It's Time to "Fall" in Love with Absolutely Inviting

In our July 11th post, we gave you the suggested timeline for ordering stationery for your fall and winter events. We are presently offering a special discount to brides who book before September 30th, 2011.

Contact us today for your wedding stationery!


*Offer applies to wedding stationery only. In order to qualify, a deposit must be made by September, 30, 2011.
This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.

Wedding Feature: An Absolutely Plush Event!

A few months ago we were approached by Kelli & Steffan to design the stationery suite for their wedding celebration on July 23, 2011. Based on the vision they had for their event, we instantly came up with an idea for their stationery suite which consisted of a pocketfold invitation set with coordinating response cards, envelope liners, and wax seals customized with the couple's monograms, (surprise shower invites), ceremony programs, menu cards, table numbers, and a seating chart.

The suite used the base colors of cream and tan with coral to add pops of color. Metallics, Patterns, Transparent Papers, and Lush Ribbons were combined to make an Absolutely Plush set. The detail at this event was simply astounding - from the decor, to the amazing groom's cake which symbolized the groom's love for his fraternity, to the candy bar where guests were provided with bags with customized labels to fill up with their favorite candy.

We received AWESOME reviews on this set from the couple, their parents, guests, and their wedding coordinator. Here is what the bride herself had to say:

Good Morning Absolutely Inviting, I am writing to thank you for the invitations. I knew that your work and skill was untouched and mastered; but now that I have your actual product in my possession, I can truly say that your work reflects everything that you say about your company.

When we first met, I gave you my ideas and you listened to each detail. But better still, you brought that detail to life in your work. You gave me exactly what I asked for and more. I can see and have great appreciation for every hand-crafted detail that was placed into the invitations; each lined and sealed to perfection.

Thank you, Absolutely Inviting. You are and continue to be a great force within the local stationery industry; but I am sure that that greatness lies ahead for you above and beyond the local industry. Your work continues to speak for itself.

Thank you so much!

See below for a sneak peek into their event!

Planning a Fall Wedding? Then it's Time to "Fall" in Love with Absolutely Inviting

-To ensure that there is sufficient time for the design phase and assembly of your event stationery, please contact us to reserve a date based on the guidelines below. As a suggestion, invitations should be sent out at least 8 weeks in advance. We recommend that you order 6-8 weeks prior to this deadlinae. With this in mind, your invitations should ideally be ordered 14-16 weeks (3.5-4 months) in advance of your wedding. The following is an order schedule for weddings with invitations being mailed 8 weeks before your event. For a custom design, you will want to book your invitation consultation at least 6 months in advance of your wedding. Please note that these are simply guidelines and we may be able to accommodate rush orders.

Wedding Invitations:

September 2011 - Reserve Date in May- early June
October 2011 - Reserve Date in June- early July
November 2011 - Reserve Date in July- early August
December 2011 - Reserve Date in August- early September
January 2012 - Reserve Date in September- early October
February 2012 - Reserve Date in October- early November
March 2012 - Reserve Date in November- early December
April 2012 - Reserve Date in December- early January

OTHER EVENT STATIONERY:

Save the dates: Can be sent from 6 months to a year in advance of your wedding.

Wedding Programs & Table Stationery (Menus/Placecards/Table Numbers/Seating Charts etc.): should ideally be ordered 6 to 8 weeks in advance. This process can begin as soon as you receive your wedding invitations from Absolutely Inviting!

Parties and Other Events: Please contact us to reserve a design start date that is about 6-8 weeks prior to your event.

Happy 38th Independence Bahamas - July 10, 2011

Happy 38th Independence Bahamas from Absolutely Inviting!!!!
July 10th, 1973 - July 10th, 2011

Have a safe & fabulous holiday weekend!

If you are interested in invitations with an island flavor...
ask us about our beach themed suites!

Wedding Feature: An Absolutely Blue Affair!

We were approached by this couple to design the "day of" stationery for their June wedding. The couple's wedding incorporated shades of blue and silver - a very classic and formal color combination. Based on this, we went for a traditional/vintage feel. Their stationery suite included ceremony programs, menu cards, table numbers, and a seating chart.

