The Inviting Pear Photoblog

Peacock inspired wedding

2012-02-10T10:11:00.000-06:00

Alex and I never met but she had such vision (and a great wedding planner) that we did all of our correspondence over email. Her colors were eggplant purple and green with a peacock theme. Designing the save the dates, I created a plume design that evokes the feeling of a peacock without being in your face about it. I used typography to make the save the dates even more fun to set the tone of the wedding. The fonts also brought in a Texas vibe. Since Alex and Matt don't live in Texas, the wedding was truly a destination wedding.

The pocketfold invitations incorporated a belly band with the same plume design. Two cards were staggered in the pocket. The hotel block card stated "Come for the day, stay for the weekend" and the response postcard stated "We look forward to celebrating with you".

For the reception, I designed simple square program panels. The escort tent cards were placed in shabby chic window shutters. Guests found their table number on a custom wine label I created. Finally, to add more fun to the wedding photo shoot, I created prop signs for the bride and groom to hold. The signs said "I'm with Her" and "I'm with Him" and the back said "Thank You".

You can purchase these printables at http://www.etsy.com/listing/82650876/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos?ref=af_shop_favitem.

Save the date postcard (front and back shown)

Invitation pocketfold with belly band wrapped around cover:

Inside of pocketfold invitation:

Program panels:

Wine labels illustrated the table numbers:

Program close up:

Escort tent cards:

Photo prop signs: (purchase this printable at http://www.etsy.com/listing/82650876/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos?ref=af_shop_favitem)

Graphic design and stationery: The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Cortney, BZ Events

Photography: Stacey E Photography

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com

Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com

CulinART 2012

2012-02-06T10:51:00.001-06:00

Support The Wright House Wellness Center by attending the spectacular CulinART, hosted by the International Special Events Society (I'm a member) and produced by Brass Tacks Events. The event's theme this year is "All we need is love", playing off the Beatles' famous song.

I'm honored to have been chosen to design the logo, save the date, advertisements and invitation for this year's event! I've been involved in it for six years and love it.

To purchase tickets to the February 23rd event (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Shoal Crosssing), please visit http://isesaustin.com/culinart

Custom designed logo:

Save the date email:

Half fold invitation (cover shown on left and insides shown on the right):

Invitation inside (I used Beatles' songs as inspiration for the wording..."come together" and "with a little help from our friends"):

Invitation cover on right and back on left:

Graphic design by The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Texas Monthly Ad

2012-01-30T11:57:00.000-06:00

Championship Hearts Foundation is a nonprofit offering free heart screenings to high school athletes in Texas. Did you know that Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a serious heart condition that affects 1 in 500 people?

I've worked with Championship Hearts Foundation for the last five years, designing their business cards, brochures, website homepage, posters and invitations. Recently, I was hired to help them create a campaign to raise awareness of their cause.

Each advertisement I designed has the tagline "Play it safe" with a photo displaying a photo of a high school sport such as soccer, football, track, band and cheerleading. We kept it simple and to the point with the wording, colors and image. This month, the soccer ad I designed is displayed in Texas Monthly magazine and the back of the HEB magazine. Last year, it was on the jumbotron at the University of Texas-Austin football game.

This is such a worthy cause and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. If you have or know a high school athlete, be sure to get a free screening through Championship Hearts Foundation. It may save a life.

Texas Monthly ad (on newstands now):

Jumbotron advertisement during University of Texas football game:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com

Mardi Gras 70th Birthday Party

2012-01-27T10:10:00.000-06:00

How will you celebrate your 70th birthday? Mike is going all out with a weekend birthday celebration, mardi gras style! Not only is the party going to be held at Austin City Limits Live, but it's from 7:00 to midnight. Now that's one cool 70-year-old! I can hardly stay up until 11:30. Man, I feel old!

The custom designed invitation is printed in full color on metallic paper and affixed to red and pink metallic backings. The Friday and Sunday party invitations with the response card are staggered in the pocket. A family crest monogram was created and printed on the seal that closed the pocketfold. The envelopes are lined with custom-printed gold liners. And finally, custom postage stamps were designed with Mike's photo and mardi gras mask. Now that these are in the mail, it's time to celebrate!

I've already blogged about the laser-cut save the date but here's another photo of it to get the vibe of the party. For additional information and photos on the save the dates, please visit
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/11/mardi-gras-ball-save-date.html

Invitation set: 

Custom photo postage:

Custom envelope liner:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Referred by Suzanne Court Catering & Events

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Laser cut invitations

2012-01-26T10:07:00.000-06:00

When Austin-based company, Bazaarvoice, approached me to create an exciting and unique invitation to get the attention of executives (who receive hundreds of invitations in the mail), my brain was on full speed. I had so many ideas! After some discussion, we chose to go with intricately cut invitations as the conference was named "Provoke". We wanted to provoke the recipients' senses in every way.

We chose a beautiful duplex metallic cardstock with navy on the front and silver on the back. I created gears as the design image and kept the fonts bold and modern. This was definitely a labor of love (as it entails a lot of behind the scenes work in Illustrator) but it was well worth it. I am thrilled with the end result...and so is the client!

Silver back:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Printer: Austin Laser Art

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/

Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Hollywood Glamour

2012-01-25T10:14:00.001-06:00

My client, Kendall, was on American Idol so naturally we created concert tickets for her save the dates. You can read more about these and see photos at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/09/concert-ticket-save-date.html.

For her invitations, she wanted a vintage Hollywood glamour feel with aspects of art deco (since the wedding will be held at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin). To incorporate both styles, I designed decorative scrolls in gold with the wording in an art deco font in silver. Their names were highlighted in an elegant and sophisticated script font. To make the gold and silvers really shine, we had the invitation, reception card and response card thermography printing. This raised printing style created a cool look with the scroll design.

To finish off the set, we backed the invitation with a gold metallic cardstock and a blush pink metallic cardstock. This added weight to the invitation and really made the 6" x 9" size "pop". I can't wait to work on the reception stationery!

Save the date concert ticket:

Invitation set:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Wedding Planner: Liv, Liv by Design

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Spare the Date!

2012-01-24T12:47:00.001-06:00

Engagement photos at a bowling alley with a Mad Men feel? Yes, please! When Lauren, wedding coordinator at Austin In Style Weddings and Destinations, approached me with her vision, I couldn't have been more excited. I mean, Lauren and Rob met bowling! How perfect is that?

I designed save the date magnets that stated "Spare the Date" to play off of the bowling theme. Using retro fonts and a modern pattern, we updated the classic (and sometimes traditional) save the date magnet. I mean, really, how could I go wrong with this lovely engagement photo?!

