On Press: Midsummer

This week On Press is the two-color Midsummer wedding invitation design on white duplex paper with rounded corners (yes, we offer corner rounding!).

After their first color run, the invitations on the feed table are ready for their second color.

The invite rests securely in the guides to be pressed into the polymer plate.

 ...on the delivery table after the second color run.

Look at the beautiful impression! Duplex paper (220lb) is double the thickness of our standard 110lb paper and leaves a much deeper impression. We do offer duplex paper for all letterpress invitations for an extra cost, just be sure to ask!

 Anna meticulously rounds each corner.

 And here is the finished product! If you are interested in corner rounding or duplex paper for your invitations, just give us a call at (415) 355-0008, we'd love to hear from you!

Real Wedding: Tara and Ryker

Valentine's Day isn't over yet! This wedding, featured on Green Wedding Shoes, is the ultimate heart inspired celebration. Tara and Ryker wed on a rainy day in Los Angeles, but the downpour definitely didn't dampen their hearts. The couple chose to use our Big Day invitations, but swapped the bridge icon for a little heart, matching their wedding details perfectly. Along with some custom hand drawn save the dates by a friend, their stationery set a playful mood right from the beginning.

 It's always fun to see a bride and groom carry on their theme in creative ways. The bride said she looked to Pinterest for ideas and mixed various DIY projects with splurge items to pull off her look. We'd say she did a fantastic job!

Are you thinking what we're thinking? That gold sequin table cloth by la tavola is aaaamazing!

There's no doubt we'll be adding these images to our Big Day Inspiration Board on Pinterest. It's just too fitting!

Congratulations Tara and Ryker!

Photography by Michèle M. Waite

Event and Floral Design by Carter and Cook Event Co.

Photo booth Save the Dates

You may have seen these photo save the dates before but wonder where they've gone. Well, don't fret! These playful designs are still available for your wedding stationery needs. We're currently working on getting them on our website, so please hang tight. If you are interested in any of them, just give us a call and our friendly design consultants will help place your order!

The photos, taken by San Francisco based Magnolia Photo Booth, add a whimsical touch to your photo save the dates, and the postcard backing is available in three different designs.

Feel free to call us with questions! (415) 355-0008

Top to bottom: Notebook Doodle, Vintage Photo Booth, and Special Delivery.

Top photo by Edyta Szyszlo Photography

Rustic Wedding Inspiration Board

Cowboy boots and mason jars. We love the little touches that set the tone for a rustic barnyard wedding. We put together an inspiration board full of details and accents that will help get your guests in a down home mood. For more inspiration check out our Elegant Equestrian board on Pinterest, where many of these images were pulled from. We’ll be doing more theme weeks on our blog in the future - if there’s a theme you’d like us to focus on let us know in the comments!

We also asked you (via Facebook & Twitter) what you thought made for the best rustic wedding decor. Here’s what you told us: Sharla - Sheriff badges with wedding date & couples names to adorn cowboy hats. Napkins from brown western bandanas. Wedding favors from my wedding. Ruth Anne - Burlap definitely!!!! One True Love Vintage Rentals - Chippy paint cabinets + farm tables! Juliann - Baby's breath + lace...swoon! Pomp & Plumage - Wheat fields, chalkboards, paper straws and twinkly lights....love. Shana - Mismatched chairs & burlap tables runners.

Image Credits: 1. Bridesmaids Ruffle Dresses: Crush Cul De Sac  2. Champagne and Kraft Paper Flags: Style Me Pretty 3. Tartan Wrap and Big Bow: Alexan Events  4. Wheat Boutnniere: Wedding Bee 5. Coral and Peach Flowers: Crush Cul De Sac   6. Peach Cake: Martha Stewart Weddings 7. Horse Ribbons: Velvet Strawberries  8. Strawberry and Peach Vodka Popsicles: Endless Simmer 9. Flowers: Martha Stewart Weddings 10. Our Kind of Horse: Style Me Pretty 11. Pendelton Blankets: Country Living 12. Groomsmen: Men of Habit 

Rustic Farm Week: Real Weddings Roundup

It's Rustic Farm week at Hello!Lucky! We're dedicating this week's blog posts to all things country chic. There are some unbeatable farm destinations in California, but brides from across the country (and overseas!) contributed to our roundup. Today we're piecing together a collection of the most heartwarming farm weddings from our Real Weddings archives. We love it when couples match their wedding invitations with their venue and decor, and as you can see below, these weddings are all about country comfort.

