Wedding Dresses: Colours

A bit of colour for you today. Who said wedding dresses had to be white or ivory? Who said the bridesmaids should get to have all the fun? Go on be a bit daring! 

Rx

pics: take a look at my wedding dress Pinterest board for more details

venue inspiration: rooftop weddings

i have always been fascinated and amazed by tall buildings and how they are built, designed and stay upright?! i think these rooftop weddings are such a unique idea and are ideal for city dwellers. imagine the views! more on this theme coming soon.

more wedding invitations coming soon too.

Rx

Wedding Stationery Checklist

So he/she has decided to 'put a ring on it' and now you need to start planning the big day. First of all congratulations!

Now all the fun begins with organizing the biggest knees up of your life and I am here to help - at least with the subject of wedding stationery.

There are some things to get sorted before you even begin to decide on the type of invitations you want to go for.

I have laid out this checklist in a simple step by step way so it's not too daunting a prospect.
I have numbered each step and placed them in a timeline format so you will know when to do each step. Right image - Morgan Hill Designs

So, here we go with the most important things to tick off that ever increasing 'to do' list.

Wedding date 

Pretty obvious and self explanatory.

Guest List
When it come time to order your stationery your designer will need this list if you are having your guests names printed onto them. This will also help with your stationery budget as you will then have an idea of how many people will be attending.

Budget

There are wedding invitations to cater for all budgets from full on invitation suites to simple one card printed invites. Don't worry if you can only afford the latter option - sometimes less is more and you can even add your own little extra touches to make them extra special.

Please also bear in mind that there will be postage/shipping costs to include in your budget so please remember the following points - 

- packaging your invites - will they need to be packed into bubble mailers or will they be boxed?
- cost of postage per invite - remember boxed invites will cost more to post than standard enveloped invites
- are you ordering in hand made invitations? Do you request your wedding stationer to assemble the invites for you? If they come in presentation boxes maybe you might prefer to assemble them yourself as if they arrive boxed this could impact a lot on the cost of postage due to the size of the parcel. Ask your stationer for a quote for shipping before you order. Especially if they are from overseas as you will also need to re-post them yourself too so there will be two sets of posting costs to incur. Above image - The Sunny Bee

Wedding Theme

Most people try to have their wedding invitations tie in with the 'theme' ie traditional, modern, vintage, glitzy etc. and also it's a good idea to try to include the same colour scheme as the wedding. The invitations usually give the guests a hint at what kind of wedding they will be attending and the more impressive the invitations are the more exited your guests will get about coming along. 

D.I.Y Invitations
These are a good option if you are on a budget. You can order pre-designed invitations online that you simply print off yourself or at your local Staples or printers. You can add embellishments to them such as diamante's and ribbons to add a little bit of extra style clout. This will not set you back too much. You will need to of course purchase your own card-stock and ink to print them off at home.

There are some really good d.i.y tutorials online that give you step by step instructions to create some really lovely invites. 

The most cost effective option is to buy generic invitations at some stationery shops and department stores such as John Lewis that you simply just fill in and send off. They usually come with an RSVP section incorporated into them. 

Professional Stationery Designer
The next option for your wedding stationery is to choose a professional stationer. It will cost you more money but it will save you time and if you are not particularly prone to being creative with your hands then this is the perfect option for you.
Not all stationers are really expensive and there is a wide range of choice for all budgets and tastes.

Things to consider when choosing a designer

1. Location
Do you prefer to work closely with the designer ie. one on one in person or are you happy to only speak to them via email or telephone. If you are then there are many options for you and you will have a lot more variety to choose from. You can even order your invites from overseas widening your scope for finding those 'wow factor' invitations.
Above image - Wedding Home

2. Aesthetic Taste
You need to be sure that your designer is on par with your style preferences and particular tastes. 

3. Experience
Ideally you will want someone with a bit of experience and of course creative expertise. Ask to see some of their previous work. Ideally they will have previously worked on wedding themes similar to yours. For example if you are going for a vintage themed wedding it would be best to go for someone who specializes or has a good knowledge in that area.

