Baby shower brunch inspiration

When Brittany Williams, a good friend I've met through this amazing creative entrepreneur community asked if I'd design an invitation set for another creative friend of ours, Christina Frederick - I was overjoyed! You see, Christina is probably one of the sweetest, most genuine ladies I've met and she has had a tough journey to motherhood so this baby was a true blessing from God. You can read more about her pregnancy journey and announcement in her blog post here.

The theme for Christina's shower was a "blueberry brunch" because Britt had heard that Christina LOVED blueberry pancakes during her pregnancy! Also, Christina didn't divulge the gender of the baby before the shower (spoiler - we were some of the first to find out it was a BOY at the shower!) so we kept the invitation pieces gender neutral with pinks, blues and florals. The soft watercolor and touches of gold were the perfect additions! 

Hostesses: Brittany Williams (Butter Artistry); Jessica Gentry (Feather Thread); mama-to-be Christina Frederick (Christina Leigh Events); Meggie Mangione (Organized Life Design) and Selby Bush.

Vendor Love:

Florals: Bramble and Bee

Cake + Bites: Buttercup Bakery

Invitation + signage: nine0nine creative 

6 ways to preserve handwriting

I don't know about you, but my grandmother had beautiful handwriting (it was cursive, y'all) and so does my mom. I have very neat handwriting but its not stop-and-stare pretty like theirs is. So I've recently been on a mission to find ways to preserve their handwriting and I came up with the following list! I'd love to hear any other ideas y'all might have - share in the comments! 

Tea Towels

These tea towels would be so fun to use for old recipe cards that have been passed down from generation to generation! I love things that are both functional and meaningful! 

Image courtesy of Nesting Project

Wedding Invitation Plaque

Well, y'all knew I couldn't include a blog post about preserving handwriting without including a unique way to preserve your wedding invitation! I love how personalized these plaques are!

Photo courtesy of 2 chic chicks

Necklace 

Now here is something I'd like as a gift at some point - a necklace featuring my kids handwriting. If anyone happens to know my husband - feel free to send the message along! 

Photo courtesy of IME Jewelry

Christmas ornament 

In our family, Christmas ornaments are collected on every single trip we go on and its such a special keepsake and makes decorating our tree full of memories every year. So, of course I loved the idea of adding a handwritten ornament to our tree! 

Photo courtesy of Make Things Lovely

DIY serving platter 

This seems like a pretty easy DIY project to either use or display in your home. You can find the full tutorial over on the Reluctant Entertainer's blog! 

Photo courtesy of Reluctant Entertainer

Handwritten note

Now, I have saved the most important for last. These are what really spurred this post. Last November, I made a pledge to hand write a note every day to someone I was grateful for. Not only was it special for the recipient to receive but it allowed me a moment every day to reflect on how many people have touched my life. I also make my children write thank you notes because I want to instill in them a sense of gratitude. 

Amanda and Daniel | Houston Wedding Invitation Suite

From the moment I met Amanda, I knew we were going to be a great match! She was warm, friendly and knew she wanted typography to be the main design detail for her custom wedding invitations. Amanda and Daniel are high school sweethearts and planned the most perfect Houston wedding with the ceremony taking place at St. Michael's Catholic Church and reception following at the beautiful Lakeside Country Club. Amanda was referred to me from my friend Meredith of Cake and Confetti, and I loved working on her full invitation suite and day-of paper goods. 

Isn't the marble envelope liner and soft velvet ribbon dreamy? Also, navy is one of my most favorite colors to work with. It paired so nicely with the pale blue as well. 

I'm so thankful that Amanda trusted me to brand her entire wedding - from the menu cards to the adorable matchboxes that had Amanda and Daniel's custom wedding monogram foil stamped on them!

Interested in ordering this suite? See all the details here!

Wedding Stationery 101 | Invitation Designer vs. Big Box Sites

I will be the first to say that planning a wedding is INCREDIBLY overwhelming. There are so many decisions to be made that it can feel never ending. I'm hoping this blog post will help you decide what the right path is when selecting wedding invitations. 

The very first question you need to ask is: what kind of experience is important to you in working with a stationer? Do you want the personalized experience of working with an independent designer or a less personalized experience with a big-box store? There are advantages of each option.

