CT-Designs Calligraphy and Wedding Stationery

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Red Wedding Stationery

2012-02-10T10:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday! Thought it would be fun as we approach Valentine's Day to put a board together with all the red stationery we've done! Its such a romantic color and I found more than I thought I would...

Clockwise beginning in upper left:

This one is really black and white, but the red bouquet makes this shot so romantic, I had to include!
Peacock feather adorns this Indian-themed invite
Duffy script in sliver metallic ink hand lettered onto a red envelope
Flossmoor Country Club menu adorned with red silk floral
Square menu with red trim that includes muted orchids in the corners
One of my favorite, early designs features a red pocket, trimmed in blue and a small tree

Enjoy the pics and have good weekends!

Take care,

--ct

Peek-A-Boo: Utilizing the Backside of the Wedding Invite

2012-02-08T03:14:00.000-06:00

Happy #WeddingWednesday! Wanted to highlight a part of your invitation that's not usually talked about. The backside. The back of your save the date, shower or wedding invitation is an area that can be utilized. Don't be afraid of the back! The backs can feature rich, robust, bold and fun patterns that give your stationery a bit of whimsy! This touch is unexpected and the "unexpected" in stationery is typically what will distinguish your paper from the ordinary.

Taking the colors from peony motif on the front, the backside of this
invite alternates them into a very strong striped pattern
From: WeddingPaperDivas.com

Another fun idea is to continue the exact pattern on the front and then flood the back
with it... From: WeddingPaperDivas.com

Save the Dates by CT-Designs
Polka dots on the back are ALWAYS a fun idea...

A few things to think about when considering a pattern:

Typically, if you make sure your background pattern picks up the same colors from the design/motif on the front, there will still be some continuity.
Popular patterns are stripes, damask, florals, interlocking patterns, polka dots and solids.
Don't be afraid to try to tie in this pattern with a fun envelope liner...

Take care til' next time!

--ct

Fun Wedding Paper D.I.Y. Ideas

2012-02-06T07:08:00.003-06:00

*Yawn* good morning guys and happy Monday. Congrats to the NY Giants on winning Super Bowl XLVI! We watched, "Cruz-salsa'd" and are happy for NYC in Chicago!

Found some D.I.Y. paper ideas you can use NOW... Think I'm going to later share some great Wedding D.I.Y. Pinterest boards I've discovered. There are not as many as you would think, but I managed to uncover some "best kept secrets" out there I think are worth your time.

Enjoy these ideas and have great weeks! I'll be back on Wednesday.
Take care,--ct

Wrap craft paper around matchbooks and write guests names out so
that they double as place cards. Functional, there are multiple uses for matches,
and guests are sure to hang on to these.
From: MarthaStewartWeddings

Not an actual craft project, but the table assignment process
takes so long, this idea should help things along!
From: http://viv-spot.blogspot.com/

From a "Library-themed" birthday party... GREAT ideas that
will add a special touch to your decor if appropriate!
From: Saraspartyperfect.com

D.I.Y. envelopes from vintage books!
From: Intimate Weddings

Three Wedding Guest Book Alternatives

2012-02-03T09:36:00.003-06:00

Happy Friday! Today's blog features three alternatives to the standard wedding guestbook. So much fun to be had with paper, decor and personalization, it feels endless. The following ideas purposely span vastly different wedding styles/themes. Hope these are great finds for you!

Carnation Ball! How pretty is this? Fun display. I'd probably suggest having

the paper for the names/well wishes to be larger and on card stock vs. a text weight.
From: WeddingsbyColor.com

Adding a beautiful tree, with ample decor always adds interest. My favorite
part of this display is the ornate frame. It just screams calligraphy
and is another clear opportunity for you to personalize your day.
From: Cedarwoodweddings.com

If having a vintage, rustic or shabby chic affair, consider placing
your instructions to your guests inside an old typewriter. Nice touch,
functional, and adds to your decor.
From: Cedarwoodweddings.com

Enjoy the pics and enjoy your weekends! I'll be back on Monday!

Take care,

--ct

An Intimate Bridal Affair at Hotel Palomar

2012-02-01T10:52:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of attending a bridal event produced by Glitz Event Design. I don't usually get a chance to blog about events that I attend, but this one had such interesting vendors and such a spectacular look that I thought it was noteworthy. This is by no means an exhaustive list of who exhibited at this event. Visit An Intimate Bridal Affair for a complete listing.

1. Peggy Lambert of Erickson Design 2. Joe Chambers from ChicagoStye Weddings Magazine

3. Chicago Wedding Candy Buffet by Donna G. 4. Carol Woldhaus, CW Designs, Bernard Presutti, Planner of the Bride and Danielle Ruggiero, Make-up artist 5. CWDesigns/Planner of the Bride table display

6. Hand Painted Chair backer decor detail, CWDesigns 7. Complimentary Henna Tattos by Unnati'Z Art

8. Closeup of the Henna 9. Live Belly dance performance 10. Christine Jackson and Lisa Pugliese from Wedding Guide Chicago 11. Ola O. Morin-Muhammed, CEO/Art-Director of IJORERE, The Invitation, Inc. 12. Live wedding gown model (Jenny Yoo Collection & Dame Couture) 13. Live illustrations by the fabulous Rosemary Fanti 14. This event's brainchild: Candace Polk, founder and CEO of Glitz Event Design (thanks Candace, everything was wonderful, great job)

An Intimate Bridal Affair boasted some of Chicago's "best kept secret" suppliers and had an edgy, moroccan vibe. The Hotel Palomar is also a wonderful venue for a special event. Very intimate, with a River North locale, we had no problem finding the venue, or surprisingly street parking.

Thanks again so much Candace for exposing us to such a great collection of wedding partners.Take care til' next time and have a happy #WeddingWednesday!
--ct

Vintage Key Wedding Ideas

2012-01-30T08:14:00.000-06:00

Good Morning! On my pinterest travels, I've discovered some fun uses of keys with wedding stationery, and just HAD to share a few on the blog today. If you are having a vintage or shabby chic inspired wedding, consider some of these ideas.

Guests place card tags attached to string, affixed to keys. Looks like they
are hung against a distressed wall. Love this look.
From: Brides.com

Same concept, however the vintage look is more authentic with the browned
edges and hand lettering.
From: StyleMePretty.com

Not just used on place cards, this adorable save the date tag features
a large vintage skeleton key. Sure to be hung somewhere cool by your
wedding guests...
From: Unisoneventplanners.com

Quaint key bottle opener wedding favor
myweddingfavorsetc.com

Cute way to showcase key tags... Instead of distressed wood, why not affixed to a vintage frame?
cedarwoodweddings.com

Enjoy the pics and have good weeks! I'll be back on Wednesday.

--ct

Address Your Guests ...In Chalk

2012-01-27T03:35:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday! Wanted to wrap up this busy week by offering up a primer on chalk. You've seen them. Whether its cute signage pointing guests towards the reception, or menus putting guests in the mind of a charming little French bistro, chalk and chalkboards have become a popular centerpiece at weddings.

What about the guests though? I haven't seen enough emphasis placed on the personalized items utilizing this hip and cool medium. Take a look at some of the great ideas I found.

Shabby Chic setup with die-cut chalk place cards

Heart shaped chalk affixed to mason jars

Chalkboard Place Card Eggs (yes, eggs... who knew?)

Etsy.com

Cute tags with chalk

Little Heart Chalkboards

...Also thought it was important for you DIY'ers out there to know just how this look is achieved.

How-To Chalk Basics:

You can purchase chalk contact paper in rolls and can therefore trim it and apply it to the surface of your choice. Place cards, pre-cut hearts, etc.
Regular chalk can be messy... You might want to consider a sort of "wet-erase" marker that has a distressed, rough chalk appearance. Pros: You can achieve the proper look, and you won't have to worry about how to transport or rub off Cons: I haven't been able to find a fine tip so delicate work is difficult to achieve.

Amazon is a great place to buy the contact paper; Dick Blick's is nice for the
chalk markers... I prefer the Pentel brand.

Please share any other tips you have about fun with chalk! Take care and have good weekends... I'll be back on Monday.
--ct

Intro graphic credit: www.unitedwithlove.com

Calligraphy Season Starting Early in 2012

2012-01-25T09:28:00.001-06:00

Another season within the wedding season is known as calligraphy season. This is really a sub-season that goes hand-in-hand with invitation season, however CT-Designs is being flooded with inquiries, which don't typically begin until late February/early March.

We love it and will be doing some more instructional blogs on hand lettering as the season goes on. I am HOPING to do some D.I.Y. video on the technique as well, but we'll see! If you get a moment, please check out my guest blog at After All Is Done Events, which is a calligraphy primer of sorts. Some good information and worth your time.

Because of the recent spike in inquiries, I thought it was appropriate to market our two calligraphy sample pack listings available on our Etsy Shop:

CT-Designs (Regular Sample Kit)

CT-Designs (Deluxe Sample Kit)

One of my recommendations, when shopping for a calligrapher, is to always secure physical samples if you have the time to review. If you'd like a closer look at our work, purchase a pack today!

Enjoy the samples and this #WeddingWednesday... Have great days everyone and I'll be back on Friday!

--ct

Key Dates For Your Wedding Stationery

2012-01-23T09:19:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday! We are plowing through the month of January huh? Can't believe how quickly time is going by. Thinking about time inspired this latest blog, which tackles the amount of time you should allot for the development and production of your custom wedding stationery.

Its rather easy to get "stuck" in the design and layout portion of your creative, particularly when there are multiple stakeholders weighing in with opinions/direction. I can't stress how important it is to:

Allot a certain amount of time to conception/development.
Stick to a schedule and if you find that you get off by a few days, revisit.
Be strict about this. Designers, don't be hesitant to submit a revised timeline and clients should ask how additional changes are impacting originally agreed upon dates.

These times will obviously differ based on the invitation company. These are our guidelines and what we have found to work well:

Custom Invitation Suite (approx. 45 days)

Initial layouts - 3-5 days
Initial feedback - 2-3 days
Edits (2-3 rounds) - 2 weeks or 10 business days
Finalization (preparing files for press, gathering fonts, last minute edits) - 2-3 days
Physical Proof - 3-4 days
Approval of physical proof - 2 days
Invitation Suite in Production - 4 weeks
Invites Mail - 8-10 weeks in advance of your wedding date

"Day of" Stationery Items (Content typically finalized much closer to your event date)

Ceremony Programs – Should be started no later than 4 weeks in advance of your date (or earlier)
Table Number Cards/Tents – Should be started no later than 4 weeks in advance of your date (or earlier)
Escort Cards (it takes time to get the RSVPs back and do the table assignments) - Should be started no later than 3 weeks in advance of your date (or earlier)
Menus (sometimes it takes a while to get the menu locked down) Should be started no later than 3 weeks in advance of your date (or earlier)

That about covers it... If you are sending out Save the Dates, they should go out 8-10 months in advance of your big day.