4. Feedback and Testimonials
Do you know of someone who has had an amazing experience with a wedding designer. If that designer has an aesthetic style to suit yours then it would make sense to go with someone who you know has been highly recommended.
Left image - Alisa Mayde

5. Level of Involvement
Would you like to be kept updated every step of the way or are you happy to let them just get on with it? If you like to have a lot of control over things then you need to choose a designer who is patient and has the time available to regularly keep in contact with you. It would normally be best to choose a smaller scale company for this as they are likely to have more time. This doesn't always mean that they will be cheaper of course as time is money but at least you won't be left wondering what is happening.

6. Processing Time
Sometimes wedding stationery can get overlooked during wedding planning as there are often much more exiting things to consider such as venues, dresses etc. so if you have left it a bit late (hopefully after reading this lot you wouldn't have!) then it is very important to choose a stationer that can process your order in time for you to send your invites out in a timely manner.

7. Printing Options
There are now quite a few options available when it comes printing. Letterpress and lazercut invitations are becoming more and more popular so you will need to check with your designer if they can offer your preferred choice before you go ahead.

8. Personality Match
You may well spend a lot of time in communication with your chosen designer and considering it will be at one of the most stressful (in a good way) times of your life, you will need to be sure that they are the sort of person that you feel comfortable with and confident that they will deliver what they say they will. 
Trust your instincts on this one. If you are working with a local designer it will be much easier to work this one out as you are likely to meet with them in person. Most of them are happy to do a free consultation so take them up on this offer before making up your mind.
Even if you are choosing someone further away you can work out pretty quickly if they are someone you want to be working with by how quickly they reply to your emails / phone calls and by the general tone they give in them. Above image - Which Goose

Send Your Save the Dates

Once you have chosen your stationer or the D.I.Y option you then need to decide if you would like to send out save the dates.
So, What are save the dates? 
Save the dates are literally what they say on the tin. 'Please save this day free in your calender for the most spectacular event in history! 'They are sent pre wedding invitations, usually around 6-8 months ahead. They are especially important if you are planning on getting married abroad or are celebrating your nuptials over a few days or at a time when travel is particularly busy.
Above image - LL Papergoods

Your save the dates should include the following information -

-The couples names

-Date

-Location

Thats all that is required. The rest of the information ie. exact address of venue will be sent later in the formal invitations.

Save the dates come in all kinds of styles and shapes so you can be as adventurous as you like. Take a look at this link over at Martha Stewart Weddings for some excellent d.i.y save the date ideas.

Now that you have chosen if you are having a professional wedding stationer make your stationery, or whether you have decided to make your own or buy some generic ones - it's time to purchase / order them!
Right image - Morgan Hill Designs

What you need to order now

- Wedding Invitations to include all extras such as maps, confetti bags, RSVP's etc..

- Book calligrapher if you are using one

- Choose favors - is this something your wedding stationer will be helping you with?

- Order your thank you notes. If you are planning on having these  made by your stationer you will need to order these now too

- Venue stationery can be discussed with your designer now but you will probably not need to order this until you know exactly who is coming to the wedding which should be around 2-1 month/s before the day. But if you are having the following made to tie in with the theme of your wedding invitations then you should let your designer know what you have in mind so they are prepared in advance from a design, timing and supplies point of view.

Typical venue stationery consists of the following components

- Table Plans

- Place / Escort Cards

- Menus

- Buffet Signs

- Thank You cards

- Guest books / cards

- Other Decor Items your wedding stationer may be helping you with

Wedding Invitation Styles
There are so many different styles of wedding stationery to choose from nowadays it's hard to know where to start!
I will try to narrow down the list to some the main types to choose from

Calligraphic
This is where you pay a
professional calligrapher to hand write your invites. To save money you can have them hand write one and then have the rest printed from that. Left image - 100 Layer Cake

Embossed
Embossing is a printing technique that's surprisingly affordable. An image is pressed into the card to create a 3D effect on the card. You can just have your card embossed with your initial or monogram only, to save money.

