Twists on the Traditional

Want to give programs to your wedding guests, use escort cards to tell them where to sit, and have them sign your guestbook?  Those elements of the wedding experience can be made more unique with these twists on the traditional ideas.

How about personalized newspapers as programs?  

Photo by La Vie Photography from Love and Lavender.

Or how about escort cards made from paper dolls.  

Photo by Trevor Booth via Snippet and Ink.

Or remember this post I did a while back?

Photos by Jennifer Roper

Do you have any original or unique twists on the traditional wedding elements?  

It's in the Details: Nature Inspired Elements

I love these ideas for incorporating nature and woodland elements into your wedding day.  It would be perfect for an outdoor wedding and a green and brown color palette.  I could style a wedding around that ring pillow alone!

Top Row:  Table number by Orchard Cove Photography, ring nest photo (and bird toppers and card sign) by Jennifer Roper, bird cake toppers by cotton bird designs, fern photo via Snippet & Ink

Middle Row:  Cake by Orchard Cove Photography, card sign by Tilde Designs, chair photo by Jasmine Star

Bottom Row:  programs photo by Jasmine Star, invitation by Peculiar Pair Press, table setting photo by Sean Walker via Style Me Pretty, ring pillow photo by Jasmine Star

Allow me to introduce . . . Tilde Designs!

What happens when two girls meet in law school, cram for countless exams, study for the bar exam, and become attorneys?  Practice law, you might say. . . and you would probably be correct in most cases.  But in the case of my best friend Kate and I, we also decided we wanted to channel our creative talents and skills (those acquired in our own wedding planning, NOT in law school) to start a wedding/event design and paper goods business.

Kate is an amazing paper goods designer.  She started dabbling in it for her own wedding and did everything but the calligraphy for my wedding (and did a fantastic job, I might add).  We had the best time collaborating over Save-the-Dates and invitations, menus, cupcake flags, and various other wedding signage.  Those elements we designed together were what made my wedding cohesive, thoughtful, and full of personal touches.

Kate and I thought it might be fun to put our design brains together and launch a little business.  Not to be deterred by distance (she lives in Chicago and I in L.A.), or day jobs (we both still have them), we formed a plan.  Over our bliss cakes and coffee brunch at M. Henry last fall, we made the decision to devote 2010 to launch our new baby . . . Tilde Designs.  Less than two months in, we have an etsy shop and this blog, and several new clients already.  We couldn't be more excited about what the future holds!

So please stop by our etsy shop for paper goods, a customized monogram, or an inspiration board designed for your event.  Check back often for new items or request any customized item you want.  If someone you know is getting married, throwing a wedding or baby shower, in need of personalized cards, having a baby, or just likes pretty paper goods, please send them our way!

xx
Kate & Chandra

Personalize your day

I say it a lot, and it is basically the whole point of my starting this blog, but I think the best way to make your wedding special is to make it personal.  Don't choose the the cliche' song to dance to during your first dance and don't say the traditional vows if they don't feel special to you.  You can personalize your ceremony, your invitation suite, your favors, the music you play...basically everything you can think of.  That is not to say you should personalize every single element of your day, because that can be overwhelming and overkill.  But if you start simple with a basic idea or element that you like, and find ways to include that idea in different aspects of your day, that is personalizing.  And if you can throw some DIY projects in along the way, even better!

One way to personalize different aspects of your wedding cohesively is to use the same element in different places or ways.  A good way of doing that is through a monogram.  Here are examples of how to use the same monogram on different items to basically create a personalized "brand" for your wedding.  You start with the monogram itself:

And you use it on Save the Dates:

Incorporate it into ceremony details like your programs:

And also into reception elements like cupcake flags and drink stirs:

You can even incorporate the monogram on things like out-of-town bags:

Program, cupcake, and drink photos taken by Jennifer Roper and products designed by Tilde Designs.

Loving Lace

I love lace elements.  My wedding gown was made of lace.  We used lace patterns on our invitations and actual lace on our programs and other DIY elements.  And I always love detail shots that I see that incorporate lace but modernize it a bit.  Here are two great examples of what I mean:

Both photos by Country Living

I love how the lace doilies are sewn together to make a table runner in the first photo and think displaying a bunch of vintage doilies on a cake plate puts a new spin on how we think of decorating with doilies.  Seeing these pictures made me go back and find the photos of lace elements for weddings that I had saved in my own planning.

Lace Program (middle, far right) by Ravenhill on Etsy, all other photos from Martha Stewart Weddings

It's in the details: Silhouettes

Personalizing your wedding with thoughtful or unique details is an important part of designing your wedding.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, I love DIY projects and cohesive elements that you can weave into different aspects of your wedding.  One detail that I think works great in so many different elements is the silhouette.  Silhouettes can be modern or vintage, and are always chic whether they are on stationery, programs, decor, or as cookies!

Top Row:  cookies by Sarah K. Chen Photography, garland by Leigh Miller Photography, stationery by Hammerpress, cookies by Amy Squires Photography, Middle Row:  cameo by Jewelry Basket, buttons by Flowertoss Photography, cookie and portrait from Martha Stewart Weddings, Bottom Row: programs by Amy Squires Photography, cameo by Tarina Tarantino, portrait banner by Amy Squires Photography, held silhouette by Jose Villa, stationery by Bird and Banner

DIY Inspiration Board

I've seen so many great DIY projects for weddings and loved doing projects for my own wedding, so I thought doing an inspiration board focused on DIY projects might be fun.  One wedding in particular, featured on Style Me Pretty last week, was filled with so many DIY elements and I loved every one.  The event was carried out beautifully and infused with so many personal touches I feel like I know the couple myself.  You definitely need to head over to SMP and see the feature in its entirety!

Top Row: Clothesline of pictures by Leigh Miller Photography, petal cone & chairs photos by Jessica Johnston, drink stirs photo by Jennifer Roper; Middle Row:  Initals & candy bar photos by Jessica Johnston, programs photo by Amy Squires, menu by Tilde Designs photo by Jennifer Roper; Bottom Row: chair photo by Jasmine Star, petal cone photo by Jennifer Roper, pinwheels photo by Jessica Johnston, cookie photo by Amy Squires

I hope this post will inspire crafty and non-crafty brides alike to find a project they can handle and personalize their wedding!

The husband and I are headed out of town to visit some friends, so happy long weekend!!!