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Ivy Ellen to Launch on Confetti

December 15, 2011 in Ivy Ellen News by admin | No comments

We are delighted to announce that a selection of Ivy Ellen designs have been chosen to feature on the Confetti website, launching in December 2011.

Wedding Invitations

A range of stationery items from our Celebration, English Beauty, Snow Kissed, Butterfly Love, Rose Scroll, Beauty, Elegance and flagship Vintage Floral designs can now be purchased through Confetti’s Online Shop.

Butterfly Wedding Invitations

Here’s a word from Confetti’s Brendan Jackson:

“At Confetti we stock a huge range of wedding stationery and wedding invitation related items. We’re very excited about launching Ivy Ellen products in our wedding stationery shop as we feel the range will offer our customers some stunning choices. We are sure the feedback from our customers will be superb.”

To see the Ivy Ellen range of wedding invitations and stationery offered by Confetti, please visit http://shop.confetti.co.uk/branch/wedding-stationery

7 Common Mistakes with Wedding Stationery

August 28, 2011 in Wedding Planning Help, Wedding Stationery Advice by admin | No comments

Here’s a list of what we find are the 7 Common Mistakes brides make when choosing and ordering their Wedding Stationery!

Not allowing enough time. Typically a stationer will need three weeks to produce your invites. You will also need up to a week to proof them and a week to write them and post them. So 6-8 weeks is ideal and on average they should be posted out 6-12 weeks before your wedding.

Not proof reading properly. Most good wedding stationers will keep an eye out for obvious typos, but it is your responsibility to check spellings of your venue, guests’ names, etc. Once you have checked and signed off you will have to pay for mistakes you may have missed in the text. Be warned, as this can be frustrating for both you and your printer and will cost you money.

Getting quantities wrong. Generally speaking you don’t need an invite for every single guest as many will be couples and families who can share an invite. Having said that, be sure to have enough spare in case you are planning to send a second wave to fill in gaps left by people not attending. You also need to allow extras for mistakes when writing them.

Not Budgeting Enough. The biggest costs for printers are design and set up time, which is why invitations sometimes appear expensive in relation to their material costs of paper and ink. Do allow 2-4% of your wedding budget to cover the true costs of your wedding stationery and be aware that the more luxurious your invites, the more they will cost. Many companies offer DIY options for handmade invitations, which can help you to stay on budget.

Poor handwriting. You may need to handwrite your invitation envelopes and items like place cards, so if you don’t have nice handwriting, or know of anyone who can help, it is worth considering a calligrapher or asking your stationer if they can do this for you.

Copying Designs. It is best not to ask a designer to copy another company’s work. It demeans their design ability and brings bad karma to your wedding because it is essentially theft. Avoid doing this.

Remembering to Thank Guests. Remember to order thank you cards in advance of your wedding so that you can show your appreciation for guests attending and for any wedding gifts you may have received.

Real Life Weddings: Yvonne & Oli

June 21, 2011 in Real Life Weddings by admin | 1 comment

Yvonne and Oli got married at Newick Park in East Sussex in April 2011 and chose our flagship Vintage Floral wedding stationery to compliment a beautiful spring wedding. Yvonne shares her top wedding tips with us below:

Did you have a look or theme in mind for your wedding day?

We loved the fact we were getting married in the Spring mostly because of the beautiful flowers that exist at this time of year. We wanted Spring flowers and wild flowers to be the main theme.

Who were your top 3 wedding suppliers that helped make your day special?

1) Our lovely photographer, Trina of ‘T Wright Photography’ in Brighton was an absolute gem and she did such a brilliant job not only on the more formal shots but the relaxed shots as well which really captured our day. Trina was recommended to us and we will be recommending her to everyone as she is a truly talented photographer. It is important to feel comfortable with your photographer as they will be there during the ‘getting ready’ and the couples shots and you need to be relaxed. Trina put us both at ease and was an absolute pleasure to be around- we honestly couldn’t have wished for a better photographer. www.twrightphotography.co.uk

2) Without question our venue made our day perfect. We got married at Newick Park, Near Lewes which is a stunning country house surrounded by countryside. We hired the venue exclusively which meant we had 16 bedrooms for our friends and family to stay- it really felt like our own house! We couldn’t fault anything and the food, service and ambience were second to none. Having the venue help with so much of the organising meant we could really relax and enjoy our day. www.newickpark.co.uk/

Image courtesy of T Wright Photography

3) Our band the ‘Saviours of Soul’ were fantastic! They played soul, disco and modern tunes and the dance floor was never empty! Our evening was such a fun and memorable time and they were just brilliant. They played our first dance which made it even more special. They can DJ in between sets so we saved on the cost of providing a DJ as they could do everything which also made the music flow effortlessly. www.savioursofsoul.info

What top tip would you give to brides whilst planning their wedding/on their wedding day?

