Elegant and Classic Navy Wedding Invitations

These elegant and classic navy wedding invitations from Patricia at Fourteen-Forty have two of my favorite things: a whimsical dot pattern and a wax seal! Seriously, how gorgeous is that pop of dark navy blue wax against the off-white envelopes? The navy blue of the dot pattern is especially beautiful paired with a subtle dose of champagne foil in the invitation text. And I love the combination of clean and classic text with a more modern – and attention-grabbing!– square invitation shape.

Elegant and Classic Navy Wedding Invitations by Fourteen-Forty / Oh So Beautiful Paper

From Patricia: Michelle’s invitations were a true collaboration. She had seen our dot envelope liner pattern and loved it, so we decided to incorporate the dots front and center in the invitations, while working variations into the other pieces. It worked out really well with the venue, as they evoke opera curtains in a subtle and beautiful way.

Elegant and Classic Navy Wedding Invitations by Fourteen-Forty / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Letterpress printing was key in bringing out the important details, along with a little foil shine. And then the blue – we used a subtle two tone color palette that was continued in her reception items and florals, which were a combination of soft peaches, light blues, and whites. Her bridesmaids dresses were also a deep and elegant navy blue. We absolutely love when we can coordinate all these pieces from beginning to end so that a cohesive look is created.

Elegant and Classic Navy Wedding Invitations by Fourteen-Forty / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Another thing to notice is the more unique square shape of the invitation. They give the invitations a bit more grandeur – guests just can’t help but take notice at the special size. And the wax seal is definitely difficult to overlook. The dark blue was just a stunning pop of color on her off-white envelopes and they always make such a lovely keepsake.

Elegant and Classic Navy Wedding Invitations by Fourteen-Forty / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Thanks Patricia!

Invitation Design: Fourteen-Forty

Flowers: Randy Felkey

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

Photo Credits: Mike Cassimatis

National Stationery Show 2016 #fresh

This year’s National Stationery Show is just a few weeks away! I seriously look forward to the National Stationery Show ALL year long! Even though this will be my 8th (!!) year attending the show I still get excited to wander the aisles, catching up with old friends and discovering new-to-me talent. I’ve been browsing the exhibitor list and the NSS Planner to prepare my walking list for this year’s show, and I’m particularly excited to see the exhibitors in a special juried section of the show called #fresh that features new and up-and-coming companies. Some of my favorite discoveries from the #fresh section in the 2015 National Stationery Show included Fox & Fallow, Katie Leamon, and Tack and Ward!

National Stationery Show #fresh: Katie Leamon / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Katie Leamon (booth #1552)

National Stationery Show #fresh: Fox and Fallow / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Fox & Fallow (booth #1545)

National Stationery Show #fresh: Tack and Ward / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Tack and Ward, who “graduated” out of #fresh this year – they’ll be in booth #2270!

#fresh has been my first stop at the National Stationery Show since it made its debut two years ago. Now in its 3rd year, #fresh features approximately 100 emerging businesses in stationery and lifestyle gifts, with a focus on original and creative product design and packaging (so important!). Companies in #fresh can only have been in business for a maximum of five years and cannot have exhibited in the National Stationery Show for more than four years, which means it’s a great way for retailers and folks like me to discover new talent! Some #fresh exhibitors will already be familiar names to OSBP readers – like Ashkahn, AHeirloom, and Hartland Brooklyn – but others are still waiting to be discovered at the show!

National Stationery Show #fresh: Hartland Brooklyn / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Hartland Brooklyn (booth #1556)

National Stationery Show #fresh: AHeirloom / Oh So Beautiful Paper

AHeirloom (booth #1259)

National Stationery Show #fresh: Meeschmosh / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Meeschmosh (another #fresh graduate – they’ll be in booth #1854 this year!)

