How to Plan a Multicultural Wedding in Five Steps

Creating a wedding that is seamless, beautiful, and personal can feel daunting for couples starting their wedding planning journey – and even more so for those whom are bringing together families of different nationalities or of different religious and cultural backgrounds. There are some unique challenges involved in planning a multicultural wedding, but there is also great reward and joy to be found in starting your married lives together on such strong foundations of respect and unity.

So how can couples cover the most important elements, keep both sides happy, and still stay true to themselves and their values? Here are some expert tips from Ananya to help it go smoothly, from our years of experience supporting couples in crafting unique, sophisticated, and joyous multicultural weddings all over the world.

Hire a Wedding Planner

As our couple’s stationery partner, we often have the pleasure of working alongside their wedding planners – and we always notice that those clients that have the support of an expert throughout the planning journey are able to navigate the decision-making with much more ease. Having the peace of mind of being able to discuss the logistical, aesthetic, and emotional elements of your wedding with a planner is always important – but even more so when embarking on the task of bringing together different cultures.

Your wedding planner will guide you in seeing the wedding from both perspectives, suggest feasible and creative ways of paying homage to both your cultures, and help you manage any potential confusion or issues on the day itself too. They will be your planning partner as well as your confidant, and a steadfast ally at your side in case of needing backup during interactions with families too. They will also recommend venues and vendors that are not only able to accommodate your needs, but are also excited about, and familiar with, supporting couples with such rich, diverse backgrounds.

Manage Family Expectations

One of the key steps to planning a multicultural wedding is managing expectations of your family members – and may also involve sitting down with them individually to educate them about customs and traditions they may not know or understand. It’s important to be clear and considerate, and also not make assumptions or have expectations about who will be comfortable with what; start with an open mind in order to avoid disappointment or heartache further down the line. Be honest in why the choices you have made are right for you, and how you will be blending traditions in your own way.

If bringing both cultures together in one single event is something that your families aren’t comfortable with, consider extending the celebrations to two separate ceremonies and receptions. You could hold these two gatherings in different countries, and in different styles, and in so doing making sure that both sides feel equally important. As much as this may feel like more effort, try to remember that these events are two halves of a whole, and will strengthen your foundations and your support network as you start this new chapter of your life.

Incorporate Both Cultures

It can be very fun – but also somewhat overwhelming – to find ways of incorporating both cultural backgrounds in your wedding day, and to do so in ways that are both practical and respectful. When merging styles, not every tradition will be logistically feasible – even if your parents are adamant about it!

We work closely with our couples to design stationery with multiple cultures in mind, so that the fonts, colours, wording, motifs, and content, all embody the merging of two different cultures in marriage.

Some other ways that we’ve seen our couples pay homage to the heritage is by weaving in characteristic cuisine, choosing modern interpretations of traditional outfits, adding decorative elements that evoke the culture, or traditional music throughout the night and getting your guests to the dance floor.

Help Guests Feel Involved

Guests may be unfamiliar with the wedding traditions and customs you’ll be incorporating in the day, so it can be helpful to add a section on your website or on your wedding program with details on ceremony etiquette, cultural traditions, or stories about your background. You could also include a brief description or provide links to thorough explanations of each tradition and its importance, as certain guests will enjoy learning about a different culture. The guests will have much more fun if they are able to follow what is going on, and be actively engaged and involved in the event!

If there is a language barrier between some guests, it is considerate to provide a program and website in both languages. You could also consider having a translator present at the ceremony and reception, so all guests can follow and listen along.

Image of our couple S&G: Eye Jogia Photography

Do Your Homework & Stay True to Yourselves

When planning a multicultural wedding, it’s paramount to research and educate yourselves on both cultures’ traditions beforehand. Traditions can vary so widely across different regions and cultures, and sometimes elements that feel simple or common may actually trespass into areas that are frowned upon elsewhere. Being prepared will help you avoid any possible confusion during the ceremony and reception, as well as allowing you to choose with more intention which traditions are right for you. Be sure to talk kindly and honestly with one another, and with one another’s families. Open communication is key to any long-lasting relationship and showing a genuine interest in learning about each other’s histories, backgrounds, and legacies is an excellent place to start.

The most important advice we can give is to determine what ceremony and celebration traditions are important to you and your partner, and stay true to that.

We hope that this blog post has given you some food for thought, some reassurance, and also some ideas on how to navigate planning your beautiful multicultural wedding.

We adore working with couples paying homage to diverse backgrounds, and put a great amount of love and care into designs that reflect our couples’ stories. If you’re looking for any support with your wedding stationery, please do get in touch.

Until next time,

Vaishali

How to Announce Your Engagement: 3 Top Tips

Here at Ananya Cards we absolutely love to hear our couple’s engagement stories, and to listen to the wedding and stationery ideas being brainstormed while at home with loved ones over the holidays!

If you’ve recently become engaged yourselves – congratulations! Enjoy it, as it’s an unforgettable chapter of your stories together. Savour it and be present in this moment: the world can wait an hour, a day, or even a week – don’t feel like you need to tell everyone right away, unless you want to!

Once you’ve decided you’re ready to announce your engagement to your friends and family, we’re here to give you advice on how to spread the love.

Floral Palm engagement cards by Ananya Cards

 1. ENGAGEMENT ANOUNCEMENT ETIQUETTE

The big news will have a happy and possibly huge impact on your nearest and dearest, so we recommend taking some time to think about considerate and meaningful ways to share. The traditional order would be tell the couple’s own children and parents first – then close family, like sisters, brothers, grandparents – and then the rest of your circle of family, friends, and work colleagues. Many couples choose to tell their closest loved ones in person, and then send their engagement announcement out to everyone.

While your engagement announcement will hopefully be joyously received by all, do be mindful that you may have some recently separated or single family members and friends – so it’s kind to be tactful and not excessively soppy in the content of the announcement. Don’t feel pressured to say too much about the proposal or your wedding plans – as you’ll feel much more comfortable discussing this in person, and decide what to share on a case to case basis with your friends and family.

Rosabella bespoke wedding stationery by Ananya Cards

 2. WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

Once the proposal excitement settles, and you’ve spoken to your closest loved ones, sending out a formal engagement announcement card to all your friends and family can be really fun! It can also have some practical uses too, such as getting the news out quickly and easily if you have very large groups of friends or co-workers, and also can double as an invitation to your engagement party, if you’re hosting one. Another benefit is that you can start building a relationship with a stationery designer, who can then craft stunning save the dates, wedding invitations, and on-the-day paper goods for your wedding too.

The wording can be as formal or as personal as you wish! Some couples choose to have these formally sent out by their parents, while others send out much more informal and playful  “we said yes!” or “we’re engaged!” cards directly from them. Generally engagement announcement cards include your names, a joyous message indicating you’ll be tying the knot, and – if you know you’ll be inviting all the same people as the ones you’re sending the announcements to – you can also include something along the lines of “Save the dates to follow”. Only include this if you are certain you’ll be inviting those friends and family members though!

Thank you card by Ananya Cards

3. THE DESIGN OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

Many couples opt to have an engagement or couple portrait photography session, which can be a wonderful way to spend time together and become more familiar with posing in front of the camera. If you click with the photographer and love their gallery, it can also be great way to connect with someone who will be able to shoot your wedding too! If you like the idea of using a photo of you in your engagement announcement cards (and perhaps on your save the dates too!), it’s a great idea to have some images taken and edited professionally. This will ensure the quality and composition looks the best it can! Chat to the photographer about your idea of using one or two images on announcement cards, so that they know to edit a few previews for you as soon as possible – and to shoot in either landscape or portrait orientation depending on the card style you are sending.

When it comes to the aesthetic and style of the engagement announcement cards, don’t worry too much about tying these to your wedding stationery. Most likely, a fair amount of time will pass between your announcements and your save the dates! If you want to make sure everything feels seamless and in harmony, my advice would be to work with the same stationery designer throughout your whole stationery journey – and to keep your announcements fairly minimal and simple in style, so that you can steer into a stronger theme or palette further down the line.

Once you’ve sent the announcements out, do make sure you thoughtfully and graciously thank everybody who’s congratulated you! Remember that these are your nearest and dearest family and friends, and many of them will be the same people who will be bringing their joy and good energy to your beautiful wedding soon!

We hope these tips and thoughts have been helpful, and that you’re excited about sharing your happy news! If you’d like any help designing and creating a stationery suite that will tell your story to your loved ones, we’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Vaishali

Ultimate Guide to Wedding Save The Dates

If the magic of the holidays has come to life in the form of a twinkling engagement ring – congratulations! At Ananya Cards, we absolutely adore when couples begin the new year planning a celebration of their love. One of the questions we get asked most often is to guide couples with their save the dates: this is the first piece of stationery you will order, and it’s this that will let your guests know to mark your wedding date and location firmly in their calendar.

We’ve put together some of our top tips for save the dates, which we hope will be helpful and exciting for you now that you’re engaged!

