Nine Ways to Incorporate Calligraphy Into Your Wedding

If I have a weakness for anything, it’s calligraphy. As far as I’m concerned, calligraphy is magic and elevates everything it touches to a work of art. Today I’m sharing nine ways to incorporate calligraphy into your wedding, for those of you in wedding planning mode who are as calligraphy-obsessed as I am!

Calligraphy Place Cards by Script Merchant / Photo Credit: Kayla Barker Photography

Calligraphy by Script Merchant / Photo Credit: Kayla Barker

1. The Invitations and envelopes

First things first – the wedding invitations! When most of us think about wedding calligraphy, we think of envelopes with beautifully calligraphed addresses. And I’m definitely all in favor of going all out for the envelopes, but you can also use calligraphy for your entire wedding invitation! Depending on your budget and guest list size, you could ask a calligrapher to hand write each invitation entirely in calligraphy or brush lettering – like these hand lettered Sumi ink invitations – or commission something called spot calligraphy, where a calligrapher writes out a few words (usually your names and maybe the venue or location) and digitally scans the lettering to incorporate into the final invitation design. There are calligraphy styles to suit every type of wedding: classic and elegant, modern, bohemian, whimsical, and plenty of examples of spot calligraphy in our wedding invitation archive!

Minimalist Wedding Invitation Design by Jenny Sanders

Minimalist wedding invitation design by Jenny Sanders

Semi-Custom Wedding Invitation Design by Anne Robin Calligraphy

Semi-custom invitation design by Anne Robin Calligraphy

Photo and Calligraphy by Lauren Saylor of A Fabulous Fete

2. Wedding Welcome Signs

Large signs are the perfect way to welcome guests to your wedding! Wedding welcome signs can be made out of anything from large pieces of plexiglass to reclaimed wood to an oversized tropical leaf. Looking for even more wedding sign inspiration? You’re in luck! I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to this topic right here!

Photo Credit: Barrie Anne Photography via Glamour and Grace

3. Ceremony Backdrop

I love the idea of using a favorite quote or a meaningful phrase written in gorgeous calligraphy to serve as a wedding ceremony backdrop! Text can be painted onto fabric (white cotton curtains or even a bed sheet would do the trick!), written onto a roll of art paper, or even printed using a service like Spoonflower!

Calligraphy by Neither Snow / Photo Credit: Erich McVey

4. Seating Charts & Escort Cards

Seating charts and escort cards serve the extremely helpful purpose of letting your guests know where to sit at the reception – but they can also be beautiful! The difference between a seating chart and escort cards is that a seating chart is usually organized by table number, with the names of each guest at that table below, while escort cards are individual cards alphabetized by guest name that help escort guests to their table. Either way, your guests’ names will look absolutely amazing in calligraphy!

Copper Calligraphy Seating Chart / Photo Credit: Blush Wedding Photography

Photo Credit: Blush Wedding Photography via Style Me Pretty

Calligraphy Wedding Seating Chart by Neither Snow / Photo Credit: A Bryan Photo

Calligraphy by Neither Snow / Photo Credit: A Bryan Photo

Calligraphy and watercolor by Holly Hollon, Styling by Ginny Au, Photography by Erich McVey via Once Wed

5. Place Cards

A seating chart or escort card will get your guest to the appropriate table, but if you’re planning on assigned seating at your wedding, you’ll also need place cards. I love these simple color-dipped place cards with deckled edges – or beautiful calligraphy tags pinned to gold spray painted faux fruit for a fall wedding. Plenty more place card ideas right here!

Color Dipped Place Cards by Wildfield Paper Co.

Color-dipped place cards with deckled edges by Wildfield Paper Co. / Photo Credit: Callie Hobbes Photography via Style Me Pretty

Calligraphy by Ashley Buzzy / Photo Credit: Rustic White Photography

6. Drink and Dinner Menus

Planning to offer a signature cocktail? Share the options with your guests with a beautiful calligraphy bar sign! And individual dinner menus  can even double as place cards by writing the name of each guest at the top!

Calligraphy by Meant to Be Calligraphy / Photo Credit: Rebekah J. Murray via Wedding Chicks

Calligraphy by Chelsea Petaja / Photo Credit: Tec Petaja via Once Wed

7. Table Runners

This one is a bit outside the box, but wouldn’t a calligraphed table runner be the perfect addition to the head table for a romantic wedding? Similarly to a wedding ceremony backdrop, ask your calligrapher to write your wedding vows or a favorite poem onto a roll of butcher paper or art paper, making sure that the text appears only on each side of the table so that it isn’t covered by your centerpieces!

