Autumn Orange & Gold Botanical Wedding Invitations And Inspiration

Today I'm delighted to share with you another of the designs I've created this year for my bespoke clients Nicola & Tom.
Nicola and Tom came round to the house for a bespoke consultation and we discussed the Autumn look for their October wedding and incorporating the orange, rust and gold colours along with a seasonal botanical flowers print.
Here's what I came up with ... a folded card with matching information and rsvp cards and a gold envelope with matching address label.

To go with this gorgeous Autumn colour scheme I've created a wedding inspiration moodboard to inspire any of you who would like this theme for your wedding.
I've kept it quite rustic but added glam touches of gold to make it extra special.
If you would like me to create some bespoke stationery just for your wedding just get in touch at http://knotsandkisses.co.uk or drop me an email to info@knotsandkisses.co.uk

credits : pumpkin image from http://fabmood.com ; cascade bouquet from http://weddingchicks.com ; bouquet form http://inspiredbythis.com ; hair corsage from http://etsy.com ; gold shoes Emmy Shoes via http://lovemydress.net ; Bridal Couple image by Brandi Smyth Photography via http://southboundbride.com 

Merry Christmas!

By now I'll be knee deep in preparing Christmas Dinner at my sister's house so whatever you are up to this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I just wanted to say a very Merry Christmas to all my readers and followers!

Nikki x

Save the Date Cards - Why Do You Need Them?

I'm often asked by clients whether or not I think that they need to send out Save the Date cards as well as Invitations. In fact in the UK I think we're still really getting used to the idea of Save the Date cards. A straw poll of my friends a couple of years back revealed that many of them saw no point in a Save the Date card at all ... in fact one had thought that one of the Save the Date cards they had received from another friend was actually the invitation and was surprised there wasn't more information on it.
Many of them came round to seeing the point of the Save the Date card however when I explained how useful it can be in certain situations, and how, although they are not necessary for every wedding some weddings really benefit from a Save the Date card sent 9 months to a year before the wedding.

stationery from http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

 



Here are the occasions when I think they are appropriate ...

1. You are getting married abroad.

If you are getting married abroad its a really good idea to send out a Save the Date as well as an invitation. Many guests will need to book time off work and have plenty of time to think about researching flights and accommodation and possibly if they can afford to come at all. As a travel agent in a previous life I was always telling customers to book their flights early if at all possible ( especially if long haul ) to get the best prices ... so give your guests the best opportunity to do this as well.
You can give your guest's the dates they will need to be there and the destination on your Save the Date card and perhaps a link to a website you have set up with more details regarding booking flights and any local accommodation you recommend.
A formal invitation can then be sent approximately 2-3 months before the wedding with any more detailed information they need to know.

stationery from http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

2. Many of your guests are coming from abroad or long distances.

In exactly the same way that if you are marrying abroad, if you have guests who are coming from abroad or from elsewhere around the country and are going to have to travel to your wedding and possibly stay overnight or all weekend, you need to give them the best opportunity to arrange their travel arrangements, book flights and trains and arrange accommodation.

3. The wedding is mid-week.

Lots of couples are getting married 'off peak' during the week now ... it's a great way of cutting down your costs really quickly as many venues are much cheaper mid-week.
However this does mean that many of your guests will need to book time off work to attend your wedding. Even if yours doesn't lots of work places require their employees to book time off in advance at the beginning of the financial/holiday year so sending out an invitation 2-3 months in advance may mean that certain people you really want to come to your wedding are unable to get the time off work. Sending a quick Save the Date 9 months to a year in advance gives them the opportunity to plan this in.

stationery from http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

4. The wedding is peak holiday time.

This is again really about giving families the opportunity to book time out of work. During the summer holidays and school holidays time off work is at a premium and many people will be competing with their colleagues for time off work so they can take their families away whilst the kids are off school. Many people work weekends or shift work, so even if your wedding is on a Saturday or Sunday don't assume that they won't need to book time off.
Its also a good idea to send out Save the Date cards if you are getting married on a bank holiday or a popular date like Christmas as people will book in things to do on this date much further in advance.