Marigold save the dates by Ananya Cards

WHEN TO SEND SAVE THE DATES

While researching venue ideas, even before setting your date, it’s a great idea to start browsing stationers’ portfolios on Instagram and online – as they will be the next vendor you’ll want to speak to. It’s a wonderful feeling to connect with a designer you love and to know that, as soon as you have your wedding venue and date, you’re ready to start working together to create save the dates and invitations that will wow your guests. It’s never too early to reach out to stationers and designers to let them know you’d like to work with them, so they can start slotting you in. They can also give you some provisional estimates of costs, design process, and timescales, which can be really helpful in these early stages of planning your wedding.

Once you have chosen your date and venue, the save the dates can be ordered! You can start spreading the word amongst family and friends of course, and then WOW them with save the dates that really tell your story and begin the aesthetic narrative that will thread through all of your wedding styling. Some couples send these as early as 12 months before the wedding, particularly if they are having a destination wedding or if they know their guests need a long notice period to schedule travel or work absences. This is particularly considerate if you are having your wedding in Summer, on a peak date, as it gives guests plenty of time to plan their holidays. On average, most couples send their save the dates 6-12 months before their wedding.

Floral Palm save the date cards by Ananya Cards

WAIT BUT - DO I REALLY NEED SAVE THE DATES?

Although save the dates aren’t essential, they can be a really impactful way of conveying information to your guests clearly and easily, while also giving them a peek at your wedding style you’ll be hosting.

If your wedding is still a long way away and you don’t want to commit to a style or colour palette just yet – that’s absolutely fine! You may also be feeling that you don’t have a sense of budget yet, and so don’t want to over-commit on the stationery spend before having a larger picture of the investments you’ll need to make. There are a few solutions to this: firstly, you can keep your save the dates very simple and minimal, with no patterns or overarching colours, just crisp monochromatic or metallic details, and classic fonts. Another option is to opt for semi-custom, which is where a designer adapts one of their existing house collections for you; this requires a lower investment, and a offers a quicker turn-around too, so may be a good solution for you if you’re wanting a quick, easy, and more cost-effective route. Finally, another solution can be to work with your designer for a bespoke wedding stationery suite but ask for the save the dates to be digital only: this means that they will create something beautiful, elegant, and unique for you that you can send your guests a digital save the date, and which will then serve as the aesthetic foundation on which all the rest of your stationery suite will be built.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN MY SAVE THE DATES

Keep in mind that you can give as much or as little information as you like in your save the date: it can be very minimal, if you’re sending it many months in advance, or it can be quite detailed, if you’re already in more advanced stages of planning. Date and location are key of course, but don’t worry about including ceremony time for example – particularly if you haven’t set this yet or if you have, but it’s possible it may still change. If you already know it will be a certain type of celebration (for example, multiple-day) that’s something you can let guests know now, as it helps them with forward planning – but don’t feel pressured to give too much information at this stage! Do however be sure to include the names of each person invited, as otherwise you may have guests wondering if they should plan to bring their children or a date! Be upfront and clear from the start.

Guests will inevitably reach out to you with comments and questions once your save the dates have arrived, so it can be helpful to include the URL of your wedding website. This gives guests somewhere to go to find out more, and they can also bookmark it and keep coming back to check on updates as the date gets closer. Wedding websites are also a great way to keep costs down for your invitations later down the line, as you can use your website as a place to add travel information, accommodation information, timings, dress codes, and so on – rather than needing multiple inserts within one envelope.

Bespoke save the date design for a destination wedding by Ananya Cards

OK I’M READY TO SEND MY SAVE THE DATES! WHAT’S NEXT?

Once you’ve decided you’ll be sending save the dates, and have chosen a semi-custom or bespoke design, then it’s time to send them out!

Keep in mind that save the dates should only be sent to guests you are sure you will be inviting to the wedding. It’s possible to add more people to the guest list at a later stage, but quite mortifying to need to remove them from the guest list once you’ve sent a save the date!

If you’re ordering physical save the dates, make sure to plan to order +10% so you have some extras in case they are needed. You can write the addresses on envelopes yourself, have them lettered by a calligrapher, or printed directly on the envelope.

Once that’s done, they’re ready to go and spread the love!

We hope this has been a helpful and insightful article for you. For further advice on stationery timescales for your invitations and on-the-day elements, or for other useful hints and tips for your wedding stationery please take a look at the helpful blogs we’ve written.

If you’d like to discuss creating sophisticated, unique, culturally-inclusive stationery that reflects YOUR personality – we’d love to hear from you!

 Until next time,

 Vaishali

YOU'RE ENGAGED: YOUR ESSENTIAL WEDDING STATIONERY GUIDE

UPDATED FOR 2024 WEDDINGS

Photography: Ami Louisa Photography

Wedding stationery tips

Congratulations on your engagement! This wonderful new chapter has started, and it might feel like there’s something to learn about wedding planning everywhere you look! The most important ‘to do’ on your list as a newly engaged couple is to enjoy it, and to take your time making decisions as and when you’re ready to, for your dream 2022/23 wedding. Here is our Ananya essential wedding stationery guide, for those of you looking to turn your attention to stationery:

• Start researching any stationers whose style you love! Have a look at our Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram platforms for inspiration as well as looking at communities such as #dailydoseofpaper on Instagram. Also walk around craft markets or wedding fairs near you to discover some local indie suppliers and artisans you might never have come across otherwise.

• Consider whether you might like to send out an engagement announcement, perhaps a bespoke card showing one of your favourite photos from the proposal day – or an engagement shoot you’ve done. Here at Ananya we love creating personalised engagement cards and invites to engagement parties, which are definitely becoming more popular.

• We appreciate that in these current unprecedented times, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding dates. Once you do know the date of the wedding, you can start sending out save the date cards – best to give more notice if you're getting married in the summer or at Christmas, or if you’re planning a destination wedding. Remember that at this stage you can give as much or as little information as you like: the key is to share date and location, and of course if you already know it will be a certain type of celebration (for example, multiple-day if a cultural or multicultural wedding) that’s something you can let guests know now.

• When you’re ready, you can send pretty Will You Be My Bridesmaid cards to ask your best friends if they'll share in the celebrations with you. They'll need to put the date in their diaries! These cards can make beautiful keepsakes, and paired with a heartfelt, personalised gift.

• Don’t set anything in stone about the design of the stationery suite until you know more about the decor, the style, and the colour palette of the wedding. Your stationer will be able to echo these features in order to give your guests a first taste of the event, and tie everything together into a unified aesthetic narrative.

• Do start thinking about how you would like the invites to feel – do you resonate more with wax seals and ribbons, or something minimalist and sleek? Both options can be deeply personal and luxurious, and your stationer can help you design everything in between. Consider also whether you’d like the wording to be formal or more colloquial, and whether you’d like your parents’ and grandparents’ names to appear there too, for example.

• Think about the timing of your invitations. Most of our couples send invites out somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks before the wedding date, depending where and when the wedding is, what their guest list is like, and whether they want to have time to send out additional invites after having received back some of the RSVPs.

This is a stationery-centric perspective, and of course you’ll have the joy of bringing together the rest of your wedding supplier team in this time too! You can always ask your suppliers for ideas and recommendations. We are proud to create award-winning wedding stationery here at Ananya and we love giving our couples stationery guidance and advice during their wedding planning journey. We can assist you with your invitation wording, especially if there are cultural traditions such as in a multicultural or Hindu wedding.

For any questions about your exclusive wedding stationery, whether you are having a UK wedding or are looking for destination wedding stationery, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Until next time,
Vaishali

Covid-secure wedding stationery: what couples should consider now

With some light and direction for a road map for the future of weddings post-Covid, couples can start to plan Covid-secure weddings which, with a few adjustments, still match their dream day. 

Bespoke multicultural wedding stationery suite by Ananya | Hayley Gell Photography

WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOUR WEDDING STATIONER

Initially, identifying your wedding stationer is the best place to start as you decide which designs (your favourite flower or animal, for example), themes, print techniques and any personal touches (including lined envelopes, wax seals or calligraphy) you may want to include in the stationery suite. Having these discussions early on allows time to plan for different outcomes depending upon current restrictions when it comes to your wedding day. For example, if the venue or date of the wedding changes, your stationer can create a card based upon the design of previous invites to send either digitally or via post to your guests. 

Elephant Royale bespoke wedding invitations by Ananya | Hayley Gell Photography

Personalised touches FOR YOUR WEDDING STATIONERY 

Currently, digital invitations are becoming more popular in adhering to government guidelines and allowing for information to be sent quickly to all, whether they be close family and friends or international. Having a digital invite does not mean to say that they cannot look beautiful and in fact, over the last six months, we have designed several e-invites that incorporated the same colours, patterns and theme of the weddings just as the paper stationery would have been. With an e-invite, you can also include personal elements. This may be addressing each guest personally, adding music or even a Google map/calendar link to ensure the day cannot be missed.

Seizing each opportunity to express your personality and style as a couple is important as this is a day you will always treasure and so we want to make it as memorable as possible under the circumstances.

PRINTED KEEPSAKE WEDDING STATIONERY

You can also print a few invitations for your close family as a treasured keepsake, cherished for many years to come, whilst having digital invitations for the rest of your guests.

If you opt for digital invitations, you can still have elegant printed on the day stationery from placecards and menus to welcome signs and seating plans. This could include personalised favours, bespoke illustrations, or hand-finished touches.

‘Advice for the newlywed’ cards by Ananya | Fiona Kelly Photography

With no print costs to consider with digital, there is room to be creative and put an individual stamp to your digital invitations. Some ideas have been to produce multiple e-cards, which include quirky ones such as ‘advice for the newlyweds’ or a ‘DJ request card’, allowing guests to request for music to be played ready to dance the night away. 

digital, ELECTRONIC WEDDING INVITATIONS

Going digital with a wedding website is also useful as with regular changes to restrictions, this can be a good place to update guests on any changes to the day. Creating a WhatsApp group for weddings with a smaller guestlist can also be a good way to provide any last-minute changes, as well as get guests connecting before the wedding day. 

Digital cherry blossom invitation for a Sikh wedding by Ananya

MAKE YOUR WEDDING GUESTS FEEL INCLUDED

It would also be advisable to include any Covid-specific information to inform guests of the precautions being taken on the day by yourselves and the venue to ensure their safety. It may also be important to highlight to guests that due to the uncertainty of regulations, last-minute changes are likely and so flexibility would be appreciated.

Even with a Zoom wedding, it is important to make your guests feel included and able to share this special day with you. As you are not restricted to numbers, you can invite more people than you may have originally intended and those who may have been unable to travel, whether that is because they are abroad or too elderly to, can now be there to celebrate this special moment with you. Providing your guests with an invite allows for a keepsake – and may become a talking point in the future, of a time when the world went virtual!

Monogrammed multicultural wedding invitation by Ananya | Hayley Gell Photography

How is your wedding planning coming along? For any advice on your wedding stationery, or you would like to work with us here at Ananya, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Until next time,

Vaishali x

Sustainable Wedding Tips - An Essential Guide

In today's blog post, we are delighted to have eco warrior Maya from Sustainer Container, an eco friendly gifting business, give us her top tips for having a sustainable wedding.

Here at Ananya, the sustainability and ecological impact of our work is very important to us - and, as a company working closely with paper, we do take our responsibility to the planet very seriously.

Maya sells eco friendly gift boxes that make the perfect treat for your loved ones and for the planet, find out more about Sustainer Container here.

The Average UK wedding uses 20kg of single use plastic!

With the statistic above indicating the shocking amount of waste that is produced by weddings in the UK, it is unsurprising that sustainable weddings were a big trend in 2020 and this is likely to grow in the coming years. But, with weddings steeped in traditions, it can be difficult to know how to make your wedding more sustainable without abandoning these traditions all together. This article will round up my tips for having a sustainable wedding, including:

1. Choosing a sustainable wedding venue

2. Eco friendly invites

3. Gifts, flowers and favours

1. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Wedding Venue

Ashridge House. Photo Credit: Ami Louisa Photography

So, you’re newly engaged - the first thing on your wedding planning checklist is probably securing a venue. Not only is the venue one of the biggest decisions you will make when planning your wedding, it can also have the biggest environmental impact. Research the venues in advance and prepare questions to ask about their environmental impact - for example, how much single use plastic will be used by the venue to host your wedding? Does the venue reuse decorations? If not, how will these be disposed of? Does the venue support local businesses or do they buy their decorations and produce from further afield?

Photo Credit: Ami Louisa Photography

Alongside conducting your research to find a venue which prioritises sustainability, it is worth considering the location of potential venues. Look for a venue that is close to the area where most guests will be travelling from if possible, to reduce the miles travelled to your wedding. You could also consider hiring a private coach to take guests to and from the wedding, to further reduce miles and vehicles travelling to your wedding and thus helping to reduce the carbon footprint of your ceremony.

With a beef burger using the same amount of water as 60 showers, the menu options offered by your venue can also have a huge impact on how sustainable your wedding is. My next tip for having a sustainable wedding would be to consider having a plant based wedding meal. Or, why not compromise and have a vegetarian starter but offer a meat option for the main course - even just opting for more vegetarian or vegan options will help reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding.

2. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Eco Friendly Invites

Ananya ‘Hues of Blues’ watercolour floral stationery suite. Photo Credit: Tell Your Story Photography

Ananya floral wedding stationery collection. Photo credit Ami Louisa Photography

So your sustainable venue is booked, next on the wedding planning checklist is inviting people to join your celebration. With deforestation becoming a major issue in the fight against climate change, my second sustainable wedding tip involves investigating the eco credentials of your wedding invitation supplier. For example, the invitations made by Vaishali of Ananya Cards are made using recycled paper or cardstock from sustainably managed forests. Plus, Vaishali also plants trees for every order received!! As part of a drive to be as sustainable as possible, Vaishali’s beautiful creations are designed to be more than just an invitation and are designed to be a keepsake that is treasured long after the wedding.

Ananya ‘Enchanted Garden’ stationery. Photo Credit: Xander Casey Photography

For many people, receiving a wedding invitation means one thing - time to go outfit shopping. Now, I love a new outfit as much as the next person, but many of these fancy frocks will be worn just once, with a new outfit being bought for every wedding and event. This cycle of fast fashion and over consumption is hugely problematic for the planet. My next tip might not be for everyone, but what about using your invitations to encourage your wedding guests to outfit repeat and wear an outfit they have worn before? Chances are - nobody will remember that the outfits have been worn before and this is an easy way of reducing the carbon footprint of your wedding.

3. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Gifts, Flowers and Favours

Having spent time carefully planning your perfect sustainable wedding, the big day arrives and you receive gifts that you won’t use and that are packaged in single use plastic. To avoid this consider asking for vouchers which you can put towards a larger purchase or a trip away. Alternatively, pick out some practical sustainable items for loved ones to purchase as a gift that will help you to continue your sustainability journey. For example, our Everything Eco Gift Boxes are filled with sustainable alternatives to your everyday products - why not ask for a gift box each and continue your sustainability journey into your married life.

My next sustainable wedding tip is around flowers - possibly not the first thing you think of when you are thinking about having a sustainable wedding.

“A sustainably sourced flower is a fresh cut flower that is not treated with pesticides and can be found, grown, and sold locally.” (Green Matters)

Try to find flowers that meet this criteria. Floral foam bricks also contain single use plastic, so try to choose flower arrangements which do not require the bricks.

Wedding flowers by Wilde Thyme. Photo Credit: Kate Nielen Photography

Finally, you may want to consider sustainable wedding favours. Since common wedding favours often include little packets of sweets individually wrapped in single use plastic or trinkets that may never be used, wedding favours are not always the most planet friendly. So the first thing to think about is whether you really need wedding favours and whether anybody will even notice if you decide against giving each guest a small gift? If you are determined to have a wedding favour (and I completely understand wanting to follow tradition), perhaps opt for a more sustainable option. One such idea would be seed paper or seed bombs which can be thrown onto any patch of ground by guests to grow bee friendly wildflowers - a lovely touch for a sustainable wedding.

Ananya handcrafted paper flower favours. Photo credit Kate Nielen Photography

From choosing a sustainable wedding venue and eco friendly invites to gifts, jewellery, flowers and favours, these have been my tips for having a sustainable wedding. If you would like to find out more about everything eco, please don’t hesitate to have a browse of the Sustainer Container website or send me a message on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.

Thank you very much, Maya. So many top tips we can use for a sustainable wedding.

Until the next time, Vaishali

The importance of wedding videography

We are delighted to share this interview with wedding videographers Adam and Rachel Galwas of The Wedding Filmmakers. We have admired their work for a while now; their exceptional coverage of weddings and cultural weddings in particular, and the way they capture the most meaningful moments. Having recently worked with them at Ananya, we thought this Q & A would be of interest to our readers and wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!

When did you first know you wanted to be a wedding videographer? Did you have a eureka moment or was it a gradual realisation?

Adam - It was definitely more of a gradual realisation as I didn't realise that wedding videography could be a proper career initially. My interest in filmmaking started from the age of 14 where I would film extreme sports with my friends as well as documenting my travels abroad. For many years I only saw it as a hobby and decided to pursue a “sensible” career in law, whilst continuing to produce videos as a sideline. After filming a handful of weddings for friends and work colleagues the business quickly spiralled to the point where I needed to quit my job to cope with the workload. At that point I started to take it more seriously and my passion for wedding videography was ignited.