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Photography by SMS Photography
Venue for photo shoot: The Highball

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Engaged at The Domain

2012-01-23T11:52:00.002-06:00

It's always such an honor to be asked to participate in helping a wedding consultant realize his or her vision. So when Liv with Liv by Design asked me to design stationery for a room she was creating at Engaged! in Austin at The Westin at The Domain, I was on board. The wedding room was appropriately named, "Metropolitan Green."

Liv was inspired by a sophisticated garden party on a modern New York rooftop and bringing that concept into Austin. With that in mind, I created an invitation suite that was romantic and modern, yet had an industrial feel. To establish these seemingly contrasting styles, I used a metallic color palette of gold, silver and peaches and I had the invitation laser cut out.

To start, I designed a gate image to play off of the garden feel. To soften the modern laser-cut look, I affixed the invitation to a peach textured metallic backing and tied a satin ribbon in vintage gold around. The silver metallic envelope was lined with a shimmery gold paper with a laser cut "S" monogram. The response and accommodations card incorporated a beautiful calligraphy script and carried on the garden gate design.

For the table cards, I used the same metallic papers to create the modern, industrial feel with a romantic "S" monogram and gate design. The menus were printed on belly bands that wrapped around the guest's napkins. The place cards, which assigned seating, were created out of layered cardstock and affixed to a wooden pick for a modern take.

To add a little fun to the stationery, I created signs for the bride and groom's reception seats. The signs stated "Mr. Right" and "Mrs. Always Right" (perfect photo props!). Finally, I created tags for the jugs of rosemary lemonade and peach tea (a perfect garden party complement). Hope you enjoy the pics of this beautiful inspired room!

If you are interested in a laser cut invitation, please let me know. I'm always interested in designing and creating unique wedding invitations and stationery!

To purchase these printable photo prop signs, please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/91442305/mrs-always-right-photo-prop-signs-for

Stationery & Graphic Design: The Inviting Pear / Concept and Design of Room: Liv by Design / Florist: STEMS Floral Design / Catering: Primizie Catering / Photography: Lisa Hause at Studio 563 / Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Linens: Peggy Poling Designs / Rentals: Marquee Rents / Farm Table: Good Life Furniture Collection / Vintage Rentals: Revival / Music: Mandy Rothenberg / Lighting: ILD Lighting / Printing: Austin Laser Art

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

12 Ways to Say Thank You

2012-01-20T17:12:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to be featured on Earth Grains Website on 12 unique ways to say "Thank You". Enjoy!

http://www.grainsofearth.com/12-ways-to-say-thank-you/

To purchase these printable signs, please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/82650876/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Stationery Trends Magazine Profile

2012-01-17T15:12:00.001-06:00

I'm extremely excited to be featured in Stationery Trends Magazine's e-news for January 2012. Enjoy finding out a little bit more about my invitation designs (oh, and me!).

http://stationerytrendsmagazine.com/etrends/2012/JAN_2012/WEB_ST_JAN_12.html

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T09:15:00.000-06:00

Instead of mailing out holiday cards before Christmas this year, I decided to send out New Year's cards. That way my card wouldn't be lost in the holiday mail. I like to thank my vendors for their referrals and their support of my business throughout the year and a card sent in the mail is the perfect way. Isn't it nice to actually get something in the mail and not as an email?!

This year, I designed a secret message card. My message was hidden and could only be revealed with the decoder glasses that I included. The banner printed on the top of my card said "Reveal the magic of the season." By putting on the glasses, you can reveal the following: "The Inviting Pear's New Year's Resolution: To see more than you! Merry Everything. Happy 2012." The text was shaped as a Christmas tree and the design image included partridges in a pear tree...a fun play on my company's name, The Inviting Pear.

I hope all enjoyed receiving these in the mail. Everyone loves a little secret message and it's always fun to remember your childhood with decoder glasses, right?!

Happy New Year, everyone! I can't believe it's 2012 already.

This Photoshop file shows how the card looks once the glasses are worn and the message is "decoded". Of course, I couldn't completey recreate it but this gives you an idea.

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Holiday Cards

2012-01-03T10:50:00.001-06:00

Did you send out a holiday card this year? Or did the season get away from you? I was so busy in December that it was difficult to even think about sending out holiday cards. To save time, I created a bullet list of our "Year in Review" instead of a long letter. It was much easier to write and get in the mail in time for the holidays. It's always nice to check off something on the "to do" list. Lucky for you, it's not too late to send out "Happy New Year" cards. You can check out my printables (which can be easily changed to whatever you want it to say) at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/theinvitingpear?section_id=7352914. Happy 2012!

Holiday Card Design by The Inviting Pear
Ziem Photography

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Rustic Elegant Peach & Pale Blue Wedding

2011-12-21T09:46:00.001-06:00

It's so exciting to see Erin & Jud's wedding featured on Style Me Pretty today! I was fortunate enough to design all of the reception stationery. You can check it out at
http://www.stylemepretty.com/texas-weddings/2011/12/21/vista-west-ranch-wedding-by-jenny-demarco/#comment-349217

Reception Stationery Design by The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco / Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Yandell of Your Wedding Your Way / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Wedding Cake: Krissy Cakes / Hair + Make-up Artist: Beauty Mark Agency / Catering: Gourmet Gals & Guys / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Reception Stationery: Inviting Pear / China: Actual Family Heirlooms / Place Cards/Mixed CDs for Guests: The Bride / Wedding Dress: Serendipity / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Ceremony Music: Serenade String / Reception Music: Bryne Rock, DJ / Lighting Design: FILO

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Day of the Dead Bridal Shower Invitation

2011-12-14T14:50:00.000-06:00

After seeing my Fiesta invitation on my Etsy storefront, I was approached to design a custom bridal shower invitation. My client's sister is getting married in Mexico and they want to do a "Day of the Dead" theme (or Día de Muertos, a Mexican holiday that focuses on praying and remembering friends and family members who have died). She gave me free reign to do whatever I wanted and I had so much fun! Playing with the theme, the wording I created said, "Before she vows, until dead do they part, let's shower Jennifer Binns...at a party in her honor". And the Papel Picado banner is strung with a heart that says "Amor Eterno" or "Eternal Love". I can't wait to see how the guests react to such a unique bridal shower theme (I imagine there will be no silly baby shower games at this party)!

Invitation Design by The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Featured in The Knot Texas Spring/Summer 2012

2011-12-09T10:22:00.000-06:00

I'm honored to have my designs featured in The Knot Texas Spring/Summer 2012 magazine. It's always so exciting to pick up a magazine and find your work within the pages. I get so giddy! I loved working on Anna & Ryan's "Flight of Fancy" wedding. Hope you enjoy the article.

To see more photos of the travel-themed wedding (complete with paper airplane logo), please visit:
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2010/11/flight-of-fancy-wedding.html

http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2010/05/flight-of-fancy-save-date.html

Invitation & Stationery Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Clink Events
Photograghy by: Christina Carroll Photography

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Mardi Gras Ball Save the Date

2011-11-22T07:35:00.002-06:00

Michael is turning 70 and she wanted to throw a bash to celebrate. With a Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball in mind, we transformed her save the dates into something any guest would be excited to receive.

To incorporate a photo of her from 50 years ago, I made it the centerpiece of the design by printing it on metallic cardstock with a beautiful shimmer. Using a local laser printer in town, I designed a custom masquerade mask with the words "Save the Date" trimmed out. Attaching the mask to red velvet ribbon, the mask fits perfectly over Mike's eyes. A feather in the mask completes the look.

The back of the pink and red layered card includes all of the save the date details. The cream metallic envelopes were hand calligraphy printed and each envelope was lined with a custom "Save the Date" gold metallic liner. If this is any indication of what's to come, I can't wait to design the invitations! This party is going to be incredible...

Save the date design by The Inviting Pear
Referred by Suzanne Court Catering & Events
Masquerade Mask: Austin Laser Art

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Photo Prop Signs for your Wedding!

2011-11-09T21:00:00.001-06:00

Use fun signs during your photo session at your wedding (or engagement session) for thank you notes (or even save the dates)! Colors can be changed one time at no additional cost to match your wedding colors.

To purchase a high resolution 8" x 8" PDF file of 2 signs, front and back (front says "I'm his Mrs." and "I'm her Mr." and back says "Thank" "You"), please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/85714845/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos. Simply print at home on 8.5" x 11" cardstock, trim and affix with a paddle (available in the craft section of Hobby Lobby or website below).

To see other versions, including "Merry Christmas" prop signs, please visit:
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/09/fun-wedding-photo-props.html
http://www.etsy.com/listing/84370121/merry-christmas-prop-signs-for-your

Photo Prop Signs by: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear

Photography for "I'm His Mrs." Signs: Bloom Photography
Photography for "Merry Christmas" Signs: Anja Photography
Photography for "I'm With Her" Signs: Stacey E Photography
Photography for turquoise/chartreuse Signs: Al Gawlik Photography

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

High Tech Wedding

2011-11-07T15:29:00.000-06:00

I love the colors of this wedding: purple, silver and yellow accents. And when Katrina said that her fiancé is an avid bicyclist (and photographer), I knew this was going to be a fun and whimsical design. What came to mind? Gears, of course!

The square save the dates were digitally printed on pearlescent textured paper, backed with silver metallic cardstock. A design of gears set off the bicycle/photographer tone.

The pocketfold invitations were letterpress printed...swoon! We chose a 100% cotton paper for the invitation and enclosure cards and a beautiful yellow paper backing for the invitation and monogram seal. These were all set off with the silver metallic pocketfold.

To make the invitations a little different from the save the dates, I created an outline of gears (instead of filling the gears in with color). By doing so, the indention of the letterpress really was illustrated. The custom monogram I created used their first initials and a close-up of one of the gears. Katrina even used the monogram on her postage stamps.

I created a tea-length sized program, letterpress printed in three colors on one side. The foldover thank you notes were also letterpress printed.

Both Katrina and Chris love phone apps (in fact, Chris even read his wedding vows from his iphone)! So what did they do!? They used their favorite apps as their table names, of course. We used the app logos on the escort tent cards and table cards to add a little bit of eclectic and fun imagery. I think this really added to the hip vibe that they wanted. To top things off, they used the bicycle gear design as a gobo light on the dance floor!

As you can tell, this wedding was all high tech! Check out their interview on Fox News at http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/video/Wedding-Planning-Goes-Hi-Tech20111103-ktbcw#axzz1d3LACIsV.

Save the date:

Invitation pocketfold (outside):

Letterpress printed programs:

Reading vows off of the phone:

Escort tent cards with app images:

Table cards with phone app names:

Custom Invitations and Stationery: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear
Wedding Planner: Bethany Hanson, 36th Street Events
Venue: The W Hotel, Austin, Texas
Flowers: Posey Floral and Event Design
Linens: Marquee Event Group
Videography: Altared Weddings
Photographer: Amelia Tarbet Photography
Lighting: Ilios Lighting
Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie
Make-up: Kiss n’ Makeup
Music: DJ Chicken George

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Texas Save the Date

2011-11-07T13:08:00.000-06:00

Getting married in Texas? Here's a perfect save the date for your wedding...customize with your wording and colors at no additional charge. Please let me know if you need a quote for printing. Hope ya'll enjoy!

Simply purchase here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/84283320/texas-map-save-the-date-printable

Grapic Design by: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Eat, Drink & Be Spooky!

2011-10-31T09:56:00.000-05:00

My favorite holiday is Halloween. No, I'm not one of those crazy, fanatical Halloween people (I don't like to dress up in costume) but I do love a good party. To me, Halloween gives you so much creative license. Last night, we held our annual Halloween bash and it was a blast. Enjoy the pics and Happy Halloween!

To see my source of inspiration, visit http://pinterest.com/skretrum/halloween-party/

The custom-designed invitation (with wrap around belly band paper label)

The spooky entrance:

The bathroom:

Carved pumpkin puking yummy, chunky guacamole:

Graham crackers with melted marshmallows and green candy and chocolate chips for eyes: 

Carrot fingers (simply dab on cream cheese and almond slice for fingernail)

Frankenstein pudding cups (vanilla pudding tinted with green food coloring and crushed oreos as the hair)

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing:

Craft project for the kids (gloves, popcorn, candy corn for the nails):

Photo backdrop (made from black wrapping paper and spider "webs")

My "itsy bitsy spider":

Custom Invitations & Party Stationery: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Romantic Garden Wedding: Part 2

2011-10-25T13:06:00.001-05:00

Check out this beautiful garden wedding! I loved designing the letterpress printed invitation set and thank you notes as well as the programs, scalloped escort cards, wedding date banner and table cards.

To read more about the design details, please visit http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/03/romantic-garden-wedding.html

Letterpress printed invitations with rounded corners and two backings; pink lined envelopes:

Table Number card, program and escort card:

Ceremony programs:

Letterpress printed thank you notes:

Wedding date banner:

Escort cards:

Custom Invitations & Reception Stationery: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear

Photography: Captivating Photography
Event Planner: Liv by Design

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Rustic Chic Wedding

2011-10-20T07:46:00.002-05:00

Any wedding that starts out with balloon save the dates is the kind of wedding I want to be a part of! The bride, Pam, created the save the dates and now I can’t wait to do this for one of my clients. I love that you have to blow up the balloon to get the details. Too fun!

As family friends of the groom, Mike, I was thrilled that Pam and Mike hired me to design their wedding invitations (complete with mad lib RSVP), thank you notes, escort cards (multi-colored and staggered in moss), program fans, favor tags for the rock candy (You Rock!), and “Thank You” prop signs (reverse said “I’m with Him”, and “I’m with Her.”.)