This couple was ABSOLUTELY classic

Their event ABSOLUTELY splendid

Their stationery - ABSOLUTELY INVITING!

See below for a sneak peek into their event.

Vent Post!

While we can appreciate that our work is admired both by brides and other "stationery design companies" alike, we would appreciate it even more if those companies would cease from lifting photos/designs/and ENTIRE ARTICLES from our blog etc. to pass off as their own work. Not only is it stealing...it is a manifestation to the extent of your creativity or lack thereof.

If you are in a "creative" industry you simply cannot depend on others for "creativity"...

Have an awesome weekend!!
Absolutely Inviting!

What some of our clients are saying

Sorry we haven't been able to update our blog as frequently as we would like, but we have been very busy this wedding season. We will be coming with some updates soon! In the mean time, we thought we would share what Absolutely Inviting's clients are saying:

"I am hoping that the photographer, videographer, etc, makes us as happy and as satisfied as you guys have!! - MJP
"Love them, love them, love them...they are perfect...you listened and you delivered"! - CKS
"Love your work - remain committed and you will continue to have many more international clients" - LD
Yes!!!! I absolutely love it!! Made my day for sure!!!! - MK

We thought we would share!

When people ask us why we post our work on our blog or facebook for others to be able to copy, we let them know it's a risk you have to take to be able to showcase to potential clients. When this started happening to us way too often - from as blatant as designs to as simple as facebook posts (yes really!) - we debated the pros and cons of having a web presence, but after discussing this with other entrepreneurs, we realized that there were definitely more pros.

Now we all take inspiration from somewhere (for example the pocketfold style invitation started in one place, but now they are found at just about every major paper retailer and used by a vast majority of invitation designers!); however, your designer/planner should be able to make it all about YOU. At the end of the day, anyone can try to copy a design, but what about the ability to customize and translate the customer's vision into a final product? What about the quality of the work? What about the professionalism and ability to deliver? This is what Absolutely Inviting is all about!

We thought that we would share this very interesting article by Preston Bailey. Click HERE & Enjoy!

Quick Share: ceremony program from our recent off island wedding!

We received this photo along with compliments from one of the guests at the recent destination wedding in Abaco, Bahamas and we thought that we would share
(we love the vibrant colors against the chocolate program)!

Happy Easter Everyone!

"The Bold and The Beautiful": Wedding Feature: March 2011

We were approached by this couple to design the "day of" stationery for their March wedding. The couple's wedding incorporated shades of fuchsia and orange (a very bold and absolutely beautiful color combination). We knew right away what style we would use for this bride, and she loved the way everything turned out.

This couple was ABSOLUTELY charming
Their event ABSOLUTELY beautiful
Their stationery - ABSOLUTELY INVITING!

See below for a sneak peek into their event.
Credits:
Flowers by "Illuminations"
Cake by Ms. Sandra Bethel
Stationery by Absolutely Inviting

"Spring" Into Action: Book Today With Absolutely Inviting

To ensure that there is sufficient time for the design phase and assembly of your event stationery, please contact us to reserve a date based on the guidelines below. As a suggestion, invitations should be sent out at least 8 weeks in advance. We recommend that you order 6-8 weeks prior to this deadline. With this in mind, your invitations should ideally be ordered 14-16 weeks (3.5-4 months) in advance of your wedding. The following is an order schedule for weddings with invitations being mailed 8 weeks before your event. For a custom design, you will want to book your invitation consultation at least 6 months in advance of your wedding. Please note that these are simply guidelines and we may be able to accommodate rush orders.

Wedding Invitations:

May 2011 - Reserve Date in January- early February
June 2011 - Reserve Date in February- early March
July 2011 - Reserve Date in March- early April
August 2011 - Reserve Date in April- early May
September 2011 - Reserve Date in May- early June
October 2011 - Reserve Date in June- early July
November 2011 - Reserve Date in July- early August
December 2011 - Reserve Date in August- early September

OTHER EVENT STATIONERY:

Save the dates: Can be sent from 6 months to a year in advance of your wedding.