stationery from http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

One last piece of advice on Save the Dates ... make sure you only send them to people you are absolutely certain are going to receive an invitation! There can be nothing worse than receiving a Save the Date to someone's wedding and then not receiving an invitation and realising you were on some sort of B List!
There is some debate on whether to send Save the Dates to your evening guests. I personally think its perfectly appropriate to send evening guests Save the Dates if they are likely to need any of the advance warning that I have listed above ... if you have evening guests coming from further away for example.

stationery from http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

I hope this advice has cleared up any issues you have had regarding Save the Date cards.
Any further questions or if you would like to order Save the Dates from Knots & Kisses please don't hesitate to drop me an email at info@knotsandkisses.co.uk or visit my website http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

Nikki x

Autumnal Vintage Rose Cottage Wedding Stationery

What with the weather being so very Autumnal at the moment and the leaves finally falling off the trees I've been thinking very much about Autumn inspired wedding stationery over the last week. Weddings in the, traditionally 'off season', Autumn period are becoming more and popular with couples as they look to save money. Its also a magical time of year to get married if you are looking for beautiful lighting for your wedding photography and a backdrop of gorgeous russet coloured leaves and trees.

I will be launching another autumn themed range of stationery in the new year but today I thought I would revisit my Rose Cottage range which has a lovely rustic Autumnal feel to it in shades of blush, cream and russet red with a brown kraft paper band and envelope.

The Rose Cottage range also has vintage stamp details and is tied up in string ... giving your guests a lovely parcel to open.
Add Rose print envelope liners and address labels to complete the look and purchase from a full range of matching reception stationery.

You can purchase samples from my Rose Cottage collection via the website at http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/rosecottageweddingstaionery.html

Wedding Stationery With A Bespoke Venue Sketch And A South African Twist

One of my favourite ranges of wedding stationery ... and one of my most popular ... is my Perfect Place range. Its particularly popular because of the bespoke, hand drawn by me, sketch of your venue or place you met on the front of the invitation.

Earlier this year Sarah & David got in contact, who are getting married in South Africa and wanted a bit of a African twist on the Perfect Place theme.
The final design includes a drawing of their venue at the foot of Table Mountain and a twist on the monogram motif in the shape of Africa.
If you would like a version of Perfect Place for your wedding stationery please don't hesitate to get in touch via the contact page at http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

I love the neutral modern colours in Perfect Place and created the moodboard below to match the stationery range when it launched. For full credits see previous post http://knotsandkisses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/wedding-styling-moodboard-strong.html

Lilac & Pink Vintage Scrapbook Style Wedding Invitations & Styling

I love creating bespoke stationery for couples. Carol contacted me .. loving my Country Garden range but wanting it adapting it for her wedding stationery with a pink rose print rather than the usual pastel ditsy print.
I of course was more than happy to oblige! I was really pleased with the results which I think give a really sweet twist on the Country Garden range.
If you would like any of the standard ranges on the website http://knotsandkisses.co.uk adapting for your wedding I'm more than happy to do this for just a small fee of £25 .. just get in touch and email me at info@knotsandkisses.co.uk

To match the lovely lilac and pink colourscheme for Carol & Danny's stationery I've also created a moodboard to match ...

 

credits : http://ruffledblog.com - photography by Justin Hill ; www.rusticweddingchic.com ;

www.polkadotbride.com - photography by Angela Higgins ;

www.beforethebigday.com - photography by Rachel Peters Photography ;

http://stylemepretty.com ; Magnolia Bakery



Bespoke Wedding Moodboards Created Just For You!

Recently I created an inspiration moodboard for one of my couples who were struggling themselves to visualise the ideas they had for their wedding and therefore also their wedding stationery.
I love to offer this as an extra service for clients as I love playing with colour and pattern to put together a coherent look. Its something I did for my first ever wedding client .. my sister ... back in 2005 when I was helping create the look she wanted for her wedding.

Here are some of my favourite moodboards that I have created in the past. If you are struggling to put together or visualise your wedding scheme then for a small fee I can create a wedding moodboard just for you! Just get in touch at info@knotsandkisses.co.uk ...

Vintage Floral Botanical Style Save The Date Cards & Wedding Inspiration

I've been looking forward to sharing today's stationery post since I met the lovely Abi & Craig for a bespoke consultation earlier this year!
They were after a bespoke botanical style, especially loving RHS Botanical prints and old Victorian seed packets. We had a lovely chat over tea, biscuits and their wedding Pinterest board and I came away very inspired!

