Megan + Mike’s Modern Organic Chicago Wedding Invitations

Happy New Year everyone!  We’re getting back to business and starting the new year off with a gorgeous wedding invitation suite from Megan of Ruby the Fox.  You may remember Megan’s awesome stitched save the dates from last April, and I’m just as much in love with her wedding invitations.  Megan wanted to keep the design simple and understated, with modern details in the blind impression letterpress elements, gorgeous calligraphy from Angelique Ink, and a custom garland illustration by the talented Shanna Murray.  So beautiful!

From Megan: Being a stationery designer, I knew our invitations had to be special, represent us as a couple, and reflect our vision for our wedding.  We chose to go very understated, organic, and simple with a clean color palette.

We utilized some amazingly talented vendors to make our vision come together.  We commissioned Shanna Murray to create the beautiful one-of-a-kind garland we used throughout the wedding suite.  Angi Phillips of Angelique Ink graced us with her gorgeous calligraphy and we found vintage stamps through The Paper Nickel Stamp Company.  We lined the envelopes in a white tissue paper which was possibly the only traditional part of the entire suite!

Thanks Megan!

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

Photo Credits: Ruby the Fox

Friday Happy Hour: The French 75

For those of you planning to ring in 2012 at home, we thought we’d fill you in on a fun and sparkly cocktail to add to your drink menu.  This bubbly cocktail is both delicious and really easy.  So here’s a joyful way to toast the New Year with champagne, just a little gussied up: the French 75.

Read below for the full recipe!

The French 75

1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz St. Germain
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
Champagne or Sparkling Wine

Combine the Gin, St. Germain, lemon juice and syrup, shake with ice, and pour into a chilled cocktail glass or champagne coupe.  Top with the champagne – pour it slowly over the back of a spoon to get a great layered effect.

 

The French 75 has a really interesting history: it was invented in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris, apparently at the behest of soldiers on leave from the Western Front who wanted to add some kick to their traditional champagne toasts.  It takes its name from the Canon de 75 modèle 1897, or the French 75, a 75 mm field gun the French used to great effect during the First World War.  (U.S. forces used them too, and then-Captain Harry S. Truman commanded a battery of them during the war.)  Someone likened the kick of drinking one of these to being on the receiving end of the French 75, which I can believe after trying one of them.

The French 75 is a lot of things: fresh and bright, crisp and citrusy, sweet and sour with layers of flavor that get more complex as the drink sits (if you let it).  The botanicals of the gin and floweriness of the St. Germain complement rather than mask the champagne.  Just be careful: it really does pack a punch, which you probably won’t feel until after you’ve finished one.

 

The first French 75 did not include the St. Germain, but I find that the elderflower liqueur really pairs well with the gin in this and many other drinks.  The oldest recipes called for gin, but after Prohibition someone got the idea to replace the gin with Cognac to make it even more French.  I suppose that could work too, but I haven’t tried it (yet).  Enjoy!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

{happy new year!}

I’m always excited to start a new year – something about turning over a new leaf and embarking on new projects and adventures, all with a sense of purpose and optimism.  I’m still looking forward to 2012, but this year it’s more about putting 2011 behind me than anything else.  While 2011 had some great and exciting moments, it was a really hard year for me; being separated from my husband for six months while he was deployed in Iraq, struggling with some difficult family issues, and generally just trying to keep my head above water.  I’m not complaining, because things really could have been a lot harder, but I’ll just be very happy to toast to 2012 and leave 2011 behind.  In the meantime, I’m reflecting on all of the people and things for which I’m incredibly grateful this year, including my amazing husband (I’m so happy he’s back home) and our three adorable cats, my loving family, some truly wonderful and supportive friends (without whom I really don’t think I could have made it through the first six months of the year), and of course the amazing stationery and blog community that inspires me each and every day.  I wake up each morning excited to get to work and see what the day brings, and that makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  Thank you all so very much for reading, and I’ll see you all in 2012!

Photo Credit: Katie Stoops Photography

p.s. We have a fun New Year’s Eve cocktail coming up for you in just a bit, so check back soon!

Best of 2011: Illustrated Wedding Invitations

Before we head off for the weekend and to count down the final hours of the year, I have one final collection of favorite posts from 2011 to share – illustrated wedding invitations!   I absolutely love it when designers incorporate line drawings and illustrations into custom wedding invitations.  Each invitation suite is like a little work of art!  Here are a few of my favorite illustrated wedding invitations from the past year:

 

Charles + Jazmin’s illustrated wedding invitations by Belle & Union feature illustrated versions of their silhouettes along with details representing their respective passions – all in a beautiful yellow and gray color palette.

Julianne + Philip’s illustrated letterpress invitations from Mama’s Sauce featured joyful illustrations of the couple’s dancing shoes along with wax seals and beautiful edge painting

 

Elizabeth + David’s farmhouse wedding invitations from Gus & Ruby Letterpress feature hand lettering paired with beautiful illustrations from Nate Duval.  Gorgeous!

Gus & Ruby Letterpress is a member of the Designer Rolodex – check out more of their beautiful work right here!

Photo Credits: Elk Photo for Low Country Press; Mama’s Sauce; Brea McDonald for Gus & Ruby Letterpress

Best of 2011: Watercolor

Like neon, 2011 was a big year for watercolor – from calendars to greeting cards to baby shower invitations.  I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more watercolor in 2012, but in the meantime here are a few of my favorite posts incorporating watercolor from 2011!

Caitlin + Sean’s watercolor wedding invitations by Constellation & Co.

Nancy + Elias’s watercolor letterpress wedding invitations by Oh Happy Day

Watercolor collection from The Aerialist Press

p.s. See how to make your own watercolor invitations and stationery right here!

The Aerialist Press and Constellation & Co. are mem­bers of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of their beau­ti­ful work here and here – or visit the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Constellation & Co., Alexis Birkmeyer for Oh Happy Day, The Aerialist Press