Checkerboard featured on The Aisle New York

{image: The Aisle New York}

In good company with designers Isaac Mizrahi, Yvette Fry, Stephanie Browne and even The Royal Couple, Kate Middleton and  Prince William, Checkerboard is featured on The Aisle New York! A great selection of social stationery and thank you notes and an incredible coupon for Checkerboard product on eInvite.com/theaisle worth $100 retail for only $60!

Congratulations to the Newly Engaged!

Sultry Emberglow at BHLDN

{images: dress, earrings: BHLDN via aisledash, osj: me, invitation: unveiled by checkerboard at eInvite,

couple: michèle m. waite photography}

{image: pantone}

Yummy "emberglow" and "coffee liqueur", two of Pantone's pick's for Fall 2011 Fashion Color Trends report are alive and full of life. They just landed in my inbox today, as I was about to post this sultry color combination! Another of my favs from BHLDN is this coral bridesmaid dress and earrings, which pair so well with the Flora Fauna invitation from Unveiled by Checkerboard, just just made available on eInvite.com. Michèle M. Waite had some foresight when she caught this couple in front of this colorful foodstand. All the warm and lively colors make me wish for spring. The 14th better hurry up and get here so we can see what else BHLDN has in store!

Romantic and dreamy BHLDN

{images: romantic dresses and jewelry: BHLDN via aisledash; Unveiled invitation by Checkerboard at eInvite;
bicycle: mel barlow}

This caspian blue and golden brown dress stopped me in my tracks. I love all of the texture and patterns. A fun vibrant girl would wear this dress, as a bride or to a gala. It's quite versatile because of the length. The whole BHLDN collection is full of romance and old world charm, with simplicity and elegance of the gown above to more retro, rustic and edgy styles. I am looking forward to the short videos that accompany the line!

Heirloom dresses and invitations to inspire future generations. When ordering, remember to order a few extra to save for your kiddos as keepsakes.

BHLDN looks good with Unveiled by Checkerboard!

{images: headpiece, dress: BHLDN via aisledash; wedding: michèle m.waite; flowers: sprout;

invitation: unveiled by checkerboard at eInvite}

Sneak peaks of the new wedding collection by Anthropologie are all over the internet, officially launching on February 14th, the day of love. How excited I was to see how well they pair up with the Unveiled wedding invitation collection by Checkerboard. Just presently launching on eInvite, this exciting line has a global heart with a city spirit. The soft colors of natural ballet pink in this selection are accented with luxe satin creating a vintage allure with bohemian flair. The trifold invitation has a pocket behind to hold accessories.

Stay tuned for some more "Beholden" inspiration.

A Royal Wedding Gown

{Images from Top to Bottom: Vera Wang, Elizabeth Emanuel,  J.Crew, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Rachel Roy, Tommy Hilfiger, Valentino, Badgley Mischka, Tory Burch and Christian Lacroix via AOL StyleList.}


Hello and happy Thursday, hope this finds you all well. I’m sort of giddy to share this post with you today because it combines a few of my favorite things; wedding dresses, fashion sketches and royalty! Oh my! These awesome sketches are from some of the world’s top fashion designers and feature designs for Kate Middleton’s royal wedding gown. Which one is your favorite? Mine is by far, the Tory Burch design, second to that, would be either the Vera Wang, or the J.Crew gown. Leave us a comment and let us know! I’m sure Kate would appreciate the input ;}

The Embellished Bride

{Images via Project Wedding, Style Me Pretty, Flights of Fancy and Martha Stewart Weddings }

If you’ve been to eInvite.com recently, you’ve probably noticed that we have a new and exciting line of invitations called the Embellished Collection; featuring Swarovski crystals, hand-tied ribbons and layered papers. One of my favorite designs from the collection is this Serene Scrolled Border invitation, showcasing an elegant pattern of flourishes and scrolls in soft pewter gray, and adorned with a hand-tied, contemporary, black ribbon. The clean look and classic colors complement any style, and the soft green accents add a punch of color, that is both refreshing and fun. Be sure to check out the full collection here and peruse the many beautiful designs available...Enjoy and happy shopping!

