Everything about this invitation suite was gorgeous. The paper we chose was lightly textured and felt like a letterpress stock (even though we printed these digitally). The graphics were pale green and coral succulents, and the text was all soft shades of grey. These romantic, feminine invitations were one of the last projects our intern Eric completed before he moved out to the West coast, which is coincidentally where this lovely wedding took place as well.

I love this invitation. It’s one of the only single layer custom invitations we have ever done that I actually loved every part of. The card stock they chose was a duplex with a dark grey damask pattern on the back, and a lighter grey solid matte on the front where we printed a luxe framed monogram and the invitation text. The envelopes had the same damask liner as the back of the invitations, and for a pop of color we chose a bright coral reply card. Beautiful.

Ok, so this was pure awesomeness. This was a collaborative effort between myself and Sam, the groom. He found someone to die cut wooden invitations into the shape of Montana, and burn the text into the material. We stepped in to find a pocket that would accommodate the shape and size of the invitation, as well as provide enclosure cards to match the look and feel of such a rustic, outdoorsy invitation. Check out the gallery below- these pieces are all worth a good look!

Jenna had an apple-themed wedding, so we created an original apple illustration to use on everything from the invitations to the place cards and thank you notes.

This pink floral pocket invitation was a nice remake on the classic ivory and gold version we have done several times. Meghan still wanted to bring ivory and gold into it, but couldn’t pass up the lovely pink textured pocket.

Heather found us online, all the way from Hawaii! She knew she wanted to use green and yellow in her invitations, so we went back and forth via email with color swatch ideas for the card stock and the ribbon. She settled on a tall, tea length card in a leafy palm pattern, incorporating the yellow with her ribbon.

The credit for this grey on grey, half-tone monogram belongs to Eric, our intern who transplanted to Washington to work with reclaimed wood in early 2014. This was one of his projects while he was with us, and the monogram (which the bride absolutely loved) carried throughout the pieces of this no-fuss, grey and ivory wedding invitation suite.

A good use of fonts, frames and minor breaks in the text frames makes this invitation pleasing to the eye, while keeping it simple.

One of the textured papers we carry has a tree bark grain to it, which comes in about half a dozen different colors including this dark chocolate, a lighter birch, and a cool white. This square pocket card invitation boasts a tidy pocket on the back of the invitation, which we tucked Rebecca’s RSVP and info cards into.

A classic black pocket invitation with a monogram seal in hot pink and silver with black ink.

This unique combination incorporated purple and a bright orange pattern, but kept a formal font so as not to downplay the elegance of the occasion.

I never get tired of fuchsia and black together, and this pocket invitation didn’t disappoint. This sparkly invitation was for a spunky bride with a flair for style who “didn’t know what she wanted” but as soon as we pieced it together with her, she knew this was it. A few weeks prior to the Big Day we also printed coordinating menu/table cards using the same black damask graphic to restate the theme of the invitation at the event itself.

This beautiful invitation incorporated cherry blossoms into the couple’s purple palette, as well as their names in Hebrew for their Spring wedding outside Washington, D.C.

Another destination wedding, woo hoo!! We love the hot and cool colors of the beach, shown here with a seahorse/starfish motif in Tiffany blue and bright coral.

This is one of my 2013 favorites. Burlap makes everything cooler, and we paired it with an oatmeal colored PC 100 recycled stock and a darker charcoal accent layer. The fonts and layout idea were inspired by the work of one of our favorite letterpress lines, and it worked beautifully with these colors and textures.

Love, love, love this couple! Britt came in with her mom, looked through some books and just wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to go. A few albums and a little flutter of disappointment later, Britt saw the “Christina” style invitation hanging on the wall and said, “That one. That’s the one I want.” It was awesome- that moment of clarity when something all of a sudden clicks into place was almost palpable. Britt did something unusual that ended up being completely gorgeous- she blended shades of gold and silver into the same invitation and tied them together with a warm diamond-colored card stock. She chose a traditional script, an elegant flourish and a soft charcoal ink to complete the look of the graphite pocket card, patterned accent layer and pale gold ribbon pull tab. Britt was the sweetest bride to work with, right from the start, and put her trust into us to create the perfect invitation she visualized when she said, “That’s the one I want.” Her genuine excitement to marry Kirk was adorable, and after her mom picked up her invitations and sent her a picture of the finished product, Britt sent me a message saying she cried in front of her first graders because she loved the invitations so much. I couldn’t possibly receive a higher compliment, and it’s brides like Britt that make me love what I do.

