Expert Stationery Picks: Bri Emery of Designlovefest Blog

July 30, 2013

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Bri's Style

Bri Emery of lifestyle blog designlovefest never ceases to inspire us with her fresh style and sharp eye for typography. So we've asked her to share her favorite wedding stationery ideas. Check out her awesome picks, from larger-than-life invitation posters to calligraphed dinner menus, and everything in between.

"I am a huge fan of weddings with unexpected, non-traditional details; whether that's a save-the-date with bold typography or invitations with a witty concept. Being quite nostalgic myself, I love when couples showcase their unique stories within their wedding suites. Naturally, I am always attracted to bright colors, hand-drawn type and interesting graphic shapes."

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Confetti Ceremony Programs

See More Unique Wedding Ceremony Programs

For the confetti toss, attach packets of paper confetti to your programs with double-sided tape. We used ClearBags glassine envelopes G7.

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Cheeky Menu Card

See More of this Real Wedding in Bali

These whimsical menus, which boasted a pretty floral pattern and custom monogram, matched swizzle sticks that featured a cute illustration of the couple's matchmaker.

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Napkin Menus

Aneta Mak
See More of this Real Wedding in Cotswolds, England

Screenprinted menu napkins doubled as fun keepsakes for the guests at this wedding.

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Upcycled Seating Chart

Elisabeth Millay Photography
See More of this Real Wedding in West Hartford, Connecticut

This crafty bride transformed an old window she found in her parents' basement into a unique escort card display, using a white paint pen to write guests' names and table numbers.

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Watercolor Seating Cards

Olivia Leigh Photographie
See More of this Real Wedding in Chicago

These colorful escort cards were made from large watercolor paintings (made by the mother of the bride!) that were cut into tags and calligraphed by Angelique Ink.

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Jewel-Inspired Escort Cards

Thomas Straub

This vibrant display of gem shapes cut from clear Lucite is a unique way to show guests where they are seated. Cover them with calligraphed photography gels cut to fit, then hang with fishing line from a rod near your reception space.

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Retro Suite

Bryan Gardner
See More Stationery Suites by Style

This bright, mod-inspired "Maximus" suite feels right out of Mad Men. The stationers at MaeMae Paperie used the wedding location of balmy Palm springs, California, as a starting point for creating icons such as pineapples, palm trees, and beach umbrellas. They then adorned invites, R.S.V.P. cards, and even reception coasters with these motifs using flat printing, a method that's less expensive than engraving and letterpressing and offers a less formal look.

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European Flair

See More of this Real Wedding in Bridgehampton, New York

To fit the theme of their France-inspired wedding celebration, these newlyweds listed the evening's fare on calligraphed menus written in French.

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Illustrated Menu

See More of this Real Wedding in Beaver Creek, Colorado

Whimsical illustrations accompanied the courses listed on this couple's menu.

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Table Number Alternative

See More of this Real Wedding in Pocantico Hills, New York

Instead of numbers, this couple chose their favorite seed packets to grace tables at their farm-fresh wedding.

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Floating High

See More of this Real Wedding in New York City

Bold red numbers on tags hung from oversized balloons at this pair's Manhattan nuptials.

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Labels for Cocktails

Raymond Hom
Get the "Cheers" Favor Label Template and How-To

Send guests home with a personalized night cap: A mini bottle of bourbon wrapped in a custom label, along with a few other cocktail essentials.

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Photo Guestbook

See More Wedding Guest Book Ideas

If you're having a photo booth at your wedding reception, consider this guest book idea: Attach self-adhesive photo corners to its pages of a book in advance so guests can slip their pictures into place next to their notes.

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Extra Large Invite

Kate Mathis
See More Unique Wedding Invitation Ideas

Magnify your news with a "Say It Out Loud" poster by Fig. 2 Design Studio. Its large-scale font can be screen-printed onto 15 3/4-by-22 1/2-inch paper of your choosing. Fold it down to envelope height and width and simply secure it with a sticker label featuring your return address. Then, pop it in the mail—no envelope necessary. Thanks to the miracle of e-mail, you won't need a reply card either, making this maximalist design minimalist, too.

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Balloon Save-the-Date

See More Unique Save-the-Dates

Upon opening their envelopes, your friends will be delighted by the fun surprise inside: balloons printed with the details of your day, attached to white cards bearing simple instructions.

Jen Lopardo of L'Office Optimiste

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Lunar Save-the-Date

Johnny Miller

Guests will be starry-eyed after discovering this artful save-the-date in their mailboxes. This "Over the Moon" design lets everyone know how many moons will pass before your wedding.

Stationery, Simplesong Design.

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Matchbook Save-the-Date

Custom-printed matchboxes are a cute alternative to the classic card. They wink to the fireworks guests will see as you exchange vows, and double as keepsakes they can use long after the big day. Download the clip art, and send the file to ForYourParty.com to have them made.

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Record Save-the-Date

Kella MacPhee
See More of this Real Wedding in Clifton, New Jersey

This album-inspired save-the-date is the perfect introduction to an eclectic wedding.

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Floral Flower-Girl Card

See More "Will You Be My...?" Cards

Inviting loved ones to join your wedding party is a special occasion, so the invitations you send them should feel just as important. Your littlest attendant will love the bright, floral pattern on this Rifle Paper Co. Flower Girl card.

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Exotic Invites

Bryan Gardner

Stripe & Field's "Kent" letterpress set incorporates the vibrant colors and organic shapes found on an Indian caftan. The trifold "Cornwall" program offers attendees a teaser of the adventures that await them, as well as the couple's suggestions for exploring their best-loved spots near the venue.

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About Bri

Bri Emery is an art director and the Los Angeles-based founder and editor of designlovefest, a lifestyle blog with an eye for design in style, DIY, food, travel, entertaining and more. She has been featured in publications such as Elle Décor, Apartment Therapy, HGTV, Lucky Magazine, The Los Angeles times and more, and travels the world teaching photoshop to bloggers with her BLOGSHOP brand, founded in 2011.

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