Jean M Blog

Presenting…your rings! Here are some great ideas for making your ring bearer’s job fun and stylish.

You’ve spoken your vows. The officiant asks for the rings. Guests are already waiting breathlessly and watching carefully for a glimpse of the sparkle.

 

This is your rings’ moment to shine. So why not go the extra mile and it even more spectacular by having your ring bearer present your rings uniquely?

 

Imagine your rings resting on a golden pillow. You’ll feel like royalty when you exchange them! You could also choose other colorful ring bearer pillow options to coordinate with your wedding colors, wedding theme and the style of your ceremony.

 

Heighten the drama and the romance of your ceremony by nestling your rings inside this unique, silver-plated ring box — which is in the shape of a long-stemmed rose! The rose box will be a gorgeous keepsake of your wedding, too.

 

  

Present your rings like the treasure they are! Choose our satin-covered, treasure chest shaped ring box or our silver-plated box to hold your rings during your ceremony. The boxes are safe and pretty places to store your rings after the wedding when you’re not wearing them, like when doing dishes or gardening.

  

The endless circular shape of your rings symbolizes an unbroken commitment and your never-ending love. Draw on this symbolism by tying your rings with satin ribbon to an engraved pewter ring that your ring bearer carries. After the wedding, display the ring in your home with your wedding photos for a special memento.

 

So you’ve kissed your last frog and you’re marrying your prince charming? Bring a smile to your guests’ faces and a light-hearted touch to your ceremony by presenting your rings on our handsome ring bearer frog. Your ring exchange will definitely be remembered!

 

An important tip: If your ring bearer is very young, he can still carry a pillow, ring box or other item down the aisle, but make sure you leave your rings in the safekeeping of the best man.

 

Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Colors that add richness to your wedding!

Jewels — who doesn’t love them? And now there’s a reason to love them even more, because they’re making news as the latest color trend in weddings. Because nothing could set a richer mood for your wedding than deep, jewel-tone colors paired with black and white, neutrals like cream or mocha, or even the colors of precious metals like gold or pewter or platinum!

 

Jean M is ahead of the trend with the most beautiful jewel-tone colors for your wedding. We have great new satin ribbon and grosgrain ribbon colors to accent everything from invitations to favors to gifts and everything in between!

 

Be creative with your color combinations to make a splash!

Think amethyst and margarita, like we show on our “gigi” invitation…

 

…or amethyst as a special accent to a silver-tone aluminum heart.

Think teal with aqua, as in our aqua marquis menu cards and aqua favor boxes…

 

…or teal with pewter as shown on our “beth” invitation.

 

  

Or go absolutely bold with the hottest color combination of the season — canary yellow and pewter, as we showcase on our translucent favor envelopes and favor boxes.

 

Let your imagination and your love of all things jewel-tone run wild!

 

And while you’re thinking of adding spectacular color to your wedding, don’t forget about the decorating possibilities contained in the simple napkin. Our great new colors, our stylish personalization options and your creativity will make your wedding reception napkins stunning!

 

 

Enjoy! 

 

Menu cards: whetting guests’ appetites — and showing your style!

The tables are set. The candles are lit. The guests are seated. And the question on everyone’s lips (after, of course, “How did she make everything perfect down to the last detail?”) is:

 “What’s for dinner?”

 Here’s the best way to answer that question: menu cards. Today’s menu cards are stylish, they fit in with your color scheme and wedding theme, they can be customized for a unique look — and they whet guests’ appetites for the meal to come!

 First, choose the size and shape of the menu card that suits your needs.

 

Go with round menu cards for a unique look.

 

Square menu cards are petite but full of impact!

 

Rectangular menu cards are perfectly sized to hold all your menu items.

 

Long, slender cards are eye-catching and great for lengthy menus.

 Then choose the paper color, layout and design that reflects the style of your reception — and your dinner fare. Use the same paper colors, inks, designs and monogram for all your printed reception items, like menus, place cards, favors and more. Or mix and match paper colors and ink colors for an eye-catching look.

 Remember — you’re the customizer and designer for your wedding, so use your creativity!

 Also remember display your menu cards in a creative ways on your reception tables — in easels, under clear plates, slipped into folded napkins or included in acrylic placemat  arrangements.

 

Enjoy — and bon appetit!

Want a guest book AND something more? Here are my best ideas!

Having a beautiful guest book at the entrance to your ceremony is a lovely way to welcome guests to your wedding. It also gives you a precious keepsake and memory of everyone who celebrated with you.

 

But what if you want something a little more unique, a little more personal or just a little MORE than a guest book? Try out some of these ideas for getting guests involved in helping you make memories! 

 

 

 

                       

Frame your engagement photos in a classy, wide mat or on a large photo board guests can sign with a note for you. Frame the photos and mats and display them in your home for instant access to wedding memories.

