Gold and Champagne Wedding Invitations

Gold and champagne sound like quite a luxurious combination, don't you think? They are the colors for Joe and Anni's wedding this summer in San Francisco, and also the colors of their invitations. Anni contacted me in early February about my sweet lovebird invitations on the blog, and also sent me some darling engagement pictures to get to know them better. I couldn't help but include one below. They look so in love!

photo by Tran-Dinh Photography

The cards and envelopes were a mix of champagne metallic and gold leaf metallic colors. The response card included little icons for the meal choices of beef, fish, and vegetarian. Also, they wanted to include a quote on the back flap of the main invitation envelope: "All the birds in the world carrying poems in their wing, could never tell the happiness I feel just loving you." I thought it was a great way for guests to read something sweet before even opening the invitation.

If you are interested in these invitations for your upcoming wedding or event, please email me at info@pinkorchiddesigns.com.

~Emilie

Our photo shoot & interview with Shang Chen Photography!

A couple of weekends ago, we had a photo shoot with Shang Chen of Shang Chen Photography, and it was a blast! It was actually the morning right before the days of non-stop rain which caused flooding around many parts of New England. So, despite the crazy winds and sprinkling rain, we were definitely lucky that it wasn't pouring!

Today, these photos are featured in our Pink Orchid Weddings spotlight post on the Shang Chen Photography Blog, along with our interview about day-of coordination (DOC) and custom invitations. We answer questions about creative moments, and give tips on when you should think about hiring a DOC. Here is a little sneak peek of the photos, and check out Shang's post for more!

photos by Shang Chen Photography

In a future post, we'll show you even more photos and talk about what it's like to work with Shang. Maybe we'll even throw in a dancing shot =) Shang, thanks again for everything. You are such a joy to work with!

~Emilie & Fiona

Personalized Stationery - Flower Scroll Design

I was recently contacted by a friend from my college days, Mary, to design and create two sets of personalized stationery as a gift. After sending over a few samples, she decided on a flower scroll design in two different colors: plum purple, and sage green. The cards were made of pearlescent white metallic cardstock, and had rounded corners. The flower scroll design matched the envelopes perfectly, and both sets were packaged together with our signature "pink orchid" ribbon.

Each set of personalized stationery contains 10 cards and 10 matching envelopes. If you are interested in personalized stationery sets for yourself or as a gift, please contact me at info@pinkorchiddesigns.com!

~Emilie

Le Creuset Stoneware Giveaway Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the very first Pink Orchid Weddings giveaway! I've picked a winner via random.org and it is...

Comment #37: CATHERINE!

Catherine said: Definitely the caribbean. This would totally round out all of the stuff we put on our registry!

Catherine has won a Le Creuset 10.5" x 7" Stoneware Baking Dish, and a matching Le Creuset 7" x 5" Stoneware Baking Dish! Catherine, please email me at info@pinkorchidweddings.com with your full name, mailing address, and phone number within 48 hours.

Thank you to everyone for participating!!

~Emilie

Eco-Friendly Calligraphy Scroll Invitations

A few months ago, Rita and Chris contacted me to design the invitations for their upcoming August wedding in New York City. They had a special request of "eco-friendly" invitations that utilized recycled paper and earth friendly inks. They love calligraphy scrolls, so I created some beige and black scrolls at the top and bottom of the invitation that has a hidden "R" for Rita and "C" for Chris. Can you see them? The cards for their black tie wedding had a very clean double lined border and all black text.

On to the earth friendly specs! The printing was done with all soy and vegetable-based inks. The invitation cards are 100% recycled, with 50% Post-consumer Waste, and processed chlorine free. The invitation envelopes are 100% recycled, with 100% Post-consumer Waste, and processed chlorine free. Post-consumer Waste (PCW) is paper that has been recovered after having been used by consumers and collected through various recycling programs. This includes papers from offices and homes, old newspapers, packaging, etc. Paper that is processed chlorine free is also great for the environment because it protects the water quality of rivers and lakes.

If you are interested in eco-friendly invitations, just send an email to info@pinkorchiddesigns.com and we can get started on a custom design.

~Emilie

Le Creuset Stoneware Baking Dish Giveaway!

A wedding registry is a great way for a bride and groom to let guests know what things they would love for their future home or life together. Couples can register for just about anything they want, like counter stools for their breakfast bar, monogrammed towels in their favorite color, or a surfing adventure during their honeymoon in Hawaii.

Although registry items cover a wide spectrum, I think some of the most popular items come from the heart of the home: the kitchen. From mixers to dishes, there are a number of items that will make you want to cook at home with your loved one. One name known to many kitchens is Le Creuset. They have been hand-crafting cookware since 1925, and are especially known for their cast iron and stoneware collections.

On to the fun part! What's better than registering for Le Creuset items? Getting them for free! I'm so excited to let you know that Pink Orchid Weddings is doing its first ever giveaway: A Le Creuset 10.5" x 7" Stoneware Baking Dish, and a matching Le Creuset 7" x 5" Stoneware Baking Dish! The stoneware baking dish can be used for baking, slicing, serving, and storage. It can bake in an oven up to 500 degrees, has an enamel glaze on the interior and exterior, and is resistant to chipping, cracking, and staining. You can use it in the microwave, oven, broiler, grill, and freezer, and it's also dishwasher-safe.

First photo from Cookware.com

The best part is that the winner will get to choose their favorite Le Creuset color for their new baking dishes: Caribbean, Dijon, Cherry, or Onyx!

To Enter the Giveaway: Just comment on this post with the color that you would pick for your Le Creuset baking dishes!

You do not have to be engaged or married to enter! Anyone can enter, but prizes can only be shipped to the U.S. and Canada. Entries for this giveaway will end at 5PM EST on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. One winner will be picked at random by the True Random Number Generator at Random.org and I will announce the winner of the giveaway later that night on the blog, twitter, and on our facebook fan page. The winner will have 48 hours to email me their name and mailing address, or another winner will be chosen. Colors may be substituted based on availability. Good luck!!!

~Emilie

Phalaenopsis Orchid Wedding Invitations

There are many different varieties of orchids in the world, but one of the most beautiful and one of the most common to have in your home is the phalaenopsis orchid. It comes in an array of colors, and has a very modern feel to it due to its defined structure. Recently, Gary and Maartje asked me to custom design invitations for their wedding this summer in the Netherlands. They love phalaenopsis orchids, and wanted to incorporate a silver and purple color scheme into the invitation.

I created a simple phalaenopsis orchid branch and used different shades of purple and silver to give the flowers a lot of dimension. The invitation and rsvp cards are made of pearlescent white cardstock, with a lavender metallic cardstock backing on the main invitation. To keep with the color scheme, the cards are paired with two silver metallic envelopes. The top layer of each orchid is hand-glittered in purple on both cards, giving the orchids some texture and shimmer, especially in the light. Their venue, Restaurant Wollerich, only required advanced notification for vegetarian guests, so a little carrot icon was used on the rsvp card to ask for initials of any vegetarians.

If you are interested in these invitations for your upcoming wedding or event, please email me at info@pinkorchiddesigns.com!

~Emilie