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!

Keeping Current with Wedding Trends

{j.crew: gown, bridesmaid dress, flower girl dress, bracelet and tuxedo}
{photograph of wedding rings: michèle m. waite}
{flowers by sprout, worcester}
{sneak peak of unveiled invitation suite by checkerboard}

The current trends are so great for wedding. I am really into the understated hues and soft earthy tones. With a little accent of black or chocolate, these hues make a big statement. These colors are also elegant and timeless, so I have a feeling they will be with us for a while. Weddings are also trending toward the creative, organic, personal expression and an explosion of fun. Photo booths with great silly accessories are everywhere. Flowers are full of texture, like the ones shown here. These are such an amazing example of pulling color right from nature and running with it.

The invitation suite {a sneak peak to you readers of eInvite's insights}, features an oversized satin ribbon that just begs to be touched. The respond offers room for the recipient to write a personal note back to the bride. With a surge in guests not responding these days, the selections in Unveiled offer a creative prompt that in turn creates a very personal prelude to the wedding. How wonderful to open a response that includes a note from your favorite aunt, rather than seeing that she has chosen chicken over steak! The typography and the "stories" on the items in this book are so fresh. We look forward to offering them soon.

Today's brides are so lucky to have all this stunning eye candy, and oh the ruffles and baubles!

Floral Inspiration

{images via the knot, floral verde, and our the top left and

bottom two by our personal favorite florist, Sprout}

Designing a new line of watercolor floral invitations and considering what the trends are for 2010 brought me to our neighborhood source for all that is hot in florals. Cathy Walsh over at Sprout gave me some great input for what her brides are looking for in bridal bouquets. This is the first inspiration board I put together to get me going for day 1. Whites, and nautrals mixed with contrasting darks and subtle silvers. I just love the Mocha Roses (top left) mixed in with the baby green hydrangea and tones of white, those chocolatey red berries or dark brown uluhe fern curls. One of Cathy's favs are the phalaenopsis orchids, which she says are "so sexy and modern". I have to agree. White or purple, the petals have such a thick and sparkly magic to them. I will start with these and continue posting more of Cathy's suggestions and tasty images that I find.

Funny, I found some imagery from Floral Verde and what do you know ...she entered Sprout's 50 dollar challenge! The top piece was created for a client and the bottom piece was inspried from it.

I just love the wild grassy and multiple textures going on. A great little piece of eye candy.

Mid-Winter Sprout

This past Wednesday, Worcester hit 18ºF.

What's worse than that?

Well, that was the high temperature for the day. Fortunately, as creatives, we're usually working about a season ahead in order to bring you delectable designs and inspirational images. This means that though our bodies and buildings may be in winter, our minds are in spring (though the opposite is also true... when we're in summer, our minds have to be in the holiday season, and that can be tough!).

One great way to bring a bit of spring into your environment (and in my case, into our photographs) is utilizing the power of flowers. Here in Worcester, one of my favorite vendors is Sprout. They are a floral boutique with many of the exotics that you can't find locally without going to Boston or New York.


Sprout's exterior is a little burst of color on this frozen street. The early snows have past, but the cold has set in deep and most vendors have pulled their advertising and storefront features inside. Thanks to Sprout's bright paint and distinctive sign, it's pretty easy to find. Far more important, however, is what lies inside:


When I look for a good florist or floral supply, I look for businesses that keep their merchandise moving and their displays fresh and well rotated. Every business needs to do this, but florists in particular, as even cut flowers are reactive to light, heat, water, humidity, and more. A shirt will gather dust, but a flower will actually react with its environment.


Even in these small photographs, you can see that the cut flowers are in clean, clear, cool water. Keep an eye out at www.einvite.com for promotional shots featuring Sprout's beautiful selection!

Cirque Du Noir 2009

{scott boilard working his octo-magic with "deep sea" in the art fusion}

{jessica burhans illustrator extraordinaire sketching away}

{payal kripalani and derek ring work magic in minutes}


{derek ring on the dark side, recently featured on behance and fuel your creativity}

{creative black attire winners, 2 of which were our own scott boilard and jessica burhans}

{esthema of boston}

{liz charbonnier, erin wolczik and emily quillen and cynthia woehrle}

{artistic guests rocked the creative black, todd rawley and aaron white,
both winning contest prizes}


{scott boilard and me, michelle may having fun in the fusion, oooo check out the hat I made at a workshop at sprout before the festivities, graciously hosted by cathy walsh}

{andreea waters getting caught in the shot of guests watching the art fusion}

{extraordinary flora and candy du noir by Cathy Walsh of SPROUT}

{this handmade "ghost rider" mask by scott boilard definately won some votes for best costume}

ALL OF THESE AMAZING IMAGES BY THE VERY TALENTED

LOUIE DESPRES

Sunday night at Bocado in Worcester was filled with creativity, as the folks from eInvite stepped out onto the dark side to support the Worcester County Food Bank. {Yeah, we party like rockstars!}

You all were invited...Live violin from Onur Dilisen and then the rest of Esthema joined him to set the tone and kick off the evening. We celebrated with a live art fusion, a silent art auction, and prizes for best creative black attire. There is always next year...

additional pix can be view here

DIY Flowers

{images of flower bundles fresh from the Boston Flower Market via Sprout}

{images of wedding flowers via mint design blog photos by ellie snow}

Weddings cost a bundle, plain and simple. There are ways a creative couple can use their creativity or the creativity of their closest friends and family to not only save the beans, but to create flower arrangements and pieces of the wedding together. Many florists will be willing to purchase flowers for you to DIY...just ask.

