The Future is Customization
One of the biggest wedding decisions you’ll make before you walk down the aisle is choosing your wedding invitation suite. It gives guests a glimpse into what they can expect on your wedding day. A romantic and elegant ballroom affair. A funky artist loft soire. A gathering in the woods. The colors, the paper and the printing type conveys the tone, the mood and even the textures of the day. And there’s so much more couples are bringing to their invitation suites.
So what trends trends are blowing up the wedding stationary world here in the Pacific Northwest? We went to Holly Goodman, owner of Seattle’s award-winning Sablewood Paper Company, for answers.
Personalization is a major trend. Holly told us she’s seeing couples move away from big-box retailers or online sources for invitation suites.
Instead, couples are turning to independent artists and stationers who will listen to their needs. Above all, to truly create something that reflects the couple’s personality. Holly told us she’s creating “cute nods to the couple that aren’t super expensive but they can look back on the day and say that’s a sweet touch that no one else has ever had that before.” For example, this darling ice cream sign!
It’s something custom. Something no one else is doing. “Because stationary is an expense that can blindside couples, they feel that their money is better spent having something designed specially for them, rather than using an invitation that was pre-made.”
The one thing Holly’s couples are asking for the most? Bringing their pets into the picture! “I’m just blown away by this because I think it’s the cutest idea ever!”
For example, the couple’s French bull dog made a dapper appearance in their custom illustrated map of their wedding day!
And different paper shapes are exploding. Couples are thinking beyond the traditional. “We’ve been seeing this trend in florals and décor, but boldness has finally found a solid footing in the stationary world!” One of Holly’s favorite shapes to work? The arch.
It has a rounded top with the remaining edges cut at a 90-degree angle. And Holly says the shape can capture your vibe when its paired with the right color. A sand tone brings a mid-century modern flair. Bright colors like fuchsia evoke a modern vibe. And jeweled-tones like emerald bring a rich feel. And Holly says more and more couples are diving into different colors, like the invitation suite in the above photo. “Some couples don’t want to be nailed down to a particular color, so they opt for two different colored envelopes or an invite on one color paper and their reply card on another color paper. It makes for some stunning visuals when you see the invitation suite laid out!”
So to sum it up, whether you’re bringing bold colors, changing up the shape, including your fur baby, or making your personality pop, you’re on trend!
Cheers!
Katie