Melissa’s Golf-Themed Wedding Details

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of featuring Melissa and Jerome’s elegant letterpress golf-theme wedding invitations and save the dates.  Melissa and Jerome were married in September at a local golf club, and Melissa carried some of the more subtle elements of her theme through to the wedding day details, including the menus, ceremony programs, even the wedding cake! Today I’m thrilled to welcome Melissa back to share some lovely photos – courtesy of Joe Elario Photography – and the inspiration behind the details!

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From Melissa:  As a graphic designer, I brand projects and design for clients all day long.  When I started with the the golf tee save the date, I wasn’t sure how far I would take the golf theme, but knew at that point that I really wanted to push the logo, the green and white color palette, and the overall aesthetic.

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The venue, being a golf club, is very green outside and very brown inside.  Because the interior is so brown, I chose not to bring in any brown elements, but rather played only to green and balanced it all with white and cream flowers.

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I decided to keep the ‘golf’ theme subtle, but brought in elements here and there — like using driving range golf ball baskets to hand out programs and for welcome baskets.

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For the ceremony programs, I knew that I wanted to create an accordion fold, using photos from our engagement shoot on the back.  The cover of the program uses a portion of the golf course image I used on the invitation design.

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For the escort cards, I knew that buttons with phrases like “I’m a dance machine” or “Which way to the bar” would really lighten the mood.  It also gave me another opportunity to play off the bellyband on the invitation design, which had a die-cut circle show casing the logo.

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I had to have a green candy bar, no question!  It was just another great way to break up the heavy brown in the venue.  I knew the decision to have a candy bar meant extra work to create the labels, but in the end the candy bar created a great display of color.  It also gave me a great excuse to bring in the quote on the candy bags.

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We played to the argyle as much as possible.  The guestbook exterior used a more pronounced green and white pattern, where as the cake used a more subtle pattern bringing the argyle influence through texture.  For the rehearsal dinner, we used socks as place cards – which was a great way to give our family and everyone in the party just a little something extra to remember the day.

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We wanted to create a very modern feel with a lot of these elements—while still being elegant.  The table numbers, which are quilled, really gave a playful feel to each table.  In the end, I think all the little touches—like the drink stir sticks, chair sashes and labels really made for a unique experience.

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Melissa was responsible for the design for all of the details in her wedding, but she was kind enough to provide a list of the different production resources that she used for other couples looking for something similar for their own wedding.  Thanks Melissa!

Stir Sticks: Lemon and Lavender
Quilled Table Numbers: Paper Daisy Card Design
Candy Bags and Chair Sashes: Bella Bride Designs
Buttons: Not Made in China
Guestbook: To Have and To Hold
Ceremony Programs: UniqueActive
Letterpress Hang Tags: Sideshow Press

{image credits: Joe Elario Photography}

BBQ Engagement Party Invitations

A fun party invitation seems like the perfect way to help end the week, don’t you think?  Particularly when we get to combine the joyfulness of an engagement party with the yumminess of a backyard BBQ.  Bonnie from Tenn Hens Design created the fabulous invitations and labels, and the family provided jars of BBQ sauce (based on the family recipe, of course) as favors!

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I’m also totally loving the burlap table linens and succulent centerpieces in vintage tins – simple, yet really lovely all together.  Thanks so much Bonnie!

{image credits: tenn hens design}

Amy + Forrest’s Modern Illustrated Wedding Invitations

Today’s second set of real invitations comes from Amy Hardy, a freelance designer who was married in Nashville this past June!  Amy put together a fun, modern wedding invitation suite with hand lettering (and letters individually constructed from paper!) that also incorporates her husband’s background in landscape architecture.  So cool!

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From Amy: I am an art director and graphic designer, and my husband Forrest is studying Landscape Architecture.  We met through a mutual friend in 2007 and got to know each other as running partners.  Once we finally started dating, our friendship quickly became romantic and real.  Within the first year of dating, we knew this was it.  On June 26, 2010 we made the promise of marriage to one another.  Our wedding was in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Our wedding stationery represented our creative and detail-oriented personalities, as well as our wedding’s charming Southern summer theme.  This included save-the-dates, invitations with a belly band and RSVP card, programs, favors, signage, and thank you cards.

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I considered every detail in the stationery, from the stamps to the envelope liners. After constructing individual letters out of paper, I added vine details and Delicato as a secondary typeface.

