The PaperStyle Blog: February 2013

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: The Gatefold Bow Process!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Wedding Invitation Etiquette {redux}

One of our most popular posts of all time was a post that we did waaaaay back in 2008 about wedding invitation etiquette. Since we've seen so many wedding invitations flying out our doors lately, we thought it would be a good idea to bring this post back for anyone who just can't seem to find the perfect words.

In our original post, we provided a short list of tips and tricks about wording, reply sets, and mailing. But this time around, we'd like to get a little more specific and a lot more creative. We want to help, so you don't have to stress!

PaperStyle's website has an awesome list of 11 different ways to word your invitations, for all sorts of situations. This list is great because the variations are specific, but they're also just suggestions. They're tools to help you create wedding invitations that best express you.

616-57-WD100

608-57-401

So, if you feel that a traditional invitation isn't really up your alley, we wanted to give you some other ideas. Here are some points that we think are definitely important, and some suggestions that can turn up the originality of your invites:

If your parents are helping pay for (or totally paying for) the wedding, it's a nice gesture to include their names on the invitation. It's not just about tradition, it's a way of showing your gratitude.
Make sure that your guests know what needs to be done in advance.
- Not including a reply card? Make sure to put a phone number or email address for RSVPs and be clear about when you would like to know by. Planning a wedding in a foreign country? Include an information card with travel suggestions or accomodation references. Is the reception immediately following the ceremony or being held at some other time? Be specific about all the fun that's in store.
If, in your fun and unique wedding, you have special attire requests of your guests, make sure that's included (you know, so no one has to stand in the grass in five inch heels).
If you're holding your wedding in an area that isn't well-known by many of your guests, including a map with the invitation is a thoughtful and cool way to make restaurant suggestions or points of interest (aside from your wedding, of course). And you can even make it another personal element to the wedding if the map is hand-drawn or calligraphed.
Is music a big part of you and your partner's life together? Pick a favorite song lyric, or one that's particularly applicable, and start the invitation with that.
Though it's traditional to write out any numeric values on your invitation, such as "two thousand thirteen", if you're choosing an invitation with a design that's very typographic, throwing some numbers in will help draw the eye and break up some of the text.

Remember, this is your wedding, and the invitations are just the beginning of that process. The most important part of choosing your wedding invitations (and the words that go on them) is that they reflect you and your partner and encourage your guests to be just as excited about your commitment as you are... So, you want to emboss a little pig on your reception card since the afterparty is at your favorite BBQ joint? Go for it. (Actually, that really does sound like a cute idea...)

For more unique wedding invitation wording options, check out Offbeat Bride's article Wedding invitation wording that won't make you barf (definitely a good resource!).

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

(Sort of) Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Diane!

We wanted to share with you a few photos from Diane's Surprise Birthday Bunco Party with the ladies of PaperStyle! Happy Birthday, Diane!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Save the Dates: Let's Talk Location

We love the idea of destination save the date cards. When you're planning a wedding in a place that's really special to you, it just adds so much character to the wedding itself. We love reading stories about adorable couples getting married in the city where they met, or just in a place they've always wanted to visit. It adds another layer of personality to your wedding.

When you send out your save the date cards, you want them to express the vibe of your wedding to your guests; when you're planning a destination wedding (or even a wedding that really incorporates your love of your city), you want your guests to be just as excited about the journey. What better way to do that than with charming, location-themed save the dates?

There seems to be a common belief that when it comes to destination weddings, your destination must be exotic or tropical, but we don't believe that to be true. Ultimately, your wedding should feel like you and your partner, whether that's hip and urban or tropical and laid-back (or somewhere in between). Plus, a wedding taking place in the city you call home IS a special destination.

Here are some links to some destination/location weddings that we really love (for a little inspiration!):

New Orleans French Quarter Wedding on once wed
Chicago Wedding at Greenhouse Loft from Ashley Biess Photography on Style Me Pretty Illinois
Seattle Wedding from Britt Rene Photo on Style Me Pretty
San Francisco Elegant Wedding on once wed

And here are a few samples from our selection of location save the dates:

Happy planning!

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Friday, February 15, 2013

PaperStyle is Hiring!

Happy Friday, everyone! We have some BIG NEWS today:

PaperStyle is hiring a full-time Type Stylist in our Alpharetta, GA office!

If you enjoy a family environment with great people, have a flexible schedule (night & weekend availability required), have MAC experience (Quark and Photoshop proficiency a plus!), are a fast learner and have great attention to detail, this position may be for you. We would love to find the newest member of our Type Stylist team:

Interested? Contact Susan Anderson at susan@paperstyle.com for further details.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Happy (Early) Valentine's Day!

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Monday, February 11, 2013

Chalkboard Chic: Taking Up the Chalkboard Trend

So, the chalkboard design trend isn't exactly a new thing... because it's inherently vintage. There's something beautifully nostalgic about it. It allows so much room for creativity with font styles, sizes, and colors and it all winds up looking rustic and totally personalized.

Anyway, it's a trend we really love, so here are a few of our contributions:

One of the reasons we're loving this trend so much is because it's so easy to extend the idea beyond your invitations. If you've spent much time at all on Pinterest, then surely you've seen all the chalkboard paint DIYS. Or all the adorable framed chalkboard signage at all sorts of weddings and receptions. The possibilites are limitless: imagine using chalkboard paint to make table numbers, cake toppers, placecards, menus, signs for the back of the bride & groom's seats, the list goes on and on.

Here are some of our favorite examples!

From Borrowed & Blue

From Green Wedding Shoes

From 100 Layer Cake

Chalkboard Mason Jars from A Day in the Life of HT

Looking for more wedding inspiration? Check out PaperStyle on Pinterest!

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Wordless Wednesday (Inspired by Valentine's Day!)

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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

If you're reading this blog post, then you're just in time to hear about our semi-annual 20% off sale. Everything (seriously, everything) is 20% off!

I'm keeping this short and sweet, because I'm sure you're all rushing straight to paperstyle.com to snatch up some great deals. With spring rapidly approaching and all those upcoming weddings, now's a great time to start planning all those events for your favorite Soon to Be Mrs. (and saving a little while you're at it).

From quinceañera & sweet sixteen invitations to birth announcements and elegant stationery, we've got it all, and it's all 20% off. So head on over to PaperStyle!

P.S.: It's not too late to buy your Valentine's Day cards!

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Friday, February 1, 2013

We Hear Wedding Bells!

At PaperStyle, the first few months of the year are always a flurry of bridal invitation bliss. If you’re the lucky duck who gets to plan the bridal shower for your best friend (or any other leading lady in your life), we know it can feel overwhelming, so we’re here to help! Here are five tips for creating unique and beautiful bridal shower invitations.

We've been seeing so many bridal shower invitations over the past few weeks that we wanted to show you some of our favorites.

We also have plenty of Couple's Shower invitations for those of you who are planning to include the fellas in your celebration! Here are a few of our favorites:

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