Custom Holiday Cards and Party Invites are the HOT thing!!

I know, some of you will read this and say.. WHATTTTTTT... This year is flying, it is not time for the Holiday's. Well, I couldn't agree with you more, however my clients are speaking with me now about creating custom holiday cards and party invites for them. So after freaking out and consulting the calendar, I realized... it's that time like it or not. The way this year has flown by, This Holiday season will be here before you know it.  And if you want something unique and different for your holiday cards- that means CUSTOM- and Custom means time. You can visit our Custom Stationery Division to see more of our custom work.


I wanted to share some fun holiday things we've done in the past with you, to get your holiday juices flowing. Because if you are thinking about Custom for this holiday season it's time to start,  Design, Printing and Production take time, and to get your card delivered by Late November it's best to start the CUSTOM process before October 15th.

If you don't have the budget for CUSTOM, check out our sister Stationery Line, Paper Couture.  There are some great ready-made options and there will be ALL NEW HOLIDAY CARD Designs uploaded Mid October!  Below are some of the great Holiday Cards currently on the site available for purchase and be sure to check back as the holiday's approach, as we will have all kinds of new designs uploaded!

Our ready made line, Paper Couture has these great Santa Tags. 


Need a little help tagging gifts from the North Pole?

These 50 gift tags From Santa’s Workshop will help keep the tradition of Santa alive. 25 original tags that were created and signed by elves, reindeer and Santa and Mrs. Claus themselves!  Your children will never question Santa’s “handwriting” again! (21.95 per set of 50 tags & ribbon)

(Buy Now)

Repost by popular demand! Stationery Etiquette!

Over the years I have had many brides ask me specific questions about Wedding Stationary Etiquette. So today is all about etiquette, keep in mind some of the information below, is how I do things here at The 2u Collection and Paper Couture Stationery, some of these "rules" have been modified to what I've found works best over the years, so in researching etiquette rules you may find different rules. What I've found over the years, is it is mostly personal preference how you handle some of these things. And I could write on etiquette for pages and pages, so with that in mind I just tried to create a brief overview of the main items and the questions I get asked the most.

With the current days of online invitations, eblasts, wedding websites, etc. it is easy to understand why there would be so many questions. Well instead of having to thumb through Emily Post’s Etiquette, I would like to help clear up some of the do’s and don’t’s of the world of wedding invitations.

WEDDING INVITATIONS

The main goal of the wedding invitation is to let your guests know the who, what, when, and where of the event. It will also serve to express the formality and tone of the event through the complexity, color, fonts, and design of the invitation. Once the invitation has successfully accomplished the 4 W’s the last step is to ensure that they are addressed and delivered with the proper courtesy! Keep in mind the Save the Date or Invitation is the first introduction your guests have to your spectacular event. It's a window into the Tone and Design of the event, and a great opportunity to start a BUZZ about your wedding. So, it's always best to WOW them, so they are excited and looking forward to the unveiling to come.

When to send the invitation:

Typically 2 months before your wedding date. The standard is 6 weeks before, but depending on travel, location of wedding and whether or not Save the Dates were sent is what will determine just how many weeks before your event you send your invitations.

What are the proper Formal Social Titles?

Mr. - Formal Male Title

Ms. - Formal Female Title, for divorcée or over 40 single woman

Mrs. - Formal Title for Married Females

Miss - Formal Title for Unmarried Females under 40 years old

How to address your invitations:

Couples-

Standard - Mr. And Mrs. John Smith

One has a Professional Title - Doctor Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith

Both have a Professional Title - Doctor Jane Smith and Doctor John Smith or The Drs. John and Jane Smith

Unmarried Couples - Miss Jane Smith

                             Mr. John Adams

Single Guests- 

Unmarried Female - Miss Jane Smith or Ms. Jane Smith

Divorced Female - Ms. Jane Jones

Widowed Female - Mrs. Jane Smith or Mrs. John Smith

Children - 

Under 16 - Only list parents name on the outer envelope and list the children's name on the inner envelope. For example: Jason and Brittany.

