Allison Barnhill Designs

Fa la la la la...

2009-12-16T12:39:00.003-05:00

...just wanted to share some more of our our holiday greeting card designs for this year. Hope the holiday rush isn't getting you down...just 9 more days until Christmas! Eek!

This holiday card is for one of our brides who keeps coming back every year for new designs. We joke because she usually takes my business holiday card from the previous year as design inspiration and just changes the colors. I think that is the best compliment! :)

I design the holiday cards for my twins' pre-school every year. Love this year's card!

Kimmy and Dan were just married in Disney and wanted to keep that fairy dust theme for their holiday cards too...enjoy!

Real Wedding - Kristen & Andrew - 09.12.09

2009-12-14T15:49:00.007-05:00

Kristen and Andrew were married on September 12th of this year at The River Plantation in Queenstown, Maryland. Some of you may remember their beautiful invitations with an ivory pearl folder and raspberry accents...the one with the big "F" on the monogram! Their accessories - program fans and table numbers - had the same monogram design and color scheme. Hope you enjoy these great pics from their big day. Thanks to Hamilton Photography for taking such awesome shots. Enjoy!

Happy Holly-Days!

2009-12-10T14:55:00.003-05:00

Grace and Garrett are getting married on December 19th and Grace wanted an invitation that really highlighted the holiday time of the year. This folder style invitation has a cranberry pearl folder, hunter green ribbon band and invite panel adorned with a custom holly leaf and berry design. With their wedding just over a week away and Christmas not far behind, this holiday inspired invitation should get you in the spirit! Enjoy!

Blast from the Past

2009-12-08T15:15:00.004-05:00

Jessica contacted us by email to design her wedding invitations. She and Charles are having a very small wedding ceremony on New Year's Day...so nice! :) Jessica saw our monogram overlay invitation on our old Handmade by Allison site. We haven't done this style for a client in a long time, so I was excited to revisit it...and freshen it up with a pretty turquoise color scheme. Congrats to Jessica and Charles and I hope they have a wonderful wedding...starting their new life together on New Year's Day...perfect! Enjoy!

Turquoise T's

2009-12-07T11:39:00.003-05:00

Teresa and Thomas are getting married next year in May at Celebrations at the Bay. Teresa wanted their turquoise color scheme to be highlighted on the save the date and really loved the "starfish holding hands" design that I had done for another client. We combined the card with a matching turquoise metallic envelope to make the perfect first impression for their guests. Looking forward to working on their pocket invite very soon! Enjoy!

Castle Corners

2009-12-04T14:15:00.003-05:00

Lara and Jim met with me a few months ago to discuss their wedding invitations. They are having a formal wedding at the Cloister's Castle on Valentine's Day and wanted an invitation that reflected the formality of the big day. We designed pocket invite in black with satin ribbon corners in cobalt blue. To highlight the castle theme, Lara wanted to include an image of a knight on the insert cards too. I love the look of this invite...especially how the blue pops...very striking! Enjoy!

Perfect Programs

2009-12-03T11:34:00.003-05:00

Erene and Michael were married just this past weekend on November 28th in Baltimore, Maryland. Erene and her mother met with me in early November and wanted the perfect square booklet style program...a 7x7 square. This was a new size for us and I'm so happy with the final product. Erene wanted a very classic look with ecru metallic cardstock and pages and tied with a black ribbon. So pretty! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Kate and Brady - 10.11.09

2009-12-02T14:47:00.004-05:00

Kate and Brady were married on October 11, 2009 in Millbrook, NY. Kate just sent me these great photos from the big day, and I couldn't wait to share. We designed all of her very classic wedding stationery...save the dates, invites, programs, place cards, favor tags and more! Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving...a little early!

2009-11-24T15:30:00.004-05:00

So, today is my last day in the studio before the Thanksgiving holiday. I plan to spend lots of time with the family...and away from the laptop. Let's see how long I last...does my blackberry count? Oh, well...I'll do my best.

To get you in the turkey mood, I wanted to share a Thanksgiving place card design with you. We have a long time client, Nancy, who lives in Ohio, that has us design place cards for her Thanksgiving and Hannakuh every year! We love getting to try out new ideas...and this year was no exception. Actually, Allie ended up using this design for her Thanksgiving with friends a few weekends ago!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Real Wedding - Brenda & Mario - 11/14/09

2009-11-23T16:04:00.005-05:00

As promised, Samara from By Design Events, sent me some phenomenal pictures from Brenda and Mario's big day. They were married at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I was so excited to see everything come together...including all our special touches. Special thanks to Kristen from Kristen Leigh Photography for making our work look SO good. Enjoy!

Congrats Brenda and Mario!

Wedding Joy in Jamaica

2009-11-19T10:16:00.004-05:00

Brenda and Mario were married on November 14th in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We loved designing their invitations and were so happy to work on the day of accessories too. Samara Mendoza from By Design Events was nice enough to stop by and pick everything up. I haven't heard from Samara how the big day went, so I'm hoping to get a full wrap up...and I can't wait to see pictures!! I'll be sure to share...in the meantime, enjoy these in studio pics of their menus, favor tags and place cards.

Save the Date Day!

2009-11-17T16:54:00.002-05:00

I have been in "meeting land" for the past few weeks...which is a good thing...because that means that it will be a great 2010! For a lot of the girls I meet with, the first piece of wedding stationery they want to tackle was the save the date. Save the dates are usually sent out 6 to 8 months prior to the big day and the designs vary just as much as the brides, grooms and their weddings! Below are a bunch of new designs we've had the pleasure of creating for 2010 brides. Enjoy!

Caitlin and Tim had these wonderful engagement photos and really wanted to highlight them on their save the date magnet. Love them!!

Colleen and Ryan wanted to bring a Celtic feel to their save the date, so we designed a custom "love knot" design for their save the date postcard.

This is a new save the date design that has a vellum overlay imprinted with Jodi and Luis' engagement photos. They were engaged on News Year Eve, so the fireworks were special to them both!

Finally, I just love this very elegant save the date for Jenifer and Rhoan's destination wedding in Jamaica. So pretty!

Sand Dollar Surprise

2009-11-16T16:17:00.006-05:00

Michel and Wayne were married on November 8th. We were honored that they came back to us to do some pretty table decor for their wedding. We loved designing their invite...here's the post...and the table numbers and escort cards did not dissappoint.

Their table number is a classic look -- with cranberry pearl backing, silver accents and includes their monogram and table number on the front. Their escort cards were a surprise for their guests...we tied sand dollars with the escort card, using a deep red ribbon. Love the look! And, I hear that they were hung on silver branches at the wedding...can't wait to see pictures! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Lauren and Robert - 09/26/09

2009-11-12T19:16:00.005-05:00

Yes, it's another real wedding for the week...we're so lucky to have received tons of great pro pics from our weddings...I just have to share!!!

Lauren and Robert were married on September 26, 2009 at St. Mary's Church in Annapolis and the reception followed at the Annapolis Yacht Club. I had so much fun working on the items for their wedding. I'm sure you'll remember their quick turnaround invitations and fun post with all the crab details.

