Invitation Wording

Struggling over how to word your invitation is enough to send even the calmest of couples into a frenzy of stress.  The last thing anyone wants to have happen is for a family member to be offended or feeling left out.  The rule of thumb is if your parents are contributing at all, then definitely include them in the invitation.  More and more couples are footing the bill for their own weddings so it is not necessary to include parents in the invitation.  That being said, out of respect, many couples still choose to include their parents and change up the wording from the traditional formality.

A lot of the text on your invitations is devoted to who is hosting the wedding and many times, as mentioned earlier, who is paying. There is a way to make it your own and bridge the gap between both which we will now explore.

This first example illustrates a more traditional feel where both sets of parents are hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson 

together with 

Mr. and Mrs.  Fred Anderson

invite you to join in the marriage 

of their children

Olivia Leanne Thompson

&

Darcy Jason Anderson

Saturday, the seventh of May

Two thousand and eleven

at four o'clock in the afternoon 

The Estates of Sunnybrook

1075 Bayview Avenue

Toronto, Ontario

This next example illustrates wording where the couple is hosting and paying for their own wedding:

Please join us

for a celebration of love, laughter, family

and friendship

as

Sophie Emma Thompson

&

Andrew James Sullivan

join their hands in holy matrimony

Saturday, the tenth of July

Two thousand and eleven

at six o'clock in the evening

The Oakville Conference Centre

2515 Wyecroft Road

Oakville, Ontario

This last example illustrates wording where the couple is hosting but still wishes to include their parents:

Because you have shared in our lives

by your friendship and love,

we

Melissa Jane Murphy

&

Tyler Aaron Smith

together with our parents,

Kevin & Jane Murphy

and

Robert & Denise Smith

invite you to share the beginning of our new life together

when we exchange marriage vows on 

Saturday, the fourteenth of August

Two thousand and ten

at four o'clock in the afternoon

Crosswinds Golf and Country Club

Burlington, Ontario

These are just three examples I picked to illustrate today. I have so many more, and we can work together to create wedding stationery that sets the tone, creating the perfect first impression of how your big day will unfold. 

2013 Trends

For the last few months I have been taking note of trends in in the industry and have compiled a list of what I believe will be the hottest for 2013.

Trend 1: The colour Mint! I had posted a pic of this colour on my facebook page last April.  I just had a feeling it was going to be big and it was, however not as much as I had anticipated.  While it was gaining popularity last year, this year I see it exploding and becoming the colour of the year for weddings.  It coordinates well with so many colours and can work for all seasons. 

Trend 2: Prints! These also made their debut last year gaining momentum as the year went on. I expect that they will be even bigger this year with chevron being the most popular.  Keep your eye out for patterned bridesmaid dresses! As we get further into the year I predict that they will be the new choice.

Trend 3: Vintage! Specifically the '20's. Think the use of vintage suitcases as collectors for cards, vintage china for smaller receptions, bird cage head pieces and vintage furniture pieces for photos/out door ceremonies. Pretty much anything vintage that you can think of will be seen and incorporated in weddings this year.

Trend 4: Birds! Birds are huge in the fashion and home decor worlds and I predict they will transition this year into weddings. They create a whimsical and romantic theme as they are often shown in pairs and referred to as 'love birds.'  They also work wonderfully when paired with anything vintage.

Trend 5: Rustic! This was the hottest trend last year and it will continue to be this year.  I don't need to spend much time on this one just think mason jars, burlap and birch bark...chalk boards..the list can go on and on!  

Trend 6: Handmade! Let's be honest, weddings can be start to get expensive really fast. This trend is all about adding decorative elements to your ceremonies and receptions without breaking your budget. Think about adding a creative backdrop of fabric streamers to your ceremony or a garland of handmade paper flowers strung at your reception. Bunting is also a great option!

Trend 7: The Lounge! Consider creating a lounge space at your reception. It offers an away from the dance floor area for your guests to eat, drink and mingle in a relaxed setting.  It's the perfect spot to feature a signature cocktail or offer up finger foods, or have games out for your guests to play.

Trend 8: Lace! Ever since Kate took the walk down the isle in that gorgeous lace Alexander McQueen dress, lace has been a mainstay detail.  Think outside of the obvious choice of dresses. I have seen it used on invitations and even cakes!