Over 16 - Get their own invitation! Addressed: Miss Brittany Smith or Mr. Jason Smith

When to use an Inner and Outer Envelope?:

Typically, we usually only use an outer mailing envelope, but if you are having a very formal or traditional event, then you will want to have both an inner and outer envelope, it gives an heir of sophistication and implies formality.

How to word the invitation depending on who is paying for the wedding:

Example when Brides Parents are paying:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the honor of your presence at the marriage of 

their daughter Jennifer Michelle to Mr. James Joseph Clark on Saturday, the sixth of 

November Two Thousand Eleven at two o’clock in the afternoon at Little Chapel 

Winter Park, Florida.

Example when Groom’s Parents are paying:

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clark request the honor of your presence at the  marriage of Miss Jennifer Michelle Smith to their son Mr. James Joseph Smith

When both are paying:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the honor of your presence at the marriage of 

their daughter Jennifer Michelle to Mr. James Clark son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clark

When the Bride and Groom are paying:

The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of Miss Jennifer Michelle Smith and Mr. James Joseph Clark

OR

Miss Jennifer Michelle and Mr. James Joseph Clark together with their parents request the honor of your presence

Do you need a wedding website?

 It isn't' 100% necessary, However the majority of brides choose to have one these days. It is beneficial for several reasons, and you can get them free at most wedding websites these days (weddingwire.com, theknot.com, marthastewartweddings.com, etc) And if you are splurging on Custom Invitations, a website can be created that matches the design and feel of your invitations.

How to use your Wedding Website:

Now a days couples are using a website (otherwise called a wedsite) tailored specifically to their wedding to help spread the word about issues that are not considered polite to express on the actual invitation, such as posting where you are registered, addressing a “No Children” policy, when giving complicated or detailed directions, informing your guests of hotel special room rates, and providing links to area activities for out of towners. 

SAVE THE DATES

The Save the Date is used to informally invite your wedding guests in further advance than the invitation, to help prevent them from planning events on your wedding date. They are good for anyone inviting friends/family that will need to travel  to the wedding so that travel arrangements can be made. The Save the Date is also a great place to inform your guests of your wedding website!

When to send your Save the Dates:

Typically 4 to 6 months before your wedding date. If planning a destination wedding they can be sent up to 12 months before your wedding date!

I hope this blog helps, any of you with questions, if you have a specific question I haven't addressed you can always email me at amy@2ucollection.com. And keep in mind, don't get caught up in following everything to a T, as time moves forwards and traditions and standards change, these rules can be flexible and it's really about your personal preference.

Be Unique, Be out of the Box!

Every bride that comes to me says the same thing, 'I want to be different and OUT OF THE BOX, I don't want my wedding stationery to be boring.'


So I decided to write a blog with this concept in mind, how do you make your Wedding Stationery unique and different?  Well here are some tips.


UNIQUE SIZE AND SHAPE: Have your stationery company create something that isn't the standard shape, or size. Whether it's your Save the Date, Invitation, or pieces of your Reception Collateral, different sizes and shapes can really give your stationery an added wow factor!

DOES Invitation and Wedding Collateral HAVE TO BE PAPER?: Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE paper. Some who know me would say I'm addicted! (and I wouldn't disagree) However, it's always fun to use Paper as the compliment to some other element to WOW your guests. See some of the pieces below.

This was a fun project.. Did you know that Breathalyzer tests in their infancy involved a balloon? Well I didn't until I did research for this Stock the Bar, Housewarming Party. The invite required guests instead of bringing a housewarming gift, to bring a bottle of something to help stock their bar.  What a fun idea. So we followed with the invite, The invite was a balloon attached to and insert card. All the details were on the balloon once you blew it up!

This was an amazing table number. The wedding was all about pearls, so instead of a standard Square or Rectangular piece of cover stock with a number, we used a glass vase, filled it with pearls and wooden numbers that had been pearlized with paint!

  This is also very fun!! Try sending food!! Of course make sure it's food that won't spoil to much, in this case, we sent nuts, pop corn, dates and ritz crackers! It was a hit, nothing better than receiving snacks in the mail!

 Don't want to use paper? Try Fabric! This invitation was unique and beautiful Printed Fabric with Satin Ribbon edges.  