Calligraphy by Rachel Jacobson / Photo Credit: Milton Photography via 100 Layer Cake

8. Chair Signs

I love the idea of creating special signs for the bride and groom’s chairs at the wedding reception. Calligraphed signs (or fabric banners) could be the answer! They also look amazing with a little posy of flowers to accent the sign.

Calligraphy by Li Ward / Photo Credit: Dylan Howell and Sarah Byrne

9. Favor Bags

Last, but not least, send your guests home with a sweet little favor bag! Ask your calligrapher to make you a rubber stamp with your names or initials in calligraphy, then stamp it on cotton muslin bags and fill with your favorite treat!

Photo Credit: Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty

Behind the Stationery: Katharine Watson

Today’s installment of Behind the Stationery is a very special one, as we sit down with printmaker and business owner Katharine Watson! Katharine carves and prints each linoleum block entirely by hand to produce all kinds goods from stationery to textiles. Today she’s sharing her carving process with us, along with how local shows helped launch her full-time business and why she doesn’t believe in creative block. She’s a longtime favorite here on the OSBP and wrote our guide to block printing if you want more details on that! Take it away, Katharine! —Megan Soh

KatharineWatson_profile

Photo by Maika Lindsay

From Katharine: My name is Katharine Watson and I run my namesake business from my studio in Portland, Maine. I started my business in 2009 after graduating from college and wanting to make the jump into being an artist. I started out doing linocuts on paper and stationery, and have since expanded to working with home goods, doing licensing for other companies, and doing custom design based on my linocuts.

I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but in college it seemed like being a fine art painter was the only real career path. Once I graduated I started working at a stationery store, continued printmaking in my free time, and began to do some small shows where I sold prints and hand-printed stationery. It started going well and I realized that there was a market for printmaking. I was surprised because I didn’t see being an artist as a full-time career option, but after about a year of working like crazy on the side, I was able to quit my other jobs and pursue printmaking and art full-time. I definitely credit doing all those local shows at first for some of my success: it was so helpful to get feedback in the early stages (whether it was vocalized or through what people purchased). It really helped me to figure out what would sell, and seeing people get excited about my work and style in the beginning was an amazing push to get started.

Katharine Watson Studio and Printing Press

When I started my business I lived in Washington, D.C., and have since lived in rural Vermont and am now settled in Portland, Maine. My studio is in a converted barn behind my house, and that was our main requirement when we were house-hunting. I briefly considered getting a studio a little more separate from our house, but I love being able to work so close from home or run in quickly when I think of a good idea (and the commute is pretty great when it’s snowing).

Katharine Watson Linoleum Block Printing

All of my stationery starts with hand-carved linoleum blocks, and we also offer block printed art prints, home goods, textiles, and custom work. I love stationery and printmaking, and it made sense to me when I was starting out to put the two together. When I first started, I didn’t know of anyone else who was working with linocuts, and that definitely helped me stand out in the beginning. Now, thanks to social media, I know of so many other artists working with linoleum. It’s so great to see other people’s work be more visible thanks to the internet, and also to see the resurgence in interest in printmaking that’s happened in the last few years.

Katharine Watson Inventory

My day usually starts with me working on email and social media messages, and taking care of the less glamorous business tasks like submitting files, tweaking designs, and putting invoices together. Those parts aren’t as Instagram-friendly as some of the other work I do, but I actually love doing it because it’s what allows me to work full-time for myself. I always appreciate every new inquiry or order because it keeps my business going, and I love getting requests that are a little outside of my comfort zone as they help me develop new ideas and styles. One of the nice things about being self-employed is that I don’t really have a set schedule. Some parts of the year I am working twelve hour days and rushing to get shipments out and meet deadlines, and other times I get to be more creative, try new styles, and work a little less. I’ve really gotten used to that balance, but it was one of the harder adjustments to running a business. At first I thought that slower times were a sign that things weren’t going well, and now I am able to recognize them as a necessary time to reset and keep pushing new ideas. I definitely wouldn’t be able to come up with new work if every month were as busy as December.

Katharine Watson Block Printing and Paper

When I’m thinking of a new design or product, I’ll start with a thumbnail sketch, and then draw the design out on linoleum and start carving. One of my favorite things to do is experiment with new patterns and see what I can do with them: after a new block is printed, I might scan it and move it into Photoshop to turn it into a repeat pattern, or use a piece of the design on a new wedding invitation. Usually one new idea will snowball into lots of new ones, and that’s my favorite thing about having a little extra time to create vs. being on a tight deadline. People often ask me about creative block and it’s not something I really believe in: if I don’t have any ideas, I’ll just start doodling or look through old work, get something down on paper and see what happens. I don’t think that a lack of creative block means that you’re consistently doing good work, just that you’re getting ideas out of your head and onto paper, even if they are terrible. I usually find that there is something there worth exploring, and if not I can just keep getting shapes down on paper.