My wife Rachel started assisting me with weddings whilst studying for her textile design degree. She is a natural creative and had an excellent eye for lighting and composition from the very start. After Rachel graduated we decided to set up a business together that was focused purely on weddings/events. We decided to name our company “The Wedding Filmmakers” because we wanted to create emotive wedding films as opposed to the 2 hour long wedding videos that were common at the time.

You have worked on many cultural and multicultural weddings, like we have at Ananya. How did you get interested in different cultures? Has your understanding of diverse cultures influenced your videography? Does it help you in how you capture memorable moments in multicultural weddings or weddings of other cultures?

Great question! One of the aspects of the wedding industry that we love the most is that it has given us the opportunity to meet people from different cultural backgrounds and experience different types of religious ceremonies and celebrations. In fact one of our first bookings was to film a Hindu wedding. Having never attended an Indian wedding before we had no idea what to expect, but it was a feast for the senses with no shortage of incredible moments to capture.  So in a sense you could say that our videography style has been influenced by multicultural weddings from the very beginning.

We have always enjoyed the variety that comes with filming a diverse range of ceremonies and take a lot of inspiration from the way that couples incorporate elements of their heritage into their wedding day(s). This wide range of experience has definitely challenged us and made us better at our craft.

You are quoted as saying “We take pride in producing truly memorable wedding videos which tell the story of your wedding and the story of you as a couple in an artistic and beautiful way.” Can you give us an example, perhaps taking one wedding, of how you did that?

Rather than creating a generic product for each couple we prefer to focus on the moments and elements of the day that really reflect the couple's personality, style and story. Everything from the shot selection, music choices and editing style is considered carefully with each couple in mind.

To give you an example; at a recent wedding we knew that music was very important to the couple and it had played a big part in bringing them together. Their wedding featured some amazing live performances from their family and friends which we incorporated into the film, alongside sections from the speeches, which helped tell their story in a unique and meaningful way.

With large weddings there is a temptation to just focus on capturing the spectacle of the event and the “wow” moments, but it is often during the quiet in-between times where people reveal their true emotions. By documenting the less obvious moments you are able to really capture the personality of the couple and their family members which in years to come may prove to be more valuable than the cliché shots.

Do you do any research on the couple and their background before the big day, especially if they are from a different culture, to help you know the significant moments to capture?

When we have direct contact with the couple we suggest a consultation to get to know them on a personal level and discuss the timeline and any traditions they will be honouring. Weddings are becoming increasingly personal so regardless of the culture we've found that the best approach is to find out what is important to the couple and their vision for the day.

Increasingly our work is coming via wedding planners which often means that we do not have much, or any, contact with the couple. Our natural documentary style is well suited to busy couples that want their wedding to be captured beautifully but with minimal fuss and intrusion. Most of the creative decisions are made either in the moment, or during the editing stage so as long as we have a detailed timeline from the event planner then we will be able to produce an exceptional film for the couple. Wedding videography is much more about capturing the feeling than simply just documenting what is happening, so with time you develop an intuition about how best to capture what is unfolding in front of you.

We at Ananya love your work. What are the important factors a couple should consider when choosing a wedding videographer, and who would be your dream couple to film?

There are so many different videography styles to choose from we would recommend watching lots of different films to get a feel for what you like. Always ask to see examples of the longer films so you have a clear idea of what you would receive as the finished product to ensure that it matches up with the quality of the short website/social media trailers. Once you have narrowed down your choice then arrange a meeting or phone call to find out about the process and see if you are a good fit personality wise.

Word of mouth recommendations from people that have had personal experience of a service is usually the best way to go. Your wedding video and photos will be one of the few lasting memories from the day so choose wisely and pick someone that you can trust with such an important task.

Our dream couple to film would be anyone who is not afraid to be different and express their true feelings and emotions.

Do you have a favourite film where you were most pleased with the results or that you most loved filming?

It's really difficult to pick a favourite as they are all special for different reasons. We really enjoy the creative process and are constantly developing and improving on our craft so if we had to choose then the answer would have to be whichever film that we are currently working on!

Has wedding videography changed much over the years in terms of techniques, equipment or approach?

The industry has changed significantly in the 5-10 years. You are now able to produce incredible, film quality imagery with very small cameras. Thankfully the days of the huge over the shoulder broadcast cameras are long gone, making it much easier to blend in and capture natural moments in a cinematic way.

The public perception of wedding videos has also improved dramatically with many couples prioritising videography very early in the planning process. We are often contacted before the couple have booked a photographer and sometimes even a venue, which was rarely the case a few years ago. 

Adam and Rachel Galwas

Have you thought about having a video at your wedding? We would love to know in the comments below. Thank you very much Adam and Rachel for sharing your story with us today.

If you are looking for beautiful wedding stationery that reflects your personality and style while honouring your cultural heritage, we would love to show you what we can create for you. Please get in touch by sending an email or filling out our contact form.

Wedding Stationery: Useful Hints and Tips

UPDATED: DECEMBER 2023

Wedding wording tips

If you think back to all the wedding invites you’ve ever received, you may have noticed that they’re all uniquely worded in some way – though generally will follow a pattern of invitation traditions.

The good news is that the etiquette rules are actually much simpler than you might expect and are only there to serve as guidelines. The most important rule of all is that you work with your stationer to create a meaningful and beautiful wedding invitation that represents you and your love story.

If you’re wondering where to start, and how to adapt the rules in a way that feels personal and respectful, here are some tips from the Ananya Team.

The host

Traditionally, wedding invitations included the bride’s parents’ names, implying that the celebrations were being hosted by the mother and father of the bride. These days, many couples graciously opt to include both sets of parents (regardless of who is contributing more to the budget), or neither, if that feels right. A friendly, collaborative option would be, for example “Together with their parents, Sonia and Tom request the pleasure of your company...” – and your stationer can help you brainstorm the best combination, especially if any of the parents are divorced (include them on separate lines, for example) or no longer with you (in which case you may want to say, “daughter of...” rather than implying the wedding is hosted by them).

The invitation to join

There are many ways to ask your guests to join you in the celebrations, with different levels of formality: for example, "would love for you to join them" is a little less traditional than "request the pleasure of your presence". This is where you’d also include the names of the bride and groom, especially if they haven’t appeared in the host section of the invite.  Traditionally, the name of the bride preceded the groom's name, including middle names and titles if applicable, though couples now often choose to list them alphabetically or in whichever order ‘sounds’ better, and to omit surnames and titles.

The time and place

For formal weddings, everything would be written out in full (no numerals), but this can be written in whichever way feels most natural to you. You would then also include the name of the location, city and full street address. You might choose to have ceremony and reception information on separate cards if you wish, particularly if held in separate locations. If the location is the same, you can add “reception immediately following” or “followed by dinner and dancing” to let your guests know. Generally, you wouldn’t need to include the time that the reception starts unless you don’t want guests moving from one place immediately on to the next.

 The dress code

Wedding invitation etiquette typically suggests that a dress code should be included on the lower right-hand corner of the invitation. Many couples now omit this information or choose more creative wording, especially for destination weddings (“it’s all about the hat”, “cocktail chic”, or “summertime soiree”, for example). If you don't include a note on attire, expect your guests to take a cue from the style of your invitation.

The RSVP

Many couples choose to include a separate response card for guests to fill out and return in the post. If it feels right for you, don’t be afraid to have fun with the wording, so for example, a positive response might be “I’ll be there with bells on”, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”, and so on. Some couples also opt to offer the convenience of digital RSVPs, allowing guests to respond electronically through a dedicated wedding website, in which case you can include the website address.

The gift list

Traditionally, it was deemed bad etiquette to include a gift request in wedding invitations, but these days it is widely done by most couples. This saves your guests the time and effort of contacting the wedding party to find out which gifts are needed or suitable, and also removes some of the pressure from them! You can include a message to say how much you appreciate their company, and that you don’t want them to feel obliged to give you a gift - but that if they wish to, there is a gift registry they can use. Asking for financial contributions to a honeymoon or future project is also very common, and widely acceptable now. In Indian weddings often couples will ask for ‘no boxed gifts’ which means that they would prefer money.

Plus ones

Unless your wedding venue and budget can stretch to allowing plus ones to all your guests, try to come up with a rule when sketching your guest list (for example, couples that have been together for a certain amount of time). Then, make it very clear in your invite whether a plus one is included or not by addressing it appropriately – you can even express that your event is private, intimate or small, so guests get the hint!

Children

If the venue or style of wedding is such that children aren’t invited, do make sure this is very clear, as this will affect families that need to make alternative arrangements. Address your invitations to exactly who is invited, or some guests with children might assume their whole family is invited – and you can add a small note on your invite or wedding website explaining tactfully what the situation is. This can be a sensitive issue for many parents, so do invest time on thinking about what you’d like to express. Also, if you’re allowing children of close family but not others, do warn your guests of this with something like “Unfortunately, as much as we’d love to invite all of our friends’ children, we can only accommodate a few close family children. We hope that you will understand this decision and we very much hope you will still be able to join us on our special day”.

