Custom Save the Dates, Unique Wedding Invitations & Personalized Stationery

My favorite of them all… the letters hanging from the tree trunk. Those look like they were bought like that, but I see a total DIY project for sure. Buy ’em plain, grab some paint and a brush and voila, go to town on the design. Which is your favorite?

1. Glass Candle Holders hanging from a Tree…  www.maloman.com

2. Tree Trunk Letters… www.jessica-johnston.com

3. Love Birds w/photos…  Rachel Barker @  www.milliehollomanblog.com

4. Wooden Heart against the wall…  www.tecpetajaphoto.com

5. Tablescape…  www.lisalefkowitz.com

6. Colorful Cups…  www.lisalefkowitz.com

I am TRULY DELIGHTED to introduce you to Victoria! A REAL BRIDE planning her destination wedding in Kauai, Hawaii.

I met Victoria after she ordered her airline ticket save the date cards at My Personal Artist. After chatting with her via email and on twitter, I learned I just truly adored her! She is super creative, fun, uplifting, positive, and full of wedding ideas! I immediately wanted to share her planning with YOU our readers, so I asked her. I can go on and on about how great she is. However, YOU will see and read as she posts her personal wedding planning ideas and experience here. xo

INTRODUCING VICTORIA …

{ Victoria and John’s Engagement Session photos by CynKain Photography }

{ Victoria’s ME board }

1. When did you get engaged?

August 30, 2010

2. What are your hobbies?

Playing with my dog, Hana; Hawaii (anything and everything); Spending time with John & Family; Photography; Art; Decorating/Design; Cooking

3. Your favorite vacation spot…

HAWAII & Boston

4. Why did you decide to have a destination wedding?

After John took me to Hawaii last year, I fell deeply in love with the Island of Kauai. We knew we just had to get married there, we didn’t see ourselves doing it any other place.

5. What are you looking forward to most after you are married?

Growing both personally, as a couple, and sharing it all with each other.

6. So far, what do you like most about planning your wedding?

Wow, where do I start? I believe I love the endless amounts of inspiration and “help” out there.

I truly look forward to sharing Victoria’s wedding ideas and planning with you. Let’s give her a WARM welcome!!!

I am thrilled our REAL clients Laura and Tom emailed me their amazing wedding photos! I am DELIGHTED to share them with you today!!! This is PART ONE … Enjoy!

I LOOOOVE this. Laura and Tom decided to have a quiet moment before the wedding!

HAND PAINTED Cherry Blossoms Note Cards. Each note card is ENTIRELY HAND PAINTED by fine artist Michelle Mospens using watercolor paint.

$116.00 each set of 8 hand-painted notes and envelopes printed with your return address on back flap. 50% ($58.00) is donated to a person with breast cancer.

“Hello. My name is Michelle Mospens. I am a life time artist. As I painted this design I remembered the feeling of letting go and praying for loved ones who fought the battle with cancer. The flowers are free flowing and soft. Vibrant as they blossom. The blue sky and the very light pink blossoms are in the background to remind us WE are NEVER alone.

As you know, many of us are touched by cancer personally or we watch someone we love, adore and care about deeply suffer through cancer. Cancer has touched my life in many ways. My grandmother, who is now 90, is a survivor and beat her battle with breast cancer. My dear friend Julie is a brave survivor. All I could do was listen and buy her the best hairpiece money could buy. I learned one of my clients mother lost her battle. She loved my hibiscus artwork so very much, they laid it to rest with her for eternity. Recently, a dear loyal client, Kelly B., emailed me and shared she is fighting the fight right now. She asked if I had any special PINK cards for her to use. I took a little over an hour to create this for her and all who suffer and battle cancer. Keep faith and hope alive. Sending you all of my love and strength. Most Sincerely, Michelle”

{ Image via Martha Stewart Weddings }

HELLO!!! Best honeymoon room everrr! I was browsing The Wedding Lane and couldn’t believe my eyes. Lovely! So I just had to share here. Where are you staying on your honeymoon?

I love the idea you can find the sunrise and sunset times online at Naval Oceanography Portal website. Perfect for your beach wedding at sunset!