I've always loved RHS prints myself .. in fact one of my guest bedrooms is decorated in this style with sage greens and pinks and botanical prints on the wall ... so I needed no further inspiration to start creating a design, initially, for Abi & Craig's Save the Date cards.
We decided on a tag style, mixing a little bit of the lace that Abi liked with the more rustic Brown Kraft style that was influencing Craig. I also incorporated a bespoke floral envelope liner to complete the look.

Here are the Save the Dates I created ... I can't wait to make their Day Invitation Packs later in the year!

I've also put together a botanical inspired moodboard in lovely sage greens and pinks to match these Save the Date cards.
If you would like to speak to me about a similar design for your wedding then please get in touch at http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

 

credits : http://ruffledblog.com ; www.bhldn.com ; www.clairepettibone.com ; www.stylemepretty.com

Bespoke Wedding Table Plan Tags

Hello March! After a gorgeous sunny day on Saturday ... ok I was working but it definitely looked gorgeous out my office window! ... and me noticing the first green shoots on my hydrangea plant in the garden, it definitely feels like spring is on its way finally. ( I hope me saying that doesn't curse everything!).
It also means that I'll be taking a short holiday from the 5th to 11th this week for a nice relaxing hotel break in the Cotswolds for a couple of nights ... followed by a probably less relaxing but lots of fun 3 nights at Centre Parcs in Longleat for a friends birthday celebrations!
So the office will be closed .... but don't worry I'll be scheduling lots of blogs whilst I'm away and the website will still be open for orders of wedding stationery samples, greetings cards (don't forget to get those Mothers Day card orders in!) and party invitation packs. All orders will be processed on my return however.

Back to today and today I'm making some bespoke table plan tags for a bride who is making her own vintage suitcase style table plan.
I do hire suitcase table plans out myself ... you can take a look at details and prices here ... http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/bespoketableplansandsigns.html , however for those people who don't live within deliverable distance of me or would prefer to do it themselves I also often just make the Table Plan Tags for people to use.
These can be hung in a suitcase like this suitcase table plan which I created and was styled by the lovely Kirsten from http://littleweddinghelper.co.uk ...

 

... or you could use them to attach to a mirror, board, chalkboard or even a birdcage.
Bespoke designs can be created to match your theme but here are a couple of examples of tag designs I have done for clients in the past ...

If you would like me to create a bespoke design for your Table Plan Tags just contact me via the website http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/contactus.html or email me direct at info@knotsandkisses.co.uk

Nikki x

Bespoke Wedding Invitations With A Tree Motif

As I've mentioned before one of my most popular ranges of wedding stationery is the Sketch range http://knotsandkisses.co.uk/sketchcollection.html .. mainly because for a small bespoke fee of £25.00 I can change the colourscheme and motif to suit your wedding scheme.

One of my recent clients Jo had decided she wanted trees and leaves as the theme for her wedding with a pale green colour scheme.
We decided that the 'powder green' backing card would be best and I came up with a 'tree motif' fot the top of the invitations.

Obviously I've blurred out some of my clients details to protect their privacy.

I think this colour green is a really beautiful and subtle one for a wedding and perfect for a light spring or summer feel, especially with crisp white linens and touches of pale mushroom.
I've created a moodboard of matching wedding inspiration to inspire you if you want this colour for your wedding.

 

credits : http://theprettyblog.com ; Ciara Richardson Photography via http://wedsociety.com ;

http://elizabethannedesigns.com ; Coco Cakes ; http://weddingchicks.com 

Vintage Purple Travel Inspired Wedding Stationery

I'm back in the studio this morning and Knots & Kisses is re-open after the Christmas break. I have to say its a bit tough getting back into the swing of things this morning but I've got plenty of wedding stationery orders this week to keep me busy :)

To kick start a new week I've got a brand new bespoke stationery design to share with you and some styling ideas to match.
My customers loved my Vintage Travel range but really wanted to keep to their 'vintage purple' theme and also liked the idea of a boarding pass style invitation.
So I incorporated the fonts and stamp details from my existing range and the vintage style background but put a purple boarding pass spin on it! Here's the design I came up with for them ...

