5 not-obvious things you NEED to ask your wedding venue before booking: Part one

Finding  that  utterly  perfect  and  spot-on  location  to  host  your  wedding  celebration can  be  a  tough  job.  The  choice  is  limitless  and  if  you’re  not  tied  into  a  specific  geographical  area,  then  the  world  is  quite  literally  your  oyster  and  your  hunting ground! It should  be  a  fun  part  of  the  planning  and  once  you  have  found  and  secured  that  ideal  venue,  many  other  parts  of  planning  your  vision  do  click  into place. It is  the  biggest  part  of  the  planning  and  so  important  to  get  right,  so  Ananya is delighted to be  hearing  from  wedding  venue  consultant  (and  former  luxury  wedding  planner),  Kelly  Chandler of Kelly Chandler Consulting who  shares  her  tips  with  you  in an in-depth, two part blog, on  some  of  the  things  to  check  before  you  secure  your  venue  to  be  absolutely  sure  it’s  for  you;  there  is  no  right  or  wrong  to  some  of  these  suggestions  and  restrictions, and  some  will  be  fine  for  you,  others  not  -  the  aim  with  this  feature  is  purely  to  give  you  the  knowledge  to  ask  the  questions  of  the  things  that  are  hot  on  YOUR  priority  list.

Kelly Chandler

Part One

1. Exclusivity  and  Venue  Use

A  great  many  wedding  venues  now  offer  exclusivity  or  some form  of  exclusive-use  such  that  you  are  the  only  wedding  on  that  day  in  that  venue.  This  can  however  mean  different  things  within  different  venues  so  don’t  be  afraid  to  ask  and  get  specific  on  things.  For  some  locations  exclusivity  can  mean  you  have  exclusive  use  of  a  certain  dedicated  banqueting  area  but  say  not  bedrooms,  for  other locations, it  can  be  full  exclusive  use  of  an  entire  home,  gardens  and  grounds,  for  others  it  can  be exclusive  use  between  certain  hours  and  not  others. Do  find out  when  your  exclusive  use  starts  and  ends  as  every  venue  should  have a  policy  on  this  and  sometimes  it’ll  be  for  the  day  from  early  start  and  sometimes  it’ll  include  an  overnight. Find  out  what  their  policy  is  on  other  events  and  other  clients  and  if  they  run  exclusive  use  events  back  to  back  (or  not);  don't  be  afraid  to  ask  about  supplier  access  too  -  in  some  cases  venues  will  allow  suppliers  to  gain  access  early  to  set  up  the  design,  in  others  it’s  a  strict  access  time  for  anything  to  do  with  your  wedding.

2. Recommended/Preferred and Approved  Supplier  List   

Get  super  clear  on  a  venue’s  policy  with  working  with  suppliers  and  outside  wedding  professionals  and  see  that  it  works  for  you.  There  is  a  difference  between  a  recommended  or  preferred  supplier  list  where  the  venue  is  usually  giving  you  the  benefit  of  their  tried and  trusted  list  that  you  can,  but  are  not  obliged  to,  use  and  an  Approved  Supplier  List  which  is  usually  where  you  MUST  pick  from  that  list.  It’s  quite  customary  for  a  venue  to  have  an  Approved  list  you  must  use  in  the  areas  of  catering,  lighting  and  production  and  entertainment  and  marquee  build,  when  you  consider  these  are  the  areas  which  require  a  lot  of  equipment  and  run  the  greatest  degree  of  risk,  it’s  vital  that  venues  have  control  over  the  quality  and  professionalism  of  who  works  with  them  in  order  to  protect  their places  and  spaces  for  all  clients. Many  venues  will  be  more  than  happy  for  you  to  use  your  own  chosen  suppliers  in  many  areas  - do  ask  if  and  how  they  will  be  able  to  obtain  access  to  view  the  venue  in  advance  of  the  wedding  as  this  can  be  needed  in  the  case  of  for  example a  florist  who needs  to  see  a  new  space  before  coming  up  with  full  designs  for  you.  

3. Rules and Restrictions   

It’s  quite  usual  for  venues  to  have  some  rules  and  restrictions  around  the  following,  so  do  ask  away  to  see  what  your  venue  policy  is  and  if  this  works  for  you. Do  bear  in  mind  that  most  rules  are  there  to  protect  the  fabric  of  the  building  in  the  case  of  heritage  properties, to  ensure  guest safety  and  to  ensure  that  the  venue  can  continue  to  operate  in  the  case  of  noise  restrictions  - venue  operators  can  have  their  license  removed  if  noise  pollution  becomes  an  issue  so  understandably  they  need  to  enforce  some  restrictions  to  protect  against  this: Confetti  throwing - is  it  allowed? Sometimes  biodegradable/real  petal  variety  is  in  some  parts  of  the  venue,  but  often  not  on  gravel  or  on  floors that  may  stain. Naked  flames - many  venues  ban  candles  entirely  or  limit  the  use  of  free  standing  candelabra  and  naked  flames  not  in  safe  containers. Dark  drinks - in  some  heritage  buildings  red  wine  &  berry  based  drinks  are  forbidden  except  at  seated  dinners  because  of  the  spillage  and  staining  risk. Dancing - often  this  will  need  to  take  place  in  certain  parts  of  the  venue only  and  between  certain  hours - do  check  and  also  if  you  need  to  install  and  pay  for  a  dance floor. 