Take care and make it a great week. I'll be back on Wednesday!
--ct

DIY Wedding Skills

2012-01-20T08:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Wanted to do a little primer for the D.I.Y. bride... Do you understand folds? Know why scoring your paper prior to folding it is important? If you keep some little things in mind as you put together your materials, your paper products will be neater and more consistent from element to element.

Please refer to the paper primer post to become familiar with other paper terms you should know.

Any paper that has to be folded, should be scored first with a bone folder
and a straight edge. If you don't drag this tool along the paper and loosen the fibers, your
folded edge will look cracked, messy and unfinished.
DON'T skip this step. Also, folding cover stock over once (in half)
is referred to as a single fold or a bi-fold.

Paper that requires two folds, or folds that fold in on themselves
is referred to as a roll-fold, tri-fold or letter fold. Remember
the scoring principles...

Creating a program? Need holes for your ribbon to be pulled through?
Score your paper first, and use a ruler to measure where your holes
will be punched. They should be equidistant at the top and the bottom.
This way, when all of your finished programs are in a basket,
or stacked at the ceremony location, all of your bows, from program to program
are in the same spot. Measuring your holes makes for a very nice presentation.

Z-folding paper is a money saving option. Z-folding allows you to
only print on one side of your paper. You then score the paper twice
and fold it in a "z" shape. The first panel is the cover, and guests
pull it open and read it from left to right. Better and more interesting
than a two-sided element.

If you are not using ribbon and prefer to staple your spines,
you can perform your own "saddle-stitch" by purchasing an affordable
long reach stapler from Office Max. Make sure you still score the spines
and the 4-page spread edges (inside panel) are trimmed about 1/8"
shorter than the covers. This way, you won't have to worry about
the inside spread potruding from the cover once book is closed shut.

I'll be sharing more tips as we get into the season. Take care til' next time and have great weekends!

--ct

3 More Wedding Calligraphy Uses

2012-01-18T09:19:00.001-06:00

I've found three more uses for your wedding calligraphy! We always discuss envelopes, place cards and guestbooks, but there are soooo many more different cute and unique ways you can personalize items for your big day! Let's unwrap three more...

Place "stones" by CT-Designs. I lettered these stones for a wedding reception held at
the Adler Planetarium here in Chicago.
Great idea if you are getting married outdoors and wind is a concern!

Calligraphy (and watercolor) on maps and save the dates is gaining momentum.
There are also some gorgeous ones on Etsy. This one is by Designs by Robyn Love.

Tags are a GREAT idea for your wedding. So many items you can wrap these guys around.
These can be wrapped around favors, used as hanging place cards, etc.
Photo credit: olderandwisor.blogspot.com

Enjoy the ideas, this lovely #WeddingWednesday and I'll be back on Friday!

Take care,

--ct

CT-Designs Quoted in ChicagoStyle Weddings

2012-01-16T09:22:00.000-06:00

I'm proud to announce that CT-Designs was quoted in the January supplement of Chicago Style Weddings Magazine (2012 Trend Report). We shared our wonderful experience working with brides and their skyline/landscape themed Save the Dates. Our Etsy shop gives us great opportunities to work with local and national brides and we are excited entering what looks to be our busiest wedding season yet!

Page S-12

Page S-14

Take care and have great and productive weeks! I'll be back on Wednesday.

--ct

Wedding Terminology: Vintage and Rustic

2012-01-13T09:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Still breaking down thematic terms for your wedding paper. Earlier this week, I discussed Shabby Chic and Art Deco. Today's terms: Vintage and Rustic...

There has almost been a pre-occupation with this style in the wedding world, especially in the last 4 years... Part of this influence can be attributed to trends occurring elsewhere (i.e. fashion, interiors). We should also consider the popularity of certain wedding blogs, photographers and industry tastemakers such as Style Me Pretty.

There has been such an accelerated desire to borrow from earlier periods, that we may be accused by our successors of not having properly celebrated our own.

I'm actually a fan of this look so I'm not a wedding blogger that you'll find railing against all things vintage! I will say that you shouldn't just choose it, or get talked into it for no reason. It should be something you really love and a feeling that authentically reflects you and your partner.

I decided to focus on vintage and rustic together, because they typically go hand in hand. When thinking about your paper for both, think: Distressed paper, browns, circus fonts, ornate frames and corners, distressed type and old fashioned fonts.

How is this look achieved?
The best way to develop authentic looking vintage paper for your wedding is to look at actual documents (i.e. train tickets, posters, post cards, etc.) from earlier periods and be creative about re-purposing them.

Is this a theme you want to explore?
Maybe... Honestly this theme started out with couples who either wanted to be ironic, or who REALLY had connections with this period. This look is perfect for writers, history buffs, professors, etc. Ask yourself why you are passionate about this look. Just really put some thought into this before you decide to plop an antique typewriter on your guest book table. This IS becoming a look that has been out there a good little while.

Postcard: KJohnstonCreative | Thank You: Nostalgic Imprints | Detail: emsquaredstudio | Ticket: JamieKonet
Many of the vendors who specialize in this look offer GREAT recycled paper alternatives, please inquire.

Enjoy the pics and have great weekends everybody!
--ct

Wedding Theme Terminology: Art Deco

2012-01-11T08:52:00.001-06:00

Continuing to demystify some of the wedding theme jargon. Monday, I broke down the term "shabby chic". Today I'd like to tackle Art Deco.

What does it mean?

Art Deco refers to a bold decorative style characterized by geometric patterns, graphic colors, and similar to shabby chic, also has a heavy influence in furniture/architecture. This style saw its height of popularity during the 20's and 30's.

How is it achieved?
Coupling art deco inspired fonts, along with some patterns/motifs will achieve the look. Below are some graphic examples as well as fonts.

"Art Deco Motif" is a font that features only art deco characters...
Wonderful for creating stationery with the art deco feeling

Examples of Art Deco fonts coupled with design elements

Many of the Art Deco fonts can be found free through a basic google search

Is this a theme you want to explore?

I've had couples who were into architecture desire this look. I've also seen an interest by those who want their theme/materials to "borrow" from a different era without opting for the (now) overused vintage styles.

Wedding Theme Terminology: Shabby Chic

2012-01-09T11:30:00.000-06:00

Good Morning! Hope you all had outstanding weekends. Today I want to begin a series that will start to demystify some of the popular wedding jargon and terms that are being tossed about today. No need to pretend that you understand what these terms mean while your planner or stationer is excitedly rattling off ideas in a somewhat foreign, "wedding-ese" type dialect... Make sure you know what they are talking about so everyone is on the same page!

Today's term: Shabby Chic

Ornate corners, brownish backgrounds, chandeliers, stripes and frames are
all under the Shabby Chic umbrella!

What does it mean?
Shabby Chic refers to a type of design that pulls elements from historical design periods. The more worn, old and distressed the elements are, the better! Think: wood, canvas or burlap backgrounds. Chandeliers, dated florals or baroque frames.

How is it achieved?
Those historical, "shabby" elements are then coupled/mixed with softer, minimalistic elements that balance the old with the more elegant and polished. Think: Stripes, modern/contemporary fonts, muted color palettes.

Is this a theme you want to explore?
You might... Ask yourself if you are a fan of historical pieces. Do you like the distressed look? Do you think that it is appropriate for a wedding? Finally, what kind of feeling do you want your nuptials to have?

I think that Shabby Chic designs can be brilliant and are more interesting than just "another" vintage theme. Vintage is basically just the "shabby" portion of shabby chic. In terms of your paper and fonts, the possibilities are endless and the theme can be used inside any season.

Please enjoy some of the pics I gathered for inspiration and I'll be back on Wednesday!

Photo credits: Key with calendar | Save the Date with phonograph | Chandeliers | Striped Stationery

--ct

Wedding Photo Thank You Cards

2012-01-06T09:46:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday! Wanted to share a cute and fun idea with you today. I had three clients that utilized nice "money" shots from their wedding albums, to use on the inside AND outside of their thank you cards.

Nice way to show off new pics of you and your partner! The biggest challenge you will probably face here is which photos to use!

Gorgeous, sepia toned photo of Aneesa and her hubby James

Married in Punta Cana... The wedding party and guest count was
small enough to fit onto one photo. That's the photo they chose to use on the inside.

Denedra and Eron elected to have their cover shot be in full color and the inside
b/w... Just need to decrease the opacity of the picture to ensure legibility of the inner message

Helen and her new hubby elected to go with a more crafty Thank You card!
They actually provided me with actual wallet sized photos and we mounted
them onto metallic card stock prior to mounting them to the actual cards.
Keepsake quality for sure!

Feel free to steal these ideas and make them your own! Have good weekends and I'll be back on Monday!

--ct

Wedding Invitation Resources

2012-01-04T10:16:00.002-06:00

Good Morning! Wanted to share some resources today for your invitations... Still resuscitating older posts. I've done SO much blogging in the last year, and I want to make sure I put the best in front of you guys! The links below will connect you to pertinent posts that relate to most everything you'll need to know about your Paper, invitations, fonts and more!

Enjoy!
--ct

Printing Your Wedding Invitations: 2012 Edition

2012-01-02T08:54:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! This is a repost from a couple of seasons ago with a few updates... We are re-entering invitation season, let's go!

Around this time, circa 2010, I highlighted the current “season within the wedding season” that most brides have found themselves in -- printing the invitations. I explored basic distinctions between solid and process colors, cover and text weight stocks.

Its 2012, and I'd like to re-introduce readers to our “mini-glossary” of printing terms. After this installment, you will be well on your way to discussing your invitations with your stationer or printer.

DIFFERENT PRINTING METHODS
There are multiple printing methods available to you that you should consider before actually sending your invitations to press.

Lithography (LE THA GRAFEE) or Offset Printing
This method of printing is one of the most popular. It involves burning the image or artwork to four separate plates, a cyan plate, a magenta plate, a yellow plate and a black plate. Some presses have enough stations to accommodate solid ink plates as well. Stock is fed through the press and the image is transferred or “offset” onto a blanket from the plate and from the blanket to the stock.

Pros: Ink coverage is of a superior quality. Great for achieving consistency on creative that has solid blocks of color.

Cons: Setup costs are expensive and will be your main cost driver. Typical invitation quantities of 150 to 300 are usually considered too small for Lithography printing, unless solid colors are absolutely necessary. Contract proofs (which I recommend for accurately reviewing color) also add to your costs and are on average $75 and up.

