This bespoke suite began rather differently, with a hand drawing of the tipi by Steve’s dad, which I blended into a wreath of blush-pink and ivory watercolour florals matched to Alice’s bouquet. Come behind the scenes as I share how it grew from invitations on hammered card with kraft envelopes and floral liners into a whole day’s worth of stationery: the order of service with a church illustration, an illustrated timeline, favour-jar place cards and a gorgeous vintage-crate table plan.
What actually is bespoke design, and what happens when you book it with me? In this post I explain how it differs from my personalised collection (it starts completely from scratch, built entirely around you), then walk you through the whole process. We begin with your inspiration, where Pinterest moodboards work wonders, move into a getting-to-know-you stage for your personal touches, then I send designs in stages with rounds of tweaks until it’s perfect and ready to print.
What do you actually need to put on a wedding invitation? In this post I break it down into the who, when, where and why, with practical tips on names, spelling out the day, listing venue details and gently handling early arrivals. I also cover the extras: a details card for accommodation, transport and gift lists, an RSVP card to make replying easy, and lovely finishing touches like belly bands, envelope liners, ribbon and wax seals.
This is where it all began. In my very first blog post I share my story: growing up in Liverpool, studying graphic design and illustration, then planning my own October 2016 wedding to Dave. From illustrated portrait save the dates to a city skyline invitation suite and a fingerprint guest book, I fell head over heels for stationery. Cue post-wedding blues, a test Etsy shop, and handing in my notice to make Hawthorne and Ivory official.
The details card is the home for everything that won’t fit on your invitation, and in this post I run through what’s worth including. I cover how to get there (parking, taxis and the hand-drawn maps I adore), where guests can stay, and how to handle gift lists and wishing wells without the awkwardness, complete with the very poem we used ourselves. I also touch on adults-only notes and cash bars, with my golden rule: keep it short and sweet.
