Designs Made for Your Personal Event

Designs Made for Your Personal Events

So many of my designs can be swapped out and used for many types of events. Many wedding invitation designs would also be super cute as a bridal shower invitation or maybe even a birthday invite! It's all up to you! That's the best part: You choose the design that best fits your personal event. 

Please remember if you see something you love, let me know and we can customize it just for your event. Whether it's for your daughter's 5th birthday party or you are hosting an engagement party, designs can fit many different types of celebrations. 

Or, if you don't see what you are looking for, I can create something brand new and special just for you. Invitation design is an endless world of possibilities!

 

Chad and Kimberly are Married!

Chad and Kimberly are Married!

I'm so happy for this couple. From the moment Kimberly and I started discussing her wedding on the phone, she reiterated to me how she and Chad wanted to keep their wedding simple and focused on Jesus. Even before they said "I do," Kimberly and Chad knew the importance of keeping God at the center of their marriage. 

Most of Kimberly and I's correspondence was over the phone since she works a busy job during the week in Stillwater, OK. She did a great job of communicating her vision for her invitations and programs. When designing the stationary, I wanted to coordinate the "look" of  both the invitation and the program. I made sure that both elements complimented each other well, but were still unique elements. 

Kimberly described her wedding day as simple, rustic and small decorated with burlap, hints of sage green and white flowers throughout. The ceremony would be held in a quaint, old church in Stillwater on a hot summer afternoon. We both agreed the kraft brown paper paired with white linen paper and accents conveyed the wedding day she envisioned quite well. A crisp bright white kept the look simple and clean, while the brown kraft brought in the rustic element. 

I love how Chad and Kimberly's wedding stationary turned out. I look at this stationary, and I can't help but think about how sweet and selfless they are as a couple. 

Chad and Kimberly,

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day! I had so much fun designing and creating your wedding stationary as a set. I hope you keep this invitation and program as a reminder of your beautiful day celebrating your love. 

I pray that you continually keep the Lord at the center of your marriage. When marriage seems hard, know that He is right there with you. Turn to Him for help. Include him in all areas of your love for He is your biggest fan. When life seems hard, "be Jesus" to each other for He will bless you for loving each other like He loves you. 

Rachel

 

Most Important Thing You Need to Know During Wedding Season

The Most Important Thing During Wedding Season

While practicing my calligraphy the other day, I wrote this quote and framed it in our master bathroom as a reminder of how we can keep our marriage great. 

As we are right smack in the middle of wedding season, months that are full of fluffy white tulle, bouquets of flowers, sparkling objects, invitations and all the beautiful details that make up one romantic day for a wedding, my mind is on the things that matter the most in a marriage. 

Isaac and I are celebrating three years of marriage this month. It seems like yesterday that I was picking out my invitations, floral arrangements and planning my wedding day. These details are all so much fun. In fact, I love the planning so much that I decided to get into the wedding business myself with this invitation business. 

But whether you are a bride planning your wedding or a newlywed, I want you to know one thing that is more important than choosing the right color of bridesmaid dresses, flowers or even your invitations (which I would love to design!). Marriage, a real marriage that will last, is not build on how romantic your wedding day is or how well written your vows are, but it is build on learning to forgive each other, keep no record of wrongs and choosing to loving each other through the every up and down of life. 

Even if you just got engaged, it may not feel like it now, but marriage will be hard sometimes. Once you get back from your honeymoon (maybe even on your honeymoon!), you will need to forgive and learn to be patient with each other. Real love and a real marriage that will last is based on patience, kindness, forgiveness and self-control. 

Have fun when planning your wedding and the festivities the day of, because it is an unforgettable experience, but don't lose sight of the details of a marriage that are the most important and will make your love story last a lifetime. ;)

Ashton and Brent are Getting Married!

Ashton and Brent are Getting Married!

A couple months ago, these beautiful watercolor invitations that were printed on cream linen paper were sent out to 200 guests for the wedding of Ashton Thomas and Brent Sheik. And the day is finally here. Today, on this beautiful, warm summer day, Ashton and Brent will say I do in Stillwater, Oklahoma and become man and wife. Their guests will finally get to see the wedding day that they only had a glimpse of on the invitation. 