Digital Printing
Extremely popular printing method for a short run! Digital presses usually use toner-based inks and do not require plates. The setup costs for digital quality prints are low and you essentially pay for stock used + ink.

Pros: Perfect for qtys ranging from 25 – 500. Invitation and other wedding stationery elements typically fall right into this category. Proof costs are minimal and can be output as a “one off” from the press onto the stock you have selected.

Cons: Ink coverage and quality is not as nice and rich as lithography, and solid colors cannot be achieved through the digital printing process. CMYK only!

Engraving
Engraving is without a doubt, the most expensive method of printing your invite. Text and images are etched onto a copper plate, and your stock “kisses” the plate. The area where the image and text are become raised. The test for true engraving is to check the back of the stock. You will see an actual indentation on the back of the stock from the plate.

dolcepress.com

Pros: You can be confident that you are using the most traditional method of printing your invitations. Engraving will provide the highest quality.

Cons: Invitation costs will skyrocket. Budget conscious brides will find this method to be cost prohibitive.

Thermography (THUR MAH GRAFEE) Printing
Beautiful after execution, thermography printing also features lettering that is RAISED. The process occurs on press and involves spreading thermal powders on the wet ink and heating it. The area that has been treated with the powder dries into a solid mass, hence, the dimension.

blog.tinyprints.com

theletteredset.com

Pros: Often referred to as the “poor mans engraving”, this method is cheaper than engraving and gives your invitations an “all too important” feel and look!

Cons: Because the raised lettering effect occurs on press, there is no way to REALLY inspect the proof prior to the press run. A small intangible, but I like to show my clients everything!

Letterpress

The opposite effect of engraving and thermography is letterpress. It is relief printing. Steel backed plates with raised metal type are pressed into thick, high-quality stock. The result is usually a beautiful motif and type indentation that is filled with ink. Read tips from Accucolor Printing on what works and what doesn’t when designing for letterpress. Also, check out a video of a letterpress machine in action! The machines are dinosaurs, but in fact it was a popular method of printing for over 500 years!

plushinvitations.squarespace.com

Pros: There are so many beautiful combinations of letterforms and artwork that can be effective for letterpress printing; I believe the bride that elects this method will end up with the most tactile invitation that guests are sure to interact with.

Cons: Costs… Design and printing of letterpress can be very costly, especially if your quantity is over 100.

Finally, these are some miscellaneous red flags that you should keep in mind. You may need to raise these questions with your printer/stationer based on the nature of your invite:

If there needs to be heavy ink coverage on your invitation, ask about the finish... Will it be shiny or will have an uncoated look? If you don't want a shiny finish, then ask if any kind of coating can be used to achieve the finish that you want...
Should there be a concern about ink ruboff on envelopes if working with blacks or dark navy?
What is the best printing method based on the design that you have chosen?
Is a physical proof of your invitation materials on the stock that you've selected available prior to printing? If so, is there a cost for this?
Are there recycled stock/paper options for your invitation?
Are there discounts available for placing an order for everything up front (i.e. thank you cards, menus, etc.)?

These questions will remind the vendors involved that you have done your research and you DO know what you are talking about!

Take care and congrats to all the NEWLY engaged out there. Flash that ring and enjoy!!!

Passport-Palooza: Anatomy of the Wedding Passport Invitation

2011-12-30T10:56:00.000-06:00

As we head into "invitation season" I thought I'd start it out with a bang. You love 'em, I love 'em, guests love to receive them, its the: The Destination Passport Themed Invitation.

Cover

The cover of your passport can be as formal or as fun as you would like it. I've seen invitations that have attempted to stick very closely with the traditional passport cover and then others have just broken all the rules. "Passport to Love", "Destination Bliss", "United in Love"... All of these titles are frequently seen on the cover. Additionally, list the couple's names, date and location of wedding.

The more elements you pick up from the actual passport, the more effective your invitation will be

Travel Arrangements

Sometimes you can drive your guests to your wedding website for information concerning travel arrangements, you can simply suggest places to go to book travel or you can actually point them to a travel agent. If going the travel agent route, its nice to have a page that details all of that information so guests will have everything they need to get started booking travel.

Couple Page

Everyone loves the couples page... This page can be as detailed as you want it to be. I've seen these pages stick pretty closely to the picture page formats in passports, but I've also seen them display very different info. Some very personal, some not so personal... Its up to you as a couple what you want to share about yourselves.

Sharing the most basic information

Expanded information can also be accommodated

Resort Info

This is a great spot to whet your guests appetite about the resort. You can use photos, indicate any special dress codes, number of restaurants, etc.

Schedule of Events

Maybe you have a welcome bonfire, rehearsal dinner, cocktail party... List everything that is going on here since typically these destination affairs span 3-4 days. Nice way to organize your activities.

These are just a few things that you can do... If you still need filler pages, think about having a page full of stamps or a page for your guests to take notes! Have fun with this, as it will become a keepsake you cherish for years to come.

Top Wedding Pinterest Boards

2011-12-28T09:43:00.000-06:00

Yes, I took Monday 12.26 off! I was basking in the holiday break and also taking in NBA games, which have returned with a vengeance... How insane was the Bulls at Lakers game on Christmas? Go Bulls!

Also, we are slowly moving out of Save the Date season and entering Invitation season so stay tuned for plenty of planning posts to help you navigate this task!

In the meantime, I wanted to share some of my favorite Pinterest boards! These are worth your time, check them out...

Dejanae Events has a spectacular Wedding Cake board with 105 pins!

Calligraphy board by yours truly....

Why start from scratch when you can comb through
The Perfect Palette's color palette library of 215 pins!

Lauren Grove of Every Last Detail has the largest
repository of escort cards and seating ideas I've seen.

Aglow Weddings and Events has an outdoor wedding board
that boasts 147 pins, I'm not kidding... Check it out!

This D.I.Y. Wedding Pinterest Board has SO many unique ideas...
Have some time available when you peruse this one!

For the bride who likes a little bling, Antoinette from After All Is Done
Events has a must see board with lots of sparkle!

Happy Holidays From CT-Designs

2011-12-23T10:09:00.002-06:00

I am such a scrooge this year... No tree, no decor and am working straight through the holidays! My only reprieve will come Christmas Day when there will be FIVE NBA games airing, signaling the triumphant return of hoops!

I thought I'd at LEAST decorate my blog since everywhere else seems so bare. Have safe, wonderful holidays everyone and I'll be back on Monday!

Making Bracelets for a Cause: Butter Kup Reloaded

2011-12-21T09:42:00.000-06:00

I attended my third Butter Kup Spa Collection Event on December 7th and was delighted to discover that the company's founder, Erika Bracey is using her network and influence to raise money for a worthy cause. After surviving a cancer diagnosis last year, Erika is now selling bracelets to help others who are under-insured and need support during this scary time.

The bracelets are gorgeous and are a seamless addition to an already awesome collection that includes original body scrubs, whipped creams, body oils and butters.

Erika took a break and was sweet enough to model for me...

The bracelets are substantial, come in different sizes and are just beautifully made.

The set up

Closeup showing the rhinestone embellished stones and cancer ribbon emblem charm

Montage of the 2011 Butter Kup Spa Collection Event

Finally, I wanted to share some local coverage that Erika received recently. This piece allowed her to open up about her experience and explain why she wanted to begin raising money. I hope everyone can support this worthy cause. It never quite means as much until it affects someone you know personally. Erika is a special individual and I wish her nothing but the best!

To order bracelets, email Erika at: erikabracey@gmail.com

ETSY Holiday Card Roundup

2011-12-19T09:29:00.000-06:00

Ok, I am horrible with holiday cards... Just horrible. Some seasons, I get them out. Others, I just can't be bothered. I think I'm usually SO happy for a slower season, the last thing I can picture myself doing is crafting cards... Another paper project? Really? I do understand that I'm missing a great opportunity though and my goal is to get better. Making a promise to myself to plan (and produce) some nice cards in 2013.

In the meantime though, I found some very inspiring work on Etsy and I always like to promote and share. This treasury list boasts vintage, photo-based and embellished work. Really beautiful and I hope you enjoy it. Have great, short weeks everyone!

Christmas Cards- Photo Cards...
MimisDollhouse
$7.50
Mod Simple Houndstooth Chris...
MommiesInk
$12.00
Holiday Card with Matching E...
SewColorfulDes...
$4.25
vintage bingo holiday card
afavorite
$5.00
Custom Vintage Style Printab...
applejackdesig...
$12.00
Vintage Noel Custom Holiday ...
applejackdesig...
$12.00
BOX of 6 let it snow holiday...
dutchdoor
$16.00
Letterpress Cupcake Holiday ...
kissandpunch
$4.75
HOLIDAY SALE - Letterpress H...
hutchvintage
$15.00
Letterpress Holiday Cards
PurpleInkPress
$2.00
Christmas Card Templates - H...
GloriousMemory
$12.00
Scrooge Holiday Card Set
FoglioPress
$15.00
DIY Merry Christmas Cards in...
thesleepingpri...
$6.00
DIY Printable Holiday Card -...
konadesigns
$12.00
recycled brown bag happy kwa...
bacidesigner
$4.00
CLOSEOUT - LOVE - Merry Chri...
kottageon5th
$13.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Wedding Best(s) of 2011

2011-12-16T10:15:00.000-06:00

I always do an end of the season post to highlight the créme de la créme of the current year! This was a delightfully insane season here at CT-Designs with a lot of ups and downs, but I wouldn't change a thing. We got some great buzz, completely revamped the website/blog and FINALLY opened an Etsy shop. We even managed to keep pace with the technological advances being made in the wedding industry, specifically with how brides seek inspiration and services for their big day.

The following is a brief summary of the highlights of our year:

Biggest Technological Undertaking
I launched the new website on February 13, 2011. HUGE undertaking. It took me a little over 3 months to complete. The before and after shots indicate how dramatic the changes were.

Every page was impacted in terms of the overall look and branding. The original site was dated and it didn't adequately reflect the quality of work we are capable of producing. To this day, people never hesitate to let me know how lovely the site is. Very proud of this 2011 accomplishment.

Press and Buzz
Wow. All I can say is 2011 was a banner year for CT-Designs in terms of press and features...

We were recognized in the following wedding press outlets:
Spring Summer issue of CS Brides
Spring Summer issue of The Knot
Beuweddings Blog (Ivy Room Wedding)
Beuweddings Blog (Eaglewood Resort Wedding)
Elizabeth Anne Designs
Winter 2011 Knot Luxury Edition
2012 The Knot Best of Weddings Pick

VERY excited about the buzz and hope to continue the trend in 2012... Thanks to all who made sure our company was properly credited!

