It's always such a privilege to be asked to create wedding stationery for one of the most important events in a couple's life. Although by the end of the process of working together we have built a relationship, I never take for granted the fact that my customers are required to place their absolute trust in me at the start of the journey even though we have never met. For this reason I like to try and have a call with any couple requesting bespoke stationery before they commit to working with me. It's a great way for me to start getting excited about their ideas, hear their love story and for us all to start building a friendship with one another that will make the process of working together relaxed and enjoyable for all.
When I had that call with Maria I knew instantly that we would have a great time creating her and Anthony's wedding stationery. She had lots of ideas and a playful approach to creating her paper goods as well as being very easy to communicate with and obviously a very warm-hearted person. I felt excited to get involved.
Maria and Anthony's wedding was to take place in Kastellorizo, Greece, one of the smallest and prettiest of the Dodecanese islands. Initially, I was asked to create a custom image of the island which was then used on their save the dates. The items were produced in Greek and English, and the envelopes were individually printed with their guests' names and addresses. Later in the wedding planning journey Maria came back to me and requested a second piece of original art plus postcards featuring both artworks that could be given to their guests as part of a gift basket full of locally produced goodies. I also created drinks menus and buffet cards for the wedding day featuring flowers known to grow on the island.
Here's Maria to talk about working with me on their bespoke wedding stationery items.
What inspired the illustration of Kastellorizo on your wedding stationery (And your choice of this location for your wedding)?
Anthony and I are both of Greek descent and, despite being second and third generation Australians, have maintained a close connection with Greece. Anthony’s family descends from the island of Kastellorizo, a tiny unspoilt island in the Aegean which boasts authentic charm. We were long-distance for a period of time and would often reunite on the island and have continued to travel there over the years. When it came time to select a wedding destination there was no hesitation in picking Kastellorizo. It’s a destination that has meaning to us and was a destination we wanted to share with our family and friends.
We wanted save the dates with an artistic flare that would capture the essence of the island and evoke a sense of excitement and curiosity about the destination. We decided to create a vintage style travel poster showcasing one of our favourite views. After hours of searching, we stumbled across Holly’s art on Etsy and were instantly captured by her unique compositions.
Holly’s designs flowed thorough into our wedding weekend, featuring in our welcome gift and welcome party stationary.
Above: Sketch of the custom save the date artwork alongside the finished collage.
How did the bespoke nature of your stationery reflect your personalities as a couple?
We both have an appreciation for art and enjoy collecting pieces that remind us of the places we have lived and travelled to. The bespoke stationary allowed us to share our love of art, and the island, with our guests.
Were there any specific elements or details in the stationery that surprised and delighted you when you first saw them?
Seeing our idea brought to life was exciting, but we were particularly delighted to receive the original pieces of artwork. They serve as a lovely memento and will always elicit happy memories of times we have spent on the island and the wedding weekend itself.
Can you share any memorable responses or feedback from your guests regarding the stationery?
Guests loved the integration of art into the wedding and many commented that they wanted to frame the postcards as a memento.
How would you describe the overall experience of the stationery design process? Any challenges or smooth sailing stories?
Planning a wedding can be very stressful, particularly when it’s on a remote island and you have droves of guests attending from all over the world. Working with organised suppliers, who are transparent, accommodating and deliver good results makes the planning process that little bit easier and Holly definitely ticked all of those boxes. The experience was seamless and smooth!
All photos from the wedding day by Graham Hodgetts.