 

                               

Provide colorful cards for guests to write their wishes for your future. Arrange a card at each place setting or in a basket on each table. Also be sure to provide pens for signing. Collect the cards afterward and arrange them in a special book. Bring out the book and read it every anniversary for a great way to relive your celebration with friends and family!

 

 

                                 

It’ll be fun to guests to leave you a wedding wish and drop it in a beautiful glass vase at your reception. Have the cards and vase set up next to the bar or punch table or anywhere else guests may congregate. After the wedding, keep your cards in a special book, and use the vase for flower arrangements, candles or centerpieces for years to come.

 

Enjoy!

 

What’s hot now? Serving your food creatively at your wedding and when you’re entertaining!

Caterers have known this important trick for years: HOW you serve the food at your event is just as important as WHAT you serve.

 

I know what you’re thinking right now: “How in the world can I make it happen for MY wedding or party?” Relax — here are some great and easy ideas to get you started! Once you have a creative plan for serving your appetizers, drinks, salad, main course and desserts, meet with your caterer to put that plan in to stylish, unforgettable action.

 

                                  

Arrange appetizers, desserts or snacks on tiered stands to add interest to your tables and to make the food easily reachable.

 

 

 

 

Dish up individual servings of olives, hors d’oeuvres or tiny desserts in little bowls or uniquely shaped containers. Add a mini spoon to make sampling fun and easy.

 

 

 

Square candle holders are also a great way to present individual servings of fruit, shrimp cocktail or other goodies. Arrange them at each place setting or at a buffet so guests can help themselves. You can even add a tag personalized with a cute message like “Sweet!” or “Enjoy!”

 

Some containers are so versatile, they can be used for several purposes throughout your event. Classy flared glasses like these look stylish when serving everything from your signature drink to a refreshing sorbet to a veggies-and-dip appetizer. For fall weddings and parties, soup is a great appetizer or part of the main course. Serve up soups and other hot dishes in hollowed pumpkins or gourds for an eye-catching, mouth-watering display. 

 

                      

 

Make your individual wedding cakes or desserts look even more tempting by elevating them on upside-down glass vases filled with interesting items that coordinate with your look and theme, like nuts, shells, fruits, etc.

                                

 

Presenting food creatively will make your reception or party an experience for the senses — one guests won’t soon forget!

Enjoy!

 

Getting with the program — wedding programs, that is!

Frequently asked questions I’ve overheard at wedding ceremonies:

“What song are they singing? Should I sing along?”

“What was the name of the recessional music? I want it at my wedding!”

“Should I read this prayer out loud with the officiant?”

“Who IS that cute groomsman?”

 

Obviously, the brides at these weddings didn’t provide their guests with wedding programs

 

       

 

Wedding programs have an important job to do. They welcome guests to your wedding, allow them to follow along with and participate in your ceremony, introduce the parents and bridal party, list the important elements of the service (music, prayers, etc.) and even provide you with an opportunity to  send a message of thanks to your guests.

 

Creating personalized programs is fun and easy!

• First, find the style that will work best for your wedding. You can opt for one-piece programs

if your ceremony is short and your bridal party is small, or you can choose two-piece programs for large wedding parties, complex ceremonies and lots of information. You can even have your programs printed on fun and handy fans perfect for warm-weather or outdoor ceremonies.

• Next, choose your paper color or colors, and decide on the monogram or design element you’d like to incorporate.

• Then, determine your wording. You can go very simple and just give a basic list of the order of service and names of the bridal party. Or you can tell a story by mentioning how you know your wedding party members, listing the texts of the prayers and words to the hymns, and explaining unique rituals or symbols you are incorporating into your ceremony.

 

• Also think about any extra wording you’d like included on your programs, like a thank you to your family and your guests for celebrating with you or a note about the person for whom you’ve lit a memorial candle.

 

• Finally, embellish! Use rhinestone or pearl embellishments,  stamps or ribbons to add the perfect finishing touch to your programs.

 

Important Note! If you are ordering printed programs, be sure to place your order at least 4 weeks before your ceremony to allow for printing, delivering and assembly / embellishing, if necessary.

 

Enjoy!

 

What is thermography? A technical-sounding name for a beautiful printing process!

The way your invitations are printed are as much a part of their style as the paper color, wording, ribbon color and layout you choose.

 

That’s where thermography comes in. Don’t be scared by the technical-sounding term — it’s really just another way to say that your invitation will be printed in beautiful raised lettering!

                                              

Thermography is the most popular method of printing invitations today because it looks so elegant and is incredibly affordable.

 

Here’s how thermography works:

            • the invitation is printed with ink

            • while the ink is still wet, resin is sprinkled on the printed invitation sheet

            • the sheet is exposed to heat

            • the resin and ink fuse together

            • like magic, the lettering is raised above the invitation’s surface

 

The end result looks and feels similar to traditional engraving, but thermography costs much less.