Trend 9: Coloured gowns! Jessica Biel turned heads in October when she said "I Do" in a soft blush coloured gown. She hasn't been the first (anyone remember Gwen Stefani's dress from 2002?) and she certainly wont be the last as coloured dresses have been showing up all over the 2013 runways.  This trend wont be for everyone but for those that live for the shock and awe factor then this is definitely for you!

Trend 10: Sleeves! Ok so this one might be a stretch, or maybe more of a hope but I see strapless wedding dresses starting to be replaced with dresses with sleeves. Long sleeves, cap sleeves, or lace bolero's- a personal favourite! 

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The Resolution List

I love this time of year for so many reasons. The opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family members and also the time to reflect on all the memories that have been created over the last twelve months.  It's also the time of year many of us, myself included, compile those lists of resolutions.  The list always starts out with good intentions but if you're anything like me, by March it usually turns into "what list?" This year I am vowing to be better organized. I discovered the Life Planner from Erin Condren while shopping for Christmas gifts for family members and fell instantly in love! Pretty colours, inspiring quotes, stickers AND it can be personalized!! Some of my favourite things all bound in one book how can I not be excited about getting organized!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2013. Here's to a year of wonderful memories! Happy organizing :)

Sarah

When should I order my invitations?

is a question I have been asked a lot lately.  While learning and establishing myself in this industry I have learned tips about timelines which I will now share with you!

I like to recommend that you order your invitations 4-6 months before your event date. This gives us plenty of time to work together to custom design your wedding invitations and allow for time to make any necessary revisions to your proofs. Please note that this time frame also includes the 4-6 turnaround time  for production.

Your invitations should ideally be sent to your guests up to 8-12 weeks before your special day to allow plenty of time to receive your RSVP's.

I have also been receiving questions about how many to order.  I always recommend ordering extras. 10 to 15 to be exact.  Yes, I realize this may seem like a lot but from my experience there are always unexpected guests! Like those people your parents run into at the grocery that you haven't seen for years and after a 5 min conversation they have somehow been verbally invited to your wedding! It's also nice to have some extras for keepsake purposes.  It is easier and less expensive to order them at the time than having to reorder extras at a later date.  When deciding on how many invitations your should order, bear in mind that you will be sending an invitation to each household or couple and not each guest.

And last but not least! At what point should you invite children separate from their parents? The magic age is sixteen and over.


Happy planning :)

Attention All DIY'ers!

Envelopments has just launched their new website! They are now giving you the option to purchase your own materials to create invitations and cards for all your life moments.  You will notice an area on the right of the blog that says shop online. This will take you to the area within the site where you can “create" products by combining an Envelopments colour with the paper products you’re looking for. This feature creates an amazing visual of what your desired product will look like, including front/back views and dimensions. Have fun creating! Even if it's just for fun :)

Hello!

Hello and welcome to The Blog! I know I've done a welcome post before but with so many changes that have been happening -and still to come!!- it only feels fitting to re-introduce myself. I'm Sarah Waterfield and I'm the designer of Swanky Custom Cards & Invitations. I invite you to sit back, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy viewing my latest work, seeing my inspirations, and getting a little peek into my own life! I’m so excited that you stopped by!


I have just recently launched my new website! www.swankyinvites.com Soon to come sections include "About the Details" where you will be able to find all the info about ordering, how far in advance to order and all the other details which need to be considered. In "Love Notes" you will be able to view testimonials from some of my past clients!


Be sure to stop by the Facebook page and like it! https://www.facebook.com/SwankyCustomInvitations  There's going to be a special gift for the person who is the 50th person to 'like' the page!


All the photography on my site is done by a wonderful photographer named Kelsey Waterfield (yes, we do have the same last name which mean she is most definitely my sister! I'm not being biased though, she really is THAT good!) Make sure you check out her website! www.kelseywaterfieldphotography.com


For any questions or inquiries you can reach me directly through the contact page on my website or email me at sarah@swankyinvites.com

Annoucement

Very excited to announce that I am now registered with Envelopments! So many gorgeous colours, patterns and textures just waiting to be made into cards and invitations to suit your every need! Contact me to book your free consultation :)