Katie & Chris, based near Melbourne, were very sneaky when it came to planning and hosting their “engagement party” earlier in February this year. They ordered our Chalkboard Engagement Invitations nice and early so that as many guests as possible could attend their celebration – unbeknown to all that the day would actually consist of a surprise wedding! Little did the cheeky couple suspect that they weren't the only ones with a surprise in store, as Mother Nature had bigger plans which would result in a complete turn of events by the time of their reception!

Read about their creative and unique wedding day in the words of Katie herself;

We were treated to a beautiful warm morning for our wedding day. The day turned out to be quite hot, mid 30s from memory which we were thrilled about – the weather seems like such a boring, insignificant way to begin our story however it will make more sense towards the end.

After breakfast at home Chris, my sister Jen (maid of honour) and I headed straight to the venue to begin decorating at around 9am. We spent a few hours setting up including delivering our backdrop – handmade by Chris of course, (he’s very proud) with the help of his brother Nich (best man). After we were all set up we realised we still hadn’t organised our foliage to drape over the backdrop! So Chris and I, secateurs in hand, raced off to a farm nearby to DIY our decorative foliage. Chris was literally climbing up trees cutting the branches down while I braced myself underneath, arms outstretched waiting to catch them falling. We loaded them in the back of the car and headed back to Settlers Run to attach to the backdrop. Once finished I headed back home as Chris went to find his groomsmen.

Waiting for me at home were my amazing hairstylist Lia Hanson and makeup artist Marie Mihail who had already started on my beautiful bridesmaids. Not long after, our insanely talented photographers Kristie and Brett of Byron Loves Fawn Photography arrived. We are eternally grateful for them making the trip down from Queensland for our special day.

As we were getting ready Chris appeared and surprised me with flowers and a balloon with “I love you” plastered across it, which started the tears welling.

 

 

An hour or so later the groomsmen arrived and we all headed out to a nearby farm for our photos. Time was ticking and we had to quickly head back home for our first costume change – into our “engagement party” outfits. Quickly we got changed then drove straight to the venue with our “wedding” outfits in tow. We needed to keep these extra outfits hidden of course and get them into the “secret room”. We arrived about quarter to 7 and the party started at 7pm! Our celebration was held at Settlers Run Country Club, in Botanic Ridge, located just under an hour from Melbourne city.

 

 

The engagement party had begun and the guests were arriving. At around 7.50pm myself and my bridesmaids snuck off separately into the secret room for our costume change. The boys then snuck off around ten minutes later. The guys got all set up standing next to the backdrop with Michelle Davis our incredible celebrant in the secret room. From what I hear (we couldn’t see what was happening because we were in another secret room for our costume change) the staff at Settlers Run all of a sudden pushed open the temporary wall which made the engagement party and ceremony area one big room!

 

 

The guests were surprised with the boys all standing up there proudly, our celebrant standing next to them, the chairs, aisle, candles etc. They were all totally shocked, there was tears, gasps and confusion. One of our guests heard someone say “what are the boys doing up there, are they performing a show for us?”. The guests all merged towards the ceremony area, I’m told with quite a bit of caution still unsure of exactly what was going on.

Meanwhile us girls were being ushered in golf carts around to the back of the building from where we would start to make our way down the aisle. Our good friend Jack Johnstone was performing Northern Wind by City and Colour as we walked down. My dad met me at the entrance to walk me down the aisle.  

 

 

One of my most favourite moments was seeing one of my best friends, Elyse from London, 'sitting' in the front row via Skype! She woke up in the middle of the night, put on a beautiful frock, did her hair and makeup and got herself a glass of wine while she watched our ceremony.

Our ceremony was the perfect representation of who we are as a couple – relaxed, funny and full of love. There were equal parts laughter and romance. Chris added his trademark cheekiness too for example during his Dad’s speech after the ceremony he interrupted to say “Dad, have you met Katie?” which made everyone erupt into laughter.

Once the ceremony was over we were mingling with our guests when I suddenly thought “why is there no music?” I expected our DJ to have started by now. At that point a staff member of Settlers Run approached me to let me know there was a power outage in the area due to a huge storm that had rolled in just after our ceremony had begun! We were operating in emergency lighting and those lights would only last for about an hour! So we quickly rushed into our cake cutting, speeches and first dance (by acoustic – Making memories of us by Keith Urban). We’re so thankful to have Jack there otherwise our first dance may have been in silence without power.    

We were then ushered out by the staff for safety reasons as our wedding was cut short. Although there is a happy ending… we ended up heading to a bar with about 40 of our guests and continued to celebrate – we wouldn’t change a single thing about our wedding day and night.