I have never been as excited about an invitation as I was to work on this design for a small Las Vegas wedding. The bride-to-be came in knowing she wanted to send invitations in a box with poker chips and dice, so I knew we had to raise the bar- we had to create something really special. The best moment in our brainstorming session came when we were trying to think of an appropriate title for the events card, and Melissa said, “What about, ‘What happens in Vegas…?” We all instantly fell in love with the idea, and I followed through with the next logical step- the accommodations card title: “Stays in Vegas…” At this point, we all started high-fiving. It was one of those awesome moments when you’re convinced no one has EVER had an idea as good as this one. The finished product came together like a straight flush, and I couldn’t wait to post photos of it as soon as Lyndsay picked up her invitations.

This was a classic case of a “color matching challenge”- there was a very specific shade of coral that Stephanie was trying to match and we couldn’t seem to find the right color in our custom line so she ended up bringing us 12×12 sheets of scrap-booking paper that we cut and used as her accent layer, then we matched the ink color of her headings and accent boxes to that shade as well. She went with a grey portrait pocket card for the base of the invitation, and we made sure the cards in the pocket lined up so the headings were stacked on top of one another for a seamless look.

Beach weddings are the most popular type of destination wedding; Dana exemplified the destination bride with her laid back attitude…from the first day we met Dana, she put the power of creative control into our hands and told us to “just do it.” She had a few ideas of her own that she wanted incorporated into her invitations, including a picture of the beach where they would be getting married, but other than that she just wanted something simple and fun to reflect her small destination wedding. We chose a tri-fold card that had a heavy texture on it, almost like seashells; to complement the shimmery silver tri-fold we used white micah printed cards and a simple black ribbon to pull it all together and make it feel less informal. The photo of their initials carved into the sand added a nice personal touch, and the overall effect was beach-elegance.

Sometimes customers bring us ideas they have seen online and ask if we can create something similar…almost always the answer is, “Yes!” Usually it’s a font or graphic that draws their attention, and there was something about the typography of a certain invitation she saw online that really grabbed Stephanie’s attention, so we made sure to incorporate that look. The most noticeable feature of the invitation is the bride and groom’s names, which are set apart in an oversized script encompassed in swashes and flourishes- in this way, the type actually becomes a graphic element, and no other graphics are needed to complete the look. We kept the overall design simple and chose a light pink for the bottom layer, topped with a light grey color called London Fog to give it a hint of romance.

As you may have noticed, we do a lot of pocket-style wedding invitations; the two main reasons they are so popular is that they are highly customizable while also being practical. The pocket provides a neat and tidy place to keep the enclosure cards for the reception, directions and reply, and everything can be done in whatever the color palette of the wedding happens to be. Amanda’s wedding involved hues of a luxurious deep teal blue; the shade was so rich that we decided to only use punches of it as a rich accent. The double-faced Midori satin ribbon, the 1/8″ border underneath the printed layer and their names and headings were all done in her teal, which was just enough to add a pop of color while the rest of the invitation stayed classic and sophisticated.

This pocket invitation has become known as the “Christina” because it became a hit almost the instant we designed it for Christina and Nick earlier this year, and at least half a dozen brides since then have seen it and said, “That’s the one.” For Christina, we chose a graphite pocket card, with shades of silver and white silk, and used a hint of blush pink as an accent layer- and since we wanted to sneak a teeny bit more pink in there to make it feel even more feminine, we added a blush satin pull tab at the top edge. This style of “pull” tab doesn’t serve a function, it merely adds another pop of color to tie in with the accent layer, and gives the invitation another dimension (and a girlish flair to boot). The front of the invitation appears traditional, but the back of the card has a hidden pocket that holds the enclosure cards. The presentation is neat and compact, without a lot of fuss.