Relax, go with the flow and enjoy the day- don’t worry about minor problems- people won’t notice!

Were you happy with your wedding stationery?

Vintage Floral Wedding Invitation

We loved the fact that Ivy Ellen were local to us and when we saw the gorgeous Vintage Floral design- our theme had begun! The design and quality were excellent and as soon as the sample landed on the doormat, the order was submitted! We ordered invitations, evening invitations and our order of service in the same design. A big attraction was the ‘DIY’ option which was great fun and a great cost saver as well. The ‘DIY’ stationary comes with everything you need including glue and double sided tape- nothing is forgotten! There is an easy to follow tutorial on the website which really helped get us started. We had so many lovely comments about our stationary and even 6 weeks after our wedding people still have our invitations up as they look so good! Living close by we could collect our stationary and got to meet the lovely team. Lewis was our main contact and was a great help throughout and when i needed to order some last minute extra’s it was dealt with promptly which i was so grateful of!

Get the Look: View our Vintage Floral Wedding Invitations

Wedding Ideas Awards 2011

January 28, 2011 in Industry News by admin | No comments

The 2011 Wedding Ideas Awards took place at the Brewery in London on January 14th and as revealed last month Ivy Ellen were shortlisted for the Best Wedding Stationery category!

Although we didn’t win we are thrilled to have come such a long way in so little time. We had a great day out meeting up with so many wonderful suppliers from across the wedding industry, and of course the ever glamourous Wedding Ideas team (Lucinda pictured with Lewis and Jeremy from Ivy Ellen below)!

photo courtesy of John Ryan - Weddings by Ryan

A full list of the winners can be found at www.weddingideasawards.com along with lots of images from the ceremony.

Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to vote for us. We’ll get it next year!

Ivy Ellen Nominated for Wedding Ideas Awards 2011

January 4, 2011 in Industry News by admin | No comments

We are delighted to announce that Ivy Ellen have been nominated in the Best Wedding Stationery category at the 2011 Wedding Ideas Awards. The award nomination marks the end to a fantastic maiden year and we are thrilled to have been nominated, especially as the nominations are decided upon by the votes of brides & grooms from across the UK.

Also nominated in the Best Wedding Stationery category are The Hand Crafted Card company, Cards by Sophie, Lucy Ledger and Mandalay Wedding Invitations.

The ceremony, due to take place on January 14th 2011, will be held at The Brewery, London and sees the top wedding suppliers from around the UK pipped against each other across 16 categories. For details on the event itself visit www.weddingideasmag.com

The Categories:

Best Bridesmaids Collection:

Impression
Dessy
Alfred Angelo
Ebony Rose
Romantica of Devon

Best Plus-Size Collection

Sonsie by Veromia
Gorgeous with curves by Benjamin Roberts
Julietta by Mori Lee
Callista by Alfred Sung
Unforgettable by Bonny

Best Dress Collection

Benjamin Roberts
Maggie Sottero
Veromia
Justin Alexander
Amanda Wyatt

Best Dress for Abroad Collection

Mori Lee Voyage
Sandals at Dessy
Maggie Sottero Destinations
Mon Cheri Destinations
Mark Lesley Paradise

Best Bridal Accesories

Glitzy Secrets
Chez Bec
Tantrums and Tiaras
Flo & Percy
Vintage Sparkle Co

Best Bridal Shoe Collection

Freya Rose
Paradox
Rachael Simpson
Filippa Scott
Victoria Allinson

Best Bridal Retailer

Harrogate Wedding Lounge
Creatiques
Linda Gray Bridalwear
Heavenly Bodies Bridal
Wedding Belles of Otley

Best Groomswear Collection

Moss Bros
Cameron Ross
Heirloom
Hugh Harris
Ultimate Formal Hire

Best Wedding Stationery

Ivy Ellen
Handcrafted Card Company
Lucy Ledger
Cards by Sophie
Mandalay Wedding Invitations