Fireworks - often  these  are  not  allowed  due  to  disruption  to  livestock  and  damage  to  grounds  but  some  venues  have  preferred  suppliers  who  can  work  on  their  property  if  you  have  your  heart  set  on  this  - do  ask. Sound  limiters - noise  pollution  is  one  of  the  biggest  risks  to  a  wedding  venue  not  being  able  to  continue  to  operate  so  owners  and  managers  take  this  seriously. Sometimes  they  are  required  to  install  an  actual  sound  limiter  within  the  property,  other  times  it’s  monitored  more subjectively  but  do  ask  what  sound  limits  exist  within  your  preferred  venue  and  what  entertainment  most  couples  choose. If  you  have  your  heart  set on a 10 piece  big  band  and  your  venue  has  a  fierce  sound  meter, this  is  unlikely  to  be  a  match;  most  venues  with  sound  limiters  tend  to  lean  towards  DJs  rather  than  live  bands, that said live bands can and do perform  within  the  limits of sound, it will be important to work with a professional band who takes  this seriously and prepares in advance in terms of their instruments and kit - it usually makes sense to work with the venue's preferred list in this case as the band/DJ will  have worked there before. 

Thank you Kelly for the insightful and informative first three points on booking a venue. We at Ananya love working with venues and are delighted to be a preferred wedding stationery supplier for some.

Part Two will follow shortly, so stay tuned.

Photo credits: 

Headshot photo of Kelly Chandler: http://www.annelimarinovich.com

Venue: Warmwell House, Dorset: https://www.warmwell-house.com

Photography: Imogen Xiana https://www.imogenxiana.com

Florals: https://www.marthaandthemeadow.com

Cakes: https://www.fanciebuns.co.uk

Bridal Accessories, Hair and Make up: http://www.victoriafergusson.co.uk

Model (bride): http://www.tanyalouisecumberland.com

Bridal gowns: http://www.naomineoh.com

Silk ribbons and silk runner: http://www.pompomblossom.com

Furniture - white chairs for ceremony: http://www.thewhitechaircompany.co.uk

Cross back chairs & wooden bar unit for cake/champagne station: http://dpmarquees.co.uk

Write here…

Ananya cards exhibits at Bridelux Atelier

We’re really excited to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at Bridelux Atelier this year! The opportunity to exhibit came our way on Monday, and though it’s been a bit last minute, we can’t wait to showcase our stationery alongside some of the most prestigious names of the wedding industry.

Photo by Roberta Facchini Photography

We have the great pleasure of partnering with the lovely Charlotte Munro, who will be styling our stand, Maison de Fleurs, who will be creating a floral display for us, and The Stars Inside, who will be capturing some of the action behind the scenes. Keep an eye on our social media profiles for previews, updates, competitions, and much more!

This year, Bridelux Atelier will be held at the iconic Rosewood London on Friday March 9th between 5pm and 9pm, and Saturday March 10th between 10am and 5pm. With a curated collection of luxury brands – have a look at the full list of exhibitors here - the show promises to be of very high calibre, and a fantastic opportunity for couples and wedding industry suppliers alike.

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

If you're planning on attending, do come and say hello at our stand in the Ballroom (in front of the champagne bar!) - and if not, then why not use our 25% discount code ANANYA25 to book your tickets here today!

Thanks again to our wonderful team for pulling this together in such a short time, to the lovely Bridelux team for inviting us, and the amazing team at Rosewood London for hosting this one-of-a-kind event!

For any queries on the above, or to get in touch, please email info@ananyacards.com

The Wax Seal: the ultimate guide

Many centuries after their first use, wax seals still remain a stationery adornment favourite for all of us detail-lovers – and for good reason! The magic of opening a letter and seeing the shimmer of a custom seal, graceful and precise, in seamless harmony with the paper, is simply breathtaking. Here at Ananya we absolutely adore embellishing our suites with unique seals, individually crafted for weddings, parties, or corporate events, and we’re so looking forward to creating many more this year.

Today we've teamed up with London wedding stylist and planner Valentina from The Stars Inside to bring you a definitive guide: if you love these little beauties as much as we do, and you would like to know more about how they work, what the options are, and how you can use them to wow your guests, read on!

So, how do wax seals come to life? It all starts with the sealing wax, which itself can come in many varieties. The colour of your wax may be the first thing you want to think about, and these days you will find yourself wonderfully spoilt for choice! Matt, basic colours will generally be the cheapest, while more unique or metallic colours may come at a small premium. Shop around, as sometimes international stockists will be able to provide you additional choices at a reasonable shipping cost. Also, as we'll mention a bit later, you can combine several colours to create unique swirls of complementary or contrasting tones.

You can choose to use wax sticks, wax beads, or wax ‘tubes’, which will in turn determine how the material needs to be melted. Wax sticks are the most traditional form, and require you to expose the stick directly to a naked flame, and let it drip over the area you intend to seal (some have wicks, some don’t); this method doesn’t require any special tools, but can be quite imprecise, messy and time consuming. This is also the wax type that is most brittle and thus breaks most easily, and is most likely to crack if squeezed through a post box (beads and tubes tend to be slightly more plasticky and bendy in structure). Wax beads are essentially pieces of these sticks, pre-cut for you into small shapes because of their size. They can be melted by simply placing a group of them on a wax melting spoon over a flame; kits for this can be bought easily online, and re-used for as long as you keep them in good condition. The use of the spoon means that you can pour homogeneously melted wax more carefully in the chosen area, which makes this significantly easier than dripping wax slowly from the stick. Also, you can create a ‘chain’ whereby the next set of beads is melting as you seal, meaning you can more quickly do a larger number of these. Another reason why this technique is our favourite is that different colour beads can easily be combined in different quantities and ratios, making this very customisable and fun. Wax tubes are designed specifically to be used with glue guns, which limits your options a little bit – but can be melted very precisely and quickly, which is immensely useful when stamping a large number of seals.

