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invitations

Invitations

Seattle, Washington

Sara and seth

I met Sara, her fiancé, Seth, and Sara's parents at a cute little cafe in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard. While meeting an entire family for a consultation can be daunting sometimes, this group was as sweet and relaxed as can be.

Her parents and I immediately bonded over shared memories of watching the LA Dodger's spring training games in my hometown of Vero Beach, Florida years ago. That was a win in my book!

The couple wanted their personalities to shine through their paper goods, along with adding personal touches, and we pulled out all the stops to make sure that happened.

After showing Sara + Seth several options, it was clear that they had fallen in love with classic black letterpress, so I designed a luxe (yet playful) invitation on supple, 100% cotton paper, incorporating a mixture of brush calligraphy and a timeless typeface.

Because the couple would be married at a botanical garden, Sara asked that a white orchid be included in her invitation somehow, and I had just the place: her envelope liners!

it's all in the details:

Sara + Seth were, quite simply, one of the sweetest couples I've had the pleasure of meeting. They made it very clear from the start just how important their paper goods were, not only for them, but for their guests as well.

While meeting with Sara one day, she remarked that she and Seth call me their "calligrapher on retainer", which flattered me to no end – that is the exact relationship I strive for with my clients!

the invitation suite

Each invitation was assembled and wrapped in a black velvet ribbon, crossed and sealed in place with a custom wax seal (in the couple's initials) in white wax. Swoon!

The couple also wanted to incorporate a subtle Seattle theme through their invitations, so I curated a special vintage postage stamp set that featured the Space Needle, the Washington state flower (the rhododendron), and more. 

For the icing on the cake: I surprised them by delivering their heirloom suite tucked inside a handmade black invitation folio, complete with a hand-dyed silk ribbon closure. These folios are functional and gorgeous!

To keep the brand of their wedding going, I incorporated the same black brush calligraphy from their invitations throughout all of their day-of paper goods – from programs to place cards to signage and everything in-between.

But the beauty didn't stop there: some of my favorite details were included in the day-of pieces! Guests were treated to escort cards with hand-drawn meal choice icons, which doubled as guides to their table assignments. Sara + Seth framed a small, understated welcome sign which they were able to display in their home after their wedding.

it's all in the details:

The Day-of Pieces

I illustrated their adorable pups Marlowe and Oscar to use for their signature drink sign, and I swear I fell in love with Frenchies right then and there! With drinks like "The Marlowe Cat" and "The Oscar Buddy", how could I not?

I drew an orchid illustration for the front of their programs, which were tied with a hand-dyed silk ribbon and filled with details and sweet notes from the couple. I was blown away by the love these two had for their guests, especially that they wanted to explain each tradition to guests of different faiths!

GALLERY No.

2

peter & sarah

GALLERY No.

3

mary & tim

snohomish, Washington

Katelyn + Jonthan

Out of all of the weddings I worked on during the pandemic, Katelyn + Jonathan's wedding was the most unique. They initially planned to get married in 2020, but restrictions in Washington state forced them to reschedule.

That didn't stop them, though: they hosted a very intimate wedding for their original date (which was STUNNING) and planned a bigger "vow renewal" party one year later.

We went with a very "PNW-style" design for their original date, but K+J wanted to do something more their style for their vow renewal. Enter the "Till Death Do Us Part" theme, which was amazing in every way – I mean, did you see Katelyn's dress?!

From the smoke-filled forest entrance to their wedding all the way down to the black linen-covered tablescapes, I think K+J hit the mark with their amazing all-black, "deathly" themed wedding.

When Katelyn mentioned to me that she wanted an invitation suite that was more her style, I immediately thought, "An all-black suite, love it!" – but she clarified that their vow renewal theme was "Till Death Do Us Part". Cue  my head swimming with ideas of skulls, classy-Halloween themes, and black everywhere!

One of the perks of working with all digital printing is that color isn't a problem. With letterpress and foil, you're limited to one or two colors typically, but digital printing allows for any color printing. This was definitely the way to go for K+J's invites, as I knew right away the moody, black roses were going to be a big part of the design.

To stick with the black color palette but still keep it fresh and wedding-centric, I opted for black envelopes with white ink printing. A skull with florals bursting from the sides was added to the addresses, giving guests an idea of what would be waiting for them inside.

The cards inside were also printed digitally, each double-sided with imagery and information to share with guests. The beautiful double skulls with black roses exploding behind them was a theme we carried subtly throughout the invitation, and the black roses made several appearances in the day-of pieces. 

