Anatomy of an Invite

06 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Invites & Save the Dates, Wedding Decor Ideas, Weddings

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antique, art, bridal shower, bride, cottage chic, decor, design, earth, engagement party, events, farm, gray star design, groom, natural, nature, save the dates, seating cards, stamps, table charts, table numbers, vintage, wedding decor, wedding invites, weddings

Wedding invites are supposed to be one of the fun things about planning a wedding. Along with the save the dates, they allow your guests to take a sneak peak into your special day and help build anticipation to attend. Personally, I think they are one of the most important pieces in tying your theme together and really should make sense when it comes to your wedding’s decor.

Although everyone has different tastes and styles, I think we can all agree that getting an invitation in the mail for an event, whatever it may be, is exciting excited. Being a designer, I get all happy just to see how they are designed. I can’t help analyzing its elements and typography and grade how it’s all put together. Using my inside voice of course. And yes, a lot of the time I find a few things I would have done differently. All the more reason I am in the design field. Alas, not everyone has a keen eye for design

Since I am launching new designs in my Etsy shop, most of which will be for events such as weddings, I thought it was fitting to write a post on the anatomy of an invite ,and include some extras, to share what to include and how to showcase different elements. The main thing to remember is the final piece should represent your event and have a cohesive look. I decided to use mine as a reference so lets get started!

First, you should treat the envelopes will care just as much as you do with the invite. Think of it as the door people will open before they step inside your home. You want it to be clean and beautiful showcasing your guests name in decorative type on nice paper. Featuring special stamps surely add a nice touch. And there are a bunch of different types of packaging you can use as well so don’t feel you have to settle for an basic envelope. Basically, you don’t want it to look like an everyday piece of mail.

The thing to look out for, and this is a no no for sure in my book, is using a font or handwriting that people can’t read. Whether you are having calligraphy done or choosing to print the names and addresses, its important that the mail carriers and your guests can read it. I think this is probably where a lot of people go wrong. They want a fancy looking envelope but just go a little too far. If the designer who worked with them felt it was good to go, then I question their typography skills.

I chose to use the font featured on our invites so they would match. Plus, I am in love with the one I used, so pretty and organic. The envelopes were textured recycled taupe which was made sense since our day represented a natural style and eco-friendly feel. The vintage floral stamps purchased on Etsy really brought the whole thing together. I bought all different ones so not all the invites were the same and also mixed in some recent stamps to mix it up.

For the back we used a custom stamp we had made with our names and address. Just from the envelope alone, one can clearly see our wedding day was going to be nature inspired and peaceful, which is was.

The invites were 2 pieces of recycled sand speckled paper that I joined together by a little button clasp in the top left corner. It was important to me to use earth friendly materials and have an overall natural vintage look. Since our wedding was on a farm held during a Sunday afternoon, I also made sure the invite carried a soft and light style to mirror daylight as apposed to a fancier evening wedding.

The front piece was created with various patterns and digital stitching to look like a quilt. I used a needlepoint font that stayed within that feel and included the two other fonts I used for the info piece. So in total I chose three fonts for the invite which I used throughout all the decor for the wedding. This kept the theme cohesive and helped all the decor flow with each other.

The addition of the key represents the vintage key Dan gave me on our anniversary before we were engaged. It opened the small treasure chest I would eventually be given on the night he proposed. It’s little things like this that make an invite really special. Heartfelt and personal, this tiny key is a gesture of our engagement.

The inside piece included all the information our guests would need to know about our wedding day. I wanted the text to show our love for the Earth and animals and including small decorative illustrations of natural elements helped carry along that message. I used two fonts and laid them out so the invite was easy to read as well as interesting. Playing with typography is one of my favorite things to do and I feel that clearly shows in the invites. The addition of the blue lace was also used on other decor and was introduced here for that reason.

Since it was a casual spring wedding, we let people know the dress code with a little poem, Let Spring Inspire Your Attire, hoping they understand that suits and formal gowns were definitely not fit for the day. And to stick with our eco-friendly theme, we chose to use an online RSVP instead which could be found on our wedding blog. From the invites alone, Dan and I were represented well. One can see that our wedding was truly about us and not just having an event to have it.

I also included directions so everyone would know how to get to the venue, along with the contact information. I was happy to get positive responses from guests about how nice the invites looked. It made me happy to know that all my hard work paid off. Having done all the design work for the event, it got stressful at times. Especially, since we had just bought a house less than 3 months before. But in the end, I am happy I pulled it off and learned from the experience.

Here are some of the other items I designed for our special day. I created the table numbers to match the invite, you can now purchase these at my Etsy shop and instead of seating cards I decided to go with seating charts to save paper. I hung these on linen ribbon between two vintage shovels at the entrance. Notice how they all flow nicely with each other and fit into our theme.

And for the pre-wedding items like the save the dates, wedding site and bridal shower invites, I tried to have them represent the same style but show different elements. Dan and I threw our engagement party for friends at our old apartment and didn’t want it to be a big deal. So for that I saved trees and sent everyone an evite. You can see more about the party in my post, Decorating Your Way to a Great Party.

The save the dates I designed as a vintage postcard which featured one of our photos from the engagement shoot on the front. It also included our wedding site info so our guests could look into the details of our special day. Since they were 4×6 postcards, we were able to save a little money on the postage as well.

Our wedding site was a blog I put together to showcase all the things our guests could look forward to on our wedding day. Besides info on the all vegetarian menu, I included a bio on our dj, photographer, videographer and officiant. Most of all were friends and people we knew. I made sure to share the story of how Dan and I met with updates on our lives as well as our engagement story. People could also find our registry and RSVP on the site too. Everyone in one place!

I opted to take a break and purchase the bridal shower invites instead of designing them. I know its tradition to have it be a surprise but in my case it made more sense to know about it and help with the planning. Both my Mother and maid of honor, Meg, live in New Jersey so to make it easier on everyone I just had the shower at my house. Since we just moved in a few months earlier it was nice to have everyone over to check it out, especially since we didn’t have a house warming party.

I wanted the invite to showcase pastels being it was April and I loved the fun and modern feel of the Jolie design on Minted so I went with that. I liked the bonsai stamps because they included nature and for the envelope info I printed a casual but pretty font on the front. I chose April 22nd, which was Earth Day, so it truly would be a nod to what I love. The day turned out very nice and I was so happy to hang with all the ladies in my life. Here are a few photos from the day:

I had such a great experience during the wedding planning process. Having put together so much myself is really an accomplishment and I am pleased with how it all turned out. I am sure you can understand the excitement I feel knowing I can help others with their special events whether it be through design or planning, especially since I just went through the whole process myself. I look forward to doing business with other couples and really make their “dream” day come true.

Inspiration Photo Friday

29 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

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branches, bricks, building, door, friday, grass, Inspiration, nature, overgrowth, photo, photography, trees

Hey Everyone! This is a new series I am starting today called Inspiration Photo Friday. Every week I will post a photo that I hope will bring some inspiration your way. Even if it brings forth an emotion or helps to remember a memory that may have been buried, my job is done. All the subjects have obviously been of interest to me or I wouldn’t have taken a photo of them.

I hope you all enjoy this new series! Please feel free to comment about it and share your inspiration with all of us. I am looking forward to reading what you all think.

Historic Series: Mount Misery

28 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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driftwood day camp, forest, ghost stories, ghosts, haunted, haunted places, history, huntington, leaves, long island, moss, mount misery, nature, new york, park, stories, tales, trees

Long Island certainly has its history and with this comes a number of ghost stories. Being an explorer I have always been interested in haunted places. Having a love for photography allows me to capture these places and keep them alive. They either get torn down, locked up, or they are left alone. That is where people like me come in.

