As promised, a preview of my new design. I really need to have someone take professional photographs but these will have to do for now...
Day Invitation
I'm going to call it 'Emma' after the beautiful bride I designed it for...
Purple rose & antique brass heart
I have a design I'm working on to compliment it... that one's called Aisha.
The flower is made from an old copy of Pride & Prejudice.
Is the birdcage too much?
My favourite part of the design is the frame - it's embossed!
So good we'll look from a different angle!
The evening Invite is a little simpler and just A6 in size.
I kept the finer details though!
I'll put the right details in just as soon as Emma emails me with them!
So that's it! What do you think? Of course, if the happy couple aren't keen then I'll go back to the drawing board and do a redesign, but I think I'm going to try this one in my Etsy shop and see if there's any interest.
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm working on a new design. My best friend's daughter is getting married this year and asked me if I'd help her design her invites.
Well... weddings are my thing so I jumped right in there with all my questions just to be stared at blankly. Apparently not everyone understands the difference between 'Save the dates' and 'proper invitations'. Nor had she the first clue about when to send them, how many she needed or exactly what she needed to put in them.
When I asked if she had any idea of what she wanted I got another blank look. "Can't you just make something I'll like?". O M G !!! No client brief, no colours, no lengthy descriptions, no help whatsoever! Eventually I prised the words 'girlie' and 'different' from her. It was a start, I suppose.
When I asked what she did have planned it all sounded quite traditional, the nice hotel doing a sit down meal, the white dresses, the wild flowers in pretty arrangements... then she showed me the cake...
How cool is this cake?
She isn't having a Day of The Dead theme but she loved the cake and said that is just summed them up! So I started on an invitation design that could stand next to that cake...
There was much gnashing of teeth, pulling of hair and mopping of brows. There was an occasional 'I can't do this' and the odd 'ohh that worked'.
The design I've (almost) come up with is nothing like the one I set out to make! It seemed to take on a life of it's own and, when I stopped trying to make it something it didn't want to be, it all came together in a pretty, grungy, delicate, feminine and dark way.
Tomorrow I have to send her the samples. I'm so nervous you'd think it was my first job! I don't know how commercial a design it is but I think it could stand beside the cake without being embarrassed. I just hope she likes it.
After they see it I'll post photos and welcome opinions. For now you'll just have to look at my beautiful Emma and her lovely girlfriend Aisha - don't they look so happy?
Maybe next year will be the one that sees me get organised properly? Maybe I'll stick to that healthy regimen, keep in touch with friends and family and stop having that odd crafty smoke after a stressful day... maybe.
My first New Year Resolution for 2014 was to give the web site a fresher look - I was getting a bit bogged down with the 'mumsy' feel to it. I've a long way to go before I'm happy with it, but I've made a start with fresh colours and a less cluttered feel.
I've also dumped all the designs that didn't make me smile. You know the ones that are so bog standard they could be from anyone (although mine were obviously better lol), All gone in a few key strokes, while eating a mince pie and telling my daughter where to expect 'walkers' in her new PS3 Walking Dead game...
They're right in front of you!!!
I'm also really excited about a few new designs I'm working on. They are very detailed and not easy to make but I'm hoping that someone will love them as much as I do. Of course you will see a preview on here so follow us for updates.
As always I've far too much I want to achieve to be realistic but that's never stopped me from trying! Next I've to update the feel of this Blog... clean and funky is the way to go I think!
Hope 2014 brings all you wish for and that we see you soon at Two Little Words.
As a wedding planner in Belfast I attended more than a few wedding fairs (or fayres if you prefer) and they all followed the same pattern... exhibitors showed their, very similar, wares and potential clients wondered around looking bored but saying all the right things.
Since establishing Two Little Words wedding stationery (now I'm based in Gloucestershire) I have attended a couple of fairs as an exhibitor, and a few more just to check out the competition, and I have to say that nothing much has changed! There's nothing 'WOW' about them.
