Long Time Gone [wedding invitations in Rochester, NY and anywhere on earth!]

So it's been a LONG TIME since we've updated our blog. Time to change that! Can you welcome us back to blogland?

The Studio Line is live and we've started fulfilling orders! It's a very exciting time! Here are some of the pics of the newest items! I hope you love them as much as I do! Our Quotes Collection is the highlight of the group right now but I'm adding more and more each month. Right now there are about 20 suites and I'm planning to double that this year. Everything is printed on thick, luxurious cotton cardstock in white or natural with over 40 colors in almost limitless combination available.

Did you know that Bella Carta Studio is on Pinterest? Come on by and follow me. We've got Bella Carta and Studio Line boards on there, but you can also see all my other interests, too. Pinterest is an amazing place to organize life and work! Enjoy!

We'll be back soon! Promise this time! There's lots of custom work to show, too!

xoxo, Lisa

Tomorrow,Tomorrow

It's only a day away!



One more peek of Bella Carta: The Studio Line before the big launch on Etsy.com tomorrow!

A Sneak Peek

We're excited to share some very big news with you today!

Announcing a brand new adventure for us... Bella Carta: The Studio Line.

A delightfully patterned and detailed collection of invitations and event stationery. Personalizable in 36 colors, and printed on tree-free paper that even makes mother nature happy. Coming this month on Etsy.com!

Be on the lookout for more teasers on Facebook, Twitter and here on our blog before the official launch!

Here's the first sneak peek.

It only happens once a year! You won't want to miss Wedding Band Weekend at Mann's Jewelers, March 18, 19 & 20! Come out an see us while you shop, sip champagne and sample wedding cake.

Every purchase is accompanied by a luxury gift bag full of money saving offers from attending wedding professionals including:

Arena's Florist
Bella Carta Studio
Brandon Vick Photography
Gourmet Goodies
Hank Parker's
Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Parkleigh
Simply Beautiful Events
Stacy K
Sweet Fortunes
TableToppers of Rochester
Tammy Swales Photography
Van Zile Travel
Waterlily

Attendees will be able to browse offerings from some of the finest wedding professionals in Upstate New York. View fabulous floral arrangement, stunning photography, decadent desserts, perfectly coordinated linens, exotic honeymoon travel packages, beautiful custom invitations, creative rentals and flawless wedding planning all in a unique atmosphere.

The weekend kicks off with a happy hour catered by Dinosaur BBQ, Friday, March 18, 5:00-8:30.

Click here for more details!
http://www.mannsjewelers.com/AsSeenIn/EventsandPromotions/

Intertwined

in·ter·twine
in·ter·twined, in·ter·twin·ing, in·ter·twines
To join or become joined by twining together.

Often times, there isn't an accurate way to symbolize the love of a couple who is about to be married; a way to accurately show how intertwined two individuals are about to become when they say "I Do." For Josie and Nate's wedding, it was all about finding a way to do this.

A special custom-designed logo containing a grape leaf and a maple leaf with the stems intertwined with the initials "J and N" was created for the couple, representing the bride's roots in the wine country of the NY Finger Lakes and the groom's roots in Vermont, known for it's maple syrup. The logo was incorporated in everything from the save-the-date card and invitation through to a number of intricate details that made up the reception decor.

As an intimate affair with a modest guest list, tables were adorned with clean table number signs, and place cards containing only the first names of each guest.

The grape-and-maple-leaf-inspired logo was used in a variety of the creative elements, including the water bottles that sat on each table inside the tent.

Guests were greeted with our custom-designed logo flying high on four flags that topped the beautiful tent where the reception was held.

Custom-made blankets were dispersed throughout the lounge area with the well-known logo displayed.

The tent was decorated to perfection, ready to embrace the newly intertwined couple and their 90 guests. Bella Carta was happy to be a small part of ensuring Josie and Nate were joined together in the most elegant of ways.


