**Brand New Design** Snowflake Sparkle

This is the third of our brand new designs launched to celebrate BHD's 10th Birthday - Snowflake Sparkle.

This is another wallet style invitation this time winter themed with printed snowflakes and finished with sparkly crystals and coordinating ribbon. Based on vintage typefaces this design can be made in any colour and is perfect for a winter of christmas themed wedding.

More details here:
http://www.beehappydesigns.co.uk/handmade_wedding_invitations_snowflake_sparkle.html

Debs x

**Brand New Design** Butterfly Carnival

Another new design to celebrate BHD's 10th Birthday - this time a wallet design called Butterfly Carnival.

Simple and chic this design can be made in any colour and is perfect for a spring or summer wedding or a tea party of fete themed wedding. It works brilliantly in both bright or pastel colours.

More details here:
http://www.beehappydesigns.co.uk/handmade_wedding_invitations_butterfly_wallet.html

Debs x

**Brand New Design** Polka Dot Swing

In honour of BHD's 10th Birthday I have been launching some new designs so here's the first one I have to share with you... Polka Dot Swing

The invitation is a collection of four cards (cover, invitation details, information and rsvp) all held together with ribbon. Bright and fun this stationery range would be ideal for a retro themed wedding, a vintage style or even a tea party reception. It looks great in both bright colours and pastels too.

More details here:  http://www.beehappydesigns.co.uk/handmade_wedding_invitations_polka_dot_swing.html

This design is also the first of a new collection of swing invitations - more to come soon!

Debs x

We are 10!

I haven't been awfully good at keeping up to date with this blog but seeing as Bee Happy Designs has hit a milestone I thought I'd better catch up...

Ten years ago on the 18th October 2003 I took the big step onto the scary road of self employment and a little wedding stationery company called Bee Happy Designs was formed. It seems obvious now that I was always going to run my own business - it's just the way I'm built - but it hasn't all been plain sailing. There have been times when I thought I'd failed my little business and we weren't going to survive but we've always found a way forward and ten years on I think this is possibly the strongest we've been.
I couldn't have done it without my fabulous little support network... so thank you Mummy Jayne (expert packer no.1), Daddy John, Dave (expert packer no.2) and Rachael. My wonderful friends for their encouragement (in particularLouise for all her bolstering in the dark times and her super wise marketing advice). And finally thank you to all my lovely clients, past and present, who have chosen Bee Happy Designs for their wedding stationery - it's been a privilege and a pleasure to be a part of your big day.

Bee Happy Designs was never going to change the world... but it's changed my world over the last ten years and I am terribly proud of my biggest achievement to date. So onwards we go and with a little good fortune here's to even more success in the next ten years!

In honour of BHD's tenth birthday, I am launching lots of new designs and some special offers so watch this space!

Debs x

A Purple Faze...

We are well into the new year now and it's been a wonderfully busy start with lots of samples and orders flying out of the door!

There seems to have been a definite trend towards purple in the BHD studio so far this year so I thought I'd share some of the designs that have been most popular.

Debs x

Manhattan Wedding Invitations

Albany Day and Evening Wedding Invitations

Rhode Island Invitations

Monogram Ribbon Order of Service

Rhode Island Thank You Card

Two Tone Wedding Invitation

Vintage Love Menu

**NEW** Albany Wedding Invitation

For those looking for a bit of bling I've just completed the Albany wedding invitation and stationery range and added it onto the website.

Shown in chocolate colours online this design would work well in loads of different shades and I've already tried it in a softer pink and cream mix!

Debs x

The first of this weeks orders complete...

...is the ever classic Rhode Island in white and black and finished with gorgeous bright red ribbon.

And, no, I never tire of getting all those bows perfect! (obsessed? moi?)

Debs x

Another order ready to leave the Hive...

Another order finished and ready to go!

These fabulous Hummingbird Wedding Invitations are for a wedding in Croatia.

Debs x

Busy, busy busy!

The hive has been buzzing for the last few weeks with orders a-plenty!

I'll try and share some of them with you so you can see what I've been up to...

First off this Providence order that I've just completed in a fabulous jade colour - absolutely gorgeous!

Debs x

Featured designs in Wedding Ideas (March)

Wedding Ideas is out and we have four designs featured this month! Yay!

I think WI must like our Cupid design as it's made another appearance (it was in Jan's edition too) and has a 'fab find' sticker on it as well :o)

The Vintage theme seems to be carried quite strongly through this months edition and I think I'm lacking a bit in designs in that dept so I'm going to make it my mission this week to come up with some new invitation designs in that style... watch this space!

Debs x

Manhattan Save the Date Magnet

Bespoke Invitation (based on Astoria)

Providence Place Card

Cupid Table Marker

Trends for the 2012 Wedding Season

What's hot for the 2012 Wedding Season?

Colours

Orange is THE colour for the 2012 season!

Tangerine is the on trend shade to use, either in a bold way to make a statement or as accents to a more subtle colour scheme. Add other citrus shades for a bright summery feel or add black for a strong stylish look.