So now I want to organise something completely different. I want a wedding fair where all of the exhibitors have been hand picked for offering something slightly different, quirky even. I only want people that will stick in the minds of brides and give them new and exciting ideas. With 'vintage' still being the theme of the day I have found an absolutely stunning venue, it's an old barn with all the original beams, a stone floor and a beautiful courtyard out front.
Photograph: Craig Holmes Premium/Alamy
I'd like the whole day to feel like a party, a village fete, a vintage wedding! I want bales of straw so the grooms can sit and enjoy a beer (or tea) in the sunshine while their brides to be talk with a myriad of fantastic suppliers. I want cute little sandwiches and scones with fresh cream and home made jam for canapes.
And I want freebies, lots and lots of freebies for the brides! I'm planning a cheque book of special offers to go into the goody bags that will be open for any local supplier who can't attend on the day, I want a wedding mag in there and maybe even some samples. And I'm going to offer a free gift (to be announced) to any couple who pre-registers their interest, to be collected with their goody bags when they arrive.
So what else do you think this magical wedding fair will need to make it perfect? Can you recommend a supplier in the Gloucester area? Would you be interested in attending?
More than any other post, I would LOVE to hear your comments on this one!
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we did a wedding fayre at The Frogmill Hotel last weekend, where we met the very charming Charmante Wedding Videographers. They kindly agreed to write an article for us to share, so without further ado I'll hand you over to Charmante...
The Charmante Story.
VibeTV, a family video production company, based in Swansea, South Wales, were asked to film a friends wedding. A market that we never intended to go in to. But an option we would always consider for a friend. The friends wedding happened to land on the weekend of an ‘on location’ job, and therefore had to miss the day.
However, as soon as we wrapped our shoot. And the martini shot had been happily achieved, we headed straight to our friends wedding. Another videographer had been hired to film the day, and so we thought as a gift we would take a more personal, upbeat short video, of friends and family within the evening.
The wedding was not a small affair. From horse and carriage, to doves, singing waiters, magician, chimney sweep and fireworks at midnight… they had it all. And unfortunately we had missed it all! The pressure was already against us, with the razzle dazzle that had already been captured on film.
But with a little imagination, some beautifully crafted words from family and friends, good music choices, and wonderful editing. We achieved the most watchable video. We were assured by the bride and groom, that they used ours to show absent friends. And this is where the adventure, of what is now known as Charmante weddings, began.
We discovered, that a shorter account of the day was definitely beneficial. A personal individual touch to the couple is highly important. Comments, from friends and family, adds a huge emotional advantage to the film. And providing a more artistic flare, to what is deemed as, the most important day of your life creates a more important influence on the beauty and magic captured. Without realising it, we had created a Hollywood movie.
After discussing this concept at length within the VibeTV office. A member of staff had a pre-arranged coffee meeting with a colleague and came back with an open invitation to film their wedding. Game on!! The only hold back was the groom didn’t want to be filmed, saying to our cameraman at the first meeting….”(excluding hello) If I see a camera at any point throughout today, my wedding will be ruined!” ‘Charming’ (or ‘Chamante’, in European dispair! ) we thought!! As the trauma and pressure ran through our veins, the rain started to pour! Could we get a worst start?! But like any true professionals, on with the job, venturing into the unknown of the wedding industry!
We were working at the charming Frogmill Hotel last weekend and met some lovely people - couples, vendors and hotel staff.
I'd never visited the hotel before and was very impressed with the quality finish throughout and the staff all bent over backwards to make sure we had everything we needed! Lunch was beautiful and fresh, and the events manager, Carol, was easy to get along with and very efficient!
I'd be happy to recommend The Frogmill to anyone planning a wedding in the Cheltenham area.
They are offering couple's a chance to win a £3000 wedding, so if you live close enough it might be worth popping in and registering your details. Of course we'd love to meet you there too, so call to our table and say hello.
Another busy week ahead (or what's left of it) but watch out for our first post from a guest contributor Charmante - lovely ladies and great videography. As they say in the movies... Coming Soon!
