Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Menu Signs

We’ve talked before about personal wedding menus, placed at each seat or table, but today we’re talking menus on a larger scale! Menu signs can often be a cost effective option for large weddings, as you can have just one or two over-sized pieces displaying your dinner or cocktail menu, rather than creating individual versions for each guest. They also happen to make quite the statement at your big day! Recruit your calligrapher to work their magic on a chalkboard or wood slab, or work with your stationery designer to design a stunning menu banner that captures the same feel as your smaller paper goods. Then prop it up or hang it from above for all wedding attendees to see! — Kelly

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Photo by Ozzy Garcia Photography, Menu by Brown Linen Design via Style Me Pretty

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (4) Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (7)

 Photo by onelove photography, Menu by Rifle Paper Co. via Style Me Pretty (left), Photo by Justin Marantz, Menu by Julie Song Ink via Style Me Pretty (right)

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (8) Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Photo by Nancy Ray, Menu by Chocolate Butterbean via Brides (left), Photo by Cassandra Castaneda Photography, Design by rak’designs via Ruffled (right)

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (9) Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (1)

Photo by JL Photografia via Brides (left), Photo by Brady Puryear, Menu by Pitbulls and Posies via Wedding Chicks (right)

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (2) Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3)

Photo by Abby Jiu Photography, Menu Calligraphy by Meant To Be Calligraphy via Elizabeth Anne Designs (left), Photography by Jose Villa, Cocktail Menu by Julie Song Ink via Elizabeth Anne Designs (right)

Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (10) Day-Of Wedding Stationery Inspiration and Ideas: Menu Signs via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6)

Photo by Max Wanger Photography via Brides (left), Photo by Lauren Michelle, Menu by Supply Paper Co. via Once Wed (right)

{images via their respective sources}

Catherine + Nick’s Rustic Burlap and Wood Wedding Invitations

Happy Monday everyone! I love starting the week with a gorgeous invitation suite, and this week we have a beautiful and rustic wedding invitation (and save the date!) from the ladies of Atheneum Creative! Melissa and Amy of Atheneum Creative based the design around a custom wreath monogram, incorporating materials like burlap and wood veneer along with a natural color palette to tie everything together.

Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (4)

From Melissa + Amy: We worked with Catherine and Nick on their rustic weekend wedding. We used materials such as wood and burlap and a deep natural color palette to to pull the look together.

Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (1) Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3)

We created a monogram that incorporated a wreath of leaves to introduce the rustic feel and carried it through the day of materials. The invitation is backed with wood and packaged with a printed burlap pocket.

Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (2)

In keeping with the look of the wedding we bought in chalkboards for the buffet signage and designed custom water bottle labels.

Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Given the amount of out of town guests we created a reply card to work with the save the date for an early indication of attendance. We also worked on a welcome package letter that included layered cards hand stitched together.

Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6) Rustic Burlap Wedding Invitations by Atheneum Creative via Oh So Beautiful Paper (7)

So pretty!  Thanks Melissa + Amy!

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

Photo Credits: Chelsea Davis Photography

Friday Happy Hour: The Maximilian Restoration

Tequila is an underrated foundation for a cocktail, and its rich botanicals pair well with St-Germain‘s sweet floral flavors. So here’s a cocktail we whipped up that combines the two into a drink that’s crisp, a little bitter, delicately floral, and perfect for this very brief (but glorious) spring we’re having in DC. – Andrew

Signature Cocktail Recipe: The Maximilian Restoration via Oh So Beautiful Paper (17)

Signature Cocktail Recipe Card: The Maximilian Restoration by Caitlin Keegan for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Illustration by Caitlin Keegan for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The Maximilian Restoration

1 1/2 oz Tequila
1 oz St-Germain
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1 Dash Chocolate Mole Bitters

Combine the tequila, St-Germain, vermouth, juice, and bitters and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy!

Signature Cocktail Recipe: The Maximilian Restoration via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Make sure the tequila is either an añejo or a really smooth reposado. A younger blanco tequila risks overwhelming the more subtle flavors of the drink with a major punch of vegetal agave. Don’t overdo the bitters or the grapefruit juice, or the drink will end up a little too bitter.

Signature Cocktail Recipe: The Maximilian Restoration via Oh So Beautiful Paper (8) Signature Cocktail Recipe: The Maximilian Restoration via Oh So Beautiful Paper (2)

We named this cocktail in tribute to another great cocktail, the Maximilian Affair, which combines tequila’s smokey cousin mezcal with St-Germain, bitter-sweet vermouth, and lemon juice. (Sounds like something we should feature on here too…) Our version is a little lighter and more delicate on the botanicals, but I think both are pretty great.

Signature Cocktail Recipe: The Maximilian Restoration via Oh So Beautiful Paper (16)

The name? Well, the Maximilian Affair is named for the French attempt to install Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian von Habsburg as emperor of Mexico in the 1860s (the same conflict that we mark on Cinco de Mayo). Mexico and France, tequila or mezcal and St-Germain, you get the idea. It wasn’t a very good time for Mexico, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Habsburg dynasty, so enjoy a Maximilian Restoration on one of these gorgeous spring days, while they last!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

This post is brought to you in collaboration with St-Germain. All content, photos, recipes, and words are our own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

{happy weekend!}

Happy Friday everyone! I know it’s still snowing in some parts of the country (sorry folks), but here in DC spring is in full effect – the cherry blossoms are finally blooming and the sun is shining! We still have so much work to do to get the inside of our house in order, but the gorgeous weather makes me want to get outside and start working on our small garden. I hope you all have fun plans and wish you gorgeous weather this weekend! But in the meantime…

Alexandra Nelson Lettering

Lettering by Alexandra Nelson

…a few links for your weekend:

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Check back soon for this week’s cocktail!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo