I’ve always felt that  the wedding invitation is a vital make or break part of a wedding. I know I’m a graphic designer, but hear me out. For the guests it is their entree… their first glimpse into the experience and heart-felt event that will be your wedding. It is a little doorway which speaks of future experience, of atmosphere, of love, and of the occasion. For the bride and groom, it is a visual coming-together. It is choosing something to represent you both, your identities, your hopes and your love.

That is a loaded piece of paper if you think about it. And it matters, if you’re going to bother about design and symbolism at your wedding… the invite matters.

Invite-speech out the way, you will understand why I was feeling a little daunted by the design of our own invite. Unless you and your groom are one of those weird identical couples – you know, the ones – they dress the same, think the same, and have a dog that eerily looks like them (come on, we’ve all met those people , usually you are trying to create something that can represent two completely different aesthetics, two individuals… on one little piece of paper.

My fiance and I couldn’t possibly have been further from each other’s aesthetics if we’d tried! Me, touchy-feely Spoonful designer and lover of all things old and busy, and him, clean-lined, space-age software guy, well, you can imagine it was all a bit disastrous in the beginnin. I had showed him a little patchy pink/red heart quilt that I felt was the most beautiful thing ever, and he HATED it. Hmmmm… my usual style was not going to work.

Now I hear some of you girls saying that how he feels isn’t important and how most guys don’t have a clue or care when it comes to wedding invitations, but I disagree. You’re getting married. You’re going to have to design and live together in the same space… forever. You’re going to have to figure out how to work together, and hear each other’s sides, even if you don’t agree, so you may as well start out right in the beginning.

I turned my back on patchy quilts and calligraphy (sniff) and focused on what we were together, which was still heart-felt, romantic, but new, fresh and combined… we were forming something stronger through our differences, and this is what our design needed to represent.

I chose a heart (for me) and clean cool lines (for him) and out came our gem of an invite (if you’ll pardon the pun – hehe) Inspiration came in an instant one day, whilst I was busy working on something else, (do you find this happens to you?) and I realised that our words, our romantic quest (for like EVER) and our aesthetics could meet with a simple diamond heart. Oh, when I write it now it sounds putrid and over the top, but we made sure it wasn’t.

With creamy smooth white paper stock, an embossed textured heart on the page and honest, from-the heart words, our invites were sent out and this, once you have found it, sets the tone for the whole event.

Nights were spent stitching transparent gem-heart garlands… days were spent folding origami gems for the tables… and soft, french blue tulle was purchased, to hang from the ceilings and realise the dream.

I think to make a wedding personal, your own, the invite and your styles merging is the best way to start. Start simply, with each other, and a piece of paper… and who knows where you can go from there…

thea.
xx

Photos by Matt Johnson & vision brought to life by my lovely family with the BellsNWhistles team.

Ms Gingham says: I really believe that a wedding is a true union of two personalities that hopefully complement and bring out the best in each other. I agree that this should be reflected in the planning and styling of your event, even if it means making compromises on what you like and finding something that you both like.

About Anthea: Anthea is a freelance designer (often of invites actually) who creates Spoonful, a happiness companion. She is now married to Dror, and is looking forward to sharing more of her wedding thoughts here with you guys & the Polka Dot ladies xxox

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1. Image via Elizabeth Dye / 2. Image by Amy Punky Photography via The Loveliest Day / 3. Bride and Groom tattoos (a&J) Image by Jennifer Sosa / 4. Image by Belinda Fettke Photography via The Story Behind The Image / 5. Image by Amanda Watson Photography via The Wedding Chicks / 6. Photo by Louisa Bailey via Snapshot Sunday – Father of Mine / 7. Tattoos on legs – Image by Haywood Jones Photography / 8. Jigsaws – Image by Rosie Parsons Wedding Photography / 9. Henna Tatoos – Image by James Boddington of Xiss Photography via Nadi and Spiro / 10. Checked shirt groom – Image by Dorothy Gautreaux Photography

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Daniel and I met at Adelaide University whilst doing our Health Science degree in 2004.We met in our first semester, of first year where we were forced to work with each other on a dissection project where we had to demonstrate the anatomical structures of the human arm (gross I know and not the nicest place to meet!). Unlike many love stories it wasn’t love at first sight. As this was a major project at Uni there were lots of squabbles about who was right and who was wrong.

My first impressions of him were that despite his good looks he was arrogant and hard to get along with! He thought the same of me. After that project was completed communication was just the odd hello or smile. It wasn’t until 2^nd Semester (where we were both in the same biology tutorial) that we really hit it off. Neither of us knew anyone else in the tutorial so we decided to get chatting, from there a friendship blossomed and finally our first date. The rest as they say is history and after 7 years we were finally engaged, on the 29^th of September 2010!

During our time at university we spent a lot of our breaks, study time and spare time hanging around the University grounds, the river Torrens (which was across the road) and the Adelaide Botanic gardens (which was behind the university). Daniel also proposed on the banks of the river Torrens just in front of the University. Hence there was no other choice but to have our engagement shoot in all 3 locations.

The shoot was a spur of the moment idea one afternoon whilst planning the engagement party with my sister. Whilst surfing the net and Polka Dot Bride of course we came across the concept of engagement shoots. We had never heard of it before but were keen to give it a go, although it did take a bit to convince Daniel. We planned on using the photos for save the date cards and or thank-you cards.

My sister Caitlin Caballero was the photographer. She’s an amateur photographer but we believe she did an awesome job and thank her for capturing so beautifully one of the happiest times of our lives to date. In the end we used the photos taken on that day as part of our slideshow at our engagement party as well as for engagement thank-you cards.

Daniel and I have now been together for almost 8 years, and as you can see from the photos we get along much better than when we first met! We plan on tying the knot outdoors under big trees and fairy lights in 2014 on our 10 year anniversary.

Photography by Caitlin Caballero

Ms Gingham says: This love story makes me smile… so cute! The photography is truly lovely. Charmaine you’re so lucky to have such a talented photographer as your sister!

Charmaine says: “My name is Charmaine, I am 26 and am engaged to the love of my life and my best friend who I met at university. I am a nurse by profession but have always had a love for all things DIY especially all things pretty! I love to paint, decorate, craft and cook! My fiancé is currently completing his medical degree. “

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Bouquet by Wunderplant Image by Louisa Bailey / Favor tags by Bespoke Letterpress Boutique / Cake by Sharon Wee Creations / Francesca by Emmy Shoes / Jennifer Regan Gown from Savvy Brides / Vintage style chalkboard. Image by The Follans via Jennifer and Cameron’s Gorgeous Winery Wedding / Outdoor Ceremony Decor ~ Styling by Simply Georgeous Occasions Photo by Sarah Wood / She could be royalty comb by Kristi Bonnici

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Let’s get our hands dirty Dotties! It’s time for another Polka Dot Hot Spot (if you have a suggestion for Polka Dot Hot Spot just contact us!)

It’s often said that weddings bring out the best and worst in people and nothing makes my stomach drop more than problems with bridesmaids. From that every first excited moment of asking, to the last hug goodbye- it’s such an involved role, not only for the bride but also for the bridesmaid.

I’ve seen many friendships fall out at weddings (which saddens me greatly) and many confused expectations. One bridesmaid rants that the bride excepted her to pay for everything, leaving her feeling a bit worse for wear, another bride is upset because her bridesmaids weren’t able to help her with any wedding plans. So I suppose it all comes down to expectations. From the get go making it clear what you, as the bride expect and what you, as a bridesmaid can do.

What have you done with your own bridesmaids (or if you’re a bridesmaid, the bride!) How are you handling the expectations of each other? If you had some confusion, how did you deal with it?

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