Reception Calligraphy: Table Tents and Place Cards

Table names instead of table numbers in calligraphy, $2 each

 Just showcasing a few recent client-supplied calligraphy images from her wedding reception:

Wedding Calligraphy for your guests' place cards!

The bride and her fiance were big book lovers, so they named each of their tables after fictional places: such as Hogwarts, Neverland, The Shire, etc. The names were written horizontally with a custom-mixed lavendar ink on deep purple, long table tents.

Table Tents for Wedding Reception Tables, $2.00 each

Her place cards were silkscreened in red and deep purple ink as well on both pink and lavender shades of cardstock. I wrote out the place card names in calligraphy for each guest, and the mix of color for the place cards was both refreshing and gave the place card display a real pop!!

Calligraphy for Wedding Place Cards, $1.50 each

Looking for calligraphy for your wedding reception? Shoot me an email and we'll talk about how we can make your reception special :)

Wedding Invitation Calligraphy for Navy Ink

Calligraphy for Wedding Save-the-Dates, $3 each

Completely new font style for a recent wedding calligraphy for a save the date job: the bride really wanted to get as close to her STD font as possible, So I did some creative re-working of my custom style to try and match it - and the result was gorgeous!

This was also a custom-ink calligraphy job, where I was able to match the ink of her Save-The-Date envelope liners to a rich navy ink color for her guests' addresses in calligraphy.

Custom wedding calligraphy ink address

If the idea of sending out Save the Dates makes you sad because of significant wrist-cramping, shoot me an email on how we can get started!

Wedding Album Calligraphy

Another trend I've noticed and been doing quite a lot lately is calligraphy for wedding albums. Newlywed brides are inquiring if I am able to do their names and wedding dates in calligraphy on the first page of their wedding album - and of course I can!

Wedding Album Calligraphy: $15

This is a great, unique idea post-ceremony that can really help you remember the day. For those brides who are putting together their own album rather than ordering an album from their photographer, this is an even more special touch. I've done wedding album calligraphy on two Rag and Bone photo albums, which are gorgeous quality that I highly recommend if you are shopping for the perfect album to remember your big day. 

If you haven't gotten married yet but don't want to forget, we can also do this before the wedding! This bride also had me do some wedding reception signage in calligraphy, and left her album with me to complete as well.

Add your names and wedding date to your album!

I couldn't have been happier with the finished product: the album was in neutral earth tones with a small tree on the back corner cover, so I recommended a rich brown ink that would complement the album without being too harsh, like black ink would. She also loved the look of all lower-case letters, which was also an option.

Interested in adding a special touch to remember your wedding day? I've worked with brides from NYC to Utah, so contact me on how to get started today!

Bar Menu Calligraphy

Open Bar Menu in Calligraphy, $5 each

The ceremony is over, and it's time to party! Let guests know what beverages are available at your reception with a stunning bar menu in calligraphy.

A bride recently commissioned several signs for her wedding's open bar, which depicted all alcohol available for guests to choose from. This saves time -as each guest is not asking the bartender what drinks are available, then having to make a decision - as well as gives something for guests to look at and make their drink selections while waiting in line at the bar. And we all know less time thinking + more time drinking = happy guests!

Wedding Signature Drink in Calligraphy, $5 each

Another option that is increasing in popularity recently is the "Signature Drink". For those who chose a more simple drink selection for their wedding reception, this offers guests a single cocktail to eliminate the guesswork. Typically served in addition to a basic wine and beer selection, the signature drink is also a great opportunity to showcase your creativity or celebrate your uniqueness as a couple. For example, the bride above created a "Moortini" for her signature drink - and her menu in calligraphy breaks down the ingredients as well as a sweet caption on the drink itself: "A little but of sweetness with a pinch of love". Adorable.

Want to kick your reception up a notch with custom menus in calligraphy? Prices vary slightly depending on what you are looking for, but a ballpark is about $5 per menu. Shoot me an email to talk about your ideas, and let's make your reception the best it can be!

