This design contest honoree features not one, but two of our letterpress invitation designs! The couple worked with Elizabeth from Urbanic (one of our amazing West-coast retailers) to create a double-sided invitation that featured our True Vintage design for their wedding ceremony invitation, and on the reverse side used our Byzantine design to invite guests to the party back at home in California! Elizabeth gave us the scoop on this pretty set:
The couple wanted to do a double-sided design because they are having two events — the wedding ceremony & celebration in Sweden, and then a reception back here in California. They knew not everyone would be able to attend both, but still wanted them to know they were included!
Since the wedding is in Sweden, there was no question on the use of blue and yellow, along with the crown motif, to pay homage to the country’s history. For the front side (the formal ceremony) they wanted something classic but not too old-fashioned. When they saw True Vintage they knew it was the one! They came to Urbanic knowing they wanted to include the Byzantine border on the backside to add something a little more fun and “beachy” for the California party. We think the combo came out great!
We couldn’t agree more! We loved the way the designs worked together (both original designs were created by Ellie Snow) and the pairing of our navy and champagne inks created a distinct look with a rich, royal feel. The crown motif was repeated on the information card and on the envelopes, and matched the look of both designs perfectly! Kudos to Urbanic for creating such a fabulous customization, and best wishes to Molly and Aaron for their upcoming wedding!
inks: navy + champagne | fonts: strana & streamline | paper: 2-ply white | invite size: F8
This design won an honorable mention in our Bella Figura design competition for 2012. This annual competition recognizes outstanding and inspired designs submitted to us by our beloved dealers.
We are busy preparing for the 2012 National Stationery Show that’s just a few weeks away, but we wanted to stop and take a break to share the letterpress and foil stamped invitations that we printed and sent out for the show! Our modern Unique Minimes design set the tone, and we love the way our hot pink letterpress ink looks when paired with shiny gold foil stamping! As part of our mid-year release, we’ll be introducing a new book filled with invitation designs for life’s special occasions: engagements, birthdays, showers, Bar & Bat Mitzvah, baby, and more. 9 new invitation designs will also debut at the show, and those will be available in early July at a Bella Figura dealer near you! We have the incredibly talented calligrapher Debi Zeinert of The Blooming Quill to thank for addressing the envelopes for these invitations in a metallic gold ink. We cannot get enough of the way those envelopes look!
Today we are excited to announce the top 5 finalists for our Do Good in March promotion! We were thrilled to see all of the good deeds that were submitted on Pinterest throughout the month of March, and we had a really tough time narrowing down to just 5 people. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!
The finalists: For the next round of the contest, we’re letting you decide who should win the grand prize! To help you decide who to vote for, we talked to each of the finalists to find out more about their good deeds and ways you can get involved, too. You can read each of their stories below.
To vote:Visit the finalist’s board that we’ve set up on Pinterest and “like” your favorite finalist in order to give them your vote. The finalist with the most likes by noon on Wednesday, April 11 (Eastern Standard Time) will win a set of 100 1-ply, 1-color letterpressed wedding invitations, reply cards, and envelopes! If you need an invitation to join Pinterest, email DoGood@bellafigura.com and we’ll send you an invitation right away (be sure to start following our boards, too!). The grand prize winner will be announced by April 16, 2012.
MeetBrittney Aldous– she volunteers once a month and creates extra-special meals for the less fortunate at her local food kitchen.
The wedding: We’re getting married September 28, 2012 at the Slivertip Gold Resort in Canmore, Alberta. It’s such a picturesque setting and the venue goes perfectly with our ‘rustic chic’ theme! We’re also tying in the theme with burlap table runners, lantern centerpieces and little tree seedlings as our favors. After 7 years, we’re both very excited to finally tie the knot!
Where she started: I first worked in the food kitchen with my group at work and since then I have been hooked. Just knowing I was able to add something positive to someone’s day definitely brightened mine. And now I try to go once a month and cook up something absolutely delicious – something that you wouldn’t normally find served!