Mike Busada from Mike B Photography took these phenomenal photos of the big day. I just love some of the unique shots with the wedding invitation and really, how cute are Lauren and Robert in this first photo?!?! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Stephanie & Jay - 09/06/09

2009-11-11T15:24:00.007-05:00

I'm SO excited about this real wedding post. Stephanie and Jay were married on September 6, 2009 in Big Sky, Montana. First let me say that Stephanie and Jay are the sweetest couple. In the span of the year, we must of exchanged hundreds of emails and phone calls. In the midst of a phone call, Allie and I mentioned how we thought this was going to be such a cool wedding and we'd love to come...Stephanie's response..."Sure, we'd love to have you!". Like I said, a great couple!

So, when I got the email from Stephanie last night with the link to her pro pics, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to dive into the details from their big day in Big Sky. And, oh boy, they are awesome! Their photographer is Larry Stanley - Montana Wedding Photographer. (Check out his two websites for his portfolio and resource site.) In a comment Stephanie made on Larry's blog she says that she knew from their first phone call that he was the perfect photographer for them. I think you will agree when you see all of the photos below.

A big thanks to Larry for responding to my request for photos in less than a day! You are phenomenal! :) And, Larry promises me a link to Stephanie and Jay's album, when it is complete, so I'll be sure to share that with you.

Finally, as you enjoy all of these pictures, you might remember some of our older blog posts with shots of Stephanie and Jay's save the date, invitation and other details. We loved designing everything for their natural and elegant big day. Hope you like everything too! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Heather & Christopher - 10/09/09

2009-11-09T13:46:00.003-05:00

Heather and Christopher were married in Baltimore, Maryland on October 9, 2009. In addition to their awesome invitation (click here to see it), we designed their programs, table numbers, place cards, menus and lots of signs...even for the "King of Bling" (aka Heather's son). Below are a few pictures of their table numbers and programs. I'm also including two awesome pictures of the happy couple (from D Bryant Photo) -- we're designing thank you notes with these pics, as we speak! Enjoy!

In the details...

2009-11-07T12:46:00.005-05:00

Around the holidays...mid-December...we are going to rolling out a new website and blog! So exciting! Not to worry, it will have all the features you have come to love, but with a new look, lots more pictures and will be easier to navigate!!!! Wahoo!

I've been enlisting the help of my fav and fab photographer friend (say that three times fast), Jen Lowe, who has been taking awesome shots of my work, along with some fun detail shots of ribbon, cardstock and more! These detail shots are just so awesome that I couldn't wait to share! Here are two...but check back in December to see the new website and more of these great details. Enjoy!

Today's Tables

2009-11-05T16:19:00.003-05:00

Okay, if you are a regular follower of my posts, you have probably realized that I've been slacking this week. Sometimes life just gets the best of you, and I have to admit that I'm in the midst of 'life'. And this week, 'life' includes a sick child, my own sinus infection, serious lack of sleep and no studio manager (Allie is on vacay in Jamaica this week...so jealous!).

So, bear with me this week and I promise to have lots of new pictures and fun very soon! But, because I can't leave you with empty handed, today, I'm sharing some pictures of a few different tablescapes that we've helped decorate! A lot of these came from wedding shows and other events, so you might have not have seen them before...enjoy!

Puppy Love

2009-11-03T14:12:00.004-05:00

Kylie and Josh are friends of my cousin, Laura, so I was very excited when they came to me to design their wedding stationery. For their save the date, Kylie and Josh wanted to do a photo magnet with one of the pictures they took by the water with the pretty sunset behind them. Kylie emailed me some great pictures to choose from...but she did say that she really wanted to use one of the photos that had their puppy in it too! I couldn't dissapoint them...especially when there is a dog involved! Kylie came and picked up their save the dates this morning. She just loved them and I hope you do too! Enjoy!

One of those days...

2009-11-02T20:35:00.005-05:00

...when time just slips away and blogging happens at 9pm! Eek! But, the good news is that I do have a special invitation to share with you.

In addition to weddings, babies and birthdays, we do our fair share of corporate invitations. I've had the pleasure of designing many invitations for The Providence Center and their many events and fundraisers. The Providence Center provides services that allow individuals with disabilities to enjoy increased self-determination in leading a more independent, valuable and functioning role in society. As a parent of a child who was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, I am happy to support this wonderful organization.

Each year, The Providence Center has a donor appreciation event and we've designed the invitations for the last two years. Luckily, a former bride, JoAnne, works at The Providence Cetner and keeps me busy! :) This year's invite was a simple ivory pearl card with a delicate vine design in sage green with a brown border and text. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T11:29:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone has a spooky weekend!

Pumpkins from the Past

2009-10-29T14:42:00.004-04:00

Since there are just a few days until Halloween, I thought I would share some pro pics from Danielle and Robert's wedding that took place on October 18th of last year. Their wedding was held at the Ceresville Mansion and obviously, the theme of this wedding was pumpkins! :) I love all of the cute pumpkin details...we did a pretty pocketfold invite with a custom pumpkin monogram, place cards that were attached to mini-pumpkins, a folder style program and a coordinating table number too! Enjoy all of these festive photos!

Real Wedding - Nyya & Mike - 10/11/09

2009-10-28T10:19:00.003-04:00

It's a real wedding week here at Allison Barnhill Designs...I just got some awesome photos from Nyya and Mike. I just love how everything came together for their wedding. There were just so great touches -- like the hearts on the bottom of the girls shoes! Too cute! And, love the pics of our invitation, table number, Mr. & Mrs. signs and place cards. Thanks to Nyya for sending the photos and sharing her big day with us. Congrats!!

Real Wedding - Megan and Jon - 10/3/09

2009-10-27T16:05:00.004-04:00

Megan and Jon were married at Bel Air United Methodist Church and followed up with a reception at Pier 5 hotel on October 3rd. We loved her purple, light lime green and champagne color scheme. The invite was so pretty...click here to see the blog post. So, when Jen Lowe stopped by the studio today, I was very excited to hear that she had put photos up on her blog from this wedding! I have put a few below -- along with an awesome shot of our invite -- but if you want to see all of the pics, just go to Jen's post. Enjoy!

Picture Program

2009-10-26T19:07:00.003-04:00

I'm a little late on posting today...spent the afternoon at the pumpkin patch with the twins and hubby. But, I couldn't miss a day, so I'm sharing Amanda and Bobby's personal and pretty program. They were married this past weekend at Pintail Point at The River Plantation in Queenstown, Maryland. This layered style program included their gold leaf cardstock, ivory pages and a chocolate satin ribbon bow. The most important feature is the beautiful photo of Amanda and Bobby that is featured behind a layer of vellum on the front. What a great way to feature an engagement photo and provide a keepsake for wedding guests. Enjoy!

After the wedding...

2009-10-23T15:46:00.005-04:00

Some of you might not know that we can create custom thank you cards for after the wedding. A favorite with our clients is our photo thank you cards. Just send us your favorite wedding day photo and we'll add some text, your monogram or whatever you want to include. We can also do simple cards with your names or even your wedding monogram. Below are lots of new thank you card designs that we've been working on for the past few weeks! Enjoy!

Disney Day

2009-10-22T11:44:00.004-04:00

Kimmy and Dan were married this past weekend in Disney World! :) I'm so excited to share her Disney inspired wedding accessories. Some of you will probably remember their invitations, which were just so adorable...with the wand and fairy dust. So, we had to carry that design into their big day items. From the program to the menus, everying had the fairy dust. Even their table tents were named after rides in Disney World. I can't wait to see pictures from this wedding. I know it had to have been a fun wedding...and that Kimmy and Dan will "live happily ever after"...enjoy!

Minnesota Monogram

2009-10-21T15:45:00.004-04:00

Erin and David's wedding was on October 17th in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Some of you might remember how their wedding table names were Bob Dylan songs and that the response card had guests indicate whether a dance should be saved for them at the wedding. (Click here to see the post on their coordinating wedding invitations.) Loved this cute idea and couldn't wait to get my hands on the other wedding day accessories. Below are pics of their programs and place cards, which follow the same theme...enjoy!

Polka Dottin' Pink and Chocolate

2009-10-20T15:04:00.003-04:00

Mary and Dan are getting married in December at The Westin here in Annapolis, Maryland. When she came to me a few months ago, she saw another polka dot invite I had done and really liked it, but since the wedding is leaning a little more to the formal side, we decided to use the polka dots on the front, but keep the inside a little more formal. I really love the combination...and who doesn't love pink and chocolate together!?!? We are also doing a lot of custom embroidered pieces for Mary too -- I'll keep those items a surprise until her wedding -- but stay tuned for more details! Enjoy!

Island Influence

2009-10-19T16:08:00.003-04:00

Allison and Chris were married last month in Chester, Maryland and had the reception at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. Their accessories slipped off my radar...until today! I love Allison and Chris' colors and their invitations were just so cute! So, we had a great time designing their day of accessories. Even their table numbers had a cute twist with the ribbon knot and big starfish in the background...and they named their tables after islands. Oh, and the program fan was perfect for their wedding. Enjoy!

Fast Friday...Fan!

2009-10-16T16:40:00.003-04:00

So, I'm doing a fast post for this Friday. I just realized it's almost five and the day has slipped away. And, since it is such a rainy and cold day, I thought I would share Susan and Rob's fan program from their wedding last weekend. Hopefully, it makes you think of warmer and sunny days! Susan actually came to us "out of the blue" to make these fan programs. We altered our normal design slightly, to make a square style, which I have to admit, I really like! Hope you do too! Enjoy!

Chandelier Cheer

2009-10-15T14:36:00.004-04:00

Nyya and Michael were married this past weekend, so I can now share their wedding accessories! Some of you might remember their awesome invitations...complete with a vintage glam swirl design and of course, the chandelier. Well, we carried through the same feel to their programs, table numbers, menus and escort cards. I just love how it all came together! I even got a great note from their awesome wedding coordinator, Michele, of Michele Damon Events, thanking us for our work and gushing over the programs. And, I heard from Nyya's mom, Carole, that Nyya and Michael are having a great time on their honeymoon! So happy that we could play a part in their special day. Enjoy!

Ready for the Rehearsal?

2009-10-14T15:29:00.004-04:00

A lot of people ask me if we do rehearsal dinner invitations (and, to add to that list...brunch invitations, wedding announcements, shower invitations, etc.). The short answer is "YES"! We can design and make all of your wedding stationery (and non-wedding too!).

Here is an example of a rehearsal invitation we just did for Veronica and Jason. For those of you who don't remember their invitation (click here to see the blog post), it included a wine pocket and charcoal grey accents -- along with a pretty swirl design on the inside invite panel of the pocket. The rehearsal invite was a simpler version of the invite, using their colors and swirl design...and a postcard response for guests! Love the coordinating look! Enjoy!

Holiday Cards!!!

2009-10-13T14:40:00.005-04:00

Today has been a fun and festive day in the studio! We have spent the day designing each of our cards for the holiday season. While it might seem a little early, we're always SO busy in November that we thought we'd get a head start this year. AND, this means that we have some great new designs for all of you to order for your holiday cards. If you are interested in any of these designs or want us to create something perfect for you, just drop us an email (info@allisonbarnhilldesigns.com). Without further ado...here are some pics and a little insight into why it is perfect for each person! Enjoy!

My card says, "Spread the holiday cheer, one mailbox at a time". I thought this was perfect since I make invitations and stationery that show up in LOTS of people's mailboxes...and hopefully spread lots of cheer!

Allie and her hubby are avid sailors and LOVE the color blue. "High Tide. Low Tide. Yuletide." Seriously, it is perfect for them...and since today is their second anniversary...Happy Anniversary!

Kaitlin's card is too cute...love the pink and silver color scheme and how can you go wrong with mistletoe?!?

Amy's card features her adorable puppy, Riley, who is dressed up for the holidays! Awh!!!

Okay, this isn't for one of the girls in the studio, but I just had to do it...and yes, that is hanging on the tree!

And, finally, this one is for my mom...she has been asking me for YEARS to design her a Christmas card with a beach feel. She and my dad live at the beach year round and my mom relishes the fact that "it never snows at the beach". So, SURPRISE Mom!!! Just tell me how many you want!!! :)

Inspiration and fun courtesty of Envelopments, Inc.
Envelopments Original Artwork © 2009 Envelopments, Inc.

Classic..just classic...

2009-10-12T14:20:00.004-04:00

Kate and Brady were married this past weekend up in New York, so I can finally share their classic and beautiful wedding day accessories. (Check out their save the dates and invitations too!) First, the programs are a new design and I just love it! It's a smaller booklet size with a foldover backing and a pretty bow. All of their table decor - menus, escort cards and table numbers -- followed the same gold and ivory color scheme. Can't wait to see pictures from this wedding...sure to be a show stopper! Enjoy!

Pocketful of Plum

2009-10-09T11:59:00.003-04:00

Jessica and Matt are getting married on January 2, 2010...what a festive weekend for a wedding! I've had the pleasure of meeting with Jessica and her mom, the awesome, Christi Rogers from Travel Bug, a few times in preparation for the big day. They just came in on Monday to pick up the invitations and talk about all of their day of accessories. These pocket invites are plum purple, lavender and have accents of a champagne gold color. I think they turned out beautifully and can't wait to work on the rest of the items for Jessica and Matt. Enjoy!

Monogrammed Moment

2009-10-08T14:56:00.005-04:00

Meghan and Dominick were married on September 19th in Boardman, Ohio. We loved designing their "Cafe Mocha" invitatations and were so happy that they came back for their day of accessories. The entire feel of Meghan and Dominick's wedding is classic. So, for their day of stationery, we used a simple ivory cardstock and incorporated their very traditional monogram design to each item. The program, place cards and even the "lovely" table names all had their monogram in a simple espresso brown color. Enjoy!

Crabby "K"

2009-10-07T15:41:00.004-04:00

Hopefully, you remember Lauren and Robert's "triple surprise" invitation post from back in August. Well, their wedding day has come and gone and I can finally share the pics of their day of accessories. First of all, I LOVE this crabby K design and how it evolved from the single crab design on their invite. On the invite, we used one crab...on the day after brunch invite, we used two crabs next to each other and then on the day of accessories the two crabs are holding the hanging "K". Too cute! Lauren actually used this design on their favor -- a beer koozie. I can't wait to see the pro pics from this wedding. In the meantime, here are a few shots of the items we did for them. Enjoy!

Winter Wishes

2009-10-06T12:07:00.003-04:00

Some of you might remember Lisa and Robert's penguin save the date magnet. Well, we just finished their winter inspired wedding invitation and I have to admit that the penguin did have a return appearance...on their insert cards! But, the overall look of the invitation is very classic with white pearl pocket and insert cards, which almost look icy with the delicate snowflake details. I love the pop of red...perfect for a December wedding! Enjoy!

