What a fun surprise to pick up a Modern Luxury this week in Chicago and find my work published! Check out both my calligraphy and stationery featured in Modern Luxury Weddings, Chicago from The Big Fake Wedding, Chicago 2021 event!
Anna and Max – Family Tree Chalk Board
Anna asked me about creating a family tree chalkboard for the wedding that had been posted toned due to the pandemic. I loved this sweet and beautiful tribute idea to their families and the family of their own they were honoring by being wed.
Photo by Max Warren
Photo by Max Warren
Photo by Max Warren
The chalkboard at Chicago's Bridge 410 was the perfect blank canvas for Anna and Max to pay tribute to their parents and grandparents through a family tree, illustrated in chalk. This piece was a beautiful backdrop to their April 30th wedding reception and celebration.
Photo by Max Warren
Photo by Max Warren
Clarins, Earth Day Celebration with Calligraphy
This past week I had the pleasure to create these fun calligraphy and painted flower pots for Clarins at Bloomingdales on Michigan Avenue. They were celebrating Earth Day with a qualifying purchase you received one of these custom flower pots, a pack of seeds and a tree planted in your name. How amazing is that?
I loved the different ideas people asked me to paint including a dog themed one for a frequent customer who brings in their dog in often, a French inspired pot, a pot for a librarian with hand-drawn books and even an original illustration by me based on the flowers on the table!
Thank you Clarins and Bloomingdales for having me!
David Yurman Jewelry , Live Calligraphy
It was a pleasure to be back at the Michigan Avenue Bloomingdale’s, this time adding calligraphy to David Yurman Jelwery cases. This simple but elegant touch was a great way to compliment the already gorgeous jewelry. Thank you for having me Bloomingdales and David Yurman Chicago!
Live Engraving with Bloomingdales for Valentine's Day!
This past weekend I was back at Bloomingdale on Michigan Avenue for a Valentines Celebration! Live calligraphy is a beautiful and fun way to elevate your gift with a special note or monogram.
Room 1520 Mirror Calligraphy: Wedding for Lauren & Michael
Michael and Lauren were married this past winter at the gorgeous Room1520 in Chicago, IL. I loved being able to write out their bar menu, complete with monogram and specialty drinks including the “Olive Love You” Dirty Martini and the “Barrera-ita” Margarita—a play off the new couples last name.
The monogram and type was carried over to the couples reception seating chart where I matched the calligraphy and font from the seating chart print outs to fill in the mirror space below.
Congrats Lauren and Michael!
Photos by Courtney Cimo
Jennifer and Nate - NYE Wedding Chalkboard
How fun is this wedding chalkboard on New Year’s Eve? It is always fun to help a client’s idea come to life. For Jen and Nathan they wanted more of the party feel to continue onto the chalkboard. We added fireworks, florals and fun sparkles to match the NYE vibes.
Congratulations to Jennifer and Nathan!
The Big Fake Wedding, Chicago: Inspired By Morocco
On a warm August night, a handful of vendors came together for a gorgeous vow renewal on the rooftop of Lacuna Lofts under a gorgeous floral arch.
The invitations and paper good were inspired by traditional Moroccan patterns and colors as well as the lush colors of the florals. I loved getting to pull in warm tones to a lighter palette with the contrast of a deep wine color as the RSVP envelope. To add a hint of glamor and a little more elegance, the calligraphy is done in a metallic gold with the invitation foiled in a warm gold.
The theme continued on the beautiful table scapes with arched menus in the same sand color pulled from the invite palette with mimicked arched acrylic placards, bringing in a pop of green to this already stunning table.
CAKES & CATERING:
CEREMONY MUSICIANS:
FAVORS & GIFTS:
FLORAL, DESIGN, & DAY OF COORDINATOR, TABLES 1 & 2:
FLORALS & DESIGN- CEREMONY BACKDROP, TABLES 4 & 5:
FLORALS & DESIGN- TABLE 3 & BOUQUETS:
GROOM & HIS MEN:
HAIR, MAKEUP & BEAUTY:
LIGHTING, ENTERTAINMENT & PHOTO BOOTH:
FEMPRESS Fit | @fempressfit
Hitched Wedding Bands | @tryhitched
Lavish Exposure Photobooth | @lavish_exposure
OFFICIANTS:
PAPER GOODS & CALLIGRAPHY:
SIGNAGE:
VENUES:
VIRTUAL VENDOR:
WEDDING DJ:
WEDDING DRESSES:
WEDDING FILMS:
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Featured on: Lakeshore In Love
This gorgeous styled shoot is the perfect inspiration for any Spring or Summer wedding. The earthy tones and sweet pops of pink and green are perfect for any locations. Find the full gallery and feature here!
Planning + Styling:K & K Celebrates, @kandkcelebrates
Photography:Ashlyn Henry, @ashlynhenry_
Floral:Fleur, @fleurinc
Cotton Candy Cart:Bubbly Events , @bubblyeventschicago
Stationery: Lina Luna Paperie @linalunapaperie
Bridal Gowns: Jenny Yoo, @jennyyoonyc
Bridesmaids Dresses:Jenny Yoo, @jennyyoonyc
Models:Madison (Bride) @madisonannx , Ashley (Bridesmaid) @ashmow , Cacha (Bridesmaid) no instagram Hair + Make Up: Goldplaited, @goldplaited_
Jewelry:La Kaiser Jewelry @lakaiserjewelry
Cake + Sweets:Toni Patisserie, @tonipatisseriecafe
Rentals: Halls, @hallsrental Venue:Eden , @edeninchicago
Linens: BBJ, @bbjlinen and La Tavola, @latavolalinen
Wedding Inspiration: Neutral, Boho Style
This mix of neutrals used for this vibey city wedding is the ideal mix of urban and nature. I chose to use only hand-drawn eucalyptus branches in both the invite and the complimentary wax seal matching the vibe of the organic color palette. By adding a more traditional calligraphy style, this invite became a beautiful mix of traditional and organic.
I loved seeing the mix of natural and more urban elements with the pops of colors in the decor and florals. The perfect inspiration for a city, boho wedding.
Venue: @ovationchicago
Dress: @bhldn
Earrings: @bhldn
Prop & Event Hire: @poshstudiorentals
Florist: @cityscentschicago
Hair Stylist: @emilyraebridalhair
Makeup Artist: @alyssadianamakeup
Invitation Suite: @linalulupaperie
Cake: @thesweetreservebakery
Models: @emfoertsch, @poukenik
Wedding Inspiration: Romantic Spring Hues
Early Spring weddings are filled with soft, pastels—and this styled shoot from K and K Celebrates is the perfect inspiration for a dreamy pink and gold inspired casual wedding. Staying in line with this dreamy decoré, I chose minimum design elements and brushed, watercolor florals to accent the paper goods both on the invite and escort cards, Each was topped off with antique gold wax seals to add texture.
Planning + Styling: @kandkcelebrates
Photography: @ashlynhenry__
Stationery: @linalulupaperie
Floral: @michaelamantarian
Rentals: @hallsrental
Venue: @chezweddingvenue
Linens: @bbjlinen
Cake: @tonipatisseriecafe
Wedding Inspiration: Gold Coast Love
What is more beautiful than a mix of textures and colors? I loved this deep, neutral palette that combines gorgeous florals, beaded gown and mixed papers for the invite. I enjoyed using the unexpected choice of the vellum envelope with modern calligraphy and illustrations that echoed the same design elements of the invitation suite. By using a mix of copper, gold, cream and rust picked up from the choice of florals, the invitation suite is the perfect introduction to this goregoeus city inspiration wedding.
Venue: @ovationchicago
Dress: @bhldn
Earrings: @bhldn
Prop & Event Hire: @poshstudiorentals
Florist: @cityscentschicago
Hair Stylist: @emilyraebridalhair
Makeup Artist: @alyssadianamakeup
Invitation Suite: @linalulupaperie
Cake: @thesweetreservebakery
Models: @emfoertsch, @poukenik
Wedding Inspiration: Romantic Blues
Another gorgeous shoot from the minds of Kristie and Kim at K and K Celebrates wedding planning! This beautiful mix of Grandmillennial and boho vibes has just a touch of romanticism that pulls is all together. I loved using the beautiful floral tablecloth as the main inspiration for the stationery. The toile inspired illustrations carried over from the invite onto the placecards at the table with a touch of pink in the calligraphy.
Planning + Styling: @kandkcelebrates
Photography: @ashlynhenry__
Stationery: @linalulupaperie
Floral: @michaelamantarian
Rentals: @hallsrental
Venue: @chezweddingvenue
Linens: @bbjlinen
Cake: @tonipatisseriecafe
Wise Wedding: Menus
Menus, should you have them or not? When it comes to weddings, the esthic and design of your reception is the largest portion of time people will focus on, and rightfully so! Though I will always say the ceremony is THE most important aspect of the wedding, your reception is where your personality and the design of the day really gets to shine. The small details add up to big impact and that includes menus!
These informational pieces do not have to be boring! Consider them to pull double duty and use them to include:
Guests place cards
Thank you note from you as the couple
A place to request a card and hand it in to the DJ
Additionally these do not have to stay a simple rectangle. Consider other elements in your day such as arches or making the menu fit in the charger of your guests place setting. These details are so fun and won’t go unnoticed by your guests!
Wise Wedding: Escort Card vs. Place Card vs. Seating Chart
There are a lot of terms when it comes down to planning your wedding and the day-of items involved. With traditional rules being “broken” more casually these days for formal weddings, the terms you are hearing can easily be combined or misinterpreted. A casualty of these “broken rules” are place cards and escort cards. These two terms are often interchangeably used, but did you know they are actually two different things?
What’s the difference then?
PLACE CARDS
Place cards are used to assign seating and are placed at the place setting for the guest to find at the table. They contain a single guest’s name, no table number but can include a meal choice indicator. They can help the serving staff at a formal sit-down dinner to know which meal you have chosen for the evening. They are often used at more formal or black-tie weddings.
ESCORT CARDS
Escort cards are used to direct your guest or guests to the table they will be sitting at. These cards traditionally will have the couple’s name together or the single guest’s name along with the table number. This is essentially a seating chart in individual cards as they will be set-up in the reception hall, typically towards the entrance. If you do not have specific place cards at the table, these help guests “reserve” their spot at the table to ensure they can sit by whom they like or the direction they would like to face. Though they can be used alongside a place card at an event, they are viewed as the casual alternative to a place card if used alone. If need be, they too can hold the meal choice to helpt the serving staff indicate food allergies or special meal requests for the guest.
SEATING CHART
An alternate choice for both a place card and escort card can be a seating chart. Seating charts are a large board, mirror, or another beautiful art piece that displays all your guest’s names and which table they will be sitting at. These make beautiful decor pieces for your reception and can cut down on the use of paper for your event and/or free up space if you do not have room for another table to place your escort cards on. A seating chart is typically used at a wedding when the guest count is too large for escort cards and/or when the wedding guests didn’t have an option to select their entree in advance. This style of seating is perceived as more casual, but can also be used in tandem with a place card.
What should I use then for my wedding?
I am often asked if both escort cards and place cards are necessary, or if they should scrap both and go with a seating chart. Guests want to know where they are sitting and often will look for their seats first thing at a reception to place down purses or to get a “good” spot to view the important events.
Here are my tips for you to help decide what fits best for you:
If you are having a smaller wedding, 30-50 people or under, I would advise a seating chart. Then based on how you have your tables, I would also recommend place cards for a small wedding to help get the more important guests (such as parents, grandparents, etc.) to the spots that they can see all the special events without obstruction. Nobody should be blocking mom or making grandma crane her neck to see the cake cutting.
Example of place card
If your venue is asking you to use a card for meal purposes, traditionally a place card would be used alongside an escort card or seating chart. For a less formal feel, you may use an escort card and place an icon (as seen above) or letter such as “F” for fish to help the serving staff quickly decipher the meal for each guest.
If you choose to use both an escort card and a place card, ensure that the two look different. For your place cards, instead of a traditional paper card, choose a unique item that can add to your tables decore such as a seashell, tile, leaf, or a sentimental favor with their name attached on a tag (See example below). Guests will be delighted by these unique items and they take them home as personalized favors!
Example of unique place card for guests.
Regardless of the direction, you take your guest seating, I always advise you have a seating plan. From formal place cards that direct guests to the correct seat, to the less formal escort card to direct guests to the right table, make a clear plan with whoever is setting up your reception. This will ensure your reception gets off on the right foot.
Wise Wedding: Reception Paper Good Needs
You wouldn’t think so but the reception is the largest and most informational heavy part of your day. Cutting out signs or information might seem like a good idea when planning then the wedding, but you will have your guests miss out on important details because they never knew they were there in the first place.
Here is an overview of what you should provide at your reception and in the weeks to come I’ll be talking about more examples and specifics. Find a complete list of papergoods for your wedding here, including reception paper goods!
Signs
Last week we talked all about the signs needed for your ceremony and your reception. To recap here are the most common signs to include :
Welcome sign
Guestbook sign, especially if it is an interactive guestbook like signing a puzzle piece or wanting more than a name.
Cards and Gift location
Directional sign for cocktail hour, bathrooms, etc. for larger venues or venues that have multiple weddings happening at once.
Favor signs
Photobooth signs
Drink Signs for the bar if there is a special cocktail
Labels for any food items such as dessert table, snacks, or food truck
Wise Wedding: Signs for Your Big Day!
We’re back at it, this time talking about signs for your ceremony and reception. Signs not only add to the decor of your day but are a functional tool helping your guests understand what is expected of them and what they are interacting with. The right sign in the proper place will make all the difference, and create a smoother flow as well as cut down on confusion for your guests. Then what signs should be at your wedding?
Ceremony Signs
Photos by Alexandria
Welcome Sign Give your guests a warm greeting right as they walk in. This sign can also be moved to the reception room to point guests to the right location, especially if you are in a venue with multiple weddings happening on the same day.
Seating Many couples have done away with making their guests choose which side of the aisle they should sit on. Let guests know with a simple sign at the entrance of the seating that they can sit wherever.
Reserved Seating Remember to place reserved seating signs for the first two rows on either side for family and prominent guests of the couple getting married.
Order of Events This sign serves as a way for guests to look forward to the events for the evening such as when the bar opens, dancing and sending the happy couple off.
Other signs to have at the ceremony could include an
Unplugged Sign Adding this small sign can make the ceremony feel more intentional and cause less distraction. Have it placed at the entrance of the ceremony, but also have your officiant remind guests during the ceremony so that all can fully enjoy it without distraction.
Program Board to cut down on paper programs but still acknowledging the timeline of the ceremony and honoring all those who have chosen to be involved.
Venue and Reception Signs
Directional Signs If you have a large venue, a directional sign is a fun and informative way to help guests understand where the bathrooms, ceremony, reception, and other key locations are during the day.
Hashtag Sign Place this sign with a personalized hashtag on it near your welcome sign or guestbook to make sure you can find all the fun snaps of your day easily on social media. This is a great way to relive your big day in the weeks waiting for your professional photos to come back.
Guest Book Sign If you have a guestbook or an interactive item you’d like your guests to be involved in make sure the directions and the sign are readable and placed nearby a high trafficked area for all to see.
Seating Chart If you are not planning on having personal escort and/or placards, or happy to have guests sit where they like—let them know where to place their items to get the party started as soon as possible!
Table Numbers These can be simple numbers provided by your venue or designed by your stationer to match the other paper goods. Think outside the box by replacing the numbers with a theme you love such as locations you traveled or book titles you both enjoy.
Bar and Food Menus Many couples are opting for a specialty drink they love to add a special touch to the cocktail hour. Have this fun sign displayed on the bar for a splash of decor and for you to have a cute memento of your reception to take home.
Don’t forget to have a table menu or signs at the buffet to make sure guests know what food they are being served. This goes along with any food item you’re serving including dessert, late-night snacks, or food trucks.
Reception Extras Some couples opt to help their guest feel a little more comfortable on their day by providing a specialty item such as a fan, water bottle for the ceremony, or flip-flops for dancing. Make sure a sign is provided to ensure guests know they can take one for themselves.
Favors If you are planning to do a favor—and it is not placed on the guest’s place setting at their table—make sure a sign is placed next to the favors to encourage guests to take one on their way out at the end of the event.
Overall, you understand your guests and the important information you would like to communicate to them during your day. All the above signs are not needed for a beautiful and fun filled event but will help cut the stress down when placed in the right areas. Ask me how I can help you with any one of these signs here.
Wise Wedding: Ceremony Programs & Paper Goods
We’ve talked about the paper goods to set up and get your guests to your wedding, now what are you to have at your wedding to help provide special touches and communicate to your guests about your day? Let’s start with the ceremony.
Ceremony Programs
Ceremony programs are an informational tool to help guests know what to expect but are optional for you to have. There are two great options for programs if you opt to have them at your ceremony; paper programs or a program board.
Printed programs are great for more involved ceremonies or religious leaning services where the guests will be able to join in traditions such as a song, call and response readings, or communion. Programs also help you honor your bridal party and family involved by listing their names and potentially how you know them. This space too gives you the option to honor family members who are deceased publicly and acknowledge their absence on your big day.
Having a paper program can also allow you to add some special information for your guests such as a thank you note from the couple, the address for the reception if it is not in the same location, and even a new address for the couple if they have just moved in together. Often these style of programs are thought of traditional and are a sweet memento of your day to place in your future wedding photo album or keepsake box.
Photographers: Aaron and Jillian Photography Wedding Stationery: Silver Starfish
Program boards are a beautiful alternative option for more modern or laid back weddings. They still allow you to honor your bridal party and family members who have been by your side by listing their names and help the guests know the order of the ceremony. These are typically placed at the back of the ceremony or church for guests to read as they walk in to find their seats.
Important items to include on your wedding programs:
Your names and date of the wedding
Location of the wedding
Names of the officiant, bridal party members, and each family member you would like to honor. Typically this includes the parents and grandparents of each partner.
Ceremony schedule. Allow your guests to follow along to understand what is coming up next. Such items include processional, readings, songs, and vows.
Other items you can include in your programs:
Directions and address to reception.
Your love story or other fun details about you as a couple
Your new address as a couple
A note to unplug during the ceremony
Include bubbles, rose petals, or confetti when you hand out your program for when you walk back down the aisle as a married couple
Now it’s up to you whether you want to include a program or not. If you do choose to have one, make sure you include the basics like a running order of events and details about your wedding party.
Remember your wedding is a time to celebrate a joyful step in life and honor you as a couple. What you choose to include should do just that—honor your love story, personalities and create keepsakes (such as a wedding program) that you, your partner, and your guests will truly enjoy!
Styled Shoot: Romantic, Pink table at DL LOFT
Here is the beautiful second shoot from the minds of K and K Celebrate! I love the mixture of prints, dusty pinks, and accents of metals that touch the table. The gorgeous florals mix perfectly with the glass accents that accentuate the light flooding throughout the venue. I loved getting to use a mixture of paints, calligraphy, and watercolor for all the paper goods! By using florals and textured paint strokes to create a pattern, the paper goods felt enhanced but not too over done.
The incredible team includes:
Planning: K and K Celebrates
Photography: 606 Photo
Grazing Boxes: Sage and Jam |
Floral: FleurInc
Venue: DL Loft, Chicago
Bubbly Wall: Bubbly Events Chicago
The perfect mix of elegance, romance and a dash of modern!
Wise Wedding: All about Envelopes
Envelopes are one of my FAVORITE paper goods! They can add so much to the experience of receiving your invite, not to mention build anticipation for your guest to open the envelope to see what’s inside. There are endless combinations and styles to choose from, but let me talk you through a few of the common ones.
Calligraphy
I rarely miss an opportunity to talk about having a calligraphed envelope for your wedding. When else do you have such an open opportunity to make an envelope look extra special?
Calligraphy is a beautiful and timeless option for your envelopes, but not the most inexpensive. Since there are a variety of calligraphy options, you can truly match the feel of your wedding to the style of calligraphy you would like to have on your envelope.
Since calligraphy is hand-done, it will take longer to have ready to send immediately. I’ll let you on a little trick: Take your Save the Date spreadsheet of addresses, add any additional guests and pass it on to your calligrapher as soon as possible. Once you have picked out your envelopes, order them and send them to your calligrapher. They can have them done right when your invites are getting printed or even earlier. This will keep your wedding timeline going smoothly and allow your calligrapher enough time to get them done with our adding rush fees—win, win!
To find my calligraphy styles and prices check here!
Printed Envelopes
Calligraphy may not fit your wedding vibe or even may not fit your budget. A beautiful and cost-effective option is having your address printed on the envelopes. You can also try printing the proper address and write the name in calligraphy to add a modern but elegant touch. These two combinations can create a more cost effective but equally stunning outcome that you’re looking for. This option is also a time saver if you are getting married in a shorter time period than typical or time is running low on when to get your invites out.
All the Details
Adding extra detail to your envelopes can be a fun way to make them more personal and infuse your style. Here are a few ideas on what to add:
Envelope liners: Once used to block the inside contents of an envelope, these additional pieces are a beautiful way to add color, texture, and elegance to your envelope and invite suites.
Wax Seals: These are fun additions to close ( or seal) your envelope with, but can be costly in the long run both in expense and the time the envelope will make it to your guest.
Decoration: This, in my opinion, is always a great option! From handpainted details like the envelope below to small printed flowers on the envelope flap, make your envelope your own! The options are endless.
As your stationer, I would love to walk you through the additions you can add to your envelopes without making costly mistakes such as wrong address formatting or other mailing faux pas.
Stamps
Stamps are the most important detail of your envelope! With out them they will not get very far to your guests. There are a variety of stamps from USPS that are perfect for any suite. If you are looking for vintage stamps, remember to make sure the total adds up to modern day postage price. I also suggest finding a beautiful theme ( such as botanicles or travel) or color combination ( like the pink and gold below) to make them pop off your envelope.
A few last items to considerations with envelopes are:
Shape: Anything outside a rectangle will cost more in postage.
Address: Whatever way you choose to address your envelope, make sure it is readable, in the correct area on the envelope, and you include a return address.
Thickness matters! Make sure you are aware of what you are putting in the envelope and that the envelope is the right material to hold it all.
Color: Don’t forget color is an option for your envelopes.
Have questions or concerns about envelopes? I would love to help you, just let me know your questions below!
