Have you chosen your wedding site yet? Like the color theme question, it was a difficult decision and may have been the most challenging to make. There are so many things to think about when choosing the right site such as how many guests you will have, how formal or casual you want your wedding to be, and of course cost. I know a lot of brides who were heartbroken because their guest list was too large for a lot of really cool sites. Though my guest list is small, it was still difficult to find a venue that I felt was unique.

My fiancé and I were on a desperate hunt for the perfect place. Every weekend it was an exhausting race from hotels to wineries to parks and gardens but either the cost was way over our budget or it just didn’t feel right to me. I really wanted a site that was spectacular especially since my family is traveling far to get here. Fortunately after a month of searching, I finally found the place I was looking for. I walked into a historical site in San Francisco and fell in love! I was thinking about what made it so perfect to me. And realized that similar to the Wedding Paper Divas wedding collection, it is traditional, but was updated with details and fixtures to create a look that is very hip and modern. There are a few wedding invitations that I think really exemplify this. The Modern Toile invitation takes a traditional toile design and recreates the look with fun, hip colors.

Modern Toile

And the Simple Monogram wedding invitation is simple and casual while using traditional monograms.

Simple Monogram

Being from Hawaii everyone assumed I would get married there. With its beautiful beaches, tropical flowers and all my friends and family, it was a hard decision to make. Partly due to convenience and also because I wanted something different, we chose to get married here. It was a sacrifice and I must admit, I still fantasize about Hawaii weddings every once in awhile. The sounds of the waves crashing on the warm sand and the fragrant smell of plumerias close by. The good thing is I see a lot of people having island weddings while not necessarily in the islands. By incorporating colors like ocean blues, and sea greens or by adding tropical flowers or marine inspired favors, it’s possible to have an island wedding without having to fly to Hawaii to do so. One wedding that I went to in Monterey used purple orchids and seashell shaped chocolates to give the day a hint of island flavor.

Another way to bring the beach to your wedding is through stationery. The hibiscus is Hawaii’s state flower and makes a stunning design to showcase to guests.

Hibiscus

The Palm Beach wedding invitation also brings a warm blast of tropical color to your special day.

Palm Beach

For something more subtle, the Beach Stripes collection is contemporary and sleek. With all these options, I don’t think I’ll need to give up on my Hawaii wedding just yet!

Beach Stripes

I have to honestly say this whole wedding business at the beginning felt so overwhelming! There were decisions to be made that prior to being engaged I didn’t know ever existed such as my wedding colors, what kind of flowers I liked, or how many buttons my fiancé’s tuxedo should have. I guess these are the details that you don’t usually see as a guest. When everything comes together on that big day, all you notice is the anticipated looks, smiling faces, and teary eyes. But all of this wedding planning may have stirred up a little anxiety in me. Just the other night I woke up in a cold sweat. I had a nightmare that everything that could go wrong with my wedding did! I kept asking people in my dream if I could do it over. Well thank goodness I woke up! And I woke up to happy thoughts and the sound of my doorbell ringing with a little present for me on my doorstep. I got my wedding save the dates! Somehow getting them makes the wedding seem so much more real and I’m actually back on track, happily looking forward to my wedding day. It even got my fiancé in the mood. He actually began desperately calling friends and family for their addresses. I was so proud! I didn’t even have to ask.

If you’re an eclectic bride-to-be then consider vintage for your wedding style inspiration this season. Vintage is a perennially popular theme for everything from tiered gowns to antique rings. At Wedding Paper Divas we were inspired by both traditional and contemporary trends for our latest collection. Our designs combine bygone, intricate, embellishments such as damask, toile and paisley with modern twists like unconventional colors and expansive open space.

Solid Vintage: Midori

If you choose vintage as your wedding theme basically anything goes. You can personalize your special day to be as individual and unique as you are. An antique wedding gown or ring can feature exclusive, exquisite details and workmanship for a fraction of the cost of a modern one. Although our wedding stationery suites are new, we’ve mixed vintage charm with state-of-the-art personalization to help you easily customize your cards to reflect your stand out style while staying within your budget.

Antique Border Luxe Turquoise

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!

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!