Washington Wrap Up

2009-10-05T17:04:00.004-04:00

The Washington Bridal Showcase was yesterday...what a great day! We had so many brides, grooms and families stop by our booth and were so flattered by all the wonderful compliments on our work. It really makes 6 hours on your feet well worth it! :) Thanks to everyone who came to visit...we can't wait to work with you on your wedding stationery.

And, since I try not to leave you without a picture, here is a thank you note we just did for Melissa and Ryan. So, I thank you with thank you! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Allison & Andrew - 09.12.09

2009-10-02T15:02:00.005-04:00

Allison and Andrew were married on September 12, 2009 at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. We were honored to design their invitations, programs, place cards, table numbers and cake signs...and we are doing their thank you notes too! When I saw that DBryant Photography had taken their photos, I was so excited!! Below are some of my fav shots of our work. And, I'm adding a sneak peek at the photo Allison and Andrew are using for their thank you. It's such an awesome shot and just so dramatic. Enjoy!

Washington Bridal Showcase this Sunday!

2009-10-02T12:31:00.001-04:00

Looking forward to seeing you at the Washington Bridal Showcase, this Sunday, October 4th, from 11am to 5pm at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel. Check out this website for more information.

Bright Beginnings!

2009-09-30T11:50:00.001-04:00

Kelly and Tommy met with me a few weeks ago and they really brightened my day! Not only are they just a fun and wonderful couple, but their wedding colors are bright and happy...lime green, orange, fushcia and touches of yellow. I had such a blast designing their fun save the date and can't wait to get my hands on their invite design. Hope this brightens your day too! Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Diana & Jon - 09.06.09

2009-09-29T14:10:00.004-04:00

Diana and Jon got married earlier this month in Washington, DC. I was so excited when Diana emailed me the link to these awesome pics from their photographer, Pamela Lepold. There are just so many great detail shots of our work...not to mention of the bride and groom! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...enjoy!

What a cool picture!!

Our place cards hanging from the pretty branches

The most important place card...

Love this pic of our invite in the branches

...and the inside of the invite

How great is it that the flower we used on all of their stationery was used on the cake too!

The happy couple...congrats Diana and Jon!

"B"eautiful Day!

2009-09-28T14:39:00.003-04:00

Rekiya and Terrance got married on September 12th and when Rekiya emailed me about thank you notes last week, it reminded me that I hadn't yet blogged about their wedding day accessories! We had the pleasure of desiging their invitations too, so I was excited to get my hands on their programs, table numbers and place cards too! Overall, we kept the same look -- incorporating their monogram design and especially the "B", along with the ivory pearl, champagne and coral color scheme. Love the simple and elegant look. Enjoy!

Real Wedding - Kim & Jake

2009-09-25T15:35:00.004-04:00

Allison asked me to write the blog post for today since I was a guest at Kim & Jake's wedding a few weeks ago. For those of you that don't know - I'm Allie - the Studio Manager, and I've been friends with Kim & Jake for years. I was really excited when I found out that Jake & Kim were getting engaged...although it was a hard secret to keep from Kim. We happened to be at dinner the night that Jake asked Kim's parents for their permission to marry their daughter....and it was painful to keep quiet about it that night!

I was so excited when Kim asked us to design her save the dates, invitations, and paper accessories for their special day. Kim was so organized (being a wedding coordinator for the Marriott in Annapolis certainly helps) that she knew exactly what she wanted from the beginning. We incorporated her green, yellow, and blue color scheme throughout her paper products. I was so happy to get the opportunity to see our work on the big day, since we normally don't.

Here are a few pictures that I took of the wedding, along with some professional shots from Egomedia Photography. Kim used some of our favorite vendors on her big day, to include Wedding Savvy and Amie Decker and her glam squad.

Thanks again Kim & Jake for letting us be a big part of your special day. Wishing you health, wealth and happiness in your new married life together!

Autumn Gold

2009-09-24T11:45:00.003-04:00

Amanda and Bobby came to us for invitations for their Autumn wedding at Pintail Point at The River Plantation. They loved the pocket idea and wanted to incorporate light gold, chocolate and a terracotta-ruby color. This invite has such a warm feel. It's accented with a beautiful light gold Swarovski rhinestone on the monogram tag, which adds a bit of sparkle to an already pretty invite. Enjoy!

Boarding to Bermuda

2009-09-23T15:33:00.003-04:00

We had the pleasure of meeting Emmy at the Baltimore Bridal Showcase...when she fell in love with one of our pocket invitiations...you'll have to stay tuned for that design. But first, Emmy and Ken needed save the dates. While they were here at the studio, they saw a magnet design we did for another couple that was a boarding pass. Well, the creative juices started flowing and we put together this boarding pass to their wedding locale...Bermuda. I wanna go! :) Touches of sand, coral and chocolate really add to the pretty look of this save the date. Emmy is picking these up tonight, so shhh...don't spoil the surprise! Enjoy!

Holding Hands

2009-09-22T15:14:00.004-04:00

Allison and Andrew came to us to design their starfish inspired invitation. (Click here to see the blog post.) So, when they came back to have us do their wedding day accessories, of course, we were happy to oblige. For the accessories, Allison had seen a blog post with my "starfish holding hands" design. She wanted to incorporate that into her programs, table numbers, signs, etc. We were happy to switch up her monogram a bit. I love how the slight change made a huge difference, but also gave a very coordinated look. Can't wait to see pics from their big day! Enjoy!

On September 21, 2002...

2009-09-21T15:02:00.002-04:00

...I got married! I spent the months leading up to the big day cutting, gluing and ribbon tying -- favors, place cards, programs, menus, table numbers...you name it, I made it. And, as most of you know, that inspired me to begin Allison Barnhill Designs. So, seven years has flown by...the business has grown by leaps and bounds, my hubby and I have five year old twins, a pug and a very full life. I thought for today's post, it would be fun to look back on my big day...and see how far we've come! :) Here's hoping you look back on your big day and feel the same way! Enjoy!

Fairy Tale Wedding

2009-09-17T14:33:00.004-04:00

Katie and Jason came to me upon a recommendation from another client...specifically, because they are getting married in Disney and saw a previous clients' Disney invite. When Katie came into the studio, she knew exactly what she wanted...the Disney invite with the fairy wand and pixie dust. This is the same overall design as the original with the new colors and text...voila...perfection! So, here is to Katie and Jason's fairy tale wedding and hoping a little pixie dust makes their day sparkle! Enjoy!

"F" is for...

2009-09-16T11:52:00.002-04:00

...fabulous, fuchsia and Farina! Kristen and Andrew (now Mr. & Mrs. Farina) got married this past weekend and we had the pleasure of designing their invitations and day of accessories. Below are some pics of their fans and table numbers...love the colors and designs for these fresh and fabulous accessories. Okay, there are a lot of "F's" but it works! Enjoy!

Jessica & Brandon - 8.29.09

2009-09-15T19:19:00.006-04:00

We were so happy to design Jessica and Brandon's save the date and invitation (check out the invitation blog post here). So, when I found out that phenomenal and very busy, Jen Lowe was the photographer for their wedding, I couldn't wait to see pictures...and hope that there were a few detail shots of our invite. And, of course, Jen never fails! Take a look at these great shots of the couple, bridal party (notice the invite matches the bridesmaid dresses perfectly) and a few invite detail shots. Congrats to Jessica and Brandon...and thanks again to Jen. Enjoy!