Katharine Watson Linoleum Block Carving

My process starts with a plain piece of linoleum, and I draw the border for the size of the piece I want to make. I always carve on linoleum from Blick, but I always recommend that people try out different types of linoleum to find which one works best for them. Every type has a different feel and a different texture when printed, and it took lots of experimenting for me to figure out what worked best with my style. I carve with Speedball carving tools, and again, different people have different preferences for tools but these are the ones I’ve always liked most.

Katharine Watson Sketch

I start by sketching out my design with a ballpoint pen, usually just drawing freehand and sketching out the lines as I go. Once I have the pattern laid out, I’ll go over it with Sharpie so I can see exactly which lines need to be carved out. From there, I start by carving away the smallest details and work out to carving away the larger background pieces. I then use a wide marker to draw over what I’ve carved so I can see what still needs to be worked on.

Katharine Watson Printing Press

Once a block is finished (which can take anywhere from 2 to 20+ hours depending on the size of the block, but most A2-sized blocks take about three hours) I’ll print it on one of our two presses. We have a C&P that we use to print smaller blocks and all our block printed cards (or anything smaller than 8×10), and a Challenge Proof Press that I use for larger blocks and art prints. I mostly use rubber-based VanSon inks, but I also like Speedball oil-based inks.

Katharine Watson Printing Process

I love the carving process because I just turn on a TV show or podcast and get in the zone of carving. It’s very meditative and sometimes I can carve for hours without really noticing (until my hand cramps up and I have to take a break). People always ask what happens if I make a mistake and carve out the wrong part, but that’s not usually an issue unless I’m carving text. If I make a mistake on a pattern I’ll just incorporate it into the design and hide it by moving things around a bit, but if it’s text I’ll have to start over. Because of that I always carve the text first, because it’s heartbreaking to get to the end of a carving and then accidentally cut the T off of “Thank You”!

Katharine Watson Printing

Photo by Maika Lindsay

My favorite thing about the whole process is doing the first test print, when you finally get to see the carving time pay off and see how everything looks. It’s always kind of a surprise because you never know exactly what it’s going to look like, and that makes the process worth it for me!

Katharine Watson Carving + Print

Photos by Katharine Watson unless noted otherwise.

Want to be featured in the Behind the Stationery column? Reach out to Megan at megan [at] ohsobeautifulpaper [dot] com for more details.

Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas

Any recently engaged couples out there?? Choosing a save the date is probably one of the first decisions you’ll make for your wedding! Save the dates can reveal a lot about your wedding, so it’s important to choose wisely. Will your wedding be casual or formal? Is it in the mountains or by the beach? Your save the dates should reflect the type of wedding you plan to have. And since there aren’t as many rules for save the dates as for the formal invitation, you have more freedom to play around with the design. So have fun and don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Here are a few modern and creative save the date ideas to get you started! – Annie

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Love the bright splash of color in these modern watercolor save the dates! | Photography: Philip Ficks, Stationery: Swiss Cottage Designs via The Knot

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

The photo booth strip and handwritten text add a personal touch. | Stationery: Bird and Banner via Brides

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Obsessed with these embroidered vintage postcards! | Embroidery: Sarah West Ervin via Green Wedding Shoes

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Feel free to play around with unique wording! This infographic save the date makes me wish I was invited. | Stationery: Natalie Grosner via Natalie Grosner

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Feeling inspired by the geographic location of your wedding? Go with a map save the date! I’d hang this map save the date on my wall! | Photography: Phil Chester via Green Wedding Shoes

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

How fun is this pinwheel design?! | Photography: Christa-Taylor, Stationery: Tie That Binds via Style Me Pretty

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

You can never go wrong with gold foil and bold type. | Photography: Ryon:Lockhart Photography, Stationery: Allison Rhodes Designs via Style Me Pretty

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

The combination of wood and gold calligraphy is stunning. | Photography: KT Merry Photography, Stationery: Anticipate Invitations, Calligraphy: Curlicue Designs Calligraphy via Style Me Pretty

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Has anyone ever said no to chocolate? | via Un Beau Jour

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Give your guests a sneak peek at the wedding destination with postcards. You can even order a custom rubber stamp with your details to add all your information on the back. (And you’ll save money on stamps.) | Photography: Patricia Heal via Brides

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

All you need is a Polaroid camera to make these cute DIY save the dates! | Calligraphy: A Fabulous Fete via 100 Layer Cake

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Modern & Creative Save the Date Ideas / Oh So Beautiful Paper

The sheet of vellum adds an elegant touch to an already gorgeous save the date. | Photography: Jose Villa, Stationery: Amber Moon Designs, Calligraphy: Anne Robin via Martha Stewart Weddings

You can find more wedding invitation and save the date inspiration in our real invitations gallery right here!

