Planning the perfect wedding… with stationery to match

As we continue our wedding theme here are some really useful tips & ideas on wedding stationery from Graphic Designer, Amber from Cre8tive

They say it takes over 200 hours to plan a wedding... When it came to my wedding some say I was lucky, I won a radio competition and was whisked away to get married on a plane heading for Fiji, but that didnt mean that I stopped planning... I knew what I wanted, even if it was on an extremely tight time frame! and lets be honest, even if you havent been planning your wedding since you were 5 years old, we are strong independent ladies that know what we want for our big day!

When I talk to people about what I do I hear the same phrase ALOT... “oohh have you worked with many Bridezillas” and to this I have the same response, I LOVE Bridezillas, they know what they want and they are not afraid to tell me what that is! and in my job that makes life so much easier.

So what is it that I do... I am a Graphic Designer that has a passion for wedding stationery. Wedding stationery will be the first thing your guests receive from you to tell them you are getting married and could very likely be the last... from Save the date cards to thankyou cards, seating plans to table name cards and flat card invites to pocketfolds I do it all! Your theme, your style, your personalities... so I know a little about wedding stationery!

So what are my top 10 frequently asked questions when it comes to wedding stationery;

1. Do I need to send save the date cards? 
Honestly no, but it cant hurt right... there is nothing worse than sending out your invites only to find out that there is another wedding that weekend or everyone is heading off to the 7’s and no-one can come. Sending a save the date card is just that, a notification to save the date, if you are getting married on a budget your can always send an electronic Save the Date and avoid the printing and postage costs... my top tip, the more notice you can give the better, especially if you have guests travelling to be at your wedding and they will need to book accommodation.

2. When should I send my Save the date cards and wedding invites?
Again, dont leave it to the last minute - I always suggest 6-9 months ahead of time for the Save the date cards and 3-4 month ahead of time for the invites, with RSVP’s about 1-1.5 months from the wedding date that way you can chase up the last few and give numbers to the caterer on time. When in doubt... send it out, you can never give you guests enough notice.

3. How long does it take to make my wedding stationery?
Wedding invitations take longer than you might think, so the more notice you can give the designer the better. As a rule of thumb I would work with 2 months, by the time you give them the information, get it designed, check it, make alterations, get it proofed and ultimately printed 2 months will fly by!

4. How many invites will I need?
I tend to work on the policy of half the number of guests and add 15... so for 100 guests I would suggest about 65 invites, but you are always best to check your guests list as you may have more families or singles and need to adjust that number, most designers will be able to get additional invitations printed should you require more last minute ones.

5. Why should I get a designer to do my invites when “Aunty Sarah” can do them for me for nothing?
We all know how expensive weddings can be, but more importantly how stressful they can be... I get asked alot “why should I use a designer for my wedding stationery when my sister/auntie/cousin etc can do it for nothing” - and this is my honest answer; I suggest a professional designer for the following reasons; they are a professional, they have no emotional attachment to your wedding and will design exactly what you ask for not what they think looks best, they will use a commercial printer to print your wedding stationery, they will deliver on time, they have been through this before and know what to look for... what can go wrong.

6. Using a Designer is too expensive?
Most of the time the money that you will spend on creating your own invitations and wedding stationery will be the same or less if you go with a professional designer... what you don't take into account is the hours upon hours that you will have to spend glueing and cutting and sticking and folding and printing and cutting and glueing.... you have enough to plan without spending days on end creating wedding stationery and they have done it all before so they will have a system.

7. What wedding stationery is available?
Anything is possible when working with a professional, I have been asked to do everything including; save the date cards, save the date luggage tags, flat card invites, pocketfold invites, postcard invites, Seating plans, table name cards, menu cards, table numbers, fingerprint trees, wishing well signs, ceremony programmes, favour swing tags, posters for the walls with key quotes, thank-you cards and wedding websites. If you have something in mind check with the designer and they will tell you if it is possible.

8. Pre-designed vs individually designed stationery?
There are a number of online stores that sell pre-designed wedding stationery, you give them the wedding information and they change the text, this is a good option if you are working to a budget but want a professionally designed invitation, just remember if you want to start making significant changes to the template most of the time they will charge you for the work.

9. How much should I spend on my stationery?
Experts say you should look to spend about 5% of your total wedding budget on wedding stationery, so if you are spending $25,000 on the wedding all up then the cost of the wedding stationery and favours should be approximately $1250, if your wedding budget is $10,000 then you should be looking at approximately $500. It is important to make sure the invitations you purchase fit in with your budget. You don’t have to be extravagant to find quality invitations. Go with your priorities. Let the designer know what your budget is and how many people you are inviting and they should be able to come back to you with some options to choose from.