Why you should do it, too: A lot of people do not realize how fortunate they are. Taking time out of your day to be able to give back (to any cause) is so worthwhile. Even if it just brings a smile to someone’s face, you know you’ve made some sort of a difference to that person, and it can just take off from there! Helping the less fortunate enjoy a nice meal once in a while is the least I can do.
Brittney’s inspiration: My boss is actually the person who inspired me to get started in this cause. He made an effort to get our group out helping others, which took out of his overall budget (seeing as we charge by 15-minute intervals!). He also takes time out of his personal life, and the dedication and enthusiasm he regularly put forth was the inspiration I needed to continue with this cause on my own.
Favorite Bella design: Janelle Elegance – I love the design. To me it definitely has its traditional side, but the ‘bubbles’ add some extra flair and softness without being over the top!
Meet Beth D’Angelo – she recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to provide dental care to the less fortunate in Haitian migrant villages.
The wedding: I am the very happy and proud mother of the groom! Bill and Elizabeth will be married on September 1, 2012, less than 5 months away! They are now living in Seattle, but will be moving back to Western New York in July, and they are right now working on the details of their wedding celebration. The wedding will be in the late afternoon, in a small church near the shore of Lake Erie, with dinner and dancing to follow in an evening reception nearby.
The story behind the good deed: My trip to Dominican Republic in March was my fourth one to serve the Haitian people living and working seasonally in the sugar cane fields near La Romana. My husband and I saw a website from a hospital near the area that was built by volunteers asking for help and contacted them. We bring down a group of volunteers annually to travel to the villages and treat as many patients as possible by extracting teeth, treating infections, doing fillings, cleaning teeth, giving oral hygiene education, flouride treatments and sealants. Bill and Elizabeth were able to participate last year, and will again next year. We are inspired to continue with this work because we see how our actions help the people we serve, not only in treating their disease, but in showing them that others care and treat them with the respect and concern that all people deserve.
What you can do: I hope that others who read this are inspired to use their talents to reach out to others who are in need of assistance, no matter how small it may seem. By everyone doing a little, a lot can be accomplished!
Beth’s inspiration: My husband is my inspiration — he is a man of boundless energy and good will. He finds ways to make the impossible possible! My hope is that Bill and Elizabeth find the same passion in their marriage that we have.
Favorite Bella invitations: The wedding will be a traditional affair, with a splash of modern merriment thrown in. That’s why we love the Loretta Formal invitations — traditional elegance with modern touch.
Meet Mayra Gomez – she provides Spanish translations that help make the transition to American society an easier one for newcomers.
The big day: My partner Candace and I are having a destination wedding (commitment ceremony since we can’t get married yet in California) in Puerto Vallarta on May 26, 2013. It will be a true blending of both of us. I am originally from Jalisco, Mexico (same state where Puerto Vallarta is located) so it will be nice to get married there. The ceremony will have some Mexican and African American traditions to represent both of us – papel picado, bright colors, jumping the broom – and the reception will be a blend of romantic, classic, and modern touches.
Mayra’s role: As a member of the LGBT community, I am constantly trying to play a role in the fight for equality. Volunteering, however small my role, was a way for me to help transgender individuals go through an important step in their transition, and to let them know that there are people out there who care.
Why you should support this cause, too: Transgender individuals continue to be one of the most marginalized people in society, even within the LGBT community. If we hope that one day all individuals are treated with respect, dignity, and equality, then every minority group should be included.
Mayra’s role model: My mother has been an inspiration for why I try and do good. She is one of the most generous individuals I know, and has always instilled in me that it is our responsibility to help out those who need it. I have taken that and expanded this to include every facet in my life, whether it’s helping out a friend, donating money, or speaking up for those of us who are, at times, voiceless.
Meet Carol McDermott – she uses her professional skills to help military veterans re-enter the workforce by leading or volunteering at interviewing and resume skills workshops.
The wedding: Our wedding will be taking place at the Palace Church in the beautiful Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, Denmark on June 23rd. This location is very special to us because it is where Henrik was baptized and also where he proposed to me in October on a bended knee in the castle gardens on the one year anniversary of our first date. Our reception will take place in Copenhagen and will incorporate both Danish and American wedding traditions.
