Ananya cards
Wedding stationery through the seasons
No matter what time of year you choose to get married, there are many ways that your stationery can reflect the flavour and essence of your chosen season. Scents, colours, flowers and leaves can all be incorporated to great effect to match the season, or the venue of your wedding.
We have worked with Vaishali Shah at Ananya on several occasions and not only does she provide sophisticated wedding and event stationery for momentous celebrations rich in personality and culture, her customer service and attention to detail is second to none!
We asked Vaisali to share her wedding stationery knowledge and creative ideas to inspire our couples, whatever the season…
Spring Weddings
Spring comes with a promise of renewal as nature comes to life and bursts through the dormancy of winter. The growing warmth coaxes trees and plant life to show off their colours. The pandemic has brought us a greater appreciation of nature as a source of comfort and wellbeing; this can be reflected in stationery with a palette of green in all its subtle or vibrant shades. Muted, dusky colours such as pink and ivory are classic and timeless favourites for Spring. Flowers large and small, delicate and bold abound at springtime and we love integrating their beauty into the stationery.
In a multicultural wedding, the blending of cultures in a thoughtful and meaningful way is of the utmost importance. As an example, when an Indian bride marries an English groom, she may want to wear muted colours for the wedding itself and go up tempo for the reception with rich, vibrant jewel tone colours, and the groom may choose to wear a suit for the wedding and an Indian outfit for the reception. Mixing it up makes it fun and exciting for the couple and their guests. The stationery would echo this mixture of styles and colours for a beautiful overall harmony between outfits and stationery.
Summer Weddings
Summer is the time for exuberance as the temperature heats up; we want to be outdoors as much as possible – garden parties, celebrations and soirées. Stationery colours should reflect the vibrancy of summer – fuchsia, orange, yellow and green show off beautifully as contrasting shades or as watercolours. Let’s not forget the scents of summer. If you’re off to Italy for a destination wedding, your stationery can incorporate a citrus scent bringing to mind the lemon, lime and orange groves; if it’s the Provence, then it would have to be the sweet and soothing scent of lavender. But if getting married in Marrakech or India is high on your list of wedding destinations, your stationery could be scented with the most aromatic, spicy fragrance. A wax seal with a sprig of lavender or a few strands of saffron embedded in it can be a fabulous detail to stamp on the envelope. Scents have the power to evoke memories and what better way than the use of scent to evoke memories of your special day! How about having a scent created especially for you? Your bespoke scent would permeate the invitations, be sprayed in the wedding venue as well as your keepsake favours. Scented souvenirs – unforgettable! If the summer heat is a bit too hot to handle, how about a paddle fan for your order of service? Both practical and pretty chic!
Every couple wants their stationery and special day to be unique and individual. Details such as these are a beautiful way to personalise and add that special magic to invitations.
Autumn Weddings
The days may be shorter and the temperature cooler but wedding stationery for the autumn season can be just as vibrant and beautiful as the spring and summer. The beckoning of the festive season, Diwali (the festival of lights), Jewish New Year, Halloween and Christmas make us yearn to be cosy and close to family and friends. As the leaves change colour, so does the colour palette. Bright yellows and oranges give way to rustic, earthier colours such as amber, copper, caramel, dusky gold and burgundy. The scents of autumn are warmer, spicier and moodier than summer. Think of mulled wine and the scent of cloves and cinnamon – why not infuse the stationery with that scent…delicious and warming!
Cool days want to make us wrap up in shawls and pashminas. If your stationery designer has designed a monogram, you could have that sewn on your shawl, pashmina or blanket – a striking and individual look!
Making invitations tactile revives one of our most important senses – touch. After our long and arduous period of isolation due to Covid 19, our invitations can be made more tactile with handmade paper. Available in numerous beautiful shades and dyed with natural, plant-based dyes, handmade paper has a comforting texture and appeal. Experimenting with print techniques such as embossing and engraving enhances the sense of touch, while hand torn edges can give it a rustic or a luxe look depending on what else you do with it.
How about using leaves as place cards? Beautiful calligraphy on leaves to be used as table numbers or place cards would give them a more intimate and personal look. The colour of the calligraphy ink could match one of the colours of the stationery for a stunning effect.
Eco conscious couples will want to do whatever they can to minimise any detrimental impact to the planet - from choosing cardstock from sustainably managed forests to planting trees, preserving favours as a souvenir and using vegetable-based inks for printing. At Ananya, we plant trees with every order placed with us as part of our contribution to eco sustainability. It can also be a beautiful gesture as a wedding favour gift that gives back to nature. Planting a tree could be something the couple want to think about as their way of giving back.
Winter Weddings
Our thoughts turn to the party season and festive cheer as we inch ever closer to the New Year. Stationery for this season will be about metallics, crystals, snowflakes and bare glistening trees which can be juxtaposed with monochrome palettes. Embellishments such as sequins and crystals alongside midnight blues, sultry purples, and dark burgundies come into their own. Look to nature for inspiration. Pinecones can be transformed into place card holders – au naturel for a rustic effect or sprayed with gold or silver for a glamourous look. Even Christmas baubles or anything sparkly can become place card holders – be imaginative! Those longing for warmer climes to escape the winter chill can flee to their favourite destination. Stationery can feature an illustration of the city such as a city scape or an illustration of the wedding venue. There are lots of opportunities here to make your invitations truly inviting and sumptuous!
Whatever season of the year you choose for your wedding, whether it’s in the UK or a destination wedding, your stationery can rise to the occasion and complement the season with a whole range of options to choose from to make it as stunning as the wedding itself.
Thank you to the following photographers for the images of Vaishali’s stunning work:
Stuart Wood Exclusive Wedding Photography
If you would like to contact Ananya directly, telephone Vaishali on +44 (0)20 7242 1877 or Email her info@ananyacards.com
If you are looking to plan your wedding, contact Jane on:
Wedding Planner Mobile : +44 7917 273180
The Cotswolds: 01452 302797
London: 0203 7014016