Kristina + Jon’s Sydney Harbor Fabric Wedding Invitations

I am completely smitten with these wedding invitations from Australian designer and photographer Kerrie-Anne Bennett.   Kerrie-Anne created these invitations for a wedding taking place on an antique ship in the Sydney Harbor.  I love the way Kerrie-Anne incorporated canvas as a subtle nod to the nautical wedding venue while also maintaining an organic and modern texture for the invitation suite.

From Kerrie-Anne: I custom designed this wedding invitation suite for a couple who were getting married on Sydney Harbour.  Their ceremony and reception would take place on an old ship called the James Craig, which is over 100 years old.  Using canvas as the main invitation, which is similar to the ship’s sails, I created a stamp and stamped the information and a poem the groom wrote, which I thought was such a nice touch.  I sewed the tops and bottom of these to add a little texture.  For the RSVP card I found an old image of an almost replica of the James Craig.

I continued using the same poem from the invite on the ceremony programs, which tied everything together nicely.

Thanks Kerrie-Anne!

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

Photo Credits: Kerrie-Anne Photography + Design

Calligraphy Inspiration: Paperfinger

Each month, we’ve been showcasing a calligrapher here on Oh So Beautiful Paper.  This month, I’m delighted to share the work of none other than the creator of OSBP’s logo!  Computer scientist turned calligrapher Bryn Chernoff started Paperfinger in 2008 and offers full service invitation design and production.  (She even supports green and eco-friendly projects)  Bryn’s calligraphy style and hand drawn text are some of the most beautiful and charming I’ve seen.  You may have seen it too, at Anthropologie, on TV, or even tattooed on a passerby.  – Julie

paperfinger invitation & rsvp

Even Bryn’s illustrations are lovely; simple yet striking.  I love this invitation suite and its mix of hand lettering and calligraphy with illustration.

paperfinger letterpress invitations

paperfinger addressed envelope

paperfinger signs & props

Thinking of having your own photo/smilebooth for an event?  Paperfinger can supply you with custom props to make those photos even more memorable!

paperfinger transcribed love letter

Written on Italian stationery and with an option to be wax sealed, Paperfinger offers a love letter transcribing service, bringing a bit of the old world to this technological age.  Currently available in her shop along with stamps and customizable ribbons.

paperfinger navy escort cards

In addition to custom calligraphy services, the brand new Paperfinger invitation collection will be launching in May!  Bryn will also be starting a workshop series in New York and Portland, Oregon.  To stay up to date on these and other visual goodies from paper to food, head over to her daily blog Papertastebuds.

Photo Credits: Red invitations and illustrated invitations, photobooth prop (left), addressed envelope: Jen Huang Photography; Photobooth prop (right): Les Loups; Love letter: StudioAlex; Escort cards: Emilie, Inc

Carrie + Tim’s BBQ Squaredance Wedding Invitation

Now these look like invitations for a fun wedding!  Designed and printed by Noteworthy Paper & Press in Missoula, Montana, these invitations were inspired by the bride and groom’s passion for folk music and the Montana dairy farm wedding location – all with a wonderful old-timey and lighthearted vibe.

From Taylor of Noteworthy Paper & Press: The inspiration for these invitations came from the bride, Carrie, who is a nurse by day and a talented old timey folk fiddle player by night.  Since they were planning a down home square dance and BBQ complete with personalized handkerchiefs, I thought it would be fun to emulate a ’50s show poster à la Hatch Show Print.

Both native Montanans, the wedding celebration will be held in a barn on a dairy farm in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley.  The design reflects their love of good music and good country.  These invitations were letterpress printed on 300 gsm Somerset White 100% cotton paper with Waste Not Paper envelopes using our Vandercook #4 Proof Press.

Thanks Taylor!

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

Photo Credits: Noteworthy Paper & Press

Madeline + Josh’s Rustic Kraft Paper Tennessee Wedding Invitations

Happy Tuesday everyone!  After a much-needed long weekend, we’re jumping right back into the week with a gorgeous set of wedding invitations from Erin at Arboreal.  Erin created these beautiful and rustic invitations for a farm wedding in Tennessee.  The invitations feature one of my favorite combinations – kraft paper and white text – and Erin also worked with the couple to create corresponding menus, thank you cards, and favor tags!

 

From Erin of Arboreal:  I met Madeline and Josh last year and worked with them on all of their paper goods, from the save the date down to the programs and favor tags.  Working with two creatives (an interior designer and an architect) was refreshing – I love the fact that these two cared about every detail just as much as I did!

 

The main invitation and tag were both letterpress printed.  The celebration dinner, reply card, map card, and program are foil stamped in white along with chocolate flat ink on kraft paper.  Finishing details include vintage stamps and white calligraphy on kraft paper envelopes plus favor tags and thank you notes.

  

Such a beautiful invitation suite – thanks Erin!

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

Photo Credits: 1-6 by Kate Murphy Photography; 7-9 by Arboreal

Friday Happy Hour: Hot Buttered Rum

You wouldn’t know it by looking out the window in most of this country, but it’s winter out there.  Here’s a drink that will warm you right up on a cold winter’s night, but is still pretty delicious even if your winter has been as mild as ours: hot buttered rum.

Read below for the full recipe!

Hot Buttered Rum

2 oz Dark Rum
4-6 oz Hot Water or Hot Apple Cider
1/4 – 1/2 oz Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Unsalted Butter*
Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Etc, to Taste

In a small sauce pan, combine the butter, honey, and water or cider.  Toss in some spices: a few whole cloves, some ground cinnamon, whatever tickles your fancy (it’s hard to praise enough the impact of freshly grated nutmeg on a drink like this).  Heat slowly until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot.  Pour the pan’s contents and the rum in a mug, garnish with a cinnamon stick, and enjoy.

 

Here’s what you’ll get: a drink that’s sweet and spicy (in a fantastic way that brings to mind the ghost of Christmas past), complex and rich, rich, rich.  The use of butter in drinks goes back centuries and it’s easy to see why when you sip one of these: a hot buttered rum is smooth, rich, and will warm you up like few other things can.  Just be warned: this drink is not for anyone on a low-fat or low-calorie diet.

Water works fine in this drink, but in The Joy of Mixology, Gary Regan advises hot apple cider instead and I strongly suggest you follow his advice.  I’ve also seen suggestions that you first clarify the butter by heating it and separating out the milk solids, which should give you a smoother and better blended drink, but I’ve so far been too impatient to wait for clarified butter.

 

* According to Jerry Thomas’ 1862 recipe, you should use “1 piece of butter as large as half a chestnut.”  In other words, add butter, as with all these ingredients, to taste.

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper