isentu

Arrr me hearties!

2012-03-16T15:19:00.004+11:00

There is nothing quite like a pirate theme to get a party happening! The costumes are cheap and easy - just a bandana and some cut offs is aaaaarrrrguably all you need. And hey, if your kids only have half their teeth - that’s pretty authentic too!

Throw in a jelly dessert, complete with a ship wreck and you’ll have the coolest party this side of the carribean!

Photo: Chris Nease

While you are at it, Pop over to isentu for your cheap and easy online invitations. They come with cool graphics, a soundtrack and maps that will get your guests to the party on time... X marks the spot!

21st Birthdays: Planning the perfect party

2012-03-09T10:31:00.001+11:00

A 21st birthday is a big deal. It’s a chance to celebrate an important milestone with people that you care about. It is an opportunity to show just how remarkably grown up you have become (err work with me here)... Most of all, it is an excuse to throw a party!

Throwing a 21st can be a lot of work, however, with a little know how, it needn't be a stressful task. Planning a party can be a lot of fun, and a chance to really get creative!

First of all, work out your basic budget. This will depend on a number of factors. First of all, are your parents throwing the party for you or are you organising it alone? If your parents are hosting it, will it be in their house or another venue? If you are throwing your own party, how much are you willing to spend? Remember, it doesn’t have to be an expensive party to be an awesome one.

Your next consideration is your venue. This will be largely determined by your budget and the role your parents will be playing. Possible venues could include your house, a community hall, a local pub or club function room or even a cheaper option such as a big picnic in the park (check for necessary permits etc). Don’t be limited by convention, think about what sort of party you would most enjoy and go with it! Remember to do thorough research and check what is included in any package you are considering. For example, if the function centre includes alcohol, is it a per person cost, bar tab or time limit? Does it include spirits as well as beer, wine and soft drink? Will they organise champagne for your toast? It helps to know exactly what you are getting for your hard earned cash.

Photo: Michael Blann

Where ever you are holding the event, don’t forget to include a map and directions. For some venues it might also be a good idea to include parking information. With isentu invitations, you can include this information on your “map and directions” page, and even link to google maps to give guests clear directions.

Remember that when ever you are offering alcohol at a party, it is important to also serve food. Don’t count on your guests to have eaten beforehand. If you are only serving finger food, make sure you tell your guests in the invitation.

Okay, now for the sticky details. Who will you be inviting? Of course you will have your close group of friends there but how about your relatives, work colleagues, uni friends, high school chums and primary school buddies? It’s always nice to include your parents in this process if they are contributing to the party. Inviting friends from different areas of your life can make for some interesting speeches! Your guest list will of course be limited by your budget but make sure you consider everyone before you start narrowing it down.

If you keep in contact with your friends via facebook and email, you could consider an online invitation. No, I don’t mean a run-of-the-mill facebook invitation! After all, you want people to get excited about your party! Isentu invitations can link to facebook events if you want them to, or you can send them out via email and have your friends rsvp through a form on the invitation. You don’t need to worry about your guests’ privacy, they don’t disclose their details to isentu, and the fuss is taken out of your guest list.

Once you know who will be coming, choose who you would like to make speeches and give them plenty of notice. It might also be a good idea to give guidelines to certain individuals... this may be an omission you would like them to make “don’t tell the story about...”, “remember my gran will be there!” or a time limit (you know how Uncle Bob can go on...) speeches are usually a bit cheeky but shouldn’t spoil your night by being too long or too embarrassing!

Some 21st parties have a theme and while this is not a necessity, it can add flavour to your soiree. You could go classy with a masquerade party, or dress up as hollywood stars. You could honour your 50s obsession with a rock and roll vibe or you could choose a theme based on the year that you were born (think hit movie or pop song). If dressing in a costume is not your thing, you at least need to think of the colours that you will use to decorate your venue (balloons, bunting, table cloths etc) and consider entertainment such as a juke box or ipod mix, karaoke, or even your friend’s band.

Including some photos of yourself as a little tike or some funny photos with your friends is a nice touch. Remember, your guests are there to celebrate your milestone after all. You could include a pinboard at the party with photos, or even a slideshow on a computer, TV or projector. With isentu, you can include some funny photos in your invitation too. Remember to include those photos of you with a tragic 90s hair cut or dressed up as Cinderella for your school play. Come on, we all have them!

Alright, you are all set! Don’t forget to choose some funky threads for your big day, and get creative decorating your venue. It’s going to be a great party!

isentu xoxo

A unique proposal!

2011-01-14T13:02:00.000+11:00

Hello fabulous people!

We have missed you! Isentu have been off the blogging scene for a few weeks while we redesign our site to make it easier to navigate. We will let you know when the new site is up and running.

In the meantime, we just had to share this adorable video. It was created by photographer Sid Ceaser for his fiance, Sara and played in the movie theatre in amongst the previews! How could you say no to a proposal like that?!

Bah Humbug!

2010-12-03T08:37:00.000+11:00

We love Christmas here at isentu, but even so, we couldn't resist this gorgeous "Humbug Stripe" designer recycled paper! This colour is "aniseed", however, the paper also comes in a gorgeously cute "candy" and retro vibe "coffee". The stripes are bold and funky but don't hog the spotlight on your invitations.

Does anyone know where we got the couple "Richard and Ilsa" from? Ring any bells for fans of old Hollywood classics?

Have a good one, and Bah Humbug! :)

It's black! It's white! Oooh!

2010-11-18T15:09:00.009+11:00

"If you're thinking about my wedding it don't matter if it's black or white" so sang Michael Jackson in his famous 1991 hit... I'm sure it was something like that anyway!

A black and white themed wedding can be a striking combination. It can be incorporated into the bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits, provide inspiration for the cake and can make a table setting really sing! Black and white are often complemented by accents of strong colours, in this example invitation we have used red to offset the bold design.

The paper used here is called bella gothic. It is a designer metallic paper which goes well with both the black and gold pockets, or it can be used alongside a CD pocket in a bold accent colour to tie in with your theme. The Bella range also comes in “duchess”, “regal” and “sweetheart”.

"Cutting the cake" image from http://www.beyondthebride.com.au

Delicate Patterns for Your Invitation

2010-11-12T11:18:00.001+11:00

The following invitation design lends itself well to a champagne/gold themed celebration, or perhaps a summer evening event. The whimsical pattern is delicate enough that you could print information on the front if you so desired, or keep it blank to emphasise the beauty of the CD invitation inside! The real strength of this pattern is that it is delicate but not overpoweringly girly, so the fellas won’t be put off!

This designer metallic paper is called delicate vine. The colour shown here is “sugar”, however, the pattern also comes in a gorgeous “blushing” pink, “lake” pale green and “silver”. The pale green would look stunning for a nature inspired theme. There is a huge range of colours to choose from when it comes to selecting the CD pockets so whatever your theme or style, we’ve got you covered.

Elegant Beach Inspired Weddings

2010-11-04T16:00:00.000+11:00

Beach image courtesy of Stephen Eastop.

Well, looking outside in Sydney at the moment you wouldn't think that summer was approaching! But never fear! Blue skies, long lazy days and warm nights are just on the horizon.
To celebrate the approach of the glorious warm weather, we thought we would post a beach inspired invitation. These cute CD pockets can be embellished in many different ways to enclose your gorgeous isentu invitation.

Design using a felt cream pocket:

Or with the gold pocket:

Using a more spontaneous font:

And again comparing the felt cream pocket to the gold pocket:

These invitations use "Beachside Sandy Bay" paper. This beach design is also available in blue tones and grey. We have chosen neutral browns and golds to reflect sandy tones. The paper is part of an eco design range which is made from 50% recycled fibre. The remaining 50% comes from renewable forests and is made from 100% green energy. We just love the recycled range. It comes in over 20 designs and colours - if you would like more information about it pop us an email at info@isentu.com.au or post a comment to this blog.

It is hard to see detail in these photos, but the dark brown second layer is a gorgeous specialty paper called Zsa Zsa "Espresso", which is finely textured gorgeous card stock.

Well, that's all for this week. Let us know your thoughts, and if you have any particular questions around matching your invitations to your theme, be sure to comment!

A new video!

2010-09-25T15:39:00.008+10:00

Well here it is! At isentu, we have been so busy with special orders that it has taken us a while to update our blog and site (not that we're complaining)! Check out our homepage to see our new video that takes you through a different design and gives you another peek into all that isentu can offer:

http://www.isentu.com.au/

Or check us out on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwc7s6g2Nm8

Experimenting with vector graphics PART 3

2010-08-26T11:23:00.013+10:00

Oooh exciting! This week I got to create my characters for my image. I started by sketching the couple and then scanning it into the computer.

After importing the image to CS Illustrator, I took the liberty of erasing a few lines that I had made a mess of in my sketch (God bless the delete button, if only we had one for our mistakes in life)! I then found some colour swatches for hair and skin tones and played around with these (using the eye dropper tool) until it looked right. Unfortunately, in the screen shots I have for you, the man's skin looks a little green, but I promise it won't look like that in the final image. He must have just been feeling a little squeamish from the boat ride he just took... yeah that's it!

Next post I'll hopefully be finishing up the image and putting the final touches on. Wish me luck!

Experimenting with vector graphics PART 2

2010-08-06T16:05:00.000+10:00

Okay, so if you'll remember last week (or scroll down and see our last blog if not!) I was learning all about creating vector graphics. I sketched a simple landscape and scanned it into my computer.

Using CS Illustrator, I did a "live trace" of the sketch and went around the picture, filling in the obvious gaps and correcting any mistakes. After that, I had fun colouring in the picture! It was a slow process for me as I generally leave the computer side of artworks to our Tech Team, but I've got to say, it kind of reminded me of using "Paint" on the computer when I was in primary school. Fun!

I certainly felt I was getting a lot quicker by the end of this exercise. I've learnt a lot about what to aim for when creating sketches too. Next week, I'll be attempting to put figures into the picture and then I'll attempt to make the whole image a lot more sleek. Wish me luck!

If you have any comments or suggestions on how to make the most of these pictures, be sure to comment!

Experimenting with vector graphics PART 1

2010-07-31T12:30:00.000+10:00

As a designer, it is easy to find stock images and work that other artists have done to use in your own creations. Creating your own graphics is another kettle of fish. So, in the spirit of exploration and curiosity, I decided to have a go creating vector graphics.
Here, I have created some simple line drawings and scanned them onto my computer. In my next installment I will show you what happens when you put the image into Illustrator on Creative Suite.

Save-the-date Cards

2010-06-22T14:48:00.002+10:00

Not all couples choose to send save-the-date cards for their wedding, but if you do it is important to consider a couple of etiquette dos and don'ts.

First of all, timing. It is usual for couples to send these reminder notes about three months before the wedding. This gives guests a chance to plan their holiday and travel plans accordingly, make arrangements for accommodation if they are from out of town and make sure that your event is not going to be overshadowed by other plans close to (or on!) the day.

It is not important etiquette-wise to match your save-the-date cards to your invitations and other stationery. However, it can be a nice touch, especially if you already have a firm idea of your wedding theme and style. If not, you might choose to send a quirky postcard (print your own, or try a printing company like www.vistaprint.com.au for a fairly cost effective option), or what about a nice photo of the couple with a "hope you can make it" and the date printed at the bottom? It's amazing what you can achieve with a photo printer and a little ingenuity!

If your guests are reasonably tech savvy (read: have an email address) you could always email them your save-the-date message (take that look off your face, mother). Aside from being terribly avant-garde, this option has the additional bonus of being good to the environment and your wallet! Jazz it up with a gorgeous photo and a quote and include a link to your blog if you so desire. Be aware that you are dabbling in dangerous etiquette-free territory here (I can see the cringes on the faces of my predecessors now) but remember that it is your wedding and you are free to dazzle in any way you please.

For those guests not familiar with the peculiar rituals surrounding wedding stationery, it has become commonplace to add the text "invitation to follow" on your save-the-date cards. This avoids guests mistaking the save-the-date for the invitation itself. It is probably best to include this and avoid any unwanted confusion and panicked guests exclaiming "but what is the dress code!?" and "they forgot to include the time!!!" And to think, you could save yourself the drama with just three little words!

There are so many creative people out there - share with us your ideas for save-the-date cards that break the mold!

Image from From Flypaper Studios.

Wedding Invitation Etiquette

2010-05-20T16:44:00.005+10:00

Once your guest list has been created, debated and edited to perfection, it is time to choose your invitation wording. Invitations are often the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding and thus it is wise to choose your words carefully. Your invitations will set the tone for the entire celebration.

Stop right there! Do not even attempt to write your invitations until you have considered these points:

Will your wedding be held in a church or other venue?
Would you like your celebration to be a formal occasion or a casual party? Do you want to include very formal wording or would you like to have a little fun with your invitations?
Who is hosting the wedding? Traditionally this would be the parents of the bride but it could be the parents of the groom, both sets of parents, the couple themselves or any combination of divorces and remarriages just to make things clear as mud!
Will your celebration have a specific theme? Colours can be incorporated into the invitations themselves, but if you were having a 1920s soiree, for example, you might like to include a nod to the theme in your opening lines or in the wording of the entire invitation. This is a cute and fun way to get creative and prepare your guests for the wedding festivities.

Phew! Now that you have sorted all that out, you are ready to start writing your invitations.

The first item you must include is the ‘hosting’ line. Who is hosting really depends on who is paying for the wedding which can be straight forward but gets messy when you start to throw in all the quirks and eccentricities of the everyday family! It is important to adjust the wording to suit your families and make sure that all feel included.
Parents of the bride	Mr and Mrs Jonathon Bennet
Parents of the bride and groom are both contributing to the wedding	Mr and Mrs Jonathon Bennet Mr and Mrs Edward Darcy
Divorced parents are hosting the wedding together	Ms Catherine Davies Mr Jonathon Bennett
Couple are hosting	Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy
Now you need to invite your guests to the event itself. Words like ‘honour’ and ‘pleasure’ are thrown in and leave your guests with a warm fuzzy feeling of inclusion! Usually the venue where the wedding is take will dictate the wording. You can add the guests’ names or leave them out – it’s up to you.
Church	request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Other formal setting	request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter
Less formal wedding	would be delighted by your presence at the wedding of our daughter or are proud to invite or would love for you to join us at the wedding of our children or would like to invite ______ to join them in celebrating their wedding
Now I know that you have faith in the intelligence of your beautiful guests, but clever or not, the next line must be dedicated to telling them who is getting married. You are the most important people at the wedding after all! There are two ways of going about this.
Formal	Elizabeth Jane to Mr Fitzwilliam Robert Darcy
Less formal	Elizabeth Bennet to Fitzwilliam Darcy
I’m not going to name names here but a certain close relative of mine once forgot to put the time for her wedding on the invitation. You can imagine the freaking out moment that happened at the realisation of this rather important omission. Don’t be like that close relative. As above, telling your guests what date and what time can also be done in one of two ways.
Formal	Saturday; the sixteenth of April two thousand and eleven at half after two o’clock
Less formal	Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 2.30pm
Now for the location of the ceremony…
Church or other religious venue	Saint James Church King Street, Sydney
Non-religious venue	The Mitchell Gallery State Library of New South Wales Macquarie Street, Sydney
Home or other location	The Darcy House 11 Pemberley Road Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom
Nearly there! Just add your reception details and RSVP and you’re sitting pretty!
Same venue as ceremony	and afterwards at the reception
Different venues	reception immediately following the ceremony The Dixson Room State Library of New South Wales Macquarie Street, Sydney

Well there you go. No one said writing your invitation wording would be a walk in the park. At least now you have a basic format to guide you. Add you own style to your wording, jazz your invitation up with your theme and style… better yet… contact isentu for a quote and let us create that invitation magic for you!

isentu our new and improved site

2010-05-14T14:21:00.005+10:00

Introducing the new and improved isentu website!

Here at isentu, we're all about trying new things. Sure sometimes you end up with a big mess of paper around you, the housework has to be done all over again and you attract curious looks from passers-by... like a two year old who has gained access to her mother’s make up bag… but you invariably have a big grin on your face by the end!

And then there is the pleasure of creating something completely from scratch, that JUST WORKS.

Thus was the story for our brand new site. Our first, an interesting attempt at creating a pinboard online, just never quite felt right. It was like a painting you receive from your grandmother that you feel compelled to put on the wall but never quite fits with the decor. You go about the business of day to day life but the picture is always there in the peripheral, sticking out like a proverbial sore thumb. It was "business as usual" for isentu but in the back of our minds we knew that the site just had to go.

So here we are, a huge mess of research, colour swatches and draft content littering our workplace, big, contented smiles on our faces and our brand new site ready to show off to you! Now what am I going to do with that painting...

...isentu to make your dreams a reality...

2010-04-16T23:19:00.002+10:00

Launch day is finally here. After months of planning and preparing, isentu is ready to show the world what they are made of!

We are a company dedicated to the individual. Your wedding, your event, YOUR INVITATION.

Digital invitations have the capacity to make your event theme really come to life, and get guests excited about the occasion! No matter what your theme, express it through music, video and pictures. Even better, let our experience help you to achieve your vision.

Check back here for great tips on planning your event, looking after Mother Earth on your wedding day, technology trends and splendid digital invitation ideas ready to inspire you!

Launching the isentu blog

2009-11-11T09:10:00.001+11:00

Well it has been a long time coming, but the gang at isentu are very excited about our new blog.

Check back here regularly to find all kinds of information about digital invitations and personalised stationery solutions.

Also, we are very excited about the new website that is currently under construction and due for release next month.

Keep your eyes peeled and your mind open. isentu is forging its way online!