Charles + Merrill’s Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Any stationery aficionado will appreciate the technique and skill behind these stunning wedding invitations: the result of a collaboration between Kseniya of Thomas Printers and bride (and designer!) Merrill Lyons. A lovely ombre split fountain effect, bright edge painting, a tight letterpress registration, and a lot of beautiful detail packed into a bright and modern invitation suite. So pretty!

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (15)

From Kseniya: Charles and Merrill’s wedding invitation suite features some of our favorite printing processes: tight registration, split fountain on the back of the invitation, edge painting, envelope liners with custom pattern, and perforated reply postcards.

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (16)

Merrill designed the suite (the groom is a designer, too) – note the custom monogram that appears on several of the pieces, and the cute critters on the envelope liner. We selected papers from a variety of mills to make sure everything was perfect and matched in a complementary way. The invitation is printed on super thick 4pt museum board, the reply card is on Lettra, and the colored papers are from Paper Source and Paper Presentation. A great package for a great event!

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3) Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6)

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (9)

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (8)

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (13) Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (10)

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (1)

Ombre Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Thomas Printers via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Thanks Kseniya!

Design: Merrill Lyons

Letterpress Printing: Thomas Printers

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

Photo Credits: Thomas Printers

*Thomas Printers is a sponsor of Oh So Beautiful Paper

Kate + Conor’s Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Happy Monday everyone! You already know that I have a major case of wanderlust, so these travel-inspired wedding invitations from designer Sarah Drake are a sight for sore eyes! Created for a wedding in Door County, Wisconsin, the invitations and day-of stationery feature everything from silhouettes and a custom crest to beautiful map envelope liners to a lace pattern that matches the bride’s wedding dress. Stunning!

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6)

From Sarah: Everything about working with Kate and Conor was a dream, from creating their custom crest and silhouettes to deciding on the perfect slate blue and gray to complement their venue’s color palette.

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (4) Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3)

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (9)

We sourced a vintage marine map of northern Wisconsin to line the envelopes, and created our own map of Egg Harbor for the letterpress invitation suite. The finishing touch was the whimsical calligraphy by Stacey Shapiro.

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (8)

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (2) Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (1)

We also created paper products for the reception, including custom cocktail napkins, flag escort cards, menus, and ceremony programs.

Travel-Inspired Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Sarah Drake via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Thanks Sarah!

Design: Sarah Drake

Letterpress Printing: Rohner Letterpress

Calligraphy: Stacey Shapiro

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

Photo Credits: Julia Franzosa

Friday Happy Hour: The Corsican

It’s no secret that Nole is a huge fan of St-Germain (and I don’t think it’s too shabby either), which makes our collaboration with St-Germain here a natural fit. Back when we first started our cocktail series, I was mixing up a lot of St-Germain and gin drinks for Nole, but I didn’t really consider any of the browns – it just didn’t seem like a very good fit. But it is! Here’s a drink that combines three of my favorite ingredients: rye, St-Germain, and a fantastic Italian lemon liqueur, Limoncello. â€“ Andrew

Signature Cocktail Recipe: Limoncello and St-Germain Cocktail by Oh So Beautiful Paper (12)

Cocktail Recipe Card: The Corsican, St-Germain and Limoncello Cocktail, Illustration by Tuesday Bassen for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Illustration by Tuesday Bassen for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The Corsican

2 oz Rye Whiskey
1 oz St-Germain
1 oz Limoncello
2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters

Combine with ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy!

The St-Germain and Limoncello are both sweet liqueurs, and together they risk making a drink that’s cloyingly sweet. But they’re balanced here by the oaky, spicy heat of the rye, which let’s the floral and citrus flavors of the liqueurs shine through. It’s smooth and sweet and rich, perfect to have just before or just after a great meal.

Signature Cocktail Recipe: Limoncello and St-Germain Cocktail by Oh So Beautiful Paper (4) Signature Cocktail Recipe: Limoncello and St-Germain Cocktail by Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Limoncello is a liqueur made by infusing lemon peels – specifically, a type of lemon grown around Sorrento, Italy, (which you might recall we’ve mentioned before) in neutral spirits, with lots of sugar thrown in for good measure. It’s like drinking the pure soul of Lemon. It’s good. Italians serve it ice cold, in tiny glasses as a digestif after a meal, but I see no reason not to throw it into a cocktail or two.

Signature Cocktail Recipe: Limoncello and St-Germain Cocktail by Oh So Beautiful Paper (2) Signature Cocktail Recipe: Limoncello and St-Germain Cocktail by Oh So Beautiful Paper (8)

Oh, and the name? Well, you see, Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor extraordinaire, was born into a minor Italian noble family on the French-controlled island of Corsica. Rising all the way from humble Italian origins to the top of the French political food chain, he was known by his detractors as “the Corsican Upstart.” And since this drink combines Italian Limoncello with, you know, St-Germain, which is, well, made from French elderflowers… this joke was a lot funnier in my head.

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

This post is brought to you in collaboration with St-Germain. All content, photos, recipes, and words are our own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

{happy weekend!}

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve been working like crazy the last couple of weeks, so I’m feeling a bit worn out today. When life gets hectic, I find myself craving simplicity – an evening walk to the park, gelato from my favorite spot in Eastern Market, or just a quiet night at home. So right now I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend (and ignoring the never-ending to do list). But in the meantime…

Daisies by Oh So Beautiful Paper via Instagram

Photo by me via Instagram

…a few links for your weekend!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Check back soon for this week’s cocktail! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week! xoxo

Sophie Style: Summer 2013

I’ll admit it: I have way too much fun dressing Sophie every morning. Even though I largely limit myself to sale sections, I’ve been able to find some really adorable outfits. Her closet is full of pretty patterns (stripes and polka dots are favorites, of course), fun colors, and lots of interchangeable pieces. Now that she’s crawling, I like to pair leggings (to protect her little knees) with sleeveless tops, but on really hot days I’ll switch to shorts or a simple dress. These are a few of my favorite outfits in Sophie’s closet this summer:

Sophie Style: Summer 2013 by Oh So Beautiful Paper

1. chambray top + stripe leggings from Baby Gap; 2. top from Carter’s, shorts from Target; 3. dress from Old Navy; 4. top + leggings from Baby Gap; 5. chambray tunic (also available in pink!) + leggings from Carter’s