If you would like a similar bespoke design for your wedding then please don't hesitate to get in touch ... either via the contacts page on my website http://knotsandkisses.co.uk or via email info@knotsandkisses.co.uk

To go with this new bespoke design I have created a 'Vintage Travel' inspired moodboard with just a hint of purple. I think mixing dark purples with light beige and browns stops it from looking too 'themed' and creates a really soft atmosphere for a wedding. Accessorise with lots of vintage luggage, bicycles and map prints and you're there!

credits :

Maria Limon Floral ; www.pinterest.com ; www.projectwedding.com ; Photography by Gina & Ryan Photography ; www.weddinggawker.com

Re-Introducing The Woodland Fairytale Collection of Wedding Stationery

Well its only a week before the relatives start to descend for Christmas and I don't know about the rest of you but our house is starting to look pretty damn festive! Obviously the tree is up, presents are wrapped and around it and my dining table is stacked with kilner jars and jam jars filled with chocolates and chutneys all ready to give as presents.
A few more orders to complete next week and then a whole two week break ... I can't wait!

Today though I wanted to carry on with re-introducing you to some of the wedding stationery collections which had a bit of a re-style when the website was relaunched in October.
As I've said before many of the collections have had many new items added to the range .. including Guest Books, Envelope Liners and Address Labels and matching Ready to Write packs .. so there should be something there for every budget.

The Woodland Fairytale collection especially looks fantastic I think with its matching envelope liners and new style Orders of Service ... and its a perfect look for a wedding at any time of year with its colourful flowers but more muted rustic colours.

The inspiration for Woodland Fairytale was Secret Gardens and Magical Woodlands .. woodland floors strewn with pine cones and rustic Kraft card. That touch of lace and colourful florals keeps it pretty. You can see the full range and all the stationery options that come with it on the website at http://knotsandkisses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/woodland-fairytale-wedding-inspiration.html
I absolutely love the new photographs we took of this range ... I think the dark wood background and little 'apple berries' worked a treat!

As always for the Woodland Fairytale range, I've created a moodboard to match ... which should hopefully inspire you as to how to style this range into your own wedding.

for credits please see http://knotsandkisses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/woodland-fairytale-wedding-inspiration.html

Wedding Stationery : A Perfect Place Save the Date Card

Today I want to share with you some Save the Date cards I did recently in my 'Perfect Place' range of wedding stationery. http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/aperfectplacecollection.html
Perfect Place is one of the new designs I launched along with the new website back in October and since its launch it has been really popular! I think one of the main reasons is that the design incorporates a personal element .. a bespoke sketch of your venue, the place you met or any location which means something to you. Clients seem to love this bespoke element.

One of the clients who requested the Perfect Place range was Leanne who has had the range for her Save the Date cards, with a sketch of the venue they will be getting married in.

I thought it would be nice for you to see the range with a different bespoke sketch so you can see how the range varies depending on the style of venue and sketch you choose.

Autumn Flowers - Rose Cottage Wedding Stationery & Styling

Hello! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend! As well as finishing off a few stationery orders, I finally started to get all Christmassy this weekend ... finalising how I'm going to wrap my presents this year ( yes I am that obsessed! ) ... and making lots of warming meals to have in the freezer for when family descends. I'm also quite pleased with myself as I had my first go at tempering chocolate and made a Chocolate Iced Millefeuille with it ... Yes that's basically a homemade Vienetta!

Also a last quick message that voting closes today for the Wedding Ideas Magazine awards ... I would absolutely love for those of you who have ordered from Knots & Kisses or who are just fans of what I do here to consider voting for us in the Wedding Stationery category. We would really appreciate it! Just follow the link to http://www.weddingideasmag.com/wedding-ideas-awards-2014-voting-form/

Anyway back to weddings ...

Today I want to share with you another of the 'off the peg' ranges of wedding stationery on my website which has had a little bit of a revamp since the new website launched .. Rose Cottage.

As with all of the other ranges I re-photographed and re-styled each existing range and have also added matching envelope liners and address labels which you can chose to add to your order to complete the look. There is also a new Guestbook option and, for those on a budget or in a hurry a matching 'ready to write' Simply K&K invitation pack.

