ELLYN + JIM’S BOHO RUSTIC WEDDING
Bridesmaid proposals
Save the date
Invitation suite
Hotel welcome
Program
Menu
Seating chart
Signage
Hand lettering
Thank you notes
Shower invitations
Ellyn and Jim are the most fun couple. They have a great sense of humor and are always down to have a good time. When it came to their winter wedding, they really wanted to throw a killer party for their friends and family, with details that uniquely represented them. The overall vision was “rustic boho,” complete with plenty of greenery, florals, rich and neutral colors, and simple and natural elements. Plus, Ellyn and Jim love craft beer and checking out local breweries wherever they go. It’s a passion and a hobby for them, so they also wanted to incorporate a beer motif.
Bridesmaid proposals
First up were Ellyn’s bridesmaid proposals. She had the fantastic idea to play off the song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers, which is widely known as her go-to karaoke jam, along with a CD case. From there, we worked together to develop a color palette, figure out how best to build out the format and how to package it for delivery. The solution was to create a CD case insert with the key messaging on the front and inside covers, which then folded out to reveal information and inspiration about the big day. Ellyn made a playlist of some of the songs she wants to hear at the wedding, and burned it on CDs that were inserted into the cases.
All her bridesmaids knew that Jim proposed to her with a Fireball shot, so we tied up the CD cases with a mini bottle. We used ribbon that fit our color palette and a sprig of eucalyptus to bring in an element of fresh greenery. These turned out to be such fun little pieces that are completely unique to Ellyn.
Save the date coasters
We again created a unique format for the save the dates, which started with Ellyn’s idea to send out custom coasters. These were a great way to represent them as a couple and set the tone for their wedding, not to mention act as a totally useful and memorable piece. As a solution to include additional information and to avoid the extra postage costs associated with square envelopes, I designed 5×7 cards with slits for the coasters to fit snugly inside of.
Invitations
When it came to the invitation suite, Ellyn and Jim wanted to scale things back a bit for a more refined look. They also asked to include the Chicago skyline, plus some specific wording Ellyn had found which she felt represented them well. I kept the color palette consistent with the save the date to help make a cohesive transition to this tightened up look. Everything in the suite was printed on gooooorgeous speckled paper. Its varying flecks and fibers add some character and convey a rustic feel.
Details
For day-of details such as the hotel welcome piece, programs, menus, and signage, I followed the same look to ensure consistency with the invitations. Everything except for the hotel welcome sticker was printed on the same speckled paper to carry through a cohesive feel.
Wedding shower stationery
In addition to all the pieces for the wedding, I also got to work with Ellyn’s mom on stationery for her beer themed bridal shower. I knew I wanted to avoid the cliche type of design that screams “beer.” Instead, I came up with a more sophisticated look that merely hints at the beverage, through the rings a glass would leave on a table. I created matching thank you stationery and envelope addressing design. Paired with golden-hued kraft envelopes, these pieces represented the event perfectly without being too over the top.
“I would recommend Rachel’s talent to anyone and everyone. She truly has a knack for making a vision into a reality!
As a bride, trying to make the right decisions on all the intricate details that go into save the dates, invitations, signage, programs, menus, centerpieces etc. was overwhelming and Rachel lifted that pressure right off of me and designed pieces that were exactly what I envisioned even when the thoughts I shared with her were very vague. She is EXTREMELY creative and very easy to do business with. Her ideas were very unique and special to Jim and me. She provided much needed recommendations to help complete my thought.
Not only did she work with me throughout the wedding planning process, but she also worked with my family and vendors along the way and we all agreed she could not have been more of a pleasure to work with. She truly makes you feel special and will rework designs to make sure they’re exactly what you want! She’s one of a kind, quick to respond and extremely organized. She was on time with everything and I didn’t feel stressed at all about anything she was taking care of. We are SO thankful and can’t wait to work with her on our next project!”
ELLYN + JIM
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Photos from the event are by TWA Photographic Artists
The beer graphics used on the shower stationery and envelopes are from Vecteezy.