I first met Christina and her mom several years back when we created custom invitations for her older sister Julie’s wedding, and I’ve gotten to know the ladies in this wonderful family, including their absolutely awesome mom, Patricia. The thing I noticed right away with both girls’ weddings is that the spirit of what it means to plan a wedding was not lost on them- Patricia and her daughters seemed to enjoy the process more than most of the brides I encounter. They seemed rooted in the important things (i.e. love, commitment, values) and the fun they had along the way was just an added perk.

Working with Christina was easy- she knew what she wanted and placed complete confidence in us to build her perfect wedding stationery, not just for the wedding invitations but for her bridesmaids’ luncheon invites, shower and wedding thank you notes, programs and menu cards. The end result was a perfectly coordinated look that paid attention to every detail.

There was a short period of time in 2007 when I was really tired of Tiffany blue, however I got over it and I couldn’t be more pleased with how this invitation turned out. I really love printing on vibrant colors rather than neutral hues, mostly because I feel like it makes a huge impact. I always find that the invitations printed on bright card stock are the ones I remember the most, whether they are part of our custom studio or in an album. Color packs a punch. This invitation used Tiffany blue and a pale serpentine green, both metallic for plenty of sparkle, and added a crisp white satin ribbon and a really cool script. Bellissimo.

This was a last minute wedding we pulled together this week (the wedding is in 10 days!) Since we had a pretty short window to work with, we used yellow topaz metallic card stock off the shelf, a classic white top layer, and then added a cool script and sunflower graphics. We tied it all together with a corner ribbon knot. I think it came together nicely, and just in time for a sunny August wedding.

Purple and silver were HOT in 2011- I can’t count how many weddings we did in this color palette! Jennifer and Jon liked the custom line because it allowed them to choose exactly the perfect shade of purple, pair it with a silver and purple plume pattern to add formality, and finish it with a satin ribbon and two-layer seal as the icing on the cake.

Jennifer added a nice touch on their accommodations card by adding “Jenn and Jon’s Favorite Things in Dayton,” a list of their favorite spots in town including restaurants, hangouts, museums and hot spots every visitor to the Gem City must see. I often remind brides that the wedding invitation isn’t just a representation of the couple but a source of valuable information for their friends and family, so they can ensure that their wedding day is as memorable for their guests as it is for the happy couple themselves.

This was an extremely meaningful invitation because it was for my very first intern at The Envelope, “Awesome Allyson” from UD. It was only a few months after we opened, and I didn’t even know I needed an intern until Ally convinced me of all the reasons why she should come to work at the shop- and I’m so glad she did because for the next six months we had an absolute blast (and got a little bit of work done at the same time). Since then she graduated from UD, got a job at Proctor and Gamble, and got engaged to the love of her life. It’s crazy to think that we first met five years ago, but over the last few years we’ve stayed in touch and become great friends.

Ally’s invitations were a collaborative effort- she used her super sweet design skills to layout the save the dates, invitations, menus, and programs. We ordered the paper and did all the printing. She and Ben spent weekends prior to the wedding diligently assembling everything post-production, and made sure every detail was perfect, down to the ribbon they ironed and creased themselves on each and every invitation.

Their wedding was the first weekend of August at the Glass Pavilion in Toledo, which is part of the Toledo Museum of Art. Her wedding was fabulous and absolutely gorgeous – from the traditional Catholic mass in a breathtaking cathedral where both her parents and grandparents were married years before, to the glass-blowing demonstration that took place at the reception, right down to Allyson’s blue Manolos. I’m so glad I could be there to witness the marriage of such amazing individuals, and to take part in the preparation process with her as well.