Coolest Stationery Theme
Kelly and Mark

To incorporate a sports theme with such an elegantly styled design motif was a challenge, but it came out beautifully. We did a belly band invite, table cards, programs and baseball card styled place cards!

Being a sports junkie and Chicago native, this stationery suite was SO much fun to execute!

Best Invitation Collaboration
Erin and Daniel

Erin had a specific vision for her invitations and she also had awesome artistic ability. She actually sketched out the story of she and her hubby to be and wanted it to be included in a fold-out map style invite! A little cleanup in Photoshop by me was all that was required!

The event was also a mini-destination wedding to Wisconsin with a rustic/shabby chic look. Very beautiful and my best collaboration to date!

Congrats to Erin and Daniel, I can't wait til' your wedding is featured in 2012!

Etsy Store Opening
We opened with a handful of items in June of 2011, now we've got 59 items listed and have been welcomed very warmly to the Etsy community! I only wish I'd done it sooner! My goal is to list 100 items before March of 2012... Wish us luck!

Visit us on Etsy

Joining Pinterest
I FINALLY got around to joining Pinterest. Pinterest is a very cool, awesome way to gather inspiration on "boards" from work all over the web. It is also time consuming and addictive! Check out my earlier blog entitled Pinterest 101 and come join me in the madness! It's "ooh-ahh" city, for sure!

Follow my boards on Pinterest

Wow, what a season! I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store!

10 More Top Wedding Blogs You Should Know About

2011-12-14T01:02:00.000-06:00

Ilove BrideTide's listing of the Top 100+ Wedding Blogs...Very excited that the number has expanded to 149, because there are waytoo many now to limit the list to 100!

Istill think that there are some more that are going under the radar that are worth your time. Fair warning that there is a nod being given to some Chicago-based blogs!

Other personal criteria for this list:

Blog is fully established
Content is consistently updated
Features not just submissions, but helpful tips and ideas
Not already on all of the current wedding "it" lists and blogrolls

The listings are in alpha order:

Be U Weddings Blog
Wedding blog focusing on events in Chicago and the Midwest.
They featured my work twice in 2011, what are the odds?
Gorgeous real weddings and practical advice you can use now.
Absolutely recommended for Chicago brides-to-be. They will
give you a nice look into some of the hottest venues.

Heidzillas Blog
Northeast Ohio full service wedding planning company. Heidi and Brittany are totally
unselfish with the details of their events, every vendor involved gets mentioned
and the photos are not all submitted by photographers.
Look for the color palette + nice overview before each real wedding feature.

Lucky in Love
I know you are wondering why a Seattle-based blog is listed here,
but I've been following this blog for some time now and they
just have a nice balance of submissions, inspiration boards
and advice... I love a balanced approach.

Munaluchi Bridal Blog
Another balanced approach... One of the few resources for mocha brides,
this is a nice mix of inspiration boards, real weddings,
Etsy shop spotlights, and interesting discussions for brides-to-be.

Paper Blog (Wedding Magazine)
UK based blog where CT-Designs blogs are actually published... Our blog entries
have been selected 5 times as the Editor's pick in the lifestyle/wedding section!
Refreshing reading about weddings and style from an English perspective
and I highly recommend visiting...

Parisian Party Blog
I met Kim Petyt at ISSE Chicago and it was a delight. She has such a unique story!
She is originally from Chicago, got married, and was then promptly whisked away to Paris to live!
Now she plans weddings there and has the BEST advice for the bride who either wants
French-inspired nuptials, or is getting married in Paris. LOVE the spirit of this blog...
Note: Kim has also been blogging for almost 5 years (that's a lifetime in the blogging world
as there aren't too many bloggers who've been doing it prior to 2008-09)

Sassy Chicago Brides
This one is great with your morning coffee... Quick tips and insight that
can be absorbed in about 5 minutes. The blogging team is made up
of local brides-to-be as well as Wedding Guide Chicago staff, as this blog
is affiliated with that publication. They also accept wedding submissions.

Style Unveiled Blog
Style Unveiled is such an underrated site to me. Not sure what else
they can do to distinguish themselves, but I think that there is
room for them. Their site is very user-friendly in that you can
view blogs by city OR by ideas... They make it very easy to visit and find
just what you need... There is also much more variety here than yet, ANOTHER real wedding...

Wedding Lovely Blog
Tracy Osborn has managed to pack a TON of information into
one site. It should be cluttered and hard to understand, but it is organized very well...
Invitation vendors, wedding planners and now photogs are housed here, searchable
by region and price range. PLUS there are inspirational photos, real weddings,
D.I.Y. tips AND advice... Brilliant and so so pinnable!

Wedology Blog
Desirée Dent has capitalized on producing timely, pithy, brief and readable blogs
full of practical advice brides can use immediately when planning
their big day. She is currently on a blogging tear for December 2011,
committing to blogging for 31 consecutive days, so don't miss out!

Look for some of these blogs to crack Bride Tide's list at some point... Hopefully in 2012! Also, let me know about some of the wedding industry's "best kept secret" blogs below, I'm always looking for new sites to read and feature if I can!

2012 Wedding Paper Trend Watch #3: Font Design

2011-12-12T09:21:00.000-06:00

Check out the other blogs in this 2012 trend mini-series!

Part 1 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Soft Themes
Part 2 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Colors
Part 3 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Fonts

Fonts and font design in 2012 will be pushed more than ever before... Pay close attention to usage, scale and combinations. I've been seeing over-sized ampersands, circus fonts (the circus styled fonts are actually very commonly used/seen now), cool seamless patterns and contemporary font-styled combinations. The possibilities here have become endless.

Some of these touches are pleasant surprises that add the "wow factor" and interest to invitation suites. Others might be a little much. Invitation designers must, as one of my favorite style authorities Tim Gunn would say, bring an "editing eye" to their work.

Photo credits clockwise from l to r:

yolaweddinginvitation.com | davidairey.com | en.paperblog.com | stationerywithane.com

minted.com/blog

http://www.mitchellanddent.com.au/

http://creativestartdesign.com/

http://empapers.com/

2012 Wedding Paper Trend Watch #2: Color Schemes

2011-12-09T00:02:00.000-06:00

Previous installments in this series:
Part 1 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Soft Themes
Part 2 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Colors
Part 3 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Fonts

2012 Color Schemes: Merlot | Purple | Platinum | Yellow | Navy
Ok, you may or may not know that I am an "ink on paper" girl. I spent almost 15 years as a print production manager before taking CT-Designs full-time. While I respect the pillars of the printing industry, I don't care what Pantone® ends up selecting in 2012 as the "color of the year." I executed and looked at dozens and dozens of invitation suites last season and I don't remember a common thread of "honeysuckle." Seriously. Someone point me to a relevant Pinterest board if I've missed something... Perhaps in fashion and the home industry this trend was felt, but for weddings, I'm going to say not so much.

I do know the following:

More and more brides are selecting some form of cranberry, wine or purple for their invitation suites.
I thought the refreshing splash of yellow, marigold, sunburst, etc was going to make a quick appearance and then head out the door, but she is not going anywhere and should officially be considered the new chocolate.
Platinum, pewter and slate grey has become the new complimentary color, much like champagne used to be.
And navy... Well, navy continues to appear in wedding palette after wedding palette, and its not restricted to nautical themes... I've seen it paired with yellow, platinum, white, green, etc. Look for it again in 2012.

BREAKING NEWS: As I am going live with this blog, turns out Pantone HAS selected and announced their color of the year for 2012, and it is shockingly NOT on my list... Say hello to "Tangerine Tango." Really?

You can read the full article on Pantone's Page

Oh well, I'm standing behind my 2012 color palette, I know these colors are HOT! What do YOU think?

2012 Wedding Paper Trend Watch #1: Soft Themes

2011-12-07T00:22:00.000-06:00

Yes, its another "coming trends of 2012 blog!" It was unavoidable and this is actually the first of three that I'm publishing. I haven't done a series in a while so the blog was overdue...

Overview of our 2012 Wedding Paper Trend Watch Series:

Part 1 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Soft Themes
Part 2 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Colors
Part 3 of 3 - 2012 Trend Watch: Fonts

Soft-Themed Wedding Stationery
In an effort to make weddings even more distinctive and personal, I'm predicting brides going for "soft" themes in 2012. Not the hard sell, matchy-matchy theme, but just subtle elements of a desired look. No longer just simple and elegant, invitations and "day of" stationery will have fun touches weaved throughout. Think: French-Inspired, Old Hollywood, Alice in Wonderland, Vintage (sorry, vintage, like rap music, is not going anywhere), urban chic, shabby chic, rustic, etc...

Some cool inspiration boards I found on Pinterest... Clockwise from l to r:
unknown origin | disneybound.tumblr.com | luxefinds.com | circle.stylemepretty.com

What other themes do you think you can you easily pull elements from?

CT-Designs Named The Knot Best of Weddings 2012

2011-12-05T00:42:00.000-06:00

SO excited to announce that CT-Designs has been named The Knot Best of Weddings for 2012. We were voted, by our clients to be among the best in our category/market. The official anouncement will be made by the Knot on January 23, 2012. Thanks to all of my clients for the warm reviews you gave, I appreciate it so much.

Stay tuned to see an even higher level of service for the 2012 season! We are committing to slicker designs, higher quality calligraphy and full-time dedication to our brides.

7 Calligraphy Styled Wedding Fonts

2011-12-02T00:56:00.000-06:00

Seven calligraphy styled fonts for you today. These fonts have the distinction of being designed to mimic hand lettering. If this is the look that you want, these are perfect in terms of creating that feeling!

Although nothing replaces the personal touch of actual hand lettering, these fonts

are a great substitute for the budget-conscious...

Finding many things on my "Pinterest" travels and wanted to share!

A closer look at the letters reveals why these are great for your envelopes and invitations... The curves
are not perfectly symmetrical and there is a "roughness" in the stroke that would indicate
a pen moving across paper...

Follow the links below for purchasing/downloading info!

CT-Designs Featured in The Knot Magazine!

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Its a great #WeddingWednesday so far... So excited to be featured in the Winter 2011 Knot issue! On newsstands now, look for the "Special Edition Chicago" snipe in the upper right corner. Kelly and Mark's black, white and yellow wedding had a Chicago sports theme weaved throughout the stationery. SO much fun to put together since I love our sports teams as well. Go Bulls!

