Style Me Pretty

Wedding Invitations by Oblation Papers

Green is in people. It seems that all elements of design, from high end interiors to wedding styling, is moving towards a cleaner, more environmentally sound approach. And, with designers now making it so easy to go green without sacrificing style, why NOT incorporate eco-chic elements into your wedding.

Oblation Papers & Press has been a long time love of mine. If you've ever seen their work in person, you know how luxurious the papers are, how gorgeous the letterpress work is and how absolutely delightful their designs are...

And just look at the process that is involved in creating these invitations...it's absolutely incredible!

I've asked the team at Oblation Papers & Press to write up a bit about their amazing invitations and the process behind each design...

Oblation Papers & Press is an old world letterpress print shop and urban paper mill. We use traditional techniques to produce 100% cotton sheets of paper by hand. Our paper is strong, acid free, and produced from remnants from the garment industry. It also happens to be perfectly suited for antique letterpress printing.

We consciously price our invitations lower than others in the premium letterpress market. Our work starts at about $6 for an invitation and $3.5 for a response set. All of our work is made to order. We offer design services, we accept custom artwork, and we encourage couples to create wedding invitations that are unique to them.

We recently released new wedding designs featuring large-format invitations, bright white handmade paper, and bright white envelopes. Our new Prairie Flower design mixes saffron colored botanical silhouettes and calligraphic swashes with simple modern text and open space. A delightful combination that is perfectly suited for the nature inspired couple.

Remember... as always, we make our tree-free cotton paper by hand in Portland, Oregon using remnants from the garment industry. Our envelopes are made with 100% post-consumer fiber. We letterpress using soy-based inks whenever possible. We encourage customers to use single envelopes and reply postcards-- two simple options to lighten your invitation suite's footprint on our earth.

Our staff is dedicated to environmentally friendly practices. Whether we're bringing our own mugs across the street to our favorite latte spot, or feeding our lunch leftovers to the worm in our worm composting bin, we're genuine about improving the health of our planet.

Thank you SO much to Oblation Papers for sharing these behind-the-scenes details with us, and for giving us a sneak peek at your new designs!!
 

Green Weddings on Portovert

I have been a huge fan of Portovert for some time now...and I am so excited to see that their new, green inspired wedding site is really developing into something special!

Their real wedding section has two spectacular affairs that are organic in that insanely beautiful, elegant way. This first featured wedding for interior designer, Carla Lane, is absolutely beautiful. Lane is best known for mixing vintage items in a fresh, modern setting and her wedding incorporated beautiful, sustainable details throughout. The wedding cake, inspired by sustainable designer Jonathan Adler, features a small Adler vase with flowers on top; the ceremony and reception took place under the California sky; to shelter the young and old, umbrellas were handed out; sustainable succulents were used as table centerpieces. Wedding photographed by Beth Beljon...

This next event, held by Michael, the owner of Mount View Hotel and Spa, a historic hotel in Calistoga, and Stephanie, an artist from New York, featured their wedding at a private, organic Napa Valley Vineyard in California. Photographer, Meg Smith, captured these stunning images...

If you haven't already, spend some time looking around the Portovert site. Their Look Book has great sustainable (and yet beautiful) wedding elements, the articles are filled with tips and advice and their blog is an absolute delight. Thank you so much to Portovert for creating such a lovely, oh-so-important resource for the chic, modern bride!! 

Dear Abby

Although this questions isn't directly related to wedding style or decor, I wanted to share it with you because I know how difficult wedding registries can be!

Q5 - My wedding is set for June 21, 2008 (the Summer Solstice) and it's time for us to register for gifts.  Being typical NYers, we don't have much space.  So, I'm trying to keep our registry as simple as possible.  That being said, I'm trying to decide whether to register for china.  I have very simple everyday plates (white 365 IKEA plates) that I see no need to replace, but I am considering registering for "fancy plates (and cups, and saucers, you get the picture).

It would be great if you could do a post on China patterns.  I am desperately seeking clean, simple china patterns (perhaps with a touch of whimsy).

A5 - I am one of those girls whose knees get weak when she shops for china. Registering for china was one of my very favorite things to do and really, it made me feel like SUCH a bride. So, I think that if you are looking for something simple, with a touch of whimsy, these patterns are perfect...

Top Left by Vera Wang, Top Right by Babara Berry for Wedgewood, Bottom Left by Kate Spade, Bottom Right by Vera Wang

I have the Grand Gourmet by Vera Wang, though I ordered fun salad plates in a different, but coordinating pattern. I looooove them. The key to justifying china, however, is to USE IT! Break out the china when you have guests over for Chinese food or when you have an impromptu brunch with family. They are a bit more fragile than regular dishes, and shouldn't be dishwashed, but a good set of china will last a lifetime.

One last note, I chose my china pattern to coordinate with my mom's...if we ever need more, we have an extra set!

Dear Abby

This is a great Dear Abby question, as I know that many of you aren't interested in classic bridesmaid style dresses...

Q4 - I'm getting married on the Cape in September so we are definitely keeping true to a casually, chic beach wedding. But I am really not having a feeling for bridesmaid dresses. Do you know of any lines that make maxi style, long dresses? Something a little more modern in shape then just the traditional tee length style?  This being said I have a range of sizes for my girls.