Best Photographer

English Rose Weddings
Nicole Photography
Weddings by Ryan
Blue Light Photography
Ashton Photography

Best Wedding Venue

Parklands
Gosfield Hall
Clearwell Castle
Down Hall
Leez Priory

Best Gift List

House of Fraser
Buy Our Honeymoon
John Lewis
Debenhams
Cancer Research

Best Special Touches

Ambience Venue Styling
Confetti.co.uk
Bridal Gift Box
Brides and Beauty
Giddy Kipper

Best Planner

Essentially You
Simply Elegant
Orchid Weddings
Champagne Tango
Plans and Presents

Best Wedding Flowers

Sarah’s Flowers
Emma Lappin
Bella and Fifi
Traditional Flower Co
Silk Blooms

Best Destination Choice

Sandals
Couples Resorts
Turquoise Weddings
Exclusive Yacht Weddings
Planet Holidays

Voting closed on 1st December 2010, so it’s fingers crossed time for everyone!

Women Wear Their Wedding Dresses to Work for Charity

July 30, 2010 in Industry News, Wedding Shows by admin | No comments

The National Wedding Show has today launched a brand new national charity initiative to raise vital funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Women across the UK will be called upon to wear their wedding dresses to work on the 17th September 2010 which will be known as Brides at Work Day. In addition to this, Ocean Media will be donating 50p from the sale of each ticket purchased for the National Wedding Show to help win the battle against this disease. Ashley Roberts, event director comments:

‘The National Wedding Show is delighted to be supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer through the Brides at Work initiative. It is a sad fact that I am aware of so many people that have been affected by breast cancer either directly or indirectly and this gives us the opportunity both to raise awareness and funds for the essential and pioneering work of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.’

We’ve all had to endure months of wedding chat with the office Bridezilla and all too often don’t get a chance to see the bride in the dress that has been the focus of all those months of angst. Brides at Work presents the perfect opportunity for girls to relive their princess moment and for colleagues to join in the fun. And it’s not just for the Brides; Grooms, Bridesmaids and Mothers of the Bride are all encouraged to don their wedding finery and celebrate Brides at Work.

Every year nearly 46,000 women and around 300 men are diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the UK. The good news is that through better awareness, better treatments and better screening more women than ever are surviving breast cancer. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is dedicated to the prevention, treatment and ultimate eradication of breast cancer. The charity fights breast cancer on three fronts; research, campaigning and education. Breakthrough funds ground-breaking research, campaigns for better services and treatments and raises awareness of breast cancer. Through this work the charity believes passionately that breast cancer can be beaten and the fear of the disease removed for good. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is delighted to be working with the National Wedding Show on such an exciting project, as Chris Askew, Director of Fundraising at Breakthrough Breast Cancer comments:

‘Breakthrough Breast Cancer is thrilled to be benefiting from ‘Brides at Work’, a brilliant new fundraising campaign encouraging brides to put on their wedding dresses again all whilst raising vital funds for our pioneering research, campaigning and education work. We look forward to seeing bridal parties in unexpected places on the 17th September!’

Brides at Work is open to all, no matter when the wedding took place or indeed if it is more of a work in progress…. all that is needed is a wedding dress and a willingness to raise awareness and funds for the fight against this devastating disease.

Brides at Work

Autumn 2010 Dates for Diary: 1-3rd October, Earls Court, London and 8-10th October NEC, Birmingham

Come and see Ivy Ellen – stand K40 at Earls Court and stand C14 at the NEC.

For more information visit the National Wedding Show website www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk

Or Breakthrough Breast Cancer www.breakthrough.org.uk/bridesatwork

Get 10% discount on your wedding favours

July 9, 2010 in Industry News by admin | No comments

Ivy Ellen has teamed up with one of the UK’s leading wedding favour and gift suppliers ‘And All Things Nice’ to offer our readers & followers the chance to enjoy a 10% discount when purchasing any items from their website. Simply use the promo code AATN10IE when shopping at www.andallthingsnice.net and save money!

And All Things Nice are known for supplying quality wedding favours, gifts and decorations for your big day. All items are unique, original and extremely affordable, so if your yet to sort out the finishing touches for your big day visit www.andallthingsnice.net.

