The designs are really great, “timeless in simplicity but modern in sensibility”…the perfect combination in my opinion. But, the very best thing about the new Abby Jean site are the inspiration boards that the new owner (who is fabulous by the way), Haile McCollum, and I put together. We paired up with our favorite photographers and event planners to design these gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous boards and here is one of my favs…

all photos by Elizabeth Messina, event design by Oh How Charming!

Spend some time checking out the inspiration section and I promise you, you’ll fall in love with weddings over and over again.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Inspiration Boards, Wedding Invitations & Stationery
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Well, I am partnering up with Abby Jean once again, to do a HUGE giveaway in honor of Pink Week here on SMP!

We are giving away a set of 75 letterpressed personalized stationery with printed envelopes! The value is over $350 so it’s a pretty good prize! You can pick from the Sophie, Hannah or Elizabeth collections so that the stationery really reflects your own personal style.

You know the drill…just let us know what your favorite invitation from the Abby Jean line is, and we’ll pick a random winner! All winners from this week’s giveaways will be announced tomorrow afternoon! Good luck! 

* * *

And the winner is…Desiree!

“Pretty much…I am in LOVE with Jill…the invitation that is! The best thing about the “Jill” is that is modern for my taste; not too feminine for my Joe’s taste, and a hint of trastional that is just enough for my Mother to go for. I heart Jill. ~Des”

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 194 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Breast Cancer Awareness, Fontaine Maury, Giveaway, Letterpress, Personal Stationery, Pink Week
Post categories: Contests, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Invitation by Abby Jean, Cake by Lovin’ Sullivan, Dress by Jcrew, Box on Soiree Charleston, Flowers by Rosenow Floral

The suite is so unbelievably pretty to me. The combination of the calligraphy and the block font is the perfect pairing and this color palette is so charming. Laura has also designed a custom map to coordinate with the suite, which takes the whole look to another level!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, J. Crew, Laura Hooper, Loving Sullivan, Soiree Charleston, Wedding Calligraphy
Post categories: Color Palettes, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Invitations by Abby Jean, Gown by Lela Rose on Brides.com, Cake Details by April Reed, Florals by Camilla Svennson Burns

This piece is all about Southern charm. That pretty monogram and grosgrain ribbon inspired detail, paired with the gorgeous color palette is sweet and yet completely sophisticated. I see this invitation being used in a traditional wedding for a more modern bride. A girl who wants to add a bit of “chic” to her beautifully traditional style. I love the deeper coral, paired with creams and a lighter terra cotta color. So warm and pretty. With that said, this design comes in lots of different color combinations!

I have another NEW Abby Jean design coming so stay tuned!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 1 comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, April Reed, Camilla Svennson Burns, Lela Rose
Post categories: Color Palettes, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Because you all were so helpful when we were launching our last Abby Jean design, we thought who better to ask about our newest color palette dilemma. Our silhouette invitation line, Sophie, is really taking off. For the new season, we wanted to offer it in a secondary color with personalized silhouettes! But we just can’t decide which palette we like the best!

Here are the options (click on them to make larger)…

So…let us know which one you like the best! More importantly, which one you would buy for your own wedding! We will choose a random winner who will receive a set of 25 personalized stationery and coordinating envelopes!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 182 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Personalized Stationery, Silhouettes
Post categories: Contests, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

This first design is called Sophie. It is sweet but sophisticated, with a little vintage flair. This particular design is letterpressed with a faded black/brown ink, then uses the striped reception card to bring in a bit of color. Believe it or not, the silhouettes are actually replicas of those that my mom and her brother had done when they were kids. The cool thing about this particular invitation suite is that you can send us your own photographs and we will customize the silhouettes for you!

Courtney is our classic. This design is one of our best sellers and honestly, every time it is printed, it just looks so gorgeous. Engraved on a deep chocolate brown paper using a pale, robin’s egg blue ink, it’s one part chic, one part traditional. This invitation is all about “old meets new.” Courtney was named after one of my bridesmaids and has probably received the most attention out of our original bunch. Niki Taylor used these invitations and they were then featured in US Weekly…how cool is that?

Emily is a great invitation to use if you are having a traditional wedding…with a twist. Engraved on soft white paper with chocolate brown ink, it’s more reminiscent of a classic engraved invitation. But, with the chocolate brown reception card and the hint of pink (not shown) ink on the response card, it’s been updated to reflect a more modern bride.

Maggie is one of my all time favorite designs. Named after one of my dearest friends, who I have always considered to be so elegant and yet so approachable, Maggie is our interpretation of a simple, but stunning wedding invitation. This design actually uses foil and engraving to create a two tone effect. Love, love, love this one. It’s tradition with a bit of bling.

