A Family tree & a Twig
Today I’d like to share this hand-crafted invitation that I created for a couple of cute tree huggers that I know.
The invitation suite entitled Love Tree consists of an 8-page book-style invitation which was hand-bound with handmade paper, raffia, and a small twig, a custom logo, a program, escort cards for the calligrapher, response, and directional cards, and a logo-stamped copper foil label to seal the beautiful, yet subtle, fern leaf inner envelope by Envelopments.
Kelly and Peter Jerrom.
Love Tree Wedding Invitation Book and Suite. Concept and Design by Kim Bensing Design
make it “more” special
When Peter and Kelly approached me to design for their wedding, they brought with them an entire Love Story. Kelly and Peter were childhood friends and their parents were friends as well. They expressed how important it was to them that I somehow incorporate their family into their wedding day, but not just in the typical way with photos and a devotional, they wanted more.
You see, Peter Jerrom, my friend, my arborist, my design client, and the groom-to-be owns the boutique landscape business Peter A. Jerrom Landscapes Inc. in Bucks County, PA. Peter’s unique profession and business are the inspiration behind this entire wedding invitation suite.
Logo Designed by Kim Bensing Design
the creative challenge
The concept of a “Family Tree” Inspired Invite came to me pretty quickly as Peter was my arborist and both he and Kelly wanted to include family into the design somehow. But I had to figure out how to incorporate this concept into an entire wedding invitation suite.
So, first I designed the logo that incidentally not only graced their invitation, and envelope enclosure label but lived on to serve as the main design element the entire wedding day. Their last initial “J” for Jerrom lent itself nicely to a very simple solution. I plopped an elegant leaf on top of the elegant J. The logo was embossed onto bronze labels and they were used to enclose the inner envelope which held all the suite pieces together. It was also used in strategic places throughout the suite ensemble, as you can see in the photo above.
Love Tree Wedding Invitation Suite. Photography by Richard Quindry.
How to make an invitation into a mini book
Next, I designed the soft green invitation book cover. The cover features the quote “Life without Love is like a Tree without blossoms or fruit.” and the words Love and Tree are enlarged and carefully stacked to serve as the book’s title.
The pages of the book showcase the family tree-style dates of marriage in Kelly & Peter's families. I decided to use watercolor tree illustrations as the focal art so I commissioned a friend and well-known Bucks County watercolor artist, Jane Ramsey to create the three trees inside the book. As you can see, on the first spread, the tree is small and its four branches sprout only the couple’s four grandparent groups and their wedding dates.
Spread one. Love Tree Custom Invitation Suite.
But on spread 2, as the tree grows, the couple's parents are added to either side of the tree.
Spread two. Love Tree Custom Invitation Suite.
Until finally on spread 3, you see Kelly and Peter-names only, but no date. This detail allowed me to dedicate the last page of the book to the actual wedding invitation, completing the tree.
After all the pages and covers were printed, handmade paper, raffia, and lots of small twigs were gathered, I had the help of 2 moms and several bridesmaids to assemble the 100+ invite books which made their creation a lot of fun.
Spread three. Love Tree Custom Invitation Suite.
Facts about this Wedding Invitation Suite
This Custom Invitation Suite, I’m honored to say, won a PHILLYGOLD at the Art Directors Club of Philadelphia, as well as A GOLD ADDY from the Advertising Club of Philadelphia. The logo and concept lived on throughout the wedding day on the cake, and aisle runner and even showed up again later in a cool birth announcement I created for Kelly & Peter’s first child. This announcement featured a tree with one long branch from which we hung a dangling swing. It’s really nice when creative concepts can travel and incorporate themselves throughout a long and happy life.
Love Tree Wedding Invitation Suite. Invitation book, program, response card, escort cards, label. Photography by Richard Quindry.
Love Tree Wedding Invitation Program Designed by Kim Bensing Design
The hidden life of trees
Below I have included the link to a really interesting book about how trees communicate. It really will make you think about trees, flowers, fungi, and all plants differently. Trust me.
Hand-painted Love Tree Aisle Runner.
Learn more about why trees are so fantastic
Learn: Read this cool book entitled "The Hidden Life of Trees —What They Feel, How They Communicate”
Create: The next time you host an event, be sure to create a concept-centered invitation that inspires creative fun.
Inspire: Please comment and share ways you’ve developed a concept for an event that was original and inspired others.
Simple “J” Logo & Ivy Love Tree Cake Decor.
I’m always here to help you with your creative journey. Please sign up to receive blog post notifications and follow Studio Sprig on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting. - Kim
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Kim Bensing Design Photography by Jeff Reeder