The wedding was held at the beautiful Inn at Wild Rose Hall in Austin, with the ceremony outside nestled amongst the oak trees. To complement the rustic yet elegant scenery, mason jars filled with flowers hung from branches and Pam’s bridal bouquet included succulents. And no guest could keep their eyes off of the bride’s custom designed dress and blue heels and vintage-looking feather headpiece. Swoon!

The guestbook was a painted tree with Pam and Mike’s initials included. Guests placed their thumbprint on the tree and signed their name. Such a fun and interactive idea, and a true keepsake for the bride and groom!

For the reception dinner, each table was served an amazing family-style dinner. And if you were expecting a traditional bridal cake…you were at the wrong wedding. A dessert station filled with s’mores (for guests to make over an open flame), bread pudding and blackberry cobbler and ice cream awaited everyone. This was my kind of wedding!

Finally, there was a photo booth for all to enjoy. This portion was so interactive and everyone took part in the silliness. I love the photos that came out of this. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed the wedding. How nice is it to be a part of the wedding as the graphic designer AND as a guest? I don’t ever get to do that!

Balloon save the date:

Pocketfold wedding invitation:

Printable version available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/83735768/agave-wedding-invitations-with-mad-lib

Mad lib RSVP postcard:

Rehearsal dinner invitation:

Thumbprint guestbook:

Program fans:

Custom prop signs (reversible). Printable version available at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/82650876/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos

Escort cards:

Favor tags:

Yep, that's me, rocking out with my sister!

Glow stick send-off:

Custom Invitations & Reception Stationery: Shannon Ferguson, The Inviting Pear

Photography/Photo Booth: Al Gawlik Photography
Event Design/Planning: Bride
Ceremony/Reception Location: Inn at Wild Rose Hall
Caterer: Royal Fig Catering
Cake: didn't have one - did s'mores, cobbler, caramel apple bread pudding and creme fresh ice cream by Royal Fig
Rentals:Premiere Party Central
Officiant: Cheryl Walenta
DJ: Ali Santiano
Florist: Wild Poppy
Hair, Make-up and Hair Piece: Milk and Honey
Dress: Galina
Heels: BHLDN.com

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Open if you dare...

2011-10-14T15:45:00.002-05:00

I'm proud to announce the launch of my printable stationery collection at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/. As a graphic designer of over 15 years, I've specialized in custom wedding invitations and corporate branding through my company, The Inviting Pear.

It's with great excitement that I can now offer my designs at a more affordable price through this storefront (of course, I still offer custom designs). You can purchase the printable and receive a PDF or jpg customized with your information to print yourself or at the printer of your choice. If you don't feel comfortable with that, you can have me print them for you.

Currently, my printable designs can be used as wedding save the dates & invitations, wedding showers, engagement parties, and birthday parties (children and adult). I also offer holiday cards, custom drawn maps and custom wedding ceremony programs or menus (to match your invitations as best as possible...even if you purchased them from another vendor).

What better way to announce my collection than with a Halloween mailing? I purchased oversized red mailing boxes (think blood red...) and labeled them with a custom bat printed belly band and Laid-textured paper label stating "Open if you dare".

In the inside of the box lid, I stamped the corners of the box with spider webs and affixed spider photo corners to insert my business card. I nestled shredded black paper in the box. To announce my collection, I screenprinted my design on a gauzy white cloth (think mummy-like) and frayed the edges to give it an old look and feel. The announcement stated "Sink Your Teeth Into This" with wax candy fangs laying on top of the cloth in a damask-printed pouch. The tag on the fangs read "Bite Me" and encouraged the recipient to spread the news about my new collection on their blog or facebook. Bonus points to those who actually wear the fangs and post a photo of it on their blog. {So far extra credit goes to Pearl Events who posted a photo of the adorable Pearl wearing the fangs!}

I had so much fun putting this mailing together. Every detail was definitely a labor of love. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the mailing. If not, well...bite me. Just kidding.

Graphic Design: The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Thanks to Pearl Events Austin (http://pearleventsaustin.com/blog), La Fete Chic (http://lafetechic.com/), Liv by Design (http://www.livbydesign.com/) and Your Very Own Fairy Godmother (http://blog.ownfairygodmother.com/) for spreading the news!!!

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Superhero Wedding

2011-10-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

Every month, Marquee Event Group invites event planners to design a space in their warehouse to give clients some inspiration. This month, The Simplifiers did an amazing job transforming it into a cool, hip superhero themed wedding! I was so happy to be invited to participate by creating all of the stationery. Talk about a dream come true. Every designer wants to work on a wedding as unique as this. Hope you enjoy the ideas for your next party!

Follow my wedding inspiration board on all things Superhero at http://pinterest.com/skretrum/superhero-comic-wedding/

To purchase this printable save the date (can be used for any party/event as an invitation too), please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/82802848/comic-superhero-save-the-date-printable?ref=v1_other_2

The Head Table for the Wedding Party:

Die-cut placecards in fun Superhero shapes:

The Cake Table:

The Bride & Groom's Table:

The Super Bar:

Graphic Design: The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Wedding Planner: The Simplifiers (http://thesimplifiers.com/)
Linen & Rentals: Marquee Event Group (http://www.marqueerents.com/)

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Fun Wedding Photo Props!

2011-09-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

I loved designing the save the dates and invitations for this couple because the colors were so fresh (eggplant purple and green) and they loved different types of fonts. And oh how I love typography!

I created all of their reception stationery as well (think wine bottles for their table numbers). I will share the photos as soon as I have them. But for now, I thought I'd show the fun signs I designed for their wedding photo session. Hope you enjoy!

If you'd like to purchase the printable version for your wedding (or engagement photo session to use for save the dates), please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/82650876/wedding-thank-you-signs-for-photos. You can customize the colors for your wedding. You can also change it to "I'm his Mrs." and "I'm her Mr.".

The Front of the Signs:

The Back of the Signs (I'm with Her; I'm with Him):

Their wedding save the dates and invitations: http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/04/fun-with-typographywedding-invitations.html

Graphic Design: The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Photography: Stacey E Photography
Wedding Planner: Cortney, BZ Events

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Concert Ticket Save the Date

2011-09-22T09:06:00.000-05:00

When I found out that my client, Kendall, had been on American Idol, I was a bit star struck. I mean, I remember watching Kelly Clarkson win the first one. I love that show and anyone who can sing amazes me. I can't sing a tune to save me (but I have to admit, I blare out songs in my car like I'm Whitney Houston...my poor husband).

Right away, we knew that we wanted to do a save the date that was music-oriented. We finally narrowed it down to screenprinting Kendall's save the date details on old vinyl records, which would be inserted into a custom designed record sleeve. Unfortunately, the turn time for this was 3 weeks and we didn't have that kind of time. But that's okay because I've been dying to do a save the date that looks like a concert ticket. What guest wouldn't want to receive such a fun save the date in the mail?!