Cute couple, huh?

Love the dresses...LOVE the shoes...double love!

Ooh, pretty invite...

Still pretty...

The invite is frolicking in a fountain...love it!

Had to include this shot...whew...hot!

Loose Ends

2009-09-14T14:59:00.004-04:00

If you are a loyal follower of our blog, you can probably tell that we take pictures of everything that we make. Every day, there is a stack of new invitations, programs or other goodies for me to photograph to share with you. Then, each day, at about this time, I sit down to come up with inspiration for a blog post (the hardest part is usually coming up with a catchy title). Today, I realized that there were some photos that have never been featured on a blog. So, here is a very eclectic mix...enjoy!

After Amanda and Patrick's wedding, Amanda sent me this great photo of them to use on their custom thank you notes...awhhh!!

Jamie and her fiance are getting married this coming weekend at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. She wanted table numbers that reflected the natural beauty of the venue. Cattails...perfect!

Kristel met with me a few weeks ago to take about her wedding invitations -- design to come soon -- but then called out of the blue with an idea for her save the date magnet. I loved the idea and was happy to get these designed and out to her quickly. We also created a little accommodations card that was the same size as the magnet. Love the set

We were so happy when Bridget came back to us to design and create her table numbers. We originally designed her Celtic knot save the date and just loved getting to design Gaelic/English table numbers for her!

Dainty Details

2009-09-11T15:28:00.002-04:00

Megan and Jonathan worked with me via email to design this pretty purple and celery green invite. Megan wanted a design element that was subtle and incorporated touches of champagne into her invitation. This new vintage swirl design has been very popular recently and it was no exception with Megan and Jonathan's invite. I just love how the champagne swirl adds an unique touch to the invite, but not at the expense of the overall look. Subtle elegance...dainty details...enjoy!

Paisley Pattern

2009-09-10T15:24:00.004-04:00

So, I haven't had a chance to blog about Heather and Christopher's wedding invitation, even though we delivered them over a month ago. This week, I have been working on the designs for their day of accessories and thought it was the perfect time to give you a peek at the invite.

Heather and her mom came into the studio to discuss invites. They were just so fun! I was so happy that Heather wanted to use the garden green paisley cardstock as a backing for her monogram tag...and that she gave me free reign to use a coordinating paisley design on the invite panel in her pocket. And, the invite wouldn't be complete without a little bling!

I love this invite and can't wait to share the pictures of their accessories...there are some really fun surprises! Enjoy!

Compass Cruise

2009-09-09T15:21:00.004-04:00

Liz and Jason got married on August 15th here in Annapolis. Actually, they got married on a yacht and then had their reception at the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront. We had the pleasure of working on all of the stationery for their wedding, from their boarding pass save the date magnet, to their pocket invitation and finally, their wedding day accessories.

Liz and Jason decided on having a reception program that listed their wedding party, menu and thank you to their guests. I love this long layered look. And, of course, all of their other items -- table numbers, welcome tags and itinerary -- included the compass design too.

Can't wait to see pro pics from the big day! Enjoy!

Clasically Elegant

2009-09-08T14:50:00.004-04:00

I've worked with Kate for some time now. First, we design her "Map the Date" save the date card that had a custom map of the area in New York where Kate and Brady are getting married. For their invites, Kate and Brady wanted a very classic and elegant look. Kate loved the traditional monogram look and wanted to incorporate very traditional colors and fonts. The end result is simply beautiful! Enjoy!

Wonderful Weekend

2009-09-04T11:08:00.006-04:00

Why is it a wonderful weekend? Well, we have a lot of awesome couples getting married on this holiday weekend...and it's a holiday...wonderful! As we say goodbye to summer, I want to wish Kim & Jake, Stephanie & Jay, Diana & Jonathan, Leslie & Paul, Serena & Jesse and Kara & John much happiness and great weather for the big day!

I'm also going to share pics of some of the wedding day accessories we did for these lucky couples! Enjoy!

So, Kim and Jake are getting married overlooking the water -- and I just love how the table names turned out!!! We did her programs too...but, my studio manager, Allie, is a friend a Kim's and will be at the wedding. She promises to take lots of pictures to post next week! :)

Stephanie and Jay are finally getting married in Montana this weekend...okay, I say finally, because I've been working them for so long, but I'm just so over the moon for them and hope that the big day is as big as Big Sky! :) Can't wait to see all of the pictures from this one!!!!

Diana and Jonathan are getting married in DC this weekend -- some of you might remember their pretty floral folder. Well, here are their menus and programs, which is a new design! Too cute!

Congrats to all!

Emily and Chris - June 6, 2009

2009-09-03T11:19:00.004-04:00

Emily and Chris got married on one our busiest days of the year...we had 12 clients that got married on June 6th! I've been religiously stalking the photographer's website to get pro pics of the wedding day accessories we designed for them. So, I have to say, I was excited to see these awesome pictures from egomedia photography.

Emily and Chris had their ceremony at St. Mary's Church in Annapolis and their reception followed at The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. Enjoy!

Awh!! Love this picture -- really shows off the beautiful church...and couple!

Loved this pretty layered style program with sand metallic backing, white pearl pages and light pink bow.

This table number was a new design just for Emily and since her wedding, most of our brides have decided to do something similar.

We also provided the gold table number holders for her tables, which really matched her gold chargers and other table accents.

Congrats to Emily and Chris!

"R" is for Raspberry

2009-09-01T14:48:00.003-04:00

Let me preface this post by saying how much I LOVE the colors for Amanda and Christopher's wedding...latte, chocolate and raspberry pink. Ahhhh!!! To see it all come together in this invitation is so awesome. We used a custom monogram on the front with Christopher's last initial - "R". Then, on the inside, it's everyone's favorite vintage swirl design in raspberry pink. Throw in the latte metallic pocket, espresso border and text, a raspberry ribbon and design accents and you have such a pretty invite! Enjoy!

What's Up Weddings...Again!

2009-08-31T09:21:00.004-04:00

So excited to find out that our invitations are once again featured in What's Up Weddings! This time, we are in the Fall 2009/Winter 2010 issue. The new issues features about 17 of our invitations...check it out!

ps - If you saw us in the last issue, the article might look familiar! :)

Express to Savannah

2009-08-28T15:28:00.005-04:00

Kara and Joe emailed me a little over a week ago looking for custom table names, programs and favor tags for their September 5th wedding in Savannah, Georgia...hence the express! They had a great idea for the table names -- famous squares in Savannah. Anyone who has been to Savannah, read/seen Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil or watched the movie Forrest Gump, knows how picturesque these historic squares are. Using her navy blue and celery green color scheme we designed table names with a watermarked oak tree, name and a little special tidbit about the square. I just loved how these turned out. We also designed a very classic folder style program with a simple monogram design and matching favor tags that will hang off of custom cookies with a big "S" on them. Too cute! I can't wait to see pictures from this wedding. Congrats to Kara and Joe! Enjoy!

