Songbird Wedding | Old World Botanical | I Do Sodo 2017
This was our second year participating in I Do Sodo, and it did not disappoint!
We teamed up with Natalie at Ginger Bee Events and an amazing vendor team to turn one of our favorite local wineries, Kerloo Cellars, into an Old World Botanical dream.
Enjoy the beautiful images below from Jonathan Steinberg which bring to life our theme.
xoxo,
Rosie
Venue: Kerloo Cellars | Photography: Jonathan Steinberg | Event Planning + Design: Ginger Bee Events | Stationery + Calligraphy: Songbird Paperie | Floral Design: Gather Design Company | Caterer: City Catering | Vintage Rentals: Vintage Ambiance | Rentals: Pedersen's Event Rentals | Photo Booth: Drunken Pixel | Hair + Makeup: Kelsey Knutson | DJ: Magnolia Rhapsody | Bridal Wear: The Nature of Isa | Lighting: Crimson Haze Event Lighting | Videography: Unified Cinematic | Doughnuts: Mini the Dough-Nut
Songbird Wedding | Jeweled Romance | Weddings in Woodinville 2017
We had so much fun participating in Weddings in Woodinville this year!
Julia at Wedding Wise took the lead in planning our showcase at The Woodhouse Wine Estates. The theme was 'Jeweled Romance' and all of the vendors really stepped up to bring the theme to life!
Blue Rose Photography did an incredible job capturing all of the lovely details. Take a look at the beautiful images for some major wedding inspo!
xoxo,
Rosie
Venue: The Woodhouse Wine Estates | Photography: Blue Rose Photography | Event Planning + Design: Wedding Wise | Paper Goods, Signage + Calligraphy: Songbird Paperie | Floral Design: Seattle Floral Design | Caterer: Twelve Baskets Catering | Vintage Rentals: Fanciful Rentals | Tent + Other Rentals: Grand Event Rentals | Farm Tables: Puget Sound Farm Tables | Photo Booth: Fun Frames Photo Booth | Chocolate Favors: Fran's Chocolates | Cake + Cookie Favors: Lilac Cake Boutique | Hair + Makeup: The Outer Edge Makeup & Hair Artistry | Officiant: Seattle Wedding | DJ: Affairs to Remember Entertainment | Bridal Gowns: Laineemeg Bridal
Songbird Wedding | Rustic Wonder | Seattle Met Bride & Groom Magazine
Today I'm so excited to share with you these gorgeous images from a styled shoot we did with Seattle Met Bride & Groom Magazine!
Rachel from Sugar Pine (formerly Butter & Bloom) and Erin from It's All in the Details produced this amazing celebration which we were so happy to be a part of!
The theme, "Rustic Wonder," was inspired by the beauty that surrounds us here in the Pacific Northwest. Think lush woodlands and evergreen forests.
The backdrop for the event was at the industrial-chic Within Sodo with an emerald green color palette set against the venue's rich wooden walls and rustic feel.
Hope you enjoy and get inspired for your wedding!
xoxo,
Rosie
Venue: Within Sodo | Photography: Dennis Wise at Seattle Met Bride & Groom Magazine | Event Design, Flowers, Cake, Candlestick + Table Numbers: Sugar Pine | Planning Assistant: It's all in the Details | Printed Matter, Notebooks + Calligraphy: Songbird Paperie | Macarons: Lady Yum | Table Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen | Chairs, Dinnerware + Flatware: ABC Special Event Rentals by Cort | Glassware + Tables: Vintage Ambiance | Favors: San Juan Sea Salt + Tree in a Box
Tips for the Newly Engaged
Did you know that one-third of people get engaged between November and December?! According to Facebook, Christmas Eve is the most popular day to get engaged, followed by Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Now that the holiday season is officially behind us, it’s time for all the newly engaged couples to kick off wedding planning.
And, trust us, we know that it can be an overwhelming process!
Today we wanted to share tips, which we learned the hard way, when it came to planning our wedding.
1. START PLANNING NOW
There are secret Pinterest boards for a reason!
I was very adamant about not ‘planning’ my wedding before I got engaged, even though my husband and I dated for many years. And, honestly, I majorly regret it. I always knew that my wedding would be out of state and I learned the hard way how difficult it is to plan a wedding when you live far from potential venues and vendors and have no clue what you want! – Erica
Unfortunately, Pinterest was still in beta when I was planning my wedding, so I had to plan the old-fashioned way: magazines and wedding websites! When planning, keep an open mind and give yourself time to change your mind! That poofy princess dress you dreamed about as an eight-year-old might make you look like a toddler in a tiara at age 26. – Rosie
2. HIRE A PLANNER
We both wish we hired a full-service wedding planner and did not just rely on the venue’s day-of coordinator. They are the experts and will be able to give you advice on the best vendors, best deals and really bring your vision to life.
Sure, they aren’t cheap. The average cost of a wedding planner is $3,000. However, in hindsight we would have rather scaled back or done without other things to fit a planner in our budgets.
