Save-the-Date... the story behind the design

Well, Mr Postman has done his job and successfully delivered all of our Save-the-Date cards, which means we can now reveal some photos and the story behind the design and where the inspiration came from...

So, as you've probably already read... Hayley Ruth (our photographer) met us for an Engagement Shoot when An Essex Wedding Magazine ran a small feature announcing our engagement and requested a photo. When we saw the results of the photo shoot we desperately wanted to share them with the world... but instead, we opted to keep them to ourselves and share the images at a later date in a non-electronic format with our friends and family. So, the idea of using a selection of the images in our save-the-date cards was born.

Initially, we discussed creating a concertina style album and wanted to present it in a format that gave the impression of a leather bound book, or an old styled journal. After deliberating over the possible elements forming a design we decided that individual images enclosed within their pocket would be most feasible and cost effective, and would add an additional element to the design when the card was opened. Our immediate choice for the printing of the images was Moo (I've used them before for clients) and have been impressed with the quality of print and speed of service. It also meant that we could add some details to the reverse of the individual images.

The next task was to create a package that not only gave a bit of a vintage feel but also represented our initial idea of a leather bound book. Using a brown leather effect card, some suede cord and some rather fabulous buttons (which we spent hours trawling the Internet for... and tweeting about!) we managed to create a look that not only fulfilled the leather bound idea, but also the vintage journal appearance. Printing the wording content in Brown Ink in a old style font also helped to achieve this.

Whether or not our guests understood the idea or concept is another thing... but so far we've had an amazing response to them. We were delighted to hear that one of our guests has taken all the images and had them framed... would she have done this if we had shared them with her on Facebook or by email?

If you're interested in hearing a bit more about the design and sourcing of materials, please email.