Twin Willow Gardens is an absolutely stunning venue, which happens to be owned by one of my favorite planners in the Seattle area (Rebecca of New Creations Weddings and Events).

Twin Willow has an actual forest ceremony space (you'll feel like you're in the Twilight: Breaking Dawn wedding there), so incorporating wood into K+J's day-of pieces was a must-do. Their welcome and events signage carried on the "Till Death Do Us Part" theme, and I am STILL swooning over the black florals on the program of events sign! 

it's all in the details:

One of my other favorite pieces was their signature drinks sign, which definitely fit a "potions" theme with the block carving illustration-style cauldron. I'll take one Love Potion, please! 

As a continued nod to the black roses from the invitations, the round dinner menus were bordered by the same black roses in a fun and moody pattern to match the drama of the table linens. Escort cards were lined up in custom-made black stands to prevent the cards from flying away if the wind kicked up, while remaining classy and understated.

the invitation suite

vendor team

it's all in the details:

The Day-of Pieces

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private residence in friday harbor, Washington

emily + Jonthan

First of all, can we get an AMEN for Caitlyn Nikula for taking such amazing photos of these invitations?! Woohoo!

Emily + Jonathan are a couple who know what they want, and they definitely knew what they wanted for all of their wedding day goodies. From the first time we spoke, I knew they would have a really solid direction to take me in regarding their vision for the pieces they wanted me to design.

On my first call with them, they told me they were going for a "water theme", since they would be exchanging vows at a private residence on the Puget Sound.

They took a ton of photos to help me envision what the space would look like – SO helpful! – and I noticed the unique trees on their property right away. Look closely to find all of the places I incorporated those amazing trees!

When E+J said they wanted water in their invitations, I took them at their word! My ideas centered around bright and unique shades of blue for their envelopes, with bright white paper for their invitation cards to represent whitecaps on the water.

From there, I created an abstract yet familiar wave pattern to act as a unifier: important pieces would have this pattern included as a border, and the envelope liner featured the pattern unencumbered by any text or information. Alternating blues and grays in the pattern helped capture the changing colors of the Puget Sound depending on the amount of sunlight on the water.

Guests were also treated to vintage postage in a Washington theme, which made me fall even more in love with this suite! If you're unsure what vintage postage is, it's stamps that are out of circulation (i.e., not for sale anymore) at the post office. I scour hundreds upon hundreds of stamp designs to put together the most perfect set for my couples and I absolutely love it.

My favorite part of the whole suite was easily the tree from their property, where they would be married. I hand-illustrated this tree because it was so unique to their wedding and more, importantly, their home. 

I got to do some super fun things with E+J's day-of pieces! As a surprise to the couple, I made a rubber stamp for the couple with their tree illustration and wedding date – their planner hand-stamped all of the coffee cups with this design and it was so adorable!

The tree design was also included on their custom match boxes (YES!) and bright blue cocktail napkins (MORE YES!). I love when couples add these fun little touches – it makes the wedding experience feel so much more thought-out and fun for the guests. (Not to mention, think of all of the keepsakes!)

it's all in the details:

For signage, we kept things classic, but I couldn't resist adding in E+J's signature abstract wave design on several pieces, like the bar menu. 

The menus were hands down my favorite pieces to do for their wedding day! I'm all about multi-functional pieces when it makes sense, and it SURE DID here! The menu featured the wave design and also had a card attached with each guest's name and meal choice printed on it. The place card was attached with hand-dyed 100% silk ribbon in the colors of the sun setting on the Puget Sound, which was the perfect nod to the sunset start time of the reception.

the invitation suite

vendor team

it's all in the details:

The Day-of Pieces

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email hello@sablewoodpaper.com
and mention "Emily + Jonathan"

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Seattle, Washington

Sara + Seth

I met Sara, her fiancé, Seth, and Sara's parents at a cute little cafe in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard. While meeting an entire family for a consultation can be daunting sometimes, this group was as sweet and relaxed as can be.

Her parents and I immediately bonded over shared memories of watching the LA Dodger's spring training games in my hometown of Vero Beach, Florida years ago. That was a win in my book!


Sara + Seth were, quite simply, one of the sweetest couples I've had the pleasure of meeting. They made it very clear from the start just how important their paper goods were, not only for them, but for their guests as well.

While meeting with Sara one day, she remarked that she and Seth call me their "calligrapher on retainer", which flattered me to no end – that is the exact relationship I strive for with my clients!

The couple wanted their personalities to shine through their paper goods, along with adding personal touches, and we pulled out all the stops to make sure that happened.