We got married at Settlers Run Country Club which is actually in the estate where we have just built our first home. We moved in at the end of January and a month later we were married there! We’ve had a very exciting start to the year!

 

To have your wedding day and photos featured as one of Lovestruck Invitations ‘Real Weddings’, please email us [email protected]

Photographer: Byron Loves Fawn Photography   |   Ceremony & Reception Venue: Settlers Run Country Club   |   Celebrant: Michelle Davis   |  Florist: Casey Allsep   |   Cake: Simply Cakes Melbourne   |   Engaement Dress: Maurie & Eve   |   Wedding Dress: Grace Loves Lace    |   Rings: Gray Reid Gallery   |   Hair Stylist: Lia Hanson   |   Make Up Artist: Marie Mihail   |   Entertainment: Jack Johnstone   |   Bridesmaid Dresses: Cooper St, Forever New and Bridesmaids own   |   Men's Suits: Groomsmens own

We were recently approached by Queensland Brides Magazine to offer our stationery and design expertise on current wedding trends for 2015. The theme 'Return to Romance’, which is an increasingly popular wedding style, features in their latest edition and it was a huge honour (and a lot of fun!) being able to offer advice and tips on how to incorporate modern and timeless romantic elements into your Wedding Stationery suite.

If you’re not able to get your hands on a copy of the latest glorious edition of Queensland Brides (Autumn 2015), we have the interview for you to peruse below between our Creative Director, Rebecca, and the QB editorial staff. Alternatively you can purchase a copy of the latest edition here.

“As the movement moves towards dreamy,
feminine and utterly whimsical wedding details
gathers momentum, the focus turns to stationery
and the profound sense of style which can
be created using some humble pieces of card”

The all-important first impression of your big day – your wedding invitation. A carefully designed combination of typography, stock, colours and details, your wedding invitation is not only a visual masterpiece which communicates the definitive mood of your big day, but the source of all your vital logistical information – a pretty important element for guests! The ‘new romance’ movement is one that has extended to a raft of wedding elements including stationery, which is seeing a return to traditional prettiness like lace, calligraphy, foil and monograms as well as the modern interpretation – florals, pearlised touches and illustrations are equally as enamouring. 

It seems weddings have taken a particularly romantic turn – which utterly romantic details are we seeing appear on stationery of late?

Effortless elegance seems to be just the inspiration that the modern bride desires. She wants their wedding stationery to look amazing, but without it becoming intrinsically complicated! Soft and flowing flourishes, subtle sparkles and shimmers composed with carefully-crafted typography are imperative for setting a romantic mood in your wedding stationery. 

Handwritten calligraphy is big – what are your favourite stationery items to see it incorporated into?

There are community classes everywhere at the moment for learning the (not-so-lost) art of handwritten calligraphy. By personalising each of your guests' names onto their envelopes with hand-written calligraphy you really set the scene for traditional romance and elegance. Remember that you can experiment with colour too, gold calligraphy especially exudes elegance.

Are there any tactile romantic elements which are trending at the moment? (i.e. lace, tulle, rope, etc.)

Gold spray paint is your new best friend! Acquire yourself a couple of bottles, summons the inner-artist within and start experimenting! A really cool technique to apply to your wedding stationery is to stack all your invitations together tightly, and lightly spray the edges for a subtle but unmissable finishing touch. 

What's a really simple, cost-effective way for a couple to add some romance to their stationery?

A unique way to add your own unique touch is by wrapping simple features like twine or lace to your wedding stationery. This little bit of extra effort is inexpensive and not too complex, which will instantly create a tactile & memorable experience for your invitees. Feathers are a very wistful touch – especially if you have spent time with your fiancé gathering them from around your local area! 

What's your 2015 trend forecast for wedding stationery?

Aside from seeing so many modern-day romantics, we are also loving our bold brides! These unique women (and their partners) are re-defining the romantic style of yesteryear. Think gold flourishes, magenta pops and accents of living green!

Congratulations – you’re engaged!

I can expect that you and your handsome fella are floating on cloud nine. Suddenly your world has been spun into a whirlwind of endless phonecalls, spontaneous celebration drinks, skype dates with faraway besties all to the sound of endless bottles of champagne being popped! If only you could keep your phone charged long enough to update your Facebook status!

 

 

That blissful feeling of finally becoming someone’s Fiancé will be one of the most ecstatic times of your life. Lap up every minute of it, and cherish all the abundance of love and well-wishes from your friends and family... because brace yourself, once all the hype settles down the next feeling might send you into a bit of a spin!

