WOW.
stationary
6
Jul 10
It’s All in the Details and an Awesome Team!
Before wedding season took over all our lives, I got to take part in a fabulous collaborative photo shoot spearheaded by the talented Chelse at EIEIO and Glow Photography.
I was in charge of adding in some details based on the color scheme (pink, red, green and brown) and the theme (antique/vintage, spring picnic). Of course the unpredictable April Rochester weather got in the way of the outdoor picnic vision, but it did not prevent an absolutely stunning photoshoot. The incredible team was made-up of:
Photographer – Glow Photography
Floral Designer - In Bloom Weddings
Cake – Simply Sweets
Details – Better Together Events
Jewelry - Tiffany’s Trinkets
Hair - Melissa Maltman
Makeup – Tammi Nocon
What struck me the most about the final results (below) is how in sync everyone’s contributions were. I am so impressed by all of the professionals’ hard work and many talents. It was my honor to be a part of the team!
30
Jun 10
Where to Buy Vintage Stamps?
Martha Stewart Weddings is always teasing us with their fabulous invitation ensembles complete with totally unique vintage stamps.
Unfortunately, as any savvy stamp collector knows (I happen to be married to one), vintage stamps are super hard to find and can be quite pricey. For example, I had my heart set on Audrey Hepburn vintage stamps for my own wedding invitations to go along with my “Old Hollywood” concept, and they were just too pricey on Ebay to use.
While these stamps are rather pricey, I did stumble across Verde Studio’s Etsy shop devoted to vintage stamps to at least make your shopping a bit easier.
Vintage Love Roses, $20 for a book
Vintage Love Dance Stamps, Various Values, $8
Vintage Orchard Stamps, Various Values, $6.25
Packet of Vintage Love Stamps, $20
Vintage Sailing Stamps, Various Values, $12
As you can see, stamps can be a really fun way to personalize your wedding!
30
Nov 09
A Little DIY Quirkiness to Start your Week Off Right!
One of the things I love most about my job is the relationships. Typically, I’m hired pretty early on in the wedding planning process, so my clients get to know me on both a personal and professional level and vice versa. Planning a wedding is inherantly personal, and these great relationships keep growing even after the wedding is over. Like I said, it’s one of the main reasons why I love what I do.
Case in point: One of my clients sent me this link this morning to a super sassy DIY wedding idea. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t stop laughing at the concept, which the bride of course predicted.
It’s from the delightful Fig and Plum blog: DIY Bride and Groom face Coasters. A little strange, yes, but I appreciate the originality and out-of-the-box-ness of the approach.
I think it’s just enough hippy kitsch cute – how’s that for a description?; plus, it’s beyond crafty and personal. What do you think?
p.s. In case you were wondering, the blog editor is NOT from Seattle, but her amazing wedding photographer is, so the Seatle-creativity theory continues. Seriously, what do they put in the water up there??
17
Jul 09
Chewing the Cud: Stationary by a Crafty and Creative Lady
I was perusing my Real Simple Weddings magazine this morning when I came across a fabulous DIY idea from the creative force behind Chewing the Cud Weddings.
It’s a DIY ring bearer’s book sling!
After a bit more searching, I stumbled across the owner’s (Viola) instructions on how to create this unique twist on the ring bearer’s pillow on Style My Pretty‘s blog. Here they are below, courtesy of Style Me Pretty:
Materials:
3 Hardbound books of varying sizes
(Mine were: 4.5? x 6.5? ,4? x 5.5? ,3? x 5?)
The books can be of any size, but don’t make them too big. Remember: little hands, little books.
Decorative Papers and/or Book Cloth
2 kinds of Ribbons (1.5? wide; 0.25? wide)
PVA glue (also known as bookbinding glue)
1. Lay books wide open and measure lengthwise from one end of the cover to the other, including spine thickness.
2. Cut decorative papers so there is an excess of 1/8? all around (except top and bottom of spine).Apply a light coat of PVA on the back of papers.
3. Position book covers on papers and smooth.
4. Fold over the excess 1/8? on all sides. Smooth.
5. Place a phonebook/heavy objects over the closed books and let dry.
6. Stack covered books so the smallest book is on top. To secure the position of the stack, you can add glue/double-stick tape the books to each other.
7. Tie stack using the wide ribbon first, then layering with the narrow ribbon.
8. Slip rings on the narrow ribbon and make a loose loop. (Or if you have a young ringbearer like we did, use fake rings and give the real ones to your best man)
We used plain book cloth for the base book and a plain wide ribbon so the textures wouldn’t be overwhelming. But don’t be afraid to experiment! Think patterned book cloth, rubber stamps, fabric pens, leather books, personalized ribbons with your names, initials… have fun! Make it yours!
After seeing this idea, I of course had to check out Chewing the Cud‘s stationary, and it did not disappoint! The company definitively shares my philosophy about adding personality and individuality to the details of a wedding. They offer a signature line of invitations that can be customized or they will work one-on-one on custom invitations.