The Pros: Big Box

If having a custom wedding invitation that is designed especially for you isn't a high priority, you might consider a big-box store or site. One of the main advantages of choosing a bigger company is that you’ll be able to see your invitation the exact way it will be printed and sometimes the cost is less to have foiling because the store uses the same die (the plate that is used for foiling and letterpress) over and over again and so they will not have to charge you for a custom die.

The Cons: Big Box

However, there might be fewer options to customize your design, such as changing the colors and switching out fonts. For example, with companies like Minted, you can pick from a ton of design options, and it’s cheaper, but you may have to format the invitation yourself. The other potential downside is the lack of one-on-one personal attention like providing a sample of your invitation to your photographer to be sure its photographed on your wedding day. 

The Pros: Independent Stationer

With an independent stationer, you’re going to get much more of a personalized experience.

• You’ll have consistent contact with one person throughout the whole process to address any questions or concerns that arise. 
• You can feel the paper and explore the different print options.
• The stationer will also work through what to order and when, design your wedding stationery, work with you on design edits and handle the printing of everything.
• This kind of individualized experience creates a personal connection with how your wedding suite is going to be made.

Also, with a small company, you’ll have more options for customization, but—and here’s the potential downside—it may come with a slightly bigger price tag. That said, you might want an independent stationer even if you’re not creating a custom design just because you really want that personal experience in which you interact with a person and help a small business grow!

Stick around and check out some of my recent custom work below!

The Madelyn Suite

The Rachel Suite

The Kimberly Suite

Pottery Barn | Thanksgiving Styled Shoot with Deckled Edge Tutorial

I don't know about y'all, but I could pretty much live in a Pottery Barn store. So it was like my dream come true when Christina at Christina Leigh Events asked if I wanted to be a part of a Thanksgiving styled shoot she was planning for Pottery Barn!

When we designed this tablescape, we wanted to show that you can have an elegant Thanksgiving table without it feeling overly formal. Personalized place cards and menus for your guests make them feel extra special. Using organic floral arrangements and textured chargers and napkin rings add layers and depth to the setting which all come together for a warm and inviting table that your guests definitely won't want to leave!

Maggie with Bramble and Bee really knocked it out of the park with the arrangements - I love all the fall colors!

To accentuate the already gorgeous Thanksgiving place setting, I designed deckled edge (translation: torn edge) menus with cranberry wax seals. Keep scrolling for a quick tutorial on how to make your own deckled edge menus for Thanksgiving in just a few minutes! 

Here's how YOU can make deckled edge cards right at home in three easy steps!

1. Start with watercolor paper (like this) and PRINT your desired design before working on the edges

2. Use a bone folder (found here) - this is an optional tool but SUPER helpful and a ruler to make a crease along the edge of the paper (see video below - don't mind the crooked line I made!) Fold the paper back and forth over the crease about 4 or 5 times.

3. CAREFULLY tear the paper on the crease starting at the top. It should leave you with a gorgeous deckled edge!

For a fun touch, you can add a wax seal - I ordered mine from Get Marked and was really pleased with the quality. They also offer a wax spoon which makes things easier. This tutorial is very helpful in dealing with wax seals. A quick side note: if you want to re-use the seal or are worried about putting it directly on your project, you can stamp on wax paper, let the seal cool and then peel off and use double sided tape to adhere in the desired area!

Some super talented creatives that took part in this shoot - from left, Jenny with A Fine Flourish, Courtney with Courtney Leigh Photography, Christina with Christina Leigh Events, me, and Butter makeup artist. 

PS aren't these marble place cards GORGEOUS?! You can usually source these at a local tile shop or on Etsy then have a local calligrapher (like Jenny!) letter on them! 

Vendor Love:

• Planner + designer of tablescape: Christina Leigh Events
• Menu and registry card: nine0nine creative
• Photography: Courtney Leigh Photography
• Florals: Bramble and Bee
• Desserts: Dolce Vita 
• Place card tiles: A Fine Flourish
• Table runner: House of Hough
• Place settings: Pottery Barn

Halloween | Free Printables

For us Texans, its sometimes hard to get in the Fall mindset as the temps are still in the 80's and 90's most days. I joke that I want to come up with a Southern fall clothing line that would consist of shorts, tank tops, sleeveless dresses, etc. all in fall colors - I think it would really sell!

