A Garden Party Wedding Day

Planning to get married in summer? A garden wedding theme is timeless and traditional - and yet you can give it a contemporary feel as well.

You could go along the route of having a marquee outside on the lawns of a country house hotel. Don't feel you have to have individual tables - long, banquet style seating works well in this setting and if you want to be really rustic, then scatter haybales outside for guests to sit on and enjoy a summer evening.

That said, in the UK you'll also have to plan for wet weather. Think about umbrellas or a covered walkway to your marquee to allow guests to move between areas without getting wet.

You can set the mood for your garden wedding from the word go with your wedding stationery.

Flowers, pastels and motifs from nature will all set the scene.

Flowers are paramount at a country garden wedding. Think about decorating your tables with hand tied bouquets in jam jars. Maybe add a flower to the guest's individual napkin.

On the other hand, if you want to be more formal, think about tall arrangements in large candelabras or vases - remember to think about the guests' views across the tables and ensure that flowers don't block communication.

Work the country garden theme into your wedding dress, too. Find accessories - maybe your earrings - with flowers and perhaps give each bridesmaid a wrist corsage. And for the bridegroom and his groomsmen, consider cornflowers and buttonholes with one or two blooms, rather than a single rose (although that also looks stunning).

Large wafts of gypsophila in vases are an inexpensive way of decorating corners of the room and create a floral cloud.

If your wedding is moving into evening, create a welcoming atmosphere for your guests by lining the route to your venue with candles in lanterns for a soft glow.

And when it comes to food, the newest way to offer the wedding breakfast is at food stations offering different cuisine - maybe Thai, Indian, Italian, American - so guests can browse and suit their own tastes.

Don't forget to offer a chill-out area to guests - particularly if you are clearing tables for dancing. Everyone always needs somewhere to sit and chat - and some people might like to move away from the hustle and bustle of the dancefloor.

Remember at Ananya we can create bespoke wedding stationery for your country garden style wedding or pick one of our existing floral designs. We're always happy to chat your ideas through ...

 All invitations featured by Ananya. 

Seasonal Stationery

At Ananya, we think any time of year can be wedding season. That’s why we design stationery to fit the mood, colours and themes of all four seasons. Once you set a date, let the season be the inspiration for your wedding preparations. Remember, your stationery is the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding. Therefore, make sure to decide on your seasonal theme early and continue the designs throughout all the other aspects of your big day.

Spring Forward

Spring is a great time of year to get married. New flowers are blooming, the sun is shining again and everyone is in better spirits after the long, wet winter. Just have back-up plans at the ready for unpredictable weather and outside ceremonies! We think spring can be full of inspiration for the colour and designs of your wedding stationery. Light and cheerful colours taken from nature such as pink, yellow and peach would work well for your stationery. Designs incorporating flowers or butterflies will also set the tone for a bright and joyous celebration. We’ve infused  these spring elements into our Floral Fantasy and Butterfly Beauty designs.

Summer Lovin’

Summer is arguably the most popular time of year to get hitched. The warm weather and relaxed atmosphere makes it the perfect time to celebrate with family and friends. Whether you are having a formal affair or a small gathering in your garden, the summer theme can be incorporated into your stationery in many different ways. Floral prints such as daisies and dandelions will be a hit with garden celebrations. Choose summertime colours such as a bold pink, sky blue, sunny yellow or grassy green. Lace is always a popular design that works well for both formal and casual settings as it can be dressed-up or down based on the colour you use. We’ve used different summer characteristics to create our Summer Meadow and Lace Love designs.

Autumn Appeal

Autumn can also be a wonderful time of year for a season-inspired wedding. The weather is cooling down, the leaves are changing colours and everything feels fresh and new. Natural and rustic designs such as trees and leaves would help to set the theme in your stationery. Choose cosy and comforting colours such as burnt oranges, warm reds, light browns and caramels. Halloween is becoming increasingly more popular as an autumn wedding theme. Fun couples throwing a monster mash of a wedding can incorporate haunting designs of eerie animals into their spooky stationery. Your favourite vampires, ghosts and zombies will love receiving your bewitching invitation! We’ve incorporated these elements into our Autumn Allure and Halloween Harmony designs.

