One of our favorite customers makes her way to Old City from Jersey every December to plan her New Years’ Luncheon for all the favorite women in her life. My mom and I were lucky to have been invited one year, and what a “delight” it was.
This year’s theme was “The Year of the Rabbit”…so we took that and ran with it. That is what we love about this customer – she gives us free range to do it up!!!
It all starts with the invitation (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise)!!!!! Chinese take-out boxes with real chopsticks and a great poem, written by the customer, (think she missed her calling). Each invite was embellished with lots of crystals, envelopes were lined, custom postage was created, and a wax seal was made of the double happiness symbol!
Now that was just the invite…the next step is to come up with the favor and what fabulous gift she will be giving her guests. We found these great passport holders by LAVISHY that had a beautiful Asian botanical embroidered on the front. She fell in love with them and came up with another poem to insert into the passport holder, and of course we added crystals to them!!!!
The passport holders were then inserted into a red organza bag and we tied a tassel with an Asian charm around the organza bag. I had made a trip to China Town to pick up some great stuff…boy did I have fun!!!! We then put each of these organza bags with 3 fortune cookies into an oversized Chinese takeout box that we decorated with parts of the invitation. The wire handle was wrapped with red satin ribbon and of course “crystals” were added to the box…all tied up with an organdy ribbon…and on each side of the box we dangled tags that said “the Year of the Rabbit” on one side…and “To one fortunate cookie” on the other….phew, need to catch my breath!!!!!
Of course, place cards were needed. We ordered Chinese fortune cookie change purses made of beautiful silk brocade in reds and golds, and then printed each guest’s name on a card, embellished with a crystal and tucked in the purse.
While working on this project, we were all intrigued by what our “year” was on the Chinese calendar…I happen to be the year of the rabbit…so it is my LUCKY year!
I hope it’s yours too!!!
“The notes couples receive on blank response cards create a great keepsake. I have brides who are reluctant at first, but love the outcome. It’s such a way to combine the old and the new. People can respond with traditional responses or they respond with fun greetings. Years and years later, the couple can look at those cards and really remember the people at their wedding. Carolyn, Owner Papery of Philadelphia”
Seven years ago, Carolyn Brandhorst launched her career selling greeting cards and leather-bound journals out of a modest shop in Marlton, NJ. Today, Brandhorst is designing and shipping invitations for weddings all over the world–including ceremonies at the Vatican. Countless local brides have flocked to her store, The Papery of Old City, to leaf through heavy books filled with custom invitation options; but Brandhorst says men (in her words, “the urban creative grooms”) are increasingly seen browsing through card samples as well. For this year’s summertime nuptials, Brandhorst forecasts vibrant color palettes like turquoise and yellow, Crane’s newest black paper stock printed in white (for black tie weddings, of course) and a return to letterpress printing.