Unveiled by Checkerboard: Solstice

{images: boutonnieres, cute couple, bouquet, flower girl by michele m. waite photography, cake: something sweet by michelle, carpathian mountains by michelle may}

This invitation suite sneak peak, called Solstice by Checkerboard features an embossed folder and rich ribbon presented in a luxury Swiss Flap Envelope. The liner, called Aeronautica is imported from Italy, and features antique sketches of old world hot air balloons. It was made in a mill that was built in the 1400's outside of Florence. There is actually a town in Italy named Montisi, known for hot air ballooning.

All items from Unveiled by Checkerboard are coming soon...stay tuned!

Anchors Away!

Nautical inspiration is everywhere this season. I am particularly smitten with stripes, but love the idea of throwing an anchor-inspired event. The charm bracelet would be an adorable bridesmaid gift!



{L to R from the top: Anchors Aweigh Invitation from Paper Orchid; Betsey Johnson 'Under the Sea' Multi Charm Toggle Bracelet; Anchor w/Chain from Meri Meri; Rampage Women's Rayanne Sandal; Dockside from Checkerboard, Ltd.; ASOS Collection Anchor Necklace; Anchor with ropes from Checkerboard, Ltd.; Sea Bags; Green Anchor from eInvite.com}

Fun Wedding Touches by Checkerboard

{images of new Unveiled elements from Checkerboard...coming soon}

Some of the most kicking parts of a wedding are the little touches that accompany the invitation and all things paper. These items from the new Checkerboard , an inspired wedding collection called Unveiled, help you make all the little details sweet.

Another Checkerboard Sneak Peek

{images: rings, xo, seating, boy & couple: michèle m.waite photography; cake: Something Sweet by Michelle; silver brunia: sprout}

Checkerboard is about to "unveil" their new concept for wedding invitation presentation at the National Stationery Show in New York, opening Sunday. Here is a sneak peek at one of the new items that will be featured. Inspired by runway shows of fashion week, trend watching, and the surge of personal expression as couples invite, Unveiled brings creative invitation suites to life with incredible visual inspiration. Beautiful imagery makes us all excited, especially those looking for special touches to enhance their event.

This collection is different. The ensembles tell stories of the bride and groom. From mentions of their inspiration for the wedding back to intimate stories about how they met, bringing guest right into the wonderful experience they are invited to be a part of. The suites include bachelorette parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, save the dates, engagement parties, personal stationery, bridal calling cards...all eclectically fashion forward, complete with envelope linings imported from Italian paper mills that have been in existence since the 1400's.

The collection, called Unveiled was inspired by couples looking for something different, who admire fine papers, interesting typography and unexpected details. For those who love custom boutique styling, the price points in Unveiled are unmatched!

This is just invitation suite numero uno. Stay tuned for mas y mas....

A Blush Pink Wedding

{images: couple, tent, candy and seating: michèle m. waite,

amnesia roses: sprout, meringues: cookie creatives }

We are so happy to share some inspiration from Checkerboard today. With so much emphasis on color in weddings for the coming year, this blush inspiration board sets the tone for a stunning use of this earthy pink hue. You will be seeing it everywhere this coming year.

Checkerboard has been collaborating with some outstanding wedding professionals to bring a little innovation to the world of invitations. With images from Washington photographer Michèle M. Waite a premiere wedding photographer here in the U.S., whose amazing work really fired up the collection. The exciting project is about to lift off at the National Stationery Show in May. Michèle's images are celebrated all over the wedding blog-o-sphere. She is incredibly talented at capturing the true essence of each wedding with a playful and fresh perspective. Her eye for color, light and location really give her clients something to cherish for generations. Also featured are images from Dom Miguel Photography of Boston whose talents recently captured moments from a wedding close to our hearts here at eInvite. {Click here to peek.}

All this wedding imagery in this collage board is complimented by incredible mocha kissed amnesia roses from florist Cathy Walsh of Sprout, a local designer we work with all the time. Trendy meringues from Jennifer Burkhart of Cookie Creatives, round out this champagne taste of wedding celebration. Wedding cakes from Worcester designer Michelle Bohigian from Something Sweet by Michelle are also featured throughout the project. Michelle's cakes have recognition of their own, as top choice in Bride's Magazine, her life-like sugar florals are second to none!