Winter Wonderland

Last, but certainly not least, winter is a magical time of year for a wedding. There’s a chill in the air, but with a sense of excitement and holiday cheer. Some brides dream of snow for a truly white wedding, while others will have the space heaters blazing in their white tents. Either way, snowflakes make the perfect design for your stationery. No two snowflakes are alike just as no two weddings are the same. Christmas and New Year celebrations can also inspire your theme. Choose traditional reds and greens for cheery Christmas celebrations or black and white combinations for fancy, formal New Year affairs. We’ve created our Winter Wedding and Gatsby Glamour designs to suit either occasion.

As you can see, it’s easy to incorporate seasonal designs, colours and themes into your stationery and throughout your wedding. No matter what time of year you choose to get married, remember to have fun with your stationery and make sure it truly represents you and your partner as a couple. Your stationery might suit the whole season, but you only get one big day!

Wedding DIY: Downloadable Bunting

Pack A Punch With Buntings; We Show You How Perfect for setting the scene at a wedding, buntings have become hugely popular as a way to add that all important personalised element. With a diverse range of uses and materials from which to craft buntings, you can use them to tell a story, display a symbolic message, or have the bride and groom’s names, as we show you how.

A big display of buntings will look dramatic in a large space, while small ones can stand on guest tables, and even on top of the wedding cake! Easy to put up, they can even be used as decoration for the bridal room. With the incredible choice of colours, fonts, textures and materials available, the possibilities are truly endless!

We at Ananya are all about personalising wedding stationery and below we show you how to create ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ buntings using our template. It’s fun and easy to do, and should get your creative juices flowing to add your own unique touch and flair!

Each bunting template is A5 in size and so there are two templates per A4 piece of paper.

free downloadable wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable yellow wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable grey wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

- Download the templates and print on white cardstock. - Cut around the templates. - Using a hole punch, punch 2 holes along each corner of the top of the bunting templates (where instructed). - Using a long piece of string, thread through each bunting template, adding knots after each hole as you go along to keep each of the templates in place. - Carry on doing this until you have a sufficient length of bunting.

Please click on the links below to download your wedding bunting PDFs.

'Bride' bunting in green

'Groom' bunting in yellow

'Bride' bunting in pink

'Groom' bunting in grey

Enjoy! Please do send us some photographs of how you have used the bunting...we would love to see them!

Ideas For A Destination Wedding

Just what is a destination wedding exactly? We'd say that it's really when you get married abroad somewhere. Maybe somewhere a little exotic... a little unusual.

You might be the type of bride and groom who'd like nothing better than to get married on a white sandy beach, with the warm blue sea lapping at your feet, palm trees shading you from the sun and an azure sky up above.

Or maybe you're more the type who fancy a wedding in an Italian palazzo? With picture-perfect mountains in the background. Maybe a lake nearby. Delicious food and warm sultry nights.

Whatever you choose, it's important to get the invitations and save the date cards sent off for your destination wedding as soon as you've decided on a date. Whilst it's lovely for you to get married on distant shores, it probably means that your friends and family will have to make particular plans - and in fact they may decide to make your wedding day the basis of a holiday.

It's elegant if your invitations reflect the style of your destination wedding and we have some sophisticated stationery options for you to choose. Here below are some invitations we created especially for a wedding in Mexico.

Afterwards, you could send out wedding thank you cards with photographs of the two of you together where you tied the knot.

Top Tips For Your Destination Wedding

1.  If you're marrying somewhere hot, you'll need to rethink a heavy, detailed wedding frock and consider something lighter - companies like Dessy have specially designed destination bridal gowns that pack without crushing in beautiful, lightweight fabrics.

2. For your flowers, you'll need to consider what is available locally and what's in season. There'll probably be a wedding planner at your venue so talk about the colours and styles that appeal to you. Alternatively you could consider having a jewelled bouquet for the day - something which is certain to become a family heirloom.