Abigail is all about fun. It’s engraved using white ink on kelly green paper which produces an amazingly sharp result. This one truly pops. It’s a little bit preppy, a little bit old school…all infused with a bit of personality which I love. This monogram can be completely customized so that it perfectly represents you. It’s our newest look and the green paper is being eaten up by brides.

The best part about our invitations is that they are completely customizable. If you love the Abigail monogram, but want to print it in berry colored ink, on the chocolate brown paper from the Courtney line, it’s no problem! We want your invitation to reflect you as a couple, and we want it to be the perfect introduction to your perfect day. If you have any questions about where you can see the line, just shoot me a quick email (abby at abbyjeanpress dot com). We have added a bunch of stores lately, so our website is currently being updated.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Letterpress, Rinne Allen
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Imagine hanging panels of custom silhouette wallpaper or fabric at your reception, with a Polaroid camera for guests to take photos of themselves, then insert into your guest book. How cool is that!? Look closely at the top two photos and you will see the silhouettes.

If you don’t have space at your reception for the fabric panels, definitely check out their silhouette stationery. And I am not just saying that because Fontaine Maury and Abby Jean recently merged. Their silhouette notes are so freaking cute, I am going to be ordering some for myself. And, since we seem to have been on the topic of paper this week, here are some great tips from Fontaine Maury, for writing the perfect thank you note on your new silhouette stationery…

*A thank you note should (ideally) be written within 5 days of receipt of the gift or favor. Never apologize if it is tardy, just make sure you write an especially well crafted letter.

*It is tempting to substitute a phone call or e-mail for the hand written note, but my mantra is “a letter is better.” You don’t have to be Flannery O’Connor or Robert Frost to put together a well-written missive.

*Have some notepaper on hand at all times. Your stationery need not be baroque in its elegance, nor does it need to say thank you on the front. If your stationery says thank you on the front it beats you to the punch. Paper personalized with your name or monogram is best as it is a direct reflection of your unique personality and impeccable taste.Choose a pen that you like to write with and that complements your handwriting style.Mine looks awful if I write with a fine point, I use a felt tip.

*The best salutation for personal correspondence is “Dear” and the first name of the person to whom you are writing. A note to someone who is your senior, or not an intimate friend,may include his or her social title as in “Dear Mr. White.” When writing couples, the
woman’s name always goes first: “Dear Aunt Jane and Uncle Gordon.”

*The length of your note is not important. Most significant are what you say and how you say it. The best thank yous come from the heart and say why you love the gift.A conversational tone is friendly and will help the flow of your thoughts as you write. The use of extras like dashes, ellipses and underlinings will give an informal tone to your letter, but use them sparingly as they can be distracting.

*Open your correspondence by calling attention to the gift or favor. Continue by saying something personal or noteworthy. Finish on an upbeat note…

Dear Sara,
Who would have thought that such beautiful daisies are available in January? They look so pretty on the sideboard next to my grandmother’s silver julep cups. I enjoyed visiting with you very much and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Love, Haile

*Do include a date so that if the recipient saves the note they will have a reference point. The date can either go on the top right or at the end of the note just after your signature.

*Close your note with your signature. Use both your first and last names to an acquaintance or just your first name to family and friends. For new brides, this may be the first chance you have to sign your new name, so indulge. When more than one person is signing a letter, the writer’s name comes last.
.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Fontaine Maury
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Okay, let’s get to it. For those of you that don’t already know, Abby Jean recently joined forces with Fontaine Maury, a great custom stationery company based out of Georgia. The girls at Fontaine Maury have such a smart aesthetic, but more importantly, they have big dreams for Abby Jean and together, we are going to grow the line and introduce some wonderful new designs.

So, in honor of the “marriage” we are hoping to have YOUR help in launching one of our new pieces! The color palette for the first design is a beautiful butter yellow , chocolate brown and a creamy white. We want the invitation to be classic and timeless, using a great new monogram (something that you can thread through various elements of your wedding papers) though complimented with a contemporary pattern in the liners and perhaps accent pieces.

Take a look at the monogram choices below. Which one do you gravitate towards the most, which one do you think has the most versatility, which one would you like on your own stationery? The person that gives the best feedback will win a set of their very own personalized stationery by Fontaine Maury. Can’t beat that!!

(make sure you click on it to make it larger, and more clear)

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 42 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Jean, Fontaine Maury, Letterpress
Post categories: Contests, Wedding Invitations & Stationery