It was absolutely an honor when asked by my son and his bride if I would create their custom wedding invitation suite for them.
Wedding invitations should reflect the personality of the couple – what they love, their shared values and interests, and their ‘uniqueness’ as a couple.
I began by making a list of what I knew to be true about them as a couple, the place they were to be married and what they had as a vision of the wedding day. It was very helpful to visit the venue first to get a sense of the space for the event.
- They love the outdoors – hiking, adventure, travel, exploring, nature, flowers.
- A shared love of family, friends and culture is important to them.
- The place they chose to be married, Forrest House Lodge, fit them perfectly. It is rustic, with a sense of history and family – yet classy, earthy, and close to nature.
- The colors they chose were rich and warm –shades of coral, chocolate brown and beige with lace
I always ask for samples of what style that the couple likes so I have a place to start.
Once I have some information I can let my creativity take over. I’ll start with the font because typefaces have a personality. The one used should feel ‘natural’ to the couple and go with their overall theme. Once a font is chosen then a graphic is chosen. This may either harmonize or beautifully contrast with the font – depending on the personality and style we’ve established.
The colors are worked in last. It’s important that the design work in grayscale first. Color should enhance the design rather than change it. I spend a good deal of time working with various shades and hues, making sure the font is still very readable and the design stays true to the initial style.
Once I saw the incredible view from the ceremony spot I knew somehow that I wanted to share that view with the recipient of the invitation. It was beautiful and serene, and would give a picture of what was to come at this wedding. The venue managers were more than happy to let us use a photo from their website that was perfect for the back of the RSVP card.
All the pieces – invitation, rsvp and envelope, map & lodging info, were placed in a fold up pocket. For the day of the wedding there were programs, menus and signage designed to be consistent with their overall style and theme. Click here to see the suite.
