(Beach) Weddings by Marius

One of the people that we are always overjoyed to work with, is surely Marius! Stylish, well organised, meticulous, professional, always happy and sensible, but allowing us the utmost in creativity and pushing the boundaries... It is a joy to not only know him, but to work with this style savvy guy as well.

Marius, we look forward to the next trendsetting Garden Route wedding!! Well done.

Izandi and Du Toit's Save the Date!

Izandi from I do weddings, is a young, vibrant, wedding planner with a killer sense of style and personality to match. When she came for her stationery consultation, we just knew that this would be something out of the ordinary. Her briefing was quite clear: not the usual, please!

We have already conseptualised the invitation, all that I can disclose, is that it would be trendsetting and a future best seller!

The team at Elsje Designs live for FRESH ideas and breaking the mould with new creative concepts in stationery.

Vintage Circus II

Beautiful Bavarian Wedding!

It is always a joy to work with Doreen in Munich. This time round Verena and Paul's stationery fitted perfectly to their Bavarian themed wedding, it was stylish yet Bavarian which was important to the couple.

For more about Doreen's lovely work, please visit www.doreenwinking.de

Yellow and Gray, still my favourite colour combination!

I love yellow and gray, especially this goldenrod shade with the earthier putty tone – it pops in the most subtle way…

Trying to find a fun and easy way to show off photos and present seating cards at your wedding? Look no further… than your laundry room that is! The simple DIY idea of using clothespins and hanging things from clotheslines is a great alternative to a typical table set up. Perfect for an outdoor wedding, virtually anything can hang from large or small lines.

As for the color palette… that’s just me! I love the soft creams and bright golds that scream warm summer time and tie all of the photos together so well.

Flights of Fancy for the most inspirational ideas ever!

Eco trends in stationery

Eco Trends in Stationery

By Patricia Norins

Eco-conscious consumers have been voting green with their wallets for a while now and green paper has consistently been a top eco-staple. As technology makes new kinds of papers and recycling options available, the variety of green stationery grows ever stronger and attractive. Here are some enduring trends in environmentally and socially conscious stationery that no retailer can afford to ignore.

Inking the Deal
Vegetable dyes and soy inks are environmentally friendly alternatives to petroleum-based inks. Green vendors are increasingly switching to these inks and dyes to create vibrant and colorful patterns on a variety of stationery. Elsje Designs invested in a vegetable ink printer about 2 years ago, not only does it print superb quality but its also environmentally friendly - we love it!

Recycled Still Rules
Looking for a “must-have” when it comes to green stationery? Look no further than recycled paper stock—a no-brainer for true greenies. Even better, recycled paper is more than just a nod toward the eco-conscious; it looks chic and far removed from the dull papers of yesteryear. It’s no wonder—recycled rules! Pop into the studio to see our latest range of beautiful recycled papers.

Tree Huggers
Who says you have to cut down trees to make paper? Not any more. Paper made from stones and other easily renewable materials is catching on. Elsje Designs are stocking sugar cane paper, bamboo paper and even plastic recycled paper - we love these new environmentally friendly papers. Even better, the manufacturing process consumes significantly less energy than traditional ones.

Can’t Pooh-pooh This!
Talk about true recycling! All manner of dung is getting a second look as a component for fun stationery. Elephant dung leads the charge here. Stationery products made from this truly renewable material look great and, as an added bonus, tell a great story. And yes, they don’t smell.

Sow Green!
A veritable garden in a card. Such is the thesis of the plantable card which was introduced a couple of years ago and has grown in popularity ever since. The cards (and bookmarks too) are impregnated with seeds and the entire package can be planted in any garden. The idea continues to please green thumbs and non-gardeners alike. This lovely paper product is manufactured in the Western Cape by previously disadvantaged women.

Doing Good
It’s a twofer that most consumers love—buying a gift that will also do good at the same time. Socially conscious stationery vendors are coughing up proceeds of sales to a variety of charities and consumers love to join in the effort. Elsje Designs is passionate about this concept and have been doing it for the past 10 years!

How will the Royal Wedding influence wedding trends?

As they say, “everything old is new again” and what is likely to reverberate from the April 29, 2011 wedding is a revival of traditional wedding touches. Among the trends you may see in the next couple of years are:

Lace and Sleeves:

For years sleeveless gowns have overshadowed their less popular, more modest cousins, regardless of the season. With her Grace Kelly-inspired gown by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, however, Kate (who will henceforth be known as Catherine) has certainly popularized the sleeves once more. She’s also restored sexy-but-demure lace to its former glory, making “classic” new again.

Understatement:

From her own sophisticated gown to her meaningful, understated bouquet which included myrtle planted by Queen Victoria, to her sister’s breathtaking yet sleek dress, Kate selected understated and stylish elegance over drama at every turn. Even the couple’s first kiss was quick and delicate. While the scale of the overall wedding was royal and epic, the details were personal; just the way a wedding should be.

Natural Beauty

Natural looking make up can be just as glamorous as a smokey eye. The people’s new princess proved that your wedding day look can be perfect without being over the top.

Big Bouquets Be Gone

Quite the opposite of Princess Diana’s elaborate cascading bouquet, the new princess carried a modestly sized and simple wired bouquet of sweet lilium, myrtle, and lily of the valley.

Living Ceremony Decor

Beautiful trees that lined the aisle of Westminster Abbey, as a symbol of commitment and longevity, were an elegant alternative to the popular candelabra aisle pieces.

Return to Tradition

Welcome back heavenly choirs, understated and simplistic elegance, and traditional ceremonies. It’s no longer about the bling but rather the love shared as two lives combine.

The Royal Wedding

It was Annemie's last day on Friday. We decided to all dress up like royalty and enjoyed the wedding of the year in typical English style with scones and tea! All enjoying the festivities but also with a bit of sadness, saying goodbye to our studio manager after 4 years at Elsje Designs.

Herewith the official invitation to William and Kate's wedding....



Over the weekend, I came across this lovely tongue-in-the-cheek invitation on Etsy, I thought I just need to share it with you! A typographical print to celebrate the royal wedding! It mixes typical London iconography such as crowns, soldiers, a tube sign and Westminster Abbey, with bunting, a corgi chewing a union jack and a wedding car trailing posh artifacts!

Hope you all had the opportunity to watch the Royal Wedding. We surely had lots of fun on Friday!