In summary, we would recommend giving your guests as much information as you can in an honest and open way, while not being afraid to make it your own.

For any advice on your wedding stationery, or if you would like to work with us here at Ananya, please get in touch to book your complimentary consultation.

Scented paper rose invitations by Ananya

Ananya is delighted to be partnering with world-renowned floral designer Karen Tran, as she visits London this month for three days of luxury foral masterclasses. The visit concludes with an invitation-only gala dinner.

Taking place at The Savoy on Thursday 18th April, the theme of the dinner is ‘Opulence at The Savoy’, masterminded by luxury wedding planner Jane Riddell from Planned to Perfection, in association with cake designer Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, Karen Tran’s UK support florist WildAbout, and supported by The Function Band.

Ananya was commissioned to create a bespoke stationery suite fitting for such an extravaganza. We created digital save the dates to set the tone for what was to come. This was followed by hand crafting 100 delicate paper roses, demonstrating our exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail.

“Roses are timelessly elegant and embody the universal language of love. Using ivory paper introduces a symbolic gesture towards both opulence and virtue,” explains Vaishali Shah, Founder and Creative Director of Ananya. We wanted to use a floral theme to celebrate Karen Tran’s floral creativity.

“We adore the three-dimensional effect the paper rose creates, which we believe will be a key trend for 2019 and 2020 weddings. It was important to us that guests be able to keep their roses after the event, so we added a ribbon loop to help make the rose an everlasting keepsake”.

The paper rose is echoed in the invitations and menus, which showcase hand-drawn illustrations. Always eager to find new and creative ways to add detail to our stationery, every invitation is scented with floral notes of peony, lily and jasmine before being tied to the paper rose, and completed with a handwritten, personalised gold calligraphy tag.

Flashes of gold, which feature throughout the suite, complement the event’s ‘Opulence at The Savoy’ theme and the colour palette of the venue.

Each invitation booklet containing further details of the event was screen printed in gold. “Screen printing is one of our favourite mediums of printing at Ananya – we love it!” comments Vaishali Shah. “Many of our designs, particularly those that use metallics, are created with this technique. Ink is pressed through a mesh screen using a rubber blade to move the ink across. When the blade is reversed back, the screen touches the paper and the print transfers to the paper. It’s done entirely by hand, making it luxuriously artisanal.”

On the day, guests will be able to see more opulent paper goods created by the Ananya team, including place cards, table stationery and an abundance of romantic paper roses.

To discuss how we can create stationery for your event, please get in touch with us now.

WEDDING STATIONERY TIMINGS: A USEFUL GUIDE

The questions we receive most often at Ananya from our couples typically revolve around timing of their wedding stationery, and the stages of the design process. Of course, there’s no right or wrong, and the details will depend upon what makes the most sense for the kind of event you’re hosting – but we thought it might be useful to provide you with an overview of recommended timescales.

As soon as you’re engaged

Photography: by Lumiere

Start researching any stationers whose style you love – it’s never too early to reach out to them to let them know you would like to work with them, so they can start scheduling you in and give you plenty of time to work with you, especially if you would like bespoke wedding stationery. Many couples like to send out an engagement announcement, maybe with a lovely photo of the proposal!

As soon as you know the date and venue

You can place your save the date order at this stage – and you can give as much or as little information as you like. Date and location are key, but of course if you already know it will be a certain type of celebration (for example, multiple days), that’s something you can let guests know now.

6-12 months before the wedding

This is a typical timescale for sending out save the dates, but of course this will depend on your guest list and venue. If you are planning a destination wedding, giving your guests more notice is advisable, so they can make holiday plans as needed.

6 months before the wedding

Photography: by Lumiere

Start discussing your invitation design with your stationer, particularly if you’re looking for something bespoke or that requires more specialist printing techniques and finishing touches, such as wax seals or calligraphy. Having an idea of your style of décor, dress, colour palette, and flowers, is a great help when deciding on your stationery suite, as it can be a lovely way of setting the tone. Do ask for samples and physical mock-ups when you can, as holding the paper in your hand is very different to seeing it on a screen! When placing the final order, it’s always a good idea to order extra (at Ananya, we advise 10%) to account for last-minute invites, personal keepsakes, and any mistakes during addressing and assembly.

2-4 months before the wedding

Photography: by Roberta Facchini Photography

Start discussing your on-the-day reception stationery, like menus, table numbers, orders of service, signage, place cards, and so on. You won’t be able to place the order until you have the final guest list and menu, but this is a good time to brainstorm the design.

2-3 months before the wedding

This is a typical timescale for posting invitations out, but again, this will depend on what is right for you. If your guest list is large, and you’re thinking of doing ‘waves’ (that is, waiting for some RSVPs to come in before inviting another group) then do try to give yourself a little bit more breathing room.

1 month before the wedding

Typically, your RSVPs would be due by this point, which means you should have a final list of who is attending and their dietary requirements (which means menus can be confirmed, too). You should also have a good idea of what your ceremony structure will be at this stage. This information should be passed on to your stationer as soon as you have it, so they can finalise the on-the-day stationery order. Many couples also order their thank you cards at the same time, so they have them ready for when gifts start arriving, or for when they return from honeymoon.

2 weeks before the wedding

Photography by: John Nassari

One of the elements of the on-the-day that is ordered latest is the seating plan, as this can often be amended quite last minute!

1-3 months after the wedding

Couples often like to send their guests a thank you card within a few months of the wedding, thanking them for their attendance and gifts. Including your favourite photo of the day, or any you’ve received from your photographer at this stage, can be a lovely touch.

We hope this guideline has been helpful in making you better informed about wedding stationery timings. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please get in touch; we would be delighted to assist.

Colour Infusion by Ananya; our latest wedding stationery collection

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.

5 not-obvious things you NEED to ask your wedding venue before booking: Part one

Finding  that  utterly  perfect  and  spot-on  location  to  host  your  wedding  celebration can  be  a  tough  job.  The  choice  is  limitless  and  if  you’re  not  tied  into  a  specific  geographical  area,  then  the  world  is  quite  literally  your  oyster  and  your  hunting ground! It should  be  a  fun  part  of  the  planning  and  once  you  have  found  and  secured  that  ideal  venue,  many  other  parts  of  planning  your  vision  do  click  into place. It is  the  biggest  part  of  the  planning  and  so  important  to  get  right,  so  Ananya is delighted to be  hearing  from  wedding  venue  consultant  (and  former  luxury  wedding  planner),  Kelly  Chandler of Kelly Chandler Consulting who  shares  her  tips  with  you  in an in-depth, two part blog, on  some  of  the  things  to  check  before  you  secure  your  venue  to  be  absolutely  sure  it’s  for  you;  there  is  no  right  or  wrong  to  some  of  these  suggestions  and  restrictions, and  some  will  be  fine  for  you,  others  not  -  the  aim  with  this  feature  is  purely  to  give  you  the  knowledge  to  ask  the  questions  of  the  things  that  are  hot  on  YOUR  priority  list.

Kelly Chandler

Part One

1. Exclusivity  and  Venue  Use

A  great  many  wedding  venues  now  offer  exclusivity  or  some form  of  exclusive-use  such  that  you  are  the  only  wedding  on  that  day  in  that  venue.  This  can  however  mean  different  things  within  different  venues  so  don’t  be  afraid  to  ask  and  get  specific  on  things.  For  some  locations  exclusivity  can  mean  you  have  exclusive  use  of  a  certain  dedicated  banqueting  area  but  say  not  bedrooms,  for  other locations, it  can  be  full  exclusive  use  of  an  entire  home,  gardens  and  grounds,  for  others  it  can  be exclusive  use  between  certain  hours  and  not  others. Do  find out  when  your  exclusive  use  starts  and  ends  as  every  venue  should  have a  policy  on  this  and  sometimes  it’ll  be  for  the  day  from  early  start  and  sometimes  it’ll  include  an  overnight. Find  out  what  their  policy  is  on  other  events  and  other  clients  and  if  they  run  exclusive  use  events  back  to  back  (or  not);  don't  be  afraid  to  ask  about  supplier  access  too  -  in  some  cases  venues  will  allow  suppliers  to  gain  access  early  to  set  up  the  design,  in  others  it’s  a  strict  access  time  for  anything  to  do  with  your  wedding.

