Weekly Recap – March 13th, 20th
March 25, 2010 | Filed Under accessories, catalog invitations, custom invitations, posts with pics, weekly recap | Leave a Comment
At some point last year – maybe October or November - we declared purple THE color for 2010. It appears we were correct. If I had to guess, I would say that 15- 20% of all invitation orders we have placed or handmade so far this season contain a shade of purple either in the paper or the ink choices. Purple works well with silver OR gold as a metallic accents making it a great choice. Three out of 10 invites from this weekly recap contain purple and yet the style of each invitation and the color pairings look completely different!
1) catalog ordered pocketfold wedding invitation with garnet printing. the design was incorporated in to the invitation panel and inserts.
2) custom designed pocketfold wedding invitation in silver and purple. Several crystals were applied within the design and front tag to add some bling!
3) catalog ordered pocketfold wedding invitation in black and teal. the design was incorporated in the invitation panel and inserts.
4) flat panel invitation in black, teal and white. this is on of our favorite catalog orders this season. not only is the design awesome, the ink color pairing turned out fantastic. this invitation comes from an album where you can pair any two ink colors together to make the invitation fit your color scheme.
5) flat panel invitation with pearl embossed border. this invitation is a prime example of how you can take a traditional invitation, use a modern font combo and end up with a very classy, current looking ensemble!
6) flat panel invitation printed on soft white linen paper with a distinctive pearl border. another traditional invitation made current with a modern monogram and font choices
7) our first order from the new value with style book. if you are looking for ‘graphic design’ looking invitations without the ‘graphic design price’ this album has plenty of offerings. this slate grey and yellow wedding invitation is actually double sided. the invitation information is on the front and then the accommodations and reception information on the reverse.
8) custom designed pocketfold wedding invitation in pink, black and white. crystals were applied to the design for a little added sparkle!
9) this two-tone purple wedding invitation is another of my favorites this year. (not shown: the super funky orange envelopes the bride ordered to go with the ensemble)
10) custom designed pocket fold wedding invitation with daisy theme. this purple/pink and green combination looks spectacular and perfectly suited for their outdoor ceremony at manakiki! A single crystal was applied to the center of the daisy on the invitation panel for some bling.
11) a small collection of cocktail napkins that have been ordered through us. a few of them using custom monograms we designed for the clients!
Weekly Recap – Feb 27th and March 6th
March 25, 2010 | Filed Under accessories, catalog invitations, custom invitations, posts with pics, studio news and happenings, weekly recap | Leave a Comment
So I knew it would be impossible for me to stick with the weekly recaps on…well…a weekly basis. I am doing the best I can over here! Picking up where I left off, this post covers weeks ending February 27th and March 6th. Oh and recaps for March 13th and 20th are not far behind. Hope to have them finished up later today. Wedding Season is in full swing for us right now and I am not able to share all the orders and designs that we’ve received and/or made but here’s a glimpse at some of our favorites….
1) navy blue and yellow wedding invitation. the bride flip flopped ink colors on the inserts and liners to create her own look. this invite can be printed on white or ecru stock in a combination of two of over 20 ink colors.
2) navy blue and yellow table card coordinating with invitation from #1
3) love birds wedding invitation (this invitation won the 2007 louie award for best stationery). the birds’ heads interlock when the gate fold style enclosure is folded close. when open, the invitation panel is in the center.
4) flat panel wedding invitation in ecru stock with designer pearlized border. love how the bride pulled her wedding color of orange in through the print ….the invitations looked super classy!
5) flat panel wedding invitation in white stock with recessed panel. rosewood envelope liners were used to pull the wedding color in
6) custom designed wedding invitation featuring cala lily’s. this was a flat panel invite with the design printed behind the wording. pink, gold and ecru papers were used.
7) pocketfold wedding invitation from the carlson craft pockets album. this invitation can be printed in a combination of two of over 30 ink colors
8) custom designed pocketfold wedding invitation. this invite is actually one of our brides diy projects. we provided design, printing and an instructional packet. she cut and assembled the project herself saving the cost of our labor. this design features products from the envelopments line.
9) custom designed pocketfold wedding invitation. the pocket is made of a subtle floral pattern while the inserts are layered to incorporate both colors from the pattern. a 7/8” satin ribbon was used to accent the invitation adding the perfect touch of ‘formal’.
10) catalog ordered pocketfold wedding invitation. a champagne shimmer pocket with ecru cards. this bride pulled her colors in by using claret ink and claret envelope liners. such a sharp, crisp contrast to the soft ecru stock. a perfect combination!
11) hot pink, black and white wedding invitation. this invitation can be printed in many different ink colors and white or ecru stock can be used.
12) flat panel wedding invitation on eco-friendly stock. love the top-open envelope with motif from invitation carried through!
13) catalog ordered pocketfold invitation. a fun swirl design framed the invitation wording and was used on the inserts as well
14) catalog ordered pocketfold invitation. a flourish/swirl design was incorporated on the invitation panel and both inserts
15) two different flat panel wedding invitations with pearlized designer borders
New Pocketfold Styles from Carlson Craft!
March 23, 2010 | Filed Under catalog invitations, posts with pics, studio news and happenings | 1 Comment
A few weeks ago we received several new insert pages for the Carlson Craft Pockets album. We love the fresh new styles…and especially the ability to work with personal photos! This album offers the flexibility of 15 different pocket colors, 20 different layer colors and the option to print on white stock or ecru stock in a combination of any two of the 32 different ink colors. So whatever your color combination may be, you are sure to create a combination that works! Shop online or visit us at our studio to save up to 30% off your order today! Here’s a quick view of some of the recent additions.