Engraving
Also creates a raised effect by pressing ink into the card. This is a bit more pricey but very popular.

Illustrated
This is where an illustrator designs
your invites and it's often a lovely
option if you are adding maps to your
invitations too. Like with calligraphy
you can have all of your invites hand illustrated or have a master copy that the rest are printed from. 

Laser Cut
Creates a very crisply cut design that is either cut into the invite or a laser cut design is laid over the top

Letterpress
Printing blocks are pressed directly into the card to create a raised effect. This is a printing style that dates back many years but it still very effective.

Screen Printing
Creates a hand painted effect.
Ink is pressed through a fine mesh.

Printed
By far the least elaborate of options but can still create some beautiful invitations. From digital printing, lithography and home printing.
there is an option for everyone.

Right image - Beacon Lane

Now it's time to send out your wedding invitations and your thank you cards as the wedding gifts may well have started arriving.

When posting your invites make sure they are packaged properly - especially if you are mailing boxed wedding invitations - you don't want them to get damaged in transit.

Why not add some extra special postage stamps to your envelopes/packages. There are lots to choose from that can tie in the theme and colours of your invitation. It's all in the presentation!
Right - image from Any Occasion Banners

Guest Book
Time to purchase your wedding guest book for your guests to write their messages and even their tips on a good marriage!
Photos can be added to these later to create a scrapbook effect. It's always wise to have a them spread their messages out so that there is room to add photos if you are going to. Oh yes and of course make sure to have a pen handy!
image to the right - Morgan Hill Designs

Menus and reception stationery
By now you should know what you will be having for your wedding breakfast so it's time to order or print your menus. As mentioned earlier, if you have discussed these with your designer it's now time to let them know to get started on them and any other reception stationery you are requiring.

Order Ceremony Programs
Again this is something you may have discussed with your stationer. By now you should know the details of the program. These can also be printed off simply and sometimes your wedding venue can help with this.

Table Plans
Also known as seating plans are simply a 
display that you have at the entrance to your wedding venue which shows your guests which table they will be sitting at.

The table plan will usually consist of a card layout with each card displaying the table number or name and then the names of the guests who will be sitting at the table. 

The 'top table' usually takes precedence in the layout of the table plan with the main bridal party positioned here and the rest of the guests are positioned on the other tables. There are many different ways to create a beautiful table plan nowadays but typically most people opt for a simple card layout (as I mentioned early)that will be mounted onto stiff board, a picture frame or easel.  

By now you will know who is coming to the wedding and now you just need to decide where to position your guests and then you can proceed to create or instruct your stationery designer to construct it for you in time for the wedding. 
The other option is to go without a seating plan altogether if you are having an informal reception. Image - Foxy Couture Designs

Place cards
Also known as escort cards. These are simply cards that are placed on the tables at the position where the guest is to be seated. 
These can range in style from plain printed cards to printed napkins the options really are limitless so let your creativity run wild!
Right image Fairy Folk Weddings

Stationery placement
On the day either yourself (along with the help of friends and family hopefully) will set the place cards, table plan, buffet signs,table number cards, signage, guest book and any other stationery you have.
If you have a wedding planner or stylist they may do this for you and sometimes your caterer will do this for you too. That way you can sip on a chilled glass of champers and focus on the most important thing to do - getting ready!

Finally - Enjoy!
Enjoy your day - all of your hard work has now paid off and it's time to enjoy what will be the best day of your life!
Left image - 100 Layer Cake

If you have any questions regarding your own wedding stationery - please feel free to contact me. I am always happy to help! I also do custom wedding stationery and no task is too big or too small.

contact me at sepiasmiles@gmail.com
and visit my wedding stationery shop here www.sepiasmiles.etsy.com


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If you are attending the Etsy UK Wedding Event or already have and are interested in my wedding stationery please use the discount code ETSYWED for 15% off anything in my shop till the 31st May
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colour inspiration: pink gold mint and black

i have been asked to create some custom confetti bags for a client who is about to launch her own event coordination company. the confetti bags are going to be handed out at the launch party. i am so exited about the colour combo it sounds like it's going to be a very glamorous event! hopefully more details on this order and my lovely client and her company to come soon.

