Ananya is delighted to unveil its newest collection called ‘Colour Infusion’ to showcase the beauty of the marigold flower and its symbolic significance at weddings. This collection with its unique combination of bright marigolds on one side and brush stroke pattern in gold on the reverse, is distinctive and beautiful; ideal for the 2019 Spring/Summer wedding season. The collection was officially launched at Kensington Palace.

The entire marigold design, including the leaves and lines, was hand drawn. The printing too, was hand printed using a screen printing process. Various elements were added and moulded to create the perfect balance between foreground and background. It is this hand drawn element that gives the design its intricacy and delicate richness, and which allowed us to control the spacing of the leaves.

The golden blooms of the marigold and the leaves on twining branches are set against a background choice of four different jewel tones; exuberant pink, auspicious orange, joyful yellow and sophisticated teal. These jewel tones set off beautifully the sumptuous gold of the marigold design for an overall look that is simply stunning! The reverse side is bordered in matching bright colours with generous brush strokes of gold, giving the stationery a luxurious look with an Ananya twist; combining tradition and modern.

The marigold flower with its lively colours echoing the beauty, warmth, and the life-giving power of the rising sun has a long history of symbolism in several cultures, both in the East and West. Sometimes known as the flower of the soul in India, the saffron coloured marigold is considered sacred and pure and is used on many occasions. As love charms, representing passion and auspiciousness, it is incorporated in weddings. This marigold design is a beautiful nod to our Indian heritage.

In Indian culture, wedding invitations to close family members and friends are traditionally sent with an item of food, e.g. dry fruits and nuts, such as almonds, cashews and dates; but at Ananya, our aim has always been to give traditions a contemporary twist and a 21st Century appeal. And so was born the idea of this specially commissioned chocolate bar. We worked with an artisan chocolatier to create this high-quality handmade chocolate bar. Its iridescent pops of colour make this sweet treat a distinctive accompaniment to the bright and cheery marigold flowers of the Colour Infusion collection, and a delight for the taste buds!

At Ananya, we love coming up with imaginative ways to combine our designs with other items which could make perfect wedding favours, or to accompany invites, such as our artisanal chocolates.

Please do get in touch to discuss how we can create bespoke stationery for you.

In celebration of our 10 year anniversary, Ananya have proudly launched our Trio of Life Collection of wedding stationery. A brand new addition to our already prolific and multicultural Ananya Global Traveller theme, the Trio of Life Collection is a unique tribute to much-loved members of the animal kingdom; a collection we have been working on for almost a year.

With contemporary designs focusing on the parrot, the elephant and the fish, this lovingly handcrafted collection explores the role of these animals since ancient times, bringing their symbolism and enchantment into the 21st century. Each animal represents one of the three essential elements for all life forms: air, earth and water, and has a special significance in Indian and Buddhist scriptures, making them perfect for wedding invitation designs.

The Parrot: the air element

Our inspiration for this collection comes from India with its rich tapestry of life and with the special significance placed on various animals and birds as symbols of power, beauty, love and prosperity. References to them can be found in ancient scriptures and folk tales as well as being depicted in paintings and sculptures. They are often believed to be symbols associated with various deities. Animals and birds are considered as friends and partners with whom we share the planet.

The first written reference to parrots was found in Indian literature written more than 3,000 years ago. Parrots were considered birds of love in ancient India. In Hindu mythology, the parrot is associated with Kama, the God of love; he is often depicted riding on a parrot. It is thought that the red beak and green feathers connect it with fertility. The red beak symbolises the red earth before the rains, meaning unfulfilled desires, and the green feathers symbolise the green growth after the rains, meaning fulfilled desire and joy.

The Goddess Meenakshi is also depicted as holding a parrot in her hand. Parrots were often used as messengers of love between lovers, even Gods and Goddesses.

Parrots are also considered a sign of fertility. In some parts of India, married women draw paintings that often show parrots, hoping that the newly wed bride and groom would be blessed with many children.

Ananya specifically chose a parrot rather than a peacock because it is more unusual, whereas the peacock is very familiar.

The parrot motif would be ideal for a tropical destination wedding, or a summer wedding.

The Elephant: the earth element

Indians have worshipped elephants for many centuries. Ancient Indian and Buddhist scriptures are full of references to elephants. Sculptures in temples as well as in paintings and textiles feature elephant motifs. In Hinduism, the elephant is considered sacred and a representative of Ganesha the elephant headed God who removes obstacles and brings prosperity. According to Buddhist scriptures, a white elephant is associated with the birth of Buddha; his mother dreamt of a white elephant giving her a lotus flower as a symbol that she was going to give birth to a pure and enlightened being.

Kings and Queens have used elephants in their wedding processions. An elephant is a symbol of majesty, intelligence, power, wisdom, success and prosperity as well as grace. It makes a most suitable animal for a wedding invitation.

Every design in the collection is an original and has been hand drawn. Each illustration has taken traditional motifs and given them a contemporary interpretation to make them more personal and give them universal appeal. There are intricate patterns within the outline of each design with soft, muted colours for the background, in contrast to traditional Indian wedding stationery with its signature bright colours.

The Fish: the water element

According to ancient Indian mythology, the fish symbolises creation, fertility, happiness and good fortune. It is also considered an avatar of the God Vishnu, one of the three most prominent Gods in Hinduism.

Vishnu transformed himself into a fish in order to rescue man from a great deluge and guided him to safety. The fish is also associated with the sacred rivers of India, the Ganga (Ganges) and Yamuna. In Buddhism, the fish is one of the eight sacred symbols of the Buddha.

The fish motif would be an ideal choice for beach weddings.

Ananya has drawn on ancient symbols, often considered sacred, and deeply historically imbued in Indian culture, with each one having specific relevance and suitability for weddings. These motifs have been transformed and adapted for the modern world, retaining their traditional richness and elegance, but with a contemporary and multicultural twist.

Please contact us for more information on this gorgeous collection.

Photos by Fiona Kelly Photography.