Congratulations – you’re GETTING MARRIED!!

Suddenly on the phone (still running hot, and on only 19% battery life), is your new mother-in-law (to-be) prying for dates, ideas and timeframes for the imminent ‘W’ word... Your Wedding day! It‘s a bit of a mouthful to get used to at first – I certainly had trouble wrapping my mouth around the words “our wedding day”! You immediately have to step into event-planning mode, as you are no doubt faced with all the well-meaning questions and expectations of your big day.

Who knew that photographers need to be booked sometimes a year (or more) in advance?! That you need to get that precious engagement ring insured – STAT!? Then, like most modern families the two, three, maybe four+ sets of families to consider (and potential complicated dynamics), then there’s the DRESS, the Bridesmaids, the style, season, flowers, colours, your budget...

B R E A T H E !

 

Yes you have a lot of decisions ahead of you, but thankfully you have a team to support you – your fiancé, gal-pals and us are all there to assist you through every step! The Lovestruck Invitations crew are a tight-knit bunch, who put their heart and soul into every invitation we create.

We are specialists in coordinating stylish, unique and timeless wedding stationery. So use our years of combined design (and real-life) experience, to help you bring together a floorless look & feel for your big day. Our designers can adapt any of our invitations to suit your style, and translate the same cohesive look & feel across all of your wedding stationery from your engagement invitations to wedding invitations to menus to thank you cards. We want you to take some time to just enjoy being engaged, knowing that we will be here to help you as soon as you’re ready to start preparing your wedding stationery.

 

 

If you’re planning to throw an engagement party to kick-off the exciting time ahead in the lead-up to your wedding day, we suggest choosing an invitation design and style which you might like to translate across the rest of your wedding stationery further down the track. Our desigers have very carefully, and lovingly, created a wide-range of engagement invitations which are on-trend and timeless. Take a look at some of our most popular and newest designs here.

We are here to help you coordinate your wedding stationery, so lean on us and utlise our huge range of designs and skills to make your wedding day preperation seamless and most of all lots of fun!

 

Please note our Christmas Trading times so you can plan ahead for your order's timeframe:

Wednesday 17th December
If you place your order by this day we guarantee that you will receive your emailed proof ASAP, and if approved by Friday 19th December we can still dispatch your order before Christmas (please note that Courier time can vary over the Christmas period).

Wednesday 24th December
Lovestruck Invitation’s office will be closed. You are still very welcome to place your order during this time, and it will be treated as a priority once we re-open (5th Jan).

Monday 5th January
Hooray all our staff are back on-board to proof, process and dispatch your orders according to our regular time frames!

Sometimes it is the smallest details that help to bring a wedding day together, and who would have thought that a simple little matchbox could be so pretty & meaningful? This free printable we have created for you perfectly co-ordinates with two of our most popular designs; the gorgeously-rustic ‘Vintage Banner’ and elegant & bold ‘Chalkboard’ designs.

Featuring sweet sayings, you can apply these printables to mini matchboxes easily available from your local supermarket or hardware store (54x37mm). They make an inexpensive, but meaningful wedding favour to give to your guests, and pairing them with an aromatic candle, or even sparklers would really make an impact!

Simply download the printable file by clicking on image above (or here), save the image, and print at 100% scaling onto an A4 piece of paper (or even better, a full sheet white sticker label paper), trim and pop onto your matchboxes.

Simple & fun! X

 

Our design team are always tickled to see some of their work feature in glossy press! This month we are celebrating our new designs “Graceful’ and ”Monochrome Types’ (in gold) being chosen to feature in the Spring edition of Queensland Brides Magazine.

The spread features invitations with ‘a touch of glamour’ and these designs were chosen because of their sophisticated glamour, with a hint of glitz for an elegant affair.

Feel free to view the Graceful invitation suite here, and the Monochrome Types design range here.

Natalie and Karl’s beachside wedding was a magical day as they embraced the iconic Queensland backdrop of Burleigh Heads. They held their wedding in the same sentimental location where they were engaged, and their wedding day was modern in it’s styling, paired with breathtaking soft dusty pinks for the ladies, and cool navy & greys for the boys. Their fresh contemporary details were accentuated with bursts of green and white.

We are huge fans of Gold Coast-based photographers Em & Kye of Kye Norton Photography. We love their natural and happy attitude towards their work – and this is reflected in the truly beautiful and intimate moments that shine through their images. Their photography style really compliments not only the love and warmth of the  beautiful couple, but also the dramatic features of their wedding location. Check them out here.

