2013 Wedding Trends

Season of 2012 is finishing and I’m already designing invitations for 2013 weddings!  To stay inspired I read a lot of wedding blogs and magazines and I’m starting to notice trends for the upcoming year.  Now, not all brides follow all trends at their wedding, they know what they like and prefer their own style, but it is always good to know what will be in fashion and get inspired.

So you ask, what are the trends for the upcoming 2013 wedding season?  Below are the details that have stood out to me as 2013 Wedding Trends.

Mint

Mint is a trending color that I think will be huge for 2013 weddings. It can be used in many ways – dresses, flowers, invitations, but also signature cocktails, cakes and wedding favors.  The cool color is fresh, modern and retro all at once.  Tip – combine mint with coral.

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-mint-color/

 

Birds

They don’t call them lovebirds for nothing!    Expect to see an increase in bird-themed weddings throughout 2013.  You will see them in wedding decorations, invitations, cake toppers, centerpieces, and on and on and on…  Some examples include tossing bird seed, bird cages as card holders, bird themed invitations, and bird’s nest favors (complete with blue Jordan almond ‘eggs’).   I’m also seeing an increase in feather-inspired hair accessories (like veils and fascinators) to subtly tie in the theme.

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

 http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-birds/

 

Love Birds

 

Paper Lanterns

Paper Lanterns are an inexpensive wedding decor and easy to embellish!  String them up along a beach, or hang them from a tree in a garden wedding.  Add your own lighting to create a gorgeous glow.  You can even use them in your backyard for a bridal shower. 

DIY Ideas:

·         Hang ornate ribbons or plastic crystals of different lengths from the lower metal ring

·         Glue on artificial flowers or paper butterflies

·         Embellish with pearl or jewels brads

·         Use shaped paper punches to create a unique design

·         Cluster the lanterns with hanging paper flowers and pom poms

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-paper-lantern/

 

The 1920s

Vintage is nothing new for weddings.  However, with the popularity of shows such as Downton Abbey and the remake of The Great Gatsby coming out I see this as a big trend for wedding themes this next year.  Think Great Gatsby style garden parties and swanky jazz club fêtes.  The style of the 20’s can be very romantic…think of art deco, soft tones of ivory, lace and pearls. 

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-20-s-theme/

 

Gatsby Wedding Invitation

Backdrops

Whether it is for the photo booth, the dessert table or behind the head table, the possibilities for backdrops are endless!  They can be the focal point of your wedding ceremony decoration and are spectacular settings for snapshots of your fist kiss.

Some DIY ideas:

·         Fabric Backdrops

·         Large floral backdrop

·         Paint on paper or canvas – custom pattern design, favorite poem, monogram, etc.

·         Ribbons
 

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-ceremony-backdrop/

 

Bark

Yes, we said bark. Maybe it is inspired by the rustic trend or the desire for a more natural wedding setting (it would go great with the bird wedding trend) but bark designs are everywhere.

Bark can be incorporated into anything for your event such as centerpieces, guestbook, cake stand, table numbers, etc. The ideas are endless.

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-bark/

 

Mini Menus

When it comes to appetizers and desserts, mini is mega-cool. Your guests will love small sandwiches, bitty beverages and dainty desserts. Make it more memorable with classic (or exotic!) pairings of food and unconventional or simply knockout presentation. Just make sure there’s enough to go around!

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-mini-food/

 

Lace, lace, lace

Lace has always been a mainstay in bridal fashion, but it seems to be making a comeback right now.  Lace details also look great on invitations, cake design, and wedding favor.   In my opinion, we're going to see a lot of lace in 2013! Lace details can be chic and sophisticated, or when paired with rustic or vintage elements, lace can become a bit more whimsical.

See my Pinteest Inspiration Board for ideas and pictures:

http://pinterest.com/invitinginvite/wedding-trend-2013-lace/

 

 

Lace Artistry

 

 

 

New Panel Pocket Designs

The panel pocket invitation has been popular with brides who are trying to watch their budget.  If you like pocket folds (but not the price) the panel pocket is a nice alternative.  You still get the pocket, but a smaller price tag.  Here are some new designs from this month.

 

 

 

 

www.invitinginvites.com

Need people’s mailing addresses for your invitations?

Need people’s mailing addresses for your invitations?  Luckily you now have Postable!  I was so excited when I discovered this new website.  With Postable you can create a complete, secure, up-to-date Address Book in less than a minute.

Even though emailing is our main form of contact these days, I still recommend sending your wedding invitations the old fashion way – through the mail. That means you are going to need everyone’s mailing address. It’s an easy solution to gather all those mailing addresses. Best of all it is totally private, secure and do not forget FREE.   It’s also great for baby showers, birth announcements, holiday cards & even just knowing where your friends live.