Rx

happy/strange friday!

i am very happy to say that my confetti bags are currently featured on the Etsy blog. 

Kate Hornby, Art Director from You and Your Wedding Magazine chose it to be included in her guest curated blog post with some other black and white wedding inspired items. 

i am well chuffed :)

on a completely different subject and a rather strange one at that, i saw today that my car has miraculously obtained a new aerial. i have absolutely no idea how it got there or who put it there. i haven't had one for about a year since it was yanked off by some delightful local critters. 

i wish whoever it was would stick some hub caps back on for me too. they keep being nicked and i have given up replacing them now. i wonder if it is my neighbour who keeps bringing me fudge (?)

have a lovely weekend!

Rx

P.S hello to my lovely Nan who now reads my blog on her kindle fire ! :) xxx

image from Etsy

blog envy

do you ever read other blogs and just think to yourself - this person has - without a shadow of a doubt - an absolute, uninterrupted, never ending, clear as a bell direct line to the source of all creativity!! 

there are four blogs that i absolutely love and that i go to when i am in need of a bit of inspiration or as i am a very visual person - just to look at some nice pictures! 
the thing is sometimes i feel inspired and then other times i just think - how do they do it? how do they always seem to come up with such interesting awe inspiring posts day after day after day? where do they get these never before seen beautiful images and their constant stream of original content. 

to be fair my favorite blogs are some of the most successful design/creative blogs out there and clearly there is a reason why. and they do it full time which does help. but sometimes (only sometimes) i look at their blogs and then look at mine and think - oh dear. love, you really do have a long way to go.

i think that most 'creative types' get these thoughts from time to time. i think it's only natural to compare yourself to others.
i suppose there will always be someone 'bigger and better' than you. i guess the trick is to accept this and try not to let your own sense of style be influenced by other blogs - this is very easily done. it's a part of life that there will always be certain people that you wish you could be 'as good as' and it's healthy to have a bit of competitiveness and dare i say jealousy. oh no! i said the dreaded word. but let's be honest - that is all that it is.

do you ever suffer from any of the above? or is it just me?

now i am no expert on blogging and running a creative business but through my own trial and error i have stumbled along some tips of my own on staying true to your own style/uniqueness

• read other blogs and admire other peoples handiwork and be inspired but don't copy

i have seen other people do it and have even seen stuff of mine blatantly copied and listed on Etsy.
now i am one of those strange people that was flattered by this. but one thing i will say is that when you copy something it will never do as well as the original - it just won't. it's a universal law of life and you will just waste your precious time and energy doing so.
it's fine to take inspiration here and there and then create your own take on it. but to directly copy is just a little bit lame and you are way better than that!

• what is your style/brand/etc..

when working this out ask yourself the following -

what are your favourite colours?
whats your favorite era?
what subjects are you most interested in?
what is your passion?
what really inspires you?
what do you love to read about?

• who are you?

what defines you?
what sort of personality do you have?
how willing are you to share your thoughts with your readers?
do you have anything that people could really benefit from hearing about you and your life? what can they learn from you?
what are you skills/talents? is there any way you can share these with your readers by way of tutorials/articles/guides etc?.
i love reading about peoples day to day lives, their families and even what they wore that day. (i love those what i wore today posts) are you prepared to share a little bit more of yourself with your readers? they will love you more for it. we all like to know the person behind the product / brand. why do you think reality tv is so popular/ because people love people!