I didn’t know that the day-of planner was just there to point our vendors in the right direction would not actually help with the set up or clean up! Poor Rosie ended up setting up, refiling and cleaning up our Candy Bar! Thank goodness for her, but I really wish that my guest could have just enjoyed herself. Also, me and my parents, who shelled out big bucks for the wedding, ended up having to clean up and load their car with a bunch of stuff at the end of the night. – Erica
My venue’s “on-site wedding planner” (yup, I just used quotations) had a really rough wedding the night before ours – it unseasonably POURED torrential rain and the winery had to shove all 100+ guests inside a teeny space. I later found out that the planner was not only kicking back glass after glass of pinot noir, but that she FORGOT to send the ring bearers and flower girls down the aisle! My sister, and matron of honor, just about had a heart attack when she had NO clue where her children were! Lesson learned: do NOT rely on on-site coordinators. Hire a professional. – Rosie
3. LITTLE DETAILS GO A LONG WAY
Although we want to have it all, unfortunately most of us can’t when it comes to our wedding. While letterpress and gold foil invitations are absolutely beautiful, they will cost you. Instead you can add little details like envelope liners, wraps or stickers which will help you kick up your invitations up a notch.
Also, when it comes to reception décor, if flowers are an area you decide to cut back but want to make sure your tables make a statement, consider placing menus at each seat.
I became obsessed with envelope liners through my wedding planner process! They are such a simple detail but provide such a nice impression upon opening an invitation or card. I now always include an envelope liner with all cards that I send! – Erica
We had a silhouette bird theme carried through our wedding – as did the venue! We’re not ornithologists, so we didn’t go over the top cray cray, but used them in subtle ways that would catch your eye in a fun, sweet way. It was pleasing to see a cohesive theme carry through from our invitations to the winery’s branding! – Rosie
4. PRIORITIZE YOUR BUDGET
This is probably THE most difficult part of wedding planning. Managing your budget. It’s crazy how everything adds up. Know what is most important to you (and listen to your gut) but be willing to compromise on everything else.
One of my biggest regrets, in addition to not hiring a planner, was not booking the photographer I wanted. Wedding photographers seemed outrageously expensive to me so I settled on one who was good, and recommended, but ended up not being the exact style I really wanted. At the end of the day, we were way over budget anyways… I just wish it was because I stuck to my guns on what I really wanted. – Erica
Mr. Architect and I were big-picture people when deciding what to spend our (and our parents’) money on. We wanted to prioritize the part of our wedding that would last – memories of good times. So, we put the venue, DJ and photographer at the top of our budget. It’s been almost 6 years and friends still talking about the beautiful winery, the most entertaining, sweet, personable, talented DJ in the Bay Area (shout out to Ron Grandia!) and the pictures we cherish oh so much. (Tonhya Kae, xoxo!) – Rosie
5. PLAN A KICK A$$ BACHELORETTE PARTY
Whether it be a destination getaway with your gal pals or a night out on the town, a fun bachelorette party will be majorly needed to help get your mind off the stresses that come with the planning process.
While I’m extremely grateful for our beautiful wedding, my Bachelorette party was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on! It was laid back, tropical and the highlight of all my wedding festivities. – Erica
And… don’t have it so close to your wedding day! I had a great time with my bridesmaids, but in hindsight, I would have recommended that we NOT paint the town red the night before the rehearsal dinner! – Rosie
10 Fun Ideas for Unique Wedding Invitations
Wedding invitations - the meat and bread of Songbird Paperie! Wedding stationery is the first glimpse of your special day, so make it count! Here are 10 fun ideas to make your invites unique and get guests pumped for the best day ever!
Airplane Boarding Pass
Having a destination wedding? Play off of the travel theme and get your guests excited for the trip! Go retro and include your "boarding pass" invitation, info card-turned-travel-itinerary and RSVP "receipt" in a sleeve that has your wedding logo as the "airline" logo! Fun, right?
Concert Ticket
This one is near and dear to my heart - a couple of years ago, I was introduced to a lovely gal named Beth who wanted a creative custom-designed wedding invitation that would reflect her and her fiance's passion for concerts. I created this concert-ticket-inspired wedding invitation for them. Beth and her now-husband Isaac became good friends, and this fall they're celebrating their second wedding anniversary!
Camp Bride & Groom
The camp theme is not new, but I like to get inspiration from in-style ideas like these and take it the extra mile. Everyone loves a tree or a snowy mountain, but how about inviting your guests to an actual summer camp? Check out these invitations and matching welcome guides for your campers -- it's like they're going to a real summer camp!
Minimal Copy
Maximize the white space and take a modern approach to your invites. This clean, minimal layout will bring a refined look to your wedding stationery and leave your guests looking forward to a very classy affair.
Online RSVP? Tuck in a Business Card!
This one might be my favorite! What do you do when you have an online RSVP and don't necessarily need the card-and-envelope combo, but still want to highlight how guests should reply without cluttering your invitation much like this sentence is cluttered? (Haha!) Stick in a little business card-sized RSVP card with your wedding website.
Vintage Map Liners – Without Ruining Your Map!
Who doesn't love a good envelope liner? This can work for a destination wedding, wedding in your hometown or highlight where you're honeymooning. Find a vintage black and white map, scan it and print it on a creamy paper -- map stays intact and you've created a very unique envelope liner!
Separate Yes/No RSVP Cards
It's like choose your own adventure, RSVP-style! Instead of checking a box, guests choose which card to send in.
Big Art, Teeny Text
Another take on the modern and minimal invitation design -- let the art speak loudly and keep the text simple. Big, bold, and punchy!
Printable Vellum
Break free from traditional paper and use printable vellum for a strong, yet delicate touch. A monochromatic color scheme with darker colors look best on this semi-translucent paper.
Printable Linen
Another creative medium for your invites! Printable LINEN! You could take this a super elegant direction, with swoopy-swirly calligraphy, or a more relaxed vibe with handwritten-style font!
See something you like and would like to recreate it with us? Mosey on over to our contact page or send an email to erica@songbirdpaperie.com and we'll set up a coffee date to chat wedding invitation design!
xoxo,
Rosie