TREND ALERT - INVITATIONS: Pushing the Style Envelope with Made to Keep

Save-the-Dates & Invitations are considered the "first impressions" of your wedding & with the help of Made to Keep, brides-to-be are sending the message loud and clear that their weddings are going to be rocking!  Throw boring out the window (or into the recycle bin for us earth-friendly brides) and make way for little hand-held works of art, bursting with personal style!

Our buddy Melissa Miller, owner of Made to Keep, recently popped in to share the latest trends in wedding stationery, save-the-dates, & invitations. Made to Keep, located in Harrisburg, specializes in hand-made, 100% customizable stationery to fit your wedding theme, patterns, colors, & personality, so you can go as quirky, modern, or as traditional as you want!  The thing we love about Made to Keep is they personally meet with each couple and have an innate knack for translating personalities on to paper.  The design and creation process is extremely hands on-- and a whole lot of love goes into each item, which really shows in the quality of the finished product!   They also carry Carlson Crafts, Crane & Company, & Mcpherson's as well as unique personalized gifts. Check out the below trends that have been catching on fire in 2011, straight from the Pros at Made to Keep:

Make a bold statement with a bright colored card stock & white type.  Damask patterns are very popular,
paired with a contrasting color like red or pink!

 

TIP: Substitute a traditional engraved floral print on white stock with a 3D fabric or paper flower.
You can even use YOUR flower.



Instead of using just one motif, use a whole pattern, which can be based on your gown… a ring of rosettes,
a square of lace appliqué, or a beaded vine.

Small rhinestones, tiny pearl-toned beads, or mini Swarovski crystals makes a low-key invitation style fashionable. 
Also, try using unique materials for your invitations, like a pattern stitched into fabric or burned onto wood.  
Even vellum or acrylic. (photos courtesy of Thomas Beaman)

Neatly tucked away all of the cards and pieces all together, so your guest can take your invite with them to the ceremony. Great way to use all of your colors: one color for the card stock, another for the type &ribbon, & a third for the envelopes. 

3 out of 5 of Melissa's latest brides-to-be have actually opted to nix the RSVP card and have their guests respond online, which has become a popular trend in 2011.  Another trend is tear-and-mail RSVP cards, which is a more budget-friendly option but with these great designs- no one will ever know!

Pinstripes are a hot look now, whether they're vertical, horizontal, multicolored, or in shades of your signature hue.

Introduce your wedding motif on your invitation envelopes; use your names or pattern on the outside to give them a sneak peak before opening.

 

Metallic paper = instant class.