After showing Sara + Seth several options, it was clear that they had fallen in love with classic black letterpress, so I designed a luxe (and a bit playful) invitation on supple, vivid white, 100% cotton paper, incorporating a mixture of brush calligraphy and a timeless typeface.

Because the couple would be married at a botanical garden, Sara asked that a white orchid be included in her invitation somehow, and I had just the place: her envelope liners!

Each invitation was assembled and wrapped in a black velvet ribbon, crossed and sealed in place with a custom wax seal (in the couple's initials) in white wax. Swoon!

The couple also wanted to incorporate a subtle Seattle theme through their invitations, so I curated a special vintage postage stamp set that featured the Space Needle, the Washington state flower (the rhododendron), and more. 

For the icing on the cake: I surprised them by delivering their heirloom suite tucked inside a handmade black invitation folio, complete with a hand-dyed silk ribbon closure. These folios are functional and gorgeous!

To keep the brand of their wedding going, I incorporated the same brush calligraphy from their invitations throughout all of their day-of paper goods – from programs to place cards to signage and everything in-between.

But the beauty didn't stop there: some of my favorite details were included in the day-of pieces! Guests were treated to escort cards with hand-drawn meal choice icons, which doubled as guides to their table assignments. Sara + Seth framed a small, understated welcome sign which they were able to display in their home after their wedding.

it's all in the details:

I illustrated their adorable pups Marlowe and Oscar to use for their signature drink sign, and I swear I fell in love with Frenchies right then and there! (With drinks like "The Marlowe Cat" and "The Oscar Buddy", how could I not?)

I drew an orchid illustration for the front of their programs, which were tied with a hand-dyed silk ribbon and filled with details and sweet notes from the couple. I was blown away by the love these two had for their guests, especially that they wanted to explain each tradition to family and friends of different faiths!

the invitation suite

vendor team

Photography: Elizabeth Zuluaga
Planning: Perfectly Posh Events
Stationery + Calligraphy: Sablewood Paper Company
Hair: I Love Blush
Makeup: Shannon Mercil Makeup
Dress: Ines Di Santo
Reception: Canlis

it's all in the details:

The Day-of Pieces

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Vero Beach, Florida

jessica + Samuel

Since I knew we'd be incorporating a hand-torn look for the suite, paper texture was important: I chose a classic cotton paper in a light cream color that I knew would complement the gold foil perfectly.

I illustrated the chapel the couple would be married in and used it as the focal point of their save the dates. (In keeping with the illustration tradition, a hand-drawn starfish was also included on Jessica's bridal shower invitations!)

With a suite designed entirely with gold foil in mind, it's important that all of your pieces have pizazz...but there is one piece that will really catch the eye – a custom map.

To make sure I could capture the locations and venues the couple wanted to highlight on their map, Jessica took me on a little field trip to her venue to scout locations, take some photos, and learn more about where she was being married.

Apart from the map, my favorite part of this suite was the custom wax seal. Keeping with the "coastal luxury" theme of the suite, I illustrated a classic palm leaf for the seal itself. Instead of going with the obvious choice for wax color – gold – we went with white wax...with a twist.

Gold leafing was applied by hand to each seal. This created an elegant touch for the envelopes, which you can see in the photos above!

vendor team

Photography: Darling Juliet Photography
Florist: Hutchinson's Floral
Jewelry: Cousineau's Jewelers
Entertainment: Ocean Strings + DJ Bobby Martone
Stationery + Calligraphy: Sablewood Paper Company
Gown: Mikaella Bridal
Veil: Tony Federici

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
MUA: Cindy Goetz
Hair: Lindsay Naffziger
Venue: Windsor
Tux: Dolce & Gabbana
Officiant: Rev. Stephen Barth

It was easy to see what direction we would be taking for the day-of pieces. Cream-colored escort cards were placed on a massive wood table, with guest names handwritten in calligraphy using gold ink.

The reception venue featured a beautiful wood-lined ceiling, so we kept the use of wood limited to table numbers only. The tables themselves were covered in white linens with low-profile centerpieces, allowing guests to engage in conversations without peeking around tall florals.

it's all in the details:

The Day-of Pieces

But one of the best parts about the day itself was easily the gifts the couple gave each other. Jessica commissioned me to calligraph their wedding vows in gold ink, which always makes me giddy – if there's one thing that will make your wedding vows stand out, it's gold ink!

Jessica and Samuel's wedding was another splendid example of why it's important to use the same design elements throughout your wedding: it creates a theme for your guests without being kitschy, and makes your wedding more of an experience for your guests.