The 2016 National Stationery Show #fresh - Hartford Prints! / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Hartford Prints! (booth #1346)

National Stationery Show #fresh: Printable Wisdom / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Printable Wisdom (booth #1356)

I think what I love most about #fresh (other than discovering awesome new stationers, of course!) is that it reminds me of the reason I started OSBP in the first place, all the way back in 2008: to connect people with a stationery community that was bursting with fresh energy and new ideas, and to make sure that all the new artists and designers I was discovering wouldn’t get lost in an already rich crowd. I can’t wait to see who will be there this year, and I’ll be sure to report back here in May!

The National Stationery Show is a once-a -year experience. Click here to register for your buyer badge or inquire about a booth. 

This post is sponsored by The National Stationery Show. All content and opinions are my own. Follow The National Stationery Show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations

I’m a huge fan of the dip dyeing technique, and these romantic calligraphy dip dyed wedding invitations from Jill at Art + Alexander are no exception! The dark teal color is just absolutely stunning, and I love the way Jill continued the dip dye effect around all four edges of the invitation and some of the enclosures!

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations Art + Alexander / Oh So Beautiful Paper

From Jill: The words I jotted down prior to designing this suite were: love letter, romance, simple, soft, and lovely. I love the colour that ink fades into, decades after being written – a brownish gold tone. I tried to recreate that ink colour for this invitation suite. I also tried to keep the calligraphy quite soft and loose, as if it had been written on some romantic whim.

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations Art + Alexander / Oh So Beautiful Paper

I opted for Cartiera Magnani paper for its rich texture and soft, organic look. I thought that the paper would behave similarly to a watercolour paper would, and absorb the watercolour paint well, which it did. I used the dark teal to add a pop of color, and wet the paper prior to dip dying so that it would bleed more and fade out more naturally, as well to give it a celestial look.

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations Art + Alexander / Oh So Beautiful Paper

The invitation suite includes a beautiful quote from The Chaos of Stars: “And I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.”

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations Art + Alexander / Oh So Beautiful Paper

I just thought that it was the most beautiful quote and tied in so nicely with my original inspiration. I also included a watercolor illustration of a peony to add a touch of femininity. The suite was handwritten and the paper was hand torn. The stamps included in the photographs are from my Grandmother’s antique steamer trunk.

Romantic Calligraphy Dip Dyed Wedding Invitations Art + Alexander / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Thanks Jill!

Design and calligraphy: Art + Alexander

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

Photographed by: Shannon Yau

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations

I’ll always have a soft place in my heart for typography-driven wedding invitations, especially when there’s a pop of neon involved! Sabrina from Smudge Ink sent over these bold and modern neon typography invitations for a wedding in Boston Harbor. I’m absolutely loving the playful wording throughout the invitation suite, from the RSVP cards to the adorable lobster eating guides!

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

From Sabrina: Elizabeth and Tucker weren’t afraid to speak volumes when it came to their invitations. I knew it would be a fun suite to design as soon as I saw their wedding hashtag #atuckinggoodtime (a clever play on their names). And Alexis, their event designer and wondergal behind The Little Things, was already brimming with ideas for how to capture the couple’s vision for a lively celebration on the Boston Harbor Islands.

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

The natural elements provided by the rocky beaches and green landscape of Thompson Island would be a nice escape from the city. But for their stationery Elizabeth and Tucker wanted to offset the rustic feel of their venue with a more bold and modern aesthetic. We immediately decided to keep the look feeling clean cut and fresh with a typography-only design. To play up the couple’s big and bright personalities, we chose to letterpress print in neon coral and gray inks. A coordinating gray envelope liner with one of the couple’s favorite quotes brought everything together.

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

I love how we paired their affinity for clean typography with slightly cheeky copy that perfectly captured their fun-loving personalities. From the replies to the ferry schedule, coming up with just the right wording was probably my favorite part of their stationery. We carried this playfulness right up to the wedding day with letterpress printed programs and how-to-eat-lobster “menus.”

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Modern Neon Typography Wedding Invitations by Smudge Ink / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Thanks Sabrina!

Design and Letterpress Printing: Smudge Ink

Styling: The Little Things

Smudge Ink is a member of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of their beautiful work right here or visit the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Sarah Jayne Photography