Even if the weather doesn't make me feel like it, designing these free Halloween printables sure put me in the Fall spirit. Not to mention my kids have been deciding and re-deciding what they want to dress up as for Halloween every.single.day! So, I decided a Halloween countdown would be a perfect printable so they know exactly how many days are left until that most prized holiday! Those pumpkins are new from Target. I made the wreath from this tutorial and added that cute ghost plaque from Hobby Lobby a few years ago (I die cut our last name with my silhouette and white vinyl). Download free Halloween countdown here!

I also love banners of any shape and style so I thought it would be fun to design a little circle Halloween banner! To make it a tiny bit easier - I sized the circles to be exactly 2.5 in. and you can order a circle hole punch from Amazon here for $13  (or pick one up with a coupon at Jo-Anns!) that makes die cutting this cute banner a cinch! (its not an affiliate link - I just figured I'd save you the hassle of googling for it!) A side note when assembling - punch two holes in the top to string it, otherwise the little circles won't sit straight.  Download free banner here!

And let's be real, Halloween is a fun kids holiday but I also love to put a little "adult juice" in my cup as we go trick or treating! So I also created these fun drink stickers - "I'm just here for the Boos". You can also print on regular paper (this was orange card stock) and fun zig zag scissors to cut them out, then use double sided tape to adhere to your glass. 

Download free drink printable here!

Happy Halloween from my family to y'alls! 

Download Halloween countdown here.

Download Halloween banner here.

Download Halloween drink stickers here. 

Wedding Stationery 101 | Foil stamping wedding invitations

I thought y'all might be interested in what goes on behind the scenes of one of the fine print methods used for wedding invitations that's so popular right now, foiling. I currently offer a wide range of foil options: gold, silver, champagne, white, rose gold and holographic. 

Incorporating foil really takes invitations to the next level as it sets the tone for a luxe, intentional event. Foil is a great option if you'd like to use a dark paper, like navy or black, because the foil is completely opaque and no actual ink is used. Foiling provides a metallic shine that letterpress and engraving really can't deliver. 

I used champagne foil to complement the gorgeous lettering on this wedding invitation. 

I used holographic foil on this fun 30th birthday invitation.

Due to how labor intensive and custom this process is, foiling can get expensive. A custom die has to be made for every project I design - unlike the big box stores who can reuse a die over and over again because it doesn't have anything personal to the couple on it, like their names. Often, foiling is used in combination with flat printing which adds an extra step into the process. 

The custom crest, names and thistle were all foiled in this stunning suite. Photo by Lindsey Larue Photography

My go-to foil stamper, Neal McEwan with McGraphics, shared this about the process of foil stamping. 

The basic concept behind foil stamping is simple. The process is achieved when a die is mounted on a plate and heated. Foil is then placed between the die and the material to be imprinted. When the die presses against the foil, the heat releases the coloring layer from the foil roll and binds it to the end product.

This video was created by Invitations by Ajalon. 

I'd love to visit with you about foiling your next big invitation! 

Katelyn and Sean | Houston Wedding Invitations

Creating custom wedding invitations for a couple gives me the opportunity to bring their ideas to life. Also, invitations set the tone for guests and allow them a glimpse of what to expect on the big day. Nothing gives me greater joy than a bride who is excited about all things wedding paper! 

From the instant that Meredith with Cake and Confetti introduced us, I knew that Katelyn would be my ideal client. She had a definite vision and I knew we would want to give guests a preview of it with the wedding invitation suite. Both Katelyn and her husband Sean have strong Scottish heritage which they reflected in almost every detail of their wedding: tartan ties and ribbon, thistle in the bouquets, and Scottish traditions during the ceremony. 

We tied this into the invitations by creating a custom hand drawn crest on the invitation and incorporating a thistle on the response card. It was truly a classic design while still nodding to the wedding's theme. Katelyn chose beautiful luxe double thick paper and envelopes, gold foil printing and beautiful typography. She knew the invitation would set the tone for her whole wedding and she chose each element perfectly to reflect their vision.

I loved creating this invitation for Katelyn and Sean, but loved seeing how it tied into their actual day even more. I feel like we nailed it after looking through all the photos of their lovely wedding at The Astorian in the Houston Heights! 

Wedding photography: Haskell Photography

Styled paper photography: Lindsey LaRue

Wedding venue: The Astorian

Wedding coordination: Cake and Confetti 

Wedding Stationery 101 | A guide to invitation wording

One of my favorite things about being a wedding invitation designer is how creative I get to be in all facets of the design. From choosing the right color palette, to the right font, to the right number of pieces for your suite, to the print method used. We get to create something that is inexplicably “you" and that is one of the major differences between working with a designer versus ordering from a big box store.

Something that my clients don’t always realize is that the actual words on the invitation can and should be customized as well. There are so many options available, and the wording can really set the tone for your wedding day so guests have an idea of what to expect when they arrive.

There are some basics that you will want to include no matter what: the location of the ceremony, the date and time of ceremony, and where the reception will be. But there are so many different ways to introduce these details.

Photo by Stacy Anderson Photography

A few questions to consider:

• Who is hosting? One set of parents or both? Or maybe it’s you, the couple.
• Do you want to use your full names, including your middle names or just keep it simple?
• Is the location difficult to get to? Do you want to use an enclosure card to share a map and directions?
• Do you have a wedding web site? A good place to include this is also on the enclosure card. 
• Are there any special details or instructions guests should know about your venue or the wedding itself? For example, is it an adults only event? We can totally work that in too!

Photo by Kortney Boyett Photography

Traditional invitations typically stick closely to the rules of etiquette. In this situation, the bride's parents may host and we would use language like "Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hunt request your presence at the marriage of ..." This type of invitation typically has the date and time spelled out rather than using numerals and the language is a bit more formal. These are perfect for your wedding if you're hoping for something elegant and classic.

Photo by Kortney Boyett Photography

I've also created invitations for more laid-back affairs, where the bride and groom just invited their guests however felt right to them. Maybe, "Together with their families" or "Please join Krista and Sam as they begin a joyous new chapter in their lives". Sometimes this is an easier way to write an invitation because it can be straight from your voice as a couple.

We can make something as formal as a dinner at the White House or as casual as a picnic in your backyard. There is no right or wrong way to do word your wedding invitation and I'm here to help along the way! 

Valentine's Day | Free Printable

Its only two weeks away y'all! My husband and I don't really do anything big for Valentine's Day but we do have a journal that we write in to each other on special occasions and I love flipping back through it to relive some of our treasured moments together!

Obviously, I also love creating fun, unique Valentines for my kids to take to their classmates. I try and design around something that is not candy because let's face it - they get SO.MUCH.CANDY on Valentines Day! You can check out this blog post to see some of the fun ideas I've created for my kids AND Annie's birthday party from last year. Her 4th birthday party is coming up this Saturday and I can't wait to share all that is Peppa Pig with y'all! 

But without further adieu - here is this year's FREE Valentine's printable! 

Interested in previous Valentines that I've designed for my kids? Check out this post! 

Custom holiday card round up 2016

I know this is a tad late but I figured better late than never, right?! I hope your holiday season was wonderful! I wanted to take a second and share some of the custom holiday cards I created for my sweet clients this year! I still can't believe the holidays are all over - can y'all? I'm pretty sure we had 2 cold days total in Houston - the rest of the time we were in shorts and t-shirts!  

I know that it is probably so easy to go on Tiny Prints, Minted or Shutterfly and order holiday cards - but I'm so thankful for my clients that want a little more personal experience when ordering.. Not only are they supporting this dream of mine, but they also get to tweak every detail of their card. I don't know about y'all, but I keep every.single Christmas card we receive every year! If anyone has a good suggestion on how to organize these - I'm all ears! 

So without further ado - below is a snapshot of some of my favorite custom Christmas cards that I designed this year!

I've worked on a few projects for this sweet family and was so thrilled when Kate asked me to design their Christmas card. The photos were taken by a long time friend of both of ours, Meredith Flaherty Photography. 

Lyndsay and I were sorority sisters at Texas Tech - isn't her daughter Parker Ann the sweetest?! And those beach photos - they definitely made designing so easy!

Norhill Realty is one of my favorite clients because I always get to design fun, cocktail themed holiday party invitations! This year's watercolor Christmas martini might be my favorite!

These sweet kids are like my second set of children. Its always such an honor to design for dear friends!

Jen, the momma of those adorable boys, knew exactly what she wanted the design of her holiday card to look like - clean and festive. We were both so pleased with the final result!

I loved getting to design this holiday card + adoption announcement for darling Joyce and her sweet dads! 

Ashley always has the best ideas for her holiday cards and this year was no different! I love the unique color palette we chose and the fun wording!

