Nantucket Weddings Unveiled

Today, Brea and Dawn asked that I write about one of my favorite invitation suites which has come out of Parchment. This job was a total collaborative effort between myself, the bride, and a few opinions from the groom! One element of the design process that was unique is that the bride is an architect, so she was not only able to envision the final product but she also had some fabulous ideas about the construction of the save the date and invitation.

Lets start with the save the date! The letterpress paper suite was produced by William Arthur, through their custom department. Using the custom avenue at William Arthur allows for variations on what is shown is their albums as well as creation of pieces that are not shown in the albums. Jen and I started with an existing design in the Save-The-Date album and altered it to allow for letterpress printing. We also used an existing pattern for the cover, but had William Arthur enlarge the artwork so the scale worked better for the size of the piece. On the interior pages, Jen and Carter included a brief note about the reasons they chose Nantucket as the location for their wedding. The third page had some information about getting to Nantucket and places to stay once here. They did a great job of keeping their copy tight and not turning it into a “Chamber of Commerce Guide” which allowed us to keep the piece on the smaller side as well as giving their guests important information without overwhelming them.

When we started out, it was not our intention to have everything match all the way through, but the finished Save-the-date was so beautiful that there was no choice… we had to carry that design forward! Jen had seen an invitation format that was more like a cover with a pocket on the inside. We designed it so when open, the pocket was on the left, holding the reply and reception cards. The invitation was mounted on the right side of the interior. When closed, the invitation had a double band around it. Instead of using the inner envelope, the band served as the place to write the guest names. It was a unique and fun way to not only eliminate the inner envelope, but add an element to the cover that broke up the pattern and brought forward the darker navy paper that was the base of the cover. Besides carrying forward the pattern from the save the date, we also used the same ink colors with one addition – just a splash of hot pink on the reception card, which said “and then they danced”. It was a fun surprise to open the invitation, in shades of navy and french blue, very traditional wording and layout, only to find that one line if whimsical copy in the fuschia! We also brought in the pattern just as a border on the bottom of the reply cards, and as a singular element on both the invitation and reception card. Again, that served to carry the design forward and bring all the paper elements together in a cohesive group.

One detail that was not in our original plan… the grommets! When the invitations first came back from the printer, there weight of the paper was causing the foldover for the pocket to not hold fast. It was a heartbreaking situation… we had literally spent hours designing this invitation! So, the solution we came up with was to fasten a grommet in the upper and lower corners of the pocket. It not only harkened back to the grommet that was used on the save the date, but it also added a fabulous architectural element to the invitation (not to mention that it solved a Big Problem!) With this problem ironed out, the beautiful invitations were off to the guests.

Stay tuned for more details on this stunning custom designed invitation set from Parchment! Programs…. seating cards…. so much more!

I was recently reading online that a destination wedding is “a wedding held at a location that neither the bride or groom call home and one where they, as well as many if not all of their guests will be traveling to.” For the majority of Nantucket weddings they would fall under the destination wedding category. There are a few helpful tips when planning a wedding from afar and we thought we would share with you what some of the worlds pro’s had to say.

The top two tips across the board were…

1. Hire as many vendors in the local as possible. They know the area, they are set up to service and work in the area and you will avoid paying added travel and accommodation fees for out of town vendors.

2. Hire a wedding planner who is familiar with the area and has wonderful working relationships with the other area vendors.

Consider the following when thinking about your guests…

1. You can’t always count on that 10% rule for attendance. Many guests will make this a mini-vacation or weekend get away and are excited to travel for your big day. A destination may not add guests to the regrets column so plan accordingly with your budget and venue.

2. Arrange for guest transportation to and from the ferries and airport. This is always a wonderful touch and can be organized with your wedding planner.

3. Try not to over schedule your wedding weekend. Allow time for your family and friends to relax at the beach or have lunch at that well known restaurant. Your guests will kick back and relax and that always makes for a great weekend.

Last week, island vendors were busy staging a photoshoot for Wellwed Magazine’s upcoming fall issue.  While we can’t show you the pictures, we can tell you a good time was had by all!  The weather held out all morning to get every last detail shot.  It was a great collaboration among island vendors Placesetters, Jodi’s Cakes, Soiree Floral, and Marty Kelly Papers.  Last but certainly not least, the divine Zofia Photography captured all the images and a ittle goofing around.  We can’t wait to show you our inspirations!

flowers by Soiree Floral

Have you thought about what it will fee like to open up your wedding invitation? What your save the dates will look like? There is something very special about opening up an envelope to see a custom made, personalized scene on rich watercolor paper. It sets the tone for your event and gives your guests a glimpse of whats ahead for the big day.

