I finally got around to taking some photos this week of some recent work, so I will be posting a few little peeks of what we’ve been up to this week!

This invitation suite is so much fun! The invitations won’t go out to their guests for another couple of months, so I can’t post too much yet. But those of you who follow us on twitter might remember me tweeting about an invitation suite in gray, canary yellow, and aqua. This is that set – and it’s so cute and fresh – I can hardly wait for those to be mailed out!

I have been so excited to share this beautiful event! Katie and Andrew came to us with some beautiful and stylish ideas and we had so much fun turning their ideas into reality!

One of their biggest needs was to make sure their guests – both locals and out-of-towners – could get around easily. Most guests needed to be able to navigate ferry schedules as well as driving directions, so the invitation turned into a “travel packet” of sorts – all necessary information was included in a pocket style invite that was then tucked in a handy, organized folio pocket.

Katie and Andrew worked with us on their day-of items as well, including unique accordion-style programs, table numbers, and escort cards. The escort cards were black with white print, and were arranged on a bed of white hydrangeas – stunning!

The wedding and related events were beautifully styled by Stacy Kvam of SK Wedding and Event Design, who was right there with Katie and Andrew through every step of their planning. All of these gorgeous photos were shot by Kim and Adam Bamberg of La Vie Photography (thank you Kim, for sharing these photos with us!)

Attention, hostesses!

12 Too Many is a great new website from Sheena Kalso (also the Invisible Hostess and the brain behind Totally Tabletops). Here’s what it’s all about (in the words of Sheena and partner, Anna):

If you’ve just had a wedding or party that left you with “12 too many” vases, table runners, props, or other decor items, we can help you sell your stuff!

Selling? Fill out a “submit item” form and upon approval your listing will post for 2 weeks. Buying? Select the city you’re buying in and browse by category, color, or theme. You contact the seller and arrange pick up or delivery.

In a nutshell, 12 Too Many is a craigslist for all of you party planning peeps! Best of all? It’s free! It’s still fairly new, so not all cities are represented and they’re just starting to gain more of a following. If you don’t see your city, add it! And spread the word!

Absolutely stunning photography from Seattle’s One Love Photo. I love the emotion in the bride’s face in the left photo – so much anticipation and joy!

There are so many creative ways to use photos in your wedding stationery – it adds such a personal touch that guests really cherish. We’ve helped our clients use photos in so many different items – from the save the dates through to the wedding programs.

These are just a few of our favorites!

This save the date is so much fun and is one of our favorites. The bride and groom made this save the date sign, which they brought along at their engagement session at Gasworks Park. The back of the save the date contains additional information for their guests – accommodations, etc. {As a side note, we display this save the date at wedding shows that we participate in and it’s always the one item that garners the most attention! It’s a hit!} Engagement photo by Barbie Hull photography, product photo by Kruse Photography.

Another save the date – this time using adorable photos of the bride and groom as kids! The childhood photos are a perfect complement to their theme, “Our story continues…”

This couple was engaged while traveling through Argentina and wanted to share the excitement of that moment with their guests. Their save the dates featured a photo of them immediately after the proposal and you can just read the excitement on their faces. The save the dates also incorporate some vintage, feminine details that are a perfect prelude to the wedding invitations and overall wedding style.

Here’s something a little different: this couple didn’t use photos of themselves in their wedding stationery, but used vintage photos from their wedding location. They were married at the Copper Creek Lodge in Rainier National Park and received permission from the Lodge to use really fun photos of the lodge itself and of vacationers in the park in the 1930s and 1940s.

This couple wanted to add a personal touch to their wedding invitation, so they chose to use an rsvp postcard with their photo on the front of the postcard. Product photo by Kruse photography.

These programs both feature engagement photos in their wedding colors on the programs – a fun way to use beautiful engagement photos and give your guests some eye candy to look at while waiting for the ceremony to begin! Top photo, red programs: photos by Red Fish Blue Fish. Bottom photo, green programs: engagement photo by John and Joseph Photography.

