My second favourites would be my most recent, for Matt and Tom, who are having a Civil Ceremony in Camden later this year. Again, I am on the other side of the world to my clients so everything has had to be done over skype and email, which worked fine. They didn’t want anything to ‘weddingy’ (which is what a lot of my clients seem to say!) and they have a great love of pug dogs, so we decided to use them as the main theme. I’d never done a heavily text based invite before and wanted to try it out with these. I really love how they have turned out, especially the big ‘Hooray!’. I hand drew all the text (traced from TImes New Roman) to give them a real handmade feel and because of this, thought that screen printing would give the best result, as when screen printed, each card takes on a very special unique quality that you don’t get with digital printing. They were expertly printed by my good friends at The Badger Press in navy blue. They were such fun to design, and working with such a creative and great couple made it all the better.

* Why should LMW readers choose someone like you to do their stationery?
I love working with couples to make sure I create something that accurately reflects their personalities and the feel of their day. I’m very hands on and enjoy searching out new printing techniques and other special materials to make each design truly unique. My bespoke process is clear and simple and I keep clients involved and up to date with every step from consultation to printing. It’s a job I love and am passionate about, and I hope this shows in my designs.

I’ve had a couple of friends get married by the seaside, Salcombe, Cornwall and Devon and I remember that it was such a lovely theme, lots of shells, sands, rowing boats (full of booze), traditional Cornish fudge… the list goes on. I really like her latest collection which is a powder blue and beach colour theme but can be changed depending on what the couple want.

What do you think? If you’re not planning a beach theme wedding then check out her site anyway as there are lots of other fab vintage designs to choose from – I really like this girl’s work – Lucy Ledger

Hi everyone,
Since my last update at the beginning of January, where I listed our massive To Do list, we have been really busy ticking off as many of those items as we can off the list! Of course we also managed to add more things to it along the way, and hopefully most of those have also been ticked off!

The biggest task I completed {and hence my reason for the lack of posts lately} was completing and posting the invitations! I revealed them on my blog already(OurDaybyDesign) so to follow on from my previous post about our Save the date’s, I thought I would let you all know a little bit more about our invitations; what I used to make them and where I found all of my supplies.

Pocketfolds – Colorplan Col25 Amethyst 145mm Book Pocketfold – PDA Card & Craft;
Gatefolds – Colorplan Col25 Amethyst 145mm Gatefold creased cards – PDA;
Purple Card {ribbon bellyband seal} – Dark purple card – the Paper Mill;
Grey Card {invite/rsvp backing & bellyband seal} – Colorplan Col29 Dark Grey Card – PDA;
Paper – Sparkling White Iridescent paper from the Folio range at Paper State – Hobbycraft;
Purple Ribbon – Purple Satin ribbon – Kate’s Paperie;
White Ribbon – White Organdy ribbon – Kate’s Paperie;
Grey Ribbon {ribbon bellyband} – Smoked Grey ribbon from Berisfords – Swift-Hart Boxes;
Stamp – Linden Branch Stamp – Unity Stamp Company;
Ink – Violet Versacolor ink from Tsukineko – Hobbycraft;
Tools – Stamp-a-ma-jig; Fiskars Paper Trimmer; Fiskars Drops corner rounder;
Glue – Double sided permanent transfer tape from Stix 2 – Hobbycraft;
Translucent Envelopes – 155mm Square Envelopes – Ideal Envelopes;
White RSVP Envelopes – 120mm Square Envelopes – PDA;

To print everything I just used my standard inkjet printer and it coped very well with the load! The information & map / directions insert sheets were both double sided which also turned out great.

All of our guests loved them and I have had loads of lovely comments about them. Everyone thought the insert sheets were really helpful and loved that we had included an RSVP sheet & envelope which also included the transport option on it. My mum is currently collecting them all together as we used their address since the invites came from both sets of our parents. We wanted to do this since they are both helping us with the wedding and we thought it was a lovely touch for those friends of my parents who wouldn’t know Grahams parents and vice versa. My aunt, who we obviously know is coming, doesn’t want to send the rsvp back as she wants to keep the whole invite together to show people and another friend had to contact me to get our gift list details as she had taken the invite to show her mum and left it there. Other friends of my parents also told me on Sunday that they had all been taking them everywhere to show everyone!