A4 - I love, love, love the Maxi style dresses that are back in style. And, I love that you are willing to think outside of the bridesmaid box for your girls...they are very lucky and will definitely get a lot of use out of the dress that you choose! Here are some of my picks for Maxi dresses...

Left Column Gowns on Bloomingdales, Center Top at Nordstrom Center Bottom at Bloomingdales, Top Right at Victoria's Secret, Bottom Right at Saks.

I am always looking at popular stores for alternate ideas to bridemaids dresses. With that said, I do have some favorite bridal designers that have AMAZING bridesmaids dresses...Jenny Yoo, Olivia Luca, Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet. I could go on, but I think you already know the designers that I am talking about. Hope this helps!

Dear Abby

Another Dear Abby question for you...

Q3 - I am getting married in May 2008 in a church. My bridesmaid’s dresses are a tea length dusty rose color. My STD were beige, brown, and rose along with my invitations. Where do I go from here and can I change my color scheme for the wedding?? What other colors go with Dusty Rose??

Okay, first and foremost...as an invitation designer who firmly believes that invitations do set the tone for the entire wedding, I also believe in a bride's right to change her mind! If you have decided that you are no longer wanting the dusty rose look...don't think twice about moving on and choosing a new palette. Your guests will never know the difference.

With that said, I have always loved the dusty rose, champagne, cream and brown combination. This palette has been a favorite of mine since I stumbled into the wedding industry. It's elegant, it's feminine, it's just gorgeous. But what is really inspiring me right now...is the dusty rose, paired with ultra pale pinks, creams and deep burgundy...

By adding a deep purple or burgundy (black even), you get this amazing contrast that seems to make all of the subtle hues really pop.

Dear Abby

Another Dear Abby question...

Q2 - I know you often have challenges and questions with beautiful solutions on the blog, and thought you might like to address this one. I have a client who is 50 years old, marrying for the second time, and looking for a wedding dress.  She asked if I had any ideas for a dress for her...  I guess that's proving to be the toughest part of the planning! : )  She's a professional, a new grandmother, and I guess a bit "matronly", but she's got a great smile and lots of personality.  Any dress I would like for her is, I'm guessing, a bit too young and girly girl. I know I've seen some dresses online recently, somewhere, that inspired me to think, "finally!  The mother of the bride doesn't have to dress terribly", but I can't remember where. If you have any great MOB dress resources that would also be great for a middle aged bride who's not necessarily going to wear white (but might), let me know!

Great question! I know that Mothers of the Bride often feel enormously frustrated with the options that are out there. If any of you guys have great suggestions as to where this bride can find something chic, but sophisticated, let us know!

A2 - The more I researched Mother of the Bride dresses, the more I realized that I think this bride should wear something a bit more "bride." Where MOB outfits should be classic, elegant and understated sophistication...a bride should always sparkle a bit. Regardless of how old she is, how many times she's been married, how low-key she wants to dress.

For this bride, I am seeing something in a soft champagne color. The left dress is a bit more feminine and can really go with any season. The dress on the right is a bit more summery and casual, but would be beautiful with a pretty gold wrap...

Left dress at Neimans, Silk Flowers by Sophiei, Crystal Drop earrings at Neimans, Right dress by Luca Luca

We will tackle Mother of the Bride outfits soon!

Dear Abby

It's been a few weeks since we've done a Dear Abby session, and I have some really great questions from readers that I know you guys will appreciate. So, let's dive right in!

Q1 - I've been perusing your boards religiously for weeks, going back into the archives and waiting for your daily updates. But I've still not seen much addressing the problem I have: I'm looking for non-floral tablescapes. We're getting married on the beach in Mexico,  and because the prices there for decor are so outrageous, we're looking to bring our own. But we're also looking to decorate our tables without flowers, as the only ones available there are from non-organic, non-fair trade sources. Plus, as the reception will be outdoors, in the evening, bright flowers won't add as much color as colored glass... (at least, that was my thinking!)

We need something that will shelter candles from the wind, but hurricanes are too large to bring down in a suitcase. So far, my attempts to create my own centerpieces (mason jars with water and floating candles and beach glass, aluminum vases with tropical leaves) have just felt...lackluster and underwhelming. In your vast web-travels, have you seen anything that you think might work?

A. First of all, I think that ALL of the ideas are great. I have to say, I am partial to lots of candle light, however you can get it. Whether it's through paper luminaries (which I love), tea lights in mason jars, etc. I think that candles create an ambiance that is absolutely romantic and elegant. Enough candle light will make just about any space look absolutely beautiful.

With that said, I completely understand your dilemma. I think that the key here is being able to transport your decor easily, while still being able to dream about the look you are going for and plan out every detail. So, I found a little inspiration from my best friend, Katie. Katie chose to enhance her table decor by choosing rich, colored linens (she made them all herself), and layering different textures on top. She bought these AMAZING gold leaf placemats that she placed in the center of each table (top left)...