Vintage Glam

2009-08-27T17:03:00.003-04:00

Okay, let me just say that I LOVE this invitation! I even designed a version of it that was featured on TV a few weeks ago...now, that's a whole lot of love. And, I have SO enjoyed working with Nyya (the bride) and her mother, Carole.

Nyya came to me armed with pictures and lots of ideas for her invitation and prepared brides are a treat for me! She wanted a vintage look -- definitely with a chandelier -- and also swirl or brocade motif. Her colors are black and red with a touch of graphite and deep purple. I don't think I have to say more...the pictures speak for themselves.

I will add in closing that I received the sweetest note from Carole and Nyya thanking me for designing invitations that set the stage for the wedding and put forth the look and feel they were trying to capture. Awh! Enjoy!

Blast from the Past

2009-08-26T23:13:00.005-04:00

I received a wonderful email tonight with pro pics of an invitation we did over a year ago for Tyra and Bill. The colors and theme for this wedding were all tiffany. I'm attaching my favorite picture...enjoy!

Shara and Blair - 08.21.09

2009-08-25T21:02:00.004-04:00

So, I decided to post about Shara and Blair's wedding, which took place this past weekend, with some "not-so-pro" pictures. Shara and Blair are family friends and so I had my uncle, aunt and cousins on hand to get shots of the big day, which took place at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club.

In addition to their invitation, I designed their table name and place cards for the reception. I just loved the feel of their wedding and heard that guests were stealing the table names to take home and frame...especially, if they lived at the beach in which the table was named! Go figure! Congrats to Shara and Blair...enjoy!

Wine and Whimsy

2009-08-24T16:34:00.004-04:00

Veronica and Jason came to me months ago to have me design their save the date, so I was very excited when they came back for their invitations too. This invite is a little different than our normal designs....first of all, it's a different style of square pocket with the insert cards sliding in from the side of the pocket, which is in a very pretty wine color. Secondly, we used a wider silver ribbon to close the invite and finally, check out the adorable and whimsical meal choices -- yes, those are little pictures of a cow, lamb and carrots. I just LOVE how it turned out and know that this will start a trend with other brides! Enjoy!

Jetting to Jamaica

2009-08-21T15:07:00.005-04:00

Brenda and Mario are having destination wedding in Jamaica in just a few months. Samara Mendoza from By Design Events provided some beautiful inspiration photos for their wedding, which really gave me a great idea of what the couple was looking for in their invitations. The color scheme for this wedding is so pretty...deep purple, azalea and apricot. I really love how this invitation came together and I hear from Samara that the bride really loves the invites, so I couldn't be happier! Enjoy!

Allison & Aaron - 7/31/09

2009-08-20T15:12:00.006-04:00

I love when I get to see the big day in pictures! Allison and Aaron got married at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation a few weeks ago and I was so excited to get the pro pics from Kate Pelura at Kate Fine Art Photography. (Funny side note, we are doing Kate's sister's invitations...small world!)

The bride and groom chose a very classic and nautical look for their wedding stationery...from the blue and white color scheme to the compass monogram design...everything just worked perfectly for a wedding on the beach in Annapolis. We designed their invitation and all of the day of accessories, along with some very cute monogrammed thank you notes. Here are lots of pictures from the wedding! Again, thanks to Kate Fine Art Photography! Enjoy!

Cranberry Creation

2009-08-19T13:58:00.004-04:00

This pretty invitation was inspired by the very popular "Silver Sensation" invitation that is featured on our website. Michel met with me a few months ago to design this invitation. She really loved the pearlescent cardstocks and of course, the rhinestone adornment to the monogram tag. I love the colors for a classic Autumn wedding. We are looking forward to working on the day of accessories for Michel and Wayne's wedding! Enjoy!

Perfect Wedding Follow Up

2009-08-18T21:50:00.002-04:00

In my travels through Facebook tonight, I found this awesome picture of my "Perfect Wedding" couple, Lisa and Dennis. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this awesome picture of the happy couple by Vanessa's Photography. Too cute! Enjoy!

Perfect Wedding

2009-08-18T10:35:00.005-04:00

When Lisa came to me a few months ago and asked me to design her invitations and day of accessories, I was honored. Lisa is the associate publisher for The Perfect Wedding Guide and has seen my business grow from the very beginning...when I worked off the dining room table in my house! So, I was excited to have the opportunity to do something for her and her fiance, Dennis.

We started with awesome classic invitations that had a twist. These beautiful invitations combined Lisa's classic color scheme of ivory and gold, with a rhinestone circle buckle that just gives the invite a special touch. These invitations were mailed in boxes, which had custom labels for each guest.

All of Lisa and Dennis' wedding day accessories followed the same theme and feel -- with more rhinestones, of course! The one departure from the classic look was the fun welcome tag that incorporated azalea and turquoise. Lisa tied these onto turquoise buckets filled with goodies for her guests..too cute!

I can't wait to see pictures from the big day! Congrats Lisa and Dennis! Enjoy!

After the Show

2009-08-17T09:08:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, we attended the Baltimore Bridal show and I have to say, it was one of the best turnouts we have ever seen. We ended up giving out about 250 sample invitations (which are actually our promotional packs too!) and about 450 lip glosses! We heard that about 800 people came through the doors, so it was a busy day! The new booth design was a huge hit! Below are some pictures...enjoy!

Baltimore Bridal Show!

2009-08-14T16:10:00.004-04:00

No pictures today...boo! But, we've been hard at work packing up all of our goodies for the big Baltimore Bridal Show on Sunday at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront from 11am to 5pm...yeah!!! We are so excited about our new booth design...it's definitely worth coming out and seeing!

Okay, I lied, here is one picture for you...I'm so excited about this picture...our awesome bride, Mandee and the phenomenal Jen Lowe humored me and took a bunch of great photos with our invite...we're thinking of using it for an ad in the future. Thanks Mandee and Jen!!!

It's a Wrap!

2009-08-13T15:12:00.007-04:00

Exciting day for Allison Barnhill Designs...hopefully, you saw me on WBFF Fox 45 Morning news today -- and even called in to win the $500 gift certificate! I can't wait to hear from the lucky bride who won!

Well, here is the wrap up from the day...Very early this morning (at the crack of dawn, literally), the awesome, sweet and talented Amie Decker did my hair and makeup. Love her!!! I drove to the studio and was ushered back to "the door" of the studio, where the news was being recorded live. During a commercial, I was brought inside the studio -- very surreal. After a quick set up of the invites, getting 'mic'ed up and meeting Patrice, the interview flew by in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it, I was packing up my invites! Whew! Oh, and great story -- on my way out of the studio, Jessica, the weekend weather anchor and weekday Hometown Hot Spot reporter, asked for my card and we'll hopefully be designing her wedding invitations!

Such a great start to a fun weekend! We're looking forward to the Baltimore Bridal Show at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. And, we still have a few free tickets, so please call or email, if you want them. And, when you stop by our booth at the show, please be sure to enter for our grand prize giveaway!

Below are lots of pictures from the day! And, we're including pictures of all of the invitations that were featured during the interview, in case you missed it or want a closer look. Enjoy!

Amie Decker and me...ready for TV! :)

So, that's the interview...and here are the invitations we featured!

Tomorrow is the Big Day...

2009-08-12T11:46:00.003-04:00

...nope, I'm not getting married...but I will be on TV!