Charcoal Ink Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations

Inner and Outer Envelope Invitation Calligraphy, $3.50 per set

It's definitely peak calligraphy season! I've had the opportunity to work with many wonderful brides this past month, and I can't wait to get images of my work to share. This latest client had gorgeous ecru colored envelopes with a rich charcoal gray ink liner for her inner envelopes.

I was able to custom-match the charcoal gray ink for the outer and inner envelope addresses in calligraphy: and they came out beautifully. The client bride was from New York, so after a phone consultation we decided on a style that would best match her wedding theme - flourished with a slight tilt to the right, similar to the text used to create her invitation ( you can see a small piece of the invite in the top left in the image below)

We will also be working together as we get closer to her wedding on calligraphy for her rehearsal dinner invitations: those will be a smaller job size, but definitely an elegant touch for her special day!

Calligraphy for outer wedding invitation envelope only, $3

I've captioned the images so you can see pricing if you are considering wedding calligraphy for your invites - for an inner and outer envelope, it comes to $3.50 per set, and for just the outer envelope only, this is just $3 each. If you have the budget for calligraphy, it definitely saves that last-minute stress and hassle of addressing your invitations - especially if your guest count reaches the triple-digits!

Interested in calligraphy? I've worked with brides all over the country to help make a statement with their wedding's first impression - the invitation. Shoot me an email to set up your consultation today, discuss your style and pick any color ink you desire :)

Calligraphy Labels for Wedding Reception

Food labels in calligraphy for wedding reception, $2 each

A few months back, I had the pleasure of working with my 2012 calligraphy giveaway contest winner in helping her out with free calligraphy signage for her wedding. The bride needed signage for her buffet-style reception, as well as for her drink menu for the bar.

This is such a great idea for brides who are looking to do a buffet-style dinner for their guests - having calligraphy food labels at each station lets guests know exactly what they are getting, eliminates guesswork and constant questioning of waitstaff, as well as give something for guests to read / think about while waiting in line.

Calligraphy food labels for wedding reception, $2 each

The bride was also kind enough to send me the two images above from her wedding - she had taken the labels I had written in calligraphy and placed them in small frames next to each appropriate dish.

"Ash Tree Calligraphy work is amazing! She is very responsive, accommodating and has an amazing talent...She did my place cards, food labels and drink signage and everyone thought it was such a nice touch to our special day! You should definitely use this company!!" - Candice, Wedding 3/16/2013

Pics of the calligraphy food labels right from my desk!

Thinking about adding another personal touch to your wedding reception? I've worked with brides all over the country to make their day perfect - shoot me an email to see what we can do to make your wedding special!

Image credits: Andrew Nyholt, photographer - nyholt.com 

Wedding Reception: Red Tag Place Cards with White Ink on Mason Jars

I did a blog post about working with this bride's wedding reception calligraphy a while back, but just recently got some beautiful images from her nautical-themed wedding.

Red tags with white calligraphy on mason jars for favors!

Navy blue, red, and white played a big role in her reception, (she had table number cards with instructions on how to eat a lobster-cute!) and she decided to do her place cards using red tags with white ink calligraphy featuring each guests name attached to Mason jars, which served as wedding favors.

Matched perfectly with the white and red straws

If you ever get the opportunity to use white ink on a colored cardstock for your place cards, or white ink on dark envelopes for your wedding invitations, USE IT! It makes for such a striking contrast and impression. Enjoy the photos!

If you are looking for a unique, handmade touch for your wedding reception, contact me for a wedding calligraphy consultation, and we'll get you started! 

Image credit: Stacey Kane Photography, www.staceykane.com

Historical Love Letter in Calligraphy

Commission a Love Letter in Calligraphy

 "If a picture speaks a thousand words, a love letter speaks a thousand more."

Valentine's day brings out the romantic in all of us. So instead of getting that $3 Hallmark card from CVS, why not get your partner something a bit more meaningful, that you can look at every day?

I received this commission a few months ago, where a woman wanted to replicate a historical love letter in calligraphy to her husband: a letter that meant something to the both of them. While you don't quite have to go to this length (this was an actual letter size, about 8 1/2" x11"), there are plenty of quotes you can use from love letters past. This commission was completed on a beautiful cream card stock with a crisp black ink, using calligraphy nib size C-5.

