Search Results for: calligraphy

Rena + Michael’s Semi-Formal Handkerchief Wedding Invitations

I’ll always be a fan of handkerchief wedding invitations, and for this semi-formal wedding they really couldn’t be more perfect!  Created by the team at Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence, Rena and Michael’s invitation suite combines a classic black and white handkerchief invitation with a letterpress chipboard reception card and vintage rsvp postcard.  Just gorgeous!

From Erin at Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence: Rena is an attorney who left the big city life in Chicago to be with Michael and his 2 boys on their Ohio farm where they truly live farm to table, raising their own food.  They are having a semi-formal wedding at a stately club, but the rest of the weekend is going to be at their home on a beautiful rustic 25 acre gentleman’s farm.  They want the weekend celebrations to be casual and gracious — a family style gathering.  The suite combines screen printed handkerchiefs, letterpress on cotton paper, vintage botanical illustrations for envelope liners, address calligraphy by Holland Wilson, and vintage postcards bundled with twine.

 

Thanks so much Erin!

Design and Printing: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence

Calligraphy: Holland Wilson

Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence 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: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence

DIY Western Reception Wedding Details, Part I

The details are part of the fun of creating an event – be it a wedding, dinner party or bridal shower.  Those details make the event special, unique, and totally you!  Remember the Western Save the Date & Invitation DIY we did a few months ago?  It was one of our favorite tutorials… so we decided to expand on the theme and offer up some ideas for how to embellish a Western reception. – Bailey and Emma of Antiquaria

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration

A simply set, color appropriate place setting is ready for your guest as they approach the table.  Kraft tags tied around the napkin, are embellished with a monogram and serve as place cards for this casual, fun fete.

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration - Place Cards

To make the place card yags: Ink your monogram stamp (we used our Vintage Horseshoe Initial Monogram) and center it on the bottom of a kraft paper gift tag (or manilla shipping tag).  Press stamp down moderately and remove from surface.  Set aside to dry.  Once dry, write your guests’ names on the tag.  We love the way that the opaque white calligraphy ink looks on kraft paper.  Next, cut about 2 feet of rustic twine and wrap it around a pressed napkin.  Tie in a knot, thread the tag on to one loose in, and then tie the twine in a bow.

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration

A collection of goodies for the reception.  They all look so cute together!

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration

How to make the stamped escort cards: Our escort card stamps are some of our new faves in the shop.  For this western themed card, cut kraft paper into 3.75″ x 2.5″ inch rectangles.  Ink your stamp (we used our Howdy Escort Card Stamp) and center over the card.  Press down moderately, using the handle as the main point of pressure.  Remove stamp and let dry.  Once you have your final seating arrangement, fill in the cards accordingly.  We repeated the white ink for the names to have continuity throughout the event.

p.s.  Ed Note: Confused by the difference between escort cards and place cards?  Escort cards are typically displayed together at a central location near the reception entrance and include the guest’s name and table number, guiding your guest to the appropriate table where they can then find their seat.  A place card with the guest name then sits at the individual table place setting, indicating an assigned seat where a guest should sit at their table.

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration

We racked our brains to figure out a cute and unique way to display all those howdy escort cards to no avail… until we stumbled across Emma’s mother’s vintage wooden spool and bobbin collection.  Perfect!

Western Wedding Detail Ideas and Inspiration - Wood Spool Escort Card Display

Bobbin Card Stands: Troll the internet or thrift stores for vintage wooden spools or bobbins (bobbins will be smaller).  Once you acquire the number that you need, you’re ready to start converting them into escort card holders.  Lightly draw a pencil line across the diameter of the top of the spool. With a small hand saw, saw down about an eighth to a quarter inch (so that the card can slide in).  Now your ready to set them all up and put them to work directing your guests to their tables!

We’ll be back with more Western wedding detail ideas in our next post!

Materials:

Vintage Horseshoe Initial Monogram Stamp

Howdy Escort Card Stamp

Stamp Pad (in Chestnut)

Metal Eyelet Gift Tags in Kraft

Rustic Twine

White Calligraphy Ink

Kraft Card Stock

Ruler and x-acto blade

Wooden Spools and Bobbins

Hand Saw

Photo Credits: Intertwyned for Antiquaria

Black + White Stripe Birth Announcements for Baby Felix

I’ve always had special affection for fun and creative baby announcements, but of course these days I’m paying extra special close attention to baby-related stationery.  I was thrilled when my friend Claudia from Fig. 2 Design Studio sent over the announcements that she created for her new baby nephew!  Claudia is known for her love of super bright colors and patterns, and for these announcements she went with graphic black and white stripes paired with bright blue neon accents.  I love the playful yet masculine design – perfect for a baby boy!

