Creative Tip: Seating Charts

Last week we showed you a variety of charming seating charts, and today we wanted to feature a nautical themed one for a wedding taking place on Santa Cruz Island.

Each flag icon represents a nautical boating flag and each couple's name is written on the tiny boats clustered around the flags in "coves" on the island!

The bride & groom also ordered table cards so the guests could find their seats. Below is just a sampling.

The nautical themed chart is a unique way to incorporate the couple's love of boating into their big day!

Inspiration Shoot: Wine Country Elopement

Armando Martinez of Alegria Design pulled together this beautiful shoot for Santa Barbara Wedding Guide and we were more than happy to contribute! The contrast between the soft florals and black touches combined with the enchanting backdrop of Santa Ynez Inn - and voila! Romance at its finest!

Get the look with these fabulous vendors!

Photographer: Linda Chaja Photography
Planning, Styling and Art direction: Alegria by Design
Location: Santa Ynez Inn
Jewelry: 33 Jewels
Dress: La Soie Bridal
Floral and Plant Rental: Village Gardener
Hair and Make-up: Flirt Make-up {Artist - Shannon Jordon}
Cake: Enjoy Cupcakes

Spotlight on: Elizabeth Anne Designs

We love the wedding ideas and inspiration that comes from Elizabeth Anne Designs and are pleased to be included in her newly revamped vendor guide!

Visit our vendor portfolio or the Elizabeth Anne Designs blog today for some swoon worth wedding inspiration!

Spotlight On: Fiore Beauty

One of our absolute favorite beauty companies {Fiore Beauty} is featured today on one of our favorite online shopping sites {Rue La La}!

Join Rue La La today {it's free} to take advantage of their offer from Fiore Beauty ~ a two-hour in-home makeup application consultation and makeup bag revamp!

We had the priviledge of working with Jaimi and her wonderful team at Fiore a couple of times last year when my little sister, Alyssa, booked the team for her wedding day hair and make-up! We planned her trial run to coincide with her bridal shower to get double duty out of the fabulous looks created by Fiore.

{At her shower...}

{At her wedding}

Needless to say we loved working with the team and, as mentioned in the Rue La La feature, they came to us for both occasions. My sister also had Fiore come to our hotel the day before her wedding to do mani/pedis for the bridal party and they even came to my own bridal shower for a mini-massage and mini-mani parlor!

Tips: Invitation Etiquette

The excitement of your engagement has really started to sink in, you've picked a venue and date and now it's time to start thinking about invitations. But where do you start? Below are some basic tips to get you started on figuring out what to include in your invitations...

• Be sure that you count one invitation per household address, not per guest; however, anyone over the age of 18 should receive his/her own invitation; plus you should always order about a 10% overage for any added guests
• Once you figure out your invitation count, be sure to add another 10% for the envelope count. You, or your calligrapher, will require extras for mistakes. Remember to order extra of both inner and outer envelopes.
• If your parents are hosting the wedding, their names should be on the first line of the invitation; for couples who are hosting their wedding together, their names can appear first, but remember to list the bride's name first.
• Mr., Mrs. and Dr. may be abbreviated - but no other abbreviations should be included. Your names should be competely spelled out; titles should be used consistently among the hosts, or not at all. Initials should not be used in names on invitations. Middle names are either in or out.
• Always include the day of the week, date and year of your wedding.
• The street address of the wedding and reception location should not be printed on the invitation itself, but on a separate map/direction/accomodations card. However, be sure to list the city and state, unless the city is internationally recognizable, such as Los Angeles, New York or Paris.
• Never include gift registry information on your wedding invitation or enclosures - your family and members of your wedding party should pass on that information; one invitation where registry information is commonly accepted? The bridal shower invites.
• If your wedding is a formal event and you want your guests to be dressed most formally, include "Black Tie" in your invitation; if you say "optional" be prepared to have guests dressed much less formally than you are looking for.
• If your reception is at the same location as the ceremony, add "Reception immediately following" to your invitation wording. If you aren't having a full dinner, you may want to adjust the wording to "Cocktails following." It is proper to indicate that your wedding and reception are in different locations by using a separate card.