What inspired your good deed? Over the years, I’ve led or participated in many volunteer training seminars focused on computer/ resume and interviewing skills with organizations such as iPrep, Harlem Project Hope and Dress for Success to help Americans struggling to re-enter the workforce. It’s great to know that I am having a positive impact on participants and their families. While watching the Today Show on March 27th, I learned about the “Hiring Our Heroes” Job Fair taking place in New York on the USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier the following day. I immediately contacted the organizers from General Electric and offered my services to lead a volunteer seminar similar to ones I have led in the past.
Why should other people support this cause? Military veterans have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country and I feel that it is our obligation to do what we can to help them in return. I consider myself fortunate to know something about resumes and interviewing and am very grateful to have the opportunity to pass my skills along. Veterans bring tremendous skills to employers such as leadership, teamwork, reliability and poise under pressure, and many of these skills simply cannot be attained through on the job training or seminars. So whether you are an employer considering hiring military veterans or a volunteer considering helping with a resume/ interview skills workshop, I can guarantee that you will get much more out of the experience than you put in.
Carol’s inspiration: I have friends and family members who are either active or retired from military service and this has undoubtedly influenced my support of programs like “Hire Our Heroes”. I am also very proud of my mom, who has spent her entire career working in early childhood development and intervention helping families diagnose disabilities and developmental delays in children ages 1-3 and intervening to help them reach their full potential. This is not a high-paying career, but my mom does it for the fulfillment she gets from helping children and parents, really changing lives.
Favorite Bella design? We’ve gone back and forth between several styles including Carlyle and Classic Calligraphy, and have chosen Deveril as our favorite. It’s simple and gorgeous.
Meet Katie Parker – she supports the All-American Mutt Rescue, an organization that helps dogs find loving homes.
The big day: Our wedding will be held on July 28, 2012 in my hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. We have planned a Southern style wedding filled with good music, great company, and delicious food. My fiancé and I have decided that in lieu of favors we would like to give a donation to the All-American Mutt Rescue to support their wonderful cause.
Katie’s inspiration: My family adopted two dogs from All-American Mutt Rescue about three and a half years ago, and we’ve kept in close contact with them ever since. The passion that the founders of All-American Mutt Rescue have for animals truly inspires me, and their motto of “Rescue…rehome…real love” is a wonderful representation of this organization. As an animal-lover, I would love to see every animal have a forever home, and by supporting this organization I can help make that become a reality.
Why you should help: The All-American Mutt Rescue is a wonderful organization. It was founded by a couple from Huddleston, Virginia who decided to dedicate their lives to helping animals find a loving home. While they have volunteers that come to help out, they do the majority of the work themselves and keep all of the animals at their house. They make sure that each is well cared for until they can find their forever home. Many of these dogs are pulled from the pound where they would otherwise be put down and not given a chance. In these tough economic times, animals are being abused, neglected, and dumped more than ever. It is our job to help these innocent animals and support organizations like this one.
Katie’s role models: My parents have always inspired me to do good things. Growing up in a loving, Christian home I was taught that you help others in any way you can. It could be anywhere from helping to feed the hungry or opening the door for a stranger. My parents have always spent a great amount of time volunteering for various things from coaching my softball teams to working with the youth group at church. I feel very blessed to have such wonderful parents that were not only great role models but that also filled me with strong morals and values.
Katie’s favorite invitation: My favorite Bella Figura invitation design is String Calligraphy – I fell in love with it the first time I saw it!
We get loads of questions about envelope addressing. And with good cause – after you’ve invested in some gorgeous letterpress invitations, who wants to make a glaring faux pas when it comes to the envelope? It’s the very first thing your guests will see when they receive your wedding invitations in the mail, after all.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a little crash course of frequently asked addressing questions (or FAAQ) and ran them by calligrapher Debi Zeinert for some answers. Because who’s going to know more about addressing invitation envelopes than someone who does it for a living? Meet Debi in the video below!