I've known this sweet family since before they were even a couple! I loved getting to design not only their Christmas card but also precious Ellie's birth announcement that was on the back! 

Staci had a BUNCH of photos she wanted to share of her sweet boys so I made sure to create a format that allowed for four photos on the front and five on the back! 

Sunset and hexagon inspired wedding | Styled Shoot

When Samantha of Plan our Day asked me to be a part of a styled shoot with a color palette focused around sunset colors I was ecstatic! Then she mentioned that the photographer would be a friend, the ever talented Becki of Smith House Photography, I knew that this was going to be an amazing shoot. 

I knew I wanted to do a die cut for the wedding invitation and incorporate the hexagon shape on the response card as well. This was the first shoot that I got to work with my new favorite calligraphy and friend, Catrina of Camel and Birdie. She is the most giving, gracious soul and I thank God our paths have crossed on this crazy journey. Catrina lettered the bride and grooms names and then I incorporated them in the design. She also hand addressed the main and response envelopes. 

By now, y'all know I love a beautiful envelope liner and this gold shimmery hexagon paper did not disappoint! Vintage stamps and gold wax seals are a close second as well. 

Isn't this bouquet stunning? Amanda with Amanda Bee Floral had such a gorgeous vision for all of the florals. 

Huge thanks to the amazing vendors that made this shoot possible:

• Planning and overall vision: Plan our Day
• Invitation and menu design: nine0nine creative
• Photography: Smith House Photography
• Calligraphy: Camel and Birdie
• Florals: Amanda Bee Floral
• Venue: 1111 Studewood
• Cocktails: Tipsy Dessert Bar
• Linens: EB Inc

Melissa and Corey | Beach Wedding Invitations

It's such an honor to get to be a part of my client's wedding day - but its even more special when I have a personal connection to the bride or groom. That was the case for Melissa and Corey - I have known Melissa since 2007 as her older sister, Amber, was my college roommate. (RMFL!) I was thrilled when Melissa contacted me to work on her wedding invitations. 

When we started to talk about design, Melissa asked if we could incorporate a hot air balloon because her super romantic fiancee had proposed on a hot air balloon ride! 

The watercolor background on the details card may be my favorite design element - I love how it makes it feel beach-y. 

Isn't this ceremony setting just dreamy?! The couple wed at Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort.

I love all the thought that Melissa put into the beautiful details of her big day - don't you??

Invitation photos taken by Stacy Anderson Photography.

Wedding day photos take by Arann Weatherman Photography.

Peyton turns 6 | Ninja Birthday Party

I had the pleasure of working with Kristen from Signature Occasions recently on a really fun ninja/Ninjago themed birthday party invitation to celebrate Peyton turning six.

I enlisted the help of the ever talented Lisa from Maple and Love to create the custom fortune cookies, complete with a custom message inside. The Ninjago themed fortune cookie boxes were assembled and then placed into slightly bigger white square boxes to be mailed to guests. I absolutely adore the end result, don't you? Below are some of the fun photos from the event. 

Ninjago Cake from The Cake Diva

The birthday boy on the right striking his best ninja pose.

Food table set-up provided by Fresh Cut.

All photos by Alan Creel Photography.

5 tips to be an Organized Bride | Guest Post by Organized Life Design

I'm so thrilled to welcome Meggie Mangione from Organized Life Design to the blog today! Meggie and I met through the Houston chapter of Rising Tide Society's TuesdaysTogether and I feel so lucky to call her a friend and colleague. Meggie is sharing 5 practical tips on how to stay organized as a bride and I think you'll find her advice most useful! 

When a four year old boy points to you and says “prin-thess” - I can promise you it will be the Best Day Ever. Oh yeah, and the new adoring hubby was totally icing on the cake. I would relive that day over and over and over again. The tears, the kisses, the laughter, the memories, the love. *sigh* 

Photo courtesy Meggie Mangione. Ashley Bosnick Photography

What part didn’t I love about marrying the best guy on the planet? The PLANNING a wedding part. Seriously, hard pass on that process ever again. 

Here are five tips to keeping your sanity (and your fiance’s) in check. 

1. Keep all of “yo stuff” in one place (and make it a big place) - binder/suitcase/storage bin - just keep it all together and as “organized” as your tolerance level can handle. This includes the venue brochures, Grandma’s wedding shoes, that cake topper, all of it. 

