Cavallo wedding #2

Finished these Save-the-dates for another Cavallo wedding this time in August. Vintage/Americana themed paper goodness with a folded map and custom pattern inside. Lovely calligraphy in gold by Neither Snow with an assortment of vintage stamps collected by the bride.

Envelopes were hand-made, just folded text weight navy paper, glued the seam in the middle and ran one side through a sewing machine. We closed by folding the other end and sealed with custom letterpressed address labels.

We came across this envelope addressed to the White House while assembling. Apparently if you send the president an invite you will receive an official congratulatory letter. How fun, right? The bride and groom have a great sense of humor. I love this notion :)

Will be walking these up the street to the post office tomorrow. After spending so much time designing and crafting a set like this, letting them go is always so bitter-sweet. But the idea that people will be receiving these lovelies in the mail always makes me smile. So all the hard work is always worth it.

Cavallo wedding #1

Just delivered this Japanese-inspired wedding suite for clients Rachel and Blake who are getting married at Cavallo Point this spring. When we first met a couple of months ago the gingko trees just started to shed their pretty leaves and the image resonated with me. This design is organic from it's conception to final product. Love it when things just happen naturally :)

Stitching by Mira Aster -- Anne's attention to detail is exquisite.

envelopes were individually hand stamped

These were my setups, trying to get the yellow just right. The top ones were too dark for the job but I still really love the copper color base.

belly band with their monogram double "SS" that created a heart shape. cute.

Do you know how to wax seal an envelope?

...well, let us tell you how! Ms. Camille was gracious enough to do this for me, what a sport :) We sent this how-to video to our client to help with her invite crafting. This just shows the extent of my OCD and how far I'll go to try and control a situation ;) Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks to my brother, Carlos for filming the vid! It took a while to stop the giggling but he and Cam eventually pulled it together.

On Press: Scandinavian Design-Inspired Invites

I had a great time printing these envelopes...

that I decided to make notecards out of the motif!

Behind the Scenes

Thought I'd share some production photos of the New Buffalo wedding I worked on last year. I find that sometimes the process is just as interesting to see as the final design. This invite in particular was very involved in terms of assembly. Almost every piece was custom, down to the postage stamp. The envelopes were handmade, I had a monogrammed wax seal (in hot pink!), a hand-bound booklet, stitching on the invite (by Mira Aster), calligraphy in yellow ink (by Georgia Deaver)...You name it, we made it work!

Off the Press: Kelly & Edward Invite

I printed these over the summer for a lovely couple from Berkeley. I letterpressed the invite and rsvp cards and they screenprinted the envelope and digitally printed the enclosures themselves. I think this is a great way to create an invite if you're hands-on like they are or are on a limited budget but don't want to lose any of the beautiful details of your design. If you're crafty enough, there are many ways to make a set look cohesive without having to letterpress each piece. I encourage you to talk to your printer and ask advice on different options--mixing printing techniques isn't against any rules of etiquette. I think if anything, it gives it a lovely, handmade look when done right like Kelly & Eddie's invites. You can definitely tell when something is made with TLC :)

Lined Envelopes

My client Eileen decided to line the envelopes of the invites I printed for her a couple of months ago. I always encourage those who opt to use an inner & outer envelope set to line the INNER one. Besides adding another layer of protection to the invites, it gives a nice pop of color and creates a refined and finished look. I offer this service at my shop, but for those crafty ones out there, it's fairly easy to do. You'll find that DIY projects are fun, rewarding, and will save you money in the end. Here's a quick tutorial care of Martha Stewart.

Spreading the Love

This made not just my day, but my entire week! Sweet post from Laura at FMN Design here. Thanks lady :)