You can always find great looks in the city and this urban inspired Alice customization is no exception. Accenting with deep blue inks and a heavy coverage of black really makes this invitation pop. Adding a sleek single letter monogram and some geranium edge painting really sets this one apart. Our strana font finishes this invite with a nice formal touch that makes this the perfect blend of class and style.

alice customization = inks: deep blue + black | fonts: strana + aiden stripe | paper: white | invite size: f-8 | liner: rustic crosshatch pattern in geranium | edge painting: geranium | original design by Tara Hogan | customized by in-house designer Kyle Laatsch |

(Photo Credits : Cheri Lehnow)
by Kyle Laatsch, In-House Designer

We love having the opportunity to share real weddings from our Bella brides! This next wedding is filled with so much vintage prettiness — Shawna (a member of the amazing Style Me Pretty team) included lots of personal touches, soft pretty colors, lace, and the perfect dose of Southern charm for her & Matt’s springtime celebration. She even started a new family tradition! Shawna decided on our Harlow design for her invitations, and they fit her wedding style to a T. Read on for all of the pretty little details, and don’t miss Shawna’s advice if you’re currently planning your own wedding – she’s got some great tips!

Can you share with us a bit about your wedding and your inspiration for the event?

Matt and I had our wedding in Hill Country in Fredericksburg, Texas. The ceremony and reception was at the Hoffman Haus, a cottage property that’s close to the main street.  We wanted a charming, home style wedding that we would love always. Our vintage and warm colored décor was inspired by the property; we had doilies, burlap, lace, vintage silver and haybales. Guests were greeted with peach lemonade and mini peach ice cream cones.  The ceremony was a dream, violins played a combination of traditional and beatles songs. It was a simple, pretty garden wedding. Matt looked so handsome in his dark brown 3-piece suit and I loved my dress. The crystals on the belt were from my grandma and my short blusher veil made me feel glamorous.

Our vows were more on the traditional side and we had a tree planting with a gardenia shrub. I added photo books, handmade wedding facts about both of our families and matchbooks as additional décor.  The hors d’oeuvres at our cocktail hour and our dinner menu featured a blend of Italian and Texas cuisine. Texas beers and wine were also served. The food stations were fun; we had a yummy bruschetta bar and a Bellini bar that was so pretty. Our first dance was a waltz. We danced with friends to all kinds of music including hip hop, country. Matt played the Texas Tech fighting song before the garter toss. I started a mother/daughters dance tradition in our family: me, my mom and two sisters jammed to Poison by Bobbi Brown. I think everyone had seconds of the wedding cake, it was delicious

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Featuring the gorgeous hand calligraphy of Debi Zeinert, Classic Calligraphy definitely tends to be one of our more, well, classic designs.  Throw some fresh Navy ink and vibrant Watermelon edge painting into the mix though, and you get a really great splash of bold contemporary style.  A brightly contrasting edge paint color is a wonderful way to make things fun and current without going too far overboard and loosing the vintage-inspired vibe of the overall set.  These invitations also feature a cute website card – an elegant and eco-friendly way to direct guests to your website for additional wedding details.

ink: navy | paper: 2-ply ivory | invite size: a7 | liner: antique geometrics pattern in navy | edge painting: watermelon | client coordinator: chris gannon | in-house designer: lindsy aragona

These Gracelyn Vintage (by Jessica Tierney) letterpress wedding invitations show that it’s refreshing to see a more bubbly color palette.  Especially when, typically for fall weddings you see hues of golden rod, espresso and mustard. We can’t get enough of the bold aubergine ink throughout the set.  This is a traditional text based invitation with a simple touch of elegance, but this design is anything but simplistic!  The European Formal envelope liner in aubergine ink gives that WOW factor to this invitation suite.

inks: aubergine| fonts: nysa + harlow| paper: 2-ply white | invitation size: f8 | liner: the european formal in aubergine ink | client coordinator: jessica hanaman | in-house designer: sarah walroth

We L.O.V.E. these spectacular letterpress wedding invitations that our pals at Gus & Ruby Letterpress in Portsmouth, New Hampshire submitted to us to print. As a play on our Anthology design (by Lindsy Aragona) a custom LOVE design was submitted and is repeated throughout this set letting us know what the couple is really all about! Letterpress printed in amethyst and chartreuse inks on our 1-ply ivory paper the invitation makes a statement in our no. 10 size! The mixture of contemporary typography mixed with letterpress is the perfect marriage for these modern invitations.

inks: amethyst + chartreuse  | fonts: impression + sans capital  | paper: 1-ply ivory | invite size: no. 10 |

A Halloween wedding doesn’t have to be all about spooky bats, witches and things that go bump in the night. Look for Autumn’s softest palettes and pair them with fairytale pumpkins, warm candle light and wrought iron accents for a sweet as candy soiree. This Astor customization not only has a motif that mimics a wrought iron gate, but it uses a custom Emily Austin font that looks like Ichabod Crane, himself, could have wrote it. Imagine the Legend of Sleepy Hollow without that troublesome headless horseman!

customization = ink: persimmon | fonts: custom emily austin + sans capitals | paper: ivory | invite size: f-8 | liner: the classic color pattern in light peach | original design by amy graham stigler | customized by in-house designer: lindsy aragona

embellishment suggestions: pocketfold in opal

photos by: Martha Stewart Weddings

We know, we know, this is supposed to be a blog about letterpress, but we thought you’d like these beautiful photos from one of our favorite places, Grindstone Farm. Not only does Grindstone provide delicious, nutritious, organic fruits and veggies to the Bella Figura staff through our CSA partnership, they are also a prime example of why farms make great wedding locations!