Tradition Touching As Daleys Sadly Lose Their Matriarch

2011-11-28T00:59:00.000-06:00

Clockwise: Maggie Daley and Richard Daley on their wedding day in 1972, Elizabeth and Sam,
Family picture from the ceremony.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the recent passing of Maggie Daley, wife of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and our city's first lady for 22 years.

The Daleys' younger daughter, Elizabeth Daley married her long time beau, Sam Hotchkiss at Spiaggia in Downtown Chicago on Thursday, November 17th. Their original wedding date was scheduled for New Year's Eve, but it was moved up to ensure that Mrs. Daley, who had been battling cancer, could witness and participate in the nuptials/celebration. Wonderful decision as Maggie would sadly succumb to her illness a mere 7 days later on Thanksgiving, a little after 6:00 P.M.

As I read this story with interest, I came across photos that showed Elizabeth wearing her mother's dress, seemingly preserved exactly as it was. How refreshing! With many of today's blogs reminding brides that this is their day and if they MUST wear their mother's gown, they shouldn't be afraid to take it to a seamstress, update it, etc... For the dress to be worn unviolated must have had so much meaning for Mrs. Daley and the family! Even though this loss must be devastating, the family can comfort themselves knowing that one of her final memories was seeing Elizabeth in that perserved gown.

Maggie was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and her battle inspired many suffering with the same illness. Mrs. Daley's works were far reaching and felt city-wide. Her legacy includes programs well-known to Chicagoans. After School Matters and Gallery 37 emphasized the exploration of visual arts/communication, and impacted thousands of Chicago's youth.

A public funeral Mass will be held today, 10:30 A.M. at Old St. Patrick's Church, located at 700 West Adams St. in Chicago. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Daley family.

The Grateful List: 8 Things We're Thankful For...

2011-11-25T12:59:00.000-06:00

We are so grateful this Thanksgiving season! I've become a bit of a list fanatic when crafting my blogs, so yes, this is really a list.

I am thankful for the biz and being able to finally do it full time. It has been thrilling, frightening and challenging all at the same time. I love what I do and with each day that passes, I am more sure that I am doing the right thing.
My family and friends... Your UNENDING support means the world to me!
Thanks to those who stop by and read us every other day, engage us in our comments section and we especially love the retweets!
Thankful that we can not only be a part of this great wedding industry, but that we can also carve out a niche and make a substantive contribution to it. It will only get better, stay tuned!
Thanks to all of the vendors who work so hard behind the scenes of CT-Designs... You allow us to put only our best foot forward.
Big thanks to the brides who trusted us with their wedding business this year.
Thanks to our wonderful clients who took the time to give us some fabulous reviews. I didn't expect to get so many and I'm proud to have partnered with you to make your wedding paper dreams come true.
Thanks to our Blog, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ acquaintances and followers... Met so many great people and have stumbled upon so much good information for blogging, weddings, social media and small business.

I don't want to steal the thunder from my upcoming end-of-the-year blog discussing the "bests" of 2011, so I'll just stop now! Have good weekends!

10 More Wedding Save the Date Tips

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

In order to properly acknowledge the 2011 Save the Date season, I've got MORE tips for you... I already discussed this element ad nauseam last season in a 101 part 1 and part 2 installment. However, in an effort to provide you with only the best content, I've squeezed out another set of fresh ideas for you as a supplement.

1. Be sure to use a pre-printed return address on the outer envelope. Some clients forgo adding this, but it can potentially give you a chance to polish up your guest list for the wedding... A returned Save the Date now will give you shot at updating an address. Don't miss out on this important opportunity.

2. Be careful when sending out Save the Dates to both A and B list guests. You might not have enough slots for the B list people and you don't want to be obligated to send them a formal invitation. Your B list should not get Save the Dates for this very reason.

3. Don't "over-share" on your Save the Date. This is simply an announcement and you don't have to get into specific details. Adults only, the location of the wedding beyond city and state, etc. is unnecessary (unless its a cool historical site you just HAVE to mention in order to whet your guest's appetites). Just remember that "Formal invitation to follow" should suffice for the rest of your detail.

Embellished cityscape save the date

4. Save the dates should be sent 7 to 9 months in advance of your date. You can go earlier, but it does depend on when your date is. If you are near a holiday or having a destination wedding, then the sooner the better... Normal wedding dates can use the 7-9 month window, no problem.

5. You don't have to mail physical Save the Dates depending on the nature of your guest list. I'm not necessarily a big fan of this method since I'm a paper girl, but Wedding Window's Save the Date eCards and others have been gaining in popularity so I must mention. You will have to be having an ultra small and/or informal event to even consider this method however. I will mention that no matter how nice electronic wedding communication looks (or how eco-sustainable this method is), it will still be impersonal compared to something mailed.

Custom save the date magnet
layout by CT-Designs

6. Watch the price of your magnet Save the Dates closely. You should always look to pay a designer to design the magnet, and secure just the layout artwork from them based on the magnet company's guidelines. You can then go ahead and upload the artwork yourself and pay direct costs. Magnets are already pretty expensive, so it makes no sense to pay someone a 20% markup fee to have them produced. This will be in addition to your custom design fees! Better yet, if you are not particular there are hundreds of pre-designed templates provided by these companies at no additional cost.

7. Don't feel compelled to use an engagement photo. You obviously can, and its still popular, however you can help distinguish your event (and even help to create a little mystery and anticipation) by not using one.

8. Don't snooze on the self-mailer as a cost effective vehicle for your Save the Date. I did two self-mailer Save the Dates last year and have designed two more that I will share soon. Lack of an envelope, and a smaller footprint help to value engineer this element.

9. Be careful not to use an outdated style for your Save the Dates.

In	Cityscapes \| Font-driven contemporary \| Cool Shapes
5 Minutes Ago	Traditional Calendar w/circled date \| Multiple photos
Out	Photostrips

10. Please, slowly back away from the Save the Date idea if you've waited too long to develop and send. I've had clients who've insisted on sending out their Save the Date at the 4-5 month mark, ONLY to follow it up immediately with the actual invitation. If you have waited this long, go ahead and send your invites out at the 3.5 - 4 month mark and be done with it...

These are my latest tips, now go out there and Save that Date!

I'll be back on Friday sharing what CT-Designs is grateful for in 2011... To those in the U.S. have safe and happy Thanksgiving holidays... Gobble, gobble!

5 Wedding Invitation Rules to Break

2011-11-21T01:45:00.001-06:00

Another week! As expected, we are hurtling towards the holidays! It will be New Year's before you know it... Inside the world of weddings, brides are busily developing their save the dates and slowly, the invitations are starting to at least be thought about.

I will probably re-post and/or update some of the printing tips and overall advice that I gave during this point of the season last year. For now though, I've still got a ton of completely fresh insight for your wedding paper! Today's post is about breaking some rules. Let's see how you can shake things up a bit...

1. You need to send out wedding invitations 3-4 months before your date.

Hey, I'm all for getting the invitations out as soon as possible, but there IS a such thing as too early. You don't want to give guests TOO long to respond or you will be spending a significant chunk of time chasing down RSVP's. I mean, you will have to do that anyway because there are a pocket of guests that will not respond no matter how easy you make things, but expect that number to climb if you give guests more than 3-4 weeks to send in their "yay" or "nay."

2. You must include an RSVP card.

Depending on your event and your guest list, you can consider having your RSVP's come through via your wedding website. I'm talking about a shabby chic, informal affair... Not formal/black tie... I am working on an invitation suite now that will only have 25 RSVP cards purchased for the portion of the 200 household guest list that will find it easier to mail the RSVP in. This method of printing a very small amount of RSVPs or eliminating them altogether is a great value engineering tool, and you should feel free to eschew any etiquette lists that suggest you must have a physical enclosure card.

3. Everything must be spelled out on your invitation, names in the center, etc.

I am starting to see more and more invitation panels that "poo-poo" the normal invite panel layout rules. Invitation layouts, especially for uniquely styled events, are flexible. Feel free to not only make the wording your own, but also embrace creative and fresh layout recommendations by your stationer. These unexpected layout changes ultimately add interest and style to your invitation.

4. You need to have an inner envelope.

Does an inner envelope add formality to your invitation suite? Yes. If you are having a formal event do you have to have one? No. Here's why. There are other ways to add formality to your invitation suite without using yet more paper. You can amplify the printing method. Instead of digital printing, you can use offset printing. If already utilizing offset, maybe you want to use thermography. Inner envelopes are nice, but when value engineering they become a "nice to have". Don't be afraid to "chuck" this element. If your invitations are well designed, printed on a sturdy card stock and are printed well, no one will remember that you didn't have an inner envelope. It is also more eco-friendly. If you MUST find a way to incorporate more paper, consider an envelope liner.

Note: Go here if you want to dig into printing methods a little more.

5. You must send + 1 wedding invitations.

Remember that this is YOUR wedding. You are not compelled to allow single guests to bring someone. It is nice and courteous to do so (only for single guests that have been dating their significant others for a while), however if your budget will not allow it, the "and Guest" can go. You can feel good about this one, trust me.

Again, I know we haven't quite made it into the season, but let me know what rules you have broken or may be thinking about breaking!

Wedding Table Number Ideas

2011-11-18T05:22:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday! Wanted to do a table number roundup today. Its kind of odd that I've never specifically blogged about this particular "day of" element before. There are so many ways to personalize and identify your tables now, and its going WAY beyond your standard "insert into stake" and tent style...

These were custom made numbers that would be interesting for
the right kind of event. Their weight alone lends themselves to
an outdoor reception.
Weddingbee.com

Great idea! For the D.I.Y. bride... Very affordable and chic.
Materials: Painted frames, scrapbooking paper and mailbox numbers!
Weddingbee.com

How cute is this? Photoshoot of a couple next to numbers.
These will most likely go in frames to sit on reception tables.
From luminairefoto.com

This is a popular die that many stationers own. The unique shape adds interest to tables.
blushpaperie.blogspot.com/

Ahhh, for the bride (and there are so many) that LOVES bling!
everylastdetailblog.com

Paperedwonders.com table numbers inside a clean, crisp white frame.

Calligraphed table number by CT-Designs.com inside an ornate frame.
The lanterns on the tables is also a nice touch.

I don't usually see curved table numbers like this. Tents, yes. Little curved bubbles, no.
They are different and will add interest to your tables, or your escort card table as well.
Down To Earth Paperworks on Etsy.com

These are my favorite. Any font aficionado will appreciate HAND painted
numbers mimicking the Chevalier Becker Stripes font.
NOT easy and they look wonderful. From Paperwhites

Finally, the table cards of course don't have to be limited to numbers...
Hot locations are all the rage. Magnificent Mile themed table card
designed by CT-Designs.com

A well-planned and executed number can really add to your decor. Let me know what you are thinking about using, or what you have used that was fun and different!