This couple used fun photos taken throughout their time dating on the table numbers throughout their reception. They have traveled together all over the world, so their photos were a great international reflection of their explorations.

These thank you postcards were printed in the wedding colors and feature an engagement shot of the couple. I love the idea of using postcards for thank yous – save a little money on postage! Engagement photo by Bella Rock Studio.

Also in the most current issue of Seattle Metropolitan Bride and Groom is the series, “Perfect Places,” a collection of four tabletops designed by local floral and event designers. Michelle Engvall of Married and More with Michelle designed one of the tables, a modern yet sweet farmers’ market inspired spread. Julie of Bella Rugosa designed delightful little bouquets of late summer blooms in antique glass jars scattered about on the table – personally, this is my favorite kind of centerpiece – I tend to be drawn to the slightly less “refined” table tops in favor of something that feels personal and fresh.

Michelle asked us to help out with paper products for the table, so we created menus and place cards in a black, yellow, and white color scheme that fit with the vintage modern theme. My favorite detail are the favors – Snoqualmie Valley Honey Farm honey sticks tied with a sweet black ribbon and the place cards.

As promised, here are some photos of our booth from this past weekend at the Seattle Wedding Show.

Setup is always interesting, although I have to say that we have done it enough now that it’s pretty straightforward.

from top, left to right: our car, fully loaded (yes, we can fit everything in our honda!) | the mess otherwise known as the beginning of setup | still a mess | getting our framed invites ready to hang | choosing invitations to display | me, still smiling | the booth, nice and tidy, at the end of day one

The finished booth!

We were next to the lovely ladies of Marrylicious this year and were across the aisle from Foodz catering (who were serving delicious little tidbits – roasted grapes and brie on toast). We had a great time and were in great company. Thanks again to all that stopped by the booth!

We are back from the Seattle Wedding Show – I’m catching up on some emails and will post photos from the weekend in the next few hours. Stay tuned!!

We always have a great time at the show and thoroughly enjoy catching up with others in the industry. Our favorite part, though, is always meeting brides and grooms (and moms, maids of honor, etc…) and discussing their plans for their upcoming wedding. There’s an excitement in the air that we just love. A huge thank you to all that stopped by our booth – it was a pleasure meeting you!

(As a side note, Jonathan and I are ridiculously proud of the fact that we packed up our booth display and were in our car, on our way home within 40 minutes. Anyone who has ever participated in a trade show – especially one with only one freight elevator – will be impressed by that feat. After five shows, we finally learned: invest in your own hand truck! It’s the best purchase we’ve ever made!!)

Once again, it’s almost time for the Seattle Wedding Show. Join us at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center (we’re in booth #1428) January 3rd and 4th, 2009 and see in person some of our favorite projects from this past year.

We can’t wait to meet you!

Let’s start Monday off with something bright and cheerful!

This year our clients were not afraid to use some color!

One of the most popular invitations from 2007 was the folio-style invite we created for Jane and Roland (above) in bright shades of green and orange. That invitation inspired a lot of response from 2008 clients, several of whom specifically cited it as an inspiration during our initial consultations.

One of our couples that used Jane and Roland’s invitation as a jumping-off point was Kira and Perry, a New York couple planning a May wedding. Kira initially told us they were going for an “urban chic (with a bit of funk) vibe” and we also learned that Perry’s favorite color is orange. We designed this bright and fresh invitation accordingly – square, with orange type letterpressed on a beautiful thick white stock. The corresponding program and menu were offset on that same beautiful white stock – reversed out with white type and an orange background.

Another couple inspired by Jane and Roland’s invite were Jill and Nick, who were married in September. They definitely take the trophy for our brightest invitation ever! Their wedding incorporated some classic fall and northwest themes, so the cluster of leaves, formal type, and letterpress on thick cotton paper hinted at the elegance of the event, while the orange and lime green color scheme kept everything feeling fun and fresh!

I am always excited to see what will be a trend in any given wedding season, and looking back at 2008, bold use of color was definitely a strong trend. We can’t wait to see what comes in 2009!