Nantucket Weddings Unveiled

Last August, some of the islands finest vendors got together to showcase their areas of expertise on all things wedding.  Wellwed’s editor-in-chief Krista Washburn chose colors as irresistibly vivid as this favorite refreshing summer treat.

photo by Zofia Photography

photos by Zofia Photography, David Seaver, Andrea Casey

Placesetters chose a whimsical paisley pattern for the linens, and a polka-dot chair cushion with paisley piping for a fun twist to the seating.  Centerpieces (by Soiree Floral) in sorbet colors and vintage milk glass containers round out the table, with little birds perched in teacups.

photo by Zofia Photography

fun and creative paper wrapping created by Marty Kelly Papers.

Photo by Zofia Photography, bouquet by Soiree Floral

A summery bouquet with lots of texture.  Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral suggests choosing a bouquet as unique as you are.  Talk to your floral designer about different textures and colors that will make your bouquet pop.

We thought we’d tempt your sweet tooth today with this beautiful confection.  Enjoy the snowy weekend everyone!

photo by Zofia Photography, cake by Kendra Lockley

Morning Everyone! It’s Brea here, and I just couldn’t resist talking about one of my favorite wedding elements this morning.

So, I have a thing for tented weddings. You may have noticed this from my website or if you are a fan of my Facebook page that I have a slight thing for those evening tent shots. I photograph a lot of tented weddings and I must say I get excited for that special glow that comes along with a stunning tent. It’s like a world of it’s own under there!

When one of my favorite tent companies was looking for some new photos for their catalog I of course e-mailed a few right over. (lets just say I had a couple of shots to share) And then a few weeks later received a package in the mail with copies of their shiny new catalog. I was super excited to see several of my tent photos featured on the stunning pages of their latest creation. But beyond that was some stellar information for those planning a tented wedding. All the details from the various types of tents to possible floor plans are laid out on the pages. It just goes to show what a professional company this is and the best part…. these tents are available on island at Nantucket Tents! They really know how to create an amazing space for your special day.

If you are planning a tented Nantucket wedding visit their website and take a look at all they have to offer. And check out a few shots of their Sperry Tents brochure below.

Phone : (508)228-5645
Email: Andegrennan@nantuckettents.com
www.nantuckettents.com

Monograms never get old, especially if you style is more preppy.  An embroidered runner on the cake table display’s your new initials beautifully as you start this new chapter in your lives.   Enjoy your weekend everyone!

photo by Zofia Photography, flowers by Soiree Floral, cake by Jodi's Cakes

Hello to all of you out there in Cyberville! It’s Heidi here today. Brea & Dawn asked me to write more about the different styles of invitation lines that I carry at my store, Parchment Fine Papers located on Nantucket Island. As you delve into the land of invitations there are some terms you might start hearing. I thought I would break down the different types of printing methods for you, so you can better translate what your likes and dislikes are to your paper provider.

Engraved:

This is an old method of printing. The design of the invitation is etched into a copper plate. This plate is then filled with ink and wiped clean so the ink just remains in the etching. The card stock is then fed into a press where the paper is forced against the plate. The result is a raised ink impression on the front of the card and a faint indentation in the back of the card (called a “bruise”.) This is a sign of a high-quality engraving. The plates can be re-used.

Letterpress:

Also a very old method of printing. In this application, it is kind of the opposite of engraving. A plate is created where the design is raised off the plate, inked and then pressed into the paper. So the resulting image is debossed or depressed into the card stock. Letterpress papers tend to have a slight bit of texture, much like watercolor paper. It is a more tactile product.

Thermography:

Thermography is a more recent creation, a print method that allows for a raised letter, like engraving, but at a more affordable price-point. This is achieved by adding a powdered resin to the wet ink and then heating it. The chemical process leaves behind a raised letter.

Flat or offset printing:

This is as it sounds: the letters and images are neither raised off the paper nor debossed into the paper. Flat printing does sometimes allow for more than one ink color printed in a single pass through the printer. (The other types of printing require the card stock to go though a separate pass for each color.)

In my store, I have seen an equal mix of the print methods used for wedding invitations. There is no “correct” way of printing, you should choose based on your own style and budgetary concerns. The most important thing is that your wedding invitation reflects your own personal taste and serves to set the tone for the type of wedding you are having.

Griffin-vites Stationery is designed around artist, Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien’s original watercolor illustrations. Her talent shines in her custom designs and are a unique piece of art each on their own. We asked Sara to talk more about what she does and the products she creates.

