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I’m a complete and utter paper geek and have always drooled over the fabulous invitations and stationery from Hello!Lucky. Created in 2003 by sisters/best friends Eunice and Sabrina Moyle with a vintage Vandercook press set-up in Eunice’s garage, Hello!Lucky offers unique and modern invitations for whatever style your wedding may be – rustic, chic, destination, elegant – you name it, they’ve either got something that will work or their talented team of designers will collaborate with you to create something you love. Although they were one of the first to specialize in letterpress wedding invites, they also have affordable digitally printed designs for all types of invitations as well as day-of stationery. Check out some of my favorites below or on their blog!

Hi everyone! Christen here with part 2 of my NSS wrap-up (check here for part 1 where I discuss trends in stationery design). For the second half I want to take a look at a few trends in the actual construction of invitations, going beyond the pocketfold and plain white 80# cardstock to create something that truly stands out and sets the tone for your wedding.

At long last, I am finally going to share with you our beautiful letterpress wedding invitations from the one and only Bella Figura. When you’re surrounded by incredible letterpress invitations every day (because I work at Bella Figura, for those who do not know) deciding on your own becomes incredibly difficult. After a couple of months worth of debate, literally, we decided on Keswick, a 7″ square size, in mediterranean and pale gray inks with mediterranean envelope liners. The entire process was incredibly exciting – including hanging out with our printer, Carrie, as she set up the press check – but nothing topped the day I finally got to hold them in my hands. I love love love how they turned out and we will certainly be having a set framed soon.

I know many of you are looking for ways to help protect the environment while still having a beautiful wedding.  So, in honor of Earth Day, I thought that I’d focus on a few of my favorite options for gorgeous, eco-friendly wedding invitations.

Today we are welcoming Sarah from the fabulous Monogram Chick blog to give us the skinny on monogramming your wedding!  Thanks for stopping by EAD today Sarah! 

Our next Library sponsor is Inspired Goodness. Owned and operated by Kimberly, a New York graphic designer, Inspired Goodness is so unique we had to create a category specifically for it!

When we decided to make advertising slots available on the Library, we contacted several vendors that we know personally to be of the highest quality to see if they wanted to be a part of the initial launch, and were so pleased when many of them accepted. You have seen the work of each of them on the blog already, but we thought it would be fun to take you behind the scenes for a short Q&A*.

Even though Anthony and Holly met at work, a full year went by before they first spoke. However, once they did, they soon clicked mainly because of their Latin heritage. They got engaged while staying at a beautiful Berkshires location. It was only the two of them in nature, Holly was looking for birds through the binoculars, and Anthony was on one knee when she turned around.

Nestled in the tiny Long Island hamlet of Oakdale is the exceptionally beautiful Bourne Mansion, which played host to Alexis and Geoffrey’s elegant and romantic June nuptials. Alexis was a positively radiant bride, selecting a dramatic lace Galia Lahav gown and veil, with loose curls and a fluffy blush bouquet of roses and peonies. Treated to a picture-perfect blue sky, Alexis and Geoffrey exchanged their own written vows beneath a dramatic floral branch arch on the lawn, and afterwards guests moved into the stately ballroom for a seated dinner at elegant tables with towering centerpieces of lush hydrangea, rose, and greenery created by Flowers by Brian. Topping off the night was a dance party to the tunes from Sound House, which ended with glow sticks and not one but three pairs of split pants! Alexis describes the day of their wedding as “so incredibly full of love it could be physically felt and seen with every detail” and we couldn’t imagine truer words to be spoken after gazing upon the simply perfect images from Cassi Claire!

We are absolutely charmed by Jessica and Will’s pretty Maryland wedding. Theirs was an intimate and relaxed affair, with classic touches and a graceful garden setting at Strong Mansion. Everyone who plans an outdoor wedding envisions picture-perfect weather, and several days before, the couple had made peace with having a rainy wedding day. But imagine their delight when on the day of the wedding, the rain ceased just in the nick of time, allowing for their outdoor ceremony! Their non-traditional vows included the best man acting as the officiant and a special surprise for Jessica, as Will surprised her with a recorded version of “She’s Got a Way” for her walk down the aisle, featuring him as the vocalist and her father playing the piano. Pretty peach and blue centerpieces from Love Blooms peppered the reception tent and everyone danced the night away to the tunes of  DC Fusion (including rocking the togas for “Shout”!) We adore every beautiful image from one of our favorites, Michael and Carina!

We’re hopelessly in love with the whimsy and elegance in this stunning summer editorial from Nature’s Grace Design. Bright cherry red brings a youthful, lighthearted feel, while the sophisticated setting of Fort Collins County Club adds a classic touch. Fresh white formal wear, a stunning sleeved gown from Encore Bridal, and a 1958 Ford bring in a sense of nostalgia, and and tall glasses of Cherry Bourbon Cream Soda make you long for the long hot days of summer when country club weddings were the affair of the season! The timeless grace is infectious, and we adore each stunning image from Danielle DeFiore!