Our friend Cathy Walsh from Sprout here in town just did her first DIY flower sale. Today, while on mint design blog , I came across these colorful beauties in mason jars and thought of how fun it would be to make these with friends. Cathy will even give you a crash course in arranging! I think this is a great solution to saving a bundle and having time with family and friends.

A few bottles of wine for the workers, a couple rolls of ribbon, a few cases of mason jars, and fresh blooms from your local. For the worker bees that pull their weight, offering a little cheese and some olives would be the polite thing to do. There you have a memorable gathering of spirited revelers preparing for the wedding together. Back to basics with beans to spare.

I hope Cathy posts some images from her DIY bride. We will be looking forward to seeing them!

Jungle Peas

{jungle peas via areaware}

If you have ever been lucky enough to receive flowers from Sprout of Worcester Ma, then you may have been introduced to these little critters. At least they look like the little guys that inhabit Cathy Walsh's June Street studio and enliven her work. Sprout is our local, our go to place for floral inspiration, as they complement invitations and signify celebration of all kinds.

I saw these decals on areaware and had to share.

Hot invites, celebrity style

Is the paparazzi a problem? Well, you can feel like a million bucks when you send out hot invites. Your guests will be reserving the limo, the minute they open... the envelope, please! Whether you are having a wedding, a new baby, graduation, or friday night cocktails on the patio, spending time with family and friends is important. The little details, like the perfect invitation makes your guests feel the excitement of "the event".

It is the little things that mean alot, the introduction, there first impressions upon arrival. For a shower or a casual gathering, a welcome sign on the door, or in the driveway is a nice way to lead them in to your gathering. Little tokens of humor in the bathrooms, name tags for guest to meet, party favors with creative flair...all of these things show your guests that they are important to you and that they were thought of.

{images: flowers via Sprout, Worcester, velvet rope via pommpeacefulmoments, hidden camera via deviant art, invitations via eInvite}

Don't Break the Bank

1. Think outside the box:

Take it easy on the withdrawals and use that creative mind. The day after your wedding, you can look at your statement with pride. Think of your options and escape the ideals of conformity. You can save money and create sentiment simultaneously by using personal inspiration. Your mother's dress, your summer home, your grandmother's china are all parts of your history and perfect for creating nostalgic impressions. A family home can be used for your wedding, saving you thousands and making it a very intimate gathering. If you do go over budget, you can replenish your bank account but...

2. Dresses:

The bridesmaids are another thing. {It's the dress issue.} Do wrong by them and the forgiveness comes only after enough time heals the wounds...if you are lucky. {wink} Do yourself a favor and hook them, wrap them and style them pretty with dresses from Butter by Nadia for under $300. They are convertible numbers with some pretty creative options that even the celebs are loving. One dress, to fit any body type and style. The dresses have two prices for 2 lengths and many color options. You can purchase on the web at benny and shaw.com or visit NYC for an appointment at two birds.com. When you look at the price, should also consider the fact that they will LOVE them and actually wear them again. Pictured in the collage is a bridal option, free flowing and so inexpensive.

3. Creativity:

Ring: Etsy has the most unbelievable selections of jewelry for all tastes and price ranges. This Moissanite, Recycled 14k Gold, and Recycled Sterling Silver Wedding Ring, is made to order and for only $876 from McFarland Designs. The moissanite, "diamonds from space" originate from meteorites, so they are ultra pc and perfect for the conscious bride. Saving you thousands, leaving a sweet downpayment for a house that you can actually live in!

Flowers: My favorite florist, Cathy from Sprout has some great options for creating amazing centerpieces, simplistically and creatively. Showcase one element to create a fantastic presentation. It's all in the presentation. You can use whatever florals suit you and minimize cost by getting creative. Sprout is not short on that. So a good florist should be willing to think outside the box.

Invitations: Romance by eInvite is priced under $100 for 100 invitations. Visit our site and see just how many you have many to choose from in that price range. This line was created to offer great design at a great price. You'll want to send out invitations for Friday night cocktails, so maybe you should just stick to the wedding section!

{ images: dresses via twobirds.com, ring via etsy, flowers via sprout-flowers.com, invitation via eInvite.com, gown via bennyandshaw.com }