Weddingbee PRO
It’s official - we found a venue for our renewal celebration - read more about the plans, the inspiration, more inspiration and the save the date.
It was difficult to find a venue to perfectly suit our guest list of only 110 or so. We wanted rustic but not too casual, blank palette but not uninspired and of course flexibility (’lots of custom decor planned). Driving past the entry gates of this 1800’s “Cottage” (as it is humbly named) I felt as if I took a gracious step back in time. Following the deep curves of the driveway I caught a glimpse of the towering structure and it’s massive screened in wrap around porch.
Who loves zinnias and dahlias? I do, I do! 
My mom stopped by last week and brought 3 vases full of fresh cut zinnias and dahlias, and I was in love. There is something so alluring about a heavily petaled bloom full of rich, vibrant colors that just sing. A quick search on etsy and beyond proves that I am not alone in my obsession with these blooms!
Say the phrase hand-painted wedding invitation and most do a double take…then ask “for small orders right?” or inquire “well you reproduce each one on the computer?”. All of these are valid responses I admit as the thought of individually hand-painting hundreds of pieces is initially mind boggling. Let me be the first to tell you, it is mind boggling, requires tremendous patience and skill, but YES, here at Momental Designs we have been hand-painting each and every invitation since our beginnings in 2003.
I thought I would take a moment to further explain the painting process and give a peek into the world of a Momental Invite.
Shortly after my wedding in 2000, I began Momental, very humbly. I worked another full time job, where my lunch hours were spent crafting the perfect business name, reading business books and sketching invitation ideas. My goal was to offer artistic invitations, featuring my original artwork, but to take the concept one step further. While many invitation designers at the time offered original illustrations none were individually hand-painting each invitation, exclusively, so the Momental Invitation was born! I sat for hours perfecting simple little illustrations that could be repeated entirely by hand over hundreds of pieces. Last month, I blogged about Kelley’s hydrangea invitations, where I shared a sample hydrangea from the very beginning. We still create invitations that are entirely hand-painted much like Carrianne’s, where over 30 strokes per invite were used!
Several weeks ago, on the recommendation of Liene Stevens, I began following, Unruly Things. Alyson, the author, gathers a variety of mindful inspirations drawing from all outlets, including photography, fashion and everyday life. Recently she shared details regarding the opening of Saipua’s new shop in Red Hook, NY and shared these gorgeous images.
An impromptu trip to a localaAntique market last month was all I needed to get inspired. I must admit settling on a color palette has been difficult for me. Wandering around the Antique Center, I was repeatedly drawn to the vintage tablecloths in so many of the booths. Picking up a simple piece with light orange and yellow roses, worn from use and frayed a bit on the edges, I was immediately drawn in. At that moment I knew the search for our perfect color palette was over and boy was I lucky The Hubby agreed!
From there I found a few Depression Glass pieces I hope to use as centerpieces, reminding me so much of the lovelies in my mother’s china closet I marveled at as a child.
During the stationery design process I always encourage my clients to find inspiration in uncommon places. A cherished card kept in a memory box for years, a simple dinner plate loved for its pattern or a field full of wildflowers growing along the interstate. In my experience, it is a heightened awareness of those items you surround yourself with most often that can inspire with most meaning and passion.
What seemingly mundane items have inspired your planning process?
Karen Tran’s work requires really very few words. Her exquisite, immediately recognizable style and lush approach to floral design are both reasons to make her blog a weekly read. Whether you crave color inspiration or are simply looking for detail ideas to perfect your table design, Karen’s blog and website are essential. You can also check out her posts on the Southern Weddings blog! So go ahead dive in… I dare you not to lose track of time looking!
Recently Karen and I collaborated on a tabletop design for the fall issue (on newsstands this past Monday) of the San Diego based magazine Exquisite Weddings. I meticulously hand-painted each menu to mimic the graceful curves of the nearly 300 stems of white peonies Karen incorporated into the design!
Photo by the amazing Terri Rippee!
Read more…
Thanks again to everyone for such a warm welcome here on Weddingbee PRO. I am having such a blast blogging and truly appreciate you taking the time to read.
“Inspired Ink” began as a weekly post on my personal blog last year. The idea is to take an image that inspired me the previous week and create a custom invitation based on that same image. One of my favorites from earlier this year was a little number I created after finding what I call “Suspended Orchids” on Karen Tran’s enchanting blog. I just loved the sparkle and shine she captured as the sunlight trickled through the glass spheres and felt compelled to capture the look on paper!
So each week I plan to continue my “Inspired Ink” tradition as an exclusive-to-Weddingbee PRO post! This week I chose an Edward Hopper painting titled “Le Bistro / The Wine Shop”, 1909. The mood captured here is what I find most striking; calm and serene. The Silvery blues, grays and a touch of sienna and scarlet (more visible in person) come together beautifully in this canvas I had the pleasure of viewing in person last week at The Whitney.
While perusing the Be Inspired blog earlier this week, I stumbled upon Robyn Glaser’s website at the recommendation of Jen from Green Wedding Shoes. Inspiration abounds on this stunning site but a few images in particular caught my eye. With my vow renewal coming next May, I am continually looking for vintage inspired decor ideas that I can put my own spin on…
While finalizing dates and permits with Zion National Park, the hubby and I are beginning work on our Renewal Save the Date. A booklet style seemed immediately necessary, since we are of course trying to entice family and friends to travel to Utah the weekend after Mother’s Day next year; therefore a good amount of information needs to be included.
Walking along Broadway in NYC Thursday afternoon, I was immediately drawn to a window display. At first, I thought “gorgeous glass sculpture”, but then looked closer. I was actually staring at water bottles filled with colored water - genius!
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Kristy Rice, Pennsylvania
Vendor: Invitation Artist
Website: Momental Designs
About Me: I remember drawing by flashlight way past my bedtime as a
young child – I never stopped. For me creating art is not an act but a
lifestyle. I am passionate about creating moments on paper, my
home, loving my hubby and believe you can never have too
many fantastic handbags.