Other notes...

• Monograms are a beautiful tradition and are regaining popularity, but since you're not married yet, don't put your married monogram on your invitation. Your initials will make just as beautiful a design. If you must use a monogram, it is proper to use the bride's. A married monogram shouldn't make its appearance until the reception. Think about introducing your married monogram on the reception menus or place cards.
• Many couples choose to discretely number their reply cards so that they can identify their guests if they forget to include their name(s) on the reply card itself.
• Be sure to weigh your invitations at the post office for the proper amount of postage. The cost per invitation will depend on the size and shape of your invitation. Squares are automatically extra postage (this also applies to square reply cards); remember to affix first class postage to your reply envelopes. This will help to ensure your guests will respond in a timely manner.
• It is a good idea to have your envelopes hand-canceled at the post office to avoid the "tire tread" left behind by mechanical stamping machines.
• These may seem like a lot of "rules," but most are probably things you would do anyways. If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact us directly.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us directly!

Adapted from previously posted material 03/10

Budget Tips

Last week we showed you how to make your custom LHC map your invitation itself, so this week we thought it would be good to share a few more budget tips and also remind everyone to be sure to include printed materials in their overall wedding budget from the very beginning.

No one forgets to budget for their dress or flowers or photography, but invitations and definitely calligraphy {even if you know you want it} are oft overlooked! Prices for inviations and calligraphy can vary greatly depending on paper, style, number of pieces and of course the vendor, but to get a basic idea for your budget, here are some numbers.

For an invitation, RSVP card and envelope for each, an average cost could be:

Flat printing = $5-$7 per set
Letterpress printing = $14-$20 per set

Many vendors will have a minimum {our standard is 100 sets}, but be sure you ask for pricing for the number you are looking for. If there is a minimum, you will find out shortly.

For envelope calligraphy, you should factor in another $300-$425 for 100 envelopes.

Maps and reception items are additional, so be sure to include these in as well if you are looking for a comprehensive print material suite.

If these numbers seem daunting but you still want a custom look and to include the art of calligraphy, here are some tips to keeping your costs down:

• Thermography {raised printing} can be a great alternative to letterpress if you want a textured print without the price tag of letterpress.
• Use an RSVP postcard instead of card with envelope - this saves on paper costs as well as the postage you will need to include on each piece.
• If you want to have your own custom map, consider using it as a save the date or as the invitation.
• To get a map in addition to your other materials, consider our map alteration process - you can alter an already existing map of your destination {restrictions apply}
• If you are concerned about the cost of calligraphy, but do want hand lettered envelopes, keep your sights set on the tier 1 styles - the higher the style, the higher the cost per envelope. 

If you have any questions or to let us create your dream invitation suite, contact us today!

Creative Tip: Kraft Bags

Want to give our some traditional wedding candy but looking for a unique way to get it to your guests? Or do you have a special treat you've thought of but not sure how to package it up? Use these simple yet chic Kraft bags!

The bags come in natural {pictured} or white and we can calligraphy any words in a wide variety of colors! Pop your treats in and you're all set! Things to write include: "Gateaux", "Treat", "Thank You", "Merci", your initials and/or wedding date...the possibilities are endless!

Ribbon not included.
Photo by Jose Villa.

Creative Tip: Personalized Guestbooks

Nature can be quite inspirational and that is exactly where product designer Gillian Stevens pulls from for her daily inspiration in creating leather and recycled paper products that comprise her company Dewdrop designs! These beautiful leather bound books make amazing guestbooks ~ both my sister and I made good use of them at our own weddings!

You can write directly on the pages themselves, or leave cards for your guests to write their message on and glue those in at a later date. This works well for you to add a photo from your professional pics with each card to keep a visual of each guest with their well wishes. The books are also perfect if you have a polaroid camera or photo booth to add day-of pictures right in!

Gillian is so easy to work with and will even add in your custom Laura Hooper Calligraphy monogram or standard calligraphy to correlate with your entire inviation suite and other print materials!

