Jean M Blog

A Theme Story to Inspire You: Celtic!

Whether your heritage is Celtic or you just love the symbolism, a Celtic-themed wedding theme is a beautiful way to celebrate your love for each other.

 

Here, we’ve put together a Celtic Theme Story to get you inspired. Just look at all the options you have for mixing, matching and coordinating!

1. Create gorgeous centerpieces in shades of green to mimic the Emerald Isle. photo by Kelly Giezentanner Photos

2. Show your love for all things Celtic from the very start by sending an invitation swathed in green ribbon and accented with a shamrock monogram. Our “Gigi” custom layered wedding invitation incorporates two ribbons — choose layout JM1022G to accommodate your monogram (we show JM971).

3. Green favor boxes printed with a shamrock-style monogram (we show JM969) add a just-right touch of freshness to your Celtic wedding.

4. Present your rings in a memorable way with our pewter ring engraved with words speaking of the symbolism of the circle: "an unbroken and neverending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is neverending". For a unique way to present your wedding rings during the ceremony, secure them to your choice of ribbon.

5. Have your groomsmen wear a bit o’ the green with boutonnieres of green mums and leaves. photo by Arden Photography

6. Green napkins are the perfect choice to add a little brightness to your cocktail hour. Choose a shamrock monogram (we show JM971) in shiny foil to added pizzazz.

7. Add green touches and Celtic-inspired designs to your invitations for beautiful symbolism. Our “Jade” custom layered wedding invitation with design JM8212 is a gorgeous choice.

8,9. Rolls of ribbon in shades of green are a must for decorating, accenting favors and more.

10. Even the top o’ your wedding cake can bring in your Celtic theme with this clear cake topper engraved with a Celtic knot design (JM8212).

11. A sweet bouquet of bells of Ireland will show that you’re a true Celtic lass at heart.

12. Add Celtic symbolism to your wedding by choosing a Celtic knot, lucky horseshoe or shamrock design to your wedding invitations,  napkins, favor boxes, menu cards, place cards and more!

 

Enjoy!

A color story to inspire you: Tropical Aqua and Margarita!

Planning a destination wedding — or just dreaming of a tropical-theme event? We have the perfect colors to get you inspired and dreaming of your island I-Dos!

Here, we’ve put together a Tropical Color Story in Aqua and Margarita to give you ideas for creating a wedding look that’s beachy, breezy and beautiful. Just look at all the options you have for mixing, matching and coordinating!

1. Want to add a touch of color, personality and style to your wedding gown and your ’maids’ dresses? Add a ribbon sash in your wedding colors and be unique! Photo by Got The Shot Photography: www.gottheshot.com

2. Add color and style to your reception with turquoise napkins and lime green napkins in shades that mimic the sea and sky.

3. Choose aqua paper and margarita ribbon for your wedding programs  — and add a cute design like our beach chair design (JM8010) that matches the location and theme of your destination wedding.

4. Once you’ve set the date and your destination, send great save the date cards to everyone on your guest list. This great hibiscus design is on a magnet so guests can display your date in full view! Save the date cards are especially important for destination weddings, as guests will need time to make travel plans and arrangements.

5. Add tropical flowers and swags of coordinating fabric to your ceremony and reception chairs to add to the lush and festive atmosphere of your destination.

6. Bring the beach right to your tables with fun, shell place card holders. They double as favors for guests, too!

7. Help guests keep cool at your ceremony with custom program fans.  Choose a beautiful, aqua paper and matching ribbon to match the color scheme of your destination celebration.

8. Coordinate your wedding colors right down to your wedding favors! Jean M makes it easy with beautiful aqua favor boxes and margarita favor boxes — add a personalized seal for a fun finishing touch!

9. Make memories at your destination wedding and then keep photos of them in our fun, aqua photo album. The album also makes a great gift for attendants!

10. Your cake will be the centerpiece of your entire reception when it’s frosted in the color of the waves and decorated with the gems of the sea!

11. Decorating for beach-side and tropical-theme weddings couldn’t be easier! Just add sand, shells and candles to beautiful vases. The vases prevent the flames from blowing out in the ocean breeze, giving you romantic décor all night long.

12. Favors become even more fun when you fill favor boxes with treats specific to your destination or candies in colors that coordinate with your color scheme. Add a ribbon and a tiny shell to each to make them beach-worthy!

13. Lush, tropical blooms in tall, clear vases will make your celebration look like it’s taking place in the Garden of Eden.

14. Hibiscus-print wedding invitation cards will tell guests that your wedding will be in the tropics — and that it will be beautiful!

15. Top your cake with a little bit of the tropics! Our clear, custom acrylic cake top is engraved with an elegant palm tree design. The cake top looks like heavy crystal, but is lightweight and packable to take along to your wedding destination.

16. Aiming for a whimsical reception? Go artsy and fanciful with your wedding cake! Different swirls, waves and bubble patterns in the frosting make this topsy-turvy model look like its riding the waves.

17. Arrange fun and colorful favor candies in individual glass votive holders for a unique presentation. Add a ribbon and printed shell-shaped favor tag for a beachy touch.

18. Choose a design that coordinates with your destination for printing on your favor boxes, napkins, programs, menu cards and more. Check out all our great designs here.

 

Enjoy!

Vineyard wedding? Here are my tips for making yours di-vine!

Show your love for each other and the finer things in life with a vineyard-theme wedding. Decorate in shades of grape, orchid, thyme and olive, and accessorize with personalized products to make your wedding a tasty — and tasteful — experience!

Invite guests to your wedding AND set the tone for the event with an invitation that reflects the colors and style of your day. Make sure your wording states clearly that the event will be outdoors so guests can dress appropriately.

 

A nice assortment of cheeses, crackers and wine will be a lovely welcome to your