Posts filed under Stationery

Wedding Programs

This is one of the more frequent questions I have been asked.

My answer is that the choice is yours!

The wedding program is often one of the first design elements your guests will see on your wedding day. It can help convey the theme, color palette, and formality for your entire event. Many couples like to match all of their day-of wedding stationery which can include seating charts, escort cards, menus, etc.

If your wedding ceremony includes special traditions, customs, or personalized elements, then you should use a wedding program to provide a “roadmap” for your guests to follow along. If your ceremony is going to be very short, sweet, and basic, then you might not need a program.

Here are a some ideas to keep in mind as you design your wedding program:

Ceremony traditions in the order they will occur. Be sure to review this with the officiant before it goes to print.
Title of readings and name of the reader. If there is room on the program, you may include the actual poem or scripture.
Title of musical selections and name of singers/musicians
Names of members of the wedding party. Their relationship to the bride/groom may be added.
Memorial. Names and/or photos of important people who are now deceased.
Explanations of personalized elements, such as unity candle, unity sand, jumping the broom, etc.
Directions from ceremony to reception. Only do this if everyone at the ceremony will be invited to the reception.

Your program can be one-sided, two-sided, a booklet, or a fan. The options are abundant. I recommend creating your wedding programs in the same style as your invitation. If possible, ask your stationery designer to create a full suite for you. (I really like this fall-themed design by our fabulous friend Kendell at Penned by Pink.)

If you prefer to shop for your wedding stationery online, Trilogy Event Design has partnered with Minted Weddings to offer a special discount to our clients and followers. Use the code WEDPLTRILOGY to save 25% on your order.

Whether you need help finding the words to include on your wedding program or help finding a stationery company to custom design & print them in time for your wedding day, Trilogy Event Design is here for you! Schedule a 30-minute call now to discuss our services.

Until next time, I leave you with Glitter Wishes & Unicorn Kisses.

Randi

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Randi Martin and filed under Stationery, Wedding Planning, Event Design and tagged wedding programs Minted Penned by Pink.

Signature Cocktails for Your Next Special Event

When planning your wedding or special event, don’t skimp on the bar. If the idea of an open bar makes your heart stop beating, take a moment to catch your breath and continue reading.

Open Bar does not mean you have to offer all of the top shelf alcohol brands that your guests would never ask for if they were paying for their own drinks. Open Bar does not even mean you have to offer every type of alcohol… period. What it does mean is that you are paying a flat rate per person and your guests can drink whatever they want from the offerings available.

3 Ways to Save on the Bar

Here are a few quick tips to save a few dollars (per person) on the bar:

Choose a few types of alcohol that you know you and your guests will drink. Nix the others. For example, if your guests love martinis, cosmos, and margaritas, then you don’t need to offer scotch or bourbon.
Create a limited open bar. Offer a few beers, a few wines (maybe red, white, and rose), and 1 or 2 signature cocktails.
Only offer signature cocktails (although not the biggest crowd-pleaser)

Create Awesome Signage

To make sure your guests know about your thoughtfully planned signature cocktails, create signage to place at the bar. Many times, our clients have had their stationery designer create the signs so the font and style match the other printed materials for the day. We usually place these signs at the bar in frames so they are sure to be noticed.

Watermelon Coconut Martini

A fun pink cocktail when you're in the mood for something light and fruity that's not a Cosmopolitan! Goes wonderfully with spicy Asian flavors and summertime salads.

Get the recipe here

Green Tea Margarita

Salt or no salt? That is the question.

Get the recipe here

Berry Rose Mojito

A spin on a favorite cocktail. Swap the club soda for a rose and Voila! (Wait… what’s the Spanish word for voila?)

Get the recipe here

I hope this has all been helpful information. Remember:

Save money with a limited open bar.
Create awesome signage for your signature cocktails.
Choose signature cocktails that fit your wedding theme and personal tastes.

We are full of ideas and welcome yours too! Feel free to comment below with questions and suggestions.

