BOOKLET PROGRAMS

This will be the final post on the Nichelle & Reed wedding, they married on September 29th. I'd like to share the booklet programs that completed their beautiful wedding stationery package. Here they are in various stages of production: print. score. fold. collate. punch. tie. repeat.

And here they are complete... wrapped with an elegant vellum overlay, bound with natural hemp cord, and then securely closed with a petite tab using their custom sunflower and mason jar image.

A close up photo of the petite tab shows you how it looked wrapped around onto the back of the program. Love. Love. Love.

It all comes down to this... everything is packaged up and I'm ready to meet Nichelle with all of her wedding day goodies: booklet programs, table numbers, cocktail napkins, dinner menus and a few extra favor tags.

FOR THE LOVE OF PAPER. Originals Paper Art

S'MORES AND MORE

As September 29th draws near, the production studio has been buzzing with the sound of printing and cutting of various stationery pieces for Nichelle and Reed's wedding. Look at these adorable s'mores wedding favors. If I were to renew my vows with a celebration to follow... I would, with no doubt, do these as favors!

In addition to the s'mores wedding favor tags, you can see below the reserved table signs for certain tables, custom napkins I designed and ordered for Nichelle, slender dinner menus for each place setting, and finally... the 'sweet love' bag sticker for her 'candy bar'.

And just for fun I thought I'd share a little behind-the-scenes look at how I set up my print files. I try to get the most out of a sheet of paper. In this case you can see just how much cutting needs to be done for each item. No large hydraulic cutters here... just me and my manual Fiskar Rotary Cutter.

We have a few more items to complete for this wedding... ceremony programs, table numbers and thank you notes! It won't be long now, check back soon!

FOR THE LOVE OF PAPER. Originals Paper Art

TWIG-BOUND BOOKLET INVITATION

This invitation has been in the studio for months. We took our time and were able to incorporate most of the brides wants and needs into one fabulous invitation! They're getting married in a beautiful barn at Wine and Roses Country Estate in Auburn and wanted a rustic, yet elegant, invitation that sets the tone for their countryside wedding. We did it and she LOVES them!

Below is a collage of images showing you the outside features: twig-bound booklet with natural hemp cord and monogram closure tab with actual zig-zag stitching detail.

Here are some of the inside features as well: custom illustration of two sunflowers in a mason jar, light weight paper and translucent vellum pages, and information cards secured with burlap ribbon and tie.

Here's a closer look at the closure tab that keeps everything in place until the tab is broken when opening.

Once the closure tab is broken, you can flip through the booklet with ease.

First you see the introduction of the couple, their wedding date and custom sunflower graphic through a beautiful translucent vellum sheet; the next page is their official invitation and reception information; and the final page is a bible verse chosen by the bridal couple.

This is truly a custom invitation, aka: original. If you're frustrated with designers that claim to be custom because they allow you to choose A, B, C and D... stop searching and contact me today. I go to great lengths to create an invitation just the way you want it! That includes sewing zig-zag stitches onto a closure tab! Yep... we did all the bindery and assembly on this invitation. Our bride received her invitations ready to stuff and mail! We're a one-stop-shopping invitation studio... please, spread the word!

FOR THE LOVE OF PAPER. Originals Paper Art

"H" IS FOR HANDMADE (IN THE USA)

We do a lot of hand work here in the design studio! For instance... HAND cutting, scoring, folding, punching, stitching, tying, and gluing to mention a few. That makes our invitations handmade in the USA! Gotta love that claim these days.

Below is a collage of images showing Allen, my husband and business partner, hand cutting a large sheet of handmade paper down into 8-1/2" strips and then he used a rotary cutter to cut those strips down to 8-1/2 x 11 sheets for the cover of a fall wedding program. I designed and printed the inside pages of the program here in the studio as well. Together we folded, punched, and tied each program... by hand. Truly an original, don't you agree?

"H" IS FOR HANDMADE (IN THE USA)

   

"G" IS FOR GRAPHICS

Graphics have become an increasingly popular element in wedding invitations. As a professional graphic designer I compare this iconic graphic to an event logo and use it to brand the entire wedding. First we introduce your wedding graphic on the save the date cards, then invitations and onto the wedding day stationery including: programs, place cards, table tents, menus and thank yous.

The graphic below is a stock illustration of tree branches I used for an outdoor fall wedding. It was a booklet style invitation and bound together using a twig. I applied the graphic as a subtle watermark on the inside vellum page, smaller with a quote adjacent to the invitation page, and then as a border on the RSVP and Travel Accommodations cards. Love it!

"G" IS FOR GRAPHICS

The next graphic was inspired by the destination venue itself, the St. Stanislaus Church in Altos de Chavon, La Romana (Dominican Republic). Pictured below is the church and graphic I designed to match... now that's what I call an original! Your thoughts on my interpretation?

"G" IS FOR GRAPHICS

Last but not least, a monogram (graphic) inspired by a whimsical stock illustration chosen by the bridal couple. I used a classy font with elegant flourishes and added dots for an original and complimentary monogram!

"G" IS FOR GRAPHICS

TO FIND OR TO DESIGN?

Custom Wedding Invitations Those three words often scare brides off because they associate custom with expensive. However, I've been told by many brides through the years they were pleasantly surprised with the estimate. So have no fear, send me a message and I'll be happy to provide you with an estimate.

You see, the thing is, you could spend hours and hours, days and days, weeks and weeks trying to "find" an invitation that "fits" you and your stationery needs. OR you could hire a designer and spend that same time on an invitation "design" that truly "defines" you and your stationery needs. It's that easy.

One more thing. Just because you don't see "something" on my website, doesn't mean it can't be done, it simple means it hasn't been done YET! I can and will try to create anything you envision–really! Design challenges feed my need to create beautiful and functional invitations!

This invitation is thee definition of all things fall. Love, love, love the paper colors!