PINTEREST 101: Ready. Set. Pin.

2011-11-16T01:42:00.000-06:00

Happy #WeddingWednesday!

Today, I thought I would do a little "Pinterest primer" for those who have been hearing the whispers/rumblings about this latest addiction, but not quite enough to be motivated to actually join the site (or should I say movement?).

Pinterest really has the potential to become a dominant force in the world of visual communication and is impacting how we approach blogging and how weddings are visualized.

Because so much of what we do is driven by:

What brides see
The pictures brides provide as inspiration
And what WE ourselves see

...the creation of this "online pinboard" seems perfectly aligned with the wedding and design industry. In the words of style maven Rachel Zoe, it's "bananas!"

Who should join?
Anyone who is visually stimulated should join because there are virtually no limits to the types of boards that can be created and pinned on. I've seen boards for recipes, interiors, colors, antique furniture, you name it!

How do you join?
You can either ask a friend that you know who is on pinterest to invite you, or you can request an invite by visiting pinterest.com. You should receive an email back from Pinterest accepting you to the site with instructions on how to create a login.

What exactly do you do once there?
Once you join, and this is very important, you need to create a board (you will need to name the board and give it a category using a pull down menu) and then PIN something! Seriously, I know it seems obvious, but a lot of "would be" pinners join, look around at other people's pins and then leave without pinning anything. If you do not have any pins, others can't follow you and your boards. You have to have at least one pin for others to connect and follow you, so don't forget to take that step.

How do you pin?

Really easy... You select Add+ from the toolbar and you are given the options to either pin using the pin button, upload an image from your desktop and/or create a new board to "house" your pins... i.e Recipes, Wedding Colors, etc. There are other cool apps and plug-ins being made available, making it easy to pin from anywhere... You can find out more on their site.

You've got some boards with pins on them, now what?
Congratulations! You now have some of your favorite items in one place and you can return and reference them whenever you want... Great thing about this pinning mechanism is that the source website is one click away from your pin so everything is interactive.

How specifically can Pinterest impact your work?

Bloggers: Can neatly organize images for use in upcoming blogs

Wedding Planners: I can't think of a better way to tackle inspiration boards for brides

Brides-to-Be: Can begin to go over and catalog mucho eye candy for their big day

Photogs: Can examine different techniques - lighting, perspective, etc.

Invitation Designers: Can catalog different paper ideas by style, color, element, etc.

It goes without saying that since the images automatically indicate links back to their original location that wedding pros can carefully pin their own work to these boards as well. I wouldn't go overboard though, "self-pinning" should be done sparingly in my opinion.

Check out these Pinterest links
Great blog on how pinterest's logo was developed
Pinterest on Facebook
Pinterest on Twitter
Pinterest Home

Now, for a Pinterest roll-call... Who else is addicted?? Let me know below! :-)

Wedding Invitation Feature: Alissa & Brian's Destination Passports

2011-11-14T10:04:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday and I hope that everyone had good weekends. Wanted to take an opportunity to showcase some wedding invitations we delivered last month to Alissa and Brian (Michigan).

Alissa is getting married in February of 2012, admired the passport invitations that we executed for Aneesa and James, and wanted to make them her own. We implemented a muted, classic color palette of ivory, browns and khaki. I think even though the passports were customized from another design, they still came out clean and fresh. The colors are also refreshing for a destination affair.

The scoop:
Size: 8.25" x 5.25" Flat | 4.125" x 5.25" Folded
Ink: 4/4 CMYK (two-sided)
Printing: Digital
Cover Stock: Stardream Crystal Metallic 105# Cover
Body Stock: Stardream Crystal Metallic 80# Text
Bindery: Saddle-stitched/Trimmed to size/Round cornered

8 Unique Calligraphy Addressing Options

2011-11-11T10:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Today's blog highlights some different ways you can have your calligrapher address your envelopes. Just another way that you can distinguish your wedding stationery.

Enjoy the pics and your weekend and I'll be back on Monday. --ct

Duffy script with tails lettered to the edge - by CT-Designs

Refreshing slanted lettering... Might begin a new trend - by Lisa Holtzman

This beautiful, undulating lettering style is called "San Francisco" - by CalligraphybyHillary on Etsy

Another version of "San Francisco" Check out her site, she has some truly unique layouts!

I love white ink on anything and the larger names balance nicely with the address - by Primele on Etsy

Added flourishes that create a nice frame - by Eyecandycalligraphy

More from Eye Candy... I like the mixing of script and block as well as the scaling.

Beautiful flourishes and enlarged names from one of my all-time favorite
calligraphers - Danae Blackburn-Hernandez

Munaluchi Bridal Magazine: A Closer Look

2011-11-09T06:33:00.000-06:00

CT-Designs had such an unusually busy Fall and early Winter season that I didn't get a chance to post my thoughts on Munaluchi Bridal magazine. If you are like me, you may have wondered about this fairly new publication, but were just too busy (or lazy) to research it.

Today's blog is for that audience, and here is the skinny and what you need to know!

Why Munaluchi?
Munaluchi (Moo • nah • lucci) is a combination of two African names (one Ethiopian and the other Nigerian), which when fused together mean "Beautiful Work of God." In the About Us section of the magazine's home page, it is stated that the publication is "for the bride who craves culture and style..."

How Is It Distributed?
Munaluchi is published twice a year, can be purchased on their website and is widely available on newsstands.

How Many Issues Have You Missed?
There have been four. The Premiere issue, Spring/Summer 2010, Spring/Summer 2011 and the current issue, Fall/Winter 2011. You can order back issues here.

What Can You Expect?
This magazine is in a word, fabulous. The art direction and layout of the publication is top-notch, it is content-rich and the photography is simply dazzling. Page after page after page of brown brides, featured in editorial shoots as well as real weddings is really something to behold.

VH1's LaLa Vasquez and New York Knick Forward Carmelo Anthony's nuptials

Real Wedding

Editorial

Another gorgeously shot real wedding

You must experience it for yourself. Munaluchi has been kind enough to archive back issues digitally.

Is Brides Noir Still Being Published?
Oddly, their Facebook page has been down for some time now, their Twitter feed has not been updated since May of 2010 and their last issue dates back to December 2010. I thought that Munaluchi Bridal would JOIN Brides Noir as the second bridal mag aimed at women of color, however they are now likely the sole publication in this category/niche.

To read more about (and to connect with) Munaluchi Bridal, check out the following links:
Munaluchi Bridal Home Page
Munaluchi Bridal Blog
Munaluchi Bridal on Facebook
Munaluchi Bridal on Twitter
Munaluchi Bridal Purchases and Subscriptions
Munaluchi Bridal editor Jaqueline Nwobu interview feature on Brides Cafe Blog

50 Best Wedding Lists on Twitter

2011-11-07T00:15:00.001-06:00

This blog post today is for the busy wedding professional using Twitter that would like to become better acquainted with other twitter colleagues. I personally like to call them "twalleagues", but so far this term has NOT caught steam!

Twitter can be insanely time consuming so if you are short on "social networking" time then the best thing to do is to follow Twitter "lists".

Many wedding pros (myself included), have elected to create public Twitter lists. These lists neatly "bundle" our favorite wedding twitter contacts together. Others can choose to follow these public lists. This does three things:

It keeps your follower count down (minimizing your timeline traffic).
Allows you to pull up the list when you are in the mood to read just wedding industry buzz.
You will discover professionals that you probably wouldn't have met through your normal twitter usage.

The following public lists, curated by seasoned twitter wedding pros are worth your time. Most of the titles are self explanatory. The first part of the link indicates the twitter user, and the second portion is the name of the list. Feel free to explore these lists, follow and connect! Note: If you have a significant Twitter presence/following, you will probably find yourself listed, which is always nice to discover!

Let me know which lists you think should be added here! --ct

D2B3N4S84EYC

Addressing Your Wedding Guests

2011-11-04T00:54:00.001-05:00

As many of my brides are in the midst of sending out their Save the Dates (invitations are right around the corner), I thought this would be a perfect time to do a "refresher" blog on the proper etiquette when addressing your guests!

In addition to the specific examples below, remember to:

Completely spell out Street, Boulevard, Avenue, etc. as well as the State
Create separate columns for titles and first and last names if possible on your excel spreadsheet
Indicate the female guest's name first when possible

SINGLES

Single unmarried couple living together:

Ms. Sophie Smith

Mr. Steven Jordan

21711 Paxton

Mission Viejo, California

92692

Single guest bringing someone and you don't know their guest's name:

Ms. Jennifer Pitts

and Guest

348 Cleveland Avenue

Staten Island, New York

10302

MARRIED COUPLES

Married couple with the same last name:

Mr. and Mrs. Nick Tozzi

123 Mulberry Street

New York, New York

10013

Married couple with a wife who has maintained her maiden name:

Mrs. Agnes Fratta

Mr. David Washington

16 Coburn Street

Malden, Massachusetts

02148

Same gendered married couple with the same last name (Female):

The Mesdames* Sarah and Linda Jones

110 Hecker Avenue

Darien, Connecticut

06820

*plural form of Madam

Same gendered married couple with different last names (Female - alpha order):

Ms. Linda Jones

Ms. Sarah Smith

110 Hecker Avenue

Darien, Connecticut

06820

Same gendered married couple with the same last name (Male):

The Messrs.** Jim and Thomas Moore

21 Annawon Avenue

West Haven, Connecticut

06516

**plural form of Mister... Period at the end is optional

Same gendered married couple with different last names (Male - alpha order):

Mr. Jim Moore

Mr. Thomas Smith

21 Annawon Avenue

West Haven, Connecticut

06516

CHILDREN

Married couple with children:

Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Dalton

Jan, Stephen, Louis and Samantha***

58 Prestwick Drive

Hoschton, Georgia

30548

***and Family is also acceptable

Children over the age of 18 should receive their own separate invitation, even if they are still a part of their parent's household.

PROFESSIONALS

When the Husband is the doctor:

Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Pender

17701 Hillcrest Drive

Country Club Hills, Illinois

60478

When the Wife is the doctor:

Dr. Kimberly Pender and Mr. Patrick Pender

17701 Hillcrest Drive

Country Club Hills, Illinois

60478

When both the husband and the wife are doctors:

The Doctors Pender

17701 Hillcrest Drive

Country Club Hills, Illinois

60478

Note: Married attorneys do NOT need Esq.

This is a pretty basic list, please let me know other tricky addressing tips I missed! Have good weekends! --ct

25 Best Wedding Paper Tips

2011-11-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

I've got 25 of THE best tips for wedding paper right here... In no particular order. Ready. Set. Go!