Heather and Matt got married at The Dayton Art Institute in November 2010. Their wedding colors were primarily black and white, with hints of green. To create a Fall Elegance feel, their ceremony featured amazing floral displays lining the aisle that included tall tree branches, clusters of hydrangea and glass votive candles hanging off the branches. The reception featured menu cards, place cards and table numbers that matched the colors and style of their invitations.

Lisa’s 5×7 pocket fold invitation is one of the most popular styles we design for brides, due to its versatile size and overall design that allows up to four cards to be tucked into the pocket. Lisa’s invitation was clean and classic with a more modern twist since we used nearly all Roman fonts- she didn’t want any frills – no ribbon, no swirly scripts, nothing fancy. The one thing she knew she wanted was a watermark of the Carillon Park Bell Tower on the seal on the outside…but no matter what we tried it just didn’t look right, so I came up with another layout idea for the seal instead, using her and Matt’s initials and a decorative ampersand…and she loved it. This is still one of my favorites to this day because of its simple yet classic look that is dressed up ever-so-cooly with the patterned pocket.

Silver. Black. A script with lots of swashes. Double-faced Midori satin ribbon. Add those ingredients together and you have the recipe for an elegant formal wedding invitation. Stephanie chose a silver metallic pocket invitation in a classic 5×7 size for her Hilton Head destination wedding because she wanted to make sure people knew it would still be a relatively formal event despite it being at the beach at sunset. We work with a lot of destination brides, and most of the time we go with something in tropical colors, or perhaps use a palm tree graphic. This invitation was stunning and let her guests know what to expect (so they wouldn’t show up to the wedding in shorts).

The Chateau Elan in Atlanta was the perfect setting for Courtney’s “rustic elegance” wedding, and she needed an invitation that fit the feel of the wine cellar where the reception would be held. Courtney also wanted to make sure to include plenty of resort and leisure information about the Chateau for her guests who would spending a long weekend there, so we chose a gold and raw silk ecru pocket fold invitation with a vintage plume pattern that held an in-depth accommodations card, reply card and weekend celebration events card. We printed the invitations on a combination of raw silk ecru and pale gold cards, and for Courtney’s seal on the outer flap of the pocket, we used a simple watermark of the Chateau paired with a monogram and the wedding date. This invitation set a gold standard, literally, for many invitations to follow with its formal scripts, neutral gold and ecru color palette and classic elegance.

Eggplant and taupe are a warm and inviting combination in this colorful yet classic pocket invitation. Lots of metallic layers, including an understated lavender layer and a gorgeous taupe ribbon complete this pocket package perfectly. Their wedding program was a coordinating booklet using the same papers, fonts and colors.

Laurie and David had fun with the process from the first day… they were planning a Spring wedding in Las Vegas and wanted the invitations to feel formal and elegant, yet still “like Vegas” and not like a traditional wedding invitation because they still wanted to have fun with it.

The ceremony took place on the bridge at the Venetian, with a reception to follow at Caesar’s Palace. We used a more compact pocket invitation in a 5×5 size, with several different shades of silver to make it pop. Laurie was so happy with her invitations that she brought a friend in to see us in 2012 for their wedding invitations, as a gift to the couple.

The daughter of one of my favorite customers got married to the love of her life, and they made every effort to make sure the invitations (and the wedding) were a perfect example of who they are as a couple, right down to the surprise after-hours hot wing bar that the mother of the bride planned as a surprise for the groom. I like that they kept the invitation colors duo-tone, using only Tiffany blue and white to keep it feeling crisp and clean.

One of the reasons pocket fold invitations are so popular is that they allow several enclosure cards to be neatly stacked in the pocket, which creates not only a handy packet of information for the guests, but a visually pleasing invitation as the headings sit evenly-spaced above one another, announcing details of the reply, reception, and directions and accommodations.

Winter Wonderland: Ashley and Christopher were planning a winter wedding in Wintersville, Ohio and chose this 5×7 z-card design, a unique design that shows off plenty of the black and gold pattern surrounding the invitation. What makes this invitation different than most is the band wrap on the right panel that houses three 3.5×5 cards: a reply card, reception card and directions card. The finishing touch is the monogram “M” on the seal, accompanied by their wedding date. The result? Gold and black winter wedded bliss.

