Doing all this wedding research can be so exhausting! As a bride-to-be myself, I get dizzy with all the choices out there from the food to the entertainment and all of the amazing details in between. One thing that’s great about Wedding Paper Divas is that ordering from them is so easy! And when you’re rushing from one errand to the next you’ll thank me. The process is simple. Step 1: Select a design. Step 2: Personalize your design. Sometimes I’ll personalize my wedding information to a whole bunch of different invitations just to see what it looks like. Step 3: Preview your complimentary electronic proof. That’s my favorite part. It’s not only fun but free! Wedding Paper Divas has revolutionized the whole stationery process. No more running around to invitation stores. I always feel like I need to get a workout in order to lift those heavy stationery binders. Bottom line: You already have too many other things to do, so leave it to them to do the hard work. Just relax and enjoy browsing our site!

Valentine’s Day cards have been shared in Europe for centuries, but the American tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards was pioneered by one innovative and creative young woman. Esther Howland, “The Mother of the American Valentine,” was inspired by an ornate English valentine she received shortly after graduating from college in 1847. Determined to make beautiful valentines of her own, she ordered paper lace and floral embellishments from England, created a few samples and was overwhelmed by the volume of orders placed at her family’s Massachusetts stationery shop.

Operating during the height of the golden age of valentines from 1840-1860, Esther grew her business from a small valentine production line in her family’s home to full-blown flourishing and in 1879, The New England Valentine Company was created. Her business thrived until she retired in 1881, when she sold it to the George C. Whitney Company. Esther’s highly intricate and romantic paper lace designs, as well as many others, set Valentine’s Day cards trends in America for over thirty years.

Image courtesy of Donna Albino, http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~dalbino/

At Wedding Paper Divas we’re inspired by Esther’s dedication to creativity, romance and above all, innovation. As a modern tip of the hat to our pioneering, visionary sister, our state-of-the-art personalization options allow you to make our Valentine’s Day designs your unique cards. Newlyweds and couples can easily customize a quick, heartfelt thank you note to loved ones or transform a valentine design into a moving or marriage announcement.

With the Sweet Paisley Valentine Red Photo Card, choose to keep “Happy Valentine’s Day” at the top but incorporate “Your wedding date” where the family member names are. Like Esther Howland’s exclusive paper lace creations, our personalization options and designs combined with your sentiments and style offer the perfect opportunity to create your own exclusive and indelible Valentine’s Day card trends.

Source:
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Valentines/howland.htm
http://www.jsbeads.com/esther-howland/

Wedding Paper Divas has a unique way of blending the traditional with a twist of the contemporary. And there are a number of modern and stylish designs that are surprisingly inexpensive. Two that I’m thinking of are the Little Bird and Modern Paisley collections. When I first saw the Little Bird collection, I was in awe that something so subtle could have such a big impact. The details on this card are really something to see-falling petals and a little bird sitting on a cherry blossom tree makes this design really charming. I think they would be a great choice for someone who loves a little whimsy. The Modern Paisley collection is pure fun. What is great about this design is that it is traditional without taking itself too seriously. The color combinations of the paisleys remind me of that popular soap opera because it’s so bold and beautiful!

At Wedding Paper Divas we’re fortunate to have a glimpse into the stationery crystal ball. As the wedding season picks up, we reflect on our best-selling card designs from 2007 as well as current trends across-the-board to create our Diva Dialogue’s Eight Greats For 2008. You’ll discover that all of our wedding stationery ensembles embrace today’s romantic inspirations with a dash of modern flair.

Make it personal

Whether on newlywed photo cards, thank you notes or wedding invitations, classic monograms are still au courant. When creating your customized card remember to keep it simple. Don’t overdo it with fonts, font sizes and colors.

Spring into yellow

Yellow is positively golden this wedding season. From spicy saffron to luscious lemon, nothing is warmer or more exhilarating on a wedding suite this spring. This season the new yellows are anything but mellow!

Black is back

Black was our most popular card color this holiday season. It’s also the color of chic sophistication for black tie weddings and events, especially when paired with crisp white or an unconventional bright. Traditional designs with a twist like black toile instead of pink whisper modern elegance.

Banded Damask

Go green for summer

Our modern designs are embracing all shades of green this season all the way from apple to olive. Unique color combos like lime or lime green and turquoise make a truly fresh statement for any summer wedding suite.

Rich Floral

Natural-chic

We’re definitely sweet on designs inspired by natural elements. Our wedding suites featuring simple leaf and flower motifs are as popular as ever. A Diva Dialogues favorite is our new Meadow Flourish ensemble which also incorporates our going green for summer trend.

Meadow Flourish

Fall for chocolate

Here at Wedding Paper Divas we love chocolate! We even created our own chocolate brown for our sister company, Tiny Prints. This fall, rich jewel tones like deep purples and pinks mixed with chocolate are a truly decadent combination.

Handwrite it

With electronic communication all around us, hand-written thank you cards are more popular and meaningful than ever. Write little notes to your lovely, hardworking bridesmaids or place them on tables at your reception thanking guests for their participation. Don’t forget to follow-up every gift with a personalized thank you card.

All about toile

Toile inspiration has leapt off of our upholstery and curtains and is making a contemporary comeback on many of our latest wedding stationery designs. These beautiful, classic and highly intricate scenes designed with unusual colors are more chic than ever before.

I’m usually the queen of efficiency, especially when it comes to planning my wedding. And yet, I have been saving my wedding stationery for last. Why, might you ask? Well it’s not because of a lack of choices. What’s holding me back is the significance of a well-chosen design. After being a wedding attendee at least ten times, I’ve seen a lot of brides on a budget try to cut corners and sometimes at the expense of good quality cards. But when they sacrifice on stationery, they are making a huge statement to guests about their wedding day. Your wedding stationery, for better or for worse can change the mood and feel of your wedding. For example, a few months ago I received a beautiful chocolate wedding invitation with an orchid motif. I shared other guests’ sense of awe, and seeing how amazing their stationery was we wondered what their wedding would be like. My thinking is this, why not spend a little less on flowers, something that won’t make it to the end of day, for an invitation that you can hold on to for eternity? Your stationery is part of the whole wedding experience. Here’s a tip if you want to generate excitement and anticipation for your wedding day, take the time to select an amazing invitation. It’s so easy. And believe me, it is well worth it!

Lynn G. is Senior Creative Editor/Writer at Wedding Paper Divas. A social stationery enthusiast, she’s written and illustrated award-winning card lines and has published numerous articles on stationery etiquette. She specializes in answering difficult questions like, “Do I really have to send a thank you card?”

Brandi T. is Merchandising Copywriter at Wedding Paper Divas. Besides working as a freelance writer and an occasional blogger, she’s got inside tips on wedding styles and stationery trends from planning her upcoming wedding.

Lea A. is Public Relations Manager at Wedding Paper Divas. A self-proclaimed magazine junkie, she devours any glossy publication that crosses her desk and loves sharing interesting finds with everyone around her. Lea regularly works with prominent editors, journalists and celebrities, lending to her insider knowledge on stationery and design trends.

Welcome to Diva Dialogue, a Wedding Paper Divas creation designed to help brides and grooms get the latest on personalized wedding stationery trends, styles, designs, etiquette, ideas, advice and planning for the big day. The blog is also a forum to feature new Wedding Paper Divas products and designers as well as showcase what some of our creative customers are up to. It will provide an opportunity for you to exchange ideas directly with our wedding stationery specialists and share some of your own, unique romantic inspirations and experiences. We invite you to visit our blog regularly to read, learn and participate in our continuing wedding dialogue.