Exploring the depths of history I took a trip to Huntington’s own Mount Misery. Remembering my past experience with the Mount I was very eager to go back. Being only 16 years old I was freaked out as some friends and I drove through the area. Even though I was in the car with the people I trusted I will admit it was one scary night.

The north side entrance

Located within the West Hills County Park, Mount Misery is the highest peak of Long Island at 400 feet. It can be accessed by taking the Walt Whitman Trail, named for the famous poet who was born nearby and spent many years wandering in the area. Of the five original Native American tribes that settled in the area some had believed negative forces took over the land. Not many explored the area but the ones who did often found dead and mutilated animals.

The south side of Mount Misery

Because of its location the land was unsuccessful at growing any kind of crops. This resulted in many people settling in the surrounding areas sparing the Mount the human contact that could have given it life. When the land was purchased from the Indians they warned the settlers about the evil spirits that called Mount Misery home. There were also stories of strange lights seen in the sky and a creature that roamed the hills. The Indians asked that the new owners of the land stay away.

Left: Mount Misery Road

Today Mount Misery Road can be found off Old Country Road and Highhold Drive. It’s separated by the Northern State Parkway so unless you travel on foot when the road ends you have to enter on either side. For my visit back in 2010, I decided to explore the north side first. As I came to the end of the road I was greeted by two tree trunks stacked on the ground. Was this a sign telling people to stay away, an act of nature or simply a manmade barricade? I just stood there with my camera, took a photo and moved forward. I entered the woods to the right because it seemed the only way possible. To the left was a driveway that led to someone’s home which I found odd. Having a house out in the middle of Mount Misery? Interesting.

As I started walking I noticed there were three paths to choose from. Since I was closer to the right path I chose that one first. I strolled down the dirt path and looked around. The natural life forms that grew here were out of the ordinary. The trees seemed broken, old and battered, like they have seen a lifetime of misery. I have been in many parks and wooded areas in my time and I must say that this one did not seem to be full of life. Branches were torn and twisted, moss consumed most areas and the fallen leaves just lay there quiet and still. Once in awhile the wind would rattle a few and the sounds startled me because I was engulfed in the forests’ emptiness. I followed this path until I saw the grounds of West Hills Park and turned around.

The middle path was the most haunting. The farther I walked the more intrigued I was and the deeper I traveled the more nervous I got. Even though it was daylight the Mount gave off a gloomy light that seemed to reserve itself for visitors. I knew I was walking through tunnels of time and with each step I took forward I was sinking backwards into the past. At one point I turned back and just saw trees. Although the path was still there I felt as if I have gone too far and decided to turn back. The forest seemed to never end. Besides, I still had one more path to explore.

The last path was a quick experience. I honestly did not feel comfortable going deeper into the forest alone. It may sound silly but after some time passed the feelings of anxiety took over and my body told me it was time to go. On the way back to my car I thought of all the stories I read about this place before I came. The weird red faced men in suits, the white haired woman who oddly didn’t exist, both of which paid a visit to the same home. Were the Indians right about the Mount after all?

There are also a few stories about Sweet Hollow Road that coincide with the Mount Misery tales. Sweet Hollow Road runs parallel to Mount Misery and is located within West Hills Park. Supposedly a couple of people died along this road and they are said to haunt the area. One man, a police officer, was killed by a gunshot to the head. You may find him still pulling cars over. Another woman got hit by a car while changing her flat tire and died as well. This was said to happen by the underpass. It seems as if she is friendly considering she will push your car passed the bridge if you turn it off and put it in neutral. I assume she doesn’t want anyone to suffer like she did.

I also heard of some young boys who hung themselves on the bridge and you can sometimes see them still hanging. All these stories are haunting and if you believe in ghosts like I do, you will be more aware when you are traveling in that area next time.

Of all the stories I read the hospital tales are the most interesting. It is said that during the 1700s an asylum was built in these woods and was burned down by a fire. We all know how people were treated in places like this back then and it was not good. Screams were often heard from the patients there and the employees were said to be mistreated as well. About 10 years later, it burned to the ground and remained an empty forest.