The next element to think about is the stamp, which essentially will be the design you will be imprinting on each of the seals. A typical wax stamp has a wooden handle and a round metal surface with indentations that will be filled by the wax, thus leaving an impression of the engraving. As with wax colours, the choices here are endless! Many shops now stock a beautiful selection of pre-designed stamps that you can browse – for weddings, there are many floral, botanical, and romantic designs readily available. Another option is to have a monogram, for example, of you and your partner's initials, or the date of your wedding. Finally, you could choose a completely bespoke design, which includes maybe both letters and an illustration. These latter two options are more personalised than an off-the-shelf design, so you may need to purchase this with a bit more notice, and be prepared to spend a little bit extra. When ordering your stamp, make sure it comes with a handle, and do pay attention to the diameter: the wider it is, the more generous you will need to be with the quantity of wax, in order to ensure full coverage of the design. Similarly, square stamps will also require the wax to be melted more widely in order to fill the shape adequately.

The final element is the medium on which you will be creating the seal. Typically, the wax is used to seal the flap of an envelope containing, for example, your Save The Date or Invitation suite. If posting these by mail, especially internationally, you may want to consider placing the inner envelope with the wax in an outer envelope, for some extra protection. However, this is only one of the many ways wax can be used to decorate stationery; some other favourites we see a lot now are, for example, to use it to seal together all the elements of a suite, via a belly band or ribbon, or to decorate individual place cards or escort cards. In truth, the wax can be placed on any part of your paper, though do keep in mind that there can be some leakage on the back if the paper is too thin; if you have special printed elements like foil or hand-illustrated designs, make sure to test one carefully when you start! And if you want to explore more ways of using seals, you certainly don’t need to stick to paper – wax seals could be used to decorate wine bottles, jars, favours, and even your cake! In fact, you can easily create versatile ‘standalone’ seals by melting lots of seals side by side on wax paper, peeling them off, sticking double-sided adhesive paper to the back, and using them on whatever you wish!

Whichever type, method, and medium you choose, the aim is to end up with a roughly circular ‘blob’ of wax (consider tracing an area with pencil to help you target your first ones). Melt the wax thoroughly, pour it, and before it dries, press down the stamp firmly in a smooth downward motion, without wobbling side to side. Let the wax cool and harden for 5-10 seconds, and start gently lifting the stamp from one side; if the stamp is still sticking, give it time, and tease it out slowly from each side. To prevent the metal of the stamp sticking to the wax as much as possible (which is especially important for designs with intricate detail or fine lines), you can create a barrier of moisture by dabbing your seal on a damp cloth before imprinting it on the wax. Leave it to dry completely before placing any weight on it, or letting it come into contact with anything else, just to be safe.

We hope this guide has been useful! If you would like to discuss your wedding stationery, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Ananya – and if you’d like any help with your wedding planning and styling, Valentina at The Stars Inside would love to hear from you!

Vaishali and Valentina x

Which Type of Wedding Stationery Will You Choose? An Essential Guide

So, it’s time to choose wedding stationery and all things gorgeous for your day! But, do you know your laser cut from your letterpress? No? Don’t worry, you aren’t expected to unless stationery and printing is your business! But, when it comes to your wedding, you want to be able to make the right choice. Read on for Ananya’s essential guide to wedding stationery types.

Letterpress

Letterpress party invitation

Let’s start with Letterpress. It's the ‘Grand Dame’ of printing in that it’s one of the oldest stationery printing techniques in use. Essentially, letterpress is a ‘relief printing’ technique, in which the design is ‘raised’ on a metal plate. Using a printing press, an impression is made into the paper by pressing into it from one side. It’s usually done with ink but can also be without ink. If you run your hand across the finished print you can usually feel the indentations in the paper.

Letterpress printing is high in quality but is slower than other printing methods. For example, the printer has to place each letter of type into a special holder that they also have to place ‘mirror image’ to what the finished print will be.  In other words the type for the press has to be set left to right and upside down. Wow, that’s a lot of work!

Taking letterpress from assembly to proof and then to print is time consuming without a doubt. But, on the upside, it is lovely for a vintage style or traditional wedding. 

Screen printing

Ananya''s 'Trio of Life' bespoke screen printed wedding stationery: parrot

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Ananya's 'Trio of Life' screen printed bespoke wedding stationery: elephant

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Screen printing is one of our favourite mediums of printing at Ananya. We love it! Many of our favourite designs, especially using metallics such as gold or silver, use the screen printing technique, including Mandala Love and Trio of Life.

In screen printing, ink is pressed through a mesh screen using a rubber blade or ‘squeegee’ to move across it and fill the open ‘windows’ with ink. When the blade is reversed back across, the screen touches the paper (or media) that’s being printed on to create your design.