2. Follow a to-do list timeline - my favorite (and easiest) was the TheKnot checklist (WeddingWire has one too) These list every possible to do item on a bride’s list from 18 months out to the day before. If there’s way more tasks included than you need to care about, make a good ol’ fashioned spreadsheet.

3. BUDGET. I know this sounds “unromantic” but unless you are a Kardashian, budget matters. Make one BEFORE you buy everything. Then update as you hire vendors and track deposits, payments and final balances due. I would also encourage you to share this with any ‘financial backers’ i.e. mom and dad or Grandma Betty, especially if they are footing majority of bill.  

4. Delegate. Yes, I used that word, control freak. You cannot do it all on your own and you shouldn’t have to! Ask your fiancé/MOH/MIL to take on a task or two. I’m not saying they have to choose your wedding cake design, but I’m sure they can stamp envelopes or help find bridesmaid dress options in your color scheme. 

Meggie and Salvatore and their wedding planner, Christina of Christina Leigh Events. Photo courtesy Meggie Mangione. Ashley Bosnick Photography

5. You must have Day Of Coordinator. Period. (If you can afford a Wedding Planner from the beginning, then yay!) You don’t want to be getting your makeup done and simultaneously worrying if the wedding cake was delivered yet or how to fit cousin Robbie’s uninvited “date” into the seating chart. Just trust me on this one. 

I can’t promise it won’t rain or that your Uncle Ned won’t get scotch drunk and do the worm. I can, however, promise if you do these five things you will not loose your mind during this process. 

My last piece of advice - on your wedding day, as often as you can, take a moment to pause and make a mental note of everything - the look on your spouse’s face as you walk down the aisle, the smell of your bouquet, the taste of your champagne and what you feel when you kiss for the first time as husband and wife. Soak it in so you can relive the Best Day Ever again and again. 

You can follow along with Meggie on Instagram and her web site - go say hello!

Wedding Stationery 101 | Envelope Sizing

This is the second installment of Wedding Stationery 101 - the first was about the various invitation print methods.

This is the second installment of Wedding Stationery 101 - the first was about the various invitation print methods. Before I started designing wedding stationery, the only envelopes I knew anything about were the ones with a "privacy liner" that my mom used to mail bills. Fast forward a few years and now I am well versed in all things envelopes - which is what I'm going to talk about today!

Lettering by my colleague and friend, Jenny of A Fine Flourish

These are the main sizes of envelopes used in wedding stationery:

• 4Bar - there are two options for response card envelopes, this is the smaller option that fits a 3.5x5 card
• A2 - this is the other response card envelope, slightly bigger that fits 4.25x5.5 
• A6 - this is the envelope I use for thank you notes, it fits a 4.5x6.25 card
• A7 - fits a standard 5x7 invitation and is typically used for outer envelope
• A9 - fits an oversized invitation or a folded piece of 8.5x11 paper
• Square - the most common size is 6x6 and it requires extra postage

There are also two main types of envelopes flap, pictured below.

Square flap

Square flap

Pointed flap 

European (pointed) flap

One envelope tradition that has seemed to become less and less common is the use of an outer AND inner envelope for even a formal invitation. Frankly, I'm totally fine with it as I think it was a little excessive. I'd much rather spend the money on beautiful calligraphy for the addressing! 

Father's Day | Free Printable

Well, as usual - I am last minute shopping for {insert whatever occasion here, in this case - Father's Day} and I got distracted perusing cards on Paper Source. I absolutely love that store. It got me to thinking I should design another free printable in case some of you need to just hit "print" on a card for Sunday. Let's face it - that will probably be the boat I'm in too so this was just as much for you as it was for me.  

Click here to download the card pictured above.

Update - as of the time of this post, I have secured a gift for my dad. Now, if I can just get my husband taken care of! 

Mother's Day | Free Printable and Giveaway

Wow! I can't believe Mother's Day is only about a week away - it totally snuck up on me this year! To the point, I still don't know what I'm giving my mom for Mother's Day! But, I thought I might help y'all out in the gift department with a free printable Mother's Day card AND a giveaway!  

One of my mom's ALL-TIME favorite Mother's Day gifts was this Canon photo printer and so I'm excited to be giving away a brand new one to one lucky winner! Its so simple to print photos directly from your camera's memory card. I'm using Rafflecopter to select a winner on Tuesday, May 3 and will announce the winner on my Instagram so be sure you're following along! There are two ways to enter - see the Rafflecopter box below for more details!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To download the 5x7 Mother's Day card pictured above, please click here.