3. You'll also need to think about your hair. A stiff lacquered style would look out of place on a beach - so if you're set on having an updo consider something less structured, less formal.

4. If you're marrying on a beach, ditch the heels and go for manicured toes in flats or even flip flops.

5. A long veil won't really work at a beach wedding - you could however go for a birdcage veil or just accessorise your hair with flowers.

Take a look at the Ananya Cards destination weddings board on Pinterest for some more ideas.

Are you having a destination wedding? Where are you planning on going?

Photo credits: Top image via Couples Resorts. Couple on lake via Best Wedding Away.

Wedding Stationery Trends for 2013

2013 has arrived and with it, come the dreams and aspirations of every bride to have her perfect wedding. So what are the trends for 2013 that will help her create the wedding of her dreams and also one that is a la mode? Below are our thoughts... Glitz, Glamour and the Great Gatsby

Great Gatsby green and black wedding invitation

Great Gatsby cream and gold wedding invitation

With the much-anticipated movie the Great Gatsby finally being launched later this year, the 1920’s fashion has already begun to make an appearance. Translating this retro style into stationery will mean soft and shimmery backgrounds, dreamy and lace-textured looks and floral motifs - all heavily encrusted with crystals. Designs can also be bold and geometric and attention grabbing. Quite simply, a feast for the eyes!

Ombré: Shaded, Faded, Gradient

Ombre shaded wedding invitation

Ombré shaded green and brown wedding invitation

The shaded or Ombré look has definitely caught on, and will continue to be favoured in 2013. The dipped and dyed effect gives the look of colour graduations from dark to light. Often based on a monochromatic colour scheme, three different complementary colours can also be combined. The Ombré look has pervaded clothes, fashion accessories and even cosmetics and will be seen in stationery with dramatic effect.

East Meets West

Bespoke paisley lotus wedding invitation

Bandhani Bliss India inspired wedding invitation

The enduring allure of India and the East is such that time and again, top fashion and beauty houses such as Chanel and Boucheron have been drawn to its multi-faceted heritage for inspiration. This fascination with the East will continue to play an important part in 2013 because of its undying appeal.

Couples are not shying away from choosing strong, dramatic gemstone colours that are rich and exotic, and tones that spell opulence. The designs create a modern interpretation of traditional images and symbols, skilfully harmonising the East and West. Studded with crystal embellishments, they are Bollywood come alive!

Making a Personal Statement

Monogrammed crystal cake topper

Couples will want the stationery to be an expression of who they are. Whether adopting the latest on trend colour or other popular themes, they will want those themes to be intertwined with splashes of their own choosing – wanting the wedding invite to create the right tone – their tone.

Monograms will continue to be highly favoured as a way to express who we are and what we stand for as well as aspects that embrace our cultural heritage. They can also be adapted for use in a variety of ways to suit one’s needs. Monograms can become a work of art when embellished with crystals, adding that special exotic sparkle and shimmer.  It’s no wonder that such gorgeous invitations often become a keepsake – a fabulous souvenir to look back on with pride.

Cool Colour Hot Trend

Mint Modern wedding invitation

Exotic Emerald wedding invitation by Ananya

The soft and soothing colour of mint looks all set to become a hot trend in 2013. After the fiery, passionate, colour palette of 2012’s Tangerine Tango, the cool, crisp and fresh tones of mint will be most refreshing. Emerald, Pantone's Colour for 2013, will also be a very popular choice. Cool and serene or majestic and mesmerising, Emerald can be used as an accent colour to add that all important sparkle or as a predominant colour, as deep and vibrant as the Amazon jungle. The main colour can be carried through the entire suite of stationery with variations on tones.

Fantasy and Fairy Tale

Pink butterfly wedding invitation

Given the uncertain and volatile nature of the events of 2012, weddings in 2013 will be a great excuse to escape from the concerns of everyday living. The stationery will reflect a fantasy world full of magic and beauty. Soft colours, birds and butterflies, layering of designs and a touch of sparkle will create romantic and captivating stationery.