Ananya's 'Mandala Love' screen printed wedding stationery

For Mandala Love, the screen printing for the delicate hand printed mandala motif required an exceptional level of technical skill. Ananya’s craftsmen had to print each piece four times no less; a single colour printed each time. Deep blue and gold are the feature colours of this design, with the deep blue printed first, followed by the gold elements of the mandala. Yellow was applied after that and finally cyan. Accurate positioning without overlap or gaps was critical to ensuring that each element of this intricate design printed perfectly. The design really pops with its vibrant colours and juxtaposition of matt and metallic elements. Only hand printed silk screen in our opinion at least gives that level of covetable artisanal quality.   

Offset printing

Offset/Litho printed wedding invitation

In comparison to letterpress printing, offset printing is a more indirect print technique. It’s popular for big volume production, and is also known as ‘flat printing’ or ‘litho printing’. Offset, by the way, is just another way of saying ‘transferred’. So, essentially, images on metal plates are ‘offset’ to rollers (or rubber blankets). Once that’s done, the image is printed onto the paper or print media that you've chosen. The metal plates and paper (or other media) don’t come directly into contact with each other during the process.

Digital printing

Digital printed floral wedding stationery

Modern, fast and accurate, digital printing is almost the polar opposite of letterpress! Digital printing uses tiny dots (a lot of them of course!) to create text and images. Digital printing is good for smaller quantities and is cost effective. What are the disadvantages? It’s likely that there'll be limits to the type of paper that you can use. This technique tends to suit thinner paper styles and quality can be variable dependant on the printer. Digital printing is also not suitable for accurately printing metallics – for example, you will not get a shiny bright gold or silver but instead a duller brown gold or grey silver.

Laser cut

Laser cut wedding stationery

When it comes to Laser cutting it’s a whole different world of precision and design. Creating and cutting out paper into different shapes isn’t new of course. In China they create ‘Jianzhi’, intricate symmetrical designs created with knives and scissors. And who hasn’t created their very own ‘origami garland’ as a child? Laser cutting definitely moves those hand created designs on a few millennia! Fast and accurate, laser cutting enables the production of intricate designs on an industrial scale.

How is laser cutting done? It’s a non-contact process utilising a laser to cut the material i.e. paper. Directing the laser beam through a nozzle to the media or material, a combination of heat and pressure creates the cutting action. Laser cutting is popular for the modern and vintage bride. It's good for delicate lace designs and works well with 3D designs such as cityscapes or representations of your wedding venue.  

Embossing and Debossing

Embossed notecard envelope

Embossing produces a raised textured image or text. But, unlike letterpress, it uses two engraved metal moulds to create your chosen design. The moulds used are often copper or brass, designed to fit into each other. During printing, the raised mould forces the paper into the recessed mould and creates the embossed impression of your design, as you can see on our envelopes for our notecards and personal stationery.

Debossing creates an indent in the paper rather than a raised design. Both of these techniques work well with a personal monogram design. Another of Ananya’s favourites! 

Engraving

Engraved monogram wedding invitation

Engraved personal stationery

And finally, we must mention engraving. It’s perhaps the most formal and classic of the printing styles for wedding stationery. It’s also one of the most expensive! During engraving an etched metal plate is used to create the design. When pressed into the back of the paper it creates raised lettering on the front which you can feel and leaves a slight indent on the back. The printer will apply ink to the raised lettering afterwards. Impressive to receive, we love luxurious engraved stationery at Ananya.

Which type do you think you are? Whatever you choose, Ananya would love to help you design your perfect wedding stationery. Say hello at info@ananyacards.com  and let’s talk!  

Vaishali x

Choosing a Stationery Theme for your Event

Whether your event is a summer cocktail party, an anniversary or a grand wedding, choosing a stationery theme is meant to be fun and exciting. But as with most things, good planning is essential to getting the look and feel of your event right.

So, here are Ananya’s top tips for choosing the right theme for your event.

What’s the occasion?

Seems obvious but the type of event that you’re having and how you structure or design that event will have a big influence on choosing a stationery theme. The key is to know how formal the occasion will be. It will guide you with the structure of the design, typography, font and words.

 At Ananya we design stationery for all sorts of occasions, so here are a few of our ideas for different events:

Formal black tie event

We love to see stationery for formal events designed on crisp heavyweight paper, using classic colours and typography. It gives ‘gravitas’ and immediately let’s people know that this is a ‘grand event’. A great example is from Julie and Zak's wedding in Jersey.

Garden party

A garden party immediately conjures up summer days, green lawns and English flowers. At Ananya we have a range of floral stationery designs that embrace tea roses, cornflowers and everything in between!

Teenager birthday celebration/coming of age

In many cultures, this is a serious event. For example, a 1st birthday in Asian cultures or a bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah in Jewish cultures. But it’s definitely a time for celebration and lots of fun. Invitations that are light hearted and embrace the jubilant nature of the party are a great idea. Think bold designs that embrace fun.

Intimate elopement (and ‘after party’)

I guess you might be asking yourself why an elopement needs stationery. Good question! Well, there is still the matter of witnesses and maybe you want to invite them to run away too? And when you come home to face the music you might just want to appease everyone by throwing a grand party to celebrate. Wouldn’t you agree?