How it works: Postable gives you a personal link (postable.com/YourName). You send this link to your friends and  family. They fill out a 10 second form and your address book magically fills with up-to-date info for everybody. No more months of tracking people down. Export contacts to Apple Address Book, Outlook, Gmail, Excel, and even print mailing labels. So incredibly easy and such a great solution. Start gathering addresses now with Postable!  ww.Postable .com

 

ww.InvitingInvites.com

 

What’s in an invitation suite?

1.        SAVE THE DATE  Sent six to twelve months before the wedding.  Ideal for summer, holiday weekend or destination weddings.

2.       INVITATION WITH ENVELOPE  The centerpiece of the entire stationery ensemble.  Invitations are mailed six to eight weeks before the wedding.

3.       RESPONSE CARDS include a pre-addressed envelope for your guests to send their RSVP and/or  indicate meal choice.

4.       RECEPTION CARDS  Convey the time and location, and often the style, of your reception.  Cards are mailed with your invitations.

5.       MULTI-PURPOSE CARDS  To provide miscellaneous details like directions and accommodations, or can be used to share wedding weekend events with your guests.

6.       WEDDING PROGRAM  An outline of your ceremony.  Includes names and roles of the wedding party and ceremony participants.

7.       TABLE NUMBER  Helps guests find their seats and is an aid to servers.

8.       PLACE CARD/ESCORT CARD:  Place Cards are placed at guests seat at the receptions.  An Escort Card lets guest know what table they are sitting at. 

9.       FAVOR TAG   A pretty touch for favors that completes your overall theme.

10.   THANK-YOU NOTES   Order these now!  Etiquette dictates you send thank-you notes with in six weeks of receiving any gift.

 

www.invitinginvites.com

The essential wedding color tool, at your fingertips!

I discovered this new cool tool to help you choose and share your wedding colors.  Designed for portable use, the  Dessy PANTONE WEDDING™ color guide is ideal for shopping for wedding fashions, and coordinating colors with your wedding vendors, such as florists, caterers, stationers and more.

It’s a big decision to make. Yellow and gray? Blue and orange? Or, wait, what about green and pink? Whether it’s soft and easy going neutrals or cheerful and upbeat brights, the colors you choose for your wedding day help to set the feel and tone for the whole celebration. Your decorations, wedding invitations and even your bridesmaid dresses and flowers all fall under your chosen color scheme. 

Your next 2 besties in this adventure are the Dessy Pantone Wedding Chiplettes and the Pantone Wedding Color Planner.

The new Pantone Wedding Chiplettes are a cost effective way to select and communicate your wedding colors. Order individual Pantone Wedding™ Chiplette swatches in each of your favorite colors and use them to mix n’ match colors and create the perfect palette for your dream wedding. Chiplettes provide an exact match to your Dessy dress color and will help you communicate your colors, instantly and accurately. Once you select your perfect color combination, use Pantone Wedding™ Chiplettes to share them with your wedding party and anyone with color related tasks, such as invitations, cake decoration, flowers and more.

Use the Dessy Group Pantone Wedding Color Planner to store and keep track of your Pantone Wedding Chiplettes. Each Color Planner contains 6 perforated Chiplette holders and a checklist. Tear off each Chiplette holder, fill out your personal information on the back and start giving them out to everyone helping you plan your special wedding day.

 

Inviting Invites can provide you with a fabulous selection of wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations, save the date cards, thank you cards and more for your big day.  Bring your chiplette to your invitation appointment and let's start desigining a wedding invitation that is unique and special just for you!

www.invitinginvites.com

Letterpress Wedding Invitations

 This month I would like to bring you the “hot” trend in wedding invitations.  It’s Letterpress.   Have you ever held a letterpress wedding invitation?  It’s sooo luxurious and the 100% cotton paper feels so soft that you can’t help but to caress this beautiful paper. 

Letterpress printing has been in practice for centuries. Its distinctive look and feel is achieved when a raised surface called a plate is inked and pressed into paper. It is the impression created from this pressure that gives letterpress its characteristic tactile quality. And that's the thing about letterpress — it's beauty you can actually feel. When guests receive a letterpress wedding invitation they will want to touch it. To hold it. To run their fingers across the texture of the words.

Why Letterpress Wedding Invitations?

Simply put, because no other invitation option can communicate the importance and elegance of a wedding better than letterpress. Letterpress wedding invitations actually reflect the event they are meant to introduce. They are carefully crafted, well designed, and have an air of sophistication that most people exude only once in a lifetime. Also, like planning a wedding, letterpress printing is an old tradition and a laborious process that results in something stunning.

