Bohemian Farmhouse Chic

Recently a bride came to us with a very specific vision for her wedding. Having decided to get married on the grounds of an old dairy farm in North Carolina she knew she wanted the vibe to be, in her words, 'bohemian farmhouse chic'. We were instantly obsessed with the possibilities! We knew we just had to help her make that vision come to life. While we can't show you the finished invites just yet (she hasn't even seen the final pieces!) we can share some of what helped inspire us and eventually lead us to the final design.


top left to right: Jumping Run Farm photograph taken by the groom, bride on bench via Neysa Ruhl Photography bottom left to right: paper star lanterns via Flickr, chandelier via Tim Evan Cook Photography


left to right: flowers via Style Me Pretty, vintage milk caps via Photobucket, favor jars via SMP, ceremony sign Our Labor of Love via Once Wed


top: button details and rustic coat check Benjamin Dell via Once Wed
bottom left to right: wood grain cuff links Block Party Press via Etsy, vintage milk bottles Bailey's and Ideal Home

Be sure to check back soon when we will reveal the finished invitations.

Red.

Top Right: Martha Stewart; Remaining Images: Inspiration from Style Me Pretty

We're seeing red today—in all it's timeless, versatile glory.

Funny how you just never get sick of a bride with poppy lips or a pair of funky pumps peeking out from under a Monique Lhuillier gown. Subtle or saturated, color speaks so much about the tone you want to set for your day, and hardly any hue packs a punch like red. From from playful to arty to sultry to glam, touches of red make a statement at any time of year.

Red Car: Nikato via Flickr; Red Bicycle: Red Gallery Photography

Favor: Louis Felix Photography featured on The Knot; Signature Drink: featured on Style Me Pretty

Photo by Jose Villa via Ritzy Bee

Cake and Chair Photos: Martha Stewart; Kiss: Kortnee Kate

Happy Friday

It is no secret we here at Giddy Ink love couples with a unique style and a desire to make a statement. This bride and groom definitely fit that bill! Check out this video of their own take on the wedding processional. Even if you are a wedding 'traditionalist', how can you not smile watching everyone, even the guests, have so much fun? Enjoy and happy Friday!

10 Ways to Word Your Wedding Invitation

Part of custom-designing wedding invitations that we love is the ability to tailor its wording to perfectly suit the couple, the venue, the right involvement of their parents and the vibe they're trying to achieve for the wedding. In your quest for the perfect words, we encourage you to keep it simple and not too wordy. Casual, down-to-earth or formal, the right words help guests know just what to expect and even how to dress for your big day.

More and more, we're meeting couples who understand and take advantage of this opportunity to express themselves perfectly, and we're here to help. Here are a few samples we like, but we can alter any or create something new to fit your unique situation. And of course, rules can definitely be broken tastefully to make everyone involved feel comfortable.

1. Bride's Parent Hosting—Formal (Religious Venue)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodman
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jennifer Ann to John Lucas O'brien
Saturday, the seventh of November
two thousand and nine
at half past four in the afternoon
Saint Mary's Cathedral
2157 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio
Reception to follow.

2. Bride's Parent Hosting—Informal (Secular Venue)
Thomas and Anne Goodman
invite you to the wedding of their daughter
Jennifer Ann to John Lucas O'brien
Saturday, the eleventh of May
two thousand and nine
at half past four in the afternoon
Crystal Plaza
Livingston, New Jersey
Dinner and dancing to follow

3. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Formal (Secular Venue)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodman &
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Richard Flanigan
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Jennifer Ann and John Lucas
Saturday, the seventh of November
two thousand and nine
at half past five in the afternoon
Hilton Netherlands Plaza
Cincinnati, Ohio
Dinner and dancing to follow

4. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Casual (Religious Venue)
Thomas and Anne Goodman &
Christopher and Sally O'brien
invite you to the wedding of their children
Jennifer Kelly to Eric Lucas O'brien
Saturday, May 17, 2008
at 4:30 in the afternoon
Grace United Methodist Church
5784 South Fourth Street
Dayton, Ohio
Dinner reception to follow

5. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)
Love was meant to be shared
with parents, family and friends.
Sally Ann Smith and John Lee Jones
together with their parents
Robert and Linda Smith and Richard and Jane Jones
invite you to share in their wedding celebration
Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and nine
at half past five in the evening
The Millenium Hotel
12345 Main Street
Cincinnati, Ohio
Dinner and dancing to follow.

6. Groom's Parents Hosting—Formal (Religious Venue)
Mr. and Mrs. Scott O'brien
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Jennifer Ann Goodman
to their son
Eric Lucas
Saturday, the seventh of November
two thousand and nine
at half past four o'clock
Grace United Methodist Church
5874 Main Street
Dayton, Ohio
Reception to follow.

7. Couple Hosting—Casual (Religious Venue)
The pleasure of your company
is requested at the marriage of
Jennifer Ann Goodman to John Eric Jacobson
Saturday, the seventeenth of May
two thousand and nine
at five o'clock in the afternoon
The Chapel at Oneonta
5784 Ridgeview Avenue
Bellevue, Kentucky
The celebration continues at the Garden Room at Oneonta.

8. Couple Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)
You are invited to a celebration
of the beginning of our new life together
as Jennifer Kelly Hudson
and Eric Lucas Fitzgerald
are united as husband and wife
Saturday, the eleventh of November
two thousand and nine
at half past four in the afternoon
The Twentieth Century Theatre
Cincinnati, Ohio
Dinner and dancing to follow

9. Everyone Hosting—Formal (Religious Venue)
Ms. Jennifer Ann Goodman
and Mr. John Lucas O'brien
together with their parents
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lee Goodman &
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Paul O'brien
request the honor of your presence
at their wedding
Saturday, the eleventh of November
two thousand and nine
at five o'clock in the afternoon
Wise Temple
726 Plum Street
Cincinnati, Ohio
Reception to follow

10. Everyone Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)
Jennifer Ann Goodman &
John Lucas O'brien
together with their parents
invite you to share in the joy
of their wedding day
Saturday, the seventh of Novemeber
two thousand and nine
at half past four in the afternoon
Mariemont Inn
Chicago, Illinois
Dinner and merriment to follow

Fabuleux: Parisian Wedding Trends

In our quest to give our brides something truly new for their day, we try to keep our designs just a bit ahead of the trends. One way we study what should come next is by watching the runway to see what the dresses, makeup, hair and accessories are up to. Surprisingly, all of these shapes and styles affect invitations; it's part of how we create a holistic look. Today, I'm exploring trends in the fashion metropolis, Paris, and I just discovered an event artist by the name of Kim Petyt.

Kim is an American wedding planner in Paris and owner of Parisian Events. She has some trend speculations on the horizon that might surprise you. For example, the black wedding dress! That's right, couture designers like Max Chaoul and Creations Bochet are creating multiple black dress in their upcoming collections. Will American brides ever go for it?

Clothing by: Max Chaoul, Creations Bouchet, Cymbeline Paris

Clothing by: Madina Vadache; Photography by: Kim and Adam Bamberg of La Vie Photography; Featured on Junebug Weddings

Also, check out these gorgeous designer pearl engagement rings, also a Parisian trend I could actually see catching on across the pond. Stunning.

Designs by: Parker and Bailey, Jean Christophe, Rothem Collection, Louis Edouard Le Jeune

And in true, high-glamour Parisian form form, check out these chignons Kim predicts will be adding lots of drama to Parisian weddings in 2009-10. Stylists like J Bogatti and Claude Maxime Mondial are certainly paving the way for looks I've never seen before on a bride. In Kim's words "These are not your mama's up-dos."

Couture hair fashions by: J Bogatti, Claude Maxime Mondial, J Bogatti

Designing for a Cause

When our good friend, Chris Bokelman, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few years back we had no doubt that if anyone could face this disease head on it would be him. So it comes as no surprise that in just a few short years he has managed to rally hundreds of his friends, family, and coworkers to join The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's fight to find a cure for MS.

Through his participation in the Annual MS 150 Bike Ride, he formed Team Handlebars, a colorful reference to not only the bikes but also the mustaches the male team members sport for the race. Every year the team raises thousands of dollars and never fails to be one of the most fun and colorful teams at the event.

Recently Chris asked Giddy Ink to design the poster for The Third Annual Handlebars Cornhole Tournament. The event is August 1, 2009 and is being held at The Sandbar in Cincinnati. The night will surely be a great time for a great cause and we're so honored to be a part of it.



And a huge thank you to The Sandbar, WhoDeyFans.com, and Ample for donating their time and services to the event.

Giddy Blogged by Tracy Abston

Tracy Abston of Pictures by Tracy in Dayton posted a terrific blog post about Giddy over the weekend sharing some kind words as well as some gorgeous shots of our work she took at a recent wedding we did together. We had so much fun bringing this the couple (Shanon and Troy)'s vision to life. It's an added bonus to see images of the final product captured so eloquently on the day of. Thank you so much, Tracy!