Left photos are from Z Gallerie, Right photos are from Crate and Barrel

I love these gold leaves and they would be just beautiful at the beach. Plus they would be incredibly easy to transport. The second idea (dare I say it) would be to bring dried or high end silk flowers and supplement them with rich, real banana leaves or other local greenery. I am usually NOT a fan of silk flowers, but after seeing an article in Domino Magazine about adding real greenery and florals to silk flowers, I have started to change my mind. Okay, moving on...shells. They are obvious yes, but will always be super chic. Buy a large handful of shells for each table, stacked in a cluster, then tuck tea lights throughout. So pretty, so simple. My last idea is to buy some sort of multi-sized decorative balls (I like these robe ones here, but there are tons of fun ones out there...mother of pearl would be beautiful) and on every other table, adorn the center with three of these balls.

I could honestly go on and on...clear bowls filled with crystals, shells or colored glass, local fruits and vegetables in interesting colors and textures, the options are endless. My advices is to think about your surroundings, think about what your "ideal" would be, then try to find a balance between these two elements and traveling. I can't wait to hear what you decide!

Real Wedding Inspiration Board, III

One last Luke Walker Inspiration Board for you to enjoy!

Real Wedding Inspiration Board, II

Luke has created a couple more Real Wedding boards for us to devour. I love the simple elegance of this board...

What a pretty wedding. The simple pink florals against the black attire really makes a statement...classic, with a twist. Thank you so much, Luke for sharing these with us!

Real Wedding Inspiration Board

Pantone, the color system for all designers, just announced that their prediction for the HOT new color for 2008 is....Blue Iris. Here is the hue that Pantone believes will be all the rage this year...

If there was any doubt in my mind that this hue of blue would be amazing in a wedding, when I saw Luke Walker's Real Wedding Inspiration Board, I was completely sold...

Isn't this board just beautiful. I loooove the blue glass bottles and the perfect little favors.I am so impressed with this bride for designing a wedding centered around a color that you don't see all that often. It's absolutely gorgeous. And, if you are in need of more inspiration, check out Luke's stunning photography site.

Thank You Notes by Sarah Drake

I have been a long time fan of Sarah Drake's stunning invitations. Her work is absolutely stunning in it's simplicity and modern feel. And, she's recently launched a couture correspondence line that is just beautiful...

Each of the five original nature-based designs are letterpress printed on heavy 100% cotton paper with hand-lined cotton envelopes. Sarah let me know that the large size (4 1/8 x 6 1/4") is perfect for a thank you note or well wishes, and the smaller size (2 1/2 x 3 1/2") is made for personalized gift tags or calling cards. Pricing is $585 for 100 large cards and envelopes and $360 for 100 small cards and envelopes.

You can order these perfect notes online, where you have a choice of font, ink color and liner color. If it's a little outside of your budget, let your friends know that stationery is a MUST for any bride and that these make a great pooled shower gift!

So, if Sarah's great new notes aren't enough, she also has this insanely gorgeous blog that I had to share with you...

Sarah's blog, breathe upon, is still pretty new so there aren't a ton of posts but it's great to see a bit of her own inspirations. I always love to see where different designers find their creativity. Sarah also has some great resources listed on her site that you should check out!

Wedding Invitations by Bella Figura

Andrea, over at Bella Figura, emailed me images of their new letterpressed invitations and I must say...they are absolutely beautiful!

Bella Figura has a handful of new designs, all of which are equally lovely. The colors that they chose are just perfect...not too bright, and yet not too subtle. Perfect for the modern bride. They have more designs online so definitely check them out when you have some time!

A Real Wedding, III

I wanted to share with you guys a few more images from Robyn's gorgeous barn inspired wedding. These are the perfect details that Robyn infused into the evening...

I love how simple, and yet completely chic and appropriate each detail is...Robyn did a lot on her own for this wedding and I have to say, she nailed it. The use of apples is absolutely perfect, the lanterns and the twinkle lights add that romantic glow. The florals are beautiful in their simplicity. Every detail of this wedding was well thought out and the end result is just gorgeous.

Thank you so much to Robyn and Keith for sharing your big day with us. And, thank you so much to the incredibly talented photographers at Daria Bishop for sharing these stunning images with us!

A Real Wedding, II

I have so many gorgeous photos from Robyn's wedding, it's been hard to choose just the right ones to show you! Here are a few more of the beautiful couple. When I saw these, I could tell instantly that this was the real deal....a wedding created out of an absolute love.

This pair is so beautiful....so in love. What I really admire about this wedding, is the overall sense of style and grace. Robyn embraced the beauty of her venue...she chose flowers, fashions and decor that only enhanced the natural elegance of the setting. And the end result, was simply lovely.

The detail shots are coming next, so be sure to check back soon!

A Real Wedding

I thought I'd start off this week with a bang and show you this absolutely gorgeous real wedding, sent to me by one of our loyal readers...

all photos were taken by the talented pair at Daria Bishop Photography

From Robyn...

I knew from day one when we got engaged that I wanted to get married in a barn. Being from Vermont, when I told people...they of course thought I was crazy. The first thing most people wanted to know was when during the wedding was the milking contest! :)

But this barn is not your typical barn. It is an old beautiful restored Round Barn. My grandfather was very ill before Keith and I got engaged. We spent a lot of time going back and forth visiting him at the hospital. One night ,while staying at this place, I was reading through a Vermont Life magazine sitting on his coffee table and stumbled across an ad for The Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont. From that day on I told my mom when and if I got married, that was where it would be.