Here are my styling ideas to match the Rose Cottage range .. I think the range has a lovely warm autumnal feel ... but remember for just a small bespoke fee of £25 I can adapt the range into almost any colour way to match your wedding scheme!

Updated Very British Wedding Range of Stationery

Welcome to a new week on the Knots & Kisses blog ... I really hope you were able to see some of the blogs last week from the new launch.
I had such amazing feedback about the new website design http://knotsandkisses.co.uk and the new ranges of wedding stationery. I even had a couple of orders of the brand new occasion stationery and party invitation packs http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/occasionsstationery.html straight away which was amazing!
Thank you so much to everyone who commented.

Following on from the launch, this week I wanted to re-introduce some of the existing ranges of wedding stationery which had a bit of a revamp or redesign to coincide with the new website launch.
We took lots of new photos of the existing ranges as well so the look of all the photography matched.

Today I want to look at 'Very British Wedding'. Since I launched it VBW (as we call it here) has been really popular, and I've often adapted it as well to feature other countries flags.
Now it has been transformed into a square folded invitation with the option of a pocket inside for your rsvp and information cards. You can also purchase Very British Wedding in the Simply K&K Ready to Write packs if you are in a hurry or on a tight budget. http://www.knotsandkisses.co.uk/verybritishweddingcollection.html

Pretty & Rustic Wedding Reception Stationery

Well autumn is definitely here isn't it! Fortunately the rain didn't hamper plans here at Knots & Kisses HQ this weekend as we spent most of the weekend on the computers doing design work on the new website update and new stationery ranges for October.
I had several brides getting married at the weekend though so I'm really hoping that the rain didn't dampen their days and a lovely time was had by all.

Speaking of this weeks weddings .. today I wanted to share with you the reception stationery I created for a lovely couple who were getting married in the Cotswolds on Friday.
I previously shared with you their invitations which I was commissioned to create by the lovely Rachel, The Cotswold Wedding Planner.
Rachel also wanted me to create some very special and unique stationery to match for the big day itself, to fit in with their pretty but rustic theme with a subtle wood print.
Here is a photo of the Order of Service, Escort cards and Guestbook I created.

One of the main items I designed was a unique Guestbook. Not only was this to be a guestbook where guests could fill in the answers to some questions about the big day and their advice for the couple, but also a Scrapbook of the day .. to include their Design Brief, copies of their stationery, samples of fabrics used and messages from the children.
In this way they have all of the memories of their wedding ( minus the photos of course ) in one place to look back on.
Here are some of the designs for the inside pages of the Guestbook ...

 

 

I also created some large A1 Posters to display on the entrance to the venue for the day ... here is the poster detailing the Bridal Party ...

Hopefully I'll have lots more photos to share with you of this wedding stationery from the official photos on the day ... I can't wait to see how it all looked in situe!

Dusky Pink & Modern Typography Wedding Stationery

I don't know about you but I've rather been enjoying the thunderstorms and tropical weather of late .. it sort of reminds me of when I was travelling round south east Asia! ( Although a if it headed back a little bit more to the tropical than the thunderstorms that would be good ).
It's definitely put me in the mood for some of the bespoke design work which I've been working on over the last week for a couple who are getting married in Thailand and want a colourful tropical look to their wedding invitations.
Hopefully I'll be sharing this design with you very soon.

Today, however, I want to share another design I worked on for some clients recently. Joanne and Neil loved the modern typography look of my Graphic Prints range but wanted to mix this with a plain but pretty dusky pink band and envelope liner, rather than the bright printed ones which come as standard with the range.
Combined with a mid grey backing card it was a really simple and elegant combination.

 

 

If you would like a bespoke version of my Graphic Prints range for your wedding please don't hesitate to get in touch via the contact form on the website at http://knotsandkisses.co.uk

 

To go with this design I've come up with a modern but elegant moodboard. The grey colour takes the edge off what normally might be an overly pretty colour scheme.

 

 

credits : dresses, shoes, chair backs and fans - all www.bhldn.com ;

sofa and table layouts from www.pinterest.com ;

cake image from http://cakewhisperer.ca