Visit the Dewdrop website to see these and other fantastic products from Gillian Stevens.

Creative Tip: Pashminas & Blankets

Want an outdoor wedding but worried about the cool summer nights? Then consider gifting your guests with pashminas or placing throws around your lounge seating area. Pashminas are the perfect touch to show your guests you are thinking about their comfort and they can also be showcased in a creative display!

{photo via La Purse Blog}

You can also use our calligraphy to let your guests know they are welcome to "Cuddle Up" "Snuggle Up" "Keep Warm" or "Take One With You" ~ or think of your own creative saying!

While you can find reasonably priced shawls online {and don't forget you don't need one for every guest, just the ladies}, if you don't want to provide 40+ shawls, you can also consider them as a bridesmaid gift.

{photo via Saucy's Sprinkles}

Let your added touch of comfort set the mood for your evening...

Creative Tip: Drink Stations

There are many ways to quench your guests' thirst other than (or in addition to!) a standard bar. Perhaps the most common way is a simple table set up at the wedding ceremony. Especially if your ceremony is running late, your guests will thank you!

Offering a slightly unique beverage will spice things up a bit and is the perfect way to incorporate local fare ~ such as the Hawaiian drink below! If you want to keep things traditional, consider a lavender lemonade or cucumber water. These are basics drinks that will leave everyone refreshed, not bored!

Bins provide another opportunity for self-serve drinks and can range from simple to chic!

You can also create a self-serve bar for soirees that won't include a bartender.

Use these ideas plus your own to create the perfect beverage station that fits your party, shower or wedding!

In the Press: Occasions Magazine ~ Interview with Laura

Back in March we were approached by Occasions Magazine in Atlanta to answer a few questions to be used in an upcoming issue. Just this past week the Summer Issue with our advice popped up in my mailbox!

The story on stationery and calligraphy included small quotes, but we thought it would be fun to share the full interview here on the blog!

1. How does Calligraphy make stationary more intimate/personal? Anything that is hand-written shows the extra time and care that someone took to produce it, and stationery is no exception. It also lets the client set the mood for their entire event based on the style of calligraphy he or she chooses.

2. How do you decide what the perfect style is? Based on event or person? Normally our clients choose their own style, but for events I have done for friends and family, I usually think of the setting and design to decide what style will work best...and most often, the event design is based off the person's personality - so it all ties together!

3. How and when did you begin Calligraphy? At the age of 12 I was began using calligraphy at the shop I was working at. I am completely self taught and have just practiced various styles and tried new things. When I was 20, I penned my first set of envelopes for a close friend's wedding, and I've been doing it ever since.

4. What price range should our readers expect when choosing calligraphy? Envelope calligraphy generally runs from $2.50 - $4 per outer envelope depending on calligrapher and style (the more intricate the calligraphy style, the more time consuming and thus more expensive).

5. Are all Calligraphers the same? What makes them different/unique? Definitely not! Calligraphy is an art and just like other artists, no two are alike. In addition to inherent differences due to two unique hands, calligraphers use varying pens, which create different looks.

6. What pieces in an event can be handwritten (i.e. not just the envelope...signage, place cards, etc)? We have created signs for nearly all components of weddings and parties. In addition to the usual programs, menus, placecards and escort cards, we have also done signs for the bride and groom, thank you signs, restroom signs, calligraphy on mirrors, bar menus, directional signage, guestbooks - if there are words, we can calligraph them!
 

Darling Magazine ~ April 2011

The April 2011 installment of Beth Helmstetter Event's Darling magazine is live and full of winery inspired tips, ideas and luscious photos!

The issue tackles the difficult task of balancing elegance and comfort and also provides ideas on how to celebrate with your bridal party, select the perfect winery inspired menu, gift your bridesmaids and groomsmen, how to select a venue and special ways to share your joy with friends and family all weekend long when hosting a destination fete. Here are a few of the pages featuring our work!

This month's issue even includes a lovely feature on Laura Hooper Calligraphy! We are so honored to be a part of this gorgeous and useful bridal e-magazine!

Click here to view the complete issue ~ you won't regret it!