I designed the ticket with her colors of silver, gold and light pink in mind. Her wedding vibe is vintage so I didn't want the save the date to look like a traditional concert ticket. I wanted the design to look like a ticket but elevate it a bit. I used a light pink damask design as the background and fun vintage fonts throughout to establish this feel.

To make sure the ticket wasn't lost in the silver #10 envelope, we adhered it with ribbon photo corners to gold metallic backing that boldly stated "Don't miss the event of a lifetime".

Hope you enjoy! Can't wait to get started on the invitations.

Save the date set with lined envelope:

Perforated "backstage pass"

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Wedding Planner: Liv, Liv by Design

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

One World Theatre Inspired Wedding Invitations

2011-09-16T09:28:00.002-05:00

When Roshel and I met, she made it clear that she loves One World Theatre in Austin, Texas. It is her wedding reception venue and she wanted it to be the springboard to the look and feel of the wedding.

One of the beautiful architectural details of the venue is its beautiful window and curved structure. Based on these inspiration points, I designed a pattern to evoke One World Theatre's charm. Hope you enjoy!

The Inspiration (Beautiful window at One World Theatre, the wedding reception venue):

Staggered Invitation Set (notice that the design was inspired by One World Theatre's window):

The Invitation (with custom designed monogram):

Printed on a gorgeous Felt texture cover stock:

The Response Postcard (which is perforated to be torn off by guest and put directly into the mail):

Custom Designed Map:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Wedding Planner: Jessica, Something to Celebrate

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

To see other custom designed save the dates or wedding invitations inspired by the venue, please visit http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/08/inspired-by-location.html

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Elegant Ranch Wedding Invitation

2011-09-12T09:32:00.001-05:00

Tori wanted a ranch-inspired invitation set because she's getting married at the beautiful Red Corral Ranch in Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, all of the invitations she found were the "cowboy boots" variety. Not exactly what she imagined. I mean, no jeans at this wedding!

Together we designed an upscale invitation set that had that Texas feel but wasn't "in your face" with it. Using a cool scroll design and typography, I created a fun and unique invitation. And for a pop of color, I lined the envelopes with an orchid purple color.

Because most of the guests are from out of town, I created a staggered invitation set that is essentially one piece--easy to grab and perfect for travel. The response postcard was perforated so that the guest could just tear it off and put it in the mail. All affixed with a copper brad, this invitation was all style!

To purchase the printable invitation (please email me for printing costs), please visit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/85718090/elegant-ranch-invitations-with-scrolls

Staggered invitation set with orchid-lined envelope:

Computer printed calligraphy on envelopes:

The invitation:

The response postcard with perforation:

Custom drawn map:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)
Wedding Planner: Jessica, Something to Celebrate

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Clear Your Calendars...Plexiglass invitations

2011-09-09T11:28:00.001-05:00

I love this business because you never know when and where you'll get your next client. A few years ago, I designed Charlotte's wedding invitation. Today she works at Bazaarvoice in Austin, Texas. They want to host dinners across the United States for their clients to show their appreciation. Because their clients are executives (think Presidents and Vice Presidents of large companies), they needed an invitation to really stand out. Right away, Charlotte thought of me (I'm blushing!).

She is a dream client because she gives me the details of the event and then lets me have full creative license. I started brainstorming and developed many cool invitation ideas (think wood veneer, imprinted dinner napkins, etc). The winner? A clear plexiglass invitation (1/8" thick)!

We used their blue colors and branding throughout. To ensure that the invitation stood out in the mail on the executive's desk, we placed the invitations in a beautiful navy mailing box wrapped with decorative paper to seal. The invitation was wrapped with the same decorative paper and sealed with a custom printed oval sticker. To protect the invitation in the mail, I placed fun shredded paper on top.

Finally, I created a custom designed RSVP website page for the executives to respond to the dinner. Hope you enjoy the photos! I'm excited for the next event!

RSVP Website Page:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Published in Stationery Trends E-Newsletter!

2011-09-02T14:55:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be featured as a "Fresh Pick" in Stationery Trends magazine's e-newsletter. They featured my custom designed Fiesta invitation with papel picado banners. You can see the feature at http://stationerytrendsmagazine.com/etrends/SEP_2011/WEB_ST_SEP_11.html.

To find out more about my papel picado banner invitations, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/.

Printable Invitation:

Printable Favor Tags:

To see my papel picado banner wedding invitations, please visit: http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/08/mexican-papel-picado-wedding-invitation.html

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Robot Birthday Party!

2011-08-24T10:36:00.002-05:00

I can't tell you how much I love to design for children's birthdays. I've actually taken my passion and placed it on my own printables storefront at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/. I have to say that I've never had so much fun.

When Liv (event planner and owner of Liv by Design) hired me to set the tone for her son's robot and galaxy themed birthday party, I couldn't have been more excited. It was so much fun putting on my robot thinking cap and coming up with creative sayings. From "Robot Fuel" (beverages) to "Nuts and Bolts" (snack mix) and "Computer Chips" (potato chips), I couldn't stop "robotizing" every detail.

Thanks, Liv, for including me in such a special time in your family's life! And happy birthday to Jacob!

To purchase the printable Robot Birthday invitation, please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/78494274/robot-birthday-invitation-printable

Welcome Sign hung on front door:

Beautiful tables from Good Life Event Rental Furniture...there were even mini ones for the kiddos

Saturn created out of a paper lantern and hula hoop...Liv is so creative!

Amazing treats provided by Polkadots Cupcake Factory. One of the best cakes
I've ever tasted...delicious!

I love this shot from Ziem Photography...she is such a talented photographer

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear
The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Vendors:
Event Planning – Liv by Design
Photography – Ziem Photography
Furniture – Good Life Event Rental Furniture
Custom Fabric & Design – Liv by Design
Seamstress – Sweet Lulu (Rachel Church)
Rentals – Premiere Party Central
Sweets – Polkadots Cupcake Factory (Olga Puspawaty)
Catering – County Line BBQ
Pina Colada Machine – Margarita Man
Wine – Duchman Winery
Face Painting – Faraway Faces

Mexican Papel Picado Wedding Invitation

2011-08-23T15:58:00.000-05:00

As a graphic designer, I love working on invitations with true inspiration! This one was inspired by the bride's Mexican heritage and her lovely lace wedding gown.

At our consultation, she mentioned including papel picado banners at her wedding and wanted that image to set the tone. I designed the banner with her wedding date hidden within each panel. To incorporate her heritage even more, we included Spanish on the enclosure cards. For the seal, we used the appropriate "Amor". And to bring in her wedding dress design, I created a lace image on the enclosure cards. By using the lace in the bride's colors, we stayed true to the Mexican theme.

