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When you have a creative mind like me...you see inspiration everywhere (OK...maybe not when I'm emptying the bins, but you know what I mean). As a creative it can be a little overwhelming and I tend to go down a rabbit hole of stuff I like every day...that thing at the top of my priority list can wait right?!?!
But what if you don't feel inspired and struggle for ideas for your invitations, on the day or thank you stationery. Fear not my little pickle, here is a list of the things that inspire me most and it might help you with ideas when it comes to designing or commissioning your own wedding or civil partnership stationery.
1. Colour
Stationery is usually dictated by the colour scheme so this is a big thing (it's number 1 for a reason!). That's why choosing your colours at the start of the planning process is really important...everything pretty much hinges on it.
When it comes to colour, go with a palette of colours that compliment each other, it makes it more interesting and gives scope for variety. It also means you can have coloured card, printed backgrounds and coloured fonts away from the traditional black and white. I mean I love a bit of monochrome, but it has it's time and place!
My current faves:
+Pink and red
+Mustard yellow
+Luxurious greens, blues, golds and pinks (think autumn velvets)
I'm always on the look out for colour inspiration...check out my Pinterest board of colour palettes here.
2. Patterns + texture
Paper is paper right? Wrong! There are two elements to patterns and texture...what it's printed on and what's printed on it.
When it comes to the paper or card (or even acrylic), there are a whole host of types. Eg coloured, hammered, lined, recycled, kraft, embossed...and my favourite news print!
The texture and feel can also set the tone of the day. For a lot of your guests, the first thing they know about your day is the invite or save the date. So be careful to choose what will represent your day best.
When it comes to printed patterns, you can pretty much have anything you want, whether it's something you create or something that already exists. You might have a printed pattern on the bridesmaids dress or on the ties of any groomsmen that you can use to link it all together. Using patterns means you can really think outside of the box and create a masterpiece with little effort.
Textures can be added to give depth, a luxury feel or just because you like it...that's the best reason to use a pattern in my book. Layering textures and patterns can also make a design really stand out.
My current faves:
+Hand made recycled paper (with dried leaves and flowers in it)
+Layered watercolour prints
+Terrazzo patterns
3. Flowers + plants
Flowers are another biggie when it comes to stationery and wedding/civil partnership celebrations in general. Mostly because they are an assault on the senses. A lot of budget is set aside for installations, table decor and bouquets/button holes. Following on from colour, the flowers can really set a day alive and can tie everything together...so use them in your stationery...makes sense right!
My current faves:
+Succulents
+Palms (big ones)
+Dried flowers + pampas grasses
4. Text + fonts
The list of fonts in the world is literally endless...there are so many!
So the question to ask yourself is what is the vibe of your day. Eg Is it industrial, modern, retro, fun etc? This can massively narrow your choice and get you in the right ball park. My best advice is to then have a play in www.dafont.com. You can choose from soooo many fonts in lots of different genres. The best thing is to type in your names and find something you love and then find 2 or 3 other fonts that compliment it or have a load if it works well with your theme.
My current faves:
+Modern + minimalist
+Retro
+Cursive
5. Themes + trends
One of the things I love most about creating bespoke designs for everything I do is the scope of work I create...it's basically the DREAM! I can go one day creating something minimalist and modern to the next day creating something 1940s inspired.
Themes and trends really allow couples to create something that represents them allowing their personalities to shine through...for me, this is uber important...it's your day...so make it 'your' day!
My current faves:
+TV + Film
+Music references
+Decades
6. Photos
When I consult with my couples, one thing they love is that fact they can add photos. And of course thank you Newspapers are 95% photos. This really helps set the tone, I really don't need to do a lot except advise and help choose fonts that fit with them like a glove! It also makes them a perfect keepsake because who really prints photos anymore?!?
My current faves:
+Dark and moody shots
+Elopement shoots
+Close ups of hands + feet
7. Seasons
There a 4 seasons in a year (well 1 1/2 in the UK most years), but this can dictate the light and flower availability and therefore the tone of the colours you choose for your day.
You can have lots of fun with using textures and florals to match the season but also mixing up the colour palette to suit. It all kinda ties in with the above but I definitely think it's still a point to think about and drink prosecco over.
My current faves:
+Autumnal greens, aubergine purples and golds
+Spring greens + wildflowers
+Summer neons
8. Venues + locations
When you book a venue, you often get more for your money than just the venue. I'm talking about the decor, outdoor spaces and the menu. This can often influence the choices you make and can take you down a path you didn't expect because it's what the venue dictates. This exact thing happened to me with my own wedding...everything needs to flow and work together. Don't try force a theme or style on a venue when it doesn't fit...allow the venue to guide you.
This also applies to your stationery. When you know where you are getting married, you can use the info of the venue to include in menus. order of the day etc as well as little nods to decor, features etc.
My current faves:
+Including photos and details of the venue in your Invites
+Including room names and feature details in your Order of Service
+Using menus and timelines centred around the venue in your Order of Service
9. Art
I believe your stationery should be visual and not just font based, that's why I try to create vibrant stand out designs. Art is a perfect inspiration for creating stand out stationery as a feature or backdrop. There are way too many artworks, artists, styles etc to mention, but let's just say there is something for everyone.
My current faves:
+Abstract geometry and patterns
+Layered cutouts with photos, statements, quotes and graphics
+Image based lettering
10. People
I saved the best for last...there is nothing more inspiring than you! What you bring to the table is unique and yours and I love to celebrate every couple I work with in my designs. The point of having the ability to have free reign in a design is to showcase the personalities of the people in it so I really encourage photos, snippets of life and who you are on a day to day basis.
My current faves:
+Including a 'How we met' story
+Including photos of your journey together so far
+Including photos of friends and family
Stationery should be completely about you, what you love and who you love. It should scream your personality...there is no right or wrong answer to what it should look like or include. My rule is pretty much, if it feels right and you love it then that's what you have...end of!
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