Investigate and begin to develop your wedding invitation and enclosure card wording earlier vs. later.
Keep in mind that destination wedding invitations and silk boxed invitations take more time to plan and execute than normal wedding invitations.
Think about having a monogram to tie all of your paper materials together.
Choose a color scheme.
Search out ideas on Etsy.com.
Research stationery ideas in bridal magazines... I'm not entirely sure why, but I've found that Martha Stewart Weddings and New York Weddings magazine publications seem to consistently feature the most comprehensive paper ideas, pictures and advice you can readily use.

Create a budget for your invitations and share it with your stationer. They won't be able to develop an appropriate quote if you don't provide them with a range.
Don't forget to consider the postage when you calculate the budget.
Start educating yourself on different kinds of printing methods and which one may be right for your paper.
Keep every attractive wedding and party invitation you receive in the mail and begin a file so you can go back and reference.
Join Pinterest, create some boards and start PINNING!
Check out popular wedding blogs and narrow down your search to the ones that feature the style of wedding you will be having.

Go through invitation books like Vera Wang, Crane's, Checkerboard, etc. just to begin to recognize what you like and don't like.
If you do decide to go the D.I.Y. route, make sure the invitation project you take on is not too complex for your skill level.
Ask your wedding planner about invitation options and see what suggestions they offer based on your theme and budget.
If your event has several moving parts, you may want to consider pocket invitations to keep all of the information organized.
Start researching wedding fonts to decide which ones will work best for your event.
Think hard about envelope liners and if they will really complement your invitation suite or not.
Consider translating your linen pattern to a pattern you can use on your invitations.
Remember that square invitations and envelopes carry an additional, non-machinable surcharge of 17¢ per invite.
Think about a design motif that can be easily weaved throughout all of your materials: i.e. florals, monograms, patterns, etc.
VERY IMPORTANT: If the design motif you have selected needs to be color critical, be sure to provide the stationer with a physical swatch (whether you are asked for one or not) of your desired color(s). Colors sent by email/internet are not reliable as color varies from monitor to monitor.

Seek out your wedding stationer well in advance of your wedding date... I would suggest 6-8 months prior (the exceptional stationers are always booked earlier).
Remember that metallic envelopes, while stunning, do not present vibrant color if you are having them addressed via computerized calligraphy. Metallic stock is a non-porous surface and the ink doesn't absorb well. Blacks may appear to be charcoal grey, for example.
Mail your invitations 8-10 weeks in advance of your wedding date... If you have already sent Save the Dates then you can be a little more flexible here. Just a little.

Feel free to share any additional paper tips you've got, I'm interested!

Have a great rest of the week and I'll be back on Friday with some tips on addressing your envelopes... --ct

BOO!

2011-10-31T07:40:00.000-05:00

Its that time of year... Candy, fall colors, spooky costumes and yes, still weddings and special events. Thought I'd round up some fun Halloween themed items for today's blog. Enjoy this eye "candy" and I'll be back on Wednesday! "Hahahahaha..." That's my haunted, "Vincent Price-esque" laugh by the way... :-)

Spooky "tulle" ghost dresses imposed on a bkgd: From Fairytea on FB

From: modernwedding.com

From: diyweddingplanner.com

Interesting painted pumpkins: mycraftycondition.com

Chairback decor from: stegton.com

Coffin ring box from: ratedesi.com

Cool inspiration from: styleunveiled.com

Cute candy corn base for candles, from: deckthehalls-christmas.blogspot.com

Top Wedding Color Palettes of 2011

2011-10-28T07:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Today is a roundup of color combinations I've had the pleasure to work with this past season. I decided to create mini-inspiration boards starring the colors of actual invitation suite projects. Pretty cool because now, at season's end, its easy to just round up the boards as reminders of the beautiful colors my clients had me paint with this year!

Have good weekends, and I'll be back on Monday! --ct

Fall Wedding Colors

2011-10-26T07:34:00.002-05:00

We are nearing the end of October! Where IS the year going? Its pretty remarkable how we end up racing towards the holidays every year, isn't it?

Before October is officially in our rearview mirror, I wanted to do an inspiration board for Fall. Its my favorite season and the colors are so rich and robust! Check out my past blog on Fall Inspiration where I share more Autumn goodies from an Etsy treasury list I created.

Enjoy this Fall "eye candy" and I'll be back on Friday! --ct

bouquet: bleubirddesign.blogspot.com/

cake: bridalpartytees.com

bellyband invitations: ct-designs.com

place cards: pinkofperfection.com

ring: ringoblog.com

aisle decor: weddingdazed.blogspot.com

How to Design a Wedding Monogram

2011-10-24T03:22:00.000-05:00

We are still in "Save the Date" season, but I'm finding that some couples would like a custom monogram used on this stationery component. This element will obviously be carefully weaved through the balance of their wedding paper. Great move because everything will be more uniform, however you shouldn't be under pressure to have your Save the Dates and invites be too "matchy-matchy"...

There are so many monogram styles now that it is easy to get a little overwhelmed. I think the natural steps to take are:

determining the colors
what style monogram will work best for you...

After these things are confirmed, its time to start designing!

A FEW WEDDING MONOGRAM STYLES

Initials Only

You can elect to indicate initials only, initials with an ampersand, a + symbol, or simply "and" between the letters. I like to use SOMETHING because it lends to the design, however using the letters alone works too. Don't just plop the letters together... Some time should be invested in organizing the initials just so. Remember that this monogram creates its own shape. Note: I am only indicating the couple's first name initials here... The new last name initial can be used, but it IS thought to be improper to use it until AFTER the couple is married. Because of this, I like to recommend not using it at all.

Initials and Date

Its nice to add the date to your monogram, especially when you consider how it will be used. Maybe you will use it on your invitations, favors and place cards... The date will be a nice reminder to your guests of your big day. Note: you should ask your stationer for a version without the date to prevent redundancy on your wedding invite.

Names Written Out

The design results of using both the full first names of the couple is so subjective based on the fonts that you decide to use. You should have a lot of fun playing with this method though because the possibilities are endless!

Adding Design Elements

This is the fun part! So many flourishes and design elements out there... Flourishes and scrolling elements can accomplish three things:

They can help frame the couples names and date
They can act as separators between the names and the date to ensure legibility
The can make the design feel more "complete"

These are just a few tips and tricks that work for me. Let me know if there are any others our readers should know about! Also, after your monogram is designed, don't forget to consider the many uses for this item!

Take care til' next time... --ct

Navigating the Wedding Direction Card

2011-10-21T12:59:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking that I should have done a series on invitation enclosure cards instead of randomly tackling each one... Check out my earlier posts on the accommodation card and R.S.V.P.

Today I'll tackle the direction card and the different ways you can present this to your guests.

TURN-BY-TURN
When appropriate: When directions are not complicated enough to require an actual map illustration; also, if the turn-by-turn directions can actually fit onto a layout

Pros: Some guests prefer turn-by-turn directions rather than maps. Maps are still hard to read for some people. This is the most explicit direction you can provide.

Cons: Based on how small the type may have to be rendered, it will be tough to use this as a reference while on the road.

Some guests appreciate everything spelled out...

MAP DIAGRAM/ILLUSTRATION
When appropriate: When the best way to indicate how to get from point A to point B is to show a literal representation of key streets, intersections and landmarks.

Pros: An actual map will afford you the opportunity to point out tricky areas that only those familiar with the route would know...

Cons: Some guests will not be able to read maps and will prefer a turn-by-turn summary.

Sometimes its a good idea to "zoom in" on a tricky area...

Whenever possible, couple your accommodation info with the map!
Saves money on the cards that you need...

WEDDING WEEKEND CARD
When appropriate: When the hotel, ceremony and reception are in close proximity to one another.

Pros: Guests do not have to grasp from one card to another, everything is right there.

Cons: There is limited room under each heading

Nice to have everything in one place!

As you develop this card, be sure to keep your guests needs top of mind. You want to make this process extremely easy for them. The out-of-towners will definitely appreciate it! --ct

NOTE: I would be remiss if I didn't note that many clients are beginning to skip this card altogether because of the influx of smart phones and cars equipped with GPS capabilities. Just something to keep in mind!

Why Not Embellish It?

2011-10-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

Today I want to talk about three embellishments you can use for your invitations. If you have D.I.Y. chops, you may, as a money-saving measure, want to add your own special touch to your printed wedding stationery. There are simple and affordable ways to do this.

RAFFIA
The skinny:
Sold in large bundles, affordable, easy to work with, several different ways to use/tie

Uses:
Destination, Fall, or couple it with handmade paper

Ways to embellish:
You can tie a bow, glue down strips, wrap your invitation vertically and horizontally like you would a package

You can expect twice, maybe three times as much upon purchase.

Raffia looks awesome coupled with starfish.
From hanahouproductions.com

From: designstoimpress.com

SEQUINS

The skinny:

Large amounts yielded in your purchase, small, requires some skill to work with

Uses:
Party, Save the Date, Fun event, Affordable glam

Ways to embellish:
String through the hole in the center, glue

Caramelos on ETSY

CTDESIGNSWED on ETSY

RHINESTONES

The skinny:

Readily available in local craft stores, hot fix or self adhesive, multiple sizes

Uses:
Can be used to accent the flourished part of a letter on printed type, accent on a monogram

Ways to embellish:
Either purchase a heated wand for use with the hot fix style crystals or simply remove self-adhesive crystals from its sheet and stick

Snapcrafty on ETSY

Rhinestone added to monogram on pocket cover

Rhinestones added to flourishes in letters

Saying Thank You...

2011-10-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

From jessicajanaephotography.blogspot.com

Well, what happens after you begin to get showered with gifts from your guests? Why, you say "thank you" of course! This is an inevitable part of your wedding process. Family and friends are ready to give you things. It is your time. Financial gifts, thoughtful cards and loving gifts from your registry will begin to pour in. You'll want to get a head start sending out your notes.

Some quick Thank You card tips:

Have your photographer take a picture of you and your spouse holding signage like in the picture above. This can be utilized on your thank you card and will bring back memories to your guests of your big day.
Decide if you want to have your cards blank so you can write a personal note, or if you would like to have pre-printed wording.
WONDERFUL resource for Thank You card wording and etiquette is Emily Easton's website. She also takes questions via email!

Finally, I found some great Thank You cards that should give you some inspiration...

WONDERFUL way to utilize that "money shot" wedding photo
taken in your busy metropolis!
From PinchOfSpice Etsy shop

I've been all about vintage this year and I LOVE these postcards... Too Cayute!
From NostalgicImprints on Etsy!