 Kathleen and Seth's Barndiva wedding in Healdsburg, CA charmed us with their youthful band and warm red accents.

Erin and Nick also customized our Heartland invitation to match their summer wedding in Sonoma. We love how they hand made their place cards with tags, ribbon, and hung them on chicken wire. Doesn't get more farm friendly than that!

Our hearts flutter every time we see photos of Lisa and Rory's classic English wedding. Their table signs were an homage to local pub signs with silly plays on words like "The Stumbled Inn" and "The Drunken Duck."

The organic and picturesque landscape of Sonoma Valley always makes for a charming event. Lily and Andrew wed underneath the most enormous oak tree, which provided just enough shade from the hot summer sun. Guests took their seats atop hay bails - what a cute way to incorporate farm decor!

Their farm animal table numbers and bright floral arrangements reflect the summer wedding perfectly.

It's always impressive when couples come up with unique place card holders. Heather and Tom knocked our socks off with these apple place cards. When we found out Heather's childhood home had it's own apple orchard, we knew it would be an adorable wedding! Equipped with a farm house, pond and lush east coast greenery, they really could do no wrong.

And last but not least, this custom designed wedding invitation suite for Erin and Jeremy tops the cake. The couple wed in Calistoga in 2010 and took country wedding style to the max. Our favorite part is the Kansas City barbeque feast invitation hosted by the groom's parents. Sounds like a hootin' good time!

Click on each photo to see the full post!

Inspired by: Wedding Invitation Suites

With wedding season about to kick off, we're gearing up for some amazing additions to our collection. Wedding invitations serve as the first source of inspiration for the big day, and with all the pieces in check, you can really start to see all the details come to life. Frequently we find ourselves browsing through the photo database for inspiration drawn from particular invitations, and we wanted to share a place where you can do the same. Whether your wedding has a rustic farm theme, a sleek and modern theme, or a whimsical and playful theme, these photos will have you planning in no time! Click on the photos for a larger view!

Southern Belle (above) and its darling motifs will make that sweet southern wedding that much more charming. The delicate watercolors by Anne Smith are calling for lots of floral garland and white daisies!

 Rolling Acres is just right for a summer celebration. And the pennant liners (available soon!) will add a festive flare to your party invitation.

Figs has more rustic and natural qualities. Perfect for an outdoor wedding where locally sourced food and flowers are the focus.

We love the crisp and clean details of the Desert Skyline invitation suite. Bouquets of succulents and dried flowers arranged among rough wooded tables would complement this style beautifully.

Heartland is another favorite and best for the down-home country weddings we all dream about. We've seen lots of brides customize the colors and layout of this design, but it always stands out with some amazing farm-chic accessories.

 Big Day is one of our most popular suites, with its playful wording and simplistic hand-drawn icons, it's definitely a party starter. We've replaced the Golden Gate Bridge icon with other simple motifs, and it's still just as sweet!

We can't imagine a Cape Cod wedding without lots of nautical accompaniments. This maritime suite designed by Anne Smith was made just for our brides ready to wed by the ocean air.

A custom design gallery with all of our invitation suites is in the making, along with lots of brand new designs. Do you have a favorite style or wish we would create a wedding suite around a certain theme? Let us know in the comments!

All photos by Edyta Szyszlo

The Lab Event - A Success!

We had a blast at The Lab Event last weekend and wanted to share a few pics of the jaw dropping vignettes that filled the barrel room at Cline Cellars.   Guests were able to stroll through these themed areas gathering ideas, inspiration and even some sweet treats like monogrammed cookies and (I-can't-believe-these-are-vegan) cupcakes!

One of our vignettes had a "Toasted Marshmallow" theme with warm brown tones, gold accents and plenty of rustic wood and twig textures.  The menus had a burlap-inspired pattern framing text and a floral sprig and was letterpressed on a recycled cotton card stock.  We're so happy with the way everything turned out, we plan to offer the entire suite on our website soon.  Stay tuned!

How cool is that chandelier?  Its made from branches, Christmas lights and a few Ikea light fixtures... someone please DIY and let us know how it turns out!

Jen Musty from Batter Bakery blew us away with all her delectable desserts like Meyer Lemon shortbread cookies and Key Lime tarts.

The lovely ladies from The Collection Event Studio, styled a fantastic booth full of vintage flair and wedding inspiration galore!

The best part of the project was meeting so many amazing and talented vendors that we can't wait to work with again!

8 Most Colorful Cities on Earth

Manarola, Italy

We're loving this roundup of colorful cities that we spotted on Curbly. There is something magical about a city that embraces color into its architecture, and these cities have us begging for a visit. Who wouldn't want to scope out the spectrum of such vibrant skylines, especially when they are in places like Italy and Argentina.

Guanajuato, Mexico

Willemstad, Curaco

La Boca, Buenos Aires

St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Of course, we couldn't imagine a list of colorful cities without thinking of San Francisco. It didn't make the cut this time, but with images like these, we're certain it will top the charts next time.

Check out the whole list on enpundit!

Real Wedding: Carolyn and Ben

There are endless destinations that make great wedding venues in the bay area, and we never tire of browsing the beautiful scenery and indulging in the rustic charm each place has to offer. But this venue's classic architecture and sophisticated style has us feeling city-stricken and in love. Carolyn and Ben wed at the historic Julia Morgan Ballroom in downtown San Francisco amongst dear friends and family. The event, which takes classic beauty and tradition to a new level, turned out exquisitely.

The couple chose to use our San Francisco Skyline invitation and day-of materials in a crisp black/white to capture the simple yet striking characteristics of their decor.

The floral arrangements by Chestnut and Vine graced each table with fresh scents and bright whites.

Congratulations Carolyn and Ben!

Check out the entire gallery on Style Me Pretty here!

All photography by Meg Perotti

Modern Kids Photography

When Edyta recommended Sarah at Modern Kids Photography for holiday family photos, we knew she'd be amazing (Edyta's behind all of Hello!Lucky's editorial product photos). The clincher? Sarah's a former nanny with a natural warmth and openness. She miraculously put Sabrina's twin toddlers at ease the moment she set foot in the door!

We shot in and around Sabrina's house and neighborhood...

In the back yard...

At home...

And walking around the neighborhood...with their colorful walls and doors, the neighborhood provided a surprising variety of backdrops.

Tips for a successful photo shoot:

- Schedule it for when the kids will be well-fed and well-rested.

- Shoot at home, around the neighborhood, or at a familiar park.

- Pick comfortable clothes and pay attention to color palette. Outfits don't need to match but it helps to pick colors and patterns in the same family (we chose a variety of stripes in preppy colors and earth tones).

- If you're using your photos in holiday photo cards or photo birth announcements, have a few card designs in mind and keep their color palette and photo orientation (portrait vs. landscape).

Sabrina used her photos in the accordion-style Four Seasons New Year's Card by Susy Jack* - check out the results here!

Featuring Karin Soderquist and Giveaway!

Happy weekend everyone! Today we're featuring the talented artist Karin Söderquist! Karin is an illustrator and recent grad currently living and working in London! Her latest interest is working with colored paper collage. We can't get enough of her friendly animal characters and must admit, we share a true love for "bubblegum colours, snowy mountain tops and endless summer days."  Another jolly holiday card genius! Check out her shop here!

What inspired your design for the holiday collection?

Making holiday cards in the middle of summer felt bizarre, but I listened to a lot of holiday music to get me in the mood (A Christmas Gift for You, Phil Spector's Christmas album was a favourite). I wanted to create something that felt like Christmas did when you where a kid. Full of expectations and fun. I want people to look at the cards and be reminded of all the good things about Christmas, having some time off to spend with the people you care about.