Of course I think I made the best decision. Our wedding weekend was truly magically to say the least. Not to mention, I felt as though my grandfather was looking down on us smiling that he had found the perfect place for us.

I have always considered myself to be a creative person, but it wasn't until the wedding planning kicked into gear that I realized how much I could do myself. Of course, it was extremely overwhelming at times :) But I am a frequent reader of Style Me Pretty and Wedding Bee, so that only inspired me that much more.

Overall, I could not have been happier with the way the day turned out. We are still getting compliments from our guests on how wonderful the weekend was. To me that makes everything worth it.

We have more photos from this lovely wedding coming, so stay tuned!

Wedding Film By Worker Bee

I realized, as I was going through this past week's posts, that I completely forgot to upload a clip from one of my alltime favorite cinematographers,Worker Bee Designs. So, I thought that I would share it with you now, so that you had something fun to watch over the weekend!

This is just so incredibly beautiful! I love the black and white element...it adds a touch of romantic, vintage charm!!

Reader Inspiration Board

Amidst all of this creativity, sometimes it's nice to see a really elegant, traditional style. That is why I've chosen Cami's board to feature on today's post!

This board is just so sweetly elegant. It's feminine, it's romantic, it's classic. Thank so much to ALL of the readers that put together inspiration boards for us to see. They are all absolutely beautiful and remind us that perfect weddings come in all sorts of perfect sizes and style.

Reader Inspiration Boards

Okay, this inspiration board, designed by reader Erica is SO unique and completely shows the fun personality of the bride and groom...

From Erica...

I've loved exploring your site, and getting inspired - I've found so many great ideas and palates here that I wish I could have five totally different weddings! But having had to settle on one with my fiance has been fun too, and this is our early-stage planning inspiration board. The details of where to find the products in our inspiration board, can be found here.

When we began planning we knew only that we wanted to stay in the Boston area (where we met, and I'm from) and wanted to keep it low budget, fun and casual while reflecting my love for 50s style and literature, and his for campy pop-culture. One day at the Institute for Contemporary Art we came across a box of postcards of pulp novel covers, and immediately thought they would make great RSVP cards. That set us off on a 'pulp' theme, which we're planning on incorporating through several projects (illustrated save-the-dates in the pulp-style courtesy of a graphic designer friend of mine, hand-made pulp novel purses as female attendant gifts, typewriter key cufflinks for the male attendants, and if we can manage it pulp cover poster-sized prints on fabric to hang on the walls).

Picking the colors was surprisingly easy, red has always been my favorite color and when we met I had cherry-red hair. Purple and orange seemed natural compliments to the red (that will either be my dress or my hair for the day) without being too typically fall-toned. I've always loved the simplicity of tulips, and didn't want to have a lot of cut flowers, so just a few stems for the wedding party, and then candle and branch centerpieces seems like the solution. And of course, red velvet cake. Or, cupcakes as I think it will be, since I'm planning on baking them myself. And I found this beautiful cranberry-chocolate cake which, when made with red-velvet cake and chocolate frosting, will be absolutely perfect I think. 

o something unified came together seemingly out of nowhere, especially with my literariness and his cheesy fun combining perfectly in the pulp covers. We'll see how things progress as the date approaches (Sept 27th, 2008), but so far I'm feeling incredibly excited about how everything is fitting together.

Reader Inspiration Boards

One of my favorite bloggers, Anne of Perfect Bound, has created the most beautiful inspiration board that I just had to share with all of you!

From Anne...

My own wedding is 34 weeks away and I am still struggling to pick a color palette. I think I'm suffering from inspiration overload. Each time I see a new wedding photographed (or posted on Style Me Pretty), I change directions all over again.

 

My latest love is burgundy and gray. I think it's just edgy enough to set the tone for the sophisticated yet playful wedding we have in mind. Classic is also key. Our venue is draped in a magnificent warm gold palette, which I'm hoping will respond well to the items I've picked here. I've yet to pick bridesmaids dresses, flowers, table centerpieces, invitations- everything. It's all on hold until we pick some color!!

Anne...it looks like you've found your PERFECT palette!

Reader Inspiration Boards

I love the days that we feature reader inspiration boards..they remind me of how incredibly creative and smart all of your ideas are and  how vastly different all of your many loves can be. Today's first readers inspiration board was designed by Brooke who is going for a Rustic, Chic Wedding...

 

from top left to right -Location: Ten Mile Station, Breckenridge, Colorado, Boutonnieres from theknot.com, Bridal Bouquet from theknot.com, Cake by Lovin Sullivan Cakes, Wedding Dress by Casablanca Bridal, Sign by IN Photography, Tablescapes by theknot.comMicheal Miller Dandy Damask Spa, Bridesmaids by  Ann Taylor Celebrations, Shoes: Shoegasm, New York City,  Invitation: theknot.com 

About the Inspiration Board  (from Brooke)...

Growing-up in Montana, I always knew I was going to get married in the mountains. As a couple, Chris and I are children at heart, extremely practical, and down to earth. We live in Denver, but love to go to the mountains on the weekends. I love the rustic, natural beauty of the mountains, but living all over the world has transformed me into an urbanite. My big question was how to combine the natural beauty with urban elegance.