Pearl anniversary

A pearl anniversary is perhaps less well known than silver, ruby or golden. But, at Ananya we love anything to do with pearls! We think it’s the perfect opportunity to embrace the precious pearl in your designs.

Who’s invited?

How many people you invite will influence cost and thus your theme, to a certain extent. The age range of your guests can also influence your choice of theme. An invite to a party to celebrate a child’s 1st birthday will be quite different to an invite to an elopement ‘after party’. Or at least you would like to hope so!

Photgraph by Holly Clark Photography

Colour me impressed…

Is there a colour or cultural theme to the day? For example, is it a golden wedding anniversary or a multicultural wedding? With Indian, Asian or multicultural weddings there may be restrictions on certain colours due to cultural requirements. For more information on this aspect take a look at Ananya’s article on Multicultural Wedding Stationery. http://secretweddingblog.com/multicultural-wedding-stationery-by-ananya-cards/

Most importantly, what’s your personal style? Are you flamboyant and colourful or more reserved but with a love of colour.  How will that influence your theme choice? Maybe you are more comfortable with a simple monochrome palette?

What do you need to include?

For a wedding you may need the whole range of stationery. This will likely include invites, RSVP cards, thank you cards, and an order of service, menu, place cards and seating plans; whereas for an informal garden party you may just want to limit things to an invite, RSVP, menu and place cards.

All this will influence your choice of stationery theme.

And finally:

Where will your design inspiration come from?

Is your event in an iconic space or building? Do you want design inspiration to come from your life and the key events that have brought you to where you are now? Or maybe you want it to reflect who you are, where you’re from and where you want to be. When Ananya celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2016 we celebrated with diamonds! After all a 10th anniversary is something to really celebrate and diamonds are still a girl’s best friend, we’ll have you know!

We hope that you have fun choosing your theme and have a great celebration!

Love what you see on Ananya? Drop the team a line at info@ananyacards.com  and let’s talk about the design vision that you have for your event!

Vaishali x

Launching the latest addition to our wedding range: The Mandala Love Collection

Ananya's alluring Mandala Love range featuring an eye-catching combination of intricate detail and rich, vibrant colours creates spectacular stationery to wow your wedding guests.

The word mandala literally means circle in the ancient Indian scripture, Sanskrit. It is a symbol of the universe derived from ancient Hindu and Buddhist culture. Mandalas represent harmony, peace and union, which is why they are perfectly suited to weddings - a joyful occasion when the ultimate union is formed.

The mandala pattern can be found in the natural world around us ­– in snowflakes, dandelions and sunflowers, spiders’ webs and the solar system itself; incorporating this iconic motif into your wedding day stationery, is a way of connecting with nature. The mandala motif is also found in Western architecture – most predominantly in stained glass windows.

The Mandala Love collection is at the forefront with the growing design trend for statement, geometric patterns. It bridges the gap between the old and the new, thereby appealing to both traditional and modern weddings. Whether you are a multicultural couple with a love for Asian design or you simply want a wedding invite that exudes charisma, the Mandala Love collection is the one for you.

The stunning design in blue is hand printed using a silk screen, which is a process of great technical precision. Ananya’s skilled craftsmen print each emblem four times, layering the colours as they go. The mandalas must be perfectly aligned to prevent any overlap or gaps and keep a clean, crisp edge. By using silk screen printing, the Ananya team can ensure the work they produce is of optimum vibrancy – creating incredible stationery with prints that pop from the paper. The bold colours not only provide the promise of summer, but also the promise of a fun-filled, lively wedding day.

Have you noticed any mandala patterns in nature? Which design from the collection is your favourite?

A Wedding Planning Guide For The Fridge Door

When you're planning your wedding, it's easy sometimes to feel rather overwhelmed by the whole thing. You might even be waking up in the night thinking "have I told the florist exactly which roses I want" or "did I book the photographer".

Okay, so you might have checklists galore, special apps on your phone and a long-suffering chief bridesmaid/best friend/mother to let off steam to.

The thing is, you're probably doing just fine. And it's important that you enjoy the build-up to your wedding because it's actually a very special time. You've a wonderful day ahead to look forward to, you've found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with ... so don't spoil it by getting over-stressed.

That also means not taking on too much. For example, you may be dreaming of having a DIY wedding and planning to make wedding favours, cakes, decorations yourself. This isn't a great idea because you'll almost certainly underestimate the amount of time all this is going to take you. So work out what is genuinely do-able and outsource the rest.

If you really feel the need for a visual checklist, then we've created these handy two visuals which you can print out and stick on your fridge door so that you can assure yourself you're doing all the right things by the right time.

Look at it month by month and know that you're keeping up with everything (or there are a few things you still need to be thinking about).

For example, you don't really need to have sorted out a florist until about 9 months before the wedding - although if you're choosing one who is particularly popular it's best to sign them up as soon as possible.

Interestingly, one of the most important things to get sorted early isn't choosing your wedding dress, booking your venue or asking your friends to be your bridesmaids. It's actually setting a budget for your wedding day. It's key because it's actually going to affect many aspects of your big day - the sort of venue you can afford, whether you have a wedding breakfast and a dinner, how many guests you have, what wine you serve and of course, what you wear. So set a realistic wedding budget between the two of you and stick to it - you don't want to start off married life in debt.

Get everything sorted calmly and coolly before your big day and you'll see that on the day before your wedding you can actually have a bit of a relax. Help to decorate the venue and enjoy some beauty treatments (a mani-pedi - but don't have a facial the day before your wedding in case of breakouts).