Remember to tune into WBFF Fox 45 Morning News tomorrow morning around 8:30am to see the live interview! (I've been watching this week and it looks like I could be on anytime between 8:20 until 9am) We'll be showcasing some new invitation designs -- along with same favorites. And, at the end of the interview, we'll be giving away a large gift certificate...so be ready to call in to see if you can win!

And, hopefully, we'll see you on Sunday at the Baltimore Bridal Show - 11am to 5pm at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

It's All About the Ring

2009-08-11T16:06:00.004-04:00

Catherine and Brian came to me earlier this year to design their wedding invitation. When we met, we discussed a lot of design options, but in the end, Catherine decided that the filagree design on her engagement ring was so unique and meant so much to her, that she really wanted to try to incorporate that into their invitation. Well, you know I love a design challenge! So, below are pictures of the ring and the invitation that inspired it all! And, you'll see in coming posts, that Catherine inspired other brides with this design too! Enjoy!

Triple Surprise!

2009-08-10T15:09:00.003-04:00

We were surprised when Lauren emailed us last Wednesday in need of invitations for September 26th wedding. And, that she wanted to send them out this Tuesday! Eek! Normally, we do require a lot more time to design and handcraft invitations, but Lauren had this big dilemma and we really wanted to help. So, we surprised ourselves by turning around her order of invitations, response sets and reception cards in two days! And, we surprised Lauren on Friday and told her to come pick everything up! Triple surprise! Enjoy!

Exciting News!

2009-08-07T14:29:00.002-04:00

Drum roll please…okay, maybe we don’t need the drum roll…

Next Thursday, August 13th, Allison Barnhill Designs will be featured on the WBFF Fox 45 Morning News as part of wedding week and to help promote the Baltimore Bridal Show. Allison will be heading to the TV studio early on Thursday AM and will be interviewed live around 8:30am. So, find the TV station, set your DVR and cross your fingers for Allison!

Honestly, we are very excited about this awesome opportunity and can’t wait to showcase our work on TV. For those who aren’t local to the Baltimore-Annapolis area, check the blog on Thursday afternoon for pictures and the post-interview wrap up.

Watch Fox 45 Morning News all week for interviews with other wedding vendors in the area. And, be sure to visit us at the Baltimore Bridal Show on Sunday, August 16th at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott. The hours are 11am to 5pm and we have VIP Guest Passes that get you in the door for free. If you are interested, please drop us an email or give us a call. FYI, tickets are $8 from the web and $10 at the door.

Nichole and Chris

2009-08-06T16:51:00.003-04:00

We were so excited to receive a CD in the mail today from the awesome Amy Raab with pictures from Nichole and Chris' wedding on May 30th. I had seen a few of the photos of their big day and just had to have them! Check out the great shots of their table numbers, place cards and even Mr. & Mrs. signs. It's so nice to see the big day come together when you have been working with the client from the beginning! Enjoy!

Perhaps a Penguin?

2009-08-05T14:29:00.006-04:00

This post is dedicated to all those grooms that feel that they don't get a say in anything having to do with their wedding...

Lisa and Robbie came in to see me about a month ago. They are having a winter wedding in December and are going with white, red and silver colors. We started discussing their wedding vision and Robbie quickly brought up the fact that he wanted to rent a penguin for the actual wedding. Lisa had already nixed that idea, but they both thought having a penguin on the save the date would be perfect. And, Robbie definitely wanted the penguin to have a red bow tie! I absolutely loved this idea and loved the groom's input. So, here is a picture of their adorable save the date magnet. Enjoy!

And, a very special thank you to Lisa, who took care of my daughter in the ER a few weeks ago. It was so nice to have a friendly face there that night!

More Montana

2009-08-04T15:38:00.005-04:00

More stationery and fun for Stephanie and Jay's wedding in Montana in September...

So, first, Allie (my studio manager) and I received a wonderful package last week. Stephanie had told me that she was using the monogram we design for her on a tag on custom bath salts that are being given to all of her guests. Well, I was so excited when I opened the box from her and realized she had sent us our very own bath salts. They smell so yummy...just think vanilla buttercream icing....mmmmh! She included a wonderful note thanking us for our hard work and creative inspiration...how awesome is that!??! Here's a picture of the salts with the tag and their save the date in the background. Too cute.

I also thought I would include Stephanie and Jay's rehearsal and welcome party invitations. After a few false starts on the design, I came up with the cow hide concept, which fit perfectly into the theme for both of the events. I just love how they turned out. Enjoy!

Smokey Sailboat

2009-08-03T15:06:00.005-04:00

Melissa and Ryan came to me to design their invitations for their wedding at The Oaks in St. Michaels. Since The Oaks is on the water, the sailboat design was a natural fit...not to mention their colors of navy blue, smoke grey and light blue...very nautical! We started with a smoke pocket, light blue ribbon and light blue accents, but Melissa wanted to pull in the navy blue, since the bridesmaids are wearing that color. So, we swapped the light blue ribbon for navy. I think the change just made the invitation so much more elegant and classy.

I received a beautiful thank you note from Melissa a few days ago thanking for us for making the invitations so special, and how we truly captured their theme and personality. Ah, such a great compliment. Thank you! Enjoy!

Black Tie

2009-07-29T13:52:00.003-04:00

Megan met with me a few months ago to design her wedding invitations. She wanted a very classic, black and white invitation with a touch of ribbon. We designed a double border with lines and dots that was carried out through her response and insert cards. I just love the elegant look of this invite. Perfect for a black tie wedding! Enjoy!

Sensational Sapphire

2009-07-28T14:17:00.003-04:00

We have been working with Deven for some time now -- first on her save the dates and then her invitation. For the invitation, we combined a square, sapphire pocket with silver and azalea pink accents to create this sensational invitation. The ribbon corners and Swarovski crystal adornment were two features that Deven really wanted to include on the invitation. I really love the bright colors and who wouldn't want to get an invitation for a wedding in the city of Casanova. Ah, love is in the air! Enjoy!

Pear-ed Accessories

2009-07-27T13:17:00.003-04:00

Mandee and Sean originally came to us months ago for save the dates and some of you might remember their awesome pocketfold invitation too. Well, time flies and in just a little over a week, their big day will be here! We were so excited to be do Mandee and Sean's wedding day accessories, which included programs, menus, table numbers, bar menus and even a wish card poem. Of course, they are all adorned with the perfect "pear" monogram we designed for their invite. I just love the colors, the design and the mod look with all lowercase letters. Too cool! AND, to top off the wonderful wedding, their photographer is the phenomenal Jen Lowe. I can't wait to see the detail shots from this wedding. I will be sure to share! Enjoy!

Another happy bride...

2009-07-24T13:37:00.003-04:00

Stephanie emailed us this morning to tell us that she received her invitations and said, "I just wanted to let you know that I love them so much. They came out perfect!" So, on that note, below are pictures of Stephanie and Kevin's bronze pocketfold invitations, with light pink pearl accents and pink Swarovski rhinestone. Enjoy!

Falling Leaves

2009-07-23T14:44:00.004-04:00

Katherine lives in North Carolina, so we worked with her via email to come up with the perfect Autumn invitation for her October wedding. Katherine wanted a pocket invitation that incoporated her espresso and scarlet color scheme. She had seen an invitation we had designed for another client with a swirly vine and floral design and wanted the same idea with leaves. I'm so happy with how this invitation came together and I'm sure it will be a popular design with our Autumn brides. Enjoy!