For the envelope liners, we purchased inexpensive doilies to give the envelopes that papel picado look without the cost of a custom die-cut liner.

To purchase a printable "Fiesta" wedding shower invitation, please visit http://www.etsy.com/listing/77025079/fiesta-invitations

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Michelle, Allison's Events

Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Inspired by Location

2011-08-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

As a graphic designer, I'm inspired by a million things...fonts, color combinations, music...really anything! Many times my clients are also inspired by the venue they chose as their wedding location. I'm currently designing an invitation based on the beautiful window at One World Theatre in Austin, Texas. I can't wait to show you all how it turned out but the invitation set isn't back from the printer yet. However, I've gathered some custom designed invitations that I've created over the years based on location. Hope you enjoy!

Hitch N Post Ranch (complete with custom designed "cattle brand" monogram):

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Austin, Texas):

Austin, Texas:

Lake Travis, Texas:

Flagship Texas (cruise boarding pass invitation):

Green Pastures (known for their roaming peacocks):

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Spa & Resort:

Central Park in New York:

Mexico (gatefold shows the doors of the venue):

Mexico (using tile images):

Mexico (using church illustration):

Colorado (using Aspen leaves illustration):

Belize:

Destin, Florida:

Florence, Italy (complete with Italian translation):

Las Vegas:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear (http://www.theinvitingpear.com/)

Shop Printables at http://www.theinvitingpear.etsy.com/
Join Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Inviting-Pear/194480436773
Visit Our Blog at http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Balloon save the dates and cactus pocketfold invitations

2011-08-08T09:02:00.000-05:00

First off, I love Pam and Mike so much! They are such a fun couple and I'm extremely excited that they will soon be married. Mike and his family are dear friends for over 20 years and I'm honored that they chose me to design their wedding invitations.

Pam created her save the dates by having an online company print their wedding details and website directly on a latex balloon. Guests simply inflate the balloon for the details! I can't wait to create a one-of-a-kind save the date balloon for one of my clients. Bravo to Pam for such a great idea!

For the wedding invitations, Pam and Mike wanted teal and chartreuse green incorporated (love the combo). They wanted a ranch-style feel with vintage touches. I created a yucca cactus illustration on the invitation and a vintage-style seamless tile image on each enclosed card. For fun, we wrote "Dinner, Dancing and Shenanigans" on the invitation instead of the traditional "Reception to follow". For the response postcard, I created a mad lib for guests to fill in. This fit the couple perfectly. I also designed thank you notes with the yucca illustration and their custom monogram.

As a nod to the mad lib, I'll fill out the last line of the response card: "Mike and Pam, I wish you infinity years of happiness and shenanigans with each other!" Love you two!

Save the date designed by Pam:

Pocketfold Invitation and Save the date:

Pocketfold Invitation Outside:

Inside of Invitation:

Mad Lib Response Card:

Wedding Shower Invitation (Nautical Inspired due to Lake Travis Venue):

Purchase printable invitation at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/78691395/nautical-wedding-shower-invitation

Style Me Pretty Feature

2011-07-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to have one of the weddings I designed invitations and reception stationery for featured in Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book blog. Check it out here:
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/07/22/romantic-austin-wedding-from-the-inviting-pear-bz-events

For additional photos, please visit my blog at:
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/05/romantic-wedding-in-purples-and-pinks.html

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: BZ Events
Photographer: Christina Carroll Photography

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

A recipe for a yummy save the date

2011-07-12T11:37:00.001-05:00

When I met with Whitney and she told me that she is a pastry chef and her fiance is a chef, I just knew we would have fun with her save the dates and invitations. Right away I wanted to create a recipe card for their save the date. Luckily Whitney and Nelson were game for it!

Front and back of save the date recipe card (flowers are a nod to the wedding venue,
which is Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center):

Front of save the date recipe card (note quote from Julia Child!):

Back of save the date recipe card:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Bethany, 36th Street Events

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Navy and Orange...what a combination!

2011-07-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

I have to say that I'm loving the color combination of navy and orange! Hope you enjoy the save the dates, thank you notes (not shown), rehearsal dinner invitations and pocketfold wedding invitations I created (complete with thermography-printed invitations).

Save the dates (additional photos at
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2011/05/picturesque-save-date.html):

Wedding Invitation Set:

Invitation close-up:

Printed Computer Calligraphy on Envelopes:

Rehearsal Dinner Invitations and Response Cards:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Ahoy, It's a Boy! invitation

2011-06-14T11:33:00.001-05:00

When I found out that this baby shower was for a couple who loved to sail, I was thrilled. There are so many ways to design an invitation with a nautical theme (and I love a good theme!).

I designed the 8" x 10" invitation to look like an antique map, with the background image showcasing where the shower will take place (Florida). I also made sure that the invitation wasn't "cutesie" since the shower is for the couple. The finished product rolls up and is held that way with a belly band made from orange tissue paper and tied with organza ribbon. The invitation is then inserted into a blue mailing tube with a custom designed address label. Voila...a sophisticated message in a bottle!

Graphic design by The Inviting Pear

To see past designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Romantic Wedding in Purples and Pinks

2011-05-31T14:29:00.001-05:00

When Melissa met with me regarding her invitations, she knew that she wanted something feminine yet still reflected her Mexican background. With her colors of purple and pink in mind, I designed her invitations with a lace image that is reminiscent of Mexican tiles. All of her stationery was based on this design as well as the custom designed monogram that I created. There are no words for this wedding. I think pictures are the best way to show you Melissa's style. Get ready to swoon!!!

The Wedding Invitations:

The First Look:

Wedding Ceremony Programs:

Mariachi Band:

Escort tent cards:

Menus:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Kerry, BZ Events
Photographer: Christina Carroll Photography

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

"Bookworm" Wedding on Style Me Pretty blog

2011-05-25T14:09:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited that my invitations and stationery designs are featured on Style Me Pretty blog! Take a look at:
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/05/25/book-theme-austin-wedding-at-the-allen-house/

To see more photos of the invitation books that I created, please visit my blog at:
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2010/09/wedding-invitation-books.html

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Cortney, BZ Events
Photographer: Thompson Poole Photography

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Ethics in Business Awards Luncheon

2011-05-13T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Samaritan Counseling Center, along with Concordia University Texas School of Business, holds the Ethics in Business Awards event to honor organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary ethical practices. I've had the honor of being part of this event for five years. To find out more about the awards event, please visit http://www.samaritan-center.org/.

Trifold Invitation with Response Card:

Trifold Invitation Outside and Inside Views:

Program Cover and Inside Views:

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Picturesque Save the Date

2011-05-05T09:07:00.000-05:00

Michelle and James love to sail and they wanted to incorporate that into their save the dates. Luckily they have a fabulous photo of them sailing together. Initially, we were worried that the photo wouldn't print well because it was taken from a camera phone. But with some Photoshop magic and a little luck, the photo printed beautifully. It almost looks like a stock photo!

