Thursday, October 27, 2011
Designs in Paper is one of my favorite go-to resources for wedding invitations. I've worked with them since they first arrived on the scene years ago and their work was great then, but it keeps getting more and more creative.
If you have followed any local or national bridal blogs, you're sure to have seen their work. Their custom paper goods have been featured just about everywhere, from Style Me Pretty to international magazines. What stands out about Steve and Donette, at Designs in Paper, is that they simply can't say no to a challenge. Believe me, it's really neat to see how they interact with one another and how their ideas start swirling at the mere mention of a new wedding project.
Here are a few of my favorite creations from Designs in Paper from Nashville weddings this summer. If you are seeking something fabulous for your wedding day - from understated elegance to over-the-top glam, your options are limitless with Designs in Paper.
Great Gatsby Summer Wedding
Here's a great wedding paper suite by Designs in Paper created for a Great Gatsby themed wedding at Cedarwood. As you can see, they designed all of the paper elements - from table numbers and menus to the wedding program.
Read more via this link. Photos by Dove Wedding Photography.
Hello Sunshine
Here's another fun and fabulous Cedarwood wedding with small but incredible details. Designs in Paper took sketches of the barn, house and truck and converted them into their overall design. How's that for a one-of-a-kind guest book poster!
sketched guest book poster that complemented their wedding invitation
custom favor signs
Read more via this link. Photos by Kristyn Hogan.
Inside Out
I love this colorful, vibrant, and elegant wedding! Designs in Paper created lovely invitations along with gorgeous signage to accompany their candy bar and other fun reception details. This also happens to be another fantastic Cedarwood wedding.
Read more via this link. Photos by Souder Photography.
Don't you love their work! Contact Designs in Paper to create a just-for-you paper suite for your wedding day.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds
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Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Every year the Vanderbilt Law School celebrates the Barrister's Ball. And for 2011, aVenue was once again selected for its blank open space and wonderful design team. Laurie Hardman, director of wedding design and coordination, shared some of the secrets and ideas behind her Masquerade Ball theme and how Nashville brides could use the location and the inspiration.
Venue: aVenue
Designed by: Laurie Hardman of Randi Events
Catering: Chef’s Market
Draping and additional decor: Visual Elements
Photography: Schenk Photography
The aVenue was the perfect place to hold a Masquerade Ball. The space offers an open area that embraced the rich, bronze tones and brought out a mystical element that Masquerades possess, instead of steering in a more Mardi Gras direction.
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Wooden posts were decorated with masks and feathers, the stage was filled with 10-foot mirrors, and there were three beautiful chandeliers throughout the building handmade with white feathers.
Now when it comes to brides, how can you adapt this theme for your special day? Well, for one the romantic, mysterious ambiance of a Masquerade Ball is a no-brainer and sets the mood for a magical event. Laurie suggested setting up an interactive "make-your-own-mask" station and this can double as guests' favors! Also, using a live band who can capture the hidden essence of a masked ball would be ideal - maybe a remix of Claire de Lune or Moonlight Serenade?
For more information about Nashville Event Space, visit their website at NashvilleEventSpace.com.
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Posted by Grace |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods, Wedding Venues and Locations
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Thursday, June 9, 2011
Hi, It's Ashley of iHospitality {not to be confused with Ashley of ABG}. I offer green consulting and sourcing services. What's that mean? I can advise you on your green event or help you find great green supplies and vendors.
Okay, so this month I went on the hunt for a green minded invitation & stationary company in Nashville. This search was way more daunting than expected, but I can now say I found one. Actually, I found a pretty awesome company along with including one of my favorite event planning company's and a pretty cool Georgia wedding.
Arboreal Paper (ArborealPaper.com) - provides lovely, earth-loving wedding invitations
Contact: Erin Pfister
Email: hello at arborealpaper dot com
Twitter: @arborealpaper
ABG adds - We loved Aboreal at first sight! We saw their work at The Bride Room's party and believe us, it's even prettier in person.
Arboreal is an invitation & stationary company based right here in Music City. I definitely feel my search was worth the wait because I absolutely love their products. Erin Pfister is the brains behind the company and the designs. She really has a knack for merging eco-friendly paper with upscale, sleek designs that brides will love. She credits her knowledge of all things paper to her days at Social Graces in Hillsboro Village. Erin’s role at the store allowed her a chance to really listen and learn what brides were looking for. She realized they did care about the environment but still wanted great looking invitations that did not have the usually flecked or “dirty” paper look as you see with many eco-friendly style papers. So, in December 2009 Arboreal was launched right inside Erin’s Nashville home with a focus on eco-friendly paper, soy inks and great design. Of course, the great design was effortless as Erin has been a graphic designer for over 10 years.