GREAT way to show off some of your wedding photos...
From NostalgicImprints on Etsy!

Any of you that have followed me for any length of time knows
I'm a sucker for a foreign border and a faux meter stamp! LOVE.
From Thank You Cards Shop

Other Cityscape Save the Dates!

2011-10-14T08:57:00.003-05:00

An interesting thing has happened during my short stay on Etsy... I've been contacted by potential clients asking if I can customize Save the Dates originally designed for Chicago for their home cities. Well the answer was an enthusiastic, "...Uh, sure!"

Its not that I was hesitant to offer stationery themed with other city motifs, its just that I'm such a Chicago girl and no one had ever asked! It has been a fun adventure sourcing other cityscapes and skylines!

Take a look at some of the creations that I've come up with and congratulations to all of my out of state clients!

Great shot of downtown Kansas City (photo provided by the bride)

Same cityscape for KC used on our most popular foreign border save the date

I've only been to NYC once, but I thought this edgy, illustrated
skyline up against the marquee lettering was a perfect way
to capture one of the moods of this great city!

I found the perfect illustrated skyline to customize our hot seller!

How fun is this prohibition-era engagement party invite with
the vintage shot of a building in the French Quarter?

Then there was a Cleveland request! Its funny how the different cityscapes
still manage to give this design a different feeling/mood.

How To Use Your Wedding Monogram

2011-10-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

Monogram-themed weddings are safe, traditional and fun. Your wedding is clearly branded, and a well-designed monogram can be used in a number of different ways. How can you tell if a monogram is well-designed? Well, it is like a logo. It shouldn't be too complex and you should be able to easily re-purpose it, on different backgrounds and at different sizes.

The following are some ways to utilize your monogram, but I would recommend that you don't use ALL of these ideas, or trust me, your monogram will officially be considered "overused".

It goes without saying that the monogram can be used
on your stationery. Carefully utilize it so that your paper products
are balanced. They should tie in together, but not all look
the same.
image: documentsanddesigns.com

Wedding Monogram GOBO (stands for Goes Before Optics). is a template
that fits onto a special light that projects a design onto a wall,
dance floor, ceiling, etc. image: http://zephyrtents.com/

Monograms are being used more and more to customize your aisle runner.
image: weddingbycolor.com

Cocktail and Beverage Napkins
image: jessicalynn402.blogspot.com

Your monogram or motif can be added to your welcome bags
via direct print or a square or oval sticker
image: alwaysplanned.com

Monograms on each guest's place card is always a nice touch
image: projectwedding.com

Your monogram on a sticker can also be used on favor tags
and favor boxes.
image: joyfulbrideonline.com

How About a "Love Jones" Themed Wedding?

2011-10-10T02:26:00.001-05:00

Larenz Tate and Nia Long in a scene from "Love Jones"

Recently, one of my all-time favorite romances, "Love Jones", aired on the Starz network. Originally released in 1997, this sleeper hit filmed in Chicago has not gotten the replays it deserves in my opinion. Believable performances by the lead actors, Larenz Tate and Nia Long, coupled with a peek inside Chicago's underground poetry slams turned it into a cult classic.

The movie is romantic, urban-chic and artistic all at the same time... I should also mention that the soundtrack is a timeless masterpiece. Watching it over the weekend made me wonder if anyone has had "Love Jones" themed nuptials? Just a few ideas I thought of, to get you started:

Movie poster save the date

...or film strip save the date as an ode to Nina's photography!

The courier/typewriter font is perfect for the invitation suite...
image: minted.com

With Nina's photography being primarily b/w
these escort cards with the ornate frames and different
typefaces seem like a perfect fit...
image: http://www.michellerahn.com/

B/W vintage table numbers would be perfect...
From the movie: Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain
The Sanctuary (where they met), Union Station, etc!
image: ericksondesign.com

What else can you think of? --ct

Apple's Steve Jobs: Why The Loss Feels Personal

2011-10-07T08:58:00.001-05:00

The tremendous loss of Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been felt around the world.

I started wondering to myself, why am I taking this so personally? It then occurred to me that I have been chasing after Steve's Apple products for most of my young adult life. My pursuit of all things Apple began during my college years.

Being a graphic design student at both N.I.U. and Columbia College in Chicago in the nineties basically created a lust for not only this hardware, but the uber-expensive design software. The cool students were not chained to the school's computer lab with its restrictive hours and questionable printers, no, they had Macs at HOME. I was determined to get one of my own.

R.I.P. Steve, and thanks for creating products that became such a big part of my life for so long...

It took a lot of hard work and sweat, but I finally began to accumulate my own Apple hardware and I haven't looked back. Apple's interface has always appealed to me and suffering through a Windows machine was only to be tolerated for the sake of a 9-5! The Mac belongs in the hands of a designer. It was created just for me.

A few images below are a memory lane of sorts for me, sort of how I've been exposed to and used the Mac!

Truly vintage! The SE30 takes me back to the design computer labs at N.I.U. circa 89-90...

I was fortunate to work at an ad agency out of school and since it was young and hip, we all worked on the earlier imac models. I had the tangerine model!

My FIRST Macintosh computer (G4 iMac) that did NOT sit on a desk at work!!! I loved it and I still have it (so glad I did not get rid of her, she served me well!)

I purchased a 15" Macbook Pro after my G4 iMac could go no further...

I went ahead and got a Mac Mini later just for non-work stuff. Great value.

I haven't been able to get the iPad yet, but honestly... I'm happy that I still have another treasure to "unpack" later!

R.I.P. Steve and thanks for creating products that became such a big part of my life for so long... --ct

Your Wedding Stationery Checklist

2011-10-05T02:29:00.001-05:00

Your wedding stationery process can be intimidating... There are some basic things you can decide early on to begin to get through it.

Consider having a theme.
Many couples elect to not have a theme for their wedding. I think that this is fine, as there is enough to plan and design after all. However, a theme is sometimes simpler to design around:

You can look at things that have already been done
A theme can sometimes help dictate your color scheme
A theme helps to ensure more "paper-uniformity" throughout your event

Some themes you might want to consider researching for your stationery:

Vintage
Contemporary
Whimsical
Shabby Chic
Urban/Hip
Traditional
Florals
Seasonal
Old Hollywood
Glitzy
Understated Elegance
Art Deco

Settling down on colors...

Ahhh, selecting the colors. This can be AGONIZING as the web seems to be absolutely flooded with inspiration boards and swatch possibilities for weddings. I highly recommend The Perfect Palette as a great place to go to cut through the web clutter... Very organized and easy to navigate through, especially if you might have your heart set on one color already.

Fonts

There are different fonts that correspond to different themes and styles...

Think ornate, flourished scripts for more traditonal invitations
Think block, simple clean fonts for a contemporary styled invite
Think bold, unexpected font combinations for the whimsical

Ask your stationer for suggestions concerning the best font combinations. I offer couples a pdf to refer to with great combos that have worked well in the past.

Paper Selection

The paper you select will say a lot about your invitations... Flimsy paper can mar an otherwise nicely designed suite. Check out my earlier series entitled "All About Your Paper" for general ideas about paper and things to keep in mind as you select.

Invite Wording

Great sites to refer to for invitation wording:

http://verseit.com/ - Verse it features wording for all kinds of stationery, from showers to bar mitzvahs to weddings.
http://www.invitationconsultants.com/sw-wedding.aspx - Wording for all different kinds of scenarios (i.e. divorced parents, etc.)
Offbeat Bride - Quirky/unique wedding invite wording from Offbeat bride!
Emily Easton has a GREAT site for crafting Thank You notes... You will be receiving gifts all through the process so this is a nice resource for you...

These checklist items are a great place to get started! Good luck with your stationery journey and I'll be back blogging about something fun on Friday! --ct

Wedding Events Chicago

2011-10-03T09:38:00.002-05:00

SO many wedding/bridal themed events coming up in Chicago. Wanted to house them on a blog for our readers. Don't miss out!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

The Wedding Salon in Chicago
Mon. Oct. 3rd 2011 - 4:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
The W Hotel City Center - 172 West Adams St., Chicago, IL

Old Hollywood Meets Timeless Elegance - The re-launch of Sharon Ringier Events
Tues. Oct. 11th 2011 - 5:00 P.M.
Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village, IL
http://www.sharonringier.com/htmlEvents.html

ISSE Chicago
Mon. Oct. 24th and Tues. Oct. 25th
Sax Chicago - 333 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60654
http://inspiresmartsuccess05.eventbrite.com/

The Knot Cocktails and Connections (hosted by the Knot and the Bump)

Wed. October 26 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

The Atrium Events Space at Architectural Artifacts, Inc.

4325 North Ravenswood Avenue

Chicago, IL 60613

RSVP by Oct. 21st!

WEDology Experience - Fall 2011
http://wedologyexperience2.eventbrite.com/
Sat. Nov. 5th
Flossmoor Country Club
1441 Western Ave.
Flossmoor, IL

Flossmoor Country Club Open House

Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 (5:30P - 8:30P)

Flossmoor Country Club
1441 Western Ave.
Flossmoor, IL

Black Friday - Bridal Sale
Fri. Nov. 25, 2011 (7:00A - 7:00P)
By Appointment Only
630-501-1286
www.tbsbridal.com

Grand Opening - Planner of the Bride (Wedding & Event Specialists)
Studio Grand Opening
Thurs. Dec. 1, 2011 (6:30P - 8:30P)
1419 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657
773-549-PLAN
www.chicagoplanners.com

An Intimate Bridal Affair

Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012

5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Hotel Palomar Chicago

for more information visit: www.intimatebridalaffair.com

Christmas Cards- Photo Cards... MimisDollhouse $7.50	Mod Simple Houndstooth Chris... MommiesInk $12.00	Holiday Card with Matching E... SewColorfulDes... $4.25
vintage bingo holiday card afavorite $5.00	Custom Vintage Style Printab... applejackdesig... $12.00	Vintage Noel Custom Holiday ... applejackdesig... $12.00
BOX of 6 let it snow holiday... dutchdoor $16.00	Letterpress Cupcake Holiday ... kissandpunch $4.75	HOLIDAY SALE - Letterpress H... hutchvintage $15.00
Letterpress Holiday Cards PurpleInkPress $2.00	Christmas Card Templates - H... GloriousMemory $12.00	Scrooge Holiday Card Set FoglioPress $15.00
DIY Merry Christmas Cards in... thesleepingpri... $6.00	DIY Printable Holiday Card -... konadesigns $12.00	recycled brown bag happy kwa... bacidesigner $4.00
CLOSEOUT - LOVE - Merry Chri... kottageon5th $13.00