Chocolate Butterbean

Ashley and Gabriel are tying the knot on New Year’s Eve this year (so fun!).  She wanted a save the date letterpressed with gold ink, and a representation of her cute little Yorkie and her fiance’s chocolate lab incorporated somehow.  The end result is a formal card with a playful twist that reflects the personality of this sweet couple:

Erin and Charlie will be getting married in October, and she wanted  a wedding sign with their colors of champagne/gold and white.  I think the colors turned out really nicely on the stained wood!

Best wishes to the two of them as they begin their new life together!

On another note, Chocolate Butterbean created some signs for the baby shower of a dear friend this past weekend.  Her husband’s name is Ryan, and she calls him “Rhino” as a nickname, so to celebrate the quickly approaching arrival of her baby boy, baby rhinos were on the signs and details.  I’m hoping to get some better pictures to post at a later date, but below is just a taste:

My friend Carlee partnered with leslie&b photography for an inspirational photoshoot focused on one of my favorite Southern treats – peaches!  They needed an invitation design, and I was happy to oblige.  The shoot turned out gorgeous, and you can’t even tell how hot it must have been on that southern July afternoon!  Below is an image of the invitations (a slightly different version with their names hand-penned).  Visit Carlee’s blog to see more of the deliciousness!

Jessica and TJ are getting married next Saturday on a ranch in Colorado – it sounds like it’s going to be beautiful!  She wanted two signs with a simple, rustic style, and cards explaining their relationship to place at each rehearsal dinner setting to prompt guests for toasting.  Both signs have vignetted edges to add to the aged look, and their names are hand penned.

Best wishes to Jess  & TJ!

Today is the official launch of Southern Proper’s Town & Country Collection for fall 2010.  Definitely check out the gorgeous website update, and watch the slideshow of photos from the shoot on the homepage, should you need any inspiration!  These richly colored ties and bowties would be perfection for a fall wedding, and they have also added a collection of generously proportioned gingham bowties, if you prefer something more classic and subtle.  Don’t forget, too, that Southern Proper offers custom ties for brides and will work with you to create the perfect pattern to match your wedding day aesthetic!

Thanks to the ladies of A Big to Do Event Planning for featuring Chocolate Butterbean on their blog today!  They reached out to me to write up a guest post focusing on wedding invitation trends, and I was happy to do so.  Not that any of the information is “new” news to those of you in the wedding industry, but new brides delving into all these details for the first time may find some of the musing helpful!  Check it out here.  Below are the response card designs included in the post:

Whew, it is hot!  I am working hard, trying desperately to get to the bottom of the signs on my list before the baby bump and this third trimester slump that keeps threatening to arrive fully interferes with my mobility.  I am excited about the projects on my plate, however, and look forward to posting them as they are done over the next few days and weeks!

Today, I just finished up a sign for a client whose parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this week.  What a blessing, to be able to spend a lifetime with the person you love most, and what a special twist on the signs I usually create for those starting out on their journey together.

Also, sweet bride Heather was married just this past weekend!  I’m hoping she is totally relaxed on her honeymoon right now and soaking in the fulfillment of all the planning she has been doing over the past year.  She has been such a delightful client, and I hope one day I’ll be making a sign for her and Brian’s 50th wedding anniversary!  Below is the sign she ordered as a gift for him to give him on their wedding day.  They are both from North Carolina, and this nostalgic quote by Thomas Wolfe is something that likely strikes a chord on the heart of most UNC-ers.

Lastly, some friends and myself threw a baby shower for our mama-to-be friend Mary Beth on Saturday.  (I’m hoping to post more pictures later).  Below are two quick signs created to go in little Marshall’s nursery:

Allison and Hunt are getting married this Saturday at the Atlanta History Center.  She wanted a welcome sign, as well as a sign for their photo booth area.  Best wishes, you two (for both a lifetime of love and a beautiful, breezy afternoon on Saturday)!

Candy and John will be getting married next weekend, and John’s mother purchased the below sign as a gift for the both of them to display at their reception and then in their home.  So sweet!   John’s mother sent me photos of the couple to create their silhouettes.  Best wishes, you two!

I just posted an announcement on the website about ordering deadlines for signs and invitations this fall, so if you are considering placing an order, please read the below information!  I will be posting regular blog updates about projects and other news until the New Year, when Chocolate Butterbean will be back to serve 2011 brides.

(Also, I meant to post about the positively gorgeous cake that Mamie of Miss Mamie’s baked for us to announce that we are having a girl.  I had seen a few other people do this and thought it would be fun.  We had the ultrasound tech write down the news and put it in a sealed envelope, which we passed onto Mamie, and she made a delicious strawberry cake and carefully iced it in white so there was no trace on the outside!  We had family and friends over and waited until after we had supper to cut the cake and all discover the news.  Below is a picture of her creation, as well as a picture of it after we enjoyed some of it!)