"We've grown to be one soul - two parts; our lives so intertwined that when some passion stirs your heart, I feel the quake in mine."

-KR

The Mane Event

Sometimes you can't find a pattern that is the perfect fit.

So you just have to create a pattern from scratch.

These save-the-dates for EquiCenter's "Barn Raising" event to benefit their therapeutic equestrian program needed an extra special touch.

This custom-pattern mixed with browns, oranges and yellows, has set the tone for a fabulous fall event, and brought Bella Carta Studio's custom-designed invitations to a new level. The sky's the limit...and we like it.


EquiCenter, Inc. offers a number of therapeutic riding, hippo therapy, vaulting and horsemanship (equine facilitated mental health) sessions. Horseback riding is a progressive form of therapy for individuals with mental and/or physical challenges. The physical activities involved in horseback riding prove to be an effective tool for improving muscle stimulation, strength, coordination, flexibility, posture and balance.

-KR

Eco-friendly is the new black

The Zeller Corporation came to us with a unique need: create an invitation for our ribbon cutting event that supports the environmental goals of our company and celebrates their newly attained Silver LEED Certification and two other company accomplishments. Luckily, we were able to do just that.

The creation of these letterpress corporate invitations required thoughtful consideration when choosing printing practices and materials that are friendly to good ol' Mother Nature.

Bella Carta Studio was happy to be involved in Zeller Corporation's ribbon cutting that included a celebration of 50 years in business {hence, the gold ribbon}, the grand opening of their new offices and the huge feat they accomplished when attaining LEED Silver Certification. We were even happier to be a part of making the world, and our community, a little bit greener. And a whole lot more stylish while doing so. Eco-friendly is the new black, after all.

-KR

A Sweet Touch

Candy buffets have become an attractive trend for wedding receptions, often in the place of favors. Couples are getting rid of the traditional tulle-wrapped almonds and searching for ways to make their receptions memorable. More and more brides are leaning towards a mishmash of sweets & treats. I mean, what better way to leave a lasting impression than to send your guests off with a bag full of goodies? A bag, no less, designed specifically for your special day.

For Sarah and Jeffrey's wedding, the idea behind the custom-designed chocolate triple panel folder tied up with a pink ribbon was relevant from the save-the-date all the way through to the last couple leaving the dance floor. When guests received their invitation in the mail, they knew they were about to open something special. Like a box of unopened chocolates. Guests got their wish at the reception, getting the chance create their own box of chocolaty goodness on a table labeled with its own Bella Carta touch: Love Sweet Love.

Now that's sweet.

-KR

What an amazing wedding show... A Wedding Affair by Well Wed NY

Last week we were so honored to take part in Well Wed New York's A Wedding Affair show! Honestly, it is on a plane of it's own. The decor, the details, the quality of vendors, simply stunning. Brides and their guests were greeted with glasses of champagne, martinis, and the most yummy passed hors d'oeuvres. They mingled with each other and with wedding experts from custom invitation designers (like us!) and photographers to caterers and wedding venus. Fiddlehead Concepts Catering was at the next table to us and OMG, the food was spectacular (there were these butternut squash shooters that we to die for!)! There were beautiful table scapes, several of which for whom we were proud to provide menus, placecards and the like...a big thanks to Simply Beautiful Events, Stacy K Floral and Flower Power Decor for including us in your designs!

We had a great time and are looking forward to taking part next year, too! We don't do a lot of wedding shows but this is one we'll always be thrilled to participate in. Without further adieu, here are some pictures from the big event...These next two photos are by Brandon Vick
Table decor by Simply Beautiful Events (menu by Bella Carta Studio):
Table design by Stacy K Floral: I wish I'd taken the time to take more pictures of the event as a whole, but I'm sure you'll be able to find more pictures on their website soon.

Guide your wedding guests with a seating chart

Tight on space at the entrance to your reception? Looking for something other than the sea of escort cards that usually greets guests at a wedding? Then maybe you should consider using a wedding guest seating chart instead. They can be beautiful, and are certainly useful, plus they're a big space saver.

