Happy almost-weekend b.lovelies! It’s been a super pretty week on the blog, including b.loved reader Chantal’s DIY-fest wedding {I seriously loved this one!}.  Before we log off for the long weekend, I’ve got just enough time to tell you about Henry and Flora, a fab new wedding stationery company creating beautiful off-the-shelf and bespoke designs .  I’m sure you’re all more than aware just how much I believe good paper can add to your day – there’s so much more than a department-store bought generic design!

Henry and Flora was set up by creative husband & wife team Carole &  Will, keen to push the boundaries of wedding invitation design using new design and illustration techniques they had learnt working as graphic designers over the last 10 years.  Mixing vintage, quirky and contemporary design elements into their ranges, each suite is unique.  For couples who want a completely bespoke design, Henry and Flora are happy to listen to your ideas to create exactly what you envisioned, whether it be hand-finished embellishments or shiny gold foil-block. 

Let’s hear a bit more from Carole ~

My style is… Vintage with a modern twist. Something that looks like it’s had years of love, but brought into the 21st century with a modern vibe.

I’m inspired by… ANYTHING! Design has come such a long way in the last 10 years, so even a cereal box that has a lovely colour palette or a packet of tissues with a pretty pattern can really spark my imagination. Pinterest is a massive help to us, as it’s a big mood board from lots of different people all over the world. So many ideas have started when we’ve seen something pinned from a website we’d have never seen without Pinterest.

My favourite piece is… Our ‘just my type’ stationery range. I love typography and I think the colours we have used on top of a canvas background look really striking. The texture on the card almost makes it feel like its made of canvas!

Trends I love right now… Papercut artwork is so lovely. I think the time that is spent on each design really shouts at how much the artist loves what they create. I’m amazed and thrilled at how much traditional illustration has come back into fashion. Pencil drawings, watercolour sketches and ‘doodles’ are adorning products everywhere at the moment, and I love it!

I admire… I love David Downton’s artwork – the loose watercolour paintings he creates just leave me open-mouthed. Rob Ryan’s papercuts are amazing and although other people are creating similar work, you can just tell straight away when something is his.

I love my job because… No two days are the same. One day I’m looking at inspiration for a vintage floral stationery suite, and the next, I’m speaking to jewellery designers who want to supply items for a giveaway on our blog. I literally have about 10 different hats for all the different aspects on my job. The best thing ultimately is the feedback you receive when a newly wedded couple say how much everyone loved their invitations.

Weddings make me… So happy. There are some traditional things that have disappeared into the past, never to be seen or thought of again. But getting married is still one of the main markers in someone’s life, and most people still aim to get there one day. I’m a true romantic at heart, and hearing about how someone proposed can give me goose-bumps!

My advice for couples planning their wedding is… enjoy it and take your time. This is a once in a lifetime occasion, and you don’t want all your memories of the lead up being how stressed you were about organising things. Also, if you have friends and family who want to help out, let them. An aunt with beautiful handwriting can write the names on your table settings. A sister who is great with hair styling can give you some options on how you want your hair – even if you use an actual wedding hairdresser for the actual day. Sometimes you have take a step back and remember what the day is actually about – two people in love wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. Yes you want your day to be perfect, but people won’t remember if the bridesmaid’s shoes matched perfectly to the best men’s ties, they will only speak of the smiles on your faces when you walked back down the aisle as husband and wife.

Find out more at www.henryandflora.com or follow on twitter and facebook for all their latest updates!

Enjoy the lovely long weekend lovelies!! We’re back on Monday with our usual inspiration