For our evening invites, we amended the main wording to suit and then amended the other insert sheets accordingly. They were then put in a gatefold card to make them a bit different but they used the same ribbon bellyband & envelopes.

Since we didn’t actually send invites to our parents, as they came from them, both my mum and Grahams mum wanted a version to keep as well so I amended the main invite wording just to say ‘request the pleasure of your company’ rather than a name as per the other guests ones. I now also need to do 1 of both the day and evening invites for us to keep too.

I haven’t really counted the total cost of them yet but that wasn’t the reason I decided to make them. I really wanted to design and make my own stationery right from the start and knew that this way I could get something that no one else had that was totally unique to us. Obviously I did look at loads of different ideas online and when I first started searching for ideas I found this US wedding blog {http://roadtotheaisle.blogspot.com which was my original inspiration to also start blogging} and I loved the ribbon bellyband idea she had done. Since then I also found loads of examples / ideas from sellers on Etsy.

The rest of our stationery also uses the same them and we have already completed the favour boxes using the same seal as the ribbon bellyband. We have also completed the order of service’s and menu’s which used the same purple card, sparkly paper, grey ribbon and a card & paper seal like the invites. The table plan, table names and placecards also used the same card & a thinner version of the purple ribbon, but we also used a different punch on those. Since the tables are going to be named after buildings in New York, which is my favourite city and where we got engaged, we found a Martha Stewart edge punch which had a city skyline on it. We have used it on the top of the paper on the individual placecards, each table name and each table list on the table plan, which I think all look really good.

As soon as we got engaged I knew I would want to make all of our stationery myself. I started thinking about ideas almost straight away but as I was in the middle of my professional exams to become an Architect, I didn’t start making them until my exams were over and I had passed, which was in March this year, almost a year before the big day.

However, this didn’t stop me collecting everything I needed to make the Save the Date cards. Having looked at hundreds of ideas in magazines, on blogs and wedding websites, I knew I wanted to incorporate different layers, purple card, vellum paper, ribbon and some stamping! I decided against magnets or folded cards early on and went for a small credit card sized card which I thought would be the most simple! 

I actually bought the ribbon in Kate’s Paperie in New York, the day after we got engaged. Luckily my aunt and uncle went to New York in May this year and they were able to get me more ribbon to use on the invites! Although I couldn’t get any more of the purple card, I managed to find a company who had almost the same colour to use for the invitations.

You can find a full list of the items we used and where we got them on my blog – OurDaybyDesign

Although I really enjoyed making the save the date cards, they were so time consuming! They were only A7 size cards but this actually caused a few problems when I was trying to print onto the white paper. They kept getting stuck in the printer which was so frustrating! Of course, when it worked well it was fine! Since I wanted to use the purple card as a backing but also wanted to incorporate vellum, I ended up with the 3 layer design. I couldn’t stick the paper and card together until I had stamped the paper and let it dry which added to the time it took.

However, the most time consuming part was punching the slots to put the ribbon through which also secured the vellum layer! I hadn’t considered the thickness of the card and when the paper was stuck down it made it even harder to punch. The making memories slot punching tool I used was great but I think I expected to be able to use it really quickly like a hole punch when in reality I had to use a lot of pressure. So much so that I actually broke the first slot punching tool attachment and had to buy another full set!

So although I knew I would want the wedding invites to follow the same theme, straight away there was no chance of ribbon slot punching being incorporated again! I am using the purple card in pocketfolds for the day invites and gatefold cards for the evening invites. The original paper I used has a sparkling iridescent quality which I definitely wanted to use again, especially since the purple card and the grey backing card I added are flat matt colours. I also managed to find a different larger stamp which has the same sort of motif, as I thought the original one was too small for the invitations. I am using the same colour of ink again so that it looks the same.

Then of course, the ribbons will also be used, again at the left side of the invite so I can continue with the text on the right. I decided not to use a vellum overlay on the invites but instead started thinking about other ways to incorporate transparent paper. I considered going for a bellyband made of vellum but went off that idea when I started thinking about how I would close it neatly and the size required since the previous vellum used only came in A4 sheets! I decided to use grey ribbon for the bellyband to contrast with the purple card which works a lot better and is great since I do love ribbon! So in the end I have decided to go with vellum envelopes as that way the gorgeous purple card and grey ribbon can be seen as soon as they arrive through our guest’s letterboxes!

