{Corporate Event} Bright Orange and Cream Anniversary Invitations

Posted on February 24, 2012 by dogwoodblossomstationery

Orange and cream white corporate custom-designed pocket invitation

I was thrilled to hear from Cessy Meacham recently when she contacted me about creating an invitation ensemble for a big bash celebrating the 5-year anniversary of her travel agency, Anytime Travel Solutions. I worked with Cessy several years ago on her first-year anniversary invitations, so I was very aware that this busy lady knew how to celebrate in style! This time around, though, she was doing it even bigger, with multiple events taking place over a weekend, and she wanted to host several of her out-of-town clients at a local bed and breakfast, as well. So we created several invitation iterations which allowed her to invite different guests to the events meant for them. Here’s a snapshot:

Orange and cream white corporate custom-designed pocket invitation

Orange and cream white corporate custom-designed thank you card and invitation

Orange and cream white custom-designed corporate anniversary invitation

Anytime Travel Solution’s colors are orange and gray, and one of their many specialties is travel to Italy and the Mediterranean, so Cessy asked to use the Florence coat of arms on the invitation. We incorporated the design into a bright but sophisticated orange and creamy-white invitation. The main invitation for her out-of-town guests is a long, folding pocket invitation, printed with their logo and a column of the Firenze design on the cream cover. It opens to reveal the orange interior, the invitation, and a pocket containing pertinent information. Additional invitations were created for local guests, inviting them to her ribbon cutting celebration and a special dinner. We chose matching orange envelopes, with return address printed in dark gray on the back flap.

Congratulations to Cessy and the team at Anytime Travel Solutions on 5 years of stellar service! And thank you for asking Dogwood Blossom Stationery to be a part of your celebration!

Are you planning a milestone event for your business? Need invitations that reflect the scope of the celebration? Dogwood Blossom Stationery can help you with that. Contact us here.

{Advice} Strategy for Writing Thank You Notes

Posted on March 29, 2011 by dogwoodblossomstationery

Salmon Pink and Light Oatmeal Thank You Card

So the celebration is over and you’ve had your first non-planning weekend in months! Yay! You’ve got one final task at hand, though, and you might be thinking it’s the most daunting: writing thank yous for those fabulous wedding gifts you received…

Don’t fret! With a little time and with a strategy on hand, writing thank you notes can become very easy. Don’t over-think it; be sincere and grateful. Remember, a thank you note need not be longer than a paragraph.

Some easy guidelines:

Introduction: Say thank you and state (specifically) what you’re thanking them for:
- (Wrapped gift) “Thank you for the beautiful Waterford vase.”
- (Registry contribution) “Thanks so much for contributing to our honeymoon registry.”
- (Cash) “Thank you for your generous wedding gift.”
Body: Give them some details about how you will/are using the gift (shoot for 2 to 3 sentences):
- “The vase looks great on the mantle filled with fern fronds. It matches our décor perfectly.”
- “We had a great time scuba diving in Bermuda; the water was perfect.”
- “We’re planning to use the money towards a down payment on our first house!”
Closing: Reiterate your gratitude that they shared your day, and let them know they’re an important part of your life:
- “We’re so happy that you made it to South Dakota for our wedding. It was so great to see you both.”
- “Every time we look at our honeymoon album, we’ll think of you. We had a great time!”
- “We’ll let you know when we finally find the perfect place; we’d love to have you visit.”

Hot tips:

DEFINITELY hand write a genuine, short thank you note in a timely manner. Try to mail your thank yous within 3 months of your event.

DO get creative in finding time to write your notes, if needed. Bring a copy of your gift list and a small stack of thank you cards with you anywhere you might have to wait: the doctor’s office, the airport, even waiting on hold on the phone. It only takes two to three minutes to write one thank-you; you can squeeze five notes into a fifteen-minute wait.

Brides, DO enlist the new hubby. Assign him half the list and hand him the above guidelines. Even if he refuses to write the note itself, it’s often nice if each note contains his true signature.

DON’T create an “all-purpose template” for your thank you notes. Canned and generalized thank yous are not only obvious and insincere, but can feel worse than not receiving a thank you at all. Be specific and personalize each note.

DON’T stress over your handwriting! Do your best to make the note legible, but don’t ever use bad handwriting as an excuse to not send a thank you.

Good luck writing!

The folding thank you card in the photo above was created using light oatmeal and salmon pink cardstock. Inside, the card is lined with a white writing liner.

Thank You Card: Dogwood Blossom Stationery & Invitation Studio, LLC

Real Wedding: Amy & Ed’s Beach Wedding

Posted on December 29, 2010 by dogwoodblossomstationery

With their families and friends spread out across the US, Amy and Ed put some thought into where they might have their wedding. Finally it hit them: why not get married in their own backyard? Amy and Ed live within walking distance of the beach where they were married in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

When I first met with Amy and Ed to discuss their wedding invitations, they hadn’t yet decided on a color scheme. After browsing through paper swatches and considering the possibilities, they decided on a steel-and-champagne color palette for their invitation and paper goods. These colors worked well with Amy’s creamy white layered wedding dress and Ed’s sandy linen suit. Their final invitation combined perfectly smooth pearlized steel cardstock with the natural textures of Japanese lace paper and eco-friendly twisted-paper ribbon in shades of creamy ivory. Inside, a light champagne liner displayed a custom map to the beach and shuttle information for guests to travel between the beach and reception. Considering their setting on a Florida beach in July, we also created wedding programs that doubled as fans.

Their marriage took place on the beach near the dunes, under an arch adorned with white lilies and starfish and surrounded by mini palms. Seashells with the couple’s name and wedding date were passed to guests after vows were made, and the entire party walked to the water’s edge, wished Amy and Ed well, and tossed their shells into the sea.

For the reception, Amy and Ed chose a second palette of bright oranges, yellows, and greens – perfect to gear up guests for the big bash that followed. Centerpieces and table settings reflected this bright color scheme. Favors consisted of margarita glasses (for use at the margarita bar) and cello bags of candy tied with favor tags that doubled as seating cards. Amy and Ed opted for an extensive surf-and-turf buffet and a large selection of gourmet cakes in lieu of one single wedding cake, so we also created coordinating buffet cards with descriptions of each menu item.

Amy and Ed’s wedding incorporated things that are important to them: a setting that reflected the home they share, supportive and loving family and friends, an intertwining of comfort and elegance, and a love that will last a lifetime! Thanks Amy and Ed, for letting me be a part of your day!