It's always a pleasure working with a local bride – especially one who lives 5 minutes away from you and can meet you at the drop of a hat. But it's even more amazing when that particular client knows exactly what she wants from day one.

Jessica arrived at our consultation armed with a vision: gold foil, cotton paper, and a classic feel. Luckily for me, she was getting married at the one of the most gorgeous places on the east coast of Florida: Windsor.

Like all of my closest and favorite clients, I worked closely with the couple on all of their paper goods for well over a year: save the dates, invitation suite, bridal shower invitations, rehearsal dinner invitation and day-of pieces.

Designing all of the paper pieces for my clients' weddings allows me to brand their big day in a way that only a sole designer can do, bringing months of paper pieces together in a cohesive, thoughtful way that will leave a lasting impression on guests.

it's all in the details:

Save the Date + invitation suite

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Featured on 100 layer cake

it's all in the details:

Working with neutrals is fantastic: you get an effortless, chic look with almost any material and any style. For this editorial, I chose to focus on texture first, and color second.

From the beginning stages of this editorial, I knew I had to incorporate fabric into my pieces somehow. The entire suite was designed to be created on linen, which meant that every bit of text had to be readable — no small feat for a somewhat text-heavy invitation!

Soft and romantic calligraphy was the tie-in for all of the pieces, from envelopes to place cards. 

Even though fabric already makes quite a statement, I added a hand-drawn floral element to the invitation, menus, and matching fabric quote, a modified quote from Leo Tolstoy's literary classic Anna Karenina.

For the place cards, I went with something a little different but still heavy with texture: wood. I love working with wood and make everything myself, so I always try to incorporate a wood piece or two in my designs!

The place cards themselves were round with gold leafing and loose calligraphy names.


Incorporating texture

editorial

texture + tones

vendor team

Stationery + Calligraphy: Sablewood Paper Company
Ceramics: St. Cao Ceramics
Specialty Rentals: Yay! Parties
Catering: Table Catering
Location: Sole Repair Shop
Models: @madelaineclairee @aussie_luxe_bride

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Location, location, location. This is one of the most important things to consider when you're planning your wedding, but have you thought about why? This editorial was brought to life by thinking of exactly that.

The Rainier Chapter House in Seattle is a home pulled out of the 18th century, complete with a wide staircase, portraits of founding father George Washington, and original hardwood floors that Joanna Gaines would go crazy for.

But how do you design around a venue that already has such history? How do you complement the venue without taking away from its beauty?

To do that, I took the parts of the venue that spoke to me most: cream colors, natural linen, and pops of gold. 

Place cards doubling as mini cards for guests adorned the gorgeous tablescape, nestled near wild bouquets of flowers and on top of grainy wood platters. For the couple's signature poem, minimalist calligraphy was inscribed on paper flecked with real gold foil chips.

The invitation itself featured an illustration of Rainier Chapter House, a vintage painting for the envelope liner, and handmade paper for heightened texture. It was an invitation that would stand out in any mailbox.


it's all in the details:

ReCreating Nostalgia

vendor team

Planning + Florals: K. Hancock Events
Photography: Alixann Loosle Photography
Calligraphy + Stationery: Sablewood Paper Company
Makeup + Hair: Yessie Libby

editorial

wild + nostalgic

EMAIL hello@sablewoodpaper.com
AND MENTION "Wild + NOstalgic"

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Featured on grey likes weddings

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How can you mix feminine and masculine together without everything looking really strange?

That was the task set forth to us when we found out that we'd be planning an event in this room at Newcastle Golf Club in Newcastle, Washington — which boasts a view of downtown Seattle AND Bellevue!

While it would be easy to add a dash of pink and blue to everything and call it a day, this room has a distinct highlander look...so it was up to us to make sure we added just the right amount of softness to appeal to both ladies and gentlemen.

Making our primary color copper immediately set the tone. I made sure to keep the other colors as neutral as possible, mostly to highlight the beauty of the room and the tartan pattern, but it doubled as a gender-neutral look!

I added wax seals in a burnt copper to as many pieces as I could — both the invitation suite and place cards featured the seal — but I also went a step further and added them to the wood signage adorning the room. 

Custom programs finished with silk ribbons topped the ceremony seating, rich floral colors adorned the tables, and the bar served up classic Moscow Mules in copper mugs.


it's all in the details:

something for both parties

vendor team

Planning: Pink Blossom Events
Photography: Alante Photography
Calligraphy + Stationery: Sablewood Paper Company
Florals: Aria Style

editorial

feminine + masculine

EMAIL hello@sablewoodpaper.com
AND MENTION "feminine + masculine"

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