Wedding stationery advice, inspiration, real weddings and seasonal trends from designer Becky Smithbury.
Long evenings, flowers everywhere and the sun (hopefully) out- summer is peak wedding season, and your stationery gets to be just as joyful. I share the designs made for the season, ideas for every kind of summer wedding from garden party to beach, and a couple of practical pointers for stationery in the heat.
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Your dog on the welcome sign, your cat sealed into every envelope... if your pet is family, this one’s for you. I share every way to give them a starring role in your stationery, from semi-custom tweaks to full bespoke, with a little help from my four feline supervisors.
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I'm relocating to Stockton Heath and Grappenhall, and I've spent the last few weeks getting properly acquainted with the wedding venues on my new doorstep. This is my guide to the best of them, from Walton Hall and Gardens to hidden gems like Arley Hall and Stock Farm Barn, with wedding invitation ideas matched to each one. Turns out a Scouser can fall hard for Cheshire.
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Your venue, hand-drawn and woven through your whole day, from the first save the date to the welcome sign. I share every way to use a venue illustration, how easy the process is (a photo or two is all I need), and a few venues I’ve adored drawing.
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Every guest deserves to read their own invitation. I share how wedding stationery can be more welcoming, through readable design, large print and inclusive details, plus special guest sections on braille and large print wedding stationery from Tasha at Dot & Type, and British Sign Language wedding ceremonies from Martin at Proud Fox Ceremonies.
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Butter yellow is having a real cultural moment, and it’s making the loveliest transition into weddings. I introduce my new Butter Yellow Collection, all painterly golden florals and flowing calligraphy, then make the case for yellow in every shade from primrose to saffron. You’ll find pairings matching different yellow designs to wedding styles, my favourite colour combinations, and a proper FAQ on using yellow without it overwhelming, what goes with it, and whether it works for winter (it does). Warm, joyful and far more versatile than you’d expect.
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Love the idea of bespoke stationery but not sure where to start, or worried you can’t describe your vision? This post dissolves every hesitation. I explain why couples go bespoke, then walk through exactly how the process works with me, from first enquiry and quote to design proofs, collaboration and delivery. There’s a proper FAQ on finding your aesthetic, choosing colours and what it costs (my fees start at £150), plus all the things bespoke can do that a template can’t: venue illustrations, florals matched to your bouquet, pet portraits and custom maps.
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Pattern is having its wedding era, and it’s about time. This post is all about embracing the more-is-more moment, starting with your invitations. I share how to pull off pattern without tipping into chaos (choose a colour story, let some things breathe, carry a thread), then ways to bring it into a whole suite, including my new design with six patterned backs. There’s a guide to finding your print personality, from florals and stripes to botanicals, geometrics and marble, plus how bespoke can echo a pattern from elsewhere in your day.
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