I'm so glad J.Crew is finally expanding the number of locations where brides can see the weddings and parties collection in person - and now you don't even have to go uptown! I like that they used an illustration in this email blast as opposed to a photograph - it's a refreshing change of pace from the usual glossy (albeit charming) photo and has a nice vintage feel.
Last weekend, I went with a friend to check out the J.Crew Wedding Collection at the Rockefeller Center store here in New York. It was so nice to finally see all the dresses in person! The silhouettes are simple and elegant, the gowns are nicely made, and the prices are gentle on the pocketbook (most designs cost between $695 and $1500).
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I'm not a huge fan of musicals, however I love Cecil Beaton, and his costume and set designs for the “Ascot Gavotte” scene from My Fair Lady are simply stunning. Even though his designs date from the 60's, the combination of black, white and gray patterns still feels glamorous and fresh.
Images clockwise from top left: Bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings; Cover for Cecil Beaton's Fair Lady; deserts from Martha Stewart Weddings; Vase by Francis Palmer (www.francispalmerpottery.com) ; Original sketch for set and costume designs for My Fair Lady by Cecil Beaton (via artnet); Wedding Gown by Oscar de la Renta; Wedding Cake from Martha Stewart Weddings; Film still from the Ascot Gavotte scene (via reelclassics.com); Floral Frieze wedding invitation by Blue Ribbon.
Have you ever wanted to make your own jewelry, but didn't quite know where to start? Then you should make an appointment at Femmegems new studio in Chelsea.
I'm a magazine addict and there is nothing I like better than to browse through vintage magazines on Paper Pursuits. The site has tons of images from fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar (I especially love the issues from the 1950s), interior design magazines (be sure to check out House Beautiful and House & Garden), old advertisements, and even sewing patterns. These publications are a wonderful source of interesting colorways, graphics and period details. Many of the fashion magazines also produced special bridal issues that have gorgeous photos of gowns, veils and bouquets - who knows, maybe it will inspire you to add a vintage touch to your own ensemble!
A great way to incorporate your invitation design into the reception is to re-use design elements from your wedding stationery (colors, borders, monograms, etc.) for the decoration of your cake. Below are some lovely examples of how brides I have worked with used their invitations as the inspiration for their cakes.
Wedding cake photos above by Bella Pictures.
The menus above were created by running letterpress imprintables through an ink jet printer.
On a budget but still want to incorporate letterpress into your wedding stationery? Imprintable flats can be personalized to create all kinds of invitations and tabletop stationery, including save-the-dates, rehearsal dinner invitations, menus, and more!
Most stationery stores offer in-house printing for the imprintable products that they sell, but you can also run them through your home printer. Every ink jet and laser printer has it's own quirks, but here are some universal set-up and printing tips that will help the finished product look it's best:
• When setting up your document template, make sure that the document (or artboard) dimensions are the same as your card and that the orientation (landscape vs. portrait) is correct.
• When selecting print preferences from your printer driver, make sure that the print media size is the same as your card, that the scale is set to 100%, and that the borderless printing option (if your printer has one) is selected.
I am always trying to come up with new ways to use some of the leftover trimmings and letterpress scraps I have here my studio. In the past I've made mini gift enclosures and favor tags, and now I've started making these little cupcake flags. Since they are made from scraps, the alignment of the artwork is a little different on each one - which I like, since it keeps everything from looking too formal - I think cupcakes should be fun!
My six-year-old niece received an Easy-Bake oven for her birthday, so I thought she would enjoy some fun decorating supplies to embellish her mini cakes with. This was a great excuse to visit New York Cake & Baking Supplies. If you are planning to make your own cake, cupcakes, candies, or cookies for your wedding this store is a fantastic resource.
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I got married at a vineyard, so I have a soft-spot for wine country weddings. Regardless of whether or not your wedding takes place amongst the vines, wine labels can be a great source for interesting layouts, graphics and typefaces.
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Kimberly Driessen, New York
Vendor: Invitation Designer
Website: Blue Ribbon Design
About Me: I am the owner of Blue Ribbon Design, a graphic design studio in Manhattan that creates letterpress greeting cards and invitations. I specialize in vintage-inspired designs that incorporate historic details in a modern and elegant way. I love helping brides find the perfect visual motif to use throughout their wedding and especially enjoy working on events that take place at historic homes and gardens.