We found this amazing location for our wedding in Breckenridge, Colorado called Ten Mile Station. Situated on the ski hill, it has a panoramic view of the Ten Mile Mountain Range for not only our ceremony but reception as well. I can't think of a more romantic place to share with friends and families the deep love that Chris and I share. I choose teal and brown as my main colors, but want red and orange flowers -- not only for the fall foliage that will be coloring the landscape during our September wedding, but because red is Chris' favorite color. We chose" Songbird" by Eva Cassidy for our first dance, so I decided to carry the theme even further by incorporating the love bird silhouette into the cake and invitations. I love the urban feeling of the damask pattern, which I will be making into table runners. With the combination of the damask pattern and the location/flowers, I hope to achieve the perfect balance of natural beauty and urban elegance that I envisioned. Overall, I want us to look back years from now and remember how much the wedding was an expression of our love.

Urban Unveiled

Okay, Seattle. Clear your schedules for tonight. You are lucky enough to live in the city where Urban Unveiled is taking place...TONIGHT! Urban Unveiled, produced by the talent over at True Color Events, is this brilliant new wedding show featuring the best of the best in wedding vendors. I really can't sum it up better than the Unveiled Website...

"Urban Unveiled is more than a trade show; it is a celebration, a cocktail party for those getting married and the creative partners who make dreams come true. Meet the Northwest’s top wedding professionals who can take your bridal vision and make it a reality while you enjoy fine wines, nibble on sumptuous cuisine, decadent cakes & other to-die-for desserts."



I really am so jealous of you Seattle brides today! Urban Unveiled is featuring vendors like Abaloria Jewelry...



The brilliant designers at Athena Floral...



Clara French Ceramiques (a designer that SMP completely LOVES)...

Izzy Girl, Jen's Desserts, Tallant House and SO MANY MORE. Talk about a room full of serious inspiration! If you are going, I'd love to hear how the event turns out. And, for those of you that don't live in the area, check out the website anyway...the vendors alone are filled with to-die-for inspirations and ideas. 

Green Wedding Invitations

I have been a long time admirer of Twig and Fig, a letterpress designer in the Bay Area. Their work is so organic and lovely, the quality is truly impeccable. So, when Suzie approached me about writing an article for Style Me Pretty, I jumped at the chance!

I have talked about planning an eco-friendly wedding in the past, but feel like it's important to keep discussing new and chic ways to make green choices during a time in your life when it's just so easy. Suzie has been sweet enough to share with us Twig and Fig's own green ideas when it comes to invitation design and is giving us some tips on purchasing eco-chic paper goods.

From Suzie at Twig and Fig....

Inviting Green

To Green or not to Green with your invites? Feeling reticent about making aesthetic sacrifices? Fret not lovely brides who treasure luxury and opulence. Supporting a sustainable earth doesn't mean restricting your stationery choices to hemp products, recycled cardboard and stringy fibers; often the very image one conjures when thinking Eco. Just like many aspects of a wedding, your invitations can be made beautiful in the many shades of Green.

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Being green here at Twig & Fig is not only part our essence, but an easy direction for us; as the most beautiful papers we've fallen in love with happen to be in keeping with sound enviro-practices.  Being based in the renowned environmental nexus of Berkeley, California, we are cradled by a community acutely attuned to how sensitive our earth is, and innovating ways to treat her well. Understanding the elements of the invitation creation process can help choose where you can contribute to creating less waste in your own experience. Here's a breakdown of the design, paper, printing and packaging aspects of keeping things earth friendly.

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-Our design starts with a paper-free process; all of our proofs produced via electronic delivery (PDFs). This allows clients to exchange files for sharing with family and decision makers freely while keeping print-outs to the necessary minimum. Always recommend a pdf proof, instead of a paper proof.

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-The papers onto which we print are all made from yummy cotton; never wood pulp. Even better, our boutique cotton papers are made from re-purposed cast-offs from the textile industry, thus salvaging them from becoming refuse. Cotton naturally works best with letterpress printing, as its loft is so cushy, it receives the best, deepest impressions from the raised printing plates. Go cotton when you can!

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-As for printing, the hand-fed letterpress method itself is inherently eco-friendly. Starting with the press itself, we have revitalized a beautiful cast-iron machine from 1890s. The photopolymer printing plates we employ do not require harsh chemicals and require minimal processing unlike metal plates. Our hand-fed press uses less than a teaspoon of ink for the average invitation suite and we've found a way to use merely drops of cleanup liquid. (Rubber-based inks are of the lowest impact possible for printing; rated even lower than Soy). Hand-feeding (as opposed to automatic paper-feed) and an efficient press-operator greatly diminish paper waste; typically just 2 to 5% of the order. This is remarkable compared to the offset process. So, if your budget allows...opt for handfed letterpress.

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-As a final step, we package our finished pieces in re-useable, unfinished wooden boxes reducing the need for excess packing materials. These boxes are made just beautifully enough to encourage an extended life of re-use for storing, re-gifting, etc rather than to be tossed. Always ask your designer (or have the store ask) to please package your invitations as minimally as possibly, while still keeping them safe and protected. Re-use any excess packaging materials.

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-Of course, sourcing a designer locally is always a good way to go. There are wonderfully eco-minded creative invitation designers and printers who are closer than you think. Check out the referrals available via websites such as Greenopia (www.greenopia.com) where we were recently recognized as a Green provider of services.