Apple Threatens Wedding Industry Jobs with New Patent

April 18, 2010 in Industry News by admin | 2 comments

Still basking in the success of their recent iPad launch Apple are not content with grabbing massive market share of the music, entertainment and mobile phone markets. A recent Patent Application shows that they plan to take a slice of the Wedding Market too threatening jobs and livelihoods.

The Application shows a wedding invitation system where wedding party members could access maps, calendar reminders, gift lists and receive wedding invitations electronically through their smartphones. If brides and grooms and wedding planners start moving over to this new system it could be catastrophic for thousands of creative wedding stationers around the world.

“This could be a serious threat to our livelihoods and our staff’s jobs. We have put our life savings into our wedding stationery business, Ivy Ellen, which launched at the National Wedding Shows in October and recently showed at the prestigious Designer Wedding Show. The irony of course is that much of the artwork for our cards is prepared on Apple Macs, being a Mac fan I’m very disappointed in them,” – says wedding stationer, Jeremy Corner, Ivy Ellen Ltd.

One of the advantages of the new system is that it is could be more environmentally friendly as it uses a paperless system and therefore appeal to the Green Wedding sector.

“Three to four trees are planted for every tree cut down to make the paper for our wedding stationery. Our products actually grow forests. According to The Sunday Times scientists have found that performing two internet searches is comparable to bringing a kettle to boil. God knows what C02 those billions of daily internet clicks are really emitting, but online wedding stationery systems certainly won’t be planting trees like our FSC accredited suppliers are” – says Jeremy

He continues: “I think it will be a real shame if couples move away from traditional invitation sending. It feels so special to receive something personal like a wedding invitation or wedding thank you card through the post. Your wedding is the one of the most important days of your life, it deserves more than an email.”

Read Ivy Ellen’s blog for more http://ivyellenweddinginvitations.co.uk/weddinginvitations/

Details of Apple’s new patent can be found at patentlyapple.com

Details of Paper’s great environmental story can be found at twosides.info

Prince William and Kate Middleton Marry in Secret

April 1, 2010 in Industry News by admin | 1 comment

A close friend of the Kate Middleton, Andy Grayson (pictured here skiing in Switzerland with the couple), has revealed that the couple have eloped and married in secret on a recent ski trip to Europe.

There has been mounting speculation in Prince William (27) and Kate Middleton (28) would be announcing their engagement this year, but this will come as a total shock to many. “There will be a lot of broken hearts across the world when this gets out”, speculated Grayson who is a relative of Ivy Ellen. The couple have been an item since 2001 where they met studying together at St Andrews University. It is thought that Kate and William have done this in reaction to continued invasions of privacy by the press and paparazzi. “I think they just wanted something special in piece and quiet, although I hate to think how the Royal family will react to this news,” said Grayson.

UPDATE: This was our APRIL FOOL story for 2010. Hope you all enjoyed it

Designer Wedding Show 2010 Review

March 18, 2010 in Wedding Shows by admin | No comments

Ivy Ellen were proud to be selected for the prestigious Designer Wedding Show that took place at Battersea Park, London on Valentine’s day weekend (12 – 14th Feb) and we’re pleased to report we had a fantastic show. We were thrilled to meet so many passionate and creative brides all looking for something extra special for their wedding day.

The aim of the event is to focus on bringing the finest wedding suppliers and designers from around the UK together and showcasing the different ways you can really make your wedding stand out. All the exhibitors are chosen for their passion for style and quality and the result is a show that inspires and enables you to plan everything you need for a truly unforgettable wedding.

The show encompasses designers and suppliers from all areas of the wedding industry. Current exhibitors range from mind blowing cakes by Linda Fripp and Peggy Porschen to lavish floral arrangements from Veevers Carter and Paula Pryke and dream venues such as the Dorchester and Leeds Castle. Ivy Ellen were also joined by a select few luxury stationers such as Louise Richardson and Chartla Studio along with luxury suppliers specialising in areas such as honeymoons, entertainment and catering to name but a few. And then of course, there are the dresses. As the designer wedding show so proudly announce, nowhere else will you find so many leading bridalwear designers showing together in one place. Designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Ritva Westenius display their couture designs, which culminates in a sublime fashion show showcasing all the bridalwear designers at the show.

Ivy Ellen will be at the next event to be held from the 8th – 10th October 2010, again at Battersea Park, London. If you are looking for inspiration for a stylish wedding then this event really cannot be missed. For more information see our wedding shows page.

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