Until next time, I leave you with Glitter Wishes & Unicorn Kisses.

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Randi Martin and filed under Event Planning, Wedding Planning, Stationery and tagged cocktails bar money saving tips signage Wedding Planning Event Planning.

Wedding Planning: A guide to planning a wedding during the Coronavirus pandemic

Before I begin listing things, I should probably introduce myself. I’ve been a planner ever since I was a little girl. I used to plan elaborate tea parties and invite all of my favorite dolls and stuffed animals. Now, of course I plan real parties for you know, real people but I still have the same attitude. I love creating beautiful spaces with Trilogy Event Design! I guess my parents were sort of clairvoyant because they named me, Jubilee. They must have known that I would love to celebrate!

So, you get engaged and it’s probably the best moment of your life! You’re so excited to begin planning your wedding and share this special moment with the people in your life. Then, wham! A global pandemic strikes the world and everyone’s life comes to a crashing halt. Around the globe, peoples’ lives have changed and the every day things that used to be so normal are suddenly strenuous and grueling. You’re working from home or you’ve been laid off. You’re engaged, but is there going to be a wedding? You wanted a huge, magnificent wedding, but what planning can you do from your home? Well, it turns out, A LOT!

Planning a wedding is stressful in the best of times. During this health scare, it has become daunting and some would say, unrealistic. Never fear! I have worked up a guide for the At Home Wedding Planner. There are so many things that a bride or groom to be can do to be proactive during the Covid-19 pandemic. I am here to help you!

1. Wedding Cake

A chocolate cake with chocolate espresso frosting I made over the weekend

I am a certified pastry chef and choosing a wedding cake is probably my favorite part of the whole wedding planning process! I have spoken with a couple of bakeries and companies who make wedding cakes. They have informed me that they are still able to do wedding cake tastings BUT you have to plan waaaaaay ahead, at least a month. Because the bakeries are not open to the public during this time, they are scheduling everything one customer at a time. This may seem onerous and foreboding, but it’s actually responsible and safe. Plus, you will have the whole place to yourself! Whether you schedule online or just make a phone call, making an appointment gives you something to look forward to and let’s face it, who doesn’t want to a couple hours to just eat cake?!

2. Wedding Dress or Suit Shopping

Even as a little girl, I pictured what my wedding dress would look like. And yes, I definitely wanted a fairy tale dress with a poufy skirt and ALL the frills and lace! I mean I have come to my senses…sorta. I still want a fairy tale wedding, but my idea of what a fairy tale wedding actually looks like has changed. Of course, you can order magazines online and there are a TON of different websites to cruise when checking out new styles, but if you, like me, actually have to SEE the dress on you before you know if it’s the one, then you will be happy to know that most wedding dress stores are still available to peruse. Bridal shops, like bakeries, are now appointment only. So, here’s what I recommend. Pick a day when you and MAYBE one other person can spend the day looking at dresses. I would make an appointment at three different places in one day and spend your time trying on dresses and getting feedback on what you like. You don’t necessarily have to buy one, although if you put on that one perfect dress, get it! While you are at the store, if you need to schedule fittings or tailoring for your dress, do it. If you don’t find the perfect dress, schedule an appointment with three other bridal shops. You get the picture.

3. Invitations and Photographers

Invitation by Penned by Pink; Photo by Sheronda Seawright Photography

These two are pretty simple because most paper source stores have all of their samples online. Also, most stores have waived their shipping cost now, so this would be a perfect time to order samples of the invitations you would like to see and feel. There might be a small fee if you want the sample invitations personalized, but it shouldn’t cost a ton.

Photographers are also pretty simple. All photographers have websites where you can look at their different galleries and find a style that you like. Next, email them and schedule a time to talk.