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Your choices can happily and beautifully exist within a Green process, as we do at Twig & Fig—with only the greatest of benefits and results from mindfully-placed selections.

A Dallas Wedding

Like I said earlier today, my best friend, Katie, got married a few months ago in Dallas, Texas. Her goal was to create a vintage-inspired, chic wedding without breaking the bank. I was a bridesmaid and spent hours chatting with Katie along the way...and I just knew, that with her amazing sense of style and her incredibly practical approach, she would pull off a perfect night...

all photos by Carissa Byers

When I saw the flowers that Katie chose, and the talented girls at Rufus Felix designed, I was in love. The photos don't do these flowers justice...they were AMAZING. Katie's bouquet was absolutely breathtaking. It had little chocolate brown feathers, perfect ranunculus and was secured with this stunning peach ribbon. It brought Katie's whole look together in an incredible way.

I've asked Katie to share with us some of her tips for creating a wedding THIS beautiful, while still staying conscious of your budget...

Do Your Research - A wedding is expensive no matter how you look at it. So, during a time when you are making major purchases...be sure you really LOVE your vendors for their skill and personality. If you don't, find someone else. Looking back, my favorite vendors were the ones whose personalities meshed well with mine...the ones who really cared about what they do for a living and would go beyond what you expect of them.

Choose your Venue Carefully - Find a venue that has a lot of character on its own, without having to spend a fortune on flowers and other decor for the room. In our case, the owners were really relaxed and let us bring in our own alcohol which was a HUGE money saver. Plus, the space had a character and decor that completely matched my own style...so I didn't have to put a ton of effort in transforming it.

Do-It-Yourself Projects are Key -  We made our own table linens as opposed to renting them. We also brought in framed family portraits, some old, some new, to decorate the space. Since the wedding, we've used most of our projects in our home.....the linens were used for tablecloths for our dining table, a tree skirt for our Christmas tree, and soon to be reconfigured into curtains for our guest room.

Purchase The Decor Items Yourself - Most florists will happily rent additional decor elements for you. But, it's expensive. We bought Japanese lanterns for about $10 each, a handful of birch vases from small stump that our florist incorporated, even a great vintage cake stand that was used instead of a rental. Again, we will probably re-use all of these things in our home at one point or another.

Don't Be Afraid to Ditch Tradition - We skipped the favors for our guests and no one missed them a bit!

Opt For Heavy Hor' Dourves - This saved us money in many ways. For one, we didn't have to foot the bill for a huge dinner. We also only had to rent one set of medium sized plates and we only used forks. This cut down on our rental fees quite a bit. Plus, the bonus was that having easy-to-eat food got the guests up and on the dance floor fast!

Only Purchase One Cake - If we had ordered a grooms cake and a wedding cake, we would have ordered twice as much. Our cake lady let us know that people usually have a slice of each, rather than choosing one. So, you end up spending more than you really need to on extra cake.

One final tip from Katie....if you are doing the wedding planning and concept design on your own, give yourself permission to change your mind on things. If you find something great, or see an idea that you can't live without and it's nearly wedding time, go with your gut. If you've picked the right vendors, they will know exactly how to handle the change. I completely changed the maids' flowers, the cake colors and the cake design just a few weeks before our wedding. I was nervous that our vendors would freak out. But, they didn't at all. Our cake lady actually hugged me and told me that she was so happy I had found what I really wanted.

Save the Dates

My best friend in the entire world, Katie, got married a few months ago and I have to say, it was one of the best weddings that I have ever been to. Katie has this sense of style about her that is so unique and personal. She is crazy and quirky, but she is also extremely family oriented and loyal...and her wedding was just that.

Before I share with you the photos from the wedding though, I wanted to post a picture of her engagement shots that we used to create her Save the Dates. They are so stinking cute, you are going to looooove them....

All photos by Carissa Byers

Ummm, yeah. How great are those? For some of her engagement shots, Katie convinced the manager at this vintage theater to change the billboard for her to reflect her save the date info. For the actual save the dates, we bought some super heavy letterpress style paper (with just a touch of texture) and cut it down to 4 x 6" pieces. We printed the top photo on one side (using our home printer, an Epson R180), then set up the back as a postcard with basic information on the left side and the address on the right. It was SO easy and SO unbelievably cute.

We probably spent a total of $100 on supplies, the engagement photo was done for free because Katie bought a complete wedding package from the photographer, and the postage was less because we sent them as postcards. Pretty great, huh?

Stay tuned though...this super chic, but affordable theme stayed true through the entirety of Katie's wedding and I have lots of pretty pictures to show you!

Wedding Cinematography

And finally, I wanted to share these last two clips from Elysium Productions (the amazing production company that shot Laurie and George's wedding on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Orange County...for all of you Bravo junkies out there). The first is a demo clip which I just thought was so much fun, I had to share. Plus, it won Best In Show at the Artistic Achievement Awards put on by the 4Ever Group...

The second clip is a sample of Elysium's trademarked "Arthouse Edits." This Arthouse film is actually very special because it was the wedding of Gary Fong and Melissa Carl. Gary Fong is a very famous photographer turned inventor, and he creates products for photographers. Ask any photographer and they'll know who he is! There were only about 40 guests at his wedding, most of which were very well known photographers. Bottom line...if someone like Gary Fong chooses this company, you KNOW they are good!

