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Unexpected colors and craftsmanship combine to create today’s unforgettable invitations
Noon Jewelry and Paper Goods
TOOTHPASTE IS AN UNLIKELY SOURCE OF WEDDING STYLE, but that’s exactly where one bride found the perfect shade of green. She brought her tube to designer Erika Firm, president and founder of Delphine Press, who was able to custom match ink to the toothpaste to create the perfect color on the wedding invitations.
“That particular invitation stands out because the object to match was so random,” says John Arquette, vice president of Delphine. “The green was paired with a silvery grey and the invitation suite was a fairly traditional design, which was a cool contrast to the colors and the way in which they were chosen.”
Arquette’s client is just one example of many brides finding inspiration outside of books and magazines. For them, unique style and color are must-haves when designing their wedding invitations.
BOLD COLOR
Brides are no longer opting for the quiet, muted colors traditionally associated with weddings. According to Kelley Lilien, owner and designer at Pink Dot Press, people love unexpected color combinations—including fun colors such as curry, eggplant and beet. “I just did a save-the-date using mint and mustard because the bride said those colors send her over the moon,” she says.
Well-known designers are also influencing color trends, says Kenny Bartlett, manager of Seaside Papery. Lilly Pulitzer’s recently launched wedding invitation collection, for instance, features her signature vivid color and pattern combinations, while Vera Wang’s collection features Tiffany blue, red, mango orange and steel blue. Bartlett sees other designers following suit.
CUSTOM STYLE
Colors, enclosures and embellishments run the gamut, and custom design allows the couple to create an invitation uniquely theirs. Lilien has even printed on thin pieces of wood. “Whether the client is classic, green or totally out-of-the-box wild, the central theme is the same,” she says.
“People want a handcrafted feel that is modern in taste and style.”
Elizabeth Seaton, owner of Posh Paperie, agrees. Many of her clients are asking for a “vintage meets modern” style, blending classic fonts and monograms with contemporary color combinations.
GREEN DESIGN
For many designers, a handcrafted feel goes hand-in-hand with environmentally friendly invitations. “More people are raising the issue of eco-friendly invitations,” says Arquette. “Couples like to hear that it’s cotton paper and soy ink.”
High-quality green materials are easier to come by than in years past, he adds, and more vendors are providing recycled-paper products that have a more polished appearance. In any case, using recycled or cotton-fiber paper and soy- or vegetable-based ink isn’t the only way to create environmentally conscious invitations. “My clients are concerned with being conservative in terms of paper usage,” Lilien says. “They are using tear-off pieces rather than a bunch of separate cards.”
Going green, of course, doesn’t mean you have to forgo style. Letterpress may be a centuries-old print process, for instance, but today’s designers are still using it to create savvy, contemporary
invitations on high-quality, eco-friendly materials.
Classic, modern or toothpaste green—regardless of today’s style trends, brides frequently have very specific ideas about color and design, says Arquette. “Often she’s had something in mind for years and years, and she wants what she wants.”
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