4. Social Media

I think that social media is hands down the best tool to use during this pandemic! Even if you don’t have a Facebook or Instagram account (or Tik Tok, Twitter, etc) YOU SHOULD START ONE NOW! Create a page specifically for your wedding and start posting. Invite the people who are in your wedding party, family members, friends, anyone who you know is going to be at your wedding. Ask questions; look for ideas, ask your friends to post links of people or companies they have used for their wedding or other events. I guarantee people will begin to suggest things that hadn’t event crossed your mind! Your network of friends and family is your greatest resource! Use them. If at some point in the planning process, you feel like you are getting overwhelmed with everything, give the task of maintaining your page to the Maid of Honor or one of the groomsmen. But the great thing about social media is the accessibility. Facebook and Instagram are accessible from everywhere! You never have to feel alone in the wedding planning process. Your friends will help you!

5. Vows

This suggestion is only for the people who are writing out their own vows versus using the traditional vows. During the next couple months, you will probably get reallllly close with your fiancé. Being closed up with one particular person (even if you don’t live with that person) is hard, at least for me! Their little idiosyncrasies will begin to annoy you and the little habits that were once cute will begin to eat away at your sanity. Having said that, if you guys survive this whole Covid-19 thing, you can probably make it through anything! So keeping that in mind, you may want to consider writing your own vows. You definitely have the time to think of all the things that you love about your partner. And even if you don’t ever read them in front of a crowd of people, it’s still great to look back on a piece of paper from a time before you were married when you were very much in love.

I hope this short list helps you out. Planning a wedding should be fun! If you are feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, we are here to help you. Trilogy Event Design is offering FREE 30-minute phone consultations to talk through your concerns concerning Coronavirus delays and other wedding planning details. Schedule your appointment today!

Happy Planning!

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Guest User and filed under Wedding Planning, Wedding Coaching, Stationery, Photography, Cake and tagged coronavirus pandemic Wedding Planning cake invitations photography wedding dress.

Bastille Day Inspired Wedding Shoot

A few years ago, Tanti Lina, owner of Papertini — a floral design company located in Philadelphia —approached Trilogy Event Design with a vision for a styled wedding photo shoot based upon Bastille Day. We created designed the stationery and coordinated the day. Meanwhile, Inna Spivakova from Peach Plum Pear Photography worked to capture all the creativity on display.

Bastille_Day_July_4th_Red_White_Blue_Wedding_Peach_Plum_Pear_Photography_9-h-600x400.jpg

To set the stage for the main tablescape, Papertini designed floral arrangements that would stick to the chosen color palette. Selecting foods that matched the theme was easy enough, but Tanti went so far as to come up with a new spin on a signature cocktail — The French Kiss.

Bastille_Day_July_4th_Red_White_Blue_Wedding_Peach_Plum_Pear_Photography_2-h-600x400.jpg

The delicious red velvet cake added the perfect touch to the table (and all of the professionals were able to enjoy all of it’s yummy goodness after the shoot was finished).

Bastille_Day_July_4th_Red_White_Blue_Wedding_Peach_Plum_Pear_Photography_5-v.jpg

For the wedding stationery system that we created for the day, our graphic designer chose a striking font, with clean lines and open space that allowed the colors to pop. She also designed the menus, table numbers, and cards.

The wedding invitation suite was expertly letterpress printed by local family-owned printers, The Paravano Company.

The wedding invitation suite was completed with hand-lettering on the envelopes by Lynda Asprinio of Write Away for You Calligraphy.

Bastille_Day_July_4th_Red_White_Blue_Wedding_Peach_Plum_Pear_Photography_20-h-600x400.jpg

And, you can't have a wedding without someone getting married. Playing the part of the bride was model Lindsay Marie whose make-up was done by C.E. Facial Artistry.

We were happy to be part of the coordination and design of Papertini's vision, and even happier to see our work featured on Storyboard Wedding, a popular inspirational blog for couples planning their wedding.

Trilogy Event Design is available to help plan, design, and coordinate your wedding or event. For an initial meeting, please contact us by emailing info@trilogyeventdesign.com or visiting our online calendar.