We'd love to help you with your wedding stationery so if there is anything special you have in mind do get in touch.

In the meantime, cut out these two handy wedding planning guides and pin them to your noticeboard or fridge door!

A Garden Party Wedding Day

Planning to get married in summer? A garden wedding theme is timeless and traditional - and yet you can give it a contemporary feel as well.

You could go along the route of having a marquee outside on the lawns of a country house hotel. Don't feel you have to have individual tables - long, banquet style seating works well in this setting and if you want to be really rustic, then scatter haybales outside for guests to sit on and enjoy a summer evening.

That said, in the UK you'll also have to plan for wet weather. Think about umbrellas or a covered walkway to your marquee to allow guests to move between areas without getting wet.

You can set the mood for your garden wedding from the word go with your wedding stationery.

Flowers, pastels and motifs from nature will all set the scene.

Flowers are paramount at a country garden wedding. Think about decorating your tables with hand tied bouquets in jam jars. Maybe add a flower to the guest's individual napkin.

On the other hand, if you want to be more formal, think about tall arrangements in large candelabras or vases - remember to think about the guests' views across the tables and ensure that flowers don't block communication.

Work the country garden theme into your wedding dress, too. Find accessories - maybe your earrings - with flowers and perhaps give each bridesmaid a wrist corsage. And for the bridegroom and his groomsmen, consider cornflowers and buttonholes with one or two blooms, rather than a single rose (although that also looks stunning).

Large wafts of gypsophila in vases are an inexpensive way of decorating corners of the room and create a floral cloud.

If your wedding is moving into evening, create a welcoming atmosphere for your guests by lining the route to your venue with candles in lanterns for a soft glow.

And when it comes to food, the newest way to offer the wedding breakfast is at food stations offering different cuisine - maybe Thai, Indian, Italian, American - so guests can browse and suit their own tastes.

Don't forget to offer a chill-out area to guests - particularly if you are clearing tables for dancing. Everyone always needs somewhere to sit and chat - and some people might like to move away from the hustle and bustle of the dancefloor.

Remember at Ananya we can create bespoke wedding stationery for your country garden style wedding or pick one of our existing floral designs. We're always happy to chat your ideas through ...

 All invitations featured by Ananya. 

Wedding DIY: Downloadable Bunting

Pack A Punch With Buntings; We Show You How Perfect for setting the scene at a wedding, buntings have become hugely popular as a way to add that all important personalised element. With a diverse range of uses and materials from which to craft buntings, you can use them to tell a story, display a symbolic message, or have the bride and groom’s names, as we show you how.

A big display of buntings will look dramatic in a large space, while small ones can stand on guest tables, and even on top of the wedding cake! Easy to put up, they can even be used as decoration for the bridal room. With the incredible choice of colours, fonts, textures and materials available, the possibilities are truly endless!

We at Ananya are all about personalising wedding stationery and below we show you how to create ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ buntings using our template. It’s fun and easy to do, and should get your creative juices flowing to add your own unique touch and flair!

Each bunting template is A5 in size and so there are two templates per A4 piece of paper.

free downloadable wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable yellow wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable grey wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

- Download the templates and print on white cardstock. - Cut around the templates. - Using a hole punch, punch 2 holes along each corner of the top of the bunting templates (where instructed). - Using a long piece of string, thread through each bunting template, adding knots after each hole as you go along to keep each of the templates in place. - Carry on doing this until you have a sufficient length of bunting.

Please click on the links below to download your wedding bunting PDFs.

'Bride' bunting in green

'Groom' bunting in yellow

'Bride' bunting in pink

'Groom' bunting in grey

Enjoy! Please do send us some photographs of how you have used the bunting...we would love to see them!

Hot Off The Catwalk: Stationery Trends Inspired By Autumn/Winter Fashion 2013

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Choosing your theme or colour scheme for your wedding day is a critical decision as it will set the tone for the entire occasion. Many fashionista brides gather their inspiration from the latest looks on the catwalk. From the dress to the stationery, every aspect of your big day can be customised to resemble your favourite designer’s creative vision.

At Ananya, we pride ourselves on creating dynamic wedding stationery that is on point with the current fashion trends. However, it’s important to remember that this is your wedding and your stationery should truly represent your style. You don’t have to go overboard as there are easy ways to bring to life your favourite runway looks in your stationery. Here we will give you some fun tips on how to reinterpret a key fashion trend, turning simple stationery into haute couture works of art.

Following the colour schemes used by designers is an easy way to show your wedding stationery is on trend for the season. Deeply saturated blue was the hottest shade showcased on the New York runways for A/W 2013. Michael Kors, Lacoste and Marc by Marc Jacobs all incorporated the electric colour into their collections. We love following fashion colour palettes and created these vibrant designs. Plus, they make the perfect Borrowed Blue!

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peacock

Adapting fabrics and textures into designs is another fun way to make your stationery stand out. At Paris Fashion Week, feathers were all the rage at Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen. For the extremely bold bride, feathers can be adorned onto the stationery to truly capture this look. However, if you want to keep it simple, we recommended using feather designs on the invitations. We recreated this trend in our pretty Peacock feather stationery.

