of a Bespoke STationery concept

Rochelle and Jean's Paris wedding took place at an old château outside of Paris and we sought to capture this romance and history. So, we included an 18th-century Rococo painting in the envelope liner as a nod to the venue's rich history. 

Another nod to the couple's admiration of French history and their historical venue, we designed a custom illustrated toile pattern filled with meaningful imagery from their love story. Here, the delicate pattern is printed on the outside of the details booklet, which is then bound with a thin silk ribbon. 

Although Rochelle and Jean were inspired by old-world France, they also wanted their design to feel like it was thoughtfully designed in the modern era. One modern touch was the minimalist font we used on the invitation instead of a traditional calligraphy.

We used vintage stamps in the suite's color scheme to symbolize many of the couple's favorite things, like a French flag and a goose to represent Jean's Montreal roots, and an inkwell and quill pen to symbolize Rochelle's career as a journalist. 

To add layered textures and a bit of glamour, we printed the custom toile pattern with gold foil on this translucent vellum paper and then wrapped the suite in it, followed by a silk ribbon. 

Although wax seals are often used now to seal the outside of envelopes, in centuries past they were often used at the top of a letter or document to mark its validity, like we might use printed letterhead. As the bride's family was proudly hosting this event, we used her parents' initials in this wax seal. 

Anatomy

Though the Rochelle and Jean's invitation suite feels quite formal and traditional, they are actually quite a playful and fun-loving couple. To ensure that their guests recognized their personalities (and expected a fun party), we hid a few bits of whimsy throughout the suite. This subtle note on the back of their inner envelope reads "Bon Voyage!"