Offering everything from save-the-dates to rehearsal dinner invites… wedding invitation sets to map cards . . . program booklets to favor tags … we cater to all your paper needs!  The studio prides itself in providing not only custom papers, but pieces that are fresh, colorful and stylish.  Because our stationery incorporates personalized details about our couples and their weddings, we are lucky enough to work on a wide range of designs, with ever-changing color palettes and creative themes.  Whether on the hunt for a laid-back seaside motif, a bold floral inspired look or an invite set that shows off a favorite pastime (even a four-legged friend!) - Griffin-vites will provide you (and your guests!) with beautiful stationery that is sure to get noticed!

Here’s a peek at a few of our ’shoreline’ inspired looks:

An invite set displaying Sara’s starfish and seaweed illustrations in lovely soft, muted tones.  Perfect for an understated, yet elegant, coastal wedding.

A glimpse at a reception card from our new Nantucket Collection.  This element displays not only a crisp navy & white striped border and blue hydrangea blossoms, but also a Nantucket basket purse with a whimsical whale topper!

This invitation set was created for a couple with a love of the surf (and for their chocolate lab pup!).  Each one of the paper pieces brought forth the look of the beach, from the old woody wagon on their invites to the sandcastle painted on their accommodation cards!

Truly personalized, this program booklet included illustrations reflective of the ceremony landscape.  Our couple was married on a family estate along the ocean and hoped to mirror some of their most cherished details from the grounds: the program cover centered around the carriage house weathervane — and within the pages, paintings of a much-enjoyed tree-hung hammock, nearby beach fence and an off-shore island.

To see all of Sara’s amazing creations visit her website at www.Griffin-vites.com

Today we have guest blogger Heidi from Parchment to share her expertise with our readers:

There are so many wonderful and creative companies out there producing amazing wedding invitations. As you begin the process of choosing your invitations, it may feel quite daunting with all the choices out there! My advice to you is to visit your stationer a few times before making that final decision, don’t expect to find the perfect thing on your first visit. The more you look, the more you will hone in on the style you are attracted to. Also, when visiting your stationer, bring in any pictures or samples of styles you like. This will help us find the look you want at the right price for your budget. Remember, if we own a stationery store, we most likely LOVE paper… and we want you to love your invitations as much as any other element of your Big Day!

Now onto the fun part: the lines that I carry. I must confess, like a mother speaking of her children, I do not have a favorite. I love them all for different reasons! I think it is best to group them by category…

Letterpress: I work with 3 companies who only offer letterpress. These are relatively small companies, each with their own style. The first is Ceci New York, which is also the most recent addition to my line up. Ceci New York presents their line in four different albums, representing four styles within the line: destination, ornate, botanical and classic. Being in the capital of destination weddings, the destination album is my favorite within the collection. The designer has some unique ways of incorporating invitations to all the events surrounding the destination wedding, such as welcome parties, golf outings, brunches after the wedding, etc. Not to mentions the creativity in her designs - she offers a truly unique product! Second in the letterpress line-up is Dauphine Press, a California- based company. I can’t say enough about the “can-do” attitude of the designers at Dauphine. One of my favorite pieces is a save-the-date which incorporates a local icon, the compass rose on the side of one of our downtown buildings. They helped me pull the elements together and created a show-stopping piece for my customer. Egg Press, a small company based in Portland, Oregon rounds out the letterpress line up. Egg press has a much more clean and contemporary look than the other two letterpress companies. I love the understated elegance of their products.

Flat Printing: Three of the lines I represent are devoted to flat printing. All three of these lines tend to be a little more contemporary in feeling, although don’t rule them out if you are going for a traditional look! The first, created right here on Little Ol’ Nantucket, is Marty Kelly Nantucket. Since she lives here, Marty is familiar with all of our island icons and incorporates them in a fresh way with layered card stocks. They really give wedding guests a feeling for what Nantucket is like before they arrive. Next is another California based company, b.t. elements. Like Marty Kelly, they offer layered card stocks and colorful options for everything from save-the-dates before the wedding to adorable favor boxes for your guests. Luscious Verde is a Cleveland, Ohio based company. They also have a “can-do” attitude and the thing that makes their line unique are the die-cuts they offer. I had a bride who is an artists, so we created place cards through Luscious Verde which were shaped like an artist’s palette. It was a unique way to incorporate a very important part of the bride’s personality.