• don't be afraid to speak your mind!

okay, this is some advice that i need to take myself. do you ever write a post and think. no i better not post it. it's a bit controversial  depressing, daring, negative etc. just post it! as long as you are not feeding your readers with negative depressing  stuff all the time i think it's good to show that you are human every now and then. it's interesting to read about other peoples trials and tribulations, problems, gripes and irritations etc.

i read one such post on one of my favourite blogs (which i won't name) i originally thought that her blog was lovely. inspiring, beautiful etc.. but the blogger herself came across (to me anyway) as maybe a little too sickly sweet and almost too inhumanly perfect to be true. then she wrote a post about something that had happened to her about some nasty piece of work who had basically 'poured water' all over her bonfire. and it was one big long negative rant that seemed to go on for eternity. but it made me warm to her and see her as a human being.
she hasn't written any more posts like that since but as far as i know she hasn't removed it either which is brave. i think to share your dark moments every now and then will make your readers feel a connection to you that none of the most amazing pictures. tutorials etc.. ever would.

• try to stick to one or a couple of subjects

it's best to have a general subject that your blog is based on. mine is clearly weddings. 

it's not that i dream about weddings all day long - far from it. it's purely because it's the industry i am in. 

it's because i love paper goods

i love the aesthetic beauty in all things weddings.

and for me the main reason i went down the wedding stationery route was because of the money. i make more money from making wedding stationery - there is a market for it. it took me a while to work that one out but i am glad i did.

i also love interiors, my family and travelling. not that i do a lot of the latter - that's why i don't mention it a lot but it's something i am interested in. 

try not to veer onto too many different subjects. stick to one main subject and then talk about the other ones every now and then to add a bit of variety. people like cohesive blogs. a 'go to' blog when they need information or inspiration on a certain subject.

• have a theme/brand

i finally have found a branding style and 'theme' that suits me and my blog. it took me a while and if you look at older posts you will see that i have changed my branding and styling many times over.

this is normal don't worry if you do the same.it takes time to find out what suits you and what will stick. 

even the best bloggers change their branding every now and then. huge corporate's do it - but not all the time! once you have found your branding stick to it and don't be too easily led by other peoples amazing new logos and layouts - it can make you crazy. if you are happy with what you have created keep it for a while and let it grow on you.

if you have no idea how to create your own logo then get a designer to do it for you. you will be surprised at how affordable some of them are and it will free up time for you to do what you do best - writing your blog!

Rx

image credits - clockwise left to right
melissa mercia
salon simis - the gorgeous Natalie Portman
robert kaufman
melissa mercia

work space heaven

sorry for the lack of postings this week. i am just too busy at the moment... what is it that they say 'be careful what you wish for'! 
no, to be honest i am very exited about it as i have always wanted this for myself and it's great to have so many lovely customers and i love the custom orders that i get because it gives me a chance to be that little bit more creative.

however that isn't to say that i am not seriously in need of some down time! hopefully at some point over the bank holiday i will get some.

i am loving the above work-spaces.  i am now currently based in my dining room which used to be used for entertaining purposes - entertaining, what is that again? whatever it is i must do it again sometime! 
anyway, it's way bigger than the tiny room i had upstairs but it is just as messy as that room was, even though it's about three times bigger. i just can't seem to work in an organised tidy way - i always seem to be buried in stuff! i guess that's just me.

i am hoping in the future to have something like the picture fourth down with lots of amazing designers happily churning out lots of design awesomeness!

i hope you all at least get to have some nice relaxing time over the Easter Bank Holiday. i have observed that Easter Sunday is always sunny - here's hoping this Sunday will be no different :)

Rx

pins via
(from top to bottom)
christine salva
2media.cz
anna joseph
andreas w. schnell
christine salva
elisabet arasa
mimi
ramona roo
tiffany ferrari
valerie farrell

yellow

yes! the sun is out today which means that i should be able to take some awesome pictures with Sophie at our little 'photoshoot' today - more details on that coming soon. 
let's hope the sun does actually stay out though as knowing me i will be taking lots and lots of pictures so i need him to play fair today!

