Everything has a beginning. Everyone has a start or a spark that starts their beginning, and no I am not about to give a 'how you were made' life lesson here. I'm about to go back in time, to the beginning of me.design.studio's wedding invitation design beginning. Because, no graphic designer (that I know of) wakes up and says-I want to design wedding cards for people. It just sort of happens along the way and this was how it happened for me.
A good friend of mine was getting married. That's it, thats my story. He asked, she said yes, and I figured out a great way to give a very personalised engagement gift was to offer my services of helping with the full wedding stationary. And what a full stationary set it was. This was pre-'give me five words to sum up what you want your wedding to look like' stage that is now stage1 requirement with all brides. All I knew was the future bride (FB) wanted a wedding card that did not look too weddingy. I guess looking back on the design, thinking about our many hours together in front of the computer screen (FB was very involved as she has a great eye for all things beautiful herself) I can sum up her words as these, rustic, personalised, earthy and unique.
Almost 2years ago to the day my good friend 'miss-fantastic-shoes' came into my then office with a pack of cigs for me, a pack of cigs for her, a Red Hot Chili Peppers cd and if I remember correctly, dog treats for our brother dogs. We started on her invite 'look' and by the time we each finished our boxes of cigs, we had a rough skeleton idea of what her invite would look like, what format it would take, and how the rest of the wedding stationary would take shape. What proved to be not only a fantastic cd, also happened to be the 'glue' that tied all the wedding bits and pieces together. In the invitation there was a quote from a RHCP song "Hard to concentrate", the dancefloor at the wedding was vinyl'd with the same quote, and the happy couple also danced along to this song as their first dance as man and wife. Needless to say... the Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the ultimate favourites.
Aimee & Marco Invite design copyright me.design.studio 2009
The wedding invite itself was 3 seperate cards, all printed on recycled cardstock, and slipped into a self contained envelope. 'miss-fantastic-shoes' has a very creative mother who actually made the little hearts that tied around the invites and these were also used on the day of the wedding as extra design accents.
Vinyl got itself everywhere into this wedding, from the above mentioned dance floor, to the 5 life size chandelier illustrations that were in various shades of grey to look like shadows cast against the wall to the seating chart 'carpet'. Guests had an interactive time searching for their names on the vinyl'd carpet which flowed from the courtyard into the reception hall. It has been a 'landmark' wedding for me because to this day I still have people coming to me asking me to design their guestlist seating chart 'carpets' as well as dance floor vinyls and wall vinyls in various themes to match their weddings style.
This wedding could not have been complete without 'miss-fantastic-shoes' who is the type of friend who is always giving, gave to her guests wonderful gifts of 'slip-slops' (party shoes for party feet) wooden fans (thank you to all our fans) as well as-a cd mix of the bride and grooms favourite songs, and the cd actually looked like a mini record (vinyl much!)
The wedding itself was beautiful. Actually more than beautiful, and I not only say that as a friend, designer or guest but because it did set a landmark for all other weddings I have worked on as well as for all other FB's out there. Even though the Aleit wedding team, was involved, this bride with the fantastic design eye, was just as involved with every aspect of her (and the grooms) big day. I am currently working on their wedding album (its never too late) and am constantly reminded by how gorgeous all the details, as well as the bride were!
* Mrs & Mr Fantastic shoes, may you have an AMAZING time at the RHCP concert in London later this year!
* This is a disclaimer to say- me.design.studio does not promote smoking! just cos I have to work with a pack of cigs doesnt mean you have to.
x
me
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