Vintage Chandelier

2009-07-22T14:43:00.005-04:00

Nyya came to me a few weeks ago looking for a save the date and invitation that incorporated a pretty chandelier, brocade design and a vintage feel. Nyya's mom and Michael both wanted a magnet for the save the date -- Nyya was on the fence -- but I hope the final product changes her mind! We incorporate the red, black and charcoal grey color scheme into the save the date. I think it gives just a hint of what the guests can expect on the big day! I just designed Nyya's invitation and it's stunning -- can't wait to share with you in an upcoming post! Enjoy!

Think Pink!

2009-07-21T13:22:00.003-04:00

Ashleigh and Todd, along with Ashleigh's mother and father, came to meet with me just a few short weeks ago. Ashleigh loved the pocket idea, wanted the pink rhinestone (eventhough, Todd pulled for the clear rhinestone) and thought we needed to incorporate a crab somewhere on the invite (she was wearing a little crab necklace at our meeting). Viola!

Asleigh emailed us after she received the invites and said, "Allison, I wanted to let you know that the invitations are AWESOME! I absolutely love them, they are exactly what I imagined." Enjoy!

The Four C's...

2009-07-20T13:01:00.006-04:00

...of Melissa and Edward's wedding stationery! Melissa lives in New Jersey and emailed us about doing favors, table numbers, place cards and programs for her wedding on July 31st. We designed a monogram that incorporated her new last initial "C" and used it on the four wedding day accessories. Enjoy!

Our signature favor box with pink satin ribbon band and monogram sticker. We shipped these early, so Melissa could fill them with chocolate truffles! Yummy!

Tent style place cards printed on white pearl cardstock

Tent style table numbers with number and monogram

Folder style program on white pearl with wedding party and ceremony details on the inside

Featured Wedding - Jodi & Chris

2009-07-19T09:13:00.008-04:00

I usually don't post on the weekends, but I was lucky enough to get the pro pics from Jodi and Chris' wedding on June 6th and thought I would share some of the great detail shots from the big day. As a reminder, we did the save the date, invitation and all day of accessories for their wedding. Special thanks to their photographer - Photography by Alexander - for the great shots! Also, Intrigue Decor and Design did the amazing florals, lighting and decor. Enjoy!

Okay, this shot is a pro pic of their invite from Jen Lowe, but I love it and had to include!

Flat Panel Friday

2009-07-17T14:05:00.004-04:00

I know we normally share a lot of photos of pocket invitations, so I thought for this Friday post, I'd highlight some "flat panel" invitations. These are more traditional style invitations with flat layers of cardstock and sometimes adorned with ribbon bands or bows. With these type of invitations, your response set and insert cards would sit on top of the invite and slide into the mailing envelope. Here are some examples! Enjoy!

Stephanie and Jay came to us for their pocket save the date and we've since ended up doing their invitations, rehearsal invitations and are working on their wedding day accessories. These invites highlight the rustic feel of their Montana nuptials.

Allison and Kevin are getting married on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, on the water, and wanted a simple invitation that reflected the nautical nature of their wedding. With the sapphire metallic and white pearl cardstock and anchor adorned monogram, I think this invite is perfect!

Kimberly and James wanted an invitation to incorporate their bronze and leaf green color scheme. We incorporated a custom monogram and a satin ribbon band on this invite. So pretty!

Cafe Mocha

2009-07-16T15:13:00.004-04:00

Meghan and Dominick are having a Fall wedding in Ohio and wanted an invitation that incorporated their chocolate and latte color scheme. I love the elegant look of this invitation. The espresso pocket and matching espresso ribbon band just give this invite a formal feel. Enjoy!

Love these colors!

2009-07-15T14:56:00.004-04:00

We have a variety of popular starfish pockets, but Allison and Christopher's invite is the best use of color -- by far! I just love the navy blue, turquoise and azalea pink colors. The groomsmen are wearing navy and turquoise striped ties - so cute. And, the bridesmaids are going to have dark pink flowers. What a wonderful color combo. I just love this invite and how everything came together. Enjoy!

Positively Programs

2009-07-14T09:05:00.006-04:00

Eek! I forgot to blog yesterday...so, today, I'm going to share a lot of program designs, to make up for my absent mindedness! A lot of brides are always asking what type of programs we do and looking for ideas on what text to include. Over the past month, we have had a lot of wedding accessories orders. Hopefully, these pictures will help you decide what program you might want us to design for you!

The first design is a single layer program imprinted with text on the front only. This is perfect for a destination or small wedding -- or even a non-church wedding. We still can incorporate your colors and design elements.

The next program is a folder style. This program is a folded sheet of cardstock imprinted on the four sides with your program text. A perfect program for almost every wedding!

This third program is one of our most popular -- the fan program. Perfect for outdoor, summer weddings! The front has your ceremony details. The back has the wedding party and thank you. We incorporate your colors into cardstock and ribbon bow!

Finally, our newest design, is a folder style program with an insert page and has a monogram tag with ribbon bow to close. I LOVE this new design and can't wait to do it again!!

When You Wish Upon a Star...

2009-07-10T11:39:00.005-04:00

Kimmy and Daniel are having a Disney wedding! I was so excited when Kimmy told me that she wanted to really play up the Disney feel in the design for her invitation. Specifically, she wanted to have the invite look like Tinkerbell had sprinkled her fairy dust all over it...including the wand. I was in design heaven. So, we incorporated her deep purple, navy blue and white colors into the design, along with plenty of fairy dust, to create the perfect invite for a Disney wedding. I have to say that this is one of my favorite designs in a long time...so unique, fun and fantastic! I can't wait to see pictures from the wedding! Enjoy!

Preppy Pocket

2009-07-08T13:02:00.004-04:00

Kim and Jake are good friends of ours and we had the pleasure of making their save the date. So, we were very excited when they asked us to do their invitations too! Kim loved the idea of a traditional invitation, but wanted the insert cards organized neatly, so we designed something completely new for her. The invite has a traditional invitation on the front with a pocket on the back. We used a clover green panel pocket, navy blue backing and white top layer with a yellow satin ribbon band. I really love the preppy colors...perfect for a Labor Day weekend wedding. Enjoy!

Inviting Initials

2009-07-07T16:23:00.003-04:00

Samantha picked up her invitations this morning, so I thought it was a perfect day to blog about her invitations. Samantha and her "to be" mother in law met with me a month or so ago and wanted invitations that incorporated her light blue and deep purple color scheme. She loved the pockets and just adored the used of their initials on the monogram tag and on the inside of the invite. I really love how the colors came together on this one. Enjoy!

Many of this and many of that...

2009-07-06T14:30:00.004-04:00

So, this past week, we were working on "many" projects that had all of the surfaces in our studio filled with product! I thought these two photos were fun shots from the week.

The first is a picture of over 230 votive candle place card holders were are doing for Emily's wedding this coming weekend. The vellum wrap has the guests' name and table information, along with the flourish design from her invite and a colored ribbon to indicate meal choice. We literally ran out of room for these votives. Emily and her mom will be picking them up tomorrow morning to take to the venue.

The second picture is of a rush menu order we put together for Burton and Candice, clients of Michele Damon Events. These gold and white pearl menus are adorned with a light gold Swarovski crystal . So pretty! Enjoy!