An oldie but goodie, this purple and black 5×5 z-card from a 2008 wedding still hangs on the wall of fame today because a) it’s purple color continues to draw the eye and b) it’s a great example of a different way to combine many pieces of information into one design. The invitation is printed on a purple card that is mounted to a white backing on the top panel of the z-card, while the reception information and directions follow suit on the second and third panels. We placed a RSVP post card in the center of the packet prior to stuffing into the mailing envelopes so when the guests mailed back their one loose card, they were left with an all-in-one invitation that got them where they were going, and let them know what to expect for Emily and Brendan’s wedding.

Maureen’s pink and black invitation was a pocket-style with three enclosure cards. We kept the invitation fairly simple, with a modest monogram watermark screened behind the invitation text. She wanted to use primarily black and white with punches of hot pink for style.

This was the era of the 5×7 pocket fold, which is why you see several of them in our gallery, such as Stephanie and Kyle, Amanda and Matt or Jessica and John. This type of folding invitation became the go-to style for a while because brides would see one on display in the shop, love the beauty and practicality of it, learn they could customize the colors, and voila! Their custom wedding invitation is lovely and practical, large enough yet compact when folded, and is tailored to the colors of their wedding. Having a lot of samples for customers to look through in the shop has been both a blessing and a curse: it allows the creative process to be streamlined for those brides who have a difficult time starting completely from scratch, but it can also create “style ruts” from a design standpoint where we seem to keep creating the same invitation repeatedly. Regardless, Ashley’s invitation was pretty in pink and perfect for her Spring wedding set in a cathedral in Covington, Kentucky.

Morgan was one of those brides who amazed me because she made planning a destination wedding seem like a breeze, on top of all of the other responsibilities she was tackling in her life (not the least of which were the twins she nannied, who accompanied her on several trips to the shop). Morgan liked the modest size of the 4×5 pocket fold because all she needed to include was a small directions card and a reply post card. The palm tree graphic and orange and yellow color palette made this invitation a southern beauty.

A school-themed invitation is a unique way for two teachers to announce their upcoming nuptials… We created college-ruled card stock, school days verbiage (check out the RSVP card with a “due date”) and a cool red date stamp, and tied it all together with red gros grain ribbon. The invitation and reply post card were slipped into a simple portable pocket and an outer manila envelope and mailed to their guests. This invitation is an oldie but goodie for sure, as it was one of the first really creative invitations we did back in 2007 for a fun couple who wanted to take a risk with their invitations and express their personalities by choosing an invitation that truly represented who they are.

Somer and Ben chose a soft and feminine invitation with an Anna Griffin pink floral matte, paired with a rich chocolate shimmery brown and a dusty rose satin ribbon. The invitation design incorporated traditional fonts to keep with the traditional wording and feel of this classic and simple invitation.

Every once in a while we end up with an invitation that carries widespread appeal and once the finished product is hanging on our “wall of fame” we get multiple requests to duplicate it. Jessica and John’s invitation is one such example: they picked out this Anna Griffin ivory floral patterned pocket and used plenty of sage green as an accent for their summer wedding and the final design received so many compliments we duplicated it exactly at least twice that year. The soft sage and feminine floral pattern make this style the perfect Spring or Summer invitation.

Mocha-licious is the word to describe this pale lime and chocolate pocket fold invitation. Just a hint of pale green, a beautiful ivory satin ribbon and a cool script make this a perfect blend of contemporary and traditional.

Play it safe? Not always. Sometimes with invitations you should take a risk: use a palette of citrus green, crisp tangerine and hot fuchsia; print on a bright color instead of white or ivory, and use a modern floral graphic and a non-traditional font. I love this invitation because it incorporates fresh colors into a cool folding design and draws the eye with the two-tone ribbon loop at the top of the card. The mocha ink works beautifully with these colors, and the heavy brush stroke of the script makes me actually not hate the other font, Papyrus as much.