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Lastly, Baroque designs and styling were commanding the catwalks in Milan at Just Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana. This theme can be shown through black and gold colour contrasts as well as traditional Baroque patterns.  This is a great theme for modern brides who want a bit of old world glamour. Here are more options on how to revitalise this trend into your stationery.

No matter what theme or colour scheme you decide on, remember that embellishments are the most important accessories for your stationery. Glamourous sparkles exude luxury and transform your simple stationery into one-of-a-kind works of art. Our love affair with embellishments will continue to dazzle us into the autumn and winter seasons. Whether you choose a subtle hint of sparkle or a completely bejeweled invitation, it will definitely reflect the splendour of your big day!

Remember, your stationery is the first glimpse of your wedding that your guests will receive. It is important to set your theme early and continue it throughout all the wedding preparations. If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed, just look to your favourite designers for inspiration to be on trend for A/W 13.

Ideas For A Destination Wedding

Just what is a destination wedding exactly? We'd say that it's really when you get married abroad somewhere. Maybe somewhere a little exotic... a little unusual.

You might be the type of bride and groom who'd like nothing better than to get married on a white sandy beach, with the warm blue sea lapping at your feet, palm trees shading you from the sun and an azure sky up above.

Or maybe you're more the type who fancy a wedding in an Italian palazzo? With picture-perfect mountains in the background. Maybe a lake nearby. Delicious food and warm sultry nights.

Whatever you choose, it's important to get the invitations and save the date cards sent off for your destination wedding as soon as you've decided on a date. Whilst it's lovely for you to get married on distant shores, it probably means that your friends and family will have to make particular plans - and in fact they may decide to make your wedding day the basis of a holiday.

It's elegant if your invitations reflect the style of your destination wedding and we have some sophisticated stationery options for you to choose. Here below are some invitations we created especially for a wedding in Mexico.

Afterwards, you could send out wedding thank you cards with photographs of the two of you together where you tied the knot.

Top Tips For Your Destination Wedding

1.  If you're marrying somewhere hot, you'll need to rethink a heavy, detailed wedding frock and consider something lighter - companies like Dessy have specially designed destination bridal gowns that pack without crushing in beautiful, lightweight fabrics.

2. For your flowers, you'll need to consider what is available locally and what's in season. There'll probably be a wedding planner at your venue so talk about the colours and styles that appeal to you. Alternatively you could consider having a jewelled bouquet for the day - something which is certain to become a family heirloom.

3. You'll also need to think about your hair. A stiff lacquered style would look out of place on a beach - so if you're set on having an updo consider something less structured, less formal.

4. If you're marrying on a beach, ditch the heels and go for manicured toes in flats or even flip flops.

5. A long veil won't really work at a beach wedding - you could however go for a birdcage veil or just accessorise your hair with flowers.

Take a look at the Ananya Cards destination weddings board on Pinterest for some more ideas.

Are you having a destination wedding? Where are you planning on going?

Photo credits: Top image via Couples Resorts. Couple on lake via Best Wedding Away.

Wedding Stationery Trends for 2013

2013 has arrived and with it, come the dreams and aspirations of every bride to have her perfect wedding. So what are the trends for 2013 that will help her create the wedding of her dreams and also one that is a la mode? Below are our thoughts... Glitz, Glamour and the Great Gatsby

Great Gatsby green and black wedding invitation

Great Gatsby cream and gold wedding invitation

With the much-anticipated movie the Great Gatsby finally being launched later this year, the 1920’s fashion has already begun to make an appearance. Translating this retro style into stationery will mean soft and shimmery backgrounds, dreamy and lace-textured looks and floral motifs - all heavily encrusted with crystals. Designs can also be bold and geometric and attention grabbing. Quite simply, a feast for the eyes!

Ombré: Shaded, Faded, Gradient

Ombre shaded wedding invitation

Ombré shaded green and brown wedding invitation

The shaded or Ombré look has definitely caught on, and will continue to be favoured in 2013. The dipped and dyed effect gives the look of colour graduations from dark to light. Often based on a monochromatic colour scheme, three different complementary colours can also be combined. The Ombré look has pervaded clothes, fashion accessories and even cosmetics and will be seen in stationery with dramatic effect.

East Meets West

Bespoke paisley lotus wedding invitation

Bandhani Bliss India inspired wedding invitation

The enduring allure of India and the East is such that time and again, top fashion and beauty houses such as Chanel and Boucheron have been drawn to its multi-faceted heritage for inspiration. This fascination with the East will continue to play an important part in 2013 because of its undying appeal.

Couples are not shying away from choosing strong, dramatic gemstone colours that are rich and exotic, and tones that spell opulence. The designs create a modern interpretation of traditional images and symbols, skilfully harmonising the East and West. Studded with crystal embellishments, they are Bollywood come alive!

Making a Personal Statement

Monogrammed crystal cake topper

Couples will want the stationery to be an expression of who they are. Whether adopting the latest on trend colour or other popular themes, they will want those themes to be intertwined with splashes of their own choosing – wanting the wedding invite to create the right tone – their tone.

Monograms will continue to be highly favoured as a way to express who we are and what we stand for as well as aspects that embrace our cultural heritage. They can also be adapted for use in a variety of ways to suit one’s needs. Monograms can become a work of art when embellished with crystals, adding that special exotic sparkle and shimmer.  It’s no wonder that such gorgeous invitations often become a keepsake – a fabulous souvenir to look back on with pride.

