It was joyful news to hear of my dear friend's daughter's engagement, and it was an honor to be asked to create save the dates, invitations, and other wedding day details from pieces of commissioned art for this special event. I will never cease to be grateful to my clients and friends for placing their trust in me, valuing my gifts, and encouraging my artistic profession through their patronage. As one of the most sentimental of people, it makes my heart glad to have my art become part of how you celebrate your life's best moments.
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To get started, Becky (mother of the bride) and Bailey (bride to be) met together to go over broad details and get a feel for what she wanted by perusing some samples. After that, the bride shared her Pinterest board with me so I could get an understanding of the overall aesthetic she envisioned for her wedding. This was a huge help for me in determining a color palette, choosing floral inspiration, and designing the layouts for save the dates and invitations.
It Starts With Art
From the inspiration Bailey had gathered on her Pinterest board, I created a floral watercolor derived from flowers she planned on including in her bouquet. The colors reflect the nuptial season - Summer - and the aesthetic - Modern, Bohemian Romantic.
Once the art was approved, I created a digital version of it that I was able to manipulate in a number of ways. Playing around with variations of the art in digital form - close up selections of flowers, pattern making, how it fits with the chosen orientation of the paper, etc. - usually leads me to the final design concept in a very organic way. I've found that the designs are always better when I allow them to happen gradually as I spend time with the art and other components rather than forcing an idea I had in my head at some point.
Below are pictured the front and back of Bailey and Austin's save the dates. We experimented with several different background colors, but ended up with this natural, sandy color to both compliment the location of their engagement shoot and so as not to detract from the watercolor florals. The combination of beautiful photography, clean graphics, and original watercolor details made for a dreamy Save the Date that hopefully had guests in eager expectation of celebrating this couple on their wedding day.
Once the Save the Dates were in the mail, we set to work on the Wedding Invitation, which was largely inspired by the location of the reception - Stewartfield on the campus of Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. It is a beautiful historic home, situated at the top of a hill that, from the back, provides views of the golf course, and on a clear day, glimpses of the port of Mobile. But the alley of live oaks that line the drive leading up to the house are the real showstopper. They are sprawling, arching, shade-giving trees more fantastic than *almost* any of the great Italian Renaissance sculptures.
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I drive or walk down this oak-lined path multiple times a week, even if it's not as convenient because, as a native Mobilian, I have grown to love and appreciate these trees and the beauty and respite from the sun they afford to the people walking beneath their branches. They are very dear to me. So much so that whenever we have the threat of a hurricane or tornado, asking the Lord to spare these glorious trees is always at the top of my prayer list.
As you can see, the alley of oaks became the natural frame of this watercolor of Stewartfield. I used the full piece of art as the liner to the invitation (such a fun surprise reveal for guests opening their envelopes!). Then, I edited and digitized the original work so I could use selections of the live oak branches to frame the wording on the invitation itself. Even the color of the font was inspired by the green leaves growing on the branches.
We even had a large poster-size of the original created so that we could frame it and use it as the "welcome" sign at the wedding and reception sites. It made for a lovely photo opportunity, but also, the couple can remove the wording on the glass and hang the already-framed work of art inside their new home. We all ended up appreciating the versatility of this one piece of art as aspects of it made their way onto other wedding day details like ceremony programs.
This photo of the wedding invitation and envelope liner was taken by Kristen Marcus Photography.
"Welcome to the Wedding" signage and ceremony programs featuring
aspects of the original "Stewartfield" watercolor.
From two works of art came the design for every bit of wedding stationery and signage. This art was both pretty and practical in that it not only served to get the word out in a beautiful way and welcomed and directed guests, but it could also be displayed in the couple's home encouraging them to reminisce about this wonderful day every time they look upon each piece.
Thank you again, Lacoste family, and also Bailey and Austin for including me and my work as part of your celebration.
From Behind the Brush,
Whitney Hornbuckle