Back in February, when the air was bitterly cold and snow was still on the ground, I first met with Ashton and Brent at Panera Bread to discuss their wedding invitations. So graciously, they paid for my drink and then Brent took a drive around town with their French Bulldog so that Ashton and I could chat about the girly details of weddings that make women giggle. 

As I listened to Ashton gush over her vision and the details for the special day, my mind was spinning with my own vision for their invitations. 

My head was spinning with images of soft floral designs for their invitation suite. 

Over the next several months, we began to see the pieces put together, and when the final set arrived I couldn't wait to see the smile on Ashton's face when she could see and feel the first detail of her wedding day. 

I had mixed emotions when I handed the invitations over to Ashton and Brent. I was just a little bit sad to see them all go, because they were so beautiful. I could just stare at them all day. But most importantly, I was so so happy to hand them over to their owners so that they could be dispersed out to all their loved ones. 

I was so happy to hand over these beautiful invitations to the bride and groom. I couldn't wait for them to mail them off to their loved ones! 

Ashton and Brent, I am so happy for you guys. Enjoy your day from the moment you wake up to the second you close your eyes to sleep. It will go by in a flash and soon be only a memory. But it will become one of the most important memories you will ever make. Always look back on this memory during the hard times, and there will be hard times, and remember the sweet vows you made to one another to love, honor and respect each other to the end of time. 

Even the reply card was designed with care matching the invitation. 

Ashton and Brent opted to have a wedding detail card to inform their guests of their wedding website and the hotels that were saving special rooms for them the weekend of the celebration. 

My First Year of Owning a Business

I received a phone call today from Google Plus. 

"Do you own a business?" the representative said on the other end of the phone. 

"Uh, yes? I think you have the wrong number?" I stammered back. 

She did not have the wrong number. Since I launched this web site a month ago, she was calling to confirm my business contact information for Google. I told her that I'm not used to officially admitting that I am a small business owner. 

I still have a ways to go and so many "to do" lists to grow Rachel Kathryn Designs. But when I look back over the last year and everything I have accomplished, I feel very proud. 

Although my love of paper started when I was a child, I began learning how to design just over a year ago. Once I started learning, i became a little obsessed. I spent all my free time learning how to change colors, place pretty florals in just the right place on an invitation and learning all different kinds of beautiful fonts. The beauty of design is the learning never stops. After a few months of learning, I began designing invitations pretty quickly and quickly had my first handful of clients. 

Next I went on to learn all about paper (my favorite part!). I love, love, love all the sizes, weights and textures of paper options that are available for your invitations. I want to touch them, smell them and own them all. Kinda silly, I know. Like I said my obsession with paper started long ago. (I used to collect boxes and boxes of Post-It notes, blank journals and Hello Kitts note pads. 

And just a few months ago, I dove into learning all about the art of calligraphy. Calligraphy takes practice, practice and more practice. I love making beautiful words and phrases. 

I desire to create beautiful sets of invitations for your special events in your life. By meticulously choosing the right paper, fonts, colors and even the envelope the final invitation communicates your wish for your guests to  join you in celebrating a very noteworthy event. 

I feel so overjoyed when I hand off off those final invitations perfectly packaged together to my clients. The paper is so perfect and so smooth. I'm almost sad to see them dispersed in the mail for fear the mailman will indeed "mess them up." But I feel complete when I see the smile on my client's face and a sigh of relief that I took great care of something so special to them. 

So, yes I am a small business owner. It may be small, and I may still (and always will be) learning the art of invitation making. But, I deliver a beautiful product from start to finish with great detail and care. 

Rachel

 

 

 

Welcome to my new site!

I am so excited to launch Rachel Kathryn Designs website! Thank you so much for visiting and taking a peek around. I'd love to chat with you and say hello. If you live in the Oklahoma City area, let's meet for coffee! If you live outside the state, let's skype or have a phone chat! Getting to know you and your style is the best way for me to provide you with the best invitation for your event!

I will be posting tips, tricks and advice about all things invitations. As well as my own personal journey with design and paper. Check back often!

:)

Rachel