Wedding Programs & Table Stationery (Menus/Placecards/Table Numbers/Seating Charts etc.): should ideally be ordered 6 to 8 weeks in advance. This process can begin as soon as you receive your wedding invitations from Absolutely Inviting!

Parties and Other Events: Please contact us to reserve a design start date that is about 6-8 weeks prior to your event.

Baby, Baby, Baby: Baby Shower Feature

We have been so busy with our clients' events recently that we have not posted in quite a while, so here is a quick post just to keep you up to date! We did these invites for a repeat client a couple months back, and we got good reviews on them! The host wanted an orange and pink color scheme to match the linens and other decor and here is what we did (we were so happy that the honoree loved the invite - we just love our repeat customers)

Valentine's Day Promotion: Book Now & Save!

Roses are red...

Violets are blue...

Absolutely Inviting has a very special promotion just for you!

Book Now & Save

Vendor Spotlight (Update - Part Deux): Video Majic -The Bahamas' finest in Professional Videography

So nice we had to do it twice...

We loved the intimate feel of this couple's wedding as captured by Video Majic Productions!

Video Majic is based in Freeport, Grand Bahama (Bahamas), and they have extended their reach to the islands of New Providence and Abaco. Offering packages ranging from single camera to three camera event coverage, we are sure that Video Majic will amaze you just as they did us. If it's the WOW factor you are going for Video Majic is a must. "Where a lifetime of memories begin!"

Vendor Spotlight (Update): Video Majic -The Bahamas' finest in Professional Videography

We are sure you remember our friends at Video Majic; they were the first to be featured in our "Vendor Spotlight" Section sometime back- click HERE to see the first post!

Video Majic is based in Freeport, Grand Bahama (Bahamas), and they have extended their reach to the islands of New Providence and Abaco. Offering packages ranging from single camera to three camera event coverage, we are sure that Video Majic will amaze you just as they did us. If it's the WOW factor you are going for Video Majic is a must. See below as our follow up to the initial feature... it just keeps on getting better.

Check us out on Facebook!

Absolutely Inviting - Unique, handcrafted invitations and event stationery!

New Year: Old Rule! - Availability & Ordering Dates

To ensure that there is sufficient time for the design phase and assembly of your event stationery, please contact us to reserve a date based on the guidelines below. As a suggestion, invitations should be sent out at least 8 weeks in advance. We recommend that you order 6-8 weeks prior to this deadline. With this in mind, your invitations should ideally be ordered 14-16 weeks (3.5-4 months) in advance of your wedding. The following is an order schedule for weddings with invitations being mailed 8 weeks before your event. For a custom design, you will want to book your invitation consultation at least 6 months in advance of your wedding. Please note that these are simply guidelines and we may be able to accommodate rush orders.

Wedding Invitations:

January 2011 - Reserve Date in September- early October
February 2011 - Reserve Date in October- early November
March 2011 - Reserve Date in November- early December
April 2011 - Reserve Date in December- early January
May 2011 - Reserve Date in January - early February
June 2011 - Reserve Date in February- early March
July 2011 - Reserve Date in March- early April

OTHER EVENT STATIONERY:

Save the dates: Can be sent from 6 months to a year in advance of your wedding.

Wedding Programs & Table Stationery (Menus/Placecards/Table Numbers/Seating Charts etc.): should ideally be ordered 6 to 8 weeks in advance. This process can begin as soon as you receive your wedding invitations from Absolutely Inviting!

Parties and Other Events: Please contact us to reserve a design start date that is about 6-8 weeks prior to your event.

Our 12 Days of Christmas Recap

We hope you enjoyed our 12 days of Christmas blog updates! Below is a recap for your ease of reference just in case you missed any. We look forward to a new year with fabulous new designs!

