We Love Paper Flowers!!

We've said it before, and its certain we will say it again, we love paper!! Even more, we love when fabulous things are created out of paper. When we stumbled upon this awesome book, our very own Amy Morelli scooped it up immediately. The pages are filled with 75 different flowers to be created, with plenty of how-to's and templates to assist in the paper flower making process. And, with three different skill levels for each project in the book, you can pick and choose the right designs for your crafting level.



We are still deciding on which ones we would like to create but here are some fantastic examples of the amazing flowers that can be incorporated into your next event!

Paper Flower Center Pieces - Photo from: Bridalguide.com

Paper Flower Garland Backdrops - Photo from: Elli.com

Tissue Paper Flower Party Favors - Photo from: MarthaStewart.com

All White Paper Flowers  - Photo from: stjudescreations.blogspot.com

Paper Flower Banner - Photo by: Evie-s.com

Local Faves

Local floral design company, Raining Roses Productions, has totally inspired us with their Paper Flower Designs. From outstanding centerpieces to grand paper flower backdrops, their designs are truly breathtaking and make every event they are apart of a truly unique experience.

Having worked with them on several large events- we have to say they never disappoint. The team always looks forward to working with Raining Roses Productions to see what creative designs they will continue to come up with next. And, these paper flower they created below, are some of their best!!

Paper Flower Center Pieces - Photo by: Scott Watt Photography

Paper Flower Center Pieces - Photo by: Scott Watt Photography

Paper Flower Center Pieces - Photo by: Scott Watt Photography

White Paper Flower Runway Backdrop - Photo by: Damon Tucci Photography

Our unique Save the Dates were featured in Orlando Wedding Magazine!

When planning for your wedding its important to put some thought into your Save the Dates. Not only do they provide all of the pertinent information for your guests, but they set the tone for the entire event. Showing personality and creativity from the get go is a great way to get your guests excited for the big day!

In the Spring/Summer 2014 edition of  Orlando Wedding Magazine, unique and "Off the Beaten Path" Save the Dates were featured, and we were honored to have been included in the fabulous collection that they put together! 

The 2u Collection Save the Dates that were featured (in the top right), have a fun surprise element to them by displaying event info on die-cut, satin tied circles. This design ensured that the excitement of the event would keep on coming!!

The 2u Collection was featured in Grace Ormonde!!

We are so ecstatic to be featured in the October issue Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine!! The 2u Collection's design was included in a highlight of Classic, Modern, and Avante-Garde invitation designs.

Grace Ormonde Cover - October

The design chosen for the feature was for a December wedding that was filled with Holiday Cheer! With a beautiful Red and Grey Chevron Letterpress and festive touches, such as ornament escort cards and glittery red table numbers, the designs hinted at the Holiday Season while maintaining a classy and elegant look.

 Click Here for the full blog post on this event.

We are so honored to be recognized amongst such amazing nationwide talent! To see the full issue, it can be downloaded from the iTunes store via iPhone or iPad here. 

Vote for Us!!

We are honored to have been nominated in the Wedding Invitation Category for 

the 2013 Best in Orlando for the Top Orlando A-list Awards. 

If you love The 2u Collection, click here to vote for us and please feel free to share the good news!!

Click Here to Vote!!

Inspiration Series - Greenery Productions 25 Years and Growing Together

We are always asked where we gather inspiration for our designs. Often times our subconscious collects creativity and information from the world around us. This is why surrounding ourselves with talented people is so important. One such group of people is the wonderful team from the Greenery Productions, led by the team of Linda Grier and Tommy Murphy. The company has provided a great deal of inspiration for those in the industry over the past 25 years, continuing to raise the bar each and every year!

Last week was the perfect opportunity to celebrate and team up with them once again for their "25 Years and Growing Together", farm to table event! The evening of appreciation was held at the newly opened Alfond Inn in Winter Park, FL and included many wedding vendors that have had long time relations with Greenery Productions. After cocktails in their spacious courtyard, the guests sat down to enjoy an Alfond Inn dinner at the beautiful farm inspired tablescape. The menu included a First Course of Spinach with Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts, and a Sherry Vinaigrette. Followed by Braised Short Ribs, with Silky Potatoes, Root Vegetables and Beef Jus. And for dessert coffee, tea and the chef's finest pastries were enjoyed.