What are you currently working on?

I've just started working on a piece for an exhibition. The theme for the show is to create something that fits into a matchbox, so it's going to be tiny!

What influences your style the most?

My style has developed over many years, and it is still developing. Right now I work a lot with paper cut collages. I started doing that because sometimes I felt very constrained when I was drawing and I was looking for a way of working that I would feel more comfortable with. Subject wise I'm inspired by a bit of everything, music, movies, art etc. The process of creating is inspiring in itself; it's like the more you make the more you want to make. Creativity breeds creativity!

What's your favorite holiday tradition?

I live in London and the rest of my family lives in Sweden. Since moving here I don't get to see them enough so my favourite tradition is going home to Sweden and spending some time with them, eating and drinking too much.

Best holiday memory?

In Sweden Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December. When I was a kid my family lived in the countryside and on the morning of the 23rd, after we had breakfast, we'd put on warm clothes and go out into the snowy forest and cut our own Christmas tree. The 23rd of December also happens to be my birthday!

To enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Hello!Lucky (which you could use to order Karin’s holiday cards!) head over to Karin’s blog today where she’ll be hosting a giveaway! Good Luck!

**A winner has been chosen! Thanks for participating!**

Real Wedding: Devorah and Carlo

It's hard to imagine a more beautiful couple getting married in a more beautiful place. Devorah and Carlo conquered both coasts of the country before wedding at the Trentadue Winery in Sonoma County. Catherine Hall captured every delicate detail of their big day among the beautiful California backdrop. With a warm summer night and a lively band, the event was sure to be magical! We also loved reading the story about how each side of the family contributed an heirloom or tradition, and how simple and comfortable the proposal was.

We had the pleasure of printing the couples wedding invitations and table stationery, and adore their warm and rustic decor. Congratulations Devorah and Carlo!

All photos by Catherine Hall Photography

Say Cheese! The Best of Photobooths

(via Ruffled)

Photobooths are so popular right now, and with good reason - who doesn't love hamming it up for the camera with costumes, props and a bunch of very close friends?  They're especially great at weddings to capture your guests at their finest.  Our favorites make creative use of festive props, brilliant backdrops and a whole lot of sassy attitude.

The gorgeous paper decorations in these Smilebooth photos make us absolutely swoon!

Fabulous props are definite must-haves (we all love a good wooden mustache) and the sillier the better as with this great snap from Studiobooth.

This snazzy photobooth set up found on Oh Happy Day, is a Francophile's dream come true.  Je t'aime!

And last but not least, H!L gets into the action at the TILT wedding fair in September.  Leslie and Lia took a little break to jump into the Magnolia Photo Booth and test drive some natty costumes.  To the Batmobile ladies!

Polkadot Photography

We're thrilled to share the gorgeous new website of our dear friend, Hayley Durack. Welcome to the world, Polkadot Photography! Hayley is a genius at capturing those natural, authentic moments that happen when you think no one is watching. We especially love these shots of a bride and groom before their big moment... each getting ready in their own way!

Let's face it, we don't all feel like supermodels in front of the lens, but Hayley is a genius at making people feel comfortable and beautiful - exactly what you want on your wedding day. Her portfolio is also just popping with engagement and wedding photos as well as kids, families and our personal favorite, four-legged friends!

Is September too early to start planning for holiday photo cards? We think not!

Real Wedding: Jamie and Justin in Mexico!

Although we've had a streak of decent summer weather in San Francisco this week, we wouldn't say that our city is a warm destination, by any means. You might find an ocean breeze and sandy beaches, but nothing like this Mexican gem. Jamie and Justin decided that they would travel far and wide to find their perfect wedding destination spot. And boy, from the looks of these photos they hit the bulls eye!

The couple chose Le Reve Hotel and Spa in Playa del Carmen (just south of Cancun) to hold the special event. Equipped with a perfect beach, delightful cabanas and a relaxing hammock, what else do you need? Well, a few of their closest friends and family and a deluxe reception wouldn't hurt :-)

Hello!Lucky designed and printed these Mexi-style details cards and place cards to match the green theme of the setting. The place cards were wrapped around individually sized bottles of hot sauce as a favor, as if the summer sun wasn't hot enough!

Our dear friends over at Alison Events helped make this dream wedding come alive. They sure know how to put the perfect touches on such a fun event!

There is no doubt we will be visiting Le Reve for some R&R some day in the future. Congratulations to Jamie and Justin!

All photos by Paco and Betty

Real Wedding: Kathleen and Seth

Since we often meet couples in the first stages of their wedding plans, its always such a thrill to see how it all comes together in the end.  The adorable Kathleen and Seth were married at Barndiva in Healdsburg, California and our Heartland wedding invitation suite coordinated perfectly with the rustic elegance of the celebration.

We'd love to have this dapper group of young musicians at our next soiree, do they take special requests? We're in the mood for some Monday melodies!

You can find more images of the wedding here!

All photos by Matt Edge Photography

Big Day's big feature in The Knot!

Hello!Lucky's Big Day invitation was recently featured in The Knot and we couldn't be more proud!

The classic black, white, red and gold color scheme pairs perfectly with the old world grandeur of San Francisco's City Hall, the setting of Courtney and Ethan's fabulously chic wedding.

Things we adore: crimson peep toe pumps with sleek black dresses, tiny red velvet cupcakes, bouquets of hot pink and orange blooms, the Golden Gate bridge icon on our San Francisco Skyline Menu and Place Cards... and did we mention red velvet cupcakes?

All photos by Michelle Walker Photography

Studio Snapshot: Special Delivery!

Extra! Extra! Yesterday we received a special delivery with the soon-to-be-released September 2011 issue of Brides Magazine! We always love to browse Brides' perfectly groomed pages for inspiration and fresh ideas. The September issue is packed full of glamorous wedding gowns, delicious cakes, and smart tips to make your big day a cinch! They also included an article titled "The Ultimate Guide to Table Stationery," and we were thrilled to have a few of our designs featured.

Our Whimsy menu, Big Day place cards, and Evelyn table number shined among other amazing pieces by super-talented designers.

We always encourage creativity when preparing for a table display, and we've seen a number of beautiful arrangements in the past. Whether you choose tented place cards, personalized menus, or framed table numbers - there is always room to spruce up the presentation. Simply placing a card in a pool of jellybeans creates a playful and colorful display, like these bright pink and orange custom cards below!

The September 2011 issue will be on newsstands soon and we just know you'll love it as much as we do!

Real Wedding: Ingrid and Howard

The setting of a wedding can really enhance the mood of a celebration, especially when it takes place somewhere as breathtaking as the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito! Ingrid and Howard's summery and stylish wedding just screams happiness - how could anyone feel otherwise when you're hanging out in a field of lavender and loveliness?!

The couple chose our Woodland Damask letterpress invitation - doesn't it fit nicely with the bridal party?

Love the collection of vintage stamps and the stunning calligraphy by Michele Papineau.

Check out more photos of Ingrid and Howard's wedding (along with an adorable video!) at Style Me Pretty!

All photos by Jose Villa

The Collection E.S. gals visit Hello!Lucky!

The girls at the Collection Event Studio recently visited our SoMa studio and shared a behind the scenes glimpse into the bustling world of Hello!Lucky! We love to browse their blog for creative inspiration, and are always amazed by their stunning collection of wedding and event resources. They snapped such lovely photos of our office, here are some of our favorites:

Meet our ravishing sales team! This handsome lad and three lovely ladies are the best when it comes to planning your special day!

And how adorable are their business cards?

(Pictured: Stewey, Lia, Kristine, and Lillian)

Above: John prepares specialty ink colors as James works the Vandercook press.

Anna B., along with the help of Lillian, are carefully assembling envelope liners.

Part of the design team (missing Anna H. and Shauna!) making all the perfect adjustments on every stationery order!

You can read the original post here. Thanks again for stopping by ladies!

All photos by Kate Webber Photography