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations

Well, these invitations are a lot of fun! Primary colors, pennants, buttons, and more in these quirky camp-theme wedding invitations from designer Misty Manley! Misty created these invitations for her own wedding last September – we love how all the sweet details, like tacos and camping, ties into her own love story!

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

From Misty: Johnny and I have spent the last 9 years laughing at each other’s stupid jokes, eating too much, and taking nothing seriously… so when we got engaged, we knew immediately we didn’t want a buttoned-up “wedding,” we just wanted to kick back and party with our best friends and eat good food.

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Camp Wyman was the first venue we looked at, and we knew immediately it was the one. The camp vibes were just too good; log cabins, a beautiful ceremony site accessible only by a path leading into the woods, logs for seating, and they let us personalize our whole event how we saw fit! We’re taco obsessed (we got engaged at our favorite taco joint, Mission Taco) and had their food truck and one other taco truck serve at the wedding, we brought in our own booze and let people BYOB, it was a family tradition to take our son to a different donut shop in STL every weekend, so we had donuts for dessert from our favorite place and one of our favorite personal touches, we had a unity PB&J during our ceremony.

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

As a graphic designer, I got so excited to take the camp theme and run with it! The details were so fun: a Wes Anderson inspired color palette, save the dates with button pins, and a two-sided foldout poster with a map for the invitation. The invitation included a timeline of our relationship that served as a border, silly badges and inside jokes. I used custom rubber stamps for the rsvp card and envelopes.

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

I made the wedding programs pennants that everyone waved in the air as we passed! More flags were screen printed and stuck inside vintage thermoses or our centerpieces. I poured my heart into every detail! I hand painted signs, and used the 18 months of our engagement collecting vintage goblets, the thermoses, as well as used a lot of my own vintage collectibles as decor.

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Quirky Camp-Theme Wedding Invitations by Misty Manley

Thanks Misty!

Design: Misty Manley

Buttons: StickerMule

Online printing: Mingo Press

Rubber Stamps: Simon Stamp

Paper and envelopes: French Paper

Screen printing: Art Farm STL

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more tal­ented wed­ding invi­ta­tion design­ers and the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Misty Manley and Vein + Vessel

Nine Awesome Design and DIY Books

Hi everyone! I have a growing list of books that I’ve been meaning to share with all of you – so today I’m sharing them all in one fell swoop! We’ve got some fun illustration instruction books from some familiar faces around OSBP, creative ways to customize your things at home, a peek into the lives of creative business owners, nature-inspired prints and patterns, and so much more!

Nine Awesome Design and DIY Books

1. Erin Austen Abbot of Amelia is known for curating amazing wares for her shop in Oxford, Mississippi. With her first book, How to Make It, Erin takes us behind the scenes with 25 makers to share a behind the scenes look at what it takes to run a creative business. Yay Erin!

2. Dinara Mirtalipova is one of my favorite illustrators; we’ve been lucky enough to feature some of Dinara’s work here on OSBP, and I’m constantly in awe of her intricate folk art-inspired illustration style. Her new book, Imagine a Forest, includes 45 step-by-step tutorials for creating your own folk-inspired illustrations – along with plenty of illustration inspiration to gaze throughout the day.

3. Christine from Yellow Owl Workshop is a genius when it comes to stamps, stencils, and fabric dyeing. Her latest book, Make it Yours, is all about customizing your favorite objects around your home, from scarves and tote bags to quilts and dressers.

4. If you’ve ever wanted to learn the art of watercolor illustration, now is your chance! Everyday Watercolor from Jenna of Mon Voir will teach you everything you need to know for creating gorgeous watercolor florals and nature illustrations.

5. I love following illustrator Carolyn Gavin on Instagram, and I was thrilled to see her new book: Draw, Color, and Sticker Things I Love Sketchbook. The sketchbook is full of ready-to-color illustrations and partially illustrated pages that you can fill in using your own imagination. So fun!

6. How to Draw Type and Influence People is basically an activity book for grown-ups with a focus on hand drawn type and the role that type plays in advertising. If you’re interested in the grown up coloring book trend but not into traditional illustrations and patterns, this might be for you! 

7. Print & Pattern: Nature celebrates beautiful nature-inspired surface design, patterns, and motifs – including from a few stationers that are familiar faces around OSBP!

8. Rubber Stamping offers a comprehensive guide to the art of block printing and reduction printing using traditional rubber blocks, hand carved designs, and roller printing techniques.

9. I’m a huge fan of watercolor artist Kristy Rice of Momental Designs, so I was thrilled when she came out with a series of adult coloring books for watercolor featuring her original illustrations! The books are printed using thick watercolor paper and feature floral illustrations, woodland illustrations, and fun patterns. Check out the full series here!