If you have 2 of them flanking the doors to your dining room, tent or reception hall, your guests won't find themselves in a traffic jam searching for their names on the chart.

What's the cost, you ask? Actually, depending on the size of your wedding and the frame size, they can actually save you money compared to the cost of individual escort cards! A seating chart sized to fit a 24" x 36" frame is just $150 for a design in your wedding colors. Escort cards often easily surpass that price for medium to large sized weddings. Smaller sizes are available for even less cost! We recommend that you buy your frames at one of those big craft stores (Michaels, JoAnns, Hobby Lobby, etc.). They have great sales, plus if you plan well enough, you can use the frame in your home after the wedding. Maybe you even have one at home now, and can switch out that lovely Degas for the seating chart, and replace it again after the wedding!

Take a look at these examples. More can be added to the design...do you want your wedding party listed? Maybe a larger design on top...the sky is the limit. We can design it to fit your style and wedding design.

Enjoy!! Happy wedding planning!

Well Wed in New York, Fall-Winter 09 issue

We're SO excited to be featured in three (yes THREE) places in the newest issue of Well Wed in New York! Go pick up a copy from your local newsstand if you're in Upstate New York.

Grace and Chris' wedding, coordinated by Kelli Berg of Simply Beautiful Events, was a featured wedding...we did their full letterpress stationery suite. Plus, we provided menus for 2 of their photo shoots. It was so much fun!

What a beautiful magazine and we're so THANKFUL to be a part of it!

Engraving versus Thermography...benefits and drawbacks

Most of our wedding invitations & stationery are printed using thermography, a raised printing method that is relatively inexpensive and offers any option you could want in PMS (Pantone) colors. It's versatile and fast and provides that finished look that you can't get off of a digital printer...here's an example of typical thermographic printing on a metallic stock:

You can see the raised impression and the light reflection on the surface of the graphic. Lighter colors have a beautiful translucent effect that works especially well on metallic stocks. So why would we use engraved printing, a much more expensive process (which is the primary drawback)? What is the difference in process and what are the benefits of engraving?

Thermography is an offset printing process. The type/image goes onto the paper as flat ink and then while the ink is still wet, a very fine powder is dusted onto the paper and it goes through a very high heat oven. That powder liquifies and hardens to form the raised print.

Engraving requires the design to be etched onto a copper plate. The engraver then forces the paper onto that plate with very high pressure and the result is a raised image on the front, and you can see the "bruise" of the plate on the back of the paper. That is the evidence of true engraved stationery. Additionally, when metallic ink is used, the paper passes through the process once more to burnish the ink and give it a finished, smooth look.

The benefits of engraving include:

• Engraved type and graphics usually result in a much sharper image compared to those printed with thermography.
• Whereas thermography usually has a glossy look, engraved graphics look more like matte-finish paint on paper, with little gloss except in the case of metallic inks.
• Engraving allows you to print light colors on dark paper stocks. Thermography doesn't have a "white" ink, so there's no way to get that sharp, white or light type layout or graphic that you can with engraving (note: you can also use white/light foil to get that light on dark impact, but it's a very different look).
• Engraving is the true "traditional" printing method for wedding invitations, so if you're having a very formal, traditional wedding and have the budget for it, engraving is an excellent choice for your stationery.

Here are a couple of views of an engraved job we recently completed. We never would have achieved the sharp distinction of line in the interwoven monograms if we had printed them with thermography. For the full view of this job, click HERE to see the full portfolio from this wedding.

It's getting hot in here...

If that tune starts going through your head when you think of your wedding ceremony, perhaps the ceremony program should be shaped like a fan, cooling your guests while they follow along with your vows. One of our latest fun-loving brides decided she wanted functional fan-shaped wedding programs for her June ceremony, so of course we obliged. We were planning another fan program for a wedding later in the summer, and moved up our timetable to make this fabulous new die cut. We're so happy with the outcome...and the bride was, too! We love the way the yellow orchids fall over the top of the cover, just like her invitations! The navy blue and butter yellow colors are so crisp and summery, and were accented nicely with the fern green ribbon going through the silver grommet. So pretty

Pretty in Pink...