 Here is another fun one.. Want something different.  How about a video invitation?  In this great invitation, a video invite was created and we presented it with paper as the accent in this great organic natural pocket!

USE TEXTURE: Another great way to be unique is to use Texture and embellishments when you can. Texture and use of interesting elements that aren't "NORMAL" for invitations always are a wow for the guests.

 Using different textures can really bring the WOW to your guests. Textured AND colored paper is always a wow.. Adding Lace, ribbon and crystals bring depth and excitement, Also seen above, we took silk flowers and guilded them in metallic silver. It really brought drama to the invitations. Lastly, incorporating different colored and textured paper with elements like Raffia and Wood, also can bring life to any ordinary stationery set.

Make 2D into 3D: Do something unique, think outside the box, incorporate a 3-dimensional gift with your invitation, make your place cards stand out by placing them on the wine glass at the setting, protect your invitation or card from the BIG BAD Post office, with an origami hand made box.

Inspiration Series-The Color White.

So sometimes to get my creative juices flowing I create inspirations boards for things about the wedding I'm designing an invitation for. And in all this time I realized I've never been asked to create an invitation for an all white wedding, So I decided to take the party concept of White Party, and create and inspiration board for an all white wedding.

Martha Stewart's White Crudites 

(middle left) 

A jubilant symphony of pale crudites, including cauliflower, white asparagus, endive, and celery, is arranged in a triangular dish.

Martha Stewart's 

White Petits Fours 

(middle left) 

Heart-shaped petits fours are decorated with Darcy's and Andy's initials. "It was a way of making it more special for Darcy," says Jenny of the many personal touches.

photos by Johnny Miller/Martha Stewart Weddings

(top right) 

amazing, white on white on white floral!

dress by Vera Wang

(middle center)

photos Martha Stewart Weddings

(middle right) 

love the idea of the guests wrapping their gifts in white, what great photography it would make.

photos courtesy of Brooklyn Bride

(bottom left) 

NYC Loft all white, with all white furniture.. So elegant!

dress by Maggie Austin Cake

(bottom right)

Vintage 1930s bridal shower with a Modern Twist.

I am kind of a chameleon when it comes to genre of style. My fashion sense is one style, the decor in my house another, and my stationery work-- well that changes depending on the mood I'm in, client I'm working with, and the influences around me at that time.

For example, a few summers ago I took a trip to the New England Area for a wedding (a family affair, non work related). While there I got to visit Yale, New York City and Newport Rhode Island. Something pretty cool in Newport Rhode Island, you can go on a tour of Some of the most amazing Mansions. There are 11 Mansions, several of them owned by the Vanderbilts in the 1800s.  When touring these mansions the over the top opulence and decor dripping in gold just screamed out at the creative side of me. I've held on to these images, of the beautiful hand workmanship and ingenious devices in these homes, for the last few years, dying to create and invitation with the inspiration of what I saw there and idea of parties with formality, style, etiquette and flair.

This as you can imagine isn't a huge request, so I had to wait for the right client, the right collaboration.  This year it happened! A wonderful sister of the bride, came to me with an idea for a shower she wanted to throw for her sister. The first thing she said was: My sister is an old soul and I want to throw a shower that is very 1930s, white gloves and fancy hats. I was so excited by this. So I got right to work, and the imagery that immediately popped into my head was the opulent, detailed decor and hand painted details I had seen in some of those 18th & 19th century mansions. The colors I chose, as well as the textures and materials all came as inspiration from the decor in these opulent mansions in Newport, and the stories of the formality and etiquette of their social calendars.

I hope you enjoy the result. The bride and sister of the bride were in love with these invitations and favors. And from what I was told, they were a big hit with the guests! Also a fun thing, the invite requested guest where a period hat of their choosing along with the gloves included in the box!

 

Shipping Box for the invitation.

Chocolate and Blue Box for the invitation. It was lined with lace, and included white satin gloves and a bronze metallic envelope closed with a wax seal.

Invitation on Champagne Metallic Paper- graphics and font chosen for their victorian formal attributes.

Finally, the favor we created for the shower. The bride loves to read, so we created these silk wrapped bookmarks with embossed metallic gold paper and an antique key tied with satin ribbon.