Tracy Marini of Eventfully Yours, The 2u Collection's Amy Morelli, Tommy Murphy of Greenery Productions, and Brittany Sobering of Tickled Pink Brides

In correlation with the farm to table concept, the tablescape was designed with distressed woodland boxes, lanterns made from old screen doors, candles, organic herbs, unique florals of Crespedia and Scabiosa Pods, and even tomato and kale plants. The elements created a classic and elegant farm backdrop for the evening.

Our own Amy Morelli of The 2u Collection joined forces with other local event vendors to help prepare for this exciting anniversary. Special thanks to Tommy Murphy of Greenery Productions, Jane McLean - Director of Social Catering at The Alfond Inn, Kathryn Matta - Catering Sales Manager of The Alfond Inn, Deanne Gabel - General Manager of The Alfond Inn, Sara Florio of AFR Event Furnishings, and Abby Liga of Liga Photography. 

The invitations set the tone for the intimate event. Shades of greens and lavender on Bamboo paper conveyed an organic, rustic feel with a hint of sophistication. 

Gold accented place cards around linen directed guests to their seats, where they were greeted with a Die Cut Bamboo menu and a gold farm animal accent. From pigs and cows, to goats and sheep, each member of the farm animal family was represented.

Menu, Place Card, and Fun Farm Animal Accent Pieces

Long time collaborators with Greenery Productions: The 2u Collection's Amy Morelli, Lisa Stoner of E-Events, Tracy Marini of Eventfully Yours, Susan Southerland of Just Events Group, Bonnie Garfield of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Orlando, and Abby Liga of Liga Photography.

Favors included everything needed for each guest to create a farm to table dinner themselves, including herbs and spices, olive oil, and even thank you notes!

As for everyone here at The 2u Collection we are eager to see more "Greenery Productions" that are bound to be created over the next 25 years. See below for a little flair from their past!

Photo Credits: Brain Adams Photo, Ginger Midgett

Liga Photography

E-Blasts In Demand

Here at The 2u Collection we admit that our obsession for paper is grand! Parchment, Linen, Cotton, Vellum -- Textured, Matte, Mylar, Foil -- the Weight, the Color, the Feel... all just absolutely fascinating.  However, not always does an occasion call for a “physical” invitation piece.  

Enter the E-Blast Invitation!! 

Recently and in partnership with our branding and marketing division 2u Creative, we have seen an upturn in our development of not only E-Blast Invitations for clients, but also E-Newsletters and additional email based marketing materials.

While we have a natural passion for paper and have gained an all-new appreciation for the flexibility of the E-Blast, it is important to understand that the E-Blast isn't always appropriate. Formal events should stick with tradition and use a paper invite that is sent through the mail. However there can still be a place for the E-Blast in even the most formal of events such as reminders to book hotel arrangements or to share an Itinerary.

Here are some examples of great times to use an E-Blast:

• A last minute event pops up and you have limited time to send the invites
• You’re working within a budget and your event doesn’t call for a formal invitation
• The invite or information needs to be sent to a large mass and quickly
• A time sensitive promotion your clients would love has begun and ends soon
• Going GREEN and decide this will cut down on paper costs

Take a look below and see how E-Blasts can be effective yet styled, in a variety of forms:

Bachelorette Party

Wedding Reminder

Rehearsal Dinner

Promotional Newsletters

Party Invitation

Additionally, E-Blasts created by The 2u Collection and sent through our email marketing system, can provide several useful features including:

• Email reports and tracking results
• Insight on how recipients marked your email (spam, subscriptions, relevance)
• Feedback regarding client interests and targeting techniques
• Matching your e-blast branding to your website branding
• Financial, economic and environmental advantages

Color Inspiration - Mint Madness

This cool hue is all the rage!! While it does great as a stand alone hue, combining it with other fabulous colors can take the feel of your event anywhere from soft and vintagey, to bold and edgy. Choosing a second color will allow you to make the Mint your own.        

Mint & Cool Blue emits a serene and romantic feel.

Images courtesy of inspiredbride.net, itweddingsofflorida.com, blog.nisiesenchanted.com, weddingblogbythebreakers.com.