10. Final Tips and hints with your wedding stationery
* Square stationery will usually cost you more in postage.
* Always get someone else to proof read the stationery, the more you look at it the less chance you have of spotting the mistakes.
* Always ask for a proof before you go to print.
* Ask if there are package discounts for a number of items, ie, save the date cards, invites and thankyou cards.
* It is ok to have a child free wedding, if you are having trouble finding the right words ask your designer as they have probably had to include similar wording before and can probably give you some options.
* Shop around, ask a couple of designers for quotes, but more importantly ask to see some previous work to make sure that they have a style that you like.
*The internet and Pinterest can be a great starting point for wedding invites... take a look and find things that you like, that will help speed things up with the design, even if it is the font from one design, the colour from the other and the style from another... they can make it work for you.
* Know approximately how many invites you require and whether you need envelopes before you ask for quotes, also have a good idea on colours or themes, this will help the designer provide you with a more accurate quote.
* Have a good idea the wording you want to use... ie, formal or more casual, do you want Robert and Sarah Jones and Rodney and Carol Smith invite you to the marriage of their Son William and Daughter Jane or William and Jane and their families invite you to celebrate their marriage... or something in-between.

And last but not least... Your wedding stationery is the first thing your guests will see and acts as a little teaser of what to expect from your wedding day, whether you are spending $10 or a million dollars always remember that this day is about you both and your stationery should be to. Send what makes you happy, even if it is a post-it note with a day and time on it.

Cre8tive can provide wedding stationery nationwide and is more than happy to provide a no obligation quote on request. To find out more about how Cre8tive can help with the perfect wedding stationery to fit any budget please email cre8tive.amber@gmail.com or visit our website or Facebook page. Use the keyword "Pixie Party Supplies” to get 10% off any full stationery package!

Trend alert - Ombre Wedding Cakes!

In this issue of our wedding blog series Janine from Temptation Cakes tells us about the latest wedding cake trend ...

Ombre Cakes for those who are new to the Wedding cake scene are the next hottest trend and WOW I can see why. Made with yummy dreamy creamy butter cream (not fondant) its a cake for those of you who always throw the fondant icing on standard wedding cakes to the side and only eat the actual cake!

They can be made in ANY colour imaginable with as many as 12 shades graduating slowly up the cake till its white on the top tier - its just such a beautiful effect.

My recommendation on the best colours would be to go with pinks/reds/oranges as purple goes through a grey colouring when ombreing it.

They just ooze the summer wedding vibe in pinks, purples and apricots.

I also did one at the weekend using PASTELS so lilac, pink , peach lemon up to white/ivory on the top tier and it looked stunning.

They are also a great option also for the budget conscious and I also do in 2 tiers for the smaller wedding.

You most often see the cakes stacked directly on top of one another but you can also use a stand between the layers like this lovely example

As they are not fondant they can be stored in the fridge on extremely hot days until the cake is put on display for the guests which can be a total life saver in hot humid Auckland conditions where at times fondant work cakes can be very tricky indeed to deal with around humidity.

Ombre cakes look great with flowers either in bunches or just a single flower. You can also adorn the stand with flowers.

And if you don't want flowers, these simple hearts matching the darkest shade of the ombre also look great as toppers. These would also make a lovely cake for an engagement party.

Textured Ombre cakes can also be made solely in white, here is an awesome example of a 4 tier created for a Wedding recently at Mantells in Mt Eden. The cake I delivered on the day of the Wedding and the bride arranged for the cake to be adorned by her florist at the venue. What an awesome idea! and quite an economical one.

And here's a white on ivory ombre wedding cake with rosettes on top - petite for those small weddings of less than 40 guests 

I hope you've enjoyed looking through some of Janine's amazing work! To get in touch please head over to the Temptation Cakes website and facebook page. Janine does cakes for all occasions, not just weddings and has a great gallery of examples of her work on her website.

7 must have items for your wedding day emergency kit

In this issue of our wedding blog series we have asked Annalise from Little & Sorted to share a few of her tips for what you should pop in your wedding day emergency kit ...

