DIY Tutorial: Rubber Stamp Wood Veneer Invitation Suite

Every once in a while, we’re fortunate enough to stumble upon a material that is just crying out for us to test our rubber stamps on it.  That’s exactly what happened on a recent trip to our local art supply store.  A lightbulb went off the second we spotted the wood veneer sheets – and this nature-inspired DIY was born! – Bailey and Emma of Antiquaria

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

The wood veneer material adds a natural warmth to the invitation suite.

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 1: Lay an A6 (4 1/2″ x 6 1/4″) piece of wood veneer on a hard, flat surface.  Ink your invitation stamp (we used our Art Nouveau Invitation Stamp) evenly, using a brown stamp pad and center over the wooden card.  Press down on stamp making certain to apply even pressure on the entire mount.  Lift stamp and let the print dry overnight.

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 2: Print your reply card.  We used our Art Nouveau Reply Card stamp printed on a 4bar (3 1/2″ x 4 7/8″) cream card in moss green ink to coordinate with the suite.

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 3: Stamp your return address and your reply envelope address.  For this, we used our Wildflowers Return Address stamp.  Printing on envelopes can be quite costly, so it’s a great budget saver to use the same return address stamp on both your outer envelope and your reply envelope, as we have above.

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 4: Using rustic twine, wrap the entire suite to tie it together and secure it with a basic knot.  Address, stamp, and send them on their way to all of your lovely guests.  We guarantee that they will be thrilled to find this unique and natural invitation suite in their mailbox!

DIY Wood Veneer Wedding Invitations by Antiquaria via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 5: One thing that you may not think about as you are planning for your wedding is just how many thank you notes will be in your very near future!  A great way to have everything ready to thank your guests after your nuptials is to make your thank you notes as you make your invitation or reception stationery.

On a 4bar (3 1/2″ x 4 7/8″) folded notecard, stamp your monogram (we used our Antique Monogram Stamp) in the center of the card in moss ink.  Use your return address stamp (we re-used our Wildflowers Return Address Stamp from the invitation suite) to stamp on the back of your 4bar envelope.  Now all you need is to sit down and write them!

Materials:

Acrylic Mounted Stamps

Art Nouveau Invitation Stamp

Art Nouveau Reply Card Stamp

Wildflowers Return Address Stamp

Antique Monogram Stamp

Additional Materials

Stamp Pad in Chestnut and Moss

Wood Veneer sheets, cut to A6 (4 1/2″ x 6 1/4″) cards (this material can be easily cut with scissors)

A6 Envelopes in Moss

4Bar Flat Card in Luxe Cream

4Bar Folded Cards in Luxe Cream

4Bar Envelopes in Leaf

Twine

Anti­quaria is a mem­ber of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of their beau­ti­ful work right here or visit the real wedding invitations gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Antiquaria

Calligraphy Inspiration: Laura Hooper Calligraphy

Sometimes you have to search for something.  Other times you just happen upon it.  I certainly didn’t have to go digging to find Laura Hooper Calligraphy.  I kept seeing her gorgeous work in real weddings, (including her own) and seeing her name in glowing recommendations.  Laura has 10 years of experience under her belt, as well as work featured in Martha Stewart Weddings and Town & Country Weddings.  (Ed Note: Laura also provided place card calligraphy for my wedding four years ago! –nole)  Laura has calligraphed everything from ginkgo leaves to sand dollars and offers some great products, including her wonderful maps, in her Etsy shop.  Take a look for yourself and I’m sure you’ll understand why she has such satisfied customers!  – Julie

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Wedding Menu via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Laura has a wide selection of invitation designs (like the one pictured above) available in her Etsy shop, as well as on her website.  She also offers a number of printing processes like letterpress to thermography.

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Wedding Calligraphy via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Map via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Whether you’re having a destination wedding or simply have a lot of out of town guests, Laura’s custom maps are a great addition to your invitation suite.

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Seating and Escort cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Wedding Calligraphy via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Laura Hooper Calligraphy Wedding Calligraphy via Oh So Beautiful Paper

I’m a huge fan of great wedding details.  With charming wooden signs, embroidered napkins and even totes, Laura’s got you covered!  Be sure to check out her blog, website and shop for more.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3 left, 6, 7 left Laura Hooper; 3 right Kate Headley; 5 left Agnes Lopez; 4, 5 right, 7 right Steve Steinhardt

Pretty + Paper

I’ve officially started daydreaming about fall: cooler temperatures, the changing of the leaves, and of course fall weddings!  I’m always a fan of incorporating wood veneer for fall wedding invitations, and I love the idea of using non-paper materials, like the leaves below, as escort or place cards – particularly when paired with beautiful calligraphy in white ink.  –nole

Pretty + Paper - Rustic Inspiration via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Calligraphy by Meagan Tidwell and styling by Joy Thigpen via Once Wed (left); Mary and Ben’s rustic invitations by Atheneum Creative (right)

Photo Credits: Ali Harper and Chelsea Davis Photography

Leah + Tyler’s Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations

Who says that invitations for vineyard weddings have to follow a literal wine theme?  Anastasia from Anastasia Marie created these modern wedding invitations for a recent vineyard wedding, incorporating lots of type and minimal illustrations.  The result is a clean yet natural design that perfectly suited the couple’s wedding vision.

Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations by Anastasia Marie Cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6)

From Anastasia: Leah and Tyler wanted a wedding invitation suite printed on smooth creamy paper with black, gray, and tan inks.  We played around with type with minimal illustration, and also created an overlapping translucent background for the backs.  The wedding took place at a vineyard in California, so a wine bottle graced the back flap of their envelopes.

Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations by Anastasia Marie Cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper (5)

Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations by Anastasia Marie Cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper (4)

Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations by Anastasia Marie Cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper (1)

Modern Vineyard Wedding Invitations by Anastasia Marie Cards via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3)

Thanks Anastasia!

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

Photo Credits: Anastasia Marie

Elspet + Thomas’s Whimsical Hand Lettered Wedding Invitations

These whimsical hand lettered wedding invitations come to us from the London-based design studio BerinMade.  Erin from BerinMade was inspired by the bride’s vision of a wedding filled with confetti.  Erin created an invitation suite with a kraft paper and pink color palette with Erin’s beautiful hand lettering in white ink – and of course, lots of confetti hidden in the envelopes!

BerinMade Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper (7)

From Erin: When Elspet and I met up for a chat, we came up with a vision of a fun and confetti-filled wedding celebration.  This is exactly what we did for her three-piece wedding invitation suite.

BerinMade Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper (6)

We wanted to focus in on just a few elements: the quality of the card stock, which is a heavenly brown stock from the GFSmith range; my hand-lettering which was printed with white ink and run several times through the printer to get that lovely solid white; and a scatter of confetti across the invitation suite, on the back and also on the liners.

BerinMade Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper (3)

Then we matched the suite with candy pink and kraft envelopes.  The idea was for loose confetti would also fall out of the envelope as guests opened their invitations, giving a real sense of excitement and festivities.

BerinMade Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper (2)

BerinMade Wedding Invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper (4)

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: BerinMade