This holiday-inspired customization of our Florian Script letterpress wedding invitation is perfect for a formal, contemporary wedding.  The pale, warm ink colors are balanced by festive cardinal edge paint, which sets the mood for an elegant evening event and has us dreaming of snow!

florian script customization = inks: shell + french vanilla | fonts: sakura + utrecht | paper: ivory | invite size: f-8 | liner: elegant chainlink pattern in espresso ink |  original design by Jessica Tierney | customized by in-house designer Sarah Walroth

embellishment suggestions: edge painting: cardinal

(Photo Credits: Kio Kreations)

Our letterpress design of the month for December is the trendy Ikaty design by Kamal, and it’s got us going crazy for everything ikat right now. We found these fun pieces online and just had to share — we guarantee you’ll be inspired!

1. A sweet raspberry Daphne ikat clutch | 2. The perfect ikat bridesmaid’s dress | 3. Pretty blue ikat dishes | 4. Totally turquoise ikat pillow | 5. Gorgeous red ikat cloth napkins | 6. A vibrant, multi-colored ikat scarf | 7. The prettiest ikat iPhone case | 8. A sophisticated ikat dinner plate | 9. A tropical Ikat cake

In our search for ikat inspiration, we also came across these incredible weddings on Style Me Pretty — our first fabulous find features the most amazing table runners, made with fabric ordered from Usbekistan!  The second wedding had rich blue ikat pieces scattered throughout the reception — a gorgeous board for escort cards, comfy pillows for lounging and sophisticated table runners all added the perfect touch of pattern and color (and we love the way the blue fabric looks next to those vibrant orange flowers!).

Don’t forget — the Ikaty suite is on sale for 20% off through 12/31 (including invitations, thank you notes, programs, save the dates, menus, place cards, and more!)!

Earlier this year, we worked with Alice and Beth from Alice G. Patterson Photography on an amazing project we’re really excited to share. Featured recently on Green Wedding Shoes, this collaboration features some of our most popular letterpress invitation designs alongside some incredible miniatures. Alice and Beth set up these picturesque scenes and we were completely blown away with the end result — take a look!

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Thinking about your letterpress reception pieces? Think program covers! To get everyone swooning we’ve pulled together a collection of programs covers we’ve printed recently so you can see a variety of styles, colors and designs. Whether vintage or modern, colorful or classic black – let your feelings shine through your programs! You can include a sweet line of prose, a saying that pulls on your heartstrings, a scripture verse that has held true, or a design element that’s bold and beautiful. Whatever your style, feast your eyes on some of our Client Coordinator’s favs!

[Oh the beauty. Our standard letterpress program cover is 9″ x 6″ flat, 4.5″ x 6″ folded.]

[Whimsical birds and gorgeous botanicals, behold our Vendage design by Kamal.]

[Florals + quote + memorial. Sakura design by Maura Gaulthier.]

[Allegory Modern, by Bella Figura.]

[We love that this couple spelled out the time of their relationship up to the very moment they were wed on the back of their program.]

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Today we’re excited to share the inspiration behind Ikaty, Bella Figura’s December design of the month {the entire suite is on sale for 20% off through 12/31!}. We chatted with Kamal, the talented designer who created this fashion forward, fabric-inspired invitation, and she filled us in on the background of the gorgeous design that we just can’t get enough of.

The Inspiration Behind Ikaty

“Ikaty” is a modern tribute of my love and fascination for the IKAT pattern, the trend, and how it mirrors a promise of commitment. To see its progression in the past couple of years is compelling to me. It’s been a part of my home since childhood – on pillows, rugs and clothing growing up, but not on paper. “Ikat” is an Indonesian language word, which depending on context, can be the nouns: cord, thread, knot and the finished ikat fabric as well as the verbs “to tie” or “to bind”(ref: Wikpedia). Sounds a little like marriage…

…and I am. I also have 3 wonderful children and try to balance it out as a working mom. This process of dyes and interwoven, complex patterns reflects my work, my marriage, my kids and what’s to come. Each distinct weave can take you into a different path in your life, growing and multiplying until you have created a pattern, a routine, or hopefully a touch of surprise in your life.

A little bit of elegance and charm shines in our Jolie letterpress invitations. Royal color tones make this design perfect for that sophisticated snowy holiday event.

jolie customization = inks: prussian blue + antique gold | font: rimini | paper: ivory | invite size: f-8 | liner: european formal pattern in charcoal | original design by aimee o’boyle | customized by in-house designer racheal decker |

embellishment suggestions: pocketfold in opal

(Photo Credits: Sloan Photography)

by Racheal Decker, In-House Designer.

