I’m really looking forward to working on this next print run! I’m pairing up with the amazingly talented, Elizabeth Porcher Jones to create a custom hand-written invitation for Spring bride and groom, Kelli & David. While Elizabeth works on drawing out their invitation, I’ve been working on getting her Save the Date together. Kelli described what she wanted as soft, sweet, and a little formal. She was drawn to more muted pinks, beiges and taupes when we looked through my swatchbooks. She also wanted to incorporate a wisp of florals or greenery. I designed a custom graphic which combined the greenery of a Clematis vine and the flowers of a Ranunculus. (In my fantasy garden this is how they would grow!) We also did a custom patterned envelope liner which I’m imagining will look amazing blind-embossed onto the back of her invitations!

I’m just helping out my friend, Lucy, who is the Board vice-president of the Rape Crisis center in Chapel Hill, NC. They are having their 23rd annual holiday auction. Anyone in the Chapel Hill area should go! The OCRCC is an amazing foundation!

I just spent the most amazing 2 weeks on the gorgeous island of Nantucket  - the village of ‘Sconset to be exact. While there, I went to work on a couple websites for cousins, Lisa and Jennifer, who we were staying with. Take a peak at their cottage rental sites – maybe you just might find yourself needing a vacation!

Stacey, over at Red Letter Events, just posted a complete look at Bob & Cait’s summer nuptials. HFD did everything from her custom 5-piece letterpressed invitation suite to her table placards – all continuing her southern pineapple theme!  For a complete look at the whole she-bang, cruise on over to Red Letter’s blog here.

The simple yet lovely program we just finished up for Kirby & David’s wedding next week! Though we letterpressed her invitation, we opted to flat print the four sided program to save on costs. We were able to do these for less than $3 a piece.

I just love it when I’m able to hand deliver a wedding invitation suite! I just delivered Cait and Bob’s Pineapple motif wedding invitations to Stacey over and Red Letter Events! They were all pleased as punch! This was an amazing suite with 2 color invites, replies and reply envelopes, custom lined black inner envelope, and the perfect vintagey tiffany blue satin trimming ribbon to tie it all together!

Just finished up Kirby and David’s gorgeous letterpressed wedding invitations! I loved the way these turned out! We worked with the amazingly talented Pretty Pen Jen for the calligraphy. I love her whimsical and unique style! The suite is printed on  our luscious 220# cotton stock with a pewter grey ink. The 220# stock makes the perfectly deep, crisp impression! The TarHeels blue of the envelope liner gives the suite the perfect balance of color! We also did letterpressed Thank You cards using just their first names. Congrats Kirby and Dave!

Just finished up the proof for Heather & Tim’s vintage style Save-the-Date! It is flat-printed on a thick creamy linen paper. The printed enclosure holds an information sheet and map which helps guests to see where the wedding is along with the closest suggested accommodations. The printed outer envelope is inspired from a label off of an old wine bottle. We also offer a printed addressing service! Heather and Tim were able to save on calligrapher costs by having us print the delivery addresses in perfectly matching script and ink!

It’s always fun to actually get to shoot my own pieces at a wedding! Allison and John hired me first as their photographer and then their designer. We designed some great pieces for their late March wedding using sweetgrass and roses as our inspiration. Congratulations again Allison & John!

I’ve had so much fun working with May bride, Kirby!  We’re just now putting the finishing touches on her wedding paper details!  This week we designed her plantable ceremony program, wedding website postcard and beverage napkins! The program is held together with grosgrain ribbon which guests can then remove and plant the cover of the booklet which is a cotton paper seeded with wildflower seeds! The wedding website postcard will arrive shortly after the invitation and invites guests to visit the couple’s wedding website which has details about accommodations and attractions and directions to the farm where they will be getting married. I think this is a great way to keep something as new-age as a URL out of a timeless letterpressed wedding invitation suite! And it’s fun for guests to receive something a few days later (and it’s a gentle reminder to get those reply cards back). The beverage napkins will be embossed with the couple’s calligraphied names (calligraphy by the amazingly talented Pretty Pen Jen).

I have a fascination with all things old – antiques, old movies, old photos,  heirloom china, old machines (i.e. the 1200 pound 125 year old press I print on), etc. etc. What I also love is the formality which used to pervade everyday culture in times gone by.  I love that in the age of email and digital domain, the classic (and tangible) wedding invitation still exists. It is still addressed, sealed and snail-mailed. Ahhhh… the small pleasures… One thing that has changed though, is the reply card within. Not that long ago the reply card to accompany a wedding invitation was a stamped envelope and blank card to be filled out by the guest. And any well-etiquette-versed woman knew just how to do this. So how do you do it? Below are a few snippets from a favorite companion of mine, Miss Manners’ Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior by Judith Martin.

It’s really quite simple – you will want to reply in the 3rd person and copy out text from the invitation so that your response matches the formality of the invitation itself.  Your response should begin with your {name} (with all appropriate titles) and then “accepts with pleasure” or “regrets that they are unable to attend” (or some such thing equally elegant) the kind invitation of {invitee} for {the date and time}.

sample:

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Roe

accept with pleasure

the kind invitation of

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Winters

for

Saturday, the first of May

at twelve noon.

If you are feeling excruciatingly correct you could even go to the extent of:

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Roe

accept with pleasure

the kind invitation of

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Winters

for the wedding of their daughter

Miss Kitty Marie

and

Mr. Robert Compton

Saturday, the first of May

at twelve noon.

A couple days ago we posted the Save the Date for Heather and Timothy’s October wedding. Here is the finished invitation design to compliment! The invitation will be letterpressed on an ivory cotton stock and then bound with the vintage Midori Ascot ribbon. To match the vintage theme we designed a more formal reply card in which the guests write their formal response in the space provided.

I just finished putting together this swoon worthy invitation suite for dear friend, Kirby. We had ALL the text hand calligraphied by the amazingly talented Jennifer of Pretty Pen Jen! I love Jennifer’s blend of traditional script styles and her own unique brand of whimsy! The set will be letterpressed on double thick cotton paper. I can’t wait to get printing!

Just finished up this Save the Date proposal for Heather and Timothy. The hand-drawn map and accommodations card slip perfectly into the printed enclosure. The lined envelope will then be sealed with a vintage wine bottle inspired address label.

In the south the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality and welcome – really the perfect symbol for a wedding! I just finished up a design proposal for summer bride, Cait, who wanted a simple and clean invitation that incorporated the southern welcome pineapple. I used a hand-drawn pineapple with calligraphy accents underneath the gorgeous all script lettering. This one will look fabulous letterpressed!