Q: Are there any things you find your clients are consistently confused about concerning addressing etiquette? A: The biggest confusion comes when the wife is a doctor. Mr. and Dr. John Smith is incorrect. When a woman has a title her first name should be noted, and she should be listed first. For example: Dr. Susan and Mr. John Smith. Or, if they are both doctors with the same last name, Doctors Susan and John Smith.
Q: What’s the best way to organize guests names and addresses before someone sends them to their calligrapher? A: I prefer to get guest lists in the form of an Excel spread sheet – this way I can mail merge it to my liking for addressing. Though i will accept any sort of typed list. When using Excel its best to organize it in columns as follows: Outer envelope name, Name 2, Address, Address 2, City, State, Zip, Country, Inner envelope.
Q: When is it appropriate to use colored ink? A: I believe that if the return address is printed in color it’s okay to use colored ink. In fact, if the return address is a dark color such as blue or brown you SHOULD used colored ink. If the address is a ‘fun’ color or a pastel you may want to keep the addressing in black to hold on to formality. For a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or non-wedding calligraphy you always want the calligraphy to match the return address.
Q: Is your preference to spell out the name of the state, or to abbreviate it? A: It’s not just my preference, but I believe it is only proper to spell out the state. If it does not fit on the same line as the city, use the next line.
Q: Do you have any other tips you’d like to share with clients planning to work with a calligrapher? A: A referred calligrapher is the best calligrapher. If you find someone who does not come with a recommendation make sure you get actual samples addressed to you. Seeing work on someone’s website may not be a good representation of their usual work.
Make sure you schedule your job as soon as you know you want to use them. Don’t wait till you have your envelopes in hand. Most calligraphers book up weeks out. And be sure to pick a realistic date – remember, you are blocking out days of time on a schedule and if you are not ready you may not be able to get rescheduled.
Make sure you have extra envelopes – dip pens and ink are unpredictable! And make sure your guest list is complete as possible. There are always stragglers, bit to add a name everyday for a week is difficult on a calligrapher’s schedule. It’s not as easy as just writing another envelope – each job has set up time, drying time and packing and shipping time.
Q: Any good stories of really tricky addressing etiquette situations? A: I’ve been doing this so long I’ve seen everything and pretty much can handle any thing. One thing that is annoying to all calligraphers is the extra long first lines – for example: Mr. George and Mrs. Martha Washington or Mr. and Mrs. George and Martha Washington. Way too much to make it pretty. Or when the numbers of an address are all written out – for example: Seventeen South One Hundred and Forty Third Street. That must really annoy the post office! Numbers under 20 can be written out, but the rest should be numerals. I love it when people go ‘informal’ on the inner envelopes – it’s fun to write ‘Nana and Papa’ or nicknames. One time I even had to write ‘Anna and Shithead’ on an inner!!!!
Q: Are any other common questions you get a lot? A: One question I do get is if there is a discount for quantity. The answer is no – if one envelope takes 3 minutes, 10 take 30 minutes and 100 take 300 minutes – it does not speed up with quantity. And personally, I do not copy computer fonts, nor do I copy other calligrapher’s styles.
Well that’s about it for this little crash course, but naturally there are other questions we’ve not yet addressed here. Have any unique addressing quandaries or concerns of your own? Post them below in the comments section below and we’ll do some homework and get back to you. Class dismissed.
It’s not just metallic gold that’s making a big appearance in wedding invitations this year — all different shades of shine are showing up and we couldn’t be more exited! Metallics instantly bump up the wow factor of any invitation while creating an elegant and glamorous appearance. There are lots of ways to incorporate metallics into your wedding suite: you can go all out with foil stamping and foil edging on your pieces, or pair them with a metallic envelope liner and a metallic envelope to really make heads turn! Not feeling that much dazzle? You can mix in small details of shimmer just by adding foil edging or a metallic envelope liner.