Despite them taking much longer than anticipated, all of the guests really liked them and thought they looked great which makes it all worthwhile! I hope they say the same about the wedding invites, which you can see a sneak peek of them below! I planned to get all of the printing, stamping, backing cards & ribbon put on the day invites before I go on holiday on Saturday but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I have done 36, with another 12 at least printed which only leaves another 10 to do. However, we still have plenty time as we are not planning to send them out until January. Looks like I will be busy over Christmas!

If you didn’t get a chance to read my previous post click to read on ‘the wedding preparations of a bride to be’ or check out some of the other posts on wedding stationery on Little Miss Wedding.

Lotus Flower Invitation and Box

There are 4 signature designs – heart, butterfly, lily and lotus flower and they are all hand crafted from crisp cotton. Each piece of origami is unique and made to order – they even come with their own certificate of authenticity and individual registration number, so they make a great keepsake for your guests. The butterfly and heart design come with their own heavy woven finish envelope and sticker to seal, and the lotus flower and lily come in their own specially designed presentation boxes and are secured with stickers.

The designs come in white as standard, but different fabrics or colours can be ordered at request (and at an additional cost). Whilst they are not cheap (prices start at £7) I think that they are fantastic value given the fact that they are all handmade and clearly there is a lot of work and talent that goes into each one. This is one of the most beautiful touches that I have seen and I would have LOVED to have sent these invites out to my guests or had them as name places at my wedding.

Butterfly Design Place Setting

Check out the Paperbird Design website for more information – I will be publishing a unique interview with Eve, the Design Director from Paperbird Design in the next couple of weeks so make sure that you check back here on LMW to find out more tips and inspiration from a truly talented designer. Let me know your thoughts on these invites. Have you seen any other really beautifully crafted wedding stationery out there or at weddings that you have been to?

On my travels I have seen and heard of quite a few good suppliers one of these being XOXO wedding stationers in Scotland (but you can order all online/ email). Check out these photos below….

Wedding Table Plans designed by XOXO

XOXO Wedding stationery makes these fab bespoke wedding table plans in your chosen colour scheme and style. Its all pretty simple you just needs to send the table plan 4 weeks in advance, which gives them time to work their magic and then send you the proofs to check that you are happy. They can do all other wedding stationery too.

Who to put where? – my seating plan tip
I remember the planning of who was sitting next to who was a little bit stressful especially when you have 180 guests to juggle around including friends and family from all over the place- I ended up grouping people tables of 10, putting those names in a hat and then picking out the names of who sat next to who from that group (which was actually quite easy). At least that way you know people will know other people on their table but you don’t have to spend ages worrying about the intricate details of who sits next to – at the end of the day I am sure that they’ll all have a great time whoever they are next to.

If you know of any good wedding stationers that you or friends have used that were really impressive, reliable, good value and a little bit fun or different do let me know and share the love! I’m also thinking about doing a post on choosing table names… I have seen lots of different ideas out there and am planning on collating a list.

Your wedding day was like a fairy tale. You’re tanned, chilled out, and all loved-up from your honeymoon. And while you can’t believe it’s all over, you are also relieved. Well, it’s not ALL over yet. You don’t just get loads of gifts and cash for nothing! You’ve still got the task of the Thank-You Cards.

To be honest, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this. I was done with spending money on wedding-related things, plus I couldn’t find any cards that I was crazy about. I looked into having ones custom-made, and it was a mini-fortune..

One day I had a lightbulb moment, and I’m glad I saw this one through. I can’t tell you how many of our friends and family raved about the thank-you cards we sent. They said they had either framed it, or even better, hung it on their fridge.

These cards are simple, inexpensive, unique, and practically fail-proof. It’s got just enough of a DIY element to keep it fun without being an ordeal. Read on…

Step 1: Select a photo you and your hubby both love. We chose this one because not only did we think it was a great shot, but it also captured the soul of our wedding.

Step 2: Get the image printed at a photo shop. Simple prints will do. You can choose black & white or color, matte or glossy, and the size of the print. I went with a standard 4 x 6”, but go for a 5×7”, a long rectangle, or funky square. Make it a unique piece to thank everyone for being there on your unique day.