Invitation ideas: Our pocketfold Liberty invitation design always looks fabulous in orange or use tangerine ribbon on our pocketfold Rhode Island invitation for a more sophisticated look. Orange looks great with bright white and so is perfect for our Hummingbird invitation too.

Yellow takes on a golden hue for 2012 and is perfect for summer weddings and an ideal partner to the other bright colours in this years palette. Combine with browns or oranges for a great autumnal wedding palette.

Invitation ideas: A perfect accent colour for the ribbon on our Monogram Ribbon invitation.

Always a firm favourite this year’s shade of pink is hot, hot hot!

Choose neon brights if you dare or combine hot pink with navy blue for the ultimate on-trend colour scheme. Use as an accent with white stationery for a clean bright look.

Invitation ideas: Our Bloomsbury invitation is perfect in hot pink backed with navy blue or try the pocketfold Providence invitation for a simple statement.

Purple stays around but moves away from the 2011 dark shade and changes to an altogether softer tone for 2012. Stronger than lilac think more of a dusky purple and combine it with a darker purple or other dusky shades such as pink.

Invitation ideas: Our Hearts Z-Fold invitation lends itself perfectly to tones of purples.

More dusky shades for 2012 in the form of pink and green. An ideal combination for a soft summery tea party wedding these tones work beautifully well with white, cream and ivory.

Invitation ideas: The summery Butterflies Z-fold invitation is ideal in these tones.

Earth colours complete the 2012 palette in the form of jade green, mid brown and charcoal grey. Make a strong statement with block colour in jade. Replace black with charcoal to soften or use with silver to create a sophisticated look.

Invitation ideas: Our Liberty invitation works fabulously in jade or have a look at our Marrakech invitation for shades of grey. Our new Serpentine invitation makes a striking statement in brown and black.

Styles

Soft florals are set to be seen in all things wedding this year, from small delicate flowers to larger blooms and botanical images. Perfect for the dusky colours in the 2012 palette.

Invitation ideas: Our Bloomsbury Invitation, Rose Z-fold or Vintage Rose are all ideal for this trend.

Strong geometric patterns will also been seen this year along with ethnic influenced designs.

Invitation ideas: For geometric styles our Two Tone invitation remains a firm favourite with our customers along with our Manhattan invitation. Try our Marrakech invitation for ethnic influences

The vintage trend is set to continue, heavily influenced this year by Lace and Feathers.

Invitation ideas: Our Feather Invitation and Lace Save the Date suit this trend perfectly.

You can browse all of our current ranges on our website: www.beehappydesigns.co.uk

Trends for the 2011 Wedding Season

What's hot for the 2011 Wedding Season?

Colours

Black and white weddings always remain a classic choice whatever the season’s trend. This year accentuate with a bright colour from the 2011 pallette to add another dimension.

Invitation ideas - Our 'Two Tone' invitation is ideal for a classic black and white wedding or choose the 'Manhattan' invitation in black and white and accent with a bright coloured ribbon for the perfect finish.

Purple looks set to be a firm favourite with Brides this year. Contrast shades of lilac and purple for a sophisticated look or choose a dark rich purple for a more regal style.

Invitation ideas - Our 'Rhode Island' invitation remains a firm favourite with Brides and looks set to popular again for 2011. Finish it with a dark purple ribbon for a touch of class. Also look out for our new printed 'Geneva' invitation combining sleek typefaces in deep purple tones.

This season’s pink pallette consists of dusky honeysuckle shades which are perfect for a garden party wedding. Or at the stronger end of the pallette we have bright raspberry.

Invitation ideas - Our 'New Hampshire' invitation would look gorgeous in honeysuckle pink. Also look out for our new 'Bloomsbury' invitation which looks fabulous in raspberry!

Citrus colours remain from the 2010 pallette - orange, yellow and lime can be combined for a bright modern summer wedding look or pick one colour and use it to contrast or accentuate. Orange works particularly well with brown tones for an autumnal wedding.

Invitation ideas - Both 'Astoria' and our embossed invitation 'Liberty' work brilliantly in bright colours or for a vibrant summer wedding choose our Sunflower z-fold invitation incorporating an rsvp in the design.

Metallic colours will be popular once again this season. Added to silver and gold will be copper and bronze tones, opening up the metallic pallette even further.

Invitation ideas - Our new 'Vienna', 'Odessa' and 'Marrakech' foiled invitations are ideal for this trend, or choose our 'Snowflake Burst' design; perfect for a winter wedding.

Styles

The Vintage style will continue to be popular during 2011. For those English rose brides wanting romance and nostalgia this is the perfect trend for you.

Invitation ideas - Add vintage lace to any of our invitation designs with ribbons, or choose our new 'Rochester' or Butterfly z-fold designs for a garden party wedding.

Layers and Ruffles will be making a strong appearance on a lot of wedding dresses this season.

Invitation ideas - Include layers of vellum and textured paper in your invitation design to incorporate this style. Our Layers invitation is perfect for this trend.

This year’s Royal Wedding is bound to influence trends and colours for the season.

Invitation ideas - Choose regal colours such as purple or navy and go for a classic design such as our Kensington invitation.

You can see all our current invitation ranges on our website: www.beehappydesigns.co.uk