Last year, I featured the stunningly gorgeous hand-painted letterpress Save the Dates for the 10-year vow renewal of Kristy Rice from Momental Designs.  Today, I’m thrilled that Kristy is back with her equally beautiful watercolor wedding invitations — with a design inspired by the majesty of Zion National Park, where Kristy’s vow renewal will take place:
![Momental-zion-invitation-suite](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a22883301310fcd936f970c-500wi.jpg)
From Kristy: The save the date design was meant to introduce our guests to the beauty of Zion National Park in Utah but the invitations were meant to immerse them!
![Momental-zion-watercolor-invitations](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a22883301310fcd99bd970c-500wi.jpg)
![Momental-watercolor-invitation-text](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a2288330120a966a4b1970b-500wi.jpg)
![Momental-zion-invitation-rsvp](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a2288330120a966a5ff970b-500wi.jpg)
After many, many trips to Zion I have developed a serious collection of watercolor sketches and paintings. Â A full color watercolor painting worked into the actual invitation layout seemed the perfect option.
![Momental-zion-invitations-process1](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a22883301310fcd911f970c-500wi.jpg)
The particular painting chosen for the invitation was created on one very sunny October day at a quiet spot near the crystal waters of the Virgin River.
![Zion-national-park](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a2288330120a9669c41970b-500wi.jpg)
I sat on the cool rocks near the water and proceeded to paint for nearly 3 hours, leaving with a detailed and expressive painting and also a bit of a sunburn!
![Momental-zion-watercolor-detail2](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a22883301310fcd9464970c-500wi.jpg)
After each invitation was reproduced, shimmering copper and cobalt blue hand painted strokes of color were added to each individual card. I wanted to give our guests a sense of how the water reflects light on the towering rocks and dances shadows in every direction.
![Momental-zion-envelopes-calligraphy](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a2288330120a966a11c970b-500wi.jpg)
![Momental-zion-invitations-calligraphy](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a2288330120a966a183970b-500wi.jpg)
The calligraphy for the names and addresses on the outer envelopes, as well as our names on the main invitation, was done by the talented Betsy Dunlap. I used the print ready image that Betsy created for our save the dates everywhere I could, from the invitation to the rsvp response and outer envelope backflap.
![Momental-zion-watercolor-invitation-detail](https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/typepad/beautifulpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e554ee8a22883301310fcd98ea970c-500wi.jpg)
Size and scale were important in this design since the redrock landscape of Zion is so towering and massive. The finished invite measured nearly 6.5 x 9.5 inches!
You can check out Kristy’s letterpress save the dates right here, and you can see lots more of her beautiful work over on Momental Designs. Â Thank you so much Kristy!
{image credits: kristy rice}