07/23/2013

MacKenzie + John’s Hand Lettered Cape Cod Wedding Invitations

So many beautiful New England wedding invitations this week! This gorgeous suite comes to us from Allie Ruth DesignÂ for a wedding on Cape Cod â€“ but with post-wedding parties taking place in THREE different cities! Allie worked with the couple to create several sets of save the dates and invitations, all with a vintage-inspired style and lots of hand lettering. So pretty!

From Allie:Â MacKenzie and John’s situation was a little unique, in that they were having a very small wedding on Cape Cod, with parties in three different cities to celebrate with friends afterward. So there was a lot of room in this suite for a fun mix of patterns, papers, and colors.

MacKenzie needed a save the date for the wedding itself, as well as one to go out to a larger group for the after parties. Together, we found a wonderful vintage postcard of a windmill on Cape Cod, and dressed it up with hand-lettered text and a custom postcard-inspired back. For the after party save the date, I digitally printed a simple save the date on kraft and paired it with a coral envelope.

The Cape Cod wedding invitation was hand-printed onto vintage floral handkerchiefs that MacKenzie collected. For the RSVP, we chose another vintage Cape Cod postcard.

When it came time to design the party invitations, we knew we wanted to go with a clean and simple typographic suite, bringing in a subtle pattern on the back of the cards. I chose art deco-inspired fonts and flourishes, pairing them with hand lettering and a vintage wallpaper floral that I customized to match MacKenzie’s wedding color palette.

ThanksÂ Allie!

Allie Ruth Design is a member of theÂ Designer RolodexÂ â€“ you can see more of Allieâ€™s beautiful workÂ right hereÂ or visitÂ theÂ real save the dates galleryÂ for more beauÂtiÂful cusÂtom save the dates!

Photo Credits:Â Allie Ruth Design

07/22/2013

Katy + Dan’s Lakeside Wisconsin Wedding Invitations

Erin from Lucky Luxe Couture CorrespondenceÂ sent over these lovely invitations for a late summer lakeside wedding in Wisconsin â€“ I love that the couple chose to go with a lighter nautical design rather than something more rustic! The invitation features a gray and light blue color palette with anchor details, compass rose, and patterned border. Classic, simple, and absolutely beautiful.

FromÂ Erin:Â Katy and Dan contacted us a couple months ago with a request for a whimsical invitation for their lakeside Wisconsin wedding. I went crazy with faux bois and pine tree icons, then she decided to go a lighter, sparkling, summery nautical direction and my entire thought process shifted. I envisioned their huge white tent against the blue sky, the lake shimmering in the sun, glass bottle seltzers with colorful striped straws, bridesmaids in smart yellow dresses, and invitations with vintage sea captain whimsy.

ThanksÂ Erin!

Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence is a member of theÂ Designer RolodexÂ â€“ you can see more of their beautiful workÂ right hereÂ or visitÂ theÂ real inviÂtaÂtions galleryÂ for moreÂ wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits:Â Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence

07/22/2013

Jessica + George’s Travel-Inspired Maine Wedding Invitations

Ummm… how did an entire year go by without featuring one of the gorgeous wedding invitations from Sarah of Parrott Design Studio?!?! Luckily, we’re remedying this situation today, with a travel-inspired invitation suite for a couple with a fondness for Maine. The invitation suite features cute lobster details (naturally), white engraved text on navy envelopes, and fun airmail details on the rsvp postcard. So pretty!

From Sarah: This custom designed invitation suite was created for a fun couple getting married at Bowdoin College with a passion for travel and love of Maine. They wanted a design that reflected who they are and what they love, and that all started with Maine. Jessy and George met at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.Â In 2012, George proposed on Bailey Island, Maine, one of their favorite spots. Over the past eight years they have traveled to 21 different countries together. And they visited another 12 on their honeymoon!

I used a mix of typography throughout the suite to play up the fun, laid-back vibe Jessy and George wanted to create for the guests, most of which were traveling from all over the world to be in Maine to celebrate with them.

We had fun with the map and included both their ceremony and reception sites, along with the spot where George proposed. Helpful bits of information like transportation and their wedding website were included as well.

The invitation and map were letterpress printed by hand on our antique press (1898) in navy blue and red inks on thick 134# cotton paper in light pink.Â The RSVP postcard and mini cocktail invite were digitally printed.