The majority of Jean M’s ink colors are printed in thermography. Certain ink colors like white, cream and lavender are flat printed (not thermographed).

 

When you’re choosing ink colors for your invitations and other paper items like programs, menu cards, place cards, etc., refer to Jean M’s ink color list to see if the ink color you’ve fallen in love with will be printed in raised lettering or flat printed. You’ll also find our advice on which ink colors look best on which paper colors.

 

Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Recycled papers from Jean M!

We know that you love the environment. Like many of us, you bring your own totes to the grocery store to avoid wasting paper and plastic bags. You recycle every single bottle and can. And you walk or bike whenever you can rather than drive.

 

Jean M loves the environment, too…just as much as we love color!

 

And all this love is what’s behind our decision to create our colorful papers from 30% post-consumer fibers (excluding white and cream papers and all shimmer papers).

 

 That means all this customizable wonderfulness is made from our colorful, recycled papers:

 

• invitations

• enclosures

• envelopes

• place cards

• menu cards

• programs

• well wishes cards

• colorful coasters

• bellaTINA™ envelopes

• fans

• square tags

• leaf favor tags

• ribbon tags

• colorful classic favor boxes

• colorful two-piece favor boxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And while you’re working on customizing and personalizing all your paper items, think about choosing designs that show your commitment to nature and protecting the earth.

 

Jean M has a great selection of nature-themed designs like owls, birds, butterflies, trees, flowers and more.

 

See? You can have a beautiful, colorful wedding while doing the environment a favor with your choice to order wedding necessities made from recycled paper!

 Enjoy!

Putting your inspiration all together — DIY style!

 So you have your ribbon, your patterned scrapbook paper, your embellishments and your favors. Now what do you do? Get creative! It’s fun to take your inspiration and put it all together yourself into invitations, enclosure cards, favors, envelopes, accents and more that will make your wedding a unique reflection of your style.

 

 

 

 

Let’s say espresso and spice are your colors…

 

…add bits and pieces of patterned paper, bright ribbon and fun shapes to every element of your wedding!

 

• Order our “Jean” invitation printed and select the option of assembling it yourself, then add patterned paper and two complementary ribbons for a great effect.

• Back your printed menu cards with matching patterned scrapbook paper.

• Add some patterned scrapbook paper to your place cards for a coordinating look.

• Wrap your favor boxes in scrapbook paper and ribbon and top with a leaf-shaped tag.

• Go the extra mile to impress your guests by hand-lining your envelopes with patterned papers.

 

 

 

If your wedding has a fresh and breezy feel, think about shades of blue for your inspiration…

 

…and use those shades creatively!

 

 

• Order our “Casey” invitation printed and select the option of assembling it yourself. Wrap the invitation with pretty ribbon and add a unique buckle or charm for pizzazz.

• Make your own place cards out of patterned scrapbook paper and tie with ribbon for a great look.

• Wrap your favor boxes in patterned paper and tie with ribbon to coordinate with your place cards.

• Create a unique look for your unity candle by wrapping it in patterned scrapbook paper, tying with ribbon and adding a charm or buckle.

• Dress up your tables with clear acrylic placemats featured patterned scrapbook paper.

 

 

 

When you love the color combination of espresso and aqua, but don’t know how to pull it all together…

…use our ideas for inspiration!

 

 

• Order our “Piper” invitation printed and select the option of assembling it yourself. Back the card with patterned scrapbook paper and tie two ribbons around the printed card for a unique look.

• Edge your place cards in patterned scrapbook paper for a touch of originality.

• Top your favor boxes with a square of patterned scrapbook paper for just a touch of prettiness.

• Create great favors by making fans out of patterned scrapbook paper, adding ribbons to the handles and personalizing the front with printed stickers.

 

Let your imagination run wild and then have fun putting it all together!

 

Enjoy! ~ Jean

An easy way to add style to your reception: personalized, colorful napkins!

Napkins are a necessity for your wedding reception. You’ll need them at the bar, the cake and punch table, and at the dinner. So why not raise these humble little necessities to symbols of your style? Choose a great color that matches your wedding and personalize them with a design, a monogram, your names, your wedding date — anything that makes them unique.

                              

 

Just look at all the exciting new napkin colors you can choose from! Jewel tones, brights, neutrals — we have it all. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors (try black with our new lawn green or pacific blue) for a great impact. You can also mix up the personalization for each style of napkin: cute design and message on your cocktail napkins, a different design or monogram for your cake napkins, and yet another fun design or your names and wedding date for your dinner napkins.

                          

 

There are lots of creative ways you can personalize your napkins. Go with fresh, new designs or a unique monogram to show your style.

                               

 

And don’t forget to add personalized guest towels to your powder rooms for a little touch of luxury guests will appreciate and remember.

 

Enjoy ~ Jean