Cool Colour Hot Trend

Mint Modern wedding invitation

Exotic Emerald wedding invitation by Ananya

The soft and soothing colour of mint looks all set to become a hot trend in 2013. After the fiery, passionate, colour palette of 2012’s Tangerine Tango, the cool, crisp and fresh tones of mint will be most refreshing. Emerald, Pantone's Colour for 2013, will also be a very popular choice. Cool and serene or majestic and mesmerising, Emerald can be used as an accent colour to add that all important sparkle or as a predominant colour, as deep and vibrant as the Amazon jungle. The main colour can be carried through the entire suite of stationery with variations on tones.

Fantasy and Fairy Tale

Pink butterfly wedding invitation

Given the uncertain and volatile nature of the events of 2012, weddings in 2013 will be a great excuse to escape from the concerns of everyday living. The stationery will reflect a fantasy world full of magic and beauty. Soft colours, birds and butterflies, layering of designs and a touch of sparkle will create romantic and captivating stationery.

Classic and Always in Fashion

Classic monochrome wedding invitation

For those of us who like simple and understated chic, the classic look will always be in style - a relaxed feel with timeless designs and quiet luxury that speaks volumes. Soft colours, monochromes, monograms, minimal fuss and beautiful.

What are your favourite trends for 2013? We'd love you to share your ideas with us.

Credits: All invitation designs by Ananya

Pretty In Paisley

The paisley pattern, known as mankolam in India, or mango pattern, stands out as one of the most easily recognisable motifs in the world. It was created in the 1500s in Persia (now known as Iran) and used to decorate royal regalia. The intricate tear shaped pattern made its way to Europe thanks to the East India Trading Company as they imported products from India. The design gained its English name from the town of Paisley, Scotland, where, in the 1800s, weavers became the primary producers of paisley patterned shawls. In the 1960s and 70s paisley made a comeback as it represented the Bohemian culture of the time. John Lennon even had his Rolls Royce custom painted in a paisley pattern!

Once again, paisley has come roaring back into fashion, with many of the major fashion designers showcasing an array of paisley themed pieces in their autumn/winter collections, such as in the Etro ready to wear collection. Paisley is set to continue through spring and summer, with many designers gaining their inspiration from the 70s, creating whimsical, bohemian inspired pieces. Anna Sui’s spring collection included multicoloured paisley patterned dresses and leggings, while Emilio Pucci has mixed paisley prints with beautiful psychedelic colours and chiffon materials to create light, floaty dresses perfect for the summer.

Pretty In Paisley

Paisley really is a very versatile design, so it is no surprise that it has lent brilliantly to many of the bespoke wedding stationery we create at ananya. We have found that the paisley motif is not only an elegant and vintage design but that it is also rich in spiritual significance. In Indian culture, the paisley signifies the time of harvest and prosperity. In Oriental traditions, the two paisleys represent the yin-yang symbol, a sign of equilibrium and balance. The flow of the two polar energies, Yin (Female) and Yang (Male), seek balance in the natural flow of the universe, constantly replacing each other and eventually, becoming each other. The paisley thus makes a wonderful motif to symbolise the union of two individuals in a marriage!

Until next time...Namaste and enjoy ananya life!

Awash With Red

Roses are red, violets are blue... Valentine’s Day is coming soon, so what better time to celebrate the colour of the season – red. At this time of year, red is everywhere – card and gift shops stock up on their scarlet love heart covered cards and crimson coloured gifts, waiting for customers to come to prepare for the big event – Valentine’s Day. But what does the colour red mean? Is it just the colour for romance and St Valentine, or does it have a deeper meaning? In the West, red traditionally signifies love and seduction, which of course goes hand in hand with Valentine’s Day, the most romantic day of the year. In India, conversely, red is a very traditional colour, and is best known for its role in Indian marriage. Brides usually have red henna tattoos on their hands and feet, wear red saris and bangles and dip their feet in red water upon entering their new home with their husband. It symbolises togetherness and the promise of matrimonial bliss, as well as being a colour which represents a woman’s transition from adolescence into adulthood. In India it is the most powerful colour, a holy colour and a colour which gives protection and strength.

Another country which celebrates reddish hues is China. For the Chinese, red is a colour which symbolises their nation. Weddings are full of the colour, with brides often wearing red, and the couple walking down a red carpet strewn in red flowers. They use red invitations and other red stationery and a couple’s new bed is covered in red bed sheets. It is believed to bring happiness to the couple.

Awash With Red

The colour is, however, most extensively used during Chinese New Year celebrations, the biggest and most important festival in China. Families create red couplets, which are two poetic sentences written on red paper stating the person’s hopes and dreams for the coming year and are hung on doors and gates. Many people wear red clothes, including red underwear, give money in red envelopes and set off red firecrackers. According to the Chinese, red means fire, which drives away bad luck and evil spirits, so by exchanging red gifts (red lingerie is a popular gift between partners) they are guaranteed a prosperous and lucky new year.

At ananya we are celebrating Chinese New Year by creating exquisite Chinese new year cards exclusive to Harrods to welcome in the year of the rabbit – a much tamer year than the year of the tiger! We also have a gorgeous range of red wedding invitations, which are perfect for those wanting to celebrate their happy day using the luckiest, happiest and most powerful colour in the spectrum – Red.

Until next time...Namaste and enjoy ananya life!