• On the 1st day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...an ad featured in Ca Mari!
• On the 2nd day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a useful tool to help my guests find their seats (Event Tip: Seating Charts)
• On the 3rd day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...the wedding of Krystle & Giovanni (Wedding Feature - October 2010)
• On the 4th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a way to show our personality (Event Tip: Monograms)
• On the 5th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...favors made in the island of sun, sand, and sea (Vendor Spotlight: Elegant Accents)
• On the 6th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...fab decorations for my Christmas tree!
• On the 7th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...Pantone's Color for 2011 which is just SO pretty!
• On the 8th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a centerpiece idea from under the sea (Vendor Spotlight: Just Paws Pet Store)
• On the 9th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A true love who asked "Will You Marry Me?" : (Engagement Party Feature)
• On the 10th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A "Scentsational" Wedding Favor Idea to Complement My Stationery
• On the 11th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A Christmas Card Specially Designed for Our Family
• On the 12th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... Christmas Greetings from their Company

On the 12th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... Christmas Greetings from their Company

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

On the 11th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A Christmas Card Specially Designed for Our Family

A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of the Christmas in order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to the Christmas and holiday season...with a higher preference of handmade gifts during the 19th century over purchased or commercial items, homemade cards carried high sentimental value as gifts alone. (Wikipedia.com)

Here are personalized family Christmas Cards made by Absolutely Inviting shown along with our candle favors featured in our last post

On the 10th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A "Scentsational" Wedding Favor Idea to Complement My Stationery

More often than not our brides have absolutely no idea as to what they can give for favors, so they turn to us for advice. When it comes to favors, the possibilities are endless. Here is just one suggestion - why not order customized candles from Absolutely Inviting? These can be ordered in a variety of scents and size options *think tea lights, tins, votives etc.*

Here are some candles we did as Christmas favors.

On the 9th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me... A true love who asked "Will You Marry Me?" : (Engagement Party Feature)

Christmas and New Year's Day are probably the most popular times for marriage proposals. Perhaps that is because at this time, people are thinking more about family and love, and looking forward to a new year and a bright future. Hmmm - we wonder how many of our fans will receive marriage proposals this season...!

Here is a sneak peek of an invitation set we did for an engagement party recently:


The set contained an invitation with a ribbon closure, matching envelope with a customized seal, and direction cards.

Remember, Absolutely Inviting can create stationery for your entire journey down the aisle...engagement announcements/party invitations, save the dates, invitations etc.

On the 8th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a centerpiece idea from under the sea (Vendor Spotlight: Just Paws Pet Store)

The only rule for today's bride is: You make the rules (haha). Seriously though - more and more bride's are stepping away from "tradition" trading veils for chic hairpieces; choosing colors that they actually want rather than what the season dictates just to name a few.

For a modern twist on tradition, why not replace the traditional flower centerpiece with a tropical fish centerpiece from JUST PAWS Pet Supply Store on Prince Charles Drive? Not only are the fish setups fabulous pieces, they are also affordable, and think of how long they will last after your event making them cute giveaways for special guests!

Just Paws can create "live" centerpieces to complement your theme/decor. See photos below, click HERE to find them on facebook, or just call them at 364-PAWZ (7299).

On the 7th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me..Pantone's Color for 2011 which is just SO pretty!

For those that may not know, Pantone is THE authority on color; they impact every industry from print to packaging to fashion and back. Every year, Pantone releases its "color of the year". Last year Pantone's color was Turquoise.

The Pantone color of the year for 2011 (drum roll please...)

HONEYSUCKLE

Isn't it pretty????

On the 6th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...fab decorations for my Christmas tree!

Yesterday we featured the company Elegant Accents, and today we decided to do a second part feature! If you are anything like us, every Christmas you look for a few unique items to add to your ornament/holiday decor collection. Well we found exactly what we were looking for at Elegant Accents - gorgeous, handmade shell ornaments to add to our island themed Christmas tree! (Yes they were made locally!) We thought we would share with our readers!