With the computer printed calligraphy on the envelopes and that same font used on the save the dates, this is an elegant way to set the tone for their wedding.

Graphic Design by The Inviting Pear

To see past custom designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

The Inviting Pear is a graphic design and stationery studio, specializing in custom, made-to-order wedding invitations & stationery, birth announcements, holiday cards, and corporate logos & branding.

Porter turns 2!

2011-04-25T16:27:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe, but our baby just turned two! To celebrate the day, we hosted a Dr. Seuss-themed birthday party at our house. Porter is obsessed with Dr. Seuss books so it seemed appropriate to devote the day to his books.

Using the "Cat in the Hat" image and polka-dot pattern in one of my favorite color combinations of red and turquoise, the invitation set the tone for the party. Seussical rhymes were a must for inviting guests and I also incorporated a rhyme to tell guests that there would be an Easter egg hunt, since his birthday party would be over the Easter weekend.

To purchase invitation, please visit:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/theinvitingpear

I chose fun red envelopes for the invitation set and printed “Oh the places he’ll go, the things he’ll do, now that Porter will be two!” on the flap and my return address at the bottom of the envelope.

The envelope flap:

To dress up the envelopes and make them one-of-a-kind, I created handmade envelope liners from old Dr. Seuss books. I simply went to Half Price books to purchase some of Dr. Seuss' popular books, and then created a liner template.With a pencil, I used the template to draw the liner onto a page of a book, and then trimmed it out. I adhered the book page to the inside of the envelope with double-sided tape. And voila, each envelope had its own unique Dr. Seuss liner.

The custom envelope liners:

I created a "Porter I Am" banner (an obvious play on "Sam I Am") by printing each letter on 8.5" x 11" cardstock, rounding the corners of each and threading red sheer organza ribbon through.

For the party, I printed out popular Dr. Seuss quotes and affixed them around the house.

A crumb even too small for a mouse (from the Dr. Seuss book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"):

Peep and strawberry "pops" (I purchased foam squares and wrapped them with red and white striped wrapping paper to insert the lollipop sticks into):

I made “Green Eggs & Ham” by adding green dye to deviled eggs. The hot ham and swiss cheese sliders were a huge hit. I'm not sure if it was the Hawaiian buns or that they were drizzled with a tangy mustard and black poppy sauce, but they were gone fast! Recipe below.

A friend of mine, Brandie Davis, made the two cakes (her company is called More Than Cakes). She is amazingly talented and I recommend her to anyone! She hand drew all of the Dr. Seuss characters on the red velvet sheet cake. She also designed a Dr. Seuss hat cake. When you cut into it, the hat was striped with white cake and red velvet cake! Not only were the cakes beautiful but they were beyond delicious...so moist and flavorful.

The favor bags were filled with a home-made Dr. Seuss crayon case (purchased from Just Because Bowtique on http://www.etsy.com/), crayons, coloring book and play-doh:

Photos of the birthday boy from birth to two years:

Easter egg hunt and cascarones (eggs filled with confetti):

Photo Booth with Dr. Seuss Hats:

Cute Dr. Seuss shirt purchased at Bubbles and Bugs on http://www.etsy.com/:

I used the "Happy Birthday To You" book by Dr. Seuss as Porter's guest book:

Graphic design by The Inviting Pear

To see past designs, please visit http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Sources: By no means do I take full credit for the ideas found above. There are so many cool blogs out there with Dr. Seuss-themed parties. I recommend you search for them as I did and put your own take on it. Here's one blog that I loved. You'll also find the ham and cheese sliders recipe here: http://annies-eats.com/2010/06/28/andrews-second-birthday-party/

Nature-inspired wedding

2011-04-20T12:09:00.000-05:00

Save the dates:

Wedding invitation pocketfold (left image shows the outside of the pocketfold with monogram seal; right image shows the inside of the pocketfold with staggered enclosure cards):

Featured on Style Me Pretty blog!

2011-04-19T09:15:00.000-05:00

Anna and Ryan's beautiful and eclectic "Flight of Fancy" wedding is featured on the Style Me Pretty blog. Enjoy the article!

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/04/19/austin-wedding-from-the-inviting-pear-clink/

For additional information on the details of wedding, please visit my blog at
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2010/11/flight-of-fancy-wedding.html
http://theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/2010/05/flight-of-fancy-save-date.html

Design by The Inviting Pear

Business Collateral for Pilot Knob Vineyard

2011-04-14T11:01:00.000-05:00

When I met Ross at Pilot Knob Vineyard, he told me how they had gone through several graphic designers and weren't happy with the results. After meeting and going through my portfolio, Ross and Craig hired me. What more could I ask for than to design collateral for a vineyard?! Too cool.

With their corporate branding in place, I designed a 2-sided rack card, describing the vineyard, their wines and event services available. In addition, I created a custom-drawn map on the back. The card will be distributed at the vineyard as well as areas around downtown (the vineyard is only 45 minutes from downtown Austin!).

For their wine tastings, they wanted a "placemat" of sorts. The concept is brilliant: The flight of wine will be delivered to the guest, with each wine glass placed onto a number on the placemat. I designed table cards that correspond with the number on the placemat. Each number on the table card describes the actual wine that the guest is drinking. No more drinking a flight of wine with no idea which wine you are enjoying!

The grand opening for the vineyard is this Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information on the event, please visit http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/. I hope to see you there!

Front and back of rack card:

Front:

Back:

Wine tasting placemat:

Design by The Inviting Pear

To see past designs, please visit:
http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Notecards

2011-04-12T13:44:00.000-05:00

I love designing collateral for businesses! Denise of Thompson Poole Photography (amazing photographers!) contacted me to create their notecards. She wanted them to be an unusual shape so we selected a 4" x 9" size (great size because it's different for a notecard but it still takes standard postage). Staying true to their branding, the notecards were printed on one side on white linen cover stock. Voila...fun and functional notecards!

Design by The Inviting Pear

To see past designs, please visit:
http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Classic Invitation with Belly band

2011-04-07T14:01:00.000-05:00

What's more beautiful than the classic color combination of sage green, gold and cream?! I created an invitation with a floral scroll design and affixed it to sage green and gold metallic backings. To add emphasis to the bride and groom's names, I designed a belly band that wrapped around the set. When mailed, their accommodations card (hotel block info) and response card/envelope were tucked under the belly band in the back.

Invitation set with belly band wrapped around:

Invitation with belly band removed:

Invitation set:

Accommodations and response cards:

Design by The Inviting Pear
http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Fun with typography...wedding invitations!

