of the details insert.

3. Include a separate wedding website insert card with just the website address for guests and wording such as “For more information, please visit: www….” This insert card would be the smallest of the insert cards included in your invitation suite.

The last item you can insert is a map for your guests. This is especially a fun detail for destination weddings or if the majority of guests are from out of town. I will discuss maps more in the upcoming weeks.

If you have any questions on insert cards or interested in me designing your wedding suite, contact me here!

Wise Wedding: What is an Invitation Suite?

Have you heard the term “invitation suite” and had no idea what it meant? You are not alone! There are a handful of terms that can sound the same or confuse you when talking with a wedding industry expert. I've compiled a helpful guide outlining these terms and what exactly an invitation suite contains.

Why call it a suite?

The term “suite” refers to a set or a number of things forming a series. Thus your invitation suite is the set of paper items letting your guests know the information for your big day. It should always include the invite and an RSVP card, as well as a card for important information like directions and accommodations.

The basic wedding invitation suite consists of:

1. Your invitation—which is the largest piece–includes the key information of your name’s, wedding date and time, venue, and can include the ceremony venue address without a zip code.

2. The outer mailing envelope is the largest envelope and is addressed in the style of your choosing—printed or hand calligraphy—to your guests. These can be white or for a more fun touch a color or metallic of your choice.

3. The details card includes reception venue name, address, reception start time, and accommodations info such as where you have hotel room blocks. You may also include your website at the bottom of this card or registry information. 

A second card (that you may or may not need) can be included with such information as directions, travel arrangements, or other pertinent information for guests. ( See optional items to include below)*

4. The RSVP card is a smaller card to allow guests to write their name(s) and let you know if they are attending. You may also include a space for meal choice, song requests, or website information.

5. The RSVP envelope is the smallest envelope and should always include an address that goes back to you or the coordinator of the guestlist. (Don’t forget to place a stamp on this so your guests can easily drop them back in the mail to you.)

Other items you can include in your invitation suite*

Inner Envelope

An inner envelope can be used to tell guests who is (and is not) invited to your big day. The envelope is slightly smaller than the mailing envelope and holds the invitation suite inside. This is traditionally used in more formal weddings but allows you to clearly state who you are expecting to show up. Examples include your Guests’ names and noting if they have a plus one (i.e. Mr. Robert Smith & Guest). This is also the place to indicate whether or not children are invited by just writing the parent’s names.

Weekend Details Card

If you have multiple events going on during your wedding weekend, such as a brunch, welcome drinks, after party, etc. include a weekend details card. You want to have your guest know what to expect as well as what to pack appropriately for all the different social events.

Invitation Wrapper

An invitation wrapper is not necessary but is a beautiful and practical addition to your suite. This “wrapper” can be twine, ribbon (Seen in the picture on the left), a belly band, a folder, or even a layer of vellum wrapped around the invite. It is a beautiful accent to keep all the contents of your invite safely together when being mailed.

Website Card

You can include your wedding website on your details card or include a smaller card with just the web address. If you choose to have a website, which is a helpful resource for your guests, include as much information and details of your weekend/wedding there. This will cut down on how many text and phone calls you and your parents will receive from loved ones about your big day.

Envelope Liner

An envelope liner is a beautiful insert to your mailing envelope that allows you to add an additional splash of color, pattern, or shimmer to your invitations. It is also a fun surprise for your guests. It adds additional weight and quality to your overall invite.

Directions/Maps

Including an insert for directions or a map is great for a destination wedding or if you have multiple events happening in the weekend and need an easy guide for your guests. These can be done simply or more elaborate with watercolor features and illustrations. These beautiful pieces are not only functional but can be a keep-sake of your wedding to be framed.

Wax Seal

A popular but beautiful new trend includes the wax seal (Pictured below). These small but impactful pieces are a fun and elegant way to add color, texture, or even your monogram to your envelopes or invitation. They can be used on an invitation wrap, on the inner envelope, or on the outer envelope. If you use them on the outer envelope, know that the suite then must be hand canceled by the post office as they are not always read by the modern machines.

Postage Stamps

One thing your should not overlook is your postage stamp. This small item can make or break the mood of the front of your envelope, choose wisely! There are a handful of beautiful options from the USPS. As well, you can choose vintage stamps totaling the right price for a layered look that will stand out in your guest’s mailboxes.

Photo by Jason Adrian Photo

You can include as many of these items as you see fit and are helpful for your wedding weekend. Just remember, the two most important items are the invite and RSVP, then build your suite from there! Next week, I will be talking about the importance of invitation wording.

As always, if you have a question-feel free to message me!

Holiday Photo-card Reveal!

Im am so excited for this release of my holiday and Christmas photo-card series! These all new, original designs are the perfect way to send tidings and cheer to your loved ones this winter. Customize with your personal photo or photos, name and a holiday hello.

All cards come with envelopes in 5'“ x 7”. Order as little as 10 up to 150. Hope you find your perfect card!

Find these designs and many more in my shop or in my Etsy store!

Wise Wedding: Let's Talk Save the Dates

You most likely have in recent years either received a variety of Save the Dates or have walked into friends home and noticed the cluster of Save the Dates hanging on the refrigerator. They come in all forms, from beautiful thick cards with gold foil, to lovely photos of the happy couple, to simple magnets to remind the guest of the upcoming nuptials. They are all great options, all worthy of being hung in a prominent place of honor —but which one is best for you?