Fox 8 Hotlist is back – and we need your votes!
March 17, 2010 | Filed Under studio news and happenings | Leave a Comment
Once again, we have been noimated for the ”Best Invitations” category in the Akron/Canton Fox 8 Hotlist. We have won this competition the previous two years…and we need your help NOW more than ever to keep our title! Voting only takes a second…and I PROMISE you, Fox 8 will not spam you. I have an email address that I set up just for voting 3 years ago and have never received a single email…not from Fox 8 and not from anyone. For the duration of the contest, you can only vote one time PER email address. So please be sure to tell your friends….we need all the votes we can get!! Thanks guys! Help keep us #1 – Click Here to Vote!!!
Real Brides: Jill and Paul
March 12, 2010 | Filed Under custom invitations, posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment
Jillian and Paul came to us as a referral from The Sheraton Suites. And you know how much we love our Sheraton brides! By the first time we met with Jill she had an all-star lineup of vendors and quite a few unique ideas for her fall wedding (my favorite being the large tree with hanging escort cards). Meeting with her and her mom Rebecca was always such a pleasure….not only because we had great conversations (they always made me laugh…) but also because we stayed on task and accomplished so much!! We truly enjoyed providing the invitations, escort cards, ceremony programs, memory cards, table numbers and thank you cards for this amazingly beautiful wedding.
What part of the wedding planning was the most fun?
Honestly, I can’t pick! I had an amazing time during the entire wedding planning process. I truly felt like our vendors became friends (i.e. Stacy and Stephanie) and due to all of their hard work, our wedding day was beyond perfect. Our wedding was a dream come true and a wonderful start to a new life with my new husband!
What part of the wedding planning was the least fun?
I had fun during the entire process. Who doesn’t have fun planning their dream wedding to the perfect man???
Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories?
The feedback from our guests was overwhelming in its praise of our invitations and accessories. Words used by our guests included: beautiful, brilliant, creative, elegant and classy. Our wedding invitation truly set the tone of our wedding and there is nothing I would have changed.
Please list anything you would like to include regarding your experience with Paper Persuasions:
Working with Paper Persuasions was truly a remarkable and quite memorable experience. Stacy and Stephanie provided the total package. They walked us through the entire process from the initial consultation, to the drafts, to the end product. We are so grateful to have found Paper Persuasions and to have had the opportunity to work with them. We look forward to planning another big event where we can use their creative services once again!
Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding?
Before you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Enjoy your wedding planning…I promise, it can be lots of fun! I believe a successful bride and groom do not plan their wedding alone – they get help, and lots of it! One of the best ways to have a successful wedding is to be organized and begin planning your event as soon as possible. The earlier you begin preparing the better your chances of getting the vendors that you want.
Here is Jill and Paul’s vendor list!
Ceremony: Pilgrim Church
Reception: Sheraton Suites – Cuyahoga Falls
Bride’s Apparel: Steven Yearick from Henri’s Cloud Nine
Groom’s Apparel: American Commodore Tuxedo
Floral: Klaus from Wildflower
Linens: Sitting Pretty
Photography: Lyon’s Photography
Reception Entertainment: Redline – Jerry Bruno Productions
Ceremony Music: Suite Elegance
Transportation: Lolly the Trolley
Lighting: Pro-Disc Entertainment
Cake: Zoey’s
Ice Sculpture: Elegant Ice Creations
Hair and Makeup: MC Hair Consultants
Stationery: Paper Persuasions
In lieu of favors, Jill and Paul made a donation in honor of Jill’s father – the late Mr. Lewis Crouch. On that card, they shared a quote with their guests…and it has stuck with me since I first read it. “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa
Jill and Paul – may you have many many happy years together!
Response card etiquette and postage solutions for international guests
March 10, 2010 | Filed Under etiquette, posts with pics | Leave a Comment
One rule of wedding etiquette that is now widely accepted AND expected is providing postage for your rsvp envelopes. Not only does it make it as easy as possible for your guests to respond, it seems kinda rude to request a timely response from your guests while expecting them to spend money in order to comply. Most brides we meet with are well aware of this ‘rule’….but they often fail to realize that special postage is required for guests who live out of the country, resulting in an ‘etiquette blunder’.
There are a few different ways to handle postage for an international response card:
- have a different response card printed for international guests requesting a response via phone, website or email instead of by mail
- arrange to have a friend or family member residing in the foreign country send the correct postage stamps to you so that you are able to use them in the ensemble
- order postage stamps online directly from the appropriate country and have them shipped to you (most of the time, shipping is just $1)
- purchase postage vouchers from your local post office and send them with the response card – your guests take the voucher to their local post office and exchange it for the correct postage (this is the method we suggest and we explain it further below)
UNIVERSAL POSTAGE VOUCHERS
Thanks to Kendra and Kevin (one of our current custom invitation couples who are getting married in April) we were finally able to see, touch and photograph these postage vouchers for you! We’ve always known about them and encouraged brides to use them, but we have never physically worked with them while assembling invitations until now. So – the way it works – you (currently) pay $2.10 for the voucher and send it with your rsvp card. Your guest takes the voucher to their local post office and exchanges it for the appropriate postage stamp. This voucher works as an exchange in postage for nearly all countries. Though this option is probably the costliest solution, it is also the most convenient solution if you are sending invitations to a few different countries. Wanna see what they look like?!?! Here ya go!
- international postage vouchers can be purchased at your local post office and should be sent to wedding guests who live in other countries
- this is how we include the universal postage voucher in response envelopes going to international wedding guests
- front and back view of the universal postage voucher