It’s your wedding day and everything is going to be perfect.  Isn’t it? Well, in reality most wedding days do have a few hiccups here and there.  Perhaps it’s a bit windy, and your hair goes a bit crazy for the photos, or you spill your coffee on your gorgeous (and very expensive!) dress.   These little things can be easily fixed by thinking through the possibilities, keeping calm and being prepared.

It's clear that a wedding day emergency kit is a great idea.  But what should you put in them?  We have done the thinking for you - here are our top 7 must have items for your Wedding day emergency kit – and they each have an alternative use:

Lip stick

You will most definitely want to touch up your lipstick before the photos, reception, or even just before the ceremony.  Check with your make-up artist exactly what colour she is using and purchase your own to add to your kit.

Alternative use – With the right shade of lip stick you can use it as a blusher as well if you need a touch up.

Stain Remover

Arguably the most important item in a wedding is the dress, and generally it is white or close to it, so it will be unforgiving if you spill something on it.  And of course – all eyes will be on you!  Having some stain remover wipes on hand means you can wipe away the stain and no one will ever know!

Alternative use – If you don’t end up spilling on your dress, you can use the wipe to clean your shoes too!

Handkerchief or tissues

Both the ceremony and the reception can be emotional events, so it is nice to have a lace handkerchief on hand to wipe away those tears.  Even the groom might have a tear in his eye.  Tissues will also do the trick, but a lace handkerchief is that little bit nicer.

Alternative use - You can also use a handkerchief to blot your face before photos to take away the shine.

{image source: chicagoweddingdjs.com}

Pain killers

The stress and emotion that weddings bring, often bring with them a headache, which is the last thing you want to spoil your big day.  So having a few painkillers of your choice in your kit are a must. 

Alternative use – if you don’t need them on the day, keep them for the next day.  You might need them!

Comb and bobby pins

Hairspray can hold that gorgeous style in place, but if you are outside and it is blowing a gale, you will be very thankful to have a comb and some bobby pins on hand.

Alternative use – if your zipper pull breaks off, you can use your bobby pin to pull up your zip.  Or they can be used to hold speech cards together.

{image source: weddbook.com}

Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss

You want to look perfect on your wedding day, and parsley stuck in your teeth is not a good look.  So make sure after eating you brush and floss your teeth to make sure you are looking the way the beautiful bride should. You could also use a dental wipe if you don’t want to take your toothbrush and toothpaste along.

Alternative use – your toothbrush can also be used as a eyebrow comb and the toothpaste can be used to get marks off white shoes.

Bottle of water and a straw

Getting married is thirsty work, especially if it is the midst of summer.  Make sure you have water on hand to keep hydrated.  And drink through a straw to keep lipstick intact.

Alternative use – Use the water to wash your hands after touching up make up to make sure you don’t transfer it to your dress.

Other items to consider:

Sewing kit	Earring Backs	Bandaids
Deodorant	Mirror	Blotter Paper
Sunscreen	Pen	Paper
Hair Ties	Paper Clips	Hand sanitiser
Mints	Tampons	Chapstick
Moisturiser	Cotton buds	Hair spray
Nail polish	Nail polish remover	Corsage pins
Black socks	Heal protectors for walking on grass	Spare underwear
Double sided tape	Lint remover brush	Energy drinks
Snacks	Bluetac	Medicines
Rescue remedy	Hair ties	Safety Pins

You can always start your wedding day emergency kit off, with a Little and Sorted Wedding Assistant kit.

These cute little kits (RRP $29.95) from www.littleandsorted.co.nz  include: 

• 2x Bobby Pins • 1x Earring Back • 2x Safety Pins • 2x Clear Bandaids • 1x Dental Finger Wipe • 1x Dental Floss • 1x Comb • 1x Compact Mirror • 1x Sewing Kit • 1x Sunscreen Sachet • 1x Lace Handkerchief • 1x Stain Remover • 1x Deodorant Wipe.

You can check out more of Little and Sorted’s handy little just in case kits over on their website, facebook page, on Pinterest, Twitter or sign up to their newsletter here

How to find a wedding photographer

In this issue of our wedding blog series we have asked the very talented Sheera of Sheera Gordon Photography for some tips on how to find a wedding photographer ...

1. Research

I guess the first step to finding a Wedding Photographer is research. The most obvious and usually the first port of call is the Internet. Most brides to be like to look at wedding blogs, Facebook pages and sites like Pinterest for inspiration and through that you will find lots of great Wedding Photographers.  Another great way is to ask friends, family or colleagues.  You can’t beat a word of mouth recommendation.

