case study: alex and jess

Saving the Date with elegance and style

I find weddings and events so exciting to create designs for because no project is ever the same. Every project is unique and personal to the client for a variety of reasons, so it’s my job to bring their ideas and personality to life with my designs.

A newly engaged couple, Alex and Jess, approached me in early 2023 to design Save the Dates for their October 2024 wedding. I was excited to get our first meeting pencilled into the diary so we could all sit down and discuss their plans so I could gain a better insight into the vision they had for their stationery. Sitting down with couples and discussing their likes, dislikes, personalities and visions not only helps me get to know them better on a personal level, but it also allows them to get to know me too.

Jess and Alex wanted a one-of-a-kind Save the Date that you wouldn’t have seen as a standard template you could just purchase online; they wanted a bespoke and personal design that was just for them, for their big day.

an inspiring venue

Rhinefield House Hotel, a beautiful and historic mansion adorned with Tudor and Gothic styles, is set in the heart of the New Forest. As with every couple getting married, the venue sets the scene not just for how the entire day will unfold but also for how the stationery should look. The timeless elegance of Rhinefield House was an important aspect that Alex and Jess wanted at the forefront of their guests’ minds when they took a first look at the Save the Dates.

After many cups of tea and biscuits during our initial consultation, it was time for me to get to work. I visited the hotel’s website, which was adorned with beautiful images of various rooms around the hotel as well as the stunning grounds on which the venue stands. At first glance at the website, Rhinefield House Hotel reminded me of the romance, decadence and classic novels of Jane Austin, instantly inspiring me with ideas for the overall theme of the stationery.

the design process

I always encourage brides if they haven’t done so already, to create a Pinterest board of ideas for their wedding, including colours, styles and themes as it can really help me see exactly what it is the couple envisage for their big day.

Jess had already created a Wedding Board which contained beautiful, stylised images of outfits, colours, themes and table decorations which gave me an insight into their overall vision. The colours they liked included navy blue, a bold, yet classic choice, accompanied by dusky, subtle pastel blues, instantly inspiring a Bridgerton feel. A theme that I suggested would be perfect for the special finish of gold foil to add extra opulence to their stationery.

I got to work and created a mood board document for colours schemes, themes, fonts and monogram ideas that we could all sit down and discuss at our next meeting. Alex and Jess loved everything on the mood board, particularly the monogram containing their intertwined initials and this was a design element they would want to use on most of their stationery going forward.

A special finish of gold foil was an added extra that Alex and Jess wanted to be present on the Save the Dates, so taking this into account, I created a couple of colour scheme options including the gold and an alternative of copper foil that I felt also compliment their chosen palette. Whilst they appreciated the copper foil on a sample, when they saw both side by side, it confirmed their final choice of the gold foil.

voila!

After presenting 2-3 design ideas to Alex and Jess, it was over to them to decide which concept was their favourite. Whilst they liked all the designs presented to them, one in particular, stood out to them so after a few tweaks here and there, the result was everything Alex and Jess were looking for.

I am so pleased that Alex and Jess loved their Save the Dates, they are such a lovely couple and I for one, cannot wait to get started on their main invitations early next year.

  • "We loved the designs Kim created for us! She took the time to go through different options and ideas with us and she was always happy to tweak bits to our specific taste. We are so happy with the Save the Dates she created for us and have had many compliments from our guests about them!"

    Alex & Jess

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