i am loving the yellow theme of these weddding styling images via lavish floral and gifts

Rx

black and white

 

i have always loved the black and white look. i'm quite into the idea of a black feature wall and then having all the other walls white.i have never been keen on 'feature' walls but i think it might look quite cool in black. i think i will try that in my conservatory as it's always light in there so i think i could get away with it.

the only thing is - why can't everything else in life be a bit more black and white!

pinterest pins via (clockwise)

ana-maria gravila
jean-claude nell
kate revz
Daun Cannady
kimberley wiens

Rx

a little studio tour

 i have finally tidied up my tiny cupboard studio and took a few pics for you to see where i create my cards and invitations and of course write this blog and drool over other blogs and etsy sellers! 
above is my adjustable easel desk - it's from Ikea and is huge. it's ideal for working on as there is such a large area but the only downside is that it is a tad too big for my tiny workspace. behind my teeny tiny laptop are a couple of paintings my nan painted and gifted to me (along with many others) she is a fantastic painter. i love these because they remind me of her and really cheer me up and inspire me to keep on creating. i have two notebooks that i constantly use, one is for my all of my 'to-do's' and the other is for planning blog posts (which is kind of empty right now but wont be for much longer thanks to this). the old wooden box is a car boot find and contains my equipment such as my glue gun and paper-craft tools. i often take product pictures on here too for a more rustic effect. the Eiffel tower picture is actually a card from fellow etsy seller, Paula from Picard Creative, i received it as a thank you for ordering some of her hilarious magnets one Christmas for my girlfriends.

top left is my humble shelving unit - i think i got it from Argos and it was originally a yellow pine colour so i painted it white. i keep my card supplies, printer and mailing envelopes on here as well as my folders for various boring important bits and pieces. on the top is a white cushion i decorated with some old scarves and the rest of the scarves were used to make my makeshift blind. to the left of the cushion are some of the art dolls that i made with the help of my mum, she created all the hair and amazing clothes (they remind me of Downton Abbey) i had some children that we made and they went to a lovely home in Saudi Arabia in the end which is great. 

 my typewriter is my absolute favourite possession (a gift from my mum) and i use it all the time for adding text to my cards and and invitations quickly and easily. the ink still hasn't ran out and i have had this well over a year now. above the typewriter is my little washing line style photography area. the light here is best as it is right next to the window. i peg my cards up with the little pegs or a bull dog clip and snap away.

above left is a picture of my wonderful mum. i normally have her positioned so that she is looking at me and spurring me on to get things done. i am very lucky in the fact that she has always supported my creative endeavours and will often come round with a bag full of supplies for me to use in my projects. this picture was taken about 20 years ago when she was about a year or two older than i am now. isn't she beautiful?
i made the blind myself very quickly by sewing together two Laura Ashley scarves that i found in a charity shop (!) i then pinned it up above the window with some diamanté pins that i slotted into some holes that were already there (bonus). the fabric is so light that they hold it up really well. i then took a cut off from one of the scarves and pinned that to the left inside edge of the window so that i can tie the blind back as and when i need to. it took about and hour and half altogether.


well, that's it, my little tour is over - sorry it wasn't much but it really is a very small space. but it's my little haven really. here are some of my favourite studio tours from around the web.


+ fieldguided's tour
+ creature comforts Ez's workspace
+ industrial style
+ studio set up tips


Rx

colour burst : seafoam

i'm not sure if it's all of the amazing weather we are having at the moment or the impending bad weather but i am feeling in need of summery colours and no colour says summer more than seafoam (or turquoise).

top left illustrates a great way to add colour to a room without having to overhaul everything - simple add a painted piece of furniture, even this small table makes a big impact on the room.top right is a gorgeous vintage print via etsy (original source is unknown). love the colour in jumper form - not sure it would suit my colouring though. bottom right, this is such a unique take on a traditional vase, it would brighten up a hallway no end.

hope you have a lovely weekend and made the most of the waning sunshine.

Rx