Classic and Always in Fashion

Classic monochrome wedding invitation

For those of us who like simple and understated chic, the classic look will always be in style - a relaxed feel with timeless designs and quiet luxury that speaks volumes. Soft colours, monochromes, monograms, minimal fuss and beautiful.

What are your favourite trends for 2013? We'd love you to share your ideas with us.

Credits: All invitation designs by Ananya

The Lucky Lotus

The lotus is the national flower of India, and is regarded as being the most beautiful and sacred flower in Indian culture. It symbolises divinity, fertility, purity, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment as well as honour and good fortune. It therefore comes as no surprise that lotus flowers can be found everywhere, from clothing to bed linen. The flower is a simple, but beautiful and powerful motif, which can be used on any type of material for any purpose. Many designers have been using the motif in their work, including Ed Hardy, who has a range of clothing with bold tattoo styled lotus prints. Nike has also designed a pair of their “Nike Dunk” trainers with pretty pink lotus flowers.

Bags incorporating the lotus flower are easy to find, such as Amy Butler’s lotus flower clutch, which uses an elegant  yellow lotus pattern.

The Lucky Lotus

Lotus flowers can appear in your home, and light up any room, with Graham and Green’s striking lotus flower ball chandelier, and there are many places where you can find quilts and cushion covers with lotus patterns.

However, it is in jewellery where lotus flowers are at their most prolific. Accessorize has created a pretty turquoise ring while Swarowski recently made a collection of lotus inspired brooches, earrings and pendants. Luxury diamond jewellery company DeBeers have also made their own range of lotus designs, calling it “Enchanted Lotus”. It includes hoop earrings and a bracelet as well as a diamond wedding band, all of which integrate the lotus with a heart shape in a unique design.

Finding the lotus is easy, so why not embrace India’s most famous and auspicious symbol, whether as part of your home, or your look. At ananya we use the lotus flower as our logo because of its symbolic nature and due to its importance in Asian culture. We have also created beautiful stationery using the lotus design, which can be used for any sort of wedding – whether you are having an English or Indian wedding, or it’s taking place in summer or winter. Our lotus designs are stylish, elegant and versatile, and are suitable for any occasion, big or small.

Until next time...Namaste and enjoy ananya life!

Tartan and Henna – a marriage of two cultures

Today, there is an increase in the number of multicultural weddings as many people who come from diverse cultures and backgrounds decide to get married to each other. Unsurprisingly, during their wedding ceremony they want to incorporate aspects of both their cultures, and show that their marriage is a fusion of their different traditions and customs. Sheila and Nigel, a recently wed couple, did just that. Sheila and Nigel met at a friend’s wedding, as they both worked at the same law firm but had never met. They hit it off immediately, and Sheila says that, “Needless to say we didn't speak to many other people that night!” Nigel was living in Dubai at that time, so it wasn’t clear what would happen next, but he later invited Sheila to dinner and they had a great time, which simply confirmed how well they got on. According to Sheila, he was “a perfect gentleman!”

Last November, the couple got engaged while trekking in Nepal. Nigel lugged a bottle of champagne with two glasses in a rucksack during their trek, prepared for a very romantic proposal. After 6 days of hiking, they stopped at Sing Gompa, a place with unrivalled views of the Himalayas. It was sunset and they’d just had their first hot shower of the week and were relaxing and listening to Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en Rose’ on the iPod. Nigel later said that at that moment Sheila was looking “radiant” in the evening light – the big moment had arrived! Nigel asked Sheila to marry him and without a moment’s hesitation, Sheila said “I’d love to” and then asked him to repeat the question so she could say “yes”! Nigel has said that that “yes” is the single most significant and happy word that anyone has ever spoken to him.

Nigel is Scottish and Sheila is half Indian half Scottish, so they decided to have a Scottish-Indian wedding. They got married at the magnificent Stirling castle in Scotland.