Everything Else… These next companies are larger companies who offer more than one type of print method. They tend to a slightly more traditional look, but again, don’t rule them out if that is not your look! Prentiss Douthit is an Alabama based company. They mostly offer either flat printing or engraved invitations. I think I would describe them as “sweetly sophisticated”, just the way they set their type and design elements, it has a somewhat soft look to it. Next is William Arthur, and under the William Arthur umbrella comes Vera Wang as well. My favorite thing about William Arthur is that I think they present an outstanding value for the quality of the card stock they offer. Yes, there are less expensive companies out there, but when you dip into those lower price points, you start to sacrifice the nice, heavy card stocks for the more “flimsy” ones. Also, with William Arthur and Vera Wang offering engraving, letterpress, thermography and flat printing, they are able to create any look within your budget constraints.

If you read the blog on a regular basis you are familiar with the talents of Sara from Griffin-vites Stationery. Her custom water color art translates so beautifully into Nantucket weddings. Her creations are a work of art and have a unique style all their own. Sara created, from scratch, a custom design for the Style Me Pretty shoot this past fall. Here is what she shared about her design process.

“The idea of creating a stationery suite that focused around a chic farm wedding was appealing and unique. The image of the rooster stood out to me at very first glance of our inspiration board, and provided a solid design foundation from which to work. I gathered my illustration concepts around those things that were bird-related, but could also be found on a farm; roosters, feathers, a nest with eggs, etc. I thought it might be fun to incorporate a nice graphic detail on each paper piece as well, tying all items together, from start to finish…. a sort-of rusted chicken wire provided just the look I was hoping for.”

Photo By Brea McDonald Photography

Incorporating her original watercolor artwork onto high-quality textured papers. The invitation suite was accented with an illustrated hand-lined envelope and rustic twine & feather embellishment.  The vow booklets for bride and groom each featured half of a nest illustration, that when held together formed one complete nest and were bound with rustic twine tassels.  The unique vow booklets are one of Sara’s signature custom items, offering the newlywed couple a keepsake of their words exchanged during the wedding ceremony.  Thin place card paper ‘ribbons’ featured the tiniest of rooster illustrations, also found on the table numbers and menu cards.  The paper ribbons with hand-notched ends, displayed guests’ names, printed in pale blue and were tucked perfectly into the miniature nest favors at each place setting.

Photos By Brea McDonald Photography

Photo By Brea McDonald Photography

Sara’s designs were a huge hit with many comments on how fantastic the roosters were. Who knew a rustic wedding could be so chic!

Robin lefts us a commented that said:
This stationery suite is beautiful!! The attention to detail is amazing, lining the envelopes to look like chicken wire! So unique! It’s the little details that really tie an event together and if guests received these invites in the mail they would know instantly that they were in for a rustic but elegant wedding that was going to be filled with thoughtful details!

Are you in search of the perfect blend of style, sentiment and creativity for your wedding bands? Maybe something that you have never seen before? I came across these rings from Fabuluster in Maine. These rings were part of the final 20 for Martha Stewart Weddings DIY Wedding Crafts Contest and you can see why!

These custom made fingerprint wedding bands are so custom that no two rings are alike! Jewelers Jessica and Brent Williams tell us that “Our design utilizes a method unlike any other out there! Our truly unique process is a very sculptural technique which produces a one of a kind ring that is your very own unique fingers’ texture. Your loved one literally wrapped around your finger.” They use a wax casting process and make the rings in gold or silver. You can have your prints on the outside or on the inside of your band. Visit their etsy store to check all the options out.

I just LOVE this idea for wedding bands or any special occasion. Its the perfect little sentimental touch that a gift deserves for your love.

Sara from Griffin-vites Stationery is here today to share a brand new design perfect for your Nantucket wedding.

Not only is Nantucket a historically charming, romantic and unique place to get married, but it certainly brings forth a ‘style’ all its own. The look of the island is fresh, clean and coastal…. with a fair amount of ‘preppy-ness’ thrown in the mix. Visitors can’t help but notice the abundance of lush hydrangea bushes, as well as the multitude of locally made Nantucket baskets.

Our latest ‘Nantucket’ collection caters to that chic couple, looking to bring a bit of island flare to their wedding papers. From the dark navy and white striped border, the scattered blue hydrangea blossoms and eccentric whale basket topper…. we think we captured the feel of this gem in the sea!

This set is stunning Sara! Thanks for sharing with us. Check out more of Sara’s custom watercolor work at www.Griffin-vites.com

Photos courtesy Geneve Hoffman