2. Recommended/Preferred and Approved  Supplier  List   

Get  super  clear  on  a  venue’s  policy  with  working  with  suppliers  and  outside  wedding  professionals  and  see  that  it  works  for  you.  There  is  a  difference  between  a  recommended  or  preferred  supplier  list  where  the  venue  is  usually  giving  you  the  benefit  of  their  tried and  trusted  list  that  you  can,  but  are  not  obliged  to,  use  and  an  Approved  Supplier  List  which  is  usually  where  you  MUST  pick  from  that  list.  It’s  quite  customary  for  a  venue  to  have  an  Approved  list  you  must  use  in  the  areas  of  catering,  lighting  and  production  and  entertainment  and  marquee  build,  when  you  consider  these  are  the  areas  which  require  a  lot  of  equipment  and  run  the  greatest  degree  of  risk,  it’s  vital  that  venues  have  control  over  the  quality  and  professionalism  of  who  works  with  them  in  order  to  protect  their places  and  spaces  for  all  clients. Many  venues  will  be  more  than  happy  for  you  to  use  your  own  chosen  suppliers  in  many  areas  - do  ask  if  and  how  they  will  be  able  to  obtain  access  to  view  the  venue  in  advance  of  the  wedding  as  this  can  be  needed  in  the  case  of  for  example a  florist  who needs  to  see  a  new  space  before  coming  up  with  full  designs  for  you.  

3. Rules and Restrictions   

It’s  quite  usual  for  venues  to  have  some  rules  and  restrictions  around  the  following,  so  do  ask  away  to  see  what  your  venue  policy  is  and  if  this  works  for  you. Do  bear  in  mind  that  most  rules  are  there  to  protect  the  fabric  of  the  building  in  the  case  of  heritage  properties, to  ensure  guest safety  and  to  ensure  that  the  venue  can  continue  to  operate  in  the  case  of  noise  restrictions  - venue  operators  can  have  their  license  removed  if  noise  pollution  becomes  an  issue  so  understandably  they  need  to  enforce  some  restrictions  to  protect  against  this: Confetti  throwing - is  it  allowed? Sometimes  biodegradable/real  petal  variety  is  in  some  parts  of  the  venue,  but  often  not  on  gravel  or  on  floors that  may  stain. Naked  flames - many  venues  ban  candles  entirely  or  limit  the  use  of  free  standing  candelabra  and  naked  flames  not  in  safe  containers. Dark  drinks - in  some  heritage  buildings  red  wine  &  berry  based  drinks  are  forbidden  except  at  seated  dinners  because  of  the  spillage  and  staining  risk. Dancing - often  this  will  need  to  take  place  in  certain  parts  of  the  venue only  and  between  certain  hours - do  check  and  also  if  you  need  to  install  and  pay  for  a  dance floor. 

Fireworks - often  these  are  not  allowed  due  to  disruption  to  livestock  and  damage  to  grounds  but  some  venues  have  preferred  suppliers  who  can  work  on  their  property  if  you  have  your  heart  set  on  this  - do  ask. Sound  limiters - noise  pollution  is  one  of  the  biggest  risks  to  a  wedding  venue  not  being  able  to  continue  to  operate  so  owners  and  managers  take  this  seriously. Sometimes  they  are  required  to  install  an  actual  sound  limiter  within  the  property,  other  times  it’s  monitored  more subjectively  but  do  ask  what  sound  limits  exist  within  your  preferred  venue  and  what  entertainment  most  couples  choose. If  you  have  your  heart  set on a 10 piece  big  band  and  your  venue  has  a  fierce  sound  meter, this  is  unlikely  to  be  a  match;  most  venues  with  sound  limiters  tend  to  lean  towards  DJs  rather  than  live  bands, that said live bands can and do perform  within  the  limits of sound, it will be important to work with a professional band who takes  this seriously and prepares in advance in terms of their instruments and kit - it usually makes sense to work with the venue's preferred list in this case as the band/DJ will  have worked there before. 

Thank you Kelly for the insightful and informative first three points on booking a venue. We at Ananya love working with venues and are delighted to be a preferred wedding stationery supplier for some.

Part Two will follow shortly, so stay tuned.

Photo credits: 

Headshot photo of Kelly Chandler: http://www.annelimarinovich.com

Venue: Warmwell House, Dorset: https://www.warmwell-house.com

Photography: Imogen Xiana https://www.imogenxiana.com

Florals: https://www.marthaandthemeadow.com

Cakes: https://www.fanciebuns.co.uk

Bridal Accessories, Hair and Make up: http://www.victoriafergusson.co.uk

Model (bride): http://www.tanyalouisecumberland.com

Bridal gowns: http://www.naomineoh.com

Silk ribbons and silk runner: http://www.pompomblossom.com

Furniture - white chairs for ceremony: http://www.thewhitechaircompany.co.uk

Cross back chairs & wooden bar unit for cake/champagne station: http://dpmarquees.co.uk

Write here…

How to add details to your Stationery

Ananya translates to ‘without equal’ in the ancient language of Sanskrit, and it is this sentiment that forms the foundation on which the business is built, and with which every single collection is lovingly crafted and curated.

Here at Ananya we adore infusing our stationery with intricate and meaningful detail, whether it’s in the design, the textures, or the wording. A save the date or invitation for a wedding, party or milestone birthday is the very first impression that an event makes on its guests, and sets the scene for its style, feeling, and narrative. This can then be the undercurrent for the menu, place cards, seating plan, and so on – which can be done by matching, complementing, or even contrasting the elements within the suite. This might mean a recurring motif, a signature font, a custom monogram, or an overarching colour palette. Detailing like this can unify different room, sections, or goals of your event, as well as speaking a thousand words about your professionalism and aesthetic vision.

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

We also love finding ways to hand finish each design, to really wow your guests with that experience of artisanal craftmanship. Some ideas could be hand embellishing cards with crystals and lace, tying hand-dyed silk ribbons, wax sealing and lining envelopes, hand tearing paper to add texture, illustrating with watercolours, colour dipping feathers or even exploring calligraphy on new mediums. In fact, we’ve seen a trend for looking beyond paper, and complementing stationery suites with beautiful objects that can be personalised and treasured as keepsakes even after the event has taken place. Last year alone we worked with paper, vellum, acrylic, feathers, stone, slate, wood, and wax, and we love experimenting with new ideas. We’ve also seen beautiful designs using agate, shells, leaves, tiles, glass, and many more. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box – if you can dream it, a stationer can probably create it!

No detail is too small to be worthy of attention and beautiful design, and all together these details combine to create a brand that tells a cohesive story across all the touch points, guiding your guests as the event unfolds around them. How will you be adding details to your stationery? We would love to know.

Ananya cards exhibits at Bridelux Atelier

We’re really excited to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at Bridelux Atelier this year! The opportunity to exhibit came our way on Monday, and though it’s been a bit last minute, we can’t wait to showcase our stationery alongside some of the most prestigious names of the wedding industry.

Photo by Roberta Facchini Photography

We have the great pleasure of partnering with the lovely Charlotte Munro, who will be styling our stand, Maison de Fleurs, who will be creating a floral display for us, and The Stars Inside, who will be capturing some of the action behind the scenes. Keep an eye on our social media profiles for previews, updates, competitions, and much more!

This year, Bridelux Atelier will be held at the iconic Rosewood London on Friday March 9th between 5pm and 9pm, and Saturday March 10th between 10am and 5pm. With a curated collection of luxury brands – have a look at the full list of exhibitors here - the show promises to be of very high calibre, and a fantastic opportunity for couples and wedding industry suppliers alike.

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

If you're planning on attending, do come and say hello at our stand in the Ballroom (in front of the champagne bar!) - and if not, then why not use our 25% discount code ANANYA25 to book your tickets here today!

Thanks again to our wonderful team for pulling this together in such a short time, to the lovely Bridelux team for inviting us, and the amazing team at Rosewood London for hosting this one-of-a-kind event!

For any queries on the above, or to get in touch, please email info@ananyacards.com

The Wax Seal: the ultimate guide

Many centuries after their first use, wax seals still remain a stationery adornment favourite for all of us detail-lovers – and for good reason! The magic of opening a letter and seeing the shimmer of a custom seal, graceful and precise, in seamless harmony with the paper, is simply breathtaking. Here at Ananya we absolutely adore embellishing our suites with unique seals, individually crafted for weddings, parties, or corporate events, and we’re so looking forward to creating many more this year.

Today we've teamed up with London wedding stylist and planner Valentina from The Stars Inside to bring you a definitive guide: if you love these little beauties as much as we do, and you would like to know more about how they work, what the options are, and how you can use them to wow your guests, read on!

So, how do wax seals come to life? It all starts with the sealing wax, which itself can come in many varieties. The colour of your wax may be the first thing you want to think about, and these days you will find yourself wonderfully spoilt for choice! Matt, basic colours will generally be the cheapest, while more unique or metallic colours may come at a small premium. Shop around, as sometimes international stockists will be able to provide you additional choices at a reasonable shipping cost. Also, as we'll mention a bit later, you can combine several colours to create unique swirls of complementary or contrasting tones.

