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!

Real Wedding: Beth and Julian

We can think of fewer ways to start a married life together than with the sun shining and the whole city laid out beneath you! These photos taken by Marianne Taylor so beautifully capture the setting for the midsummer wedding of Beth and Julian.

The venue for the ceremony took place at the upper deck of the National Theatre on the south Bank of the Thames which boasts views of the whole city from East to West across the river. We also agree with Beth's choice of invitation as she opted for our London Skyline design but chose to have it in a soft coral and stone combination which looked beautiful.

After the ceremony the guests were treated to a ride through central London on a vintage Routemaster double-decker bus to the reception at one of Soho's most established and best-loved restaurants, Kettner's in Romily Street.

Here the table stationery carried-on the skyline theme with each table being designated by an iconic London building. We're not sure if being sent to the tower ever held such happy connotations!

We would like to wish Beth and Julian all the very best for their future together; may the city always be theirs!

One more day for the Lab Giveaway!

Don't forget! You have one more day to participate in our giveaway for the Lab Event! We're offering 2 FREE tickets to the best wedding event of the new year! All you have to do is comment below telling us why you would like, love, or absolutely NEED to be there! It's taking place at Cline Cellars, this Saturday, January 14th from 5-9pm. We'll choose a winner tomorrow at 3:00 (PST)! Good luck!

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

Lisa and Rory, Behind the Scenes!

Now that you've all seen the stunning photos of Lisa and Rory's wedding, we wanted to show you some exclusive behind-the-scenes images of our team putting it all together!

Above is the original proof that we created for Lisa and Rory's reception invitation. The two-sided letterpress invitations were printed on duplex paper (220lb) and hole-drilled for the balloon and ribbon attachments. Because Lisa and Rory already had such brilliant ideas, working with them was a cinch!

Their day-of materials were just as fun to assemble as their wedding invitations. The paddle program fans were die cut on our antique Heidelberg press, then attached one-by-one with wooden handles.

The pub sign table numbers and cheese markers were each cut out by hand, given tremendous care and patience! The tiny cheese markers looked dashing atop their cheese wheel cake. We see a new trend approaching!

Perhaps the most intricate and delicate piece we've created is the tiny silhouette "cake" topper, also cut out of paper by hand. And yes, it fit on a toothpick! It's the little details like this that make us love working on custom weddings.

Real Wedding: Lisa and Rory

We couldn't be happier to share the extraordinary wedding of our friends Lisa and Rory. Since we first met the happy couple (what seems like ages ago!) we've been dying to see photos of their big day, and we are not surprised to see how beautifully it came together. Lisa and Rory wed at The Olde Bell in Hurley, England amongst historic timber framed buildings and lush greenery. It was the perfect venue for their rustic, vintage inspired wedding. Their story is featured on Martha Stewart's Brides Guide today (yes, we're jumping with joy!) where you can read more about their ideal I-do's.

It was such a pleasure designing their invitation suite! So much detail and care went into creating the perfect set, and they match perfectly with the scenery. In order to accommodate the space of the venue, the couple sent two sets of invitations, some for both reception and ceremony, and others to just the reception. The ceremony invitations were screen printed on floral handkerchiefs and tied to letterpress printed card stock. The reception invitations were a bit more playful, including a balloon to inflate reading the details of the party! It definitely set the mood for the night, and we love that they incorporated the balloons in their day-of decorations.

Photographer Chloé Browne of Caught the Light Photography did a fantastic job capturing the whimsical spirit of the celebration. With such a beautiful bride and groom, it must have been a piece of cake!

At the reception, the table numbers stood above glowing floral arrangements by Chantal Flores Design. The signs were inspired by British pub names, and each had a unique and rustic illustration to top it off.

Variable printed place cards were looped with ribbon and attached to knick-knacks that match the table theme. The pig made an appearance at the Pig and Whistle Table, and the crown at The Royal Wee. Oh so clever!

Their not-so-traditional wedding cake was made up of different cheese wheels! Who doesn't love cheese and fresh fruit? It was finished with a hand-cut paper cake topper by yours truly!

Each guest received a printed paddle fan with the details of the ceremony. It may not always be warm in England, but luckily the couple ended up with fabulous weather for their day!

Say Fromage supplied a photobooth for the event, and the photos were assembled by guests into a scrapbook. It's such a great way for friends and family to leave notes and memories! The couple also included our chalkboard word bubbles and various props to spruce things up.

Congratulations to Lisa and Rory!

Check out the entire Martha Stewart Weddings feature here!

Credits:

WEDDING DESIGNER & PLANNER: Mary Lee Herrington of Forever & Ever Events (http://www.foreverandeverevents.com) PHOTOGRAPHER: Chloé Browne of Caught the Light Photography (http://www.caughtthelight.com) STATIONERY, SIGNAGE & PHOTO BOOTH PROPS: Hello Lucky (http://www.hellolucky.com) VENUE: The Olde Bell (http://www.theoldebell.co.uk/) FLORIST: Chantal Flores Design (http://www.chantalfloresdesign.co.uk/) GOWN: Britta Kjerkegaard of The Couture Gallery (http://www.thecouturegallery.com/html/tcg.html) SHOES: Christian Louboutin (http://www.christianlouboutin.com/) FURNITURE HIRE: Theme Traders (http://www.themetraders.com/) HAY BALES: Holdshott Farm Shop (http://www.pfo-shop.co.uk) MUSIC: New Hot Cross Band, represented by Sternberg Clarke (http://www.sternbergclarke.co.uk/) CEREMONY SINGER: Sara Al-Qaiwani, bridesmaid PHOTO BOOTH: Say Fromage (http://www.sayfromage.co.uk/) MAKEUP/HAIR: Kaz Fernando (http://www.kazfernandomakeup.co.uk/) CHEESE CAKE TOWER: Tastes Delicatessen (http://www.tastesdeli.co.uk) LIGHTING/DJ: Gosh Management (http://www.thegoshgroup.co.uk/)

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

Mark your calendars!

We're thrilled to be a part of the upcoming Lab Event taking place January 14th, 2012 at the Cline Cellars in Sonoma, and after Monday night's inspiring kickoff party at The Collection ES our heads are bursting with fab ideas for the event. Stay tuned here for more information or you can visit their soon-to-be-released blog. Tickets will go fast so be sure to book in advance! Looking forward to seeing you all there!

(above: The Collection ES, below: Cline Cellars in spring)

Tickets available here!

Featured: Brides.com

We're delighted to start off this week with a spotlight on table stationery! Recently Hello!Lucky was featured on Brides.com in their Ultimate Guide to Table Stationery, and we're super impressed with their collection! They also share some useful information about etiquette and placement options, and some great alternatives for table numbers! Check it out here!

If you're hosting a fall dinner party, don't forget to include personalized seating cards! Adding stationery to your table setting makes the gathering extra special. We're certain these Autumn Leaves and Tuscany cards will wow your guests and bring an extra hint of fall to your table.

TILT Wedding Fair this Sunday!

Calling all brides, grooms, wedding fanatics, and friends! We are delighted to be a part of the TILT Wedding Fair taking place this Sunday, and we want you to join! TILT is hosting this years not-your-average wedding fair at Swarm Gallery in Oakland, and it will be bustling with local designers, vendors, and event extraordinaires. If you're dreaming of a unique wedding and looking for a place to start, you definitely shouldn't miss this event! We will be there mingling with the guests and offering first hand information about our invitations (and maybe even a take-home souvenir??!). Check out the list of fellow exhibitors here!

Tickets are available here or you can get them at the door.

The event, Sunday September 25th, is 12:00pm - 4:00pm at the Swarm Gallery, 560 Second Street, Oakland, CA

See you there!

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: Jenny and Ben

There is nothing we love more than collaborating with our clients - especially when they are as creative and inspiring as Jenny and Ben. Jenny  is a poet and artist and started the design process by bringing in some mixed media collages she had created using paint and colored papers. We took her vision and transformed it into pieces that we could reproduce for her guests; the process involved several revisions and mock-ups as we refined all the details -- it was a true artistic collaboration.

The final invitation was contained in a kraft box, whose lid we gold-leafed by hand. The box was tied with hand-braided rope made out of a variety of fabrics. The invitation itself was simple and classic - embossed in gold foil and edged in gold on duplex cotton card stock.

Included in the invitation was a prayer card that guests could decorate (it was enclosed in a muslin bag that also contained scraps of patterned papers and a glue stick).

The collages that the guests sent back with their RSVPs were pretty amazing and very creative. They were displayed on a board at the wedding for all the guests to enjoy their handiwork.

Escort cards were calligraphied by Michele Papineau and displayed with gold thread.

The venue, Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma, was decorated with brilliant hues of gold and pink.

Congrats to Jenny and Ben!! For more photos of this stunning event, please click here.

Photos by Jesse Leake and Julia Kostreva.

Inspiration:Color

Having trouble choosing a color scheme for your wedding? Look no further! Jessica, the brilliant mind behind Design Seeds, has assembled an inspiration guide for just about every color palette imaginable. There are endless pages of images and their corresponding color ways. Who knew an ice cream cone could produce some of the most ethereal (and tasty) hues!

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

Real Wedding: Brooke and Ryan

Brooke and Ryan's wedding photos make us melt! Pretty Little Weddings shared a lovely story of their engagement, and it's obvious the two are madly in love.

Bald Head Island, North Carolina served as a perfect seaside setting.

The couple modified our Seagulls design to create paddle fan programs, and used their designed monogram throughout the event.

Sheets and blankets were available to relax in the open air!

Their monogram was printed on tote bags as wedding favors - what a great way to carry on the theme!

All photos by Jagger Photography

Real Wedding: Kim and Chris

Seattle-ites Kim and Chris sure do know how to throw a party! The couple recently wed at a stunning private home in Palm Springs, complete with fabulous pool and beautiful landscaped grounds.

Each guest was welcomed with a grapefruit vodka cooler in a Cat Studio "Palm Springs" glass, which were later used (washed, of course!) as the couple's favors. Such a cute idea!

Kim and Chris chose our Mi Amor Save the Date - the bright colors are perfect for this summer event!

There were so many fun details - we especially love these sparkly initials used on the bride and grooms chairs.

All the flowers were purchased from Trader Joe's and arranged by Kim's aunt. She also made Kim's headpiece - what a talented lady to have in the family!

Kim and Chris cut their Bristol Farms cake with a saber that belonged to Chris' grandfather. All of his kids and grandkids have used it at their weddings. The cake topper was the one Kim's grandparents used on their cake sixty years ago!

Kim's gorgeous retro dress is from Oscar De La Renta, and Chris' suit is from Kenneth Cole.

How fabulous! Congrats you guys!

All photos by Erika Kyte.

Studio Snapshot: Charming wedding decor

Whether charming, rustic, romantic, or sweet, the brilliance involved with this wedding for our overseas friends, Lisa and Rory is really something! We're currently putting together their day-of wedding materials - it's really coming together!

These vintage style pub signs are getting cut out and used as table numbers!

Say cheese! These tiny cheese signs will be dashing on display.

Each guest will have a program paddle fan to keep them cool! These are really turning out to be one of our signature products!

Real Wedding: Erin and Mark

We've sent plenty of wedding stationery out into the world, but its such a treat when the photos come back to us and we get to see how it all comes together on the big day!  We just got a surprise delivery of these gorgeous snaps of Erin and Mark's wedding from Michelle Warren Photography for which we designed the initial invitations.

Love the sweet and unique details!

Erin and Mark set up a photo booth with glam velvet curtains and used our chalk word bubbles as props!

The couple's original wedding invitation was from our Naturalist suite.  The bird icon was carried over into their wedding program where they used torn fabric to bind the pages together.  The epitome of causal simplicity!

All photos by Michelle Warren Photography

Real Wedding: Katie and Ashley

Check out these beautiful wedding photos posted on Two Bright Lights! Katie and Ashley's May wedding took place at the Maple Grove Inn in Knoxville, Tennessee - the deep greens and luscious flower bouquets are oozing romance.

Who doesn't love tiered cupcakes?!

Katie and Ashley customized our Big Day wedding invitation to create their own unique take on the design (see the original inspiration here!).

The couple turned the heart + initials icon found on the original Thank You Card into a light display inside their reception tent. They also used the invitation icon as the cover of their guest book - brilliant!

All photos by Dixie Pixel Photography