 

To have your wedding day and photos featured as one of Lovestruck Invitations ‘Real Weddings’, please email us

Photographer: Kye Norton Photography | Florist: B Sweet Flowers | Cake: Kate Donnan | Ceremony Venue: Rudd Park Burleigh | Reception Venue: Pointbreak Bar & Grill Restaurant Burleigh | Bride's Shoes: Cinderella Bella Shoes | Rings: Diamond Boulevard | Bridesmaid Dresses: Shiraz Bridal | Hair & Makeup: Kate Caddle | Entertainment: Jason Delphin | Ceremony Decor: Circle Of Love | Dress Designer: Leonard Derecourt | Men's Suits: Roger David

Your wedding invitations can be worded in countless ways, which can best reflect the style of your occasion & also your personalities. Typically, an invitation will normally include some or all of these elements:

the hosts,
who is invited (with or without guestname personalisation),
bride and groom names,
date & time,
location details
reception details,
R.S.V.P. deadline & contact details.

It’s ok to be really creative (we encourage it!), but it is imperative to still remain clear and concise with all the pertinent information for your guests on your wedding invitation. Utilising additional wedding stationery accessories like RSVP Cards, Extra Information Cards & Wishing Well Cards is a great way to keep your invitation simple & elegant.

Refer to our quick guide to help choose the best style for your own wedding invitation wording! And remember our team of Designers at Lovestruck Invitations have years of expertise, and are here to help!

 

Wedding Invitation Wording Examples

 

Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording:

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Drake
request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Kaylee Jefferies
to
Jonothan Higgins
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Fred
Saturday, the eleventh of February
two thousand fifteen
at three o'clock in the afternoon
Valley Views Retreat
411 Mountain View Road
Maleny, Queensland

 

Casual (non-traditional) Wedding Invitation Wording: 

With Joyful Hearts
Kaylee Jefferies
and
Jonothan Higgins
Would love you to join us
as we tie the knot
and celebrate our new life together
Saturday, the eleventh of February
two thousand fifteen
at three o'clock in the afternoon
Valley Views Retreat
411 Mountain View Road
Maleny, Queensland

 

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording sample:

Our wedding will take place
In the sun’s warm embrace
In our special place
of
Kuta Beach, Bali
Kaylee Jefferies
and
Jonothan Higgins
Would love you to join us
Saturday, the eleventh of February
two thousand fifteen
at three o'clock in the afternoon
Skyline Resort
Kuta Beach, Bali

We are super excited to announce our HUGE stationery competition!

Simply enter via Facebook (details below) and you will be in the draw to win the following stationery package (up to the value of $2000):

Prize:

• 80 x Invitations with guestname personalization
• 80 x envelopes with guest addressing
• 80 x envelope seals
• 80 x RSVP Cards
• 80 x wishing well cards
• 80 x Information cards
• 100 x menus
• 100 x placecards
• 100 x bonbonniere gift tags
• 10 x table numbers

Simply follow these two steps to enter:

1. Like Lovestruck Invitations on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/LovestruckInvitations

2. Share the Prize Image (located on our facebook page)

It really is that easy! If you are our lucky winner you can choose from ANY of our available designs and one of our design team will work with you to ensure your wedding stationery is perfect.

Competition closes Friday 2nd May 2014

Terms and Conditions:

• Entrants must reside in Australia and must be aged 18 years or older.
• The Major Prize Winner will be the first name randomly selected from all entrants. The winner will be announced on the Lovestruck Invitations facebook page and will be notified within one week from the competition close date.
• Entry to the competition is via Facebook. To be eligible, entrants must like the Lovestruck Invitations facebook page and share the competion image on their facebook page.
• The Major Prize Winner has 12 months to claim their prize.
• Prizes cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash and is not transferrable. No compensation will be payable if the winner is unable to use the prize as stated.
• Lovestruck Invitations, and/or its related entities are not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever which is suffered or sustained as a result of the prize except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.
• The winner shall participate in promotion and publicity resulting from the draw as the promoter sees fit.
• If for any reason this promotion is not capable of running as planned, including due to infection by computer virus, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the promoter, which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or integrity or proper conduct of this promotion, the promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to take any action that may be available, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition subject to written directions from State Regulatory bodies.
• The promoter is: Lovestruck Invitations
• Competition closes Friday 2nd May 2014
• Entry into the competition shall be deemed acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.

We have been inspired over at Pinterest lately, dreaming up all things rustic to create the perfect 'un-perfect' wedding day! Our wedding stationery range 'Vintage Banner' has been our most popular design last month, proving just how much everyone is loving rustic-themed weddings.