If you couldn’t already tell by all the foil in our new 2012 wedding invitations, we’re obsessed withfoil stamping as a way to add some sparkle to your wedding invitations! We offer a wide variety of illuminating foil options, from vintage and formal golds, silvers and copper, to edgy and eye catching forest green, red or indigo. You can combine any letterpress ink with foil stamping in a single design; print your invitation in bold beautiful colored foils (fuchsia! purple! teal!); or go two tone, mixing a gold matte foil with a gold shine foil for a truly wowing look.
Foil edgingadds an awe-inspiring, smooth, shiny surface to the edges of important pieces in your wedding suite. It works wonderfully as a complement to a wedding suite full of foil stamping or to add an unexpected pop of color to your letterpress invitations: think fuchsia, blue, green, or copper!
Our metallic pocketfolds come in 5 sparkling shades that pair perfectly with any of our wedding invitations to create a memorable enclosure your guest will be sure to keep forever! On the exterior of your pocketfold, we can even letterpress print your names, date, monogram, a design element from your invitation or anything else you can dream up to completely customize your wedding suite!
No matter what dose of metallics you choose for your invitations, it’s sure to make a statement! Still not sure what metallic combination will best capture the style of your wedding? We offer free design consultations after you place your order, where you’ll have a chance to talk one on one with our designers about all of your invitation choices (or if you need help now, just ask!).
If you loved our Pinterest contest last month, wait til you see what we’ve got in store for March! We want to see what good means to you: is it volunteering at an animal shelter? Planting trees? Donating to your local food pantry? Building homes for the less fortunate? Whatever it is, we want you to tell us about it and show us how you’re making a difference — and we’ll give you 25 free invitation sets* just for doing your good deed! It gets better: for the grand prize, we’ll give an entire set of free invitations to the person who submits the ultimate good deed. No purchase is necessary to participate, and the contest is open to everybody worldwide!
*25 free invitation sets when you order 50 or more.
To help get you inspired, check out these inspirational quotes that our designers put together (the designs are based on different Bella Figura designs!). We’ve also gota great list of ideas from our eco-partners, staff, and designers for different suggestions of things that you can do to make a difference in your community.
Here’s how it’ll work:
Deadline: Your good deed must be done during the month of March 2012. Good deed submissions should be made by April 1 at midnight.
Prizes: Everyone who follows the above guidelines and enters their good deed will receive a coupon and a unique code for 25 free invitation sets with the purchase of 50 or more. This promotional offer is valid through July 31, 2012. “Invitation sets” includes the invitation, reply card + envelope or reply postcard, invitation envelopes, and any coordinating embellishments (this includes envelope liners, edge painting, etc.). The grand prize consists of 100 1-ply, 1-color invitations, reply cards, and envelopes, and must be redeemed by October 31, 2012. The grand prize winner will be announced by April 16, 2012.
Criteria: You determine the definition of “do good.” For the free 25 invitation sets, anything you consider good will work. For the grand prize, we’re looking for actions that bring us hope; that demonstrate the power of an individual to do good; and that show us how the world can be a caring and beautiful place. In either case, please be sure to get a photo or video of yourself in action.
Judging: The team at Bella Figura will choose the top 5 do-gooders and will post them to a finalists board on Pinterest by Wednesday, April 4. Everyone is encouraged to read about the five finalists on the Bella Figura blog from April 4 through April 11, and should “like” their favorite on Pinterest in order to cast a vote. The do-gooder with the most likes on Thursday, April 12 will win the set of 100 free invitations. You must have a Pinterest account in order to “like” one of the finalists, so if you need an invitation, email dogood@bellafigura.com and we’ll send you an invite right away.
Hand calligraphy is a gorgeous way to add a unique, personal touch to your letterpress wedding invitations. Whether you’re adding a line of calligraphy accents to emphasize names or a venue, or creating the entire invitation with hand-crafted calligraphy, it’s a completely sophisticated way to set your invitations apart from the rest. We offer over 15 hand calligraphy styles from our 6 master calligraphers, and styles range from traditional and formal to modern and laid-back. If you plan to pair hand calligraphy with a font for your invitations, it’s best to find styles that complement one another. Here are our favorite pairings for calligraphy styles and fonts based on 4 popular wedding styles.