How gorgeous is this custom suite inspired by family recipes? From Chewing the Cud‘s website: “This invitation suite is based on the concept of recipes. Beloved family recipes, passed on from generation to generation is a metaphor for sharing and enjoying. Recipes conjure images of sharing good food, good company, good conversation, good times.” I love it!
And the Vermonter in me, went gaga over these custom Save the Date kitchen towels, inspired by the Bride and Groom’s love of butter, their first meeting place (a bar named “Butter”), and the concept that butter is “the gourmand’s faithful ally, the secret ingredient to good food, a symbol of good living…” (from website).
Check out the signature invitation suites as well; they are all phenomenal. I know of one current couple that might definitely be a fan of the “classic silhouettes” line:
And no surprise here, my favorite is the “Gatsby” line. What can I say? I would have fit in real well in the 1920s-1950s. 
17
Jun 09
The Power of Stamps
Thanks to the United States Postal Service for continually producing new stamps that are perfect for wedding invitations!
I’m a particular fan of this new 44 cent “King and Queen of Hearts” love stamp. I especially love that the Queen is bestowing flowers onto the King… very open-minded and representative of the modern woman and modern bride. My husband and I also love the game of Hearts, so I suppose that may have something to do with my affinity for this stamp.
What I’m getting at with that personal reference is that couples can use stamps to add a personal tough to their invitations. At Better Together Events, we are all about making weddings unique and personal; why not add an individualized touch with the stamps? I know of one couple that even put Star Wars stamps on the response cards to honor the groom’s love of all things Star Wars. I say kudos to his fiance for being so open minded!
You can even have fun with invitations that require extra postage. I just received an invitation in the mail with this colorful and summery Dragonfly stamp, which I absolutely love!
And there is always the classic heart stamp, which is always changing colors. 
Want something different, but still wedding-ish? Try this new Wedding Cake stamp for heavier envelopes.
Many times couples will throw multiple stamps together to create a unique look. Martha Stewart is a huge fan of combining vintage stamps on one envelope. This is a great look, but comes with a heftier price tag of course, which is not a good thing Martha!
All I know is that I’m glad The Simpsons stamps weren’t out when I got hitched. I can just picture my mom’s face opening up her invitation dressed with Homer Simpson’s screaming mouth… 
29
Mar 09
Personal Place Cards
Better Together Events assisted its first shower this weekend! The design concept behind the cards was a combination of the bride’s beautiful color palette (gold and pink) with the fun aspect of a luncheon shower (polka dots and a jeweled ornament detail).
The a la carte calligraphy services is one of my favorite aspects of the business. Almost every bride I know loves choosing their wedding stationary. Once the stationary comes in though, they are faced with the decision of how to address the cards and items to make them look their best. Calligraphy is a great way to add a personal touch. The calligraphy used for these shower place cards is a modern script, perfect for a daytime event.
13
Mar 09
Merci Beaucoup!
One of my clients recently asked my advice about thank you notes. Since, like most event planners, I have a borderline unhealthy relationship with stationary and spent way too many hours agonizing over the font of my website content, I decided to tackle this question as my first blog entry.
To celebrate your engagement and your wedding, your friends and family will shower you with their good wishes and blessings. They’ll give you gifts, throw parties in your honor, and assist you with all the things leading up to the big day. Thank you notes are a must to show your appreciation; it is important that they be personal and from the heart. Thank you notes are also important because they are the last item loved ones receive from you post-wedding, so it is your last chance to formally thank them with a personal touch.
To really give them a unique feeling, think about having custom cards printed with a monogram of some kind – perhaps the first initial of your last name, the monogram of you and your fiance, or your two first names together. Check out these personalized thank you notes from Silhouette Blue on Etsy.com. The cards have sweet designs are are perfect for sending out meaningful thank yous. This one in particular caught my eye and reminded me of the children’s book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
The cards come in all sorts of colored cardstock and inks as well to coordinate with your overall theme.
Keep in mind these handy tips as you start to receive gifts and think about drafting thank you notes.
- No matter what, poor handwriting and all, you must write a handwritten note. The effort speaks volumes to your appreciation of the gift. Make sure you mention the particular gift and why you are appreciative of it.
- I know Emily Post says you have a year to write a thank you note, but try to send them out as soon as possible, ideally within 3 weeks of receiving your gift.
- Have an Excel Spreadsheet of all your wedding guests. Whenever you receive a gift, add it to the spreadsheet along with the date the thank you note was completed. Every month, schedule an evening of thank you note writing. Feel free to drink wine and thank at the same time!
- Ignore the bridal magazines and do not take your thank you notes with you on your honeymoon. 1) You won’t write them. 2) You will have more time and energy to focus on them when you get back home. Also, remember you can always hire a wedding planning service like mine to help you with addressing the envelopes so that you can focus your precious time on penning the thanks!
Happy Thanking and because the French always say it better, “Merci!”