From Claudia:  I designed this baby announcement for my nephew Felix.  Inspiration came partly from the baby shower invitations I designed earlier, where we used a chevron pattern.  My sister and  brother-in-law like graphic patterns, however, I decided to go with stripes to vary things and not make it too matchy-matchy.  I’ve been feeling black and white patterns a lot lately and was dying to try neon blue ink!

 

I’ve also had a thing for arrows recently and I thought using arrowheads was friendly enough for a baby announcement, while still having that masculine feel.  I was so touched when my good friend and super talented calligrapher Michele of Meant To Be Calligraphy offered to do his name as a gift to my sister!  It was the sweetest touch and now little Felix has lovely letterpress printed personal stationery.

So awesome!  Thanks Claudia!

Design: Fig. 2 Design Studio

Calligraphy: Meant To Be Calligraphy

Styling: My Simple Details

Fig. 2 Design Studio is a member of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of Claudia’s fabulous work right here!

Photo Credits: Mary Kate McKenna

Wedding Invitations from Blackbird Letterpress

I’m a huge fan of the custom wedding work from Kathryn of Blackbird Letterpress.  Kathryn has created some of my all-time favorite wedding invitations, from Riley and Robert’s modern New Orleans-inspired invitations to Margie and Morgan’s fabulous Art Deco postalgram wedding invitations.  Kathryn recently released a gorgeous wedding invitation collection that reflects her unique mix of whimsical illustrated elements with classic design.  Here are a few of my favorites from the collection…

Congrats Kathryn!  Check out the full collection and lots of additional photos here.

Black­bird Let­ter­press is a mem­ber of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of Kathryn’s beau­ti­ful work and custom wedding invitations right here!

Photo Credits: Ben Christensen for Blackbird Letterpress

Erin + Andrew’s Ombre Watercolor and Letterpress Wedding Invitations

I’m constantly amazed at what happens when talented individuals pool their efforts on a single project – and these incredible wedding invitations are no exception.  Photographer Laura Murray sent over the gorgeous invitations for her sister Erin’s wedding.  Erin worked with Roger from Flourish Letterpress and Victoria of Calligraphos to create a custom invitation suite that combines hand painted watercolor (DIY’d by the bride and groom!), letterpress, calligraphy, and even laser cutting!

From Erin, the bride: Ombre, calligraphy, and letterpress printing.  These are three things I adore and all elements that I wanted in my wedding invitation suite.  After we finalized the design, Roger from Flourish Letterpress cut the paper for the save the dates, wedding invitations, and reception cards and passed them off to me to be watercolored in an ombre effect.

My fiancé and I did an ombre wash on all the paper using a mixture of Holbein Artist’ Water Color inks in Jaune Brilliant No. 2, Shell Pink, and Brilliant Pink.  Once everything had dried, we handed the paper back off to Roger for letterpress printing.

 

Roger used Crane Lettra 220# pearl white paper for the invitations and matching 110# Lettra paper for the save the dates and reception card.  Lettra paper is made from 100% cotton, giving it a unique, smooth texture and the ability to absorb the letterpress impression.  We found that this paper took the watercolor well and maintained its ability to really hold the letterpress texture.

From Roger of Flourish Letterpress: I wanted to combine elegance with a slightly rustic feel for the invitation design.  I incorporated the kraft paper for a nice contrast while tying in the feeling of their wedding venue.  I wanted to try something new, so I used my laser engraving abilities to make a paper wrap with the look of lace and also incorporates Erin and Andrew’s initials.  Erin’s ombre watercolor painting really made the lace wrap pop.

 

Lastly, we created a rubber stamp with their wedding logo so they could stamp their logo on the hang tag and envelopes.  It’s a fun, extra element that they could play with and use to customize each piece.

Gah – so amazing!  Thank you so much ladies!

Design and Letterpress Printing: Flourish Letterpress

Calligraphy: Victoria Lane, Calligraphos

Watercolor: DIY by the bride and groom

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

Photo Credits: Laura Murray Photography