I am kind of a chameleon when it comes to genre of style. My fashion sense is one style, the decor in my house another, and my stationery work-- well that changes depending on the mood I'm in, client I'm working with, and the influences around me at that time.For example, a few summers ago I took a trip to the New England Area for a wedding (a family affair, non work related). While there I got to visit Yale, New York City and Newport Rhode Island. Something pretty cool in Newport Rhode Island, you can go on a tour of Some of the most amazing Mansions. There are 11 Mansions, several of them owned by the Vanderbilts in the 1800s. When touring these mansions the over the top opulence and decor dripping in gold just screamed out at the creative side of me. I've held on to these images, of the beautiful hand workmanship and ingenious devices in these homes, for the last few years, dying to create and invitation with the inspiration of what I saw there and idea of parties with formality, style, etiquette and flair.
This as you can imagine isn't a huge request, so I had to wait for the right client, the right collaboration. This year it happened! A wonderful sister of the bride, came to me with an idea for a shower she wanted to throw for her sister. The first thing she said was: My sister is an old soul and I want to throw a shower that is very 1930s, white gloves and fancy hats. I was so excited by this. So I got right to work, and the imagery that immediately popped into my head was the opulent, detailed decor and hand painted details I had seen in some of those 18th & 19th century mansions. The colors I chose, as well as the textures and materials all came as inspiration from the decor in these opulent mansions in Newport, and the stories of the formality and etiquette of their social calendars.
I hope you enjoy the result. The bride and sister of the bride were in love with these invitations and favors. And from what I was told, they were a big hit with the guests! Also a fun thing, the invite requested guest where a period hat of their choosing along with the gloves included in the box!
Shipping Box for the invitation.
Chocolate and Blue Box for the invitation. It was lined with lace, and included white satin gloves and a bronze metallic envelope closed with a wax seal.
Invitation on Champagne Metallic Paper- graphics and font chosen for their victorian formal attributes.
Finally, the favor we created for the shower. The bride loves to read, so we created these silk wrapped bookmarks with embossed metallic gold paper and an antique key tied with satin ribbon.