Each of these wedding pros contributed their work to the making of each of 18 collage boards for the Unveiled project, something new and different in the search for the perfect wedding invitation. Creative imagery can really get your wheels turning, and these girls are the best of the best at their craft!

This portion of the mood board is a little sneak peek that gives you a sounding board of inspiration. This board was created to compliment a new invitation suite from Checkerboard, which will be Unveiled in a few weeks at the National Stationery Show in New York City. There is more, a lot more. We can't wait to share!

Bridal Shoes

{stunning wedding shoe choices by zanotti, valentino, and jimmy choo via net-a-porter}

With Bridal Fashion Week in full swing, I just wanted to accessorize a little. Since I am a "practical" shoe girl (meaning I can justify almost any shoe purchase), I thought it would be quite logical to purchase wedding shoes that you may wear again. Since weddings are a time to splurge a little, I found some great choices on net-a-porter that compliment alot of the trends we are seeing this week in dresses. Blush is a big one, that ballet pink, or barely there hue is a favorite of mine. I love the earthy pink, it's fashion forward and compliments any skin tone so well. I also like all the textures, feathers and touches of glitz. Think of how great these honeymoon shoes would be! From aisle to isle, choosing a great pair of shoes that peak out from under your dress can really make a statement. If you want to go with the short dress trend, they are a must! I can't wait to see what the week unfolds!

Blooming Favors

On Saturday, I saw the first sign of spring outside my kitchen door—gorgeous purple tulips, just beginning to bloom. I was reminded of these favor ideas from Martha Stewart. What a wonderful way to put a smile on the faces of your guests!



{images via Martha Stewart}

Decadent Champagne and Black

Images courtesy of 100 Layer Cake, Twigs & Honey and Weddingistas.

Hello and happy Thursday! Today I've got another fabulous color combination for you. Remember last week's Shimmering Pink and Gold pairing? Well this week, it's decadent champagne and black! I just love this classic combination; it maintains that timeless feel of black and white, but with a glint of glamour. The warm shimmer of the champagne, offsets the bold black just beautifully, and makes a truly elegant ensemble that is perfect for any wedding! What’s even more beautiful is that eInvite is currently offering 40% off this Champagne Decadence invitation for a limited time. So, be sure to head over to eInvite.com and check it out! It’s a decadent deal…

Shimmering Pink & Gold

Images courtesy of Flights of Fancy and Martha Stewart Weddings

Hello and Happy Friday! Today, I've got some perfectly pink eye candy for you to start your weekend with! How beautiful is this color combination of pink and gold? The pairing of a feminine pink with a burnished gold sets a sophisticated tone that is both lovely and lush. And fortunately, for the budget conscious bride, eInvite is currently offering 40% off this Shimmering Meadow invitation for a limited time. Be sure to head over to eInvite.com and check it out! It's a beautiful bargain...

Children's Books and Wedding Styles

The books that they took inspiration from, image via Brides.

Kate Spade invitation, right at the top! Image via Brides.

When we found out we were going to be featured in a children's book inspired spread in Brides local magazines, I was so excited. Given the recent children's books to movies craze (Where the Wild Things Are, Alice in Wonderland) this has to be one of the coolest ideas around. Brides took several different children's books and designed wedding inspiration boards around them. The Yellow Poppy invitation by Kate Spade that we carry was part of the Waiting for Wings - inspired board. The entire look is just so gorgeous and summery, we love it! Thanks Brides! You can pick up a Brides local magazine anywhere you are, since they're everywhere from Boston to Colorado.

Signs of Spring - Save the Dates!

As we start seeing some signs of spring up here in the frozen Northeast like the sun setting after 5pm, there seems to be another sign of spring happening - wedding save the dates! I don't know about you but whenever I open up a save the date I immediately run to the fridge to tack it up. Even a month after getting them, seeing them every morning makes me smile and reminds me that I have this really exciting, cool event (and invitation) to look forward to. So here are a couple of suggestions for save the dates that not only fit the bride and groom well, but are guaranteed to make your guests smile every time they see them.