I have a love of paper – it’s texture, its colors, its designs and its possibilities. Because of this, I am excited to offer letterpress invitations.  Letterpress can be expensive, but I have found a fresh and affordable option for you.  I feel everyone should have access to quality paper, classic printing methods and cutting-edge designs.  Beautiful stationery should be able to make its way into the hands of all who love it, and I can make that a reality for you!

Schedule your appointment today to see these beautiful designs.  Pick from one of the many designs or create a design that is uniquely you. 

Lush letterpress you can afford to love
...without scrimping on the materials you love too! Choose from a variety of papers including Crane’s 100% recycled cotton tree-free Lettra paper. Customize your selection with your choice of inks and typestyles. Enjoy our typical printing turnaround of 6-7 business days!

 

Click Here:  View our samples from our Letterpress collection

 

www.invitinginvites.com

 

Motifs & Meanings

The orchid represents love, luxury, beauty and strength

One of the easiest ways to decorate your invitation is with a motif; this signature symbol can become your logo and visually unite all of the pieces of your wedding stationery, including your save-the date cards, programs, reception stationery, favors and thank you cards. 

For inspiration, think about something that represents the two of you as a couple or something that is unique to your wedding in particular.  The season, location, or theme of your wedding may inspire your motif selection, as would any image that means something special to you (say a lamppost if you got engaged underneath one) or signifies an interest you share (such as a violin for a pair of classical musicians). 

One variation is to choose a main motif for your invitation (such as a tree) and diffuse the imagery over the course of the enclosures (i.e. putting leaves from thee tree on the reception card, response card, etc.)  Or, consider a simple nuptial emblem such as a dove or pair of interlocking rings.  If your family has a crest or coat of arms, a formal invitation is the perfect place to display it. 

You can’t get any more personal than a monogram- single first-name initials (A & B) or two sets of initials (J.C. & A.T.) are the best options, as a monogram with the main last name initial surrounded by your first name initials wouldn’t be technically correct on your invitation as you aren’t yet married and don’t yet share the same last name.  

Motifs & Meanings

ACORN = life, beginnings

ANCHOR = hope, stability

ANKH = Egyptian symbol for life and immortality

APPLE = fertility, love

BAMBOO = lasting friendship, devotion

BEE

BIRD = the soul

BRIDGE = transition from one life to another

BUTTERFLY = the soul

CHRYSANTHEMUM = happiness, longevity

CLASPED HANDS = union, friendship

CORNUCOPIA = abundance

COWRIE SHELL = fertility

DAISY = innocence, purity

DICE = fate

DOG = fidelity

DOUBLE HAPPINESS = Chinese symbol for joy

DOVE = life spirit, soul

ELEPHANT = fidelity, conjugal felicity

EVERGREENS = eternity

FEATHER = truth

FERN = sincerity

FISH = a pair portrays the joys of union and marriage

FLEUR-DE-LYS = hope, affection

FROG = fertility, harmony between lovers

GATE = entrance into new life

HOLLY = good will, joy

HORSESHOE = good luck

IVY = constant affection, friendship, fidelity

KNOT = union

LADYBUG = luck

LOTUS = past, present, and future; love

LUTE = connubial bliss, friendship

MAPEL LEAF = emblem of lovers

PALM TREE = blessings

PEACOCK = love, desire

PEONY = love, good fortune, happiness

PINEAPPLE = fertility, hospitality

PINE CONE = good fortune

POMENGRANTE = fertility, posterity

ROSE = passion, desire, joy

SHELL = life, love, marriage, good fortune

STARFISH = divine love

SUNFLOWER = infatuation, longevity

TREE = the life principle, diversity in unity

TULIP = perfect love

WREATH – a happy fate, good luck, fertility, marriage

YIN YANG – complementary opposites, balance of two forces

Color Symbolism

Color Symbolism

For many years, the only acceptable paper color for wedding invitations, according to etiquette, was ivory or ecru. These days, if you are having an ultra formal white- or black-tie affair it’s probably best to stick with tradition when it comes to color. However, if your wedding is less bound by formal custom or you are seeking a creative, contemporary twist, why not experiment with a little color for your invitations? Your invitation’s hue might take the cue from your wedding theme, the season, a flower in your bouquet, or your bridesmaids’ dresses.

Choosing a color for the ink or paper of your wedding invitation can be loaded with meaning. Here are some common positive connotations, however keep in mind that color may represent different—and sometimes opposite—sentiments across cultures.

