Manor by the Lake

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Manor by the Lake is a splendid Victorian haven steeped in history and delicate details. It holds seven acres of clean-cut gardens with secluded spots, hidden trails and a romantic lake.

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A wedding venue is integral to the development of the wedding stationery suite. It provides a synergy between the stationery and events. Essentially, it lets your guests understand the tone and personality of your event.

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Bridgerton Influences

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As Daphne Bridgerton eloquently stated, “you have no idea what it is to be a woman, what it might feel like to have one’s entire life reduced to a single moment.”

Set in the regency period, Bridgerton hones in on the idea that “ornamentation for the sake of it is everything.”

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“Layers of pastel-coloured, heavily embellished silken clothing (for men and women) are mirrored in rooms adorned from floor to ceiling in delicately hand-painted idyllic verdant scenes, or exotic portrayals of the Orient – the imagined perfection of both near and afar.

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Ornamentation, for the sake of it, is everything. Fragrant wisteria drips across perfectly symmetrical facades. Trims and tassels finish drapes and upholstery. Extravagant gilt frames surround flattering portraits while elegantly patterned dinnerware and fluted coloured-glass goblets adorn tables laden with food.” (dezeen, 2022)

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Similarly, Meerat’s wedding stationery touched on soft pastel shades, modern calligraphy, gold foiling, letterhead styling and decadent embellishing in the gold tassel.

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Initially, we explored rich regal colours such as jade green and navy blue. However, given Meerat’s wedding took place in June, we decided to lighten her colour palette. This way, her suite was not only reflective of the season but complimented her venues.

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We tried different colour stories and even monochromatic palettes, but we felt that one or more colours weren’t quite there yet. Meerat expressed that she wanted “sorbet” colours and a hint of “peach.” In the end, I took inspiration from soft-pastel-painted houses, which featured dreamy blues and peaches. I arranged the colours in a reverse ombre style, which kept the deeper shades in the front and back.

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These shades, were also included in the RSVP and nearby hotel cards for guests.

For the text, font and size, we paired modern calligraphy with an uppercase transitional serif typeface, which allowed the invites to have a regal flair without making them difficult to read.

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Regency-core meets the east

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Meerat wanted her suite to reflect her upbringing. A place where her eastern and western heritage could be celebrated.

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Therefore, we explored Middle-Eastern architecture, specifically arches and geometric prints. Both of which can be seen in the silhouette of the inserts and the pocket. The inserts adopt a two-tiered archway, which increases in size with every event. The pocket, on the other hand, showcases an Arabic-style pattern with gold foiling to act as a fence or decorative wall.

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Meerat requested that each insert included a simple illustration of each event, so her friends could understand what they represented. The illustrations, were located at the top or sides of the inserts, which gave them a ‘letterhead’ look. Furthermore, the addition of gold foiling truly elevated the suite.

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Finally, the gold tassel can be found in both eastern and western forms of adornment, whether to tie drapes or embellish clothing. This final detail helped lift the gold foiling in the text and illustrations and provided an opening and closing function for the invite.