Since engagement season is now upon us (there is something about those fall leaves and cozy holiday vibes, am I right?) Save the Date season is not far behind. Since many couples plan their wedding to be the following year—and most in the months between April-September—plan to send or receive Save the Dates in the 6 to 9-month mark before your wedding. Usually, you will see an influx of these pretty things around January & February.

What is a Save the Date?

A save the date is a card that notifies your guests to reserve or “saves the date” of your wedding. This is important to not only make sure all those you love are able to make the date but allow people ample time to schedule travel arrangements. I also like to remind people this is the first piece that people will receive giving them the first impression of your wedding and who you are as a couple. It can be a stand-alone design or you can sprinkle in pieces of your future invite design. Either way these should be fun and show off you and your forever love how YOU see best.

What Information is actually needed?

Four things not to forget to include are:

1. You and your forever loves names: Make sure to include both your first and last names somewhere on your Save the Date. You may be sending these to family friends that don’t recognize just your face or first name.

2. Your wedding date(s): Some weddings are more than one day. If all guests are invited to multiple events on the wedding weekend, include those dates for them to know ahead of receiving the invite.

3. Your location or city of the wedding: You may not know the venue quite yet, but have a date and city picked out and want to let people know sooner rather than later. This is important especially if you plan to have a destination wedding. Including the destination also allows people to know what type of travel accommodations they should be booking such as flights, hotels, rental cars, etc.

4. A wedding website: Many couples like to include a wedding website to help people have quick access to information such as hotels, registry, and any other wedding weekend events they may be invited too. This space is great for putting commonly asked questions and cuts down on the questions you and family members may receive throughout the planning process. Even if you don’t have everything on the website when you send out the Save the Dates, I advise to include it to allow people to get familiar with the address for future reference. You may also want to include special travel accommodations such as the best airport, if they will need to book a car or any other information you may find helpful for guests as they plan to make arrangements.

When do I actually send them out?

Many recommend sending out your Save the Dates around the 6-9 month mark before your wedding. If you know you are having a destination wedding outside of the city you live in or that the majority of your guest will be traveling to your wedding, the earlier you should send out your cards. If your destination* wedding is requiring everyone to travel internationally, it’s best to send your Save the Dates around 1 year prior, if possible.

*As noted above, if you just know the location country and date, this information is better than the information given too late for guests to make appropriate arrangements to travel.

Do I have to send it to everyone I plan on inviting?

Yes. You should plan on sending a Save the Date to everyone you plan to invite, even if they are super involved in the planning (like your parents or best friend) or you know they are planning on not attending. By making your guest list early in preparation for sending your Save the Dates, you essentially have created a master list of addresses that you then can use for sending out invitations and track who has replied (hooray!) later on in the planning process.

Everyone who receives a Save the Date should receive an invitation, but you can send an invite to a guest who did not receive a Save the Date. (Sometimes you have a last-minute invite and not sending them a Save the Date is not the end of the world.)

A simple etiquette rule to follow is any guest over 18 years, even if they live in the same house as another guest ( such as their parents) should receive their own Save the Date and definitely their own invite. If you choose to cut down on how many Save the Dates to send, make sure all names of those are to be invited are written out on the envelope to not create any confusion early-on on the families part.

Choosing the Right Design

Remember that fridge with all those Save the Dates? I bet you do, thus you know that there are hundreds of designs and choices to choose from. The main two designs you should decide between is a Photo Card vs a Type Driven card. Which one is better?

Why would I choose a Photo Card?

As I noted above, your Save the Date is the first impression for many of your loved ones about who you and your partner are as a couple. Many couples are excited to take engagement photos and a photo Save the Date card is the perfect place to use them! They will introduce and showcase your gorgeous faces as well as deliver important information to your guests.

Why would I choose a Type Driven card?

First, when I say type-driven I mean no photos of you anywhere on the card. This style though could include a beautiful illustration or calligraphy elements that become the main focal point. I personally love this style as it does two amazing things: First, your Save the Date is the first introduction to not only you but also the feel of your event. You have been carefully choosing colors, textures, and the feel of your wedding. Since guests will have this piece of paper pinned up somewhere for the longest period of any other item, why not showcase some of what is to come? Secondly, you can infuse your personality into the card through fun phrases such as “Let’s get us to the Chaple on time!” or “Let’s celebrate, save our date!” as well as fun illustrations of the venue, landscape, your beloved animal, or even some inside joke. It’s your Save the Date, why not tailor it to be fully unique to you?

Budget-friendly options for you to still send out Save the Dates

If you have not gathered by now, there are a few great reasons to send out your Save the Dates. I understand though that people often will ask if they have to or for budget-friendly options. Here are a few tips to keep costs low for your first impressions:

1. No fancy printing. It could be tempting to add gold foil or embossment on your Save the Dates, but it isn’t necessary. Since both these printing styles require an extra step, that extra step includes an extra charge. If this element is still something you really would like for your Save the Dates, picking the traditional “Save the Date” phrase can cut down the cost as it will not need to be created.

2. No fancy add on’s. Since most people will be pinning this up on a board or fridge, you don’t have to add any extra items to create extra costs such as wax seals, ribbons, etc. Choosing a standard size, such as a 5” x 7” can keep postage cost minimal.

3. No extra calligraphy. I will always advocate for calligraphy, but on a Save the Date going with digital printing will be just as beautiful and will be another cost-saver in the long run.

If you are looking for a unique Save the Date, I can create a custom design for you, just click here. If you have any further questions about Save the Dates, feel free to contact me here.

Next up, I’ll be talking all about the timeline of invitations and the importance of prepping in advance.