2. Style

Once you've started researching online or in magazines you will be drawn to a certain “style” of wedding photography.  Whether it’s soft and ethereal, dramatic, formal or candid.  Once you know what kind of style appeals to you it makes your search easier, you can then narrow down a list of possible photographers and start the ball rolling on getting in touch.

3. Contact/Meet Up

Personally I like to meet potential clients face to face, usually over a coffee.   It’s a chance to discuss what you, as the client wants and what you can expect from your Wedding Photographer. It’s also a great opportunity as a client to see if you feel comfortable with the photographer and you hit it off, this is very important, as you will be spending a lot of time together on your big day. You will look stunning on your big day and you want that reflected in your photographs so you need to be relaxed and trust your Photographer.

4. Finally….

Once you've made a decision, book, book, book!  Wedding photographers book up quickly each season so make sure you don’t miss out on your first choice.  Once you're all booked you can relax as one more thing has been crossed of the list of thing to do.

To see some of Sheera's fabulous portfolio including weddings, food, lifestyle, portrait and beauty please check out her website: www.sheeragordon.co.nz

Make Your Wedding a Colourful Day To Treasure Always

Following on from the great post last week by Bronwyn, personal image consultant from Look Great on choosing the perfect style of wedding dress here's some great tips about colour ...

Along with the style of your dress, wearing the right colour will ensure your skin glows, your eyes sparkle and you look and feel gorgeous and vibrant.  

{source: http://thevintageswallow.co.uk/}

If you decide to wear white, knowing whether your skin tone suits a crisp white, a slightly softer white, or an oyster or cream that complements and harmonises with your complexion, hair and eyes will ensure you look radiant.  If you decide on something more colourful, knowing whether your skin  undertone is blue or yellow, will make choosing your fabric shade and intensity that much easier.

{source: http://www.myitalianwedding.co.uk/}

Dresses for your Bridesmaids should complement the colour of your dress.  Turquoise and Melon are two universal colours that suit most skin tones and will add a lovely pop of vibrant colour to the wedding party.  

{source: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/}

Choosing different dress styles for each Bridesmaid is something to consider as it can be hard to find a style that suits everyone and you want your Bridesmaids to look and feel fabulous too.

{source: http://southernweddings.com/}

Have fun discovering the colour that looks best on you and enjoy many years of love and laughter. 

For more great tips & ideas or to find out more about Bronwyn's personal image consultant services please pop over the Look Great website. You might also like to follow Look Great on Facebook.

Discover Your Perfect Wedding Dress

In this issue of our wedding blog series Bronwyn, personal image consultant from Look Great shares her tips to help you find the perfect wedding dress ...

Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life and you deserve to look and feel fabulous whether it’s a formal or more relaxed wedding.  Your wedding dress can be one of the most important decisions you will make which should be an exciting experience and not leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed.  Here are some style tips to help you discover your perfect dress.

Your dress should fit you perfectly whether you buy off the rack, hire or get it made.  Spend time looking and trying on lots of different styles as what you see in a magazine or in a shop doesn't always flatter your body shape and proportions.  Create a ‘Mood Board’ with pictures, fabrics, colours and textures you love to help you discover your dress.

Understanding your body shape and proportions will help you find a style that flatters you and makes you look and feel absolutely gorgeous on your wedding day.

If you have broad shoulders and a fuller bust, a halter neck or V neckline with wider straps will be most flattering.  The style for the bottom half can be either fitted or fuller depending on what you prefer.

{image source: www.astrabridal.co.nz}

For those who are petite or have a smaller bust and narrower shoulders, consider a strapless style with some rouching or beading or a higher neckline.  Slim waists should be emphasised with a cinched waistline. 

{image source: www.vinkadesign.co.nz}

If you are heavier on your bottom half, styles with a fuller skirt or an A-Line style will be most flattering.  If you decide on a shorter hemline, just below your knee always looks stylish and will make your legs look longer.  If your hemline is full length, shoes with a good heel height will make you look taller.  

{image source: www.herabridal.co.nz}

You may prefer a dress with sleeves that covers your arms and if it’s a Winter wedding, a gorgeous bolero style jacket or a silk pashmina or shrug will look gorgeous, stylish and also keep you warm.

{image source: www.annahstretton.co.nz}

Look out for my next post which will be on choosing the colour of your dress that will make you look and feel fabulous.

Have fun discovering your unique style for your magical day

For more great tips & ideas or to find out more about Bronwyn's personal image consultant services please pop over the Look Great website. You might also like to follow Look Great on Facebook.