Invitation Suites ~ Lowrey

I love everything about this custom suite I created for a bride that was married this past weekend. 

She wanted a vintage, elegant feeling, for her invitation suite with a unique custom motif she could use throughout her wedding.

The calligraphy was engraved with a dark chocolate ink and combined with a chocolate tissue envelope liner ~ and of course, I addressed the envelopes with the same ink color and lettering style.

Since it was a Fall wedding, she asked me to design a unique, autumnal leaf which we could use starting with her save the date to her wedding programs and beyond.  She told me she was having it carved into an ice sculpture. I can't wait to get some professional photos to share ~ as well as to see myself.

I painted the leaf on the program, to coordinate with the hand-dyed ribbon I found for her, in the same shade of plum she was using at the wedding and reception.  (It really was not as pink as it looks in the photo - but more of a watercolor wash of the ribbon color.)

I loved seeing the ribbons lined up, as I packaged them, and look forward to seeing how she displayed them.

Here are her sweet comments about the process.

~I hope it was a perfect day for her and the groom. ~

I can’t say enough about Dana’s work except that I am blessed with the fact that I found her work online as I was searching vendors in Asheville one day. Chad and I both love visiting the mountains and Asheville in general, and decided early on that we wanted Asheville as our wedding destination.

Dana- as soon as I saw your work online I knew I wanted to have you as my wedding calligrapher. I knew I wanted to have an elegant and traditional wedding, but with a creative, vintage twist. I have had a hard time putting into words what I have visualized, but I can say I could not be happier with what you have done! It is actually my favorite part of the wedding so far and I think it has inspired a lot of my plans. And all the while, you have been so absolutely wonderful to work with and professional that I feel like I am your only client which I know is not the case because you are so freaking talented! Thank you for all you have done! 

Invitation Suites ~ Searles

This adorable bride asked me to design a contemporary invitation, with a vintage twist, based on another invitation design she had seen and liked ~ however the other style, she felt, was a bit too 'angular' and sharp for her, so here is what I came up with. I softened the capital letters and combined them with my Allegro style.  We both loved the final piece!  Here is what the bride had to say~

We LOVE them! It was like handling little perfect pieces of art. It is going to be painful to part with them! They honestly could not have turned out any better, they surpassed my expectations. They are just wonderful and I thank you one thousand times over for all the work you put into them. I wish I had sent myself 10 invitations so I could get these little beauties in the mail.

THANK YOU THANK YOU! I love the invitations, thank you for making this process so joyous for us!

Engraved in Gray Suede on Soft Ecru.

...and a close up view.

The bride later sent me this comment. The invitation really does set the tone for the entire event!

We have been getting GLOWING feedback about the invites. Everyone is just ranting about how gorgeous they are, and you can tell the invites have just upped the excitement level about the whole party 100%!  

I love to see my lettering backwards on engraving plates!

I repeated the style on seating cards, which were arranged on a mirror, and place cards that were placed on top of a gift at each place setting.

There were three long feasting tables at the reception.  Each table was divided into three sections which were named after favorite, meaningful places the couple had visited, helping each guests find their 'section' at the table.

I also designed three original menus per table.  I love the scrumptious vintage paper, which was a pale blush, combined with the soft gray calligraphy. No two pieces were alike.

Since each piece was created by hand, they are not perfectly centered ~ but that is the charm and uniqueness of handwritten pieces versus a computerized font, isn't it?

I hope to get some photos from the professional photographer to share with you in a Feature Wedding ~ but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy these I took. It was a beautiful wedding.

~~~

Book Love: Seasons



I buy and read cookbooks like others do novels and I am especially a sucker for ones filled with beautiful, artistic photography ~ so when I came across Seasons by Donna Hay, it was a must have for my collection.

I love to bake and cook with the Seasons and always try to eat foods that are plentiful within a particular season, buying locally when I can. This book is divided by the season, my favorite being Autumn. 

 

The photos are works of art, but so are the recipes ~ simple and delicious.  The recipe for Plum and Chocolate Clafoutis is the best I have ever had and very easy to make.

It is one cookbook, in my collection, that I will most definitely be returning to again and again ~ not only to admire, but to actually use.

...and even if you don't like to bake or cook, it looks great on display!

book cover photo ~ amazon
all other photos ~ Dana Cochran