On the 5th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...favors made in the island of sun, sand, and sea (Vendor Spotlight: Elegant Accents)

The owner/designer of Elegant Accents recently invited us to view some of their customized products. The company carries, among other things, gorgeous flower pots in a range of sizes and embellishment options. Think wedding favors, centerpieces, or even mother's day gift ideas! Handmade right here in the Bahamas, you can contact them for your own 'Elegant Accent'. Here are two of the flower pots that the company carries; this size is ideal for a centerpiece or gifting - think orchids :) . Aren't they lovely?!!!

On the 4th day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a way to show our personality (Event Tip: Monograms)

Article written by D. Roberts for Absolutely Inviting.
Please note that copying, downloading, reproducing, or printing of any of our material is strictly prohibited without our express written permission.

A monogram is a simple way to add some personalization to your event stationery. In the traditional sense, a monogram is made by overlapping or combining two or more letters to form one symbol. A standard monogram has the initial of the individual's last name set larger or standing out in some way or the other, with the first initial appearing to the left and the middle initial appearing to the right. An example would be for an individual with the name John Andrew Doe to have the following monogram: jDa. The word "mono" is derived from the Greek "monos" meaning single, alone, or only. Thus, a monogram consists of the letters from a single person (source: PenDance Calligraphy & Engraving).

Married or engaged couples may use two-letter monograms or their entwined initials, or they may even opt to use three-letter monograms incorporating the initial of their shared surname. This is referred to as a duogram. An example would be the duogram jDj for John and Jane Doe.

Wedding Etiquette:

• As the vows have not been said, it is improper to use the bride's married monogram on the wedding program. The wedding program is the last opportunity for the bride to use her maiden monogram.

At Absolutely Inviting, we can customize your monogram/duogram to coordinate with your theme, colors etc. We have seen our customized pieces used on invitations/programs/thank you cards/seating charts/unity candles/favor tags/envelope seals/aisle runners and much more.
Whether it's traditional, hip, chic, or fun we can create your monogram - contact us today!


A few of our designs which have been used on various stationery pieces from past events:

On the 3rd day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...the wedding of Krystle & Giovanni (Wedding Feature - October 2010)

We were approached by this couple to create one of a kind stationery for their October nuptials. The couple's wedding incorporated shades of purple with hints of green and silver (a very popular color combination this fall). The bride had a basic idea for the invitation, and Absolutely Inviting's task was to bring this "idea" to life. The couple loved their stationery suite which included a customized monogram, invitations, ceremony programs, hymn sheets, menu cards, table numbers, and a seating chart.

This couple was ABSOLUTELY lovely
Their event ABSOLUTELY sentimental
Their stationery - ABSOLUTELY INVITING!

See below for a sneak peek into their event.

Photos courtesy of Warren Grant Photography

On the 2nd day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...a useful tool to help my guests find their seats (Event Tip: Seating Charts)

Article written by D. Roberts for Absolutely Inviting.
Please note that copying, downloading, reproducing, or printing of any of our material is strictly prohibited without our express written permission.

A seating chart is an excellent way to reduce chaos at your event. It indicates to each guest the table at which he or she will be seated and can be used in conjunction with OR in lieu of the place card. This of course is a personal preference.

Seating charts offer several benefits:

1. A seating chart is easy to display
2. It can add an elegant touch to any event
3. Guests have some control over who they are seated with
4. Most importantly, it is much less work than place cards, so it's easier for the organizer!

The seating chart can either list guests alphabetically by name or by table. Listing by name makes it much easier for guests to find their seat, and is excellent for large functions. Listing by table shows at a glance who else is at the same table. At Absolutely Inviting, you can have the best of both worlds by having both alphabetical AND table listings.

Once again, in order for organized seating to be effective, guest MUST RSVP within the time frame stated on the invitation so that there is sufficient time to produce place cards/seating charts etc., and so that the various pieces will, most importantly, be as accurate as possible!

Contact Absolutely Inviting for your event add-ons such as seating chart (with frame rental) today!!!

Here is the seating chart and frame used at a recent wedding:

On the 1st day of Christmas Absolutely Inviting gave to me...an ad featured in Ca Mari!

Absolutely Inviting placed an ad in the Winter issue of Ca Mari Magazine which was released this week! Ca Mari is a groundbreaking local women's lifestyle publication. This issue is now on sale, and we were the first stationery company to advertise in their weddings section!