FORMAL
A formal wedding invitation works best when an all caps font like Impression is paired with an elegant hand calligraphy style like Spencerian. The combination of this regal font with the flourished Spencerian calligraphy style immediately creates a classic and beautiful invitation.
VINTAGE
You can create the perfect vintage invitation by simply using a romantic calligraphy style like Victoria. Pull inspiration from love letters written in the 19th century and your invitations will certainly take on an old world feel. If you’re looking to pair Victoria calligraphy with a font, we think it looks beautiful with Utrecht (like in the Delambre Classic design).
MODERN
Modern, fun and quirky, this customization comes to life with vibrant hues and the Mitty calligraphy style. If your event is a bit informal and playful, look for a calligraphy style that reflects just that. Pair the Mitty hand with Jubilant for a modern look if you only want to use a few lines of hand calligraphy (see our Modern World design for an example!)
DESTINATION
This beach inspired customization is perfect for a destination wedding! We paired a light, airy font called Henry with the Harrison calligraphy style, which in itself captures the feeling of the ocean.
We love the look of letterpressed hand calligraphy on a wedding invitation, and a perfect finishing touch is hand calligraphed envelopes. For a completely coordinated set, you can work directly with any of our master calligraphers for envelope addressing!
This customization of our Modern Light letterpress wedding invitation design (by Ian Koenig) is just in time for Valentine’s Day. With soft pinks and subtle details paired with a customization of our Vintage Stripes liner, this invitation is perfect for a romantic, sweet event any time of the year.
Are you looking for affordable letterpress wedding invitations? Look no further – our invitation designs can be customized to fit within a budget. Not sure where to start? We selected 15 of our new 2012 letterpress invitation designs and provided pricing for 3 popular quantity tiers. Find out which price point will work for you depending on how many invitations you’ll need. Keep in mind, 75 invitations traditionally leads to 150 guests, 125=250 guests, and so on!
In love with Vintage Charm? Why not order invitations that are 1 color letterpress printed on 1-ply paper with edge painting in one of your favorite ink colors? You can include reply postcards that are 1 color letterpress on 1-ply paper with outer envelopes (letterpress printed with your return address in 1 color and lined) for $1,335.
If your wedding won’t be complete without the La Salle design, you can order invitations and reply cards both in 1 color letterpress on 1-ply paper, along with 1 color printed outer envelopes and reply envelopes for only $1,045.
Our Gotham design is modern and refined. You can keep the invitation looking sleek by letterpress printing it in 2 colors on our 1-ply paper but make the rest of the set 1 color: choose a 1 color, 1-ply reply card, outer envelopes and reply envelopes (both printed in 1 color letterpress) for a total of $1,180.
If you are looking to mix letterpress and foil stamping but you are on a budget, try this option! Order our Amadore Antique invitations with 1 color letterpress and 1 color foil on 1-ply paper, and then add foil edging! It gets better – a website card that can direct your guests to rsvp via email or your wedding website printed in 1 color foil, on 1-ply cotton paper will eliminate the need for a reply envelope (and extra postage!), so you’ll only need outer envelopes with 1 color letterpress printing. This set rings in at just $1,310.
Are calligraphy wedding invitations one of your “must-haves”? Pick one of our newest calligrapher’s Mitty Calligraphy design! Order invitations in 1 color letterpress, on our luxuriously thick 2-ply paper. Choose an A6 sized direction card that includes wedding details and a website for an electronic rsvp that is 1 color letterpress and opt for 1-ply paper. Lastly, choose outer envelopes that are both letterpress printed in 1 color and embellished with a chic envelope liner for only $1,435. (more…)
Our new collection of letterpress wedding invitations has arrived, and we’ve introduced 83 new invitation designs (plus metallics: foil stamping, foil edging and lots of other cool new embellishments!) for the 2012 wedding season. Since everything at Bella Figura is completely customizable, we thought we’d show you a ‘before and after’ look at some of our favorite new invitation designs to show how a change of color, fonts, and design placement can completely transform an invitation design.