This Suzuette save the date by Marmalade Ink is a gorgeous reminder of spring and summer in an otherwise bleary season!



Aptly named, Storybook Romance by Carlson Craft is a magnet (which I love!) that lets you tell your relationship story through four pictures.

I have a personal reason for including this Modern Rectangle save the date magnet from Pioneer Color - it's on my fridge right now. One of my good friends chose it for her save the date for her wedding in April, and the bright spring greens look even better in person!

Aurora: Pantone Top 10 Colors of Spring 2010

When you see how cute Michonne + Mike are in 100 Layer Cake's post, you may just become a fan of yellow. I am not really a yellow kind of girl, but the whole package is breathtaking, including her Carolina Herrera dress. Even on the hanger, that dress has a life of it's own. What I love about this wedding blog is that personal style and deliberate expression of personalities and stories are alive and tangible. The imagery is just so yummy.

When I saw the image of the bouquet, I thought it paired up so nicely with the Buttercup invitation that was recently featured in Brides Magazine.

Aurora yellow was forecasted in Pantone's top 10 Colors for Spring 2010. Yellow has been hot for a bit now, and I honestly did not think it would stay on top, but the optimistic feeling it gives you, just keeps it vital in design.

In the words of Nina Garcia quoted for the latest Pantone's Fashion Color Report:

“Designers have responded to the shift in the economy in one
of two ways: by using bold colors in comforting, familiar silhouettes; or by
creating eye-catching one-of-a-kind pieces that are completely irresistible. The
fashion constant, however, has been and always will be color. There’s nothing
like a vibrant hue of Royal Purple or Golden Yellow to make
us feel optimistic and hopeful for the future – just look at our first lady! She wears
color impeccably. I predict that we’ll see a lot more brights in spring 2010 to
inspire and uplift everyone’s mood.”

— Nina Garcia

Fashion Director, Marie Claire Judge, Lifetime’s “Project Runway”

Aurora PANTONE 12-0642

A Love Story...

This was originally posted in August 2009, but in honor of Universal Letter Writing Week, I wanted to revisit the touching story of Jaime and Jeremy. Enjoy!

Jaime and Jeremy, on their wedding day.
{image via NY Daily News}

If you have been reading any online news source in the past week or so, you have more than likely seen the story about Jaime Benefit and Jeremy Clayton. During the Persian Gulf War, Jaime (then 13 years old) decided to send a letter addressed to "any soldier" thanking them for their service. The letter ended up in the hands of 19 year old PFC Jeremy Clayton and the two became pen pals, writing back and forth whenever they could.

Fast-forward almost 20 years, and Jaime decided to try to find Jeremy. After some unsuccessful attempts at trying to reach him through more traditional methods, Jaime used Facebook to sort through over 300 Jeremy Claytons! The rest happens only in the movies - Jaime and Jeremy met, instantly fell for each other and were married in July of this year. After reading an article about them, I knew I had to speak with Jaime about her extraordinary romance and how paper brought them together. One of the things that really got me about Jaime and Jeremy is that they still write each other little notes every day. She puts them in his lunch and he'll put them on the bathroom mirror for her - she says that they're as simple as "I love you" or "hope you have a great day", but that they mean so much to the two of them. Jaime says:

"Handwritten letters add a personal touch and it means a lot more when you take time to write someone, especially in today's society when emails and text messages have become the norm. With a handwritten letter you actually put your hands on it and they can save it to read at a later time."

Jaime actually kept all of the letters that Jeremy sent her during the Persian Gulf War, and Jeremy had to hide a couple of Jaime's letters in his truck so he could hang on to them. Most of us delete our emails or text messages or let them pile up in our inbox - Jeremy took the time to hide letters during a war. Jaime and Jeremy are just as technology obsessed as the rest of us but Jaime still sees the letter as a way to let someone know that you care about them.

"[It's] a way to show them that they are in your thoughts and that they are worth the extra minute it takes to write something out for them."

Who knows, that extra 5 minutes you take to actually mail a letter could make someone's day 20 years from now. So put down your cell phone, pick up a pen and piece of paper, and connect with someone special.