When I first found the Arboreal site, I was clicking through like a kid in the candy store…uncovering a new style of eco conscious stationary & invitations. I sent her a quick email then waited and hoped she would have a teeny bit of time to chat with me. Thank goodness she did! Erin was a wealth of knowledge and I could truly tell how much she loved what she did. She also wants to sit down and chat with each one of her brides to make sure they will love their custom invitations. Erin kicks it into high gear delivering flawless custom invitations meant just for your big day. Personalized service and her ability to add “green” to her projects is what sets Erin a part from the crowd. Arboreal also carries a full line of stationary and recently introduced journals & hang tags in several boutiques in Tennessee, Alabama & Florida.
dandyLion Events (DandyLionEvents.com) - a sustainable event planning company
Contact: Lindsey
Telephone: 615.439.0652
Email: Lindsey at dandylionevents dot com
Twitter: @dandyLionevents
dandyLion Events is a sustainable event planning company and one of the first true green event vendors I encountered in Music City. They offer floral design, photography, event design & planning with sustainability always in mind. Lindsey Huddleston is the owner and I actually meet her when she did a blog post on my little ole company back in 2010. Lindsey has a great spirit and even greater ideas, just check out the company name (yes the lowercase “d” is on purpose). This company is perfect for the bride looking for a unique wedding day experience.
dandyLion started in February 2009 and this 3 women team creates experiences for their clients by incorporating reclaimed, recycled & upcycled items while encouraging clients to use their own home decor pieces in their event. They are all about taking a blank canvas and transforming it from top to bottom. Being green is also part of their core operation as they operate paperless and use local vendors. This will also not be the last post on dandyLion, as I think the owner is great plus they have several green inspired events coming up, including a Nashvegas inspired wedding along with a dark carnival theme wedding. Stay tuned, I definitely can’t wait.
Green Wedding Inspiration
I thought it only fitting to highlight one of dandyLion event weddings as our Real Green Wedding feature this month. dandyLion put on a sweet, simple wedding on April 30, 2011 at The Solarium in Decatur, GA. Brent & Jessi Cerrato choose dandyLion for their design and event planning. The couple went with local vendors for each aspect of their wedding including locally grown food at their reception. I love the handmade paper cranes incorporated in the ceremony décor.
Their invitations included a perforated rsvp card that could be mailed back as a postcard (how flipping neat is that). They also incorporated personal items for their reception décor along with reusable pieces. The exposed duct work and wood floors provided a great palette for their paper lantern inspired design. Brent & Jessi really dove head first into making their big day absolutely memorable and green.
If you are a wedding vendor in town that incorporates green into your mix, I want to hear from you! Contact me at ashley at ihospitalitytn dot com or visit www.ihospitalitytn.com. Seeking green vendors for your event? See how iHospitality can help.
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Eco-Friendly Weddings, Invitations & Paper Goods, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources
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Thursday, April 28, 2011
You've taken great engagement shots that you're dying to share with everyone you know. Now what? How about Save The Date (STD) invites with your picture on it! If anyone can come up with unique ways to turn your photos into custom wedding paper, it's Shannon O'Kelly of Southall Eden Paperie who sent us a few samples of Save The Dates and invitations she's put together!
Peel & Stick: Turn your picture into a little square sticker that your guests can then place on their wall or desk calendars! This is a really creative way to get your guests' attention and they'll be pretty aware as the date approaches!
Envelope Liner: What a fun surprise it will be for guests when they open the envelope and see you and your fiance right there! Placing the picture on the envelope liner is another fun way to grab the recipient's attention because it's the first thing they see!
Matching Accents: For this Save The Date, Shannon has matched the ribbon to the blue of the bride's dress to accentuate the picture. The entire Save The Date is very classic and sophisticated and when I see this, I know I'm in store for a pretty cool wedding.
Around the Enclosure: When your picture is something guests have to touch to get to the message enclosed, it's definitely going to get their attention. This option also gives you the opportunity to share with your guests more than one image from your engagement shoot.
The couple's style looks fun and stylish, much like the invitation design.
It's not often you have great pictures of yourselves taken and when you do, you wouldn't want them to just sit in an album or on a disc unseen - using them for your Save The Date or even Invitations would be such a nice way to show those pictures off.
Thank you to Southall Eden Paperie for sending us these examples of the ways you can use your engagement pictures. Visit their website for more samples of their work and when you give Shannon a call to talk about your stationery, don't forget to tell her you're an ABG Bride!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I love stationery. In this modern age of electronic messages and less and less paper, I feel like stationery is not as appreciated as it used to be. As convenient and free as evites are (or worse still, Facebook invites - ugh), your wedding day is not a day to stinge. It's not just a Saturday afternoon kegger you're having. And with all the effort you're putting into the other details of your day, you want your guests to be able to get a feel for your style and vision from the moment they open your invitation.
When we saw a new invitation line by Paperkuts Studio at a recent bridal show, Ashley did a double take and asked Kim of Paperkuts to tell us more about her fabulous new invites by Regas New York. Take it away Kim!
Today's Guest: Paperkuts Studio
Letterpress is still one of the hottest trends in stationery. It's an art form that I would love to learn. What exactly is letterpress? This tactile style of printing dates back to seventh century China where artisans printed characters on fabric. In the 1450's, Johannes Gutenberg created movable type to allow easier manipulation on paper. After the 20th century, letterpress printers became mass-produced. The letterpress technique involves using plates of raised reversed art to impress text or images into cardstock. The feel and look of letterpress is amazing! The look is definitely elegant, classic and produces high-end work.
One of my great finds from the 2010 National Stationery Show was the fabulous letterpress design of Regas NY. This innovative team provides beautiful paper for wedding invites, save-the-dates, chic party notes, menus/programs and custom work. Because letterpress is all hand-made, time is of the essence. Each customer is different, so if letterpress is where you want to go, I always stress to start early. Production time can take 3-4 weeks from the approval of the art. Because of this, letterpress can average from $12 and up. It solely depends on the bride's wants and needs.
I always state that your choice of paper sets the tone for your event. The average spent on invitations is around 2-3% of your wedding budget. Let's sit down and talk about your vision and how paper can make it even more fabulous!
All ABG lovers can take 20% off of their order with PaperKuts Studio. Give me a call/email and set up an appointment.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Invitations & Paper Goods, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds
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