We know we are currently in winter wonderland mode but take a look at this vibrant save the date perfect for a 2012 summer wedding (which is right around the corner)! This quirky custom letterpress save the date was sent to us by our good friends over at Gus & Ruby Letterpress in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The two cute custom designs matched with our aquamarine ink make for a one of a kind save the date that really stands out.  Instead of using our standard A6 save the date size, the couple opted for the smaller (and budget saving) A5 option.  The recipients of this card are sure to be pleasantly surprised!

ink: aquamarine| font: alouette | paper: 1-ply white |  size: a5

Sometimes simpler is just plain better.  Alright a lot of times.  Pared down to just the essentials, these Deveril invites from designer Beth Ann Seal exude such an amazing sense of clarity and calm.  The lack of any superfluous design elements really serves to highlight the simple beauty of the typography and of the letterpress printing itself.  In order to accommodate their multinational guests, half of these invitations were printed in German and the other half were printed in Italian.  Didn’t know we print in all languages?  Sure we can!  More details here.

ink: taupe | fonts: strana + hudson | paper: white 1-ply | invite size: f8 | liner: classic color taupe | client coordinator: chris gannon | in house designer:  sarah walroth

Timeless romance exudes from these letterpress save the dates in a charming customization of our Delambre Classic design (by Jessica Tierney – featuring Sarah Hanna‘s calligraphy accents). A vintage color combination of antique gold and pewter inks showcases the crisp floral patterning. A sleek rustic crosshatch patterned envelope liner brings a modern element to the sweet packaging making this save the date perfect for 2012!

inks: antique gold + pewter | font: utrecht | calligraphy: the victoria hand calligraphy, by sarah hannah style | paper: 1-ply white | size: a6  | liner: rustic crosshatch pattern in antique gold ink | client coordinator: christie jones | in-house designer: lindsy aragona

Get inspired by winter, one of the most whimsical seasons of the year. Blankets of fresh white snow, cozy fires, creamy hot chocolate with whipped cream – it all is so romantic!  Bella’s Birch design, by Jessica Tierney, captures this feeling perfectly! Be sure to use colors directly from nature for your letterpress invitations to keep things soft and muted like a cold winter day. Your hearts will keep things hot enough!

birch customization = inks: sand + taupe | fonts: alouette + ollie | paper: white | invite size: f-8 | liner: simple geometrics in cream | original design by jessica tierney | customized by in-house designer lindsy aragona
embellishment suggestions: edge painting in gold

Photography credits: Jenny Haas and Ashley Krogman Designs

You’ve ordered your invitations, purchased stamps, addressed your envelopes, and now you’re ready to get everything out the door! Before you assemble and stamp your invitations, you’ll want to make sure you’re sorting your invitations in the proper order. To make it easy, we’ve broken down the process into 5 easy steps:

• Layer your pieces in order largest to smallest – start with the invitation or the largest card on the bottom, then layer any medium-sized cards (like a directions card, events card, or accommodations card) on top of the invitation. Continue with smaller cards – a reception card followed by a reply card envelope and reply card would go next. Any petite cards – like a website card – would go on the very top.
• Insert all of your pieces printed side up into your inner envelope. The pieces should slide into the envelope with the flap pointing to the right.
• Tuck your inner envelope, flap down, into your outer invitation envelope. This way, when your guest opens your invitations, the first thing they’ll see is their addressed inner envelope.
• Use the bottle of envelope moistener provided with your invitation order to wet the gummed edge of your outer invitation envelope. Use enough to moisten the seal, but don’t overdo it – you don’t want soggy envelopes!
• After you’ve sealed your envelopes, we recommend placing a heavy book or two on top of the stack to ensure all of your envelopes are securely sealed.

And that’s it! After you’ve stamped your envelopes with sufficient postage, we recommend bringing them to the Post Office to be hand canceled – this helps reduce the risk of your invitations getting damaged in the mail. If you want to see these steps in action, check out the step by step instructions in this video.

We asked, and you voted: our latest Design of the Month is Ikaty by Kamal! As our Design of the Month, all custom letterpress orders placed between now and December 31 will receive 20% off.  This 20% off applies to Ikaty save the dates, invitations, thank you cards, menus, coasters, place cards, programs, and any other piece that uses the Ikaty design. To get you inspired, our design team put together these stunning customizations — take a look!

(Please note, the Design of the Month promotion may not be used on purchases of other designs or in combination with any other promotion.)