As a stationery designer, my passion lies in the close collaboration with my couples—delving into their unique stories and transforming their dreams into reality. Connecting and creating with them isn’t just my job but a deeply rewarding experience. It’s my honor to have a small role in this memorable chapter of their life together!
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is weaving a couple’s family heritage and personal history into their invitation design. For instance, I might create a watercolor wedding crest or monogram and incorporate meaningful symbols. These little touches not only add a personal element but also honor their unique journey. Keep reading to discover how we create custom wedding stationery with personality at Turnage + Watts!
The Story Behind Turnage + Watts
Family and tradition have always been among my core values. Turnage + Watts gets its name from my beautiful grandmothers, Pattie Mae Turnage and Sue Ella Watts. They always threw the best gatherings with their friends in Elon, North Carolina! Every suite in my Semi-Custom collection is named for the wonderful people who enriched my life in Elon.
It’s my guiding goal to infuse that same sense of caring and community into my work. My couples’ weddings are important to me, and I design for them accordingly. Every wedding suite I create needs to have just one thing in common: being perfectly unique to each specific couple!
How I Create Wedding Stationery with Personality
For example, I worked with a sweet couple who wanted to infuse their personalities and family heritage into their wedding suite.
To begin the process, I met with the bride, her mother, and her future mother-in-law. The mothers were passionate about incorporating the groom’s family coat of arms and tartan. However, I could tell the bride was less than thrilled with the possibility that her wedding stationery would center on a family crest from the 1500s and green-and-blue plaid.
The bride is part of the wedding industry herself! She’s a floral designer with a bubbly personality who loves bright colors: oranges, yellows, and pinks. Their reception, planned by Island Creek Events, would be full of hundreds of brightly colored floral arrangements. So, the vintage coat of arms didn’t match the look she was going for.
Meanwhile, the groom’s family have been boat builders on Maryland’s Eastern Shore for generations. After their ceremony, the couple planned to travel from the church to their reception aboard the first boat the groom’s grandfather ever built. Since this was an incredibly unique and meaningful detail, I considered it a crucial element of their suite.
Merging Two Specific Visions
So, my job was to create a beautiful wedding suite that merged brightly colored florals, the family coat of arms, the family legacy of boatbuilding, and the nautical charm of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Seems impossible, right?
My solution was to create an updated, modern family crest for the couple. I kept the basic shape of the family coat of arms and added brightly colored florals to represent the bride. I replaced the pirate ship in the crest with the groom’s grandfather’s boat in two quadrants. This boat was also displayed prominently on the details card. Then, I added the couple’s initials and topped off the suite with a vintage map of the Choptank River, where they were married.
This new, modernized crest encompassed both the bride and groom. And now, it’s a family crest they can hand down to their children and grandchildren.
Do you and your spouse-to-be come from different backgrounds or have different visions for your invitation suite? Fear not! I’m here to help you bridge the gap and create beautiful wedding stationery with personality. To begin the process of working with me, inquire today. I can’t wait to start brainstorming ways to capture your love story in a one-of-a-kind design!
Designing wedding invitations is a journey we embark on together, bringing your unique love story to life on paper. If you’re excited to learn more about my creative process and the wonderful experiences I’ve shared with other couples, I invite you to explore further.
Check out my guest blog posts and podcasts I’ve been featured on. Discover the passion and dedication I pour into every invitation, and see why so many couples have trusted me with such a special part of their big day.
Guest Features and Podcasts:
My Eastern Shore Wedding: Getting to know Turnage + Watts
Wildly Native / The Flower Files Podcast: Elegance in Ink: The Transformation of Wedding Stationery
Vendors:
Stationery: Turnage + Watts
Photography: Juliana Mary & Co.
Planning: Island Creek Events