5 Tips to Get Beautiful Detail Photos | Guest Post with Lindsey LaRue Photography

Hello Lovelies! I am so excited to be collaborating on a guest post with Ryann from the amazing nine0nine creative! I am Lindsey of Lindsey LaRue Photography and I photograph weddings and anniversaries for heartfelt couples who want to be an authentic example of love to those around them. The average bride spends months and months planning out the intricate details of their wedding, and if you are anything like them, you want to remember these details in ten, twenty, and fifty years! After the wedding, you won’t keep most of the little details that went into your day, but the photos taken will always attest to the loveliness of every detail. Do you also want your details photographed flawlessly? Then grab a pen and paper because today I’m sharing my top 5 tips to make it happens!

1. Have Your Details Ready

As a photographer, I hate when I have to pester a bride for all of her bridal details when I first arrive! You’re getting your hair and makeup done, enjoying time with your girls, and the last thing I want you to do is run around finding all your various details for me. Instead, it is so much better to have ALL your details organized and in one place so that you can just hand me a basket when I arrive. In the days before the wedding put all your details into the same basket and then have them ready for me when I arrive. Your shoes, jewelry, ALL the wedding rings, veil/hair pieces, sashes or ribbons, invitation/paper suite, and dress hanger should all be in the basket by your dress when I arrive. Also, if you want any other details (like your perfume or garters) captured, tuck those in the basket, too! This not only saves you stress, but it saves time on the wedding day so that I can spend more capturing your beautiful bridal details.

2. Plenty of Natural Light

The key to beautiful images is good light. In the ideal situation, you and your maids will be getting ready in a clean room with neutral colored walls and multiple windows that let in copious natural light. More than one window is key- if you and your hair/makeup artist are set up in front of the only window in the room, that means I can’t set up there for detail images. If necessary I will take your details out of the room and find another location with ideal lighting, but if your room has plenty of the natural light I need, this allows me to stay close by in case I see something wonderful to capture between you and your girls (a win-win!).

3. Coordinate With Your Florist

Don’t forget to have your bouquets and boutonnieres delivered to your bridal suite at the same time that I arrive! Details shots that incorporate your bouquet and bouts are so beautiful and I love when I get to capture your florals at their freshest! An extra tip that will take your detail images to the next level- ask your florist to include some loose greenery and florals that I can use to style the detail images. Your florist will almost always have a couple leftover stems that didn’t make it into the bouquets and these are great for me to use in styling your invitations or other details.

4. Provide Your Wedding Paper Suite

This is especially important if you are interested in having your wedding published online or in print- publishers LOVE a beautifully photographed invitation suite! To ensure that your photographer can fully capture your suite, provide two full sets that are addressed with dummy addresses. Don’t forget to include any other paper goods from the day, too! Ceremony programs, menus, seating cards, escort cards, and table numbers all contribute to the paper story of your day!

5. Make Time For Your Details

This is the most important tip that I can give you! My brides have excellent taste and setting up their details to capture them the best way takes time. I work closely with my brides and their planners so that I can have at least one hour of uninterrupted time to capture just the details. If set up properly in the timeline, I should be emerging from shooting the details just as your hair and makeup are nearly complete to capture your “getting ready”. 

If you keep these 5 tips in mind you will be well on your way to capturing your wedding day details in the most beautiful way!

To connect with Lindsey you can find her website HERE, and to follow along with her daily you can find her Instagram HERE.

Disney World Wedding Inspiration | Styled Shoot

When Heather, the very talented wedding planner of Heather Benge Events, approached me about creating wedding stationery for a styled shoot she had planned at Disney World, I jumped at the opportunity! I think my two favorite details from this suite have to be the letterpress envelope liner and the die cut Magic Kingdom belly band I created to go around the response card.

This shoot reminds me so much of Spring with the bright florals and table linens. I hope you enjoy!

Vendor Love:

• Photography: Cathy Durig Photographer
• Concept and design: Heather Benge Events
• Florals: Inna Olimpiyuk Events
• Stationery/paper goods: nine0nine creative
• Linens: House of Hough
• Wedding dress: Impression Bridal
• Venue: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort