Before we rush forward into the new year, I thought I would look back at some of our custom wedding projects from 2015. The best part of my job is getting to know so many wonderful clients, each with their own unique style and vision for their big day. It's not uncommon for me to sit down with (or Facetime in!) entire families to talk about what this all means for a couple’s stationery. Other times I get to "meet" our clients solely through email and phone conversations. In the end, all that matters is creating pieces that are inspired entirely by their ideas, voices, and of course, love for one another. Thanks to all our wedding clients who befriended and trusted us enough to take on this task. Read on for a few of our most memorable letterpress wedding invitations to date ...
GO BOLD OR GO HOME. Liz and Tucker weren't afraid to speak volumes with their non-traditional neon wedding stationery. With the help of Alexis, the wondergal behind The Little Things, they were planning a celebration on the Harbor Islands complete with a New England lobster bake and donut bar. I love how we paired their affinity for clean lines and minimalism with slightly cheeky copy that perfectly captured their fun-loving personalities.
MODERN ROMANCE. This special collaboration was inspired by Kathryn and Jake’s love of Sonoma, resulting in a wedding suite that felt natural, romantic, and modern all at the same time. For the letterpress pieces we blended blush and white Italian papers and modern brush lettering (by Chelsea Petaja). Can't get enough? Check out the full suite (and fabric invitations!) on Oh So Beautiful Paper. (Hand addressed envelope provided by Leveret and Hare.)
NATURAL FORMS. Samantha and Michael had a farm-to-table wedding off the shores of Lake Champlain. They were inspired by the shapes of eucalyptus leaves they were planning to use as part of their wedding décor. We chose moody blue and sage inks to coordinate with Samantha’s bouquet. The simplicity of the natural elements and clean typography worked together to hint at a beautiful celebration by the lake and Green Mountains.
HANDDRAWN HOMETOWN. Lauren and Pete enthusiastically approached us about illustrating a view of Marblehead, Massachusetts for their invitation. Deb’s family lives in this North Shore town and so she got to drawing right away, nailing its seaside charm and landmarks. The end result was a heartwarming suite that felt like home. When you receive emails from clients that begin with “it’s like Christmas morning!” you know you’re on the right track!
SOMETHING BLUE. Even though Sonya and Chris were too far to meet in person, I was taken in by their warm personalities and southern charm. For their black tie wedding at the beautifully restored historic Swan House in Atlanta, they chose traditional text with accents of flourished calligraphy (by Jan Hutchinson) printed in silver. Incorporating hints of pale blue added a sweet touch that kept with the romantic and timeless look.
BEACHY REDEFINED. Shilpa and Lars were planning a destination wedding overlooking the beaches of Bermuda. And while they were excited to lounge in the pink sand and catch up on their golf game, their invitations needed to convey their elegant and formal affair. They chose a traditional layout with a custom motif printed in warm metallic gray and sage. A belly band with their initials completed their classic suite.
I could go on and on about many more wedding projects we've enjoyed, all with their own stories. But for now, I'll save them for future blog posts. If you're interested in learning more about working with us on custom letterpress stationery and want to see more, email us at weddings[AT]smudgeink[DOT]com anytime!
Wow, it’s hard to believe that the 
RECAP: Everything fit in Kate's hatchback (and Deb's mom's SUV). It was fairly quick drive to NYC, only to get stuck in a street demonstration as soon as we hit the car dealerships along 11th Avenue. When we arrived inside the Javits, crates completely overtook our aisle but fortunately none had been left in our booth. But it still made for a good photo op. Kate and I got started on the booth before Deb arrived with her to-scale booth plans. We messed up and had to start again. That's what happens when you veer from the map. 
RECAP: We still only have one step stool (gifted to us by our friends at 
RECAP: We've finally learned to avoid the Starbucks line in the Javits at all costs. Instead, we rely on an extensive call tree where the first person to come across a Starbucks on his/her commute gets everybody's orders. This often leads to confusing texts and having no idea why there is a Mexican hot drink waiting for you. (Wait, I thought you wanted an olé, says Clayton.) Caffeine aside, I have to say we were thrilled to show off our new corner booth! It filled up with customers pretty quickly, and I didn't even have to wear the sandwich board! 
RECAP: 
Every now and then, you meet a young person who makes you believe that the future's in good hands. We recently teamed up with Ana Agarwal, a local seventh grader, on a project for her non-profit organization. That's right—a seventh grader with a non-profit. Impressive, right? Ana co-founded 
TWO WEEKS. That's the (extremely short) amount of time Clayton took to imagine and impeccably craft together his sister's wedding invitations. About nine in ten of his questions were met by incredulous looks from us. You want to do what? You need these finished by when? But in his ever upbeat and determined way, he turned his sister's love of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree into one of the most extraordinary invitation suites. From Clayton's rustic hand lettering, fold-out map, custom invitation pocket right down to the calligraphy and coordinating stamps, you could not be more excited to celebrate with everyone at his family's almond farm! We're especially thrilled you can 