I just LOVE when I receive wedding inspiration along with a custom wedding invitation request in my inbox! Jessica sent over the following vintage wedding photos that inspired her wedding planning…

Breathtaking. As you may know, I have always LOVED flowers. Peony flowers are delicate and fabulous! As soon as I laid my eyes on her wedding inspiration I took note of the pink and green. After we exchanged a few emails, I prepped my watercolors and painted a new peony just for Jessica and Marc’s wedding stationery. Sneak a peek of their custom invitations now…

Jill and Thomas’ wedding photos by Linczak Photography are breathtaking! I had the great pleasure of actually seeing the amazing quality of the images in person and they were outstanding! See Jill + Thomas’ Real Wedding Part I.

Custom invitations by Mospens Studio.

Wow! I love, love, love this engagement photo shoot I found on Flickr by photographer Katja Heil! Amazingly fun!!!

LOVE!

View more photos by the amazing Katja Heil now!

SWOONING! I was just browsing Style Me Pretty and I LOVE, love, love this photo by Orange Girl Photography! As you may know, I am obsessed with water, so naturally I would adore this photo. It is truly whimsical and breathtaking! The couple is adorable and look at her floral bouquet! Just Perfect!

I am delighted to share Jill + Thomas’ wedding with you today!

Of course we must begin with the custom folder, raised ink invitations James and I created for them!! Jill + Thomas came into our invitation studio to create the perfect invitation for their wedding. After the consultation we decided their theme would be THEM.

BEHIND THE SCENES! I snapped this photo of them and created their original silhouette invitation design…

SNEAK PEEK! Following is a sneak peek of Jill + Thomas’ beautiful wedding photos by the amazing Linczak Photography!

Breathtaking! Don’t you agree? I can’t wait to share the remaining photos with you. xo

When I work with a bride over the phone, I ask her to send me color swatches of the items for her wedding. Natasha wanted to incorporate green with my orange tiger lily invitation. I love the new tropical twist to this trend-setting lily design! And so did Natasha! …

“Michelle, OH MY GOSH I LOOOVVVEEE IT! I WILL TAKE IT!  … You’re awesome! Thank you sooo much! Sincerely, Tasha”

The green groomsmen shirt is from Tommy Bahama.

Oh what fun it is to… receive this beautiful wedding invitation in the mail!

Fun and original! Handmade Wedding Invitations with winter snowflakes and pinecones will delight all of your guests. Perfect for a fun and elegant winter theme wedding or a spectacular Christmas party.

For order information can be found here My Personal Artist Custom Invitations.

To Save the Date, or to Not Save the Date that is the question! As I was designing these new colorful save the date cards I thought, many times when I speak with a new bride-to-be on the phone they ask this question.

Let me start by saying save the date cards are used to tell your guests to “Save the Date” for your wedding day or weekend. Pretty simple, right!? Personally, I say just send out your wedding invitations early if you need a response earlier than the norm (1 month before wedding in the USA). Then YOU save money. Sometimes guests need an entire year to plan for travel expenses and vacation/holiday time from work. If you are having a destination wedding you will want to give your guests ample time to plan ahead. When should you send out save the date cards? For 12 years, I’ve been telling our brides/grooms 8-12 months before your wedding day.

Remember, always plan ahead and always do what YOU feel comfortable doing. It’s your wedding day! Enjoy! And have a delightful day! xo

You get your wedding invitations in your hands and then its time to stuff them, address them then… adhere the envelopes shut, take them to your post master to have them weighed, and finally you mail them to your lovely guests. Stop right there, let’s rewind…

Only about 4 brides have called or wrote to me in 12 years (of making handmade wedding invitations) and said their envelopes didn’t stay shut. Come to find out most of the time they were licking, sticking and wetting the inner envelope. So here are a few tips to help you with this very simple task:

1. Only moisten your OUTER ENVELOPE edging. Do not moisten your inner envelope, more than likely they do not have adhesive on them.

2. Do not over moisten the envelope adhesive. To much moisture will wipe away most adhesive causing your envelopes to not adhere properly.

3. Personally I wouldn’t use my … well … I wouldn’t adhere them like Susan is, shown here. I would use a tube type moistener from Staples.

4. Once you have adhered the envelope shut, do not open and try to glue shut again. Get a new envelope.

5. Never use just seals/stickers alone to keep your envelope flaps closed. I have personal experience with this. The flaps will tear and open your envelope.

Just remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Breathe and enjoy!!

Questions? Please feel free to ask me and post them here! xo

Photo credit from Daily Seinfeld.