You can choose to use wax sticks, wax beads, or wax ‘tubes’, which will in turn determine how the material needs to be melted. Wax sticks are the most traditional form, and require you to expose the stick directly to a naked flame, and let it drip over the area you intend to seal (some have wicks, some don’t); this method doesn’t require any special tools, but can be quite imprecise, messy and time consuming. This is also the wax type that is most brittle and thus breaks most easily, and is most likely to crack if squeezed through a post box (beads and tubes tend to be slightly more plasticky and bendy in structure). Wax beads are essentially pieces of these sticks, pre-cut for you into small shapes because of their size. They can be melted by simply placing a group of them on a wax melting spoon over a flame; kits for this can be bought easily online, and re-used for as long as you keep them in good condition. The use of the spoon means that you can pour homogeneously melted wax more carefully in the chosen area, which makes this significantly easier than dripping wax slowly from the stick. Also, you can create a ‘chain’ whereby the next set of beads is melting as you seal, meaning you can more quickly do a larger number of these. Another reason why this technique is our favourite is that different colour beads can easily be combined in different quantities and ratios, making this very customisable and fun. Wax tubes are designed specifically to be used with glue guns, which limits your options a little bit – but can be melted very precisely and quickly, which is immensely useful when stamping a large number of seals.

The next element to think about is the stamp, which essentially will be the design you will be imprinting on each of the seals. A typical wax stamp has a wooden handle and a round metal surface with indentations that will be filled by the wax, thus leaving an impression of the engraving. As with wax colours, the choices here are endless! Many shops now stock a beautiful selection of pre-designed stamps that you can browse – for weddings, there are many floral, botanical, and romantic designs readily available. Another option is to have a monogram, for example, of you and your partner's initials, or the date of your wedding. Finally, you could choose a completely bespoke design, which includes maybe both letters and an illustration. These latter two options are more personalised than an off-the-shelf design, so you may need to purchase this with a bit more notice, and be prepared to spend a little bit extra. When ordering your stamp, make sure it comes with a handle, and do pay attention to the diameter: the wider it is, the more generous you will need to be with the quantity of wax, in order to ensure full coverage of the design. Similarly, square stamps will also require the wax to be melted more widely in order to fill the shape adequately.

The final element is the medium on which you will be creating the seal. Typically, the wax is used to seal the flap of an envelope containing, for example, your Save The Date or Invitation suite. If posting these by mail, especially internationally, you may want to consider placing the inner envelope with the wax in an outer envelope, for some extra protection. However, this is only one of the many ways wax can be used to decorate stationery; some other favourites we see a lot now are, for example, to use it to seal together all the elements of a suite, via a belly band or ribbon, or to decorate individual place cards or escort cards. In truth, the wax can be placed on any part of your paper, though do keep in mind that there can be some leakage on the back if the paper is too thin; if you have special printed elements like foil or hand-illustrated designs, make sure to test one carefully when you start! And if you want to explore more ways of using seals, you certainly don’t need to stick to paper – wax seals could be used to decorate wine bottles, jars, favours, and even your cake! In fact, you can easily create versatile ‘standalone’ seals by melting lots of seals side by side on wax paper, peeling them off, sticking double-sided adhesive paper to the back, and using them on whatever you wish!

Whichever type, method, and medium you choose, the aim is to end up with a roughly circular ‘blob’ of wax (consider tracing an area with pencil to help you target your first ones). Melt the wax thoroughly, pour it, and before it dries, press down the stamp firmly in a smooth downward motion, without wobbling side to side. Let the wax cool and harden for 5-10 seconds, and start gently lifting the stamp from one side; if the stamp is still sticking, give it time, and tease it out slowly from each side. To prevent the metal of the stamp sticking to the wax as much as possible (which is especially important for designs with intricate detail or fine lines), you can create a barrier of moisture by dabbing your seal on a damp cloth before imprinting it on the wax. Leave it to dry completely before placing any weight on it, or letting it come into contact with anything else, just to be safe.

We hope this guide has been useful! If you would like to discuss your wedding stationery, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Ananya – and if you’d like any help with your wedding planning and styling, Valentina at The Stars Inside would love to hear from you!

Vaishali and Valentina x

Which Type of Wedding Stationery Will You Choose? An Essential Guide

So, it’s time to choose wedding stationery and all things gorgeous for your day! But, do you know your laser cut from your letterpress? No? Don’t worry, you aren’t expected to unless stationery and printing is your business! But, when it comes to your wedding, you want to be able to make the right choice. Read on for Ananya’s essential guide to wedding stationery types.

Letterpress

Letterpress party invitation

Let’s start with Letterpress. It's the ‘Grand Dame’ of printing in that it’s one of the oldest stationery printing techniques in use. Essentially, letterpress is a ‘relief printing’ technique, in which the design is ‘raised’ on a metal plate. Using a printing press, an impression is made into the paper by pressing into it from one side. It’s usually done with ink but can also be without ink. If you run your hand across the finished print you can usually feel the indentations in the paper.

Letterpress printing is high in quality but is slower than other printing methods. For example, the printer has to place each letter of type into a special holder that they also have to place ‘mirror image’ to what the finished print will be.  In other words the type for the press has to be set left to right and upside down. Wow, that’s a lot of work!

Taking letterpress from assembly to proof and then to print is time consuming without a doubt. But, on the upside, it is lovely for a vintage style or traditional wedding. 

Screen printing

Ananya''s 'Trio of Life' bespoke screen printed wedding stationery: parrot

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Ananya's 'Trio of Life' screen printed bespoke wedding stationery: elephant

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Screen printing is one of our favourite mediums of printing at Ananya. We love it! Many of our favourite designs, especially using metallics such as gold or silver, use the screen printing technique, including Mandala Love and Trio of Life.

In screen printing, ink is pressed through a mesh screen using a rubber blade or ‘squeegee’ to move across it and fill the open ‘windows’ with ink. When the blade is reversed back across, the screen touches the paper (or media) that’s being printed on to create your design.

Ananya's 'Mandala Love' screen printed wedding stationery

For Mandala Love, the screen printing for the delicate hand printed mandala motif required an exceptional level of technical skill. Ananya’s craftsmen had to print each piece four times no less; a single colour printed each time. Deep blue and gold are the feature colours of this design, with the deep blue printed first, followed by the gold elements of the mandala. Yellow was applied after that and finally cyan. Accurate positioning without overlap or gaps was critical to ensuring that each element of this intricate design printed perfectly. The design really pops with its vibrant colours and juxtaposition of matt and metallic elements. Only hand printed silk screen in our opinion at least gives that level of covetable artisanal quality.   

Offset printing

Offset/Litho printed wedding invitation

In comparison to letterpress printing, offset printing is a more indirect print technique. It’s popular for big volume production, and is also known as ‘flat printing’ or ‘litho printing’. Offset, by the way, is just another way of saying ‘transferred’. So, essentially, images on metal plates are ‘offset’ to rollers (or rubber blankets). Once that’s done, the image is printed onto the paper or print media that you've chosen. The metal plates and paper (or other media) don’t come directly into contact with each other during the process.

Digital printing

Digital printed floral wedding stationery

Modern, fast and accurate, digital printing is almost the polar opposite of letterpress! Digital printing uses tiny dots (a lot of them of course!) to create text and images. Digital printing is good for smaller quantities and is cost effective. What are the disadvantages? It’s likely that there'll be limits to the type of paper that you can use. This technique tends to suit thinner paper styles and quality can be variable dependant on the printer. Digital printing is also not suitable for accurately printing metallics – for example, you will not get a shiny bright gold or silver but instead a duller brown gold or grey silver.

Laser cut

Laser cut wedding stationery

When it comes to Laser cutting it’s a whole different world of precision and design. Creating and cutting out paper into different shapes isn’t new of course. In China they create ‘Jianzhi’, intricate symmetrical designs created with knives and scissors. And who hasn’t created their very own ‘origami garland’ as a child? Laser cutting definitely moves those hand created designs on a few millennia! Fast and accurate, laser cutting enables the production of intricate designs on an industrial scale.

How is laser cutting done? It’s a non-contact process utilising a laser to cut the material i.e. paper. Directing the laser beam through a nozzle to the media or material, a combination of heat and pressure creates the cutting action. Laser cutting is popular for the modern and vintage bride. It's good for delicate lace designs and works well with 3D designs such as cityscapes or representations of your wedding venue.  

Embossing and Debossing

Embossed notecard envelope

Embossing produces a raised textured image or text. But, unlike letterpress, it uses two engraved metal moulds to create your chosen design. The moulds used are often copper or brass, designed to fit into each other. During printing, the raised mould forces the paper into the recessed mould and creates the embossed impression of your design, as you can see on our envelopes for our notecards and personal stationery.

Debossing creates an indent in the paper rather than a raised design. Both of these techniques work well with a personal monogram design. Another of Ananya’s favourites! 

Engraving

Engraved monogram wedding invitation

Engraved personal stationery

And finally, we must mention engraving. It’s perhaps the most formal and classic of the printing styles for wedding stationery. It’s also one of the most expensive! During engraving an etched metal plate is used to create the design. When pressed into the back of the paper it creates raised lettering on the front which you can feel and leaves a slight indent on the back. The printer will apply ink to the raised lettering afterwards. Impressive to receive, we love luxurious engraved stationery at Ananya.

