So your wedding is in less than a year, and you've been looking at gorgeous examples of wedding invitations that feature hand-painted florals. However, you don't want to order from a generic site and risk someone else sending out the exact same invitations, plus none of the designs include your specific wedding flowers that you spent hours choosing.

On top of wedding planning, you are also in charge of throwing your best friend's baby shower that's only two months away, and she wants monkey-themed invitations, but all of the designs you've found on the internet are super cheesy. Talk about stress on top of stress!

Sounds like you could use a designer with a fine arts degree!

I graduated from Clarke University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2015. (Wait, isn't it next to impossible for art majors to find jobs? Short answer: no, and I'm always looking for ways to incorporate my handskills into the designs I create for you!) In college, I took three-hour-long drawing classes to refine my skills in different media, including pencil, charcoal, oil pastel, ink, etc. Knowledge of the proper techniques to use diverse drawing media allows me to develop artwork specific to your vision, whatever it may be. Additionally, I learned basic painting techniques, mainly using acrylics, but since graduation, I have taught myself to watercolor, and I absolutely love it! I also dabbled in printmaking, book arts, sculpture, photography and learned to integrate these different art-making methods into digital designs, complete with expert use of typography.

What does this mean for you? The skills I worked to refine in college (and beyond) allow me to help you, dear client, with whatever style invitation you can imagine! Whether you want watercolor bridal shower invitations featuring a specific floral arrangement or adorably illustrative baby shower invitations, I can bring your ideas to life in a way that will impress your guests and make them excited for your event! What are you waiting for? Let's work together to create something awesome!

Four years ago today, I walked down the aisle of Sacred Heart Church to marry my best friend. It was a day filled with so much love, surrounded by our family and friends, and I still replay parts of it in my mind, especially on our anniversary.

How do you celebrate your anniversary? An even better question:

What should you get your spouse for an anniversary gift? 

An anniversary gift should carry the sentiment felt on your wedding day and serve as a reminder of your love for one another. No pressure, right? Not to worry! This post is filled with inspiration for creative, personalized gifts to give your spouse this year!

1. A Customized Wall-Hanging
A wall-hanging featuring the lyrics to your first dance song or your wedding vows makes for an incredibly heartfelt gift that will take your spouse back to your wedding day. It may even prompt a sweet dance in the kitchen to relive your first dance!

Depending how long you have been married, your home decor may be in need of an update. Organic decor, such as natural wood paired with simple greenery, is very trendy this year. Why not print a photo of you and your spouse on wood along with your favorite quote to describe your marriage? This gift would make a great statement piece to place on your end table to replace the outdated ceramic figurines.

You spent so many hours planning each detail of your wedding, so why not turn one of the most significant details, your wedding flowers, into a signature gift? I absolutely love water coloring, and I would be thrilled to paint your wedding flowers as a special gift for your spouse.

Printing your favorite photo(s), quote, or significant phrases related to your relationship or family makes for a fun, lighthearted present that is sure to lead to more cuddle time on the couch watching your favorite movies!

Some couples prefer to keep anniversaries simple. Purchasing a card that makes a statement can be just as meaningful as an expensive gift! Contact me to order a custom card that is sure to put a smile on your spouse's face.

A handmade sign can make a super cool personalized gift! The possibilities are endless and can match any style, whether it's for a man cave, a statement piece in your bedroom, or anything in between! Pictured is a sign that I made for my best friend's wedding. It was such a fun project made almost entirely from reclaimed materials! Order one today! I would love to turn your idea into reality!

As a bride or groom, you have so much to think about in preparation for one of the biggest days of your life. Planning a wedding can be stressful, as I discovered firsthand during my own experience, but when it comes to your invites, working with a wedding invitation designer will allow you to enjoy the stationery process! Why hire a stationery designer as opposed to ordering wedding invitations online or taking a DIY approach?
 
1.  Every wedding day is as unique as the bride and groom—your invitations should reflect your personality and wedding vision!

Because couples spend so much time contemplating each wedding detail, from the color scheme to the flowers to the reception hall lighting, these elements should be flawlessly incorporated into wedding stationery. A professional wedding invitation designer is able to develop a stylized wedding suite exclusive to each couple that encompasses the important details the couple has painstakingly chosen. Websites simply do not offer the quality of personalization or customer service that a stationery designer provides. Professional designers are able to expertly combine typography, colors, graphic elements such as monograms, paper quality, and the proper wording to create a stunning wedding suite that perfectly matches your wedding vision.
 
2. Wedding invitations set the tone for your entire event, and become a keepsake for people to remember the day.

Wedding invitations are the first tangible glimpse into your wedding day that guests experience. Why not impress them and make them excited to attend your big event? Wedding invitations should be a work of art. When guests feel the hand-selected paper and marvel over intricate or quirky detailing, they are sure to mark your date on their calendars as one they cannot miss and save the invitation in a special place.
 
3. Professional designers are experts when it comes to organization.

A professional designer is accustomed to meeting clients’ needs within a strict deadline. We also know exactly what information MUST be included on an invitation (dates, time, location, etc.) The last thing you want is to muddle through designing your own invitations and realize after you’ve sent them out that you forgot to include your wedding date! (This actually happens!) Additionally, we know all of the pieces that should be incorporated into a wedding suite, and we can design all of them for you. Websites such as Shutterfly, Zazzle, and Minted, sometimes leave holes in your wedding suite, such as lack of a “guest information card” design, so you are left to DIY something that doesn’t quite match the rest of the stationery. Not to mention, these websites may charge ridiculous amounts for simple pieces. Professional stationery designers will help you avoid disaster, keep things moving smoothly to ensure the invites are ready on time, and focus on ALL of the pieces of your wedding suite, so you can focus on other aspects of wedding planning—like cake tasting!
 
4. Creativity comes easily to professional designers.

I have had several brides tell me that making design-related decisions on their own stresses them out, and they end up frustrated with the invitation designs they attempt to create, even with the help of a website template. If you decide to hire a professional wedding designer, rest assured that your wedding suite is in very capable hands, and we love what we do! I promise my passion for designing wedding stationery will be evident throughout the entire process, should you decide to work with me, and I strive to make it a positive experience for all of my wedding clients! If you are ready to hire a wedding invitation designer, I am ready to work with you! Visit the Contact page to get started!