First up: the La Salle invitation design by Ian Koenig. The original design is soft and romantic in camel + pewter inks, and features three fonts, but takes on a completely regal look with new inks (regalia and charcoal), corner rounding, and new fonts: Vessa + Jubilant.
Suggested embellishments: We think this design would look gorgeous with a European formal patterned envelope liner in regalia ink and a coordinating custom postage stamp. Details: letterpress inks: regalia + charcoal | fonts: vessa + jubilant | paper: bella cotton white 1-ply | size: f-8 | corner rounding
Next up: Rustic Jolene – an earthy design with a folk-art feel – is completely transformed with a drastic (but gorgeous) change in design placement. Prussian blue and cornflower blue inks create a stunning two-tone effect, and the square size, corner rounding, and sophisticated fonts complete the look.
Suggested embellishments: a white cotton pocketfold with a monogram letterpress printed in Prussian blue would add a nice finishing touch, along with an envelope liner in our woodstock pattern in cornflower + Prussian blue inks. Details: letterpress inks: prussian blue + cornflower blue | fonts: daisy + moravia | paper: bella cotton white 1-ply | size: sq-7 | corner rounding
Rococo Elegance, created by Beth Barr, one of our new designers for 2012, takes on a more floral feel in this elegant customization. Hand calligraphy accents and ivory paper give the design a soft, romantic feel.
Suggested embellishments: keep it simple with a European formal patterned envelope liner in taupe ink. Details: letterpress inks: light peach + taupe | font: botany | paper: bella cotton ivory 1-ply | size: f-8 | hand calligraphy accents: spencerian style | corner rounding
Let’s face it, the wedding industry produces a lot of one-hit wonders. It is extremely important to us here at Bella Figura to encourage sustainability as we practice eco-friendly letterpress printing (and living!). That’s why we use tree-free papers, low VOC inks, and FSC certified papers (and we also support these amazing environmental causes). If you are wondering how to make your letterpress or foil stamped invitations even more eco-friendly we have some tried and true tricks of the trade to reduce waste without compromising on style!
1. Use a postcard!
Think about using reply postcards or even Save the Date postcards! This cuts down on the amount of paper (envelopes) and also keeps the costs lower!
2. Condense Information.
There are a lot of activities and information that go into a wedding celebration! From accommodations, directions, rehearsal dinners and reply cards, you can choose to create a wedding website that hosts all the important details! You can include the url on your invitations, or create 1 separate card (think website cards!) explaining that the website is the place for all the wedding details. If you’re determined to get it all on paper, choose 1 insert card as opposed to several and print on both sides if you have lots of details to include.
3. Don’t double up.
Skip the formalities and just use 1 outer envelope vs. an inner envelope and an outer envelope combination. The inner envelope is meant to specify exactly who’s invited. It is completely acceptable to choose just 1 envelope (which is more eco-friendly). If you’re concerned about extra guests, you can always designate the number of guests on the reply card or reply postcard by adding an extra line that states “We have reserved __ seats in your honor”, then fill in the number accordingly. (more…)
Bella Figura’s letterpress invitation designs for 2012 have arrived! We’ve added 6 brand new designers and 83 new letterpress wedding invitation designs – which means you’ve now got over 300+ incredible designs to choose from! We’ve added new embellishment options, too — think metallics (foil stamping and foil edging now available in 12 dazzling colors – choose traditional metallics like gold, silver or copper, or go for something a little more daring, like fuchsia, indigo, forest or teal!). Metallics and shine will be a huge wedding trend for 2012, so mix foil stamping with letterpress for a hint of glamour, create a show-stopping look with a powerful pair of foil stamped colors (think two tone gold or gold with silver), or add foil edging for a splash of sophisticated flair.
New designs and metallics aren’t the only thing we’ve got that’s new for 2012! We’ve got new calligraphy styles, new options for pocketfolds, envelopes + envelope liners, and more. There’s a wide variety of artwork, cartouches, and monograms in our motif library. Let Chris – one of our knowledgeable invitation experts – walk you through all of the amazing new offerings (just check out the video below!)
