From save the date cards to stylish reception signage, couples are enlisting artists to help put a personalised typography spin on the finer touches at their nuptials, as Jenna Meade finds out.
It’s all about the finer details at weddings – and the fine lines of typography is quickly becoming a must-have for couples.
Reminiscent of the calligraphic writing styles of yesteryear but with a contemporary twist, delicate typography is making its mark on the wedding scene since gaining popularity from artistic bloggers Jasmine Dowling and Gemma O’Brien.
From invitations and save the date cards through to reception signage and cute cake toppers, the stunning scripture is a creative way for couples to both personalise and preserve their special day by commissioning their own unique artwork.
Ocean Grove typographer and designer Annie Wilson, of Annie Coyne Design, has defined her own style in the intricate art and works with couples to incorporate their own typography throughout their wedding.
“The couples get to create a unique artwork together, using only the letters in their names – it’s truly theirs,” Annie says.
The wedding industry is seeing an evolution of typographic forms, with couples and designers incorporating various print treatments including watercoloured hues, metallic foiling and letterpressed characters.
And it’s not just for the big day – after the cake has been cut, the dress dry-cleaned and the newlyweds are home from their honeymoon, they can still keep your wedding day alive by having their artwork framed and displayed in their abodes.
“It’s something that they can be proud of; to display or to stick in their wedding album and show their children one day,” she says.
Annie helps to capture the bride and groom’s personalities in the designs, and has created a wide range of typography from bohemian-themed invitations to signage for a Day of the Dead-themed nuptials.
She says carefully syncing the artwork with the day’s theme is the most effective way to make a stylish statement.
“We will sometimes create a monogram logo of the couple’s initials that they can then use across all of the collateral,” she says.
“One couple had a stamp made of their initials and their address, which they used to stamp the backs of the envelopes, and they still use it on the backs of all of their mail.”
The clever designer thoughtfully put her artistic spin on her own wedding to her love Dylan earlier this year, designing a brightlyhued invitation suite, signage and a Love Map explaining the pair’s history together.
“My absolute favourite element was the monogram logo that we designed that went across all our stationery – which later we both had tattooed,” Annie says, smiling.
You only need to go to a wedding or flick through the pages of a bridal magazine to see there is some fantastic typography being used throughout big days.
But Annie warns there is also some average work, too.
She advises enlisting the help of a professional to ensure the best result.
“Type is so easy to get wrong – each letter forms part of the entire design so they have to all be spot on,” she says.
Like all wedding planning, organisation is the key, and it is important to allow enough time for the artist to be briefed, to design the typography and finally for printing.
“Work backwards from the date when you want to send out your save the date cards, and allow at least two weeks for printing, and two weeks for design work,” she says.
“Also, it is important to be confident with what you and your partner want out of the design, because changes are not only costly, but time consuming.”