Mint & Lemon presents citrusy sophistication.

Images courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com, frostedpetticoatblog.com, saweddings.com, weddingchicks.com, etsy.com. 

Mint combined with pretty Coral & Pink provides a pop that shouts summer fun!

Images courtesy of weddingomania.com, tumblr.com, styleunvieled.com, miamiweddingplanning.wordpress.com, studioyukiphotography.blogspot.com, Etsy.com, deliciouslydarlingevents.com,   

For an edgier feel, team up your Mint with Navy.

Images courtesy of scoutnetworkblog.com, Etsy.com, weddingchicks.com, tumblr.com, somethingborrowedweddingblog.wordpress.com. 

Either route you choose to take will leave you feeling minty fresh!!

Correspondence with Flair

Recently we addressed the importance of keeping the handwritten thank you note alive.  As we worked on embellishing Invitations, Holiday Cards, and Thank You’s throughout this busy season a thought evoked… writing can be mundane BUT embellishing is always an inspiration for excitement, for both the giver and receiver.

So the next time you sit down to write a letter or feel uninspired consider the following ways you can spice it up… add a touch of character… and express your personal style!  You might find that looking forward to the details may awaken the purpose of your correspondence and even influence a theme.

Embossing Press

In creating various stationery projects for our coveted client Florida Hospital, we were inspired to design this embossing press featuring the Florida Hospital logo.  The result was a piece of class!  We loved the touch so much that we designed a piece for ourselves here at The 2u Collection and we just couldn’t stop pressing our logo onto all types of surfaces once we received it!! An adornment like this can be customized with a logo or graphic to fit most any need! - Check out theStampMaker.com - 

Envelope Enhancements & Pristine Packaging 

Envelope liners, wax seals, color corrugated shipping boxes and custom designed labels add a unique elegance to any mailing!

Courtesy of TheWeddingPhile.Blogspot.com

Gorgeous envelope liners can be found for almost any size at Paper-Source.com - From solid colors to fine prints, liners add that finishing touch... much like a fabulous lining on a tailored jacket or cuff!

Something as simple as changing the color standard on packaging can really act to catch the eye.  Give the brown box a lift and go for a bold color, or take it a step further and choose unique shapes and sizes.  Take a browse around USBox.com for a plethora of packaging!!

The timeless wax seal needs little explanation...  It's clean, elegant and speaks volumes as you seal each envelope with care and sincerity.  At Nostalgic Impressions they create polished & personalized wax seals that make us swoon!

A Pop of Color... A Taste of Texture

Colored envelopes and textured papers will change the entire feel of a correspondence piece while adding impact to that stack of junk mail! Even here at The 2u Collection our eyes spark and open wide when we catch a rouge within the pile... and of course, it's the first we chose to open and admire!!

Have you ever experienced that moment when writing or creating a thoughtful piece, where you just couldn't wait for the recipient to open?! Oh the anticipation!!! Well, there are times when the excitement is all too much and you boldly take an unconventional approach, much like that featured above. This client was so full of joy in announcing their new edition, that they simply had us print a lovely portrait right on the envelope -- Secrets Out!!

As we sift through the mail texture stands out to the touch!!  The columned paper featured above is sure to impress.  Play with different paper types and treatments to evoke a variety of feelings.  Neenah Paper is one of our favorite paper pros but check out Paper Mojo as well for decadent handmade papers!

Stuck & Stamped

Both of these are cute and quirky ways to add a bit of personal whimsy & cultural flare! -- You can layout, design a nice label & stamp or print right on the envelope.

Courtesy of IntimateWeddings.com

We just love this! Try buying stamps in small denominations and then placing them creatively on the piece to create a fun and traveled feel. Pick up stamps as you explore the world or hometown. Check out vintage and antique shops... alot of the time they'll have these treasures tossed amongst old photos and such!

Courtesy of GourmetInvitations.Blogspot.com

A custom ink stamp like the one we created above not only acts to adorn a mailing piece, but it can also be held as a keepsake and used time and time again on a variety of creative indulgences.  - OrlandoRubberStamps.com produced our design flawlessly!

In hopes that you are inspired to create!!  For more ideas visit us on Facebook at The 2u Collection