Which type do you think you are? Whatever you choose, Ananya would love to help you design your perfect wedding stationery. Say hello at info@ananyacards.com  and let’s talk!  

Vaishali x

Ananya Celebrates a Decade of Stylish Stationery 2006 - 2016

Exactly ten years ago, when songs like Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars”, Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” and Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” were pulsating on the airwaves, Vaishali Shah's mind, Founder and Managing Director of Ananya, was pulsating with more serious thoughts...a business decision she had just made – to launch a luxury stationery design company which she named Ananya. 

To celebrate this milestone, Ananya hosted a private and intimate lunch at the Michelin starred Benares Restaurant in Mayfair, London last month. On the guest list were media contacts as well as wedding and event planners who have actively supported the Ananya brand over the years as well as new friends who Ananya had identified as individuals who potentially would relish in the Ananya world of luxury stationery.  

Having the celebration at Benares was very meaningful for Vaishali. Chef Atul Kochhar, the first Indian Michelin star chef in the UK, was the second client of Ananya's sister design and marketing agency Creative ID. They have been working together since July 2000. Atul is also a client of Ananya. Guests were treated to a sumptuous five course menu created exclusively for our ten year celebration.

A ten year anniversary is called a diamond anniversary, so the graphics we used for the event stationery represent the facets of a diamond, lit up in a beautiful spectrum of fiery colours. Traditionally, a ten year anniversary is associated with tin, which is why we included a couple of tins amongst the items in the goody bag.

Keeping up with the latest trends, over the ten years we at Ananya have designed a wide range of elegant greeting cards as well as corporate, personal and children’s stationery and bespoke wedding and event stationery.

Ananya has gone from strength to strength innovating, researching authentic techniques and representing cultures where appropriate, in a way that is genuine and relevant to today’s world. Our cards are eco-friendly with paper from sustainably managed forests.

We are delighted to have received praise not just from the couples we have designed wedding stationery for, but also from wedding and event planners. We have been published in leading wedding media in the UK and further afield, including Brides, Wedding Ideas and Asian Bride, Khush Magazine, Perfect Wedding and Hello.

Having established Ananya’s credibility, we were asked to contribute in various publications, including two books; Planning the Perfect Asian Wedding (by Venture Publishing International), where we devoted an entire chapter to our designs and gave advice and answers to a range of questions related to weddings that couples may not readily find answers to. The book Celebration Graphics Sourcebook (published by RotoVision) features a selection of Ananya’s wedding stationery and greeting cards.

We at Ananya have a clear vision driving us forward; we love what we do, and that keeps us dedicated and inspired to produce the best on trend stationery designs we can.

Please contact us for any of your or your wedding clients' stationery needs.

Photos by Fiona Kelly Photography.

Ananya 2006 to 2016: Celebrating a decade of stylish stationery

Ananya is excited to be celebrating our tenth anniversary this year. Our award-winning stationery design business was established in 2006 by Vaishali Shah. The word Ananya comes from the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, and means ‘without equal’ or ‘unparalleled’. It was the inspiration behind Vaishali’s vision to create stationery that was distinct, unique and a fusion of Asian and British styles that appeal to the modern British taste. The Ananya brand has always been synonymous with luxurious quality. 

Suite of wedding stationery

Keeping up with the latest trends, over the 10 years we have designed a wide range of elegant greeting cards as well as bespoke wedding and event stationery. Ananya has gone from strength to strength innovating, researching authentic techniques and representing cultures in a way that is genuine and relevant to today’s world. Our cards are eco-friendly, with paper from sustainably managed forests.

During the 10 years Ananya has received praise not just from the couples we have designed wedding stationery for, but also from wedding planners, and have been published in leading wedding media in the UK and further afield, including Brides, Hello, Wedding, Perfect Wedding, Wedding Ideas, Asiana Wedding, and Asian Bride.

Ananya has been the recipient of various awards, including Best Invitation UK, and Best Invitation Worldwide in the Wedding Industry Experts Awards.

Vaishali is considered an expert in the industry, having truly established Ananya’s credibility, and has been asked to contribute in two books. In the recently published book Planning the Perfect Asian Wedding (by Venture Publishing International), Vaishali has contributed designs and advice in an entire chapter where she answers a range of questions related to weddings that couples may not readily find answers to. The book Celebration Graphics Sourcebook (published by RotoVision) features a selection of Ananya’s wedding stationery and greeting cards.

Retailers who have stocked Ananya stationery have included Harrods, Cards Galore, Paperchase, The Jewish Museum, Waterstones and the Museum of Islamic Art. Clients have included Michelin star chef Atul Kochhar of restaurant Benares in Mayfair.

Logo celebrating 10 years of stylish stationery

Having reached this important milestone, we commissioned our sister design agency Creative ID to design a logo to reflect our ten successful years in the luxury stationery business. The new logo retains the lotus flower; its petals are now in a single burgundy colour, outlined in white, giving it a fresh and crisp look. The one colour logo is more contemporary and allows for brand evolution. In the centre of the flower, the number 10 stands proudly as a reminder of our achievements.

Pantone breaks with tradition; Rose Quartz and Serenity become Colour of the Year 2016

Breaking with tradition on more than one level, Pantone has decided on a blend of two colours for its Colour of the Year. From a psychological perspective, the two chosen contrasting colours represent the warmth of the Rose Quartz and the cool and calm feel of the Serenity blue. The colours are reflective of mindfulness and well-being, which are perfect to portray the soft ambiance of a romantic wedding. 

Blending of two soft hues; Rose Quartz and Serenity blue

Rose Quartz, also sometimes called the Heart Stone, with its gentle pink essence is said to represent unconditional love. It carries a soft feminine energy of compassion and peace, tenderness and healing, nourishment and comfort. All qualities that need to be brought to the fore in our world of growing turmoil.

Rose Quartz; the essence of femininity, peace and unconditional love

The colour Blue represents tranquillity, peace and harmony. It is also said to represent trust, honesty and a sense of security.

Pantone seems to be tapping into these colours to show what is missing and what is needed in today’s world.

Serenity blue conveys tranquility, harmony and security

On another level, the pink tone of Rose Quartz and the blue of the Serenity represent the growing ease with which we are relinquishing traditional attitudes towards gender fashion and colours, and moving towards gender equality. The traditional rules of pink for a girl and the blue for a boy are being transformed into a more blurred definition of colours to represent genders.

Rose Quartz and Serenity would be a perfect combination for a spring wedding; think of trees bursting with cherry blossoms against a blue sky. This exuberance can be beautifully conveyed through wedding stationery, giving it a romantic, fairy tale feeling throughout the whole suite of stationery, from invitations to thank you notes. From bridesmaids’ dresses to flowers, the pink and blue combination paired with white or other soft tones will look stunning. They would also be great colours for an outdoor summer wedding…think of lavender in bouquets or on the table at a wedding…calming and soothing and so summery!

Pink and blue are not colours usually associated with Asian weddings, where more vibrant, bold colours are used, but you never know, that might all start to change.

Rose Quartz and Serenity blue...perfect for a Spring Wedding

Pastels and soft hues have been on trend for a while, and the new Pantone colour blend will only add to their appeal. Fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Dior have already been enchanted by similar hues as seen in their shows. The Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue can be incorporated in a variety of ways, from interior design to clothing, to handbags and all sorts of personal accessories.

Fresh and soft...suitable for Spring and Summer Wedding

At Ananya, we notice emerging styles and trends and use them to inspire our stationery. Rose Quartz and Serenity capture the mood of our culture; our aspirations and hopes, and is sure to be embraced by those wanting to tie the knot in 2016.

Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

Grey bridesmaid dresses with their flowers

Irresistible DIY cards for you to print and send.

Now that the ring is truly on your finger and you are officially engaged, it’s time to ask a special friend or friends if they would be your bridesmaids. They will play such an important role not just helping you to plan the wedding, but also offer you emotional support and comfort on the big day itself. So why not do something different, make them feel extra special by sending them a “will you be my bridesmaid” card? It’s a formal, official and endearing way to ask.

The best part is that we have made it very easy for you. We at Ananya have designed two beautiful cards – one is bright and colourful, and the other is classy black and white. All you have to do is select the one you want, download and print it at home on the cardstock of your choice, fold it along the lines as indicated on the card, write your personal message and send - a beautiful free card in easy steps - the first of your wedding stationery suite! We also have an extensive collection of greeting cards suitable for most occasions.

pretty bridesmaid card for engagement

monochrome greeting card for brides to ask bridesmaids on their engagement

Please click on the links below to download your greeting card PDFs.

Will you be my bridesmaid card_1

Will you be my bridesmaid card_2

The card can also be accompanied by a thoughtful gift; something meaningful and different. Use your imagination – it need not be expensive, but it will show how much thought you have put into it and just how much you want her by your side on your special day!