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I love bright colored accents (note my husband’s bright red hair!) and hand-rendered typography, so we knew our stationery had to be typographic and colorful. Because of his blue eyes, red hair, and fun personality, Forrest wanted to wear a bright blue bow tie. That led to a bright, jewel blue as our founding color, with yellow as the accent.

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Because printing was digital, we used Mohawk Via Vellum to slightly raise the type.  The paper’s subtle and soft texture also complimented the cut paper typography.

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I was inspired by our unique obsessions and the details that define us as a couple.  For instance, Forrest has a plant background, so I detailed the typography with vines. For favors, we made packets of wildflower seeds.  Each packet read, “Wildflower Seeds: Please plant these to celebrate the beauty of this day.”

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We had a blast at our Save the Date photo shoot, as seen in the photo we chose.

Beautiful Amy, thank you so much for sharing your wedding invitations and stationery!  For more from Amy and Forrest’s gorgeous wedding just click right here, and you can check out more of Amy’s design work right here!

{image credits: invitation photos by Amy | reception photos by Kristyn Hogan}

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Tom Sawyer + Huckleberry Finn Birthday Party Invitations

A few weeks ago, event designer Brandi Brown wrote in seeking advice for the invitations for her twin sons’ first birthday party – Brandi’s theme revolved around the story of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and she wanted something that would mimic the boys’ straw hats.  I suggested that Brandi use burlap as the main element, and did a quick burlap round-up that she could use as inspiration.  Brandi sent over some photos of the invitation and party, and they’re absolutely fantastic!

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To create the invitations, Brandi glued a square of burlap to a thin piece of balsa wood.  The invitation details were printed by a local printer onto green card stock and layered on top of the burlap.  A silhouette image of two boys fishing represents both the birthday boys as well as Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.  So cute, right?!

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{a custom burlap banner from funkyshique}

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{LOVE the cute little menu cards!}

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{more burlap details – a burlap tablecloth above, and burlap sippy cups for littlest party-goers below}

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{the perfect favors, a personal hardback copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn!}

Brandi worked with fellow event planner Kate Landers, and you can check out additional details from the party on both Brandi’s blog and Kate’s blog.  Congratulations Brandi – I can’t wait to see what you do for the boys’ second birthday!

{image credits: inga finch photography}

Kids Party Invitations, Part 2

As I mentioned last week, I’ve been so impressed with all the kids party invitations that you’ve been sending my way!  For this week, I’ve selected three of my favorites so far – each with a different style, from vintage, to totally girly, to modern.   So first up, these fantastic letterpress dance picnic party invitations from Jen at Starshaped Press, incorporating Jen’s signature antique type:

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From Jen: We did a Chicago theme as the party was in Buffalo (where our extended family is located), and we wanted to share what we love about the city with all of the folks.  The invitation was actually a broadside that folded down and was mailed in a 7″ record sleeve, to go along with our ‘dance’ theme.  The ‘picnic’ part involved Vienna beef hot dogs and ethnic staples like sauerkraut pierogis and German potato salad, as enjoyable in January as June!

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{starshaped press}

Next up, Dora the Explorer themed invitations from Karly at SweetBeaker!  Although she decided to go with the full Dora theme, Karly created her own look using downloadable figures from the Dora website throughout the invitation and party accessories:

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From Karly:  Seeing that Dora is ‘all the rage’ and my daughter is ‘addicted’ – I just went with the theme.  Part one of the party can be seen here and part two can be seen here.

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We played ‘pin the tail on boots’ and served a menu of quesadillas, bananas (because that’s what Boots eats), salsa + chips.  Everyone had a blast!

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{sweetbeaker}

And finally, at least for today’s installment, a beautiful pink and brown letterpress invitation from Tova at Brighten My Day Studio for her daughter’s second birthday party:

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From Tova: The invitation was letterpress printed by Press Charming in soft pink and cocoa; paired with a labeled, latte envelope.  You’ll notice the silly, fun uses of “2” throughout the invite and label.  I then decided to build the party around pinks, greens, oranges and brown – sweet, and girly…and a nice complement to the park venue.

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I used a bunch of Amy Butler fabrics and created several bunting banners to hang around the picnic site.  For the favors, I screen printed “2” t-shirts in chocolate and pink – useable and keeping in the two-flavored theme.  Each was rolled and presented to each guest with favor tag a la the invitation.

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{brighten my day studio}

I’ve got more kids party invitations to share over the next few days, so stay tuned!  In addition to party invitations, I’m also looking for child adoption announcements to feature – if you have any that you’d like to share, please e-mail me!

{images from their respective sources}

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