RED passion, love, celebration, joy, good luck

PINK romance, charm, tenderness

ORANGE energy, vibrance, warmth, change

YELLOW happiness, cheerfulness, peace, courage, hope, faith

BLUE loyalty, fidelity, unity, peace, eternity

GREEN life, nature, fertility, abundance, hope, equality

PURPLE royalty, mystery, spirituality

SILVER richness, purity

GOLD life, light, prosperity, royalty

What’s reddish-orange, sunny, playful and sexy? It’s Tangerine Tango! Chosen by the color system experts at Pantone, Tangerine Tango is the official wedding color and a big wedding trend for 2012.

www.InvitingInvites.com

Elegant White/Black Pocketfold with Ornate Design

The top seller in our new Paper Duvet album is the Elegant Duvet! Mix and match colors, create an exquisite black and white ensemble or a rustic earth-tone invitation.

Schedule Appointment to view this invitation
and other pocketfolds

sandra(at)invitinginvites.com

or Shop Online

Sizzling Shades of 2012

The following seven colors are projected to be "hot" this year in fashion, interior decorating, and design. That means they will be also be seen as popular choices of brides (and grooms) for their wedding colors. Ranging from black to begonia, here is peek at those colors we believe you’ll be seeing quite a bit of in 2012.

hBlack - Black tie affairs are making their way back on the scene, but today’s brides are bringing "black tie" back with personality, elegance and meaningful traditions. Boring and black tie may never be used in the same sentence again.

hMalibu - This versatile shade of blue adds a touch of tranquility no matter how it’s used. Combine with lavender and pale pinks for a soft, feminine quality or with light browns, silvers or grays for a taste of the southwest. The sky is not the limit with this beauty!

hCoral Reef - Watch for this color to make a splash this year as a top choice for weddings. With vintage weddings being popular, coral reef fits in nicely for a soft and subtle feel with just enough punch to stimulate activity and encourage socialization.

hBegonia - This happy shade of pink brings forth feelings of youthful fun and excitement. Incorporate the light-hearted color of begonia to generate feelings of relaxation, acceptance and contentment. Here’s to good health and a good life!

hFreesia - This elegant lilac purple with silvery undertones creates a peaceful, calming feeling for those exposed to it. Freesia soothingly tones down and blends the stability of blue and the energy of red for a tranquil, honest and reflective hue.

hTangerine Tango - Destined to be the sassiest little number of the year, this reddish-orange hue is here to boost our energy levels and spice things up a bit! Pairing the power of red and the warmth of yellow, you’ll be dancing all year long!

hApple - If you’re looking to grab some attention, you might consider a luscious color like red apple. The earthly color red is full of energy and power and when accented with a color like green apple, you’ve got a hot new color combo!

5 Unique Guest Book Alternatives

If the idea of a traditional guest book has you yawning in disinterest then a more unique guest book alternative is exactly what you need!

These can be anything from a chic keepsake box to a certificate to hang on your wall, but all are equally original and memorable. Here are five of my fave Weddingstar guest book alternatives. Enjoy!

MEMORY BOX

 

A memory box is such a great way to keep your well wishes safe for years after the wedding. And I think this chic, personalized wooden memory note box and personalized note cards are just so special.

Have you guests write out their well wishes or words of advice so you can enjoy them right after the wedding or choose the anniversary stationery and save the messages to read every year all the way to the big 5-0.


MAILBOX AND LETTERS

Who doesn’t love getting letters in the mail? This antique style letter box and coordinating stationery are just too sweet for words! Use it as a conventional wishing well at your wedding or — and this is so much more exciting — ask your guests to write a special note on the stationery and seal it up. They will then bring them to the wedding and drop them in the mailbox.

At the end of the night, a designated family member or close friend will take the letters home — you take the mailbox — and periodically over the next year or so, that person will send you the letters in the mail. Every time you receive a letter you will get a special reminder of your big day — I just love this idea!

RECIPE BOX

This adorable recipe box is such a unique take on the traditional wedding wishing well. Send the recipe cards to your guests in your invitations and ask them to write their fave recipes on them. Then they can bring them on the day of your wedding and place them in the box.

Your guests will love the originality of the idea and you will have an entire box full of yummy recipes to make. It’s a win-win!

SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE

Simple yet so meaningful. Signature certificates make reminiscing about your special day so easy. Stick with the fabulous Balloon Hearts Personalized Certificate (shown above) or choose from six other fabulous designs HERE.


"THE STORY OF US"

“The Story of Us” is a particularly special guest book alternative because it’s not only something you will be able to keep forever, but your guests will enjoy hearing all about your incredible love story. Where you first met, your first kiss, how he proposed…your guests will love it and you’ll have a blast filling in the pages and reminiscing about your adventures of love.

Also, blank signature pages and a secret compartment in the back ensure no part of your big day will ever be forgotten.



But hey, if you’re a traditionalist at heart and love more conventional style guest books, we have those too! Check out our guest books HERE and wishing wells HERE.

Happy weddings!