Sheila and Nigel's Wedding

About the themes and colours of the wedding, Sheila says that, “My grandparents are Goan, and my mother is fairly westernised, so I don't have enormous amounts of Indian culture in my day-to-day life. However, I knew I wanted to do something a little different and incorporate some aspects of Indian culture into the wedding. It's the blessing and curse of mixed race children perhaps; you don't feel comfortable entirely committing to one culture or the other! So I initially opted for an Indian wedding dress, well firstly I'd wanted Indian colours in the dress fabric, then upon going to a couple of Indian bridal shows, I decided on a modern lengha. I was able to have some light gold/cream in a nod to a western dress, together with a more traditional maroon, all with co-ordinating embroidery, and a blue/turquoise scarf which had elements of Nigel's kilt colours in it.” Sheila had henna designs on her hands and feet and beaded bracelets on her wrists. Their flowers were all brightly coloured and Sheila carried red and orange calla lilies, all of which toned in beautifully both with the Indian and Scottish aspects of the ceremony.

For the wedding invitations, Sheila was keen to continue the bright Indian colours. She says, "I couldn't imagine having a gilt edged cream invite, it's just not me. ananya created a fantastic turquoise invite with a paisley design which clearly embodied the mix of Scottish and Indian cultures, and in a contemporary way. Shocking pink combined perfectly with the base colour. We loved our invitations, as did our guests, as we received numerous compliments on the richness of the colours and the embossed texture. It felt bespoke without the price tag!"

Sheila believes that in order to have a stress free wedding, it’s best to incorporate what you want as it’s your day. She also says that it’s best not to get stressed if things do happen to go wrong on the day, as everyone is usually too busy enjoying themselves to notice. She avoided some traditions which she felt were unnecessary, such as cake, since it was an evening wedding, and they extended the canapés and drinks on the day, as that has always been their favourite part of weddings.

Until next time...Namaste and enjoy ananya life!

Nellie the Elephant

“Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk and said goodbye to the circus off she went with a trumpety-trump.  Trump, trump, trump”.

Remember the song made famous by the Toy Dolls in 1984?  If you do, it probably brings back an array of memories.

There is more to the elephant than Nellie’s song.  Hot off the “trunk” - the Elephant Parade  - a conservation campaign that highlights the catastrophe faced by the endangered Asian elephant. The Elephant Parade (which ended on July 3rd with an outstanding auction) displayed over 250 “designer” elephants all over central London. Nellie sure would be trumpety-trump with the efforts to save her peers, not only in Asia but across the globe! The elephant is after all the largest of all living land animals – some respect please!

Elephants symbolise grandeur. Buddhists admire them for their patience and wisdom. In China, elephants are respected for their power, strength and energy. They have particular significance in India and not just as a form of transport! Ganesha, the elephant headed God is worshiped by millions and one of the most well-known deities associated with power, strength, success and wisdom.  The elephant is also a popular motif used on Indian wedding invitations and personal stationery as it is thought to induce good fortune. Ever watched Bride and Prejudice with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan? Recall the classic scene of the American groom sweeping his Indian bride off her feet on an elephant? (If you have, you will be smiling about now!) Russell Brand – you were not the first, although you did make the tabloids with your proposal to Katy Perry! So, congratulations!

Elephantastic

Even Hermes has got in on a piece of Nellie’s action with its 2008 Orange Hermes et Rose Indien ad campaign. Several leading designers, from Prada and Gucci to Ferragamo and Cartier, have used the elephant as inspiration for their work.

We at ananya love Elephants (and Nellie too) and we are currently working on a line of elephant personal stationery as our own special celebration of this glorious animal, which we look forward to sharing with our readers! In fact, we have already used elephants in previous work. For a recent multicultural wedding we used the elephant as a motif which was continued throughout the stationery, from the invitations through to the stationery used on the day. Alongside this, we often use Ganesha on many of our wedding invitations and, of course, for Diwali greeting cards, as a sign of luck and good fortune.

A good cause, a fashion cause and a personal cause – all in a day of Nellie!

Until next time...Namaste and enjoy ananya life!