Here is the clip...

Absolutely Gorgeous! All of these clips today have been so lovely...I hope they've convinced you to really consider hiring a cinematographer to capture your wedding day. It is a memento that you will treasure for the rest of your life. Your kids and grandkids will be able to share in the joy of your day...which is priceless.

Wedding Cinematography

This next film, shot by Weddings on Film, is absolutely beautiful...

Click image to view the film!

The choice of music paired with the stunning images from the wedding...so romantic. This bride is a reporter for NBC. She is insanely gorgeous and it seems that her beauty just leaked into every element of the wedding! But, what I really love about this clip is the approachability of it. The dogs with their cute pearl collars, the best friends helping the bride and groom to get ready...it's real and honest, with a touch of humor.

Weddings on Film shoots in High Definition and Super 8. They are an extremely talented pair and produce films that you will literally pull out for years to come!

Wedding Cinematography

This particular clip, from Tangerine Media is a 2 minute trailer for a wedding that took place in Riviera Maya Mexico...

It's just so lovely! Makes me want to drop everything I am doing and book a trip to Mexico. It really captures the feeling behind the wedding, the gorgeous colors that are so vibrant and alive, the absolute beauty of the day. And the happiness. The bride, the guests, everyone is so happy....you just know that this wedding was special.

Wedding Cinematography

Wedding Cinematography is one of those things that may or may not make it on to your wedding checklist. I debated whether to hire a videographer for months, as the added expense seemed to tip the scale just a bit too far. In the end, we did hire someone to film the wedding and to this day....I think that it was the best decision we made throughout the planning process.

I've probably watched my wedding video twenty or thirty times since I got married. Every time, I see something different, something that the photos didn't catch...a small expression from my dad, or an insanely awkward dance move from my aunt. The video reminds me of my day in a way that photos simply can't.

Today, I wanted to share with you a few more clips from some of my favorite cinematographers, just to give you an idea of how creative and completely beautiful wedding films have become. The first is by  the incredibly talented artists at Portal Films...

This wedding was in the "back yard" of the family's private estate in Kentucky, using Super 8mm film to capture the pure beauty of the day. Isn't it one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen...I teared up about ten seconds in.

I have a few more clips to show you throughout the day. Make sure to wear your headphones so your boss doesn't get mad!

Wedding Blogs

My lucky husband has the day off today, so I am going to play hookie with him. But, not to worry, I have a few GREAT new blogs for you to check out until tomorrow...

Two of my FAVORITE photographers have launched blogs that are absolutely gorgeous. The first, Aaron Delesie is filled with stunning photography and brilliant inspiration for weddings...

The second, Heather Waraksa is another absolutely beautiful blog. Heather's style is so chic and her blog is just that....

Finally, a reader sent me her new blog that I absolutely love. A reluctant winter bride, planning a fabulous winter wedding...too cute! The best part? Her blog and her wedding were in part inspired by an Inspiration Board that we did here on Style Me Pretty!

Have fun checking out these new blogs! We'll be back tomorrow with tons of great inspiration!

Wedding Dresses by Adele Wechsler

Speaking of Adele Wechsler...

I was looking around Brides.com at some of the wedding dresses, and Adele's really caught my eye. I looove the detail on these simple, but chic dresses. The silhouettes are all relatively traditional and yet they still seem contemporary and fresh. The above three are definitely my favs but you should spend some time looking at her other designs. Very pretty work.

Adele Wechsler Trunk Show

If you are lucky enough to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of my favorite stores, Haute Bride, is hosting an Adele Wechsler trunk show THIS weekend (today and tomorrow only)! If you purchase a gown this weekend, you'll receive a 10% discount and 15% off all accessories and veils.

The girls at Haute are SO cute and helpful, the store itself is absolutely beautiful and their inventory is the best of the best...

I hope you get a chance to stop by Haute Bride! It's definitely worth the trip!

Calling All Readers!

Speaking of Real Weddings...

We wanted to take a moment to invite you to share your experience with Style Me Pretty...we are looking for real weddings (from budget friendly, to traditional, to quirky...and everything in between), inspiration boards, color palette ideas and great new resources that you've found in your journey!

We love the direction that Style Me Pretty has found...a perfect combination of inspiring editorial coverage and beautiful reader ideas. So it's important to us that we continue to feature the hard work that you've put into planning your wedding! And remember, anything goes...we love that our readers have different tastes, styles and perspectives. When brought together, you really see that beautiful weddings come in all shapes and sizes!

Email all materials that you would like considered for a possible feature to abby at style me pretty.com

A Real Wedding

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I thought that today, rather than highlighting the standard hearts and flowers and reds and pinks...I would instead focus on a wedding that seems to have love pouring out of every corner. That's really what Valentine's Day is all about, right?

I love this real wedding that was sent to me by one of our readers, Heather, who was married this past October. The pure and simple romance of the event just seems so touching. From the "wedding in the round" to the perfectly adorable pup, everything seems to be about the couple and the people that love them. Just as it should be....

Here are some of the details that Heather shared with me...