The first thing Jessy knew she wanted was a vintage-style postcard for the RSVP.Â She chose a lobster one from my collection and we began to design the suite around it.Â We used two small lobsters and heart throughout the suite printed in a bright pop of red.

The outer envelope and belly band were engraved with white ink on navy blue. To finish the suite we had custom stamps made by Zazzle featuring the lobster image and another vintage image of Portland Head Light.

Thanks Sarah!

Parrott Design Studio is a member of theÂ Designer RolodexÂ â€“ you can see more of Sarahâ€™s beautiful workÂ right hereÂ or visitÂ theÂ real inviÂtaÂtions galleryÂ for moreÂ wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits:Â Parrott Design Studio

*Parrott Design Studio is one of my fabÂuÂlous sponÂsors; for more on my ediÂtoÂrÂial poliÂcies pleaseÂ click here.

07/22/2013

California!

Hello again! We’re happily home again after a refreshing week out in California â€“ big hugs to Ladyfingers Letterpress and 9th Letter Press for filling in while I was away! Such talented ladies, don’t you think? Before I jump back into our regular content, I thought I’d share some photos of our trip! We started the week off with a family vacation in Big Bear, then spent a few days in LA visiting friends before heading back home. It was a wonderful week!

We landed in LA and drove straight up to Big Bear to join the rest of my family. Mountains! We don’t get to see those very often.

First boat ride! Sophie wasn’t crazy about the life jacket, which in all fairness was way too big for her. But she loved being out on the water!

She even managed to take a half hour nap â€“ that kid can sleep just about anywhere.

My dad, happily driving his family around Big Bear Lake.

Big Bear has the saddest (but sweetest) little zoo where they rehabilitate animals from the area. I hope they can begin construction on their new â€“ and much bigger â€“ site soon. You can help by donating here.

Spending time with her aunt Alicia (my sister).

Pretty spectacular, Big Bear.

On to LA! We rented an apartment with an organic garden â€“ and a tortoise named George! Sophie was in heaven.

Dear Lemonade, will you please open up in DC?? The watermelon rosemary lemonade was beyond delicious… I’ve been craving it ever since we got home!

It was great to catch up with some of our LA friends â€“ Kelly, Audrey, and Joy. Sophie was in awe of Ruby, and in particular her ability to run all over the place. It was so cute to watch Sophie want to do everything that Ruby was doing! And that Radio Flyer car is totally going on Sophie’s birthday list.

First time at the beach! She liked the seagulls, but the ocean… not so much. It was a short trip.

Oh, California, I wish I could have brought your beautiful weather (and zero humidity) home with me…

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

07/19/2013

Friday Happy Hour: Peach & Berry Summer Shrub

You didn’t think we’d leave you without a Friday cocktail recipe, did you? Not that long ago, Nole and I introduced our first shrub and promised more to come. So, without too much ado, here it is: our Peach & Berry Summer Shrub, a light and refreshing drink redolent of fresh fruit.Â â€“ Andrew

Peach & Berry Summer Shrub Signature Cocktail Recipe by Oh So Beautiful Paper (9)

Signature Cocktail Recipe Card: Peach & Berry Summer Shrub, Illustration by Tuesday Bassen for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Illustration by Tuesday Bassen for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Summer Shrub

2 oz Rum
3/4 oz Summer Shrub Syrup
1/4 oz Rich Simple Syrup
Ginger Beer

To make the Summer Shrub Syrup: Combine 1 cup muddled blueberries, strawberries, and peaches with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup vinegar. (We used equal parts white balsamic and champagne vinegar). Let everything sit for a few days, giving it a stir every now and then. Strain the mix through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and store in the fridge.

Peach & Berry Summer Shrub Signature Cocktail Recipe by Oh So Beautiful Paper (2)

To make the Summer Shrub: combine the rum, shrub syrup, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain over fresh ice. Top with a splash of ginger beer and enjoy!

Peach & Berry Summer Shrub Signature Cocktail Recipe by Oh So Beautiful Paper (27)

Our Summer Shrub is sweet and tart, with crisp and beautifully clear fruit flavors, with a touch of spiciness from the ginger beer and oakiness from the vinegar. Steeping the fruit in the vinegar for a few days really does let the fruit flavors shine through beautifully. It’s like summer in a glass.Â This one takes a little bit of planning ahead, since the shrub syrup takes a few days to make properly. So get started today!

Peach & Berry Summer Shrub Signature Cocktail Recipe by Oh So Beautiful Paper (49)

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper