Special Announcement

Hello Friends!
Happy new week... We've had several changes going on behind the scenes. And I'm finally excited to announce that Elegant Custom Invitations will henceforth be known as Isabella Invitations!!!!

Why the change?
This has been something I'd wanted to do for a couple of years now. 7 years ago when I started the company, I chose the name "Elegant Custom Invitations" because it reflected the style of invitations/stationery I wanted to create. This hasn't changed. We still design and create "Elegant Custom Invitations". However, it's a pretty generic name. Anyone can say they create "elegant custom invitations". So I knew I had to change the name to create more of a brand. The challenge was the transition. I was so close to doing the name change last year but when I looked at the amount of work that needed to be done and the amount of time I had (or did not have as the case may be). I elected to postpone it till 2013. Here we are today and I'm proud that we have finally made the transition. There's still some work going on behind the scenes but the change is now in effect!!! WOOHOO!!!

Where did the name "Isabella" come from?
My mom (of blessed memory) was "Isabela" and I've always loved that name. I didn't have to think about it twice when I decided to effect a name change. It had to be Isabela. Her name had only 1 'l' but I knew most people doing a search would mostly likely spell it as "Isabella". In order to make it easier to spell, I added the 2nd 'l'. There's the short story :)

New Web Address: www.IsabellaInvitations.com
Our blog has also been moved from here to www.IsabellaInvitations.com/blog

See you on the new blog!!!

Morgan and Troy's Wedding Stationery

Hi everyone,

Happy New Month of August!!! Can you believe 2012 is moving so fast along?

I had a great time this weekend celebrating with the Corbin Family. I can't say enough good things about this family. They're such a loving family and it showed on Saturday as Morgan married Troy. There were so many people there to witness the lovely occasion. I had many teary moments at the church (lol, I cry at almost all weddings!). First was seeing Mr. C walked Mrs. C down the aisle. Then, when Morgan walked down looking GORGEOUS in her Pnina Tornai "blinged out" dress. And one of the most touching moments was when the Officiant mentioned that Morgan & Troy had requested to face the audience for a quick look. When she and Troy turned around from the altar, she choked up seeing the many faces there to witness their union. PRICELESS!!! And oh, I can't forget to mention the cake. OMG, Morgan's cake had a life of its own at that reception. I must say that Susie's Cakes did an amazing job with the sugar paste flower and the humongous cake! And Darryl & his team did a fabulous job on the floral design.

Back to the stationery, well, I first met Morgan and her Mom at the Jan 2011 Bridal Extravaganza (but didn't remember them until they came into the studio). Shortly, afterwards, I was contacted by their wedding planner, Alia with Belle of the Ball events. We quickly began working on the save the date. There were so many unique things done with Morgan's stationery. I tell you, the girl was no ordinary bride (lol). 

 Folded Card Photo Save the date 

Folded Card Photo Save the date (inside) with Hotel Accommodations

For the invitations, we went back and forth on whether to do an all blinged out couture invitation. But Mrs. C wanted the wedding invitations a bit traditional. Before our 2nd meeting, I came up with the idea of including a liner on the envelope and doing something different with the envelope. As soon as Morgan walked in the door and saw a sample of what the idea, she was sold!
I LOVE the traditional, yet modern feel of the invitations. The "gorgeousness" of Letterpress is something that I never can get enough of.

These are Hand Calligraphed Letterpress Invitations with Silver Edge Painting. Hand Calligraphy was done by the awesome Maureen of Pendance

To add some bling to the invitations, we did a Ribbon belly wrap to keep the enclosures together. The invitation envelopes were die-cut created from scratch with Custom Printed Liners.

Invitation with Enclosures.

We created a custom address stamp for the invitation flap. These were hand embossed.

The Letterpress Reception cards with the Silver Edge Painting

The Letterpress Reception cards with the Silver Edge Painting

Invitations

We created custom stamps with the Couple's monogram for the Invitation and RSVP envelopes

For the Programs, we did Silver Foil Embossing on the cover with the Couple's married monogram.