Step 3: Find a card stock and envelopes at a stationary/art supply store. There are masses of colors to choose from. You can either go for a postcard or a more traditional fold-out card. Any store with a good paper selection will have both. You will be able to carry on the look and feel of your wedding through the color, texture, and size selection of the cards and envelopes. I chose a white card stock with a matte silver envelope to add a touch of fun and elegance. Remember, this is still part of your wedding celebration, so have fun with it!

Step 4: Stick the card stock to the to photo print. I think that keeping the photo flush with the edge of the card looks best, but if you like a border, but all means…You’ll want to use photo tape or double stick tape. Glue just gets messy and complicated, especially since you are working with photo paper. Photo tape is super easy to use and will make your cards look professionally done because the edges of the photo and the card stock will be seamlessly attached.

Final touches: You’ll want to make sure that all cards are taped together straight. If you are going the flush-edges route, you can trim of any slightly crooked sides with an Exact-o knife and a straight edge. Also, I was really lucky to find this precious bride and groom stamp for a few quid. I used it on the card and as a seal design for the envelope. Got tons of compliments on this. Try to find a little personalized accent to add to your wedding thank-yous – a feather, beads, dried flowers from the wedding arrangements are a few ideas.

I had good fun making and writing our thank-yous. I put a lot of love into each one because I was so grateful that everyone made the effort to be with us to celebrate our marriage. You can read more posts on wedding stationery here or please do leave a comment and let me know what you think of these.

Start and Finish Stationery

Save the Date Stationery

I think that this design lends itself perfectly to Save the Date cards– so if you are looking for the DIY (and budget) option then download these, get creative and start letting your friends know to Save the Date.  I found these on the Love Obsess Inspire blog, which I have to say has lots of beautiful arty/ design stuff. Just click on this link to download the ‘awesome edible invite’ which is a PDF with all the instructions.

Julie also designs customized wedding invites, save the dates, reply cards etc from $25  which you can view through her online shop, UpuponEtsy

You can choose from a number of different wedding designs/themes and then personalize them with your choice of colour, font, copy etc. They are quite simple but I like that.  Julie then sends a high res copy back to you – you then print them or send to a printers.  Either way this is a fantastic value, stylish choice for wedding invites and stationery. Since its all done online and via email its perfect for us even though we’re based in the UK (and she is in New York). I really like the fact that theses are unique and fun but certainly won’t break the bank.

Wedding invitations

If you use this free stationery or any of Julie’s lovely designs please do send me some photos and let me know how it all works out…..

Lovely Favours is boutique design company that specialises in unusual and unique stationery, favours and table decorations – they say that everything is made to order, personalised to your taste and that ‘anything is possible’. I’m addicted already – their site is hive of amazing little finds and you can’t help but search for hours – in fact I think I am going to pay them a visit to their workshop and have an even better look!

Always on the lookout for good little finds like this – let me know if you have found any couture design companies that offer similar products

Lovely’s sister happens to be a bit of a design guru and knocked up this simple design for us which we just got made into a postcard and sent everyone – it was so easy as no need to worry about writing too much, all it needed was the address (you could even email it to save on postage and printing). We set up a joint email address and just asked everyone we invited to email us a quick yes or no to let us know they could come – quick and easy for everyone and much greener than getting RSVP’s by post.

Having a Save the Date means you can work out numbers and get a pretty good idea of who is going to make it on the day (we had hardly anyone change their mind!), without having to worry about the invites so far in advance. Its pretty simple to get someone to knock up something like this (ask them for a jpeg), then just send it to a printers and before you know it you will get something back that is totally unique and means something to you as a couple . I think in total ours cost us £80 or so at the printers and that was for over 200 – so it really is good value.
If you worried about who you can ask for help, don’t! It is that simple that many people will have the skills – I’m sure the nice boy in the design department at work, the agency that you use, or a friend of a friend will be able to put together something, if you promise to give them a nice bottle of wine in return. Don’t forget people love being involved and helping out when it comes to a wedding – I say the more the merrier!

Have you received any unusual invites or save the dates – do you think its a nice touch to bother with Save the Dates or just unnecessary hassle?