Absolutely Inviting also attended Ca Mari's release/mix and mingle held this weekend and had a good time mingling with the editor in chief, contributors, advertisers, and other supporters.

Check out our ad from the magazine and get your copy of Ca Mari today!

Absolutely Inviting Presents the 12 Days of Christmas!

We have not been blogging as often as we should have, so we have a special treat for you! Absolutely Inviting is gifting you with 12 days of Christmas during the 12 days to Christmas!!! Over the next 12 days (yes we know that the "12 days of Christmas" actually begin on Christmas :)), culminating with Christmas day we will give you a new post every day. This should more than make up for the posts we have missed. Please check back each day for exciting Absolutely Inviting updates.

And Baby Makes...: Baby Shower Feature

A few months back we advised that we would be temporarily halting client consultations, and alot of our Facebook friends wanted to know why. We promised that we would let you all know the reason in due time, so here it is:

On Sunday, September 5th at 4:11 a.m., we welcomed a beautiful baby boy into this world! Our son, born at 7lbs, 7 oz, is truly a blessing. We therefore took some time off to enjoy our new bundle of joy while working on various projects we had already committed to.

We are sharing one of the first (of hundreds :-) ) shots taken during a photo shoot with photographer Warren Grant, who we found out about after he did an engagement session for some friends. He also took some shots that will be included in our next wedding feature. You can visit his website HERE or his Facebook page HERE

For our SURPRISE baby shower I created the invites - Yes it was a surprise. Here were the instructions I received... "Design the invites and leave a space for the date/time/venue". My family insisted that I design the invites because that way they could ensure that the stationery would be to my liking - how cute :)

The invitation colors were mint and chocolate (which were incorporated in everything from the decorations to the oh so yummy cake!) The dot motif on the three layer invitation 'just happened', but strangely enough this season saw LOTS of baby items in green and brown with dot/circle motifs! Focus was placed on the fact that we were not finding out the baby's gender, and to reflect this, we used a boy/girl teddy bear graphic outlined with a question mark. The invitation also contained a matching outer seal.

Absolutely Inviting is Absolutely more than weddings, so contact us today for your event stationery!

Happy Thanksgiving

Absolutely Inviting is wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

On this day we are thankful for being blessed with creativity, ORIGINALITY, vision, loyal clients, and the huge amount of support we have received since we started. We are thankful in advance for the great things that are to come!

Enjoy your holidays.

-From: Your Friends at Absolutely Inviting

We're BACK!!! with a New Promotion: Book now & SAVE

As you may be aware, Absolutely Inviting had discontinued new client consultations for a brief time (we'll share the reason in an upcoming post). We received several requests during the time about our products and services, and we are thankful for your patience and continued support.

We are happy to announce that we have resumed client appointments!!! We are presently offering a special discount to brides who book before December 31st, 2010.

Contact us today for your event stationery!

*Offer applies to wedding stationery only. In order to qualify, a deposit must be made by December 31, 2010. This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.

Viva Las Vegas! Wedding Feature

This particular wedding feature is of personal significance to us.

The bride: one of my best friends, former school-mate, and maid of honor in our June 2006 nuptials The groom: my husband's fraternity brother, fellow All American track and field teammate, and groomsman in our wedding as well.

They met during our wedding festivities and if I didn't believe in destiny before - I do now, because they are simply meant to be. This couple decided to have their wedding celebration in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. The ceremony was held at Wynn (by the way - this hotel is absolutely stunning) and the reception was held at Trevi at Caesar's Palace (by the way the calamari is absolutely delicious :-)!

The colors chosen were aqua and pewter, and the stationery suite included invitations and favor tags. The clients gave us a basic idea of what they wanted, and we came up with a gate-fold invitation concept using their custom designed monogram as a closure.

This couple was ABSOLUTELY fabulous
Their event ABSOLUTELY Vegas
Their stationery - ABSOLUTELY INVITING!

Congrats again to our friends: Mr. & Mrs. Smith!