Design with Connection in Mind 💌

I recently had the pleasure of attending a Heart & Fire gathering hosted by Nectar and Vessel and Fresh Take Co at the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, MA - an evening dedicated to fostering connection and conversation amongst hospitality professionals.

It was truly one of the most beautiful events I have ever attended - a color palette of rich turquoise, bold chartreuse, pops of red and royal blue, Spanish tiles as escort cards, beautiful sun-shaped menus and more. Amidst a hot and busy summer season, it was an invitation to slow down, exhale and savor. But beyond the decor and delicious food, there was something more - there was connection.

And it had me thinking about how good design is more than just decor or making something beautiful. It’s about infusing the beauty with intention, and creating opportunities for connection and conversation where you otherwise might not find it.

It’s about thinking beyond how something looks, to how something feels.

That feeling element came through at every touchpoint, but particularly via conversation topics sprinkled throughout the three course meal by our host Naomi, intended to help guests go deeper than the usual “this is where I’m from and this is what I do” small talk of most industry events. Amidst tastes of Spanish salad, we discussed with our table mates something we’ve been ashamed of in ourselves that we’ve grown to love. While savoring sensuous paella, we chatted about where we’re looking to bring more vibrancy to our lives. And between bites of dense olive oil cake, we shared the deepest desires we’re manifesting right now.

I attended this event 37.5 weeks pregnant, anticipating the night out would drain what little energy I still had. Instead, I left feeling fuller than before - in stomach, heart and soul - and like I had made some true friends at this event that I hope to stay connected with beyond. And it had me thinking of the importance of centering this kind of connection when we take the time to come together - and how stationery can help foster that. To go beyond just conveying information and invitation, to inviting conversation, connection and reflection.

If you’re looking to bring a little more intention into your event, here are some ways you can do that through your stationery:

💌 Handwritten notes to each guest that serve as both place cards and touchstones of gratitude, thanking them for coming to celebrate your special day and sharing why their unique presence is so important

💌 A conversation prompt at each table number inviting guests to share a favorite memory of you and your partner

💌 A blurb on your invitations encouraging guests to come prepared with a treasured love story to share

💌 Questions on cocktail napkins inviting you to find someone new and start up a conversation

💌 The story of how you and your partner met written out on the back of your dinner menu to spark discussion

If you’re looking for help creating stationery that is as intentional as it is beautiful, and personal as it is playful, I would love to work with you! Learn more & inquire at the link below to get the conversation started.

How I Can Help Tell Your Love Story Through Your Wedding Stationery 💌

Your wedding stationery is more than just a pretty piece of paper.

It’s an expression of your relationship, your passions, your history and your future. In my signature Love Story Wedding Stationery packages, I help my clients tell their love stories through their wedding stationery - using playful illustrations and poetic word choice. But what does that mean exactly? Let’s dive in.

First and foremost, I start this process by listening and learning about my clients. I want to know how you met, what you love about each other, what you love doing together and what your favorite artwork looks like. I have a detailed questionnaire that I send out to my clients at the beginning of our onboarding that helps answer these questions and more. We talk this through in an initial design call where I share my ideas and get to hear yours! It’s such a fun process.

I include nods to your relationship throughout - meaning portraits of your favorite places are turned into table numbers, shared hobbies and interests become design themes, and ‘uniquely you’ details are woven throughout.

I weave words that speak to your relationship and the journey you’ve been on - reaching beyond the stuffy and overly traditional language you’re used to seeing on wedding stationery. We’re creating something that not only looks but also sounds like you and your love.

Ready to create a keepsake of your love story together? Book a free discovery call to get the conversation started.

What to Include in your Wedding Stationery

You’ve probably googled this before and given yourself a minor aneurysm. There’s a lot that can go into wedding stationery - but I’m here to remind you that not everything has to. Take a deep breath. Remember - it’s 2024. You did not hire Emily Post as your wedding planner. This is your wedding, and you only have to include what feels important to YOU (and 1-2 people whose opinion really matters to you, like your fiancé and your mom, for example).

These days there are so many different ways people approach their invitations - from sending digital invites with music accompanying, to putting all the info on their wedding website that they send out in an email, to sending out full invitation suites that they design themselves on Minted. There is so much variety, which can feel overwhelming - but it doesn’t have to! It also means that there’s room for you and your fiance to have the wedding - and the wedding stationery - that feels like you.

That said, if you’re here, you’re probably the old fashioned type that likes receiving and sending a paper invite, and you’re hopefully looking for something a little more personal and fun than the classic invitations you’re used to seeing. If that’s you, I’m glad you’re here! I’m going to break down what goes into wedding stationery, and give you my two cents on what to send and when.

Before the Day Goods - Surprise! This is everything that goes out before your wedding day, typically in two installments.

-Save the Date - These should go out one year to six months before your wedding. The earlier the better, especially for destination weddings, so that people have time to plan their travel, book their accommodations, all that good stuff. As with the title, these are meant for people to “save the date” for your wedding, so don’t feel like you have to have your entire wedding planned out before you send these.

The invite itself is usually postcard style, including the couple’s name, date and location of your wedding - along with a link to your wedding website as well (if you have one). Stylistically I like to keep these on the simpler side (such as with a portrait of the venue) and leave the bulk of the design for the main invitation.

-Invitation - This goes out roughly four months to six weeks before your wedding. Again, the sooner the better, especially if your wedding requires travel.

At this point, you should have more of a sense of where all of your wedding events are happening, what kind of vibe you want, attire, etc, and your invite is an opportunity to welcome people into that vibe. It should get people excited, and if you work with me, at least one person should want to frame it (I hope). It can also serve as a reminder for people to finalize their travel plans if need be, an opportunity to fill them in on important details, and an encouragement for their RSVP.

Many pieces can go into this - not only the formal “please join us for the marriage of so and so,” but also a schedule of events cards, RSVP card, maps, invites to other more “exclusive” events like a rehearsal dinner, etc. Again, you can really play around with what you want to include here - but my Standard package covers the basics of what I think every couple needs.

On The Day Goods - This includes all of the signage and paper goods needed on your wedding day. It’s an opportunity to incorporate the design from your invitations to give your guests a cohesive feel, and to fill people in on all the things (like what they’re eating, drinking, listening to, etc). This can include but is not limited to:

-Ceremony Program

-Drink Menu

-Dinner Menu

-Table Signs

-Welcome Sign

-Escort Cards

-Place Cards

After the Day - This is your thank you notes! These can go out up to one year after your wedding day, but I suggest getting started once you return from your honeymoon (if you go on one). It’s a great way to keep the memory of your wedding alive, and thus I think the actual note you send should reflect that memory as well - with an illustration of your florals, or a photo of you and your new spouse, or a continuation of your invitation design. Need a last minute thank you note made just for you? I’ve got a custom greeting card set option on my website separate from my wedding stationery packages to get you going, and would love to work with you.

The moral of the story? Do what feels good to you, while thinking of your guests’ experience throughout the process. This is your wedding, and people will remember and enjoy the things that felt like you, not like what Emily Post told you to do.

Yours Truly,

Sage