Jennifer and Daniel fell in love with the French-Vietnamese chapel and covered barn at Camp Lucy the moment they set eyes upon the venue just outside of Jennifer’s hometown of Austin, Texas. With a short engagement, the couple pulled together a dream team of vendors to create their rustic, elegant day. Beautiful florals from Posey Floral and Event Design brought the outside in, with eucalyptus and hydrangea trumpets flanked by low-lying peach and ivory blooms in wooden boxes. Personal details were peppered throughout, from the lace sachets handcrafted by Daniel’s grandmother, which were filled with French candies to honor Daniel’s French heritage, to the grapefruit fizz signature cocktail, the recipe crafted by the couple. We adore the fresh seafoam green bridesmaids dresses from J.Crew and Jennifer’s sleek Pronovias gown from Brickhouse Bridal,with a chic updo by Mandy Silver. Each image from Forever Photography is perfection!

Bold and pretty are the perfect words to describe Angela and Michael’s Santa Rosa wedding, held at Annadel Estate Winery. The beautiful blues, red, and purples of the flowers by Elyse Litt of Willow Floral Design are somewhat unexpected, making that much more of a statement. Bret Cole Photography did a stunning job capturing the day’s details, including the intricate beading on Angela’s Lazaro gown and the rustic, elegant surroundings of the vineyard and barn-style space where the ceremony was held. On the lawn for the reception, Melissa Panico of MAP Weddings & Events coordinated lovely centerpieces along long tables with gold touches and pretty linens from La Tavola Fine Linen Rental. We are completely head over heels for this chic and colorful vineyard wedding—swoon over all of the details in the gallery!

Jessica and Daniel opted for an intimate ceremony atop the roof of the Bryant Park Grill, which we find sweetly romantic! Jessica remembers walking through Bryant Park as straight out of a fairytale, with locals and tourists sharing their congratulations and taking photos. It was a celebrity moment! Romantic pink and gold was the theme of the day, with a bubblegum pink Bill Levkoff bridesmaids dress, NYC skyline invitations from Bella Figura, and the pretty spring florals—featuring Jessica’s adored peonies—from Verde Flowers. Our hearts are aflutter over the vintage look of Jessica’s Allure Bridals gown, Pronovias veil, and gold glitter Kate Spade heels. Lindsay Madden Photography captured the grace and elegance of the day so perfectly, we almost feel as though we are there, too! Join in the fun in the gallery!

Ladies and gents, today we have the privilege of sharing Melissa Hayes’ sparkling new wedding website!  If you haven’t seen Melissa’s work before, you are in for quite a treat today because we can assure you it is positively lovely!  Her new website showcases her amazing photography perfectly with several collections that will make your jaw drop.  From cheery outdoor ceremonies to chic ballroom receptions to cultural weddings filled with color and warmth, Melissa has photographed it all beautifully!

Andrea and Luke’s waterfront wedding in Menasha, Wisconsin, is the stuff spring dreams are made of! Lovely J.Crew bridesmaids dresses in a mint green-aqua color pop against the lush green landscape at the outdoor ceremony. The couple’s dog, Kobe, even wore a coordinating bow tie from Silly Buddy! Sash & Bow helped coordinate the affair at North Shore Golf Club, where customized details ruled the day. From stationery by Bella Figura and graphic designer Jessica Michels to guest mugs from Sunset Hill Stoneware, the fabulous Kim Thiel Photography captured it all. We love everything about Andrea’s Liancarlo gown and the spring bouquets dotted with succulents from Branching Out & Company! Of course, no wedding is complete without a fabulous confection, and the dessert table filled with cakes by Cakescapes is simply pretty. Congratulations Andrea and Luke on a stunning day!

How lovely are the details of Ariana and Marcus’s wedding? The ceremony, held at the gorgeous Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, gave way to an elegant reception at The Country Club in Salt Lake City. Beautiful images from Jacque Lynn highlight the different styles of bridesmaids dresses from Dillard’s, Lily & Iris, and Nordstrom, all in shades of cream. Ariana’s ethereal dress is from Alta Moda Bridal Boutique. We love the soft florals by Blooms & Co. and the flower detailing on the cake from Pastry Arts Barrani, which feature the same palette of creams, blush, and light pink. A departure in a vintage limo from Antique Limousine Service of Utah, LLC carried Ariana and Marcus off into the sunset after this fabulous day! See all of the beautiful images in the gallery!

Ahh, a fresh take on nautical wedding décor! We’re in heaven! Cara and Nicholas met in Hawaii (hello—how romantic!), but they wanted something truer to their New England roots for the biggest day of their lives. That meant heading to Cara’s home state of Connecticut for a traditional ceremony at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Brookfield, followed by one of our favorite receptions ever at The Candlewood Lake Club. Everything is just so crisp and pretty, from the lush bouquets to the hydrangea and orchid arrangements from The Garden Party. We adore the sweet mint green bridesmaids dresses from Jenny Yoo Collection. Cara wore a simple but stunning Badgley Mischka gown with an awesome pair of strappy Ralph Lauren heels, and Elisabeth Millay Photography made Cara and Nicholas feel like “we were in a magazine shoot!” A basket weave design on the cake from Lindsay Wallin Cakes complemented the entire theme, and we love that guests sailed “wish boats” across the lake!

It’s no secret that at EAD, we’re head over heels for pretty paper and design. A lovely letterpress invite can take our breath away, and a sweetly designed envelope lining will probably result in some major swooning. As serious stationery admirers, we completely melt over everything by Courtney Callahan Paper, one of our treasured vendor guide members, and are thrilled to show off some of her gorgeous recent work today on the blog!