Of course, planning a wedding on a working farm can be tricky. You need to plan ahead so you are not stuck without power or lights (or bathrooms!), you’ll need to make sure grandma and grandpa do not have to walk a mile in dress shoes, and if you want the ultimate local experience of using food and flowers grown onsite, you’ll need to get the details to the farmer a year in advance.

When the details come together, it’ll be worth the trouble. Your guests will be able to share in an incredible one-of-a-kind experience, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Interested in finding a farm like this near you for your wedding or big event? Or do you want to use locally grown produce or flowers for your special event?  Check out localharvest.org to find CSAs, U Pick Farms, Farmers Markets, Grocery Co-ops in your area!

We absolutely love seeing the fabulous celebrations that go hand-in-hand with the invitations we get to print everyday, and we’re always especially excited to see Bella Figura weddings on Style Me Pretty!  Anne & Tommy’s Redondo Beach wedding was absolutely gorgeous, so today we’re sharing some of our favorite photos from their big day. The couple chose our elegant Irving invitation to set the tone for their wedding. The design was printed in pale gray and amethyst inks on our white paper for a chic look that coordinated perfectly with the rest of their wedding day elements.

Congratulations to Anne & Tommy!

Vendors:

Photography: Kaysha Weiner Photographer
Flowers: Rebecca’s Bloomers Floral Design and Decor
Event Planning: Tiffany Weddings
Ceremony & Reception Location: Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club
Dress: Adele Wechsler
Make-Up & Hair: Serene Bridal Beauty
Favors: Isabella’s Cookie Company

In a unique twist on Beth Ann Seal‘s classic Palmas design, this invitation set features the exquisitely personal Belle hand calligraphy of Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls in place of the design’s original fonts.  The calligraphy adds a distinct mark of human touch, which is reinforced by the deep, tactile impression of the artisan letterpress printing.  Ink-less blind deboss printing for the art-deco inspired border keeps things subtle, while a bright clover envelope liner adds a splash of excitement to this chic and natural looking invitation set.

ink: black + blind deboss | paper: 2-ply ivory | invite size: f8 | liner: classic color in clover | edge painting: chartreuse | client coordinator: chris gannon | in-house designer: sarah walroth

Here at Bella Figura, we think voting is one of the most direct ways to impact this country and the world. So to encourage everybody to get out and vote this year, we’re offering a special promotion just for voters during the month of November, 2011: orders with 75 invitation sets or more will receive 25 free sets!

To take advantage of this promotion, all you need to do is supply a photo of yourself voting! Simply send in the photo with your order to receive the special by emailing order@bellafigura.com – if you plan to work with one of our retailers, just include their store name in your email. We’ll be featuring the photos on our blog and Facebook page in the upcoming weeks, so please let us know when submitting the photo if you don’t want your photograph shared!

Election day is November 8, 2011, so get out and vote! If you want to help spread the word on election day, let everyone know that you voted by uploading your photo to our Facebook page. Just click the ‘Share Photo’ option, and in the caption, tell us the state you’re voting in!

Excited about the vote? Keep the voting momentum going and click here to vote on the next design of the month! The design of the month will go on sale for 20% off during the month of December & 4 designs are in the running — be sure to check it out!

It’s no secret that we are obsessed with letterpress. Behold, this jaw-dropping letterpress bridal shower invitation. Not only was the original Chapin (by Patricia Mumau) design transformed to perfectly celebrate the autumn season, but a new card was created for recipes to be passed onto future generations. Marigold and espresso inks breathe warmth into this whimsical design. The edge paint in marigold brings an extra touch of color that compliments the folk art. A classy envelope liner in solid espresso ink intensifies the rich brown hues associated with fall. We are captivated by the timeless beauty exuding from this letterpress invitation set.

inks: espresso + marigold | fonts: sofia + moravia + chapin  | paper: 1-ply ivory  | invite size: SQ6 | liner: the classic color pattern in espresso ink | edge painting: marigold | client coordinator: christie jones  | in-house designer: sarah walroth

We love fall! So many great inspirations around us, colors, nature and great food! We also love our Branch design to celebrate this time of year. Modern meeting traditional is what it’s all about, combined with cool muted color and strong font combinations brings it all home.

customization = inks: powder blue + prussian blue | fonts: rimini + geometric + harlow | paper: ivory | invite size: f-8 | liner: simple geometrics pattern in taupe ink | original design by maura gaulthier | customized by in-house designer: racheal decker

embellishment suggestions: pocketfold in jute

(Photo Credits: Caroline Tran )

by Racheal Decker, In-House Designer.