 

Pricing varies by length: $50 for full letter, $25 for 1/2 page

I'm so interested in future projects like this, that I've actually ordered a book featuring the greatest love letters of all time. Even in the age of email, tweets, texts and IMs, nothing has ever replaced the power of a love letter. This would make a fabulous Valentine's Day gift for those passionate readers and lovers of words. And if it's hard for you to write your own love letter {ahem, gentlemen} why not utilize words of great authors past to say what you really feel but can't express?

I can't wait for the book to arrive and to see what I can learn - it features love letters from all kinds of historical figures, from Mozart to Napoleon. I think even simple excerpts would look stunning on simple card stock - and though V-Day is close, this would still make a great gift for any romantic occasion: for your wedding, anniversary, birthday, etc.

Would you like to commission your own love letter in calligraphy, either from your own words or from writers past? Contact me to get started!

Wedding Calligraphy: Navy Ink on Cream Envelopes

Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations, $2 per envelope

Featured here are some images from my latest work with a bride who had navy blue as one of her wedding colors. Her invitations were a cute and simple design, with two birds hanging out in a gorgeous deep navy embossed branch.

After the consultation, we decided the blue would look beautiful on her cream envelopes. I did a custom ink mix to match the embossed design, her return address on the envelope, and the invitation text perfectly.

She opted for a thicker nib for the calligraphy pen, so the lettering made more of a statement on the envelope. The bride also requested less of a flourish on her addresses - and with a thicker pen to work with, that was more than easy to accommodate.

Wedding Calligraphy for Invitations, $2 per envelope

Are you looking to have your wedding invitations professionally addressed by a calligrapher? Contact me on how to get started: I've worked with brides all over the country - and if you're local to Boston we can grab some coffee and talk about what you're looking for. Talk to you soon!

Wedding Calligraphy: Grey Ink on Cream Place Cards

Wedding Calligraphy for Place Cards, $1 each

Just completed another wedding reception calligraphy job for a client with a fall wedding. With grey and yellow in her wedding palette, the bride opted for cream colored place cards for her wedding reception - and wanted each guests' name to be written in grey ink.

After her consultation and viewing some previous work where I had also done calligraphy in charcoal grey ink, we elected on a slightly lighter shade so as not to look too harsh on the cream, with an added flourish to the text. She then gave me her cream cards from Paper Source, where she had craft-punched the bottom front edges of each card herself. I thought this made them look a lot like lace, and they were so fun to work with!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy

The bride also needed the place cards relatively last-minute, as she expected to do them herself and simply ran out of time - which I do see occasionally. Luckily, we were able to connect via my Wedding Wire Calligraphy Vendor profile, and I was able to turn about 80 cards for her in a matter of days.

Have a few weeks before your wedding and would like some calligraphy for your place cards? I've worked with brides all over the country on last minute *emergency* touches, and would be happy to help you. Contact me to get started!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy Purple Ink

Wedding Calligraphy for Place Cards, $1 each

Typically once I complete a bride's wedding invitations, I hear from her a few months later to help her out with her reception. This can include anything from wedding signage to escort cards, and I just recently finished another beautiful job!

This bride's colors were gold and purple, so I matched the purple decorative scroll in her printed place cards and table cards for the names and numbers - and they came out great!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy

CALLIGRAPHY TIP: A tip for brides looking at place cards - whether you are going to hire a calligrapher or just writing out cards yourself, I recommend choosing a card stock that does not have an iridescent finish. This can make it difficult to write on, as the ink isn't able to sink into the weave of the paper well enough to give a crisp line. Already bought iridescent? The trick is to get an ink that is acrylic-based, which has similar qualities to paint - not water. This should work out much better for you.

Need some place cards or table numbers for your wedding? Contact me on how to get started with the calligraphy process - it will definitely push your wedding reception over the edge!

Bridal Shower Calligraphy

Calligraphy for Bridal Shower Signage, $2 each

This was a really fun project - I was commissioned through my Ash Tree Designs etsy shop to do calligraphy on these cute provided cards for an upcoming bridal shower. The bride's friend found me on Etsy originally though my wedding calligraphy signage listing, and after a few back and forth convos she was ready to go.