I created a "monster" with this pattern (lol). Morgan requested to have the pattern used on her invitation liners carried on to the programs. So we did so on the inside cover.

Since the reception was not a formal sit down dinner, we created signs for the different food stations.

Table signs

Cocktail Napkins with the Fleur De Lis from the couple's monogram incorporated

Die cut reserved table signs.

Thank you notes. We did a single panel flat card on Crane's Lettra and added a border. But added a nice patterned liner

I hope you enjoyed all the gorgeousness of this stationery as we did :)

Invitations of the Week - LIMITED TIME OFFER Take 15% off at eInvite.com

Hello,
Hope you all are having a wonderful week! eInvite has a limited time special offer of 15% off select Wedding Invitations, Save the Dates, Bridal Shower Invitations, Thank you cards etc.

To view, personalize and order your invitations, go to http://www.einvite.com/?CoBrand=0PA51J. Offer Code eInWelcome15 to take advantage of the 15% savings!

Making of a Custom Invitation Series 2 - Comeka & Jose

Hello!I hope your week is going smoothly.
Last year, I began a series called "Making of a Custom Invitation". You can read it here. I was looking through our photo archives and found these lovelies we created for Comeka & Jose.
We first met Comeka at the January 2011 Bridal Extravaganza and she held on to your flyer for several months. Once she was to begin her invitation process, she contacted us back in September of last year. She loved the pocket style and needed her invitations to be bilingual (English & Spanish). To save from having to do 2 separate invitation suites, we decided to go with a larger card size and have both languages on 1 invitation suite. I absolutely love Comeka's colors - Mocha and Pink.
Comeka & Jose were married on December 10, 2011 at the Houston City Club. Enjoy!

Tabs being assembled

Completed Tabs

Printed pieces

Invitation layout

We had 2 backings for invitation. I absolutely love the layered look!

Finished Layered look

The Pockets

The invitations were also embellished with a satin ribbon. This was a last minute addition and I'm glad Comeka opted for it.

photo credit: Rhphotoarts

The completed Invitation. Don't you just love :)

Bridal Shows in January

Happy New Year!!!
2012 is gearing up to be such an amazing year; im super excited!!!

BRIDAL EXTRAVAGANZA
It's Bridal Shows and Open House season.
First up is The Bridal Extravaganza Show. The show will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Downtown Houston on:
Saturday January 7, 2010 10am - 5pm
Sunday January 8, 2010 11am - 5pm

Elegant Custom Invitations will be at BOOTH 1645. Please be sure to stop by; we'd love to see you!
For additional information, purchase tickets and to register for free giveaways, you may visit their website.


I DO BRIDAL SOIRÉE
Next is the Weddings in Houston Magazine I Do Bridal Soirée. This is a luxury event taking place at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Galleria, Houston on:
Sunday January 15, 2010 1pm - 5pm

Please be sure to stop by our booth; we'd love to see you!
For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit their website.


HELPFUL TIPS
As always, here are a few tips to help you prepare to attend
1. Make sure to wear very comfortable shoes. There are lots of aisles and almost everyone wants to walk all aisles to make sure you're not missing anything. I have walked all the aisles myself in the past and I highly recommend it.

2. Bring lots of pre-printed labels with your name, address (if you want), a valid email address and wedding date. You don't want to have to write out every form at vendors' booths. If you can't print your own labels, they will be available for purchase at the entrances to the show. Also, it helps to create a separate email account just for your wedding planning (just a tip!)

3. Come prepared to book vendors at the show. Many vendors will be giving special discounts to brides that book at the show or within a short period after the show.

4. Do not feel obligated to fill out every form from all the vendors at the show. It's ok to focus mainly on those elements of the wedding you haven't booked yet. You can politely say 'No'. You will get tons of information from the show, anyway, so it helps to only have information from vendors you're truly interested in.

5. It can be helpful to have 2 separate bags where you can put information from the vendors. 1 bag for the vendors you're really interested in and others in the 2nd bag. This will help with sorting through the stack of flyers you receive at the show once you get home.

6. Bring cash for parking and lunch. You'll be hungry and/or thirsty after all that walking! (lol)

7. Most importantly, come with an open mind!

Exciting Updates

Hi everyone!
Happy Monday morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend...

In more exciting news!!!! We received an invitation to join the Style Me Pretty Texas Weddings prestigious network of vendors! Style Me Pretty, an industry leading wedding website, receives over 12 million pageviews a month (and counting!). The Texas site provides SMP readers with gorgeous local weddings and content that is specific to the Texas area. This is an exclusive invitation so we are definitely honored to have been asked and we love Style Me Pretty!

Check out our post on the blog! (Click on image below)



Shop Catalog Invitations Online
I am happy to announce that we have partnered with eInvite to bring you more fabulous wedding stationery. You can now shop from the Checkerboard collection directly online. Click here to view the collection.
If you're in the Houston area and would prefer to stop by the studio, we have a few of the albums to look through in the office studio.

Do enjoy your week!

Spring is here!

Hello all!
Spring is upon us and the wedding season is in full swing. We have a few exciting projects in the works and I can't wait to blog about them later in the year.

Lauren & Wyatt
I met with Lauren over a year ago with her fabulous wedding planner - Alia Rdissi (Belle of the Ball). We began working shortly afterwards on the save the date cards followed by the invitations and programs. Can I say that Lauren is so sweet and her mom has to be the sweetest MOB ever! Having worked with them for a year it was bitter sweet after we completed the ceremony programs because the wedding planning process was over. Lauren & Wyatt were married last weekend at the First Methodist Church with the reception at Crystal Ballroom at Rice Hotel in downtown Houston.

Since Lauren had a bit of information to include with the invitations, she went with the Pocketcards. Did I mention that Lauren loves PINK! We lined the envelopes in light pink with their monogram imprinted on the liners.


Front and back of the Invitation Pocket cards


The enclosure cards with a custom map


We completed the invitations with Thermography (Raised print)


The Ceremony Programs were booklet style. First Methodist and Crystal Ballroom has a very rich history and Lauren wanted to include a brief history of both locations in the programs. Oh yeah and she had a really large bridal party!


We created tent style Reserved tablecards



Pamella & Priscilla's 15th Birthday
I had the pleasure of working with a cute set of twins - Priscilla and Pamella. I met with the twins and their mom sometime last year. Mom had an idea for years of what she wanted her girls birthday invitation to be like and she was very excited to put that vision to reality. Color theme: Black and Fuchsia Pink. Enjoy!

Work in progress (look at all that bling!)


The invitations were a layered flatcard with a rhinestone accent

Photo credit: RHPhotoarts

The invitations were delivered to guests in Box Mailers



Happy Easter everyone; enjoy your holiday!

Invitations

Hello!!!
I met Kate and her sweet mom, Mrs Gie with their wedding planner, the fabulous Alia Rdissi of Belle of the Ball about a year ago. We began working on the wedding stationery soon after. Mrs. Gie flew in from Chicago for the meeting and she's one of the sweetest MOB ever! She was such a pleasure to work with. Kate's husband, Matt was deployed at the time but returned back safely sometime in November. The wedding colors were Gray and Eggplant. The invitations were Pocket style with Satin Ribbon. Kate and Matt were married earlier this month at the Houstonian Hotel and Spa.

The Invitation


Enclosures in the pocket


Folded Card Program


Program


Escort Cards




Tent Table Card



Joy's 50th Birthday Celebration
Joy contacted me last year regarding invitations for her 50th birthday celebration. She saw and liked the "Penny Jackson" invitations we did (see here). Since Joy lives in Virginia, we never got a chance to meet but we spoke a few times and worked together first on the Save the date cards and then on the invitations.

The Save the Date card was a Layered Flat card


The invitation was a Layered Flat card with a jewelled embellishment


Enjoy your weekend!