"I did most everything with the help of my mom and some friends - it was important to me that the event was elegant but relaxed. My colors were blue and brown...I didn't want to do anything particularly related to Fall or October ( I love bright colors -esp orange so I am not sure where that desire came from). First, I must say that like any great event, there were a few disappointments - we had to put up a tent at the last minute because it was suppose to pour the day before. I also don't think we had the best photographer, as he didn't capture a lot of the "wedding porn" - details of the glowing 200+ milk glass pieces I had collected , etc. When I inquired about that - he asked me if I had specifically requested them!  Live and learn!

ON the flip side - the ceremony was such a hit. No one really talks about that part of a wedding because it is usually pretty standard. We wrote the entire ceremony together and had our parents and brother and sisters each take a part. (we live in PA - a quaker state - so we were able to have them perform the ceremony) . We stood in the middle of green courtyard with family all around us and as each person spoke we turned to face them. Our guests said they felt so included and so interested in the ceremony because as we turned, they got to see us from different angles.  I have actually received  6 letters from guests saying thank you for inviting them to our wedding (does that usually happen - that guests write the bride and groom thanking them???) 

We had a haiku theme running throughout the evening - starting with our programs, on which were printed several haikus we wrote to each other when we first started dating, to a hilarious haiku my brother read out loud to us , then ending with all the guests contributing their own in a guest book that got passed around.  They are incredible to read."

I love that this wedding was infused with such unique and beautiful details. It sounds like it really was a marriage of two families...a lovely concept that so many people forget. I also thank Heather for sharing with us the disappointments in her day...there are so many times that weddings do not go exactly as planned. Perhaps it rains, or your uncle shows up in jeans  or your photographer just isn't up to par....these things happen. But, keeping your mind and heart on the beauty of the day really allows you to look past all of the hiccups. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Heather!

Elizabeth Messina's Wedding, IV

I have had so much fun sharing these gorgeous images from Elizabeth Messina's wedding with all of you! I am completely in love with every detail of this wedding. Just goes to show that when you bring two forces, like Lisa at Oh How Charming and Elizabeth Messina together, the result is magic!

Here are a few more detail shots from Elizabeth's wedding...

Lisa has been sweet enough to share some of the details with us...

"When Elizabeth shared the news of her engagement, I couldn't wait to start planning the details of her wedding. Since we have worked together for so long and spent so much time together, I knew exactly what she'd like. She has such a beautiful old soul and she knew from the very beginning that the vintage chandeliers were going to be the focal point of the design. She had been collecting them (we had 30 of them!) for quite some time and diligently had each one of them re- wired so they would be in working order by the time of her wedding.  Each chandelier was hand-picked by her and one of the most special elements of her wedding was that she gifted the chandeliers to her close family and friends after the wedding was over.

With the chandeliers and the beautiful blue velvet linen that Elizabeth selected, we designed the table top accordingly. Barker Decor did the breathtaking lighting and provided the gorgeous custom wood farm tables.  Tabella Design provided so many stunning details for the wedding...the beautiful 40' custom velvet runner, the linen backed menus, the elegant platinum banded chargers, the custom linen chair cushions (which had the most delicate blue velvet piping detail on them), and so much more. The fabulous Mindy Rice provided the perfectly suited just-plucked-from-the-garden arrangements in an eclectic mix of vintage mercury glass vessels. Mindy also created the most extraordinary bouquet of lavender for Elizabeth and dressed it with vintage velvet ribbon.

We were all so delighted to be a part of her big day. She admittedly will tell you she was spoiled by her vendors - but we will all tell you she and Lee deserved every bit of it!"

Thank you so very much to Elizabeth for sharing your day with us. You are pure talent. And Lisa, once again...I am completely in awe of your work!

Elizabeth Messina's Wedding, III

I am so in love with Elizabeth Messina's recent wedding, I just have to share every photo that I have with you...

photos shot by Thayer Allyson Gowdy of A Little White Dress

Lisa let me know that the bread featured above was actually flown in from France, made with Elizabeth and her husband's name and the date of their wedding on it. Couture bread. I love that.

I have more of the details from this wedding coming in just a bit...

Elizabeth Messina's Wedding, II

Although it seems that every detail of Elizabeth Messina's wedding was executed to perfection, it's the dining table that really blew me away...

Is that not the most beautiful table you have ever seen? Here is another shot, from the front...

Again, there really are no words. Lisa of Oh, How Charming! designed this stunning table, hanging thirty chandeliers (some new, some antique) among one long, wooden table. Unbelievable.

I have so many more photographs from Thayer Allyson Gowdy to share with you. And, Lisa at Oh, How Charming! is going to be filling us in on some of the other fun details!

Elizabeth Messina's Wedding

Today's post, well...it's kind of a big deal. I have been trying to find the words to introduce the wedding that we are featuring today and I keep coming up blank. As many of you know, I am a HUGE fan of the brilliant photographer, Elizabeth Messina. Her work is always beautiful...from the perfect details that she shoots, to the raw and true emotion that she captures in every photo.

So, when Lisa at Oh How Charming sent me photos of Elizabeth's own recent wedding, I knew that they would be among the most beautiful I've ever seen...

(please click on the photo so that you can see all of the stunning detail)

Elizabeth chose Thayer Allyson Gowdy to photograph the wedding..