We were so fortunate to have a hand in designing the invitations and wedding day stationery for an incredible wedding at Esperanza Mansion in the NY Finger Lakes. Kelli Berg with Simply Beautiful Events was the wedding planner for this fabulous occassion, and the most of the photography that follows is by the talented Karin Von Voigtlander.

We love it when we're given a bit of direction (blush pink and black, and they wanted an airy damask pattern) and then we're allowed to go with it. Kelli Berg has a great vision and helps her clients interpret their own style into something that can only be called spectacular.

We're so proud of these pieces, and we'll load more later...the hotel bags were SO wonderful!

National Stationery Show, here we come!

Heading off to the National Stationery Show in NYC this weekend. I'm looking forward to finding some new sources, and I'm also going to hit the garmet district while there to find some new rhinestone buckles and trims!

We're in the middle of a beautiful rhinestone buckle project now...here's a sneak preview (this is just a prototype). Of course, mounted on that stunningly gorgeous Midori ribbon.

I can't wait to share with you our new finds!

Oh, and there's PLENTY of #NSS noise on twitter if you want to follow it! So much fun! We're really enjoying Twitter. Come follow us for the show and beyond: @bcsdesigngirl.
Enjoy your weekend!

Lisa

50th Anniversary invites, part 2

OK, since Carrie, my handy dandy amazing assistant just outed herself regarding her parent's 50th anniversary invitations, I'll expound on it, and show you how the invites turned out for the actual event.

Without further adieu, here are the fabulous Picnic and BBQ Anniversary invitations:

So if you're planning an event, ANY event, I think these are evidence that we can create something PERFECT just to fit the event!

Invitations DO set the tone!

Oh come on, Lisa...

Hello everyone, it's Carrie. I know I haven't checked in for a while. Lisa will tell you I am a Luddite (look it up!) and thus afraid of the computer.

But today, here I am at home, surfing the web for party supplies. "Why?" you ask — because the Save the Dates that are featured below are for my parents, Barbara and Bob. Yes, it's been 50 years and we are having a big picnic/barbeque at a local park.

Lisa will also tell you that I GET IT. Invitations set the tone. I started thinking about these soon after starting at Bella Carta Studio, because I saw the potential of the paper (and the ribbon and the color envelopes and the fonts...!)

Part of being a Luddite is that I am terribly old fashioned about such things as BIG family events. I knew we were having a picnic, BUT it is a 50th anniversary, so how do you convey casual yet formal? This is a big event, but there will be barbeque sauce EVERYWHERE!

I think the Save the Date starts the general VIBE, if you will. The formality of gorgeous red textured card stock of the Envelopfold® contrasted with the fun red picnic cloth background pattern. The formal script contrasted with a great sans serif in the panel.

I GET IT! Wait until you see the invitations — like the Save the Dates, people are gonna PLOTZ!

Lisa was taking pictures of the invitations as I was out the door yesterday. Perhaps they are up NOW on the new bellacartastudio.com. CHECK IT OUT!

I'll tell you how it goes.
-carrie

50th Anniversary...picnic style!

Just a quick post tonight to show you some fun Save the Dates for an upcoming 50th Anniversary party. We're producing the invitations this week so these are a couple months old, but I just posted them to the website and am newly enamored with them!

They're a treat compared to most formal 50th Anniversary parties. Inspired by the red and white checkered tablecloths that will be used at the big event, we created a fun and funky Envelopfold(r) Save the Date with an iconic 50th graphic that will also be used on the stamps for the invitation!

Enjoy!!

As a nod to tradition, we just added a TOUCH of gold (for the golden anniversary!) with an intermediate metallic gold layer...fun!