Then during the 1900s the government rebuilt a new hospital to help soldiers from World War II. By the end of the war, the hospital closed down but oddly reopened around 1947. This is when strange things started to happen. It is believed that the government were running secret drug tests on people and personnel to better understand brainwashing techniques. One man shared his experience and stated that after he recovered and left the hospital he remembers seeing a sign that read Area 5. Beyond this information, nothing was found.

I am excited to hopefully explore Mount Misery even more and find more information on the hospital. Some say you can still find the stone steps of the building and fragments of the foundation. I did go back after I wrote this but wasn’t able to find anything. The only way to really explore the area is by foot but I suggest you don’t do it alone. Even when entering on the south side of Mount Misery Road you will come to the end where the Driftwood Day Camp is located.

Whatever you decide to do it is no doubt that this area has been keeping people talking for decades. Generations of stories not only inspire the fearless but keep the investigators wondering. What will become of the famous Mount Misery? Putting history aside and exploring ourselves, we can all capture a new view of this Long Island mystery.

Coastal Cottage

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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antique, beach, blue, botanicals, coastal, color, cottage, decor, decorating, design, flowers, gray, green, interior design, ivory, lavender, nature, nautical, neutrals, pastels, pink, plaid, purple, rustic, shabby chic, style, texture, vintage, weathered, wood, yellow

Summer brings the warm sun and nature’s beautiful colors. It also brings a breathe of fresh air to a lot of people who love the heat so beaches, parks and lakes are most popular during this season. I personally love beaches, just not in the summer. I always thought the cooler months really brought out the beauty in coastal scenery. When its hot, some of the personality that clear skies and cool breezes brings out in the water and the surroundings is just hidden.

When I think of the water and the vast sea, usually the first thing that comes to mind is relaxation and a calmness. The bluest of nature is the star. When I think of some styles of decor, there is only one that comes to mind that I feel is comfy, soothing and natural as nature and nautical surroundings. That is surely cottage style.

It’s not surprise I love this style. Not only do I represent it in every room of my home it clearly is showcased in a lot of my design work as well. Over the years I have grown to love this style with all my heart. It is where I feel most calm. So I combined my two loves into a style Mother Nature would love herself – Coastal Cottage. Such a great combination.

To successfully create this style in your home there are a few things to remember. When you are choosing colors, let nature lead the way. Pastel blues, greens, pink and purples are just a few of the many hues that are popular. A sunny yellow in the kitchen, a lavender in the bedroom and a blue inspired by dusk for the living room are just a few examples. Always include darker tones that are inspired from nature to help weigh down the space such as warm browns and cool grays. These all help to maintain a peaceful environment.

When deciding on furniture, look for unique pieces that tell a story. Vintage finds play the perfect role in a cottage style space. Warm woods, soft and comfy cushions, patterns and subtle texture; these all help bring the style together. You want your pieces to feel weathered and rustic while showing craftmanship and strength. This allows them to bring character and personality to the space and help it feel lived in and comfortable.

Accessories are very important because they allow for a cohesive design and help bring your personality to the table. You want them to feel handpicked and important. Textiles such as curtains, tablecloths, blankets and upholstery are key elements here. By showcasing plaids, stripes and botanical prints the cottage style will come alive. Don’t forget to include plants of all types. They will add that natural touch every style needs.

Be careful about bringing too much nautical in because you don’t want the room to feel like you are the captain of a ship or the preppy kids took over. If so, you can kiss the cottage mix goodbye. You also want to watch the colors you add to the space because using too many reds, blues and greens may bring in that Americana feel. And although that is somewhat incorporated into the cottage style, its not the star. It can easily overwhelm the space and give it a completely different look.

And for all the fun details in between, have fun and make it yours. These next few photos are great examples of this style. Get inspired by this unique look and let it fill your heart with glee. I do everyday.