Wedding Calligraphy Signs, $2 each

She picked out several different pastel - toned card stock with adorable patterns, and created signs for each of the Bridal Shower "stations". She also lives in California - and it's always cool that someone across the country likes my work enough to ship it!

It's such a fun was to dress up an event, by directing where guests should go and what they should do. She matted each of the calligraphy cards and placed them in frames to designate the favor table, where to leave gifts, and even directions for the bar (we ALWAYS need instruction when there's a bar at a party ;) 

Guests need to know how to drink at the bar!!

Looking to have a similar project done for a party or special event? Shoot me an email on how to get started and for a quote - obviously distance isn't an issue :) Talk to you soon!

Wedding Calligraphy in Magenta Ink: To the President!

Have an extra invite? Send it to the President for something cool!
Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations, $2 each

Just a few images from a recent job - this client had a smaller wedding guest list, about 50 invitations that needed to be addressed. She had a really cool invitation design: dark purple and this hot magenta color that really popped on her white invitation card stock.

I went shopping and found the perfect ink to match the magenta - purple ink color to match her invitations. So much of her text was already in the deep purple color, so the magenta was really fun to play with.

Another thing she did that was really cool was send a wedding invitation to the President! I've heard of this, but this was the first time I've actually addressed one - if you have an extra invite and want to do something fun, address the envelope to the President and First lady (written above) and they will send you back a personal note of congratulations!

Need some wedding calligraphy for your upcoming wedding invitation mailing? I've worked with brides all over the country to help them get to the perfect vision for their wedding, both with their invitations and reception. So contact me to get started!

Make Your Wedding Unique with Calligraphy Signage

Calligraphy for Wedding Signage, $2 each

I thought writing about this custom calligraphy job is great timing - considering that there are just two weeks left in my Bridal Wedding Reception Free Calligraphy Giveaway contest, this is a great post to see what can be done if you really want to add some more personal flavor to your reception.

I loved working with this bride - she was fun, enthusiastic, and really wanted to add her own touch to her wedding reception. Her wedding colors were red with navy accents - all with a nautical theme. She had table numbers written on the backs of cards with diagrams illustrating how to eat a lobster for wedding guests!

The first and last images break down all the wedding signage that was done on 6x6 white cards, with "Sole Mates" being the sign used for a basket of flip-flops that guests could change into to be more comfortable, and even a sign explaining the sweet tea beverage choice.

"Reserved" Signs in Calligraphy for Wedding Aisles, $2 each

The calligraphy signs don't only have to be at the reception - but in the ceremony as well. Going with a navy ink, the bride asked for a series of "Reserved" signs (pictured above) to be placed at the end of the aisles to designate where the bridal party and family would be seated.

And lastly, the place cards were little red tags where guests' names were written in white ink - to be tied on mini mason jars as the wedding gift favors. All great ideas to make your wedding have a more personal feel - and all up to you!

Calligraphy for Wedding Signage and Place Cards, $1-$2 each

Would you like to add a creative touch through wedding calligraphy signage at your wedding? Contact me to get started on your project, and don't forget to apply to the Wedding Reception Giveaway Contest, which ends in 2 weeks!

Whimsical Wedding Calligraphy: Place Cards and Table Tents

Calligraphy for Wedding Receptions,
$4 tents (names on both sides) and $1 place cards

I just finished such a fun wedding reception calligraphy job! I met with my bride about a month ago who was desperately in need of a calligrapher to write out her wedding reception table tents and place cards for her wedding. She had her place cards screen printed, and had cut deep purple long cards for her table tents - both needed calligraphy to tie her reception theme together.

First, the table tents: instead of going with table numbers, she decided to name each of her tables after a fictional place, presumably from books and stories. For example, her table name list ranged from Wonderland, Hogwarts, The Shire, Treasure Island, and even Peter Pan's Neverland. It was such a whimsical theme, that her calligraphy definitely had to match. I recommended a lighter color ink (such as white, which is opaque and would stand out) for her deep purple tents so that the name would really pop - to keep with her color theme, she chose a light lavender ink color, which I custom - mixed to match her place cards. They came out beautiful!