Griffin-vites Watercolor Stationery just launched a new website design that showcases some of Sara’s stunning custom work and we were so blown away by her site we had to share with all of you! Be sure to visit her custom page where you can see samples of the works she has created for clients based on their wedding venue or personal style.

Sara says “I find more and more that couples are really searching for creative ways to customize their wedding stationery sets. They want their personality and style to come through onto the papers — setting the tone for the event, but also conveying to their guests a bit about who they are as a couple. Oftentimes clients get married in such spectacular spots, that incorporating illustrations of the venue, or elements from the surrounding area, are fun ways of giving guests a glimpse into the big day.”

Congratulations on the new site Sara!

Nantucket boasts some of the best in the biz when it comes to our wedding vendors. We have shared many of the magazine features showcasing these vendors here on the blog. Today we bring you yet another one from one of our favorite magazines Wellwed!

This fun strawberry themed shoot is featured in the current issue of Wellwed and offers up a new twist to a spring/summer wedding. The perfect look for a casual garden party wedding at Westmoor Farms!

Sara from Griffin-vites Stationery created the colorful watercolor paper products, Meagan from Maine Seasons Events pulled together the concept and design and all photos were shot by Brea McDonald Photography.

Today we have guest blogger Marty Kelly of Marty Kelly Papers giving us the 411 on how she came up with her designs.

When WellWed told me they would be shooting a tablescape on Nantucket in a sorbet color palette, I knew my designs would have to be super summery, fresh, and fun. For the menus and escort cards I chose beach umbrella and flip flop motifs, reminiscent of carefree moments in the summer sun. Knowing that sorbet was being served, I designed some colorful personalized word cloud cone wrappers. On each wrapper I printed the couple’s names and all sorts of loving sentiments and sweet nothings, like “joy, hope, smiles, forever, friendship, and family”.  Summer loving at its best!

photo by Zofia Photography

photo by Zofia Photography

This beautiful cake was created by Jodi of Jodi’s Cakes:

photo by Zofia Photography

These amazing, creative and fabulous tasting appetizers (trust us, we sampled them ALL) are by Kim Reed of A Taste of Nantucket:

photo by Zofia Photography

Great inspirations for your summer Island wedding!

Marty Kelly of Marty Kelly Papers is our guest blogger today talking about flat printing:

There is simply no question that when it comes to wedding stationery, nothing can replace the luxurious feel of letterpress or the timeless elegance of engraved invitations. However, these traditional printing methods can be rather pricey, and take some time to produce. For budget conscious brides, or those in a bit of a time crunch, flat printing can provide a great alternative. Of course one can always utilize a combination of printing methods for your wedding stationery, perhaps indulging in a gorgeous letterpress invitation suite, while choosing flat printing for your day-of pieces.
While making your wedding stationery decisions, you may want to keep in mind some of the advantages of flat printing:
Budget friendly. Flat printing is often the most economical printing method. By layering your flat printed pieces with backing paper, you can create an elegant, substantial presentation at a lower price point. Particularly for your day-of printed pieces, such as menus, escort cards and programs, flat printing helps keep your paper budget in check.
Multiple ink colors. With printing processes such as letterpress and engraving, each ink color is applied to the paper individually. Because the paper must pass through the press once for each color, each additional color will add to the cost of the piece. With flat printing, the paper runs through the printer just once, depositing all of the ink colors at the same time. Because of this, your designs may incorporate multiple ink colors at no additional cost.
Ease of reordering. Last minute changes to your guest list may cause you to come up short on your day-of printed pieces. If you suddenly find that you need more programs and menus, it is often possible to produce small print runs at a minimal cost using flat printing. Reprinting custom letterpress or engraved pieces can be quite expensive, often involving minimum quantities and rush fees.
Faster production time. Flat printing often requires less production time than other printing methods. As your wedding day approaches and you are waiting for guests to rsvp and the details of your ceremony to be finalized, the ease and speed of flat printing can help relieve the stress of pulling together all those last minute details.
For my Marty Kelly Paper wedding collection, I offer flat printing on luxe card stock, giving each piece a more tactile quality. I then layer the printed card with colored backing paper, framing the image and giving the piece a more substantial feel. Finishing touches such as pocketf olds and satin ribbon create a charming presentation.

stationery by Marty Kelly Papers, photo by Brea McDonald

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.