2011-04-01T17:17:00.000-05:00

Alex and I never met before I designed her wedding save the date postcards (since she lives in Michigan). But through email discussions, she was clear as to what she wanted her save the date design to be. She wanted purple and green colors incorporated with some sort of peacock imagery included. And she loved fonts...nothing feminine or scripty!

For the invitations, Alex and Matt were in town so we were able to meet face to face. As they looked through my past custom invitation designs, they fell in love with square pocketfolds. Everything fit nicely into one small package, which was important since most of their guests would be from out of town (guests could simply grab the pocketfold and not worry about losing anything on the way).

To incorporate the abstract peacock images, I designed a belly band to be wrapped around the outside of the pocket. Inside the pocketfold, the invitation was affixed on top of the belly band and the accommodation cards and response postcards were staggered in the diagonal pocket. Voila! A fun invitation set that wasn't stuffy (or too scripty!).

Save the date postcard (front shown on top and back shown on bottom):

Invitation pocketfold and envelope:

Inside:

Design by The Inviting Pear
Wedding Planner: Cortney, BZ Events

Romantic Garden Wedding

2011-03-31T13:34:00.002-05:00

What's more romantic than getting married in a garden?! With that in mind and incorporating colors of blush pink, silver and ivory, I created an invitation with a whimsical yet elegant frame overlaying a pink floral lace design.

The invitation and response card were letterpress printed on Crane's Lettra cotton cover stock. Edges of the cards were given soft round edges. The invitation was affixed to a beautiful silver metallic cardstock and backed with another layer of the Lettra cotton stock. The two backings added depth to the invitation as well as weight.

I custom designed a monogram for the couple and had it printed on pink metallic cardstock to act as a belly band wrapped around the invitation. Finally, the envelopes were lined in the same pink metallic paper.

The letterpress printed foldover thank you notes complemented the invitation design and incorporated their monogram; a pink metallic envelope was used.

http://www.theinvitingpear.blogspot.com/

Invitation set with envelope and pink liner, invitation with
belly band wrapped around and response card:

Response card:

Foldover thank you note (with pink envelope):

Design by The Inviting Pear
Wedding Planner: Olivia, Liv by Design

Canadian Wedding, Texas Theme

2011-03-21T19:40:00.000-05:00

When Amber and I met, she had one thing on her mind: she wanted her wedding to have a Texas ranch feel even though their wedding would take place in Canada. Amber and Trevor are from Canada but they currently live in Austin, Texas. Since most of their family live in Canada, the ceremony had to take place there. Luckily they found a Texas-style ranch (Hitch 'N Post Ranch) to be their wedding ceremony and reception venue. And I couldn't be more excited about the design prospects!

We chose the staggered invitation format to give the invitation a unique but rustic feel with the brad. Inspired by cattle brands, I designed their monogram in that style. Their first initials were used in a seamless way on the circle "brand". For the actual invitation, I used a mixture of typography to give it a western feel. The response card is a perforated postcard that guests can tear off and simply place in the mail. Finally, the last piece of the invitation is a custom-drawn map showing where the "Hitch 'N Post" is located. To finish off the invitation, I chose beautiful purple envelopes with a European flap.

Design by The Inviting Pear

Comedy for CARY

2011-03-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

I'm always happy to help a nonprofit organization, especially one as important as the Council on At-Risk Youth (CARY). Please support this worthy cause at Comedy for CARY: An April Fool's Preview on Sunday, March 27th. It should be a wonderful time featuring Esther's Follies! For additional information or to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.councilonatriskyouth.org/.

Design by The Inviting Pear

Burlap wrapped invitation

2011-03-14T10:33:00.000-05:00

When Sarah and I met to discuss her wedding stationery, including invitations, one thing stuck out in my mind. She wanted to include burlap as part of her linen selections at her wedding reception. Right away, I asked if she would be interested in including burlap in her invitation stationery. Answering a resounding "yes", I knew we were going to design a beautiful invitation together.

I designed the invitations with natural-looking flowers (different images on each card, but tied together with the same soft colors of sage green and pink). I chose a more formal script font for their names to elevate the invitation design a bit. To go with the natural feel, we used Kraft envelopes with a sage green lining. With the burlap wrapped and tied around the invitation, the directions and response card/envelope were neatly tucked beneath it. And voila! An organic invitation set with an elegant feel.

Design by The Inviting Pear
Wedding Planner: Bethany, 36th Street Events

Maddy is two!

2011-03-09T12:08:00.001-06:00

I'm extremely lucky to have designed Holly & Corey's wedding invitation and their daughter's last two birthday invitations. So what type of party do you throw when your little girl turns two? Have a "tutu and tie" party, of course!

To purchase invitation, please visit:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/theinvitingpear

Design by The Inviting Pear

Style Me Pretty

2011-03-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited that one of my fall weddings is featured on Style Me Pretty. Read about the wedding at:
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/03/04/texas-hill-country-wedding-by-ben-godkin-photo/

Thanks to Jessica with Something To Celebrate for the referral!

A font by any other name...

2011-03-02T10:08:00.000-06:00

Let's face it...the selection of fonts sets the tone of your invitation. A font can make an invitation romantic, casual or whimsical. I'm often asked which fonts are my favorites. Without further ado, these are my go-to fonts.

Formal Script: Bickham Script, Sloop Script Two, Diplomat
Casual Script: Cezanne, Adios Script, Scriptina
Block: Mrs Eaves Petite Caps, Trajan Pro, Chisel
Casual/Modern Block: Futura, Cochin, Trade Gothic

Not sure how your name is going to look in a certain font? Get MW Fonts software (you can upload it for free). The software lets you type in whatever you want and see it in all the fonts that are uploaded on your computer!

My favorite font sites:
http://www.veer.com/
http://www.myfonts.com/
http://www.fonts.com/
http://www.dafont.com/ (free)

Happy font searching!

A Bicyclist's Dream

2011-03-01T12:36:00.001-06:00

Save the date design:

Letterpress Printed Invitation:

Design by The Inviting Pear

Wedding Planner: Bethany, 36th Street Events

Surprise Birthday Party

2011-02-18T14:41:00.000-06:00

I am so fortunate to have designed Clink CEO, Denise Silverman's surprise birthday invitations. Yesterday I received my Austin Monthly magazine in the mail, and lo and behold, Denise's birthday party is featured! I think she really was surprised and it looks like it was a blast. Thanks for including me in your special day...stay fabulous. :)

The custom-designed birthday invitation:

Photo save the dates

2011-02-18T14:06:00.000-06:00

Nothing customizes a save the date like a photo. I've designed everything from a simple modern photo card (directly below) to a card that emphasizes the couples' love of football (they are even wearing their favorite team's jerseys) to a candid shot of a couple snorkeling. Save the dates are meant to be fun so start snapping away!!!

Save the date designs by The Inviting Pear