Wedding Calligraphy for Place Cards, $1 each

Now for her place cards (above), she did the same whimsical floral print, but in two different card stock colors with two different inks, red and deep purple. She elected to have guests' names written out in the corresponding ink color that the place card was printed in, so I used red ink and mixed a deep purple to match the darker place cards. On the backs, she had the table names screen printed to inform guests where to go: it was a really great touch, because she took the distinct fonts the original places were printed in (for example, Hogwarts if you read the books or have seen the movies has a very distinct lightning bolt in its title) and had them printed on the back in deep purple, regardless of the color card. Take a look at a few of them, below:

Each table was named after a storybook place!

All in all, it was so fun to work on, and I love brides who take the extra step to make their wedding reception unique conceptually. Do you have an idea you'd like for your wedding reception, but need some help piecing it together? Contact me to get started on your wedding calligraphy project today!

Calligraphy Addressing: Wedding Envelope Etiquette

Calligraphy for Inner and Outer Envelopes, $2.50

I recently had a bride ask for best places to look for how to address her envelopes, because she wanted to keep them as formal as possible. Tired of trying to figure out how to address your envelopes to that same sex couple? Don't want to offend your recently widowed aunt?

The uncertainty stops here: stop second guessing and take a look below at this easy to read chart to help you put together your wedding invitation addresses! I've described nearly every situation you can have below: how to address to children under 18, unmarried couples who live together, etc. Hope this helps :)

	OUTER ENVELOPES	INNER ENVELOPES
	Single Guests
Unmarried Female	Miss Jayne Jones or Ms. Jayne Jones	Miss Jones and Guest or Ms. Jones and Guest
Divorced Female-kept married name (Smith)	Mrs. Jayne Smith or Ms. Jayne Smith	Mrs. Smith and Guest or Ms. Smith and Guest
Divorced Female-back to married name (Jones)	Ms. Jayne Jones	Ms. Jones and Guest
Widowed Female	Mrs. Jayne Smith or Mrs. John Smith	Mrs. Smith (and Guest) *never use 'and guest' if recently widowed.
	CHILDREN
Children under 18	*Do not put on outer envelope Only list parents.	(1 child) And Eva (2+children) Eva and Lukas *List by age-oldest first.
Child 18 and over	Miss Emily Jones	Miss Jones and Guest
	COUPLES
Unmarried couples who do not live together	Miss Jayne Jones *the only name on the outer should be the person who lives at the address.	Miss Jones Mr. Davis
Unmarried couples who live together	Miss Jayne Jones Mr. Richard Davis	Miss Jones Mr. Davis
Married couples-*notice the use of 'and' to signify marriage in the following:	Mr. And Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
Married Couple-She kept maiden name	Mrs. Jayne Jones and Mr. Richard Davis	Mrs. Jones and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-She has hyphenated last name	Mrs. Jayne Jones-Davis and Mr. Richard Davis	Mrs. Jones-Davis and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-She has a professional title and he does not.	Doctor Jayne Davis and Mr. Richard Davis	Doctor Davis and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-both are doctors	Doctor Jayne Davis and Doctor Richard Davis or The Doctors Davis	The Doctors Davis
Married Couple-both are doctors with different last names	Doctor Jayne Jones and Doctor Richard Davis	Doctor Jones and Doctor Davis
Same sex Couples-list in alphabetical order by last name	Mr. Dan Smith Mr. Thomas Jones	Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones
	MILITARY
He is a commissioned officer	Colonel and Mrs. Richard Davis	Colonel and Mrs. Davis
He is a non-commissioned officer or enlisted man	Mr. And Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
He is a retired commissioned officer	Colonel and Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
She is a commissioned officer, he is not	Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davis or Captain Jane Davis and Mr. Carl Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis or Captain Davis and Mr. Davis
	MISC.
Judge	The Honorable and Mrs. Richard Davis	Judge and Mrs. Davis
Reverend	Reverend and Mrs. Richard Davis	Reverend and Mrs. Davis

Now that you've put together your wedding invitation list in the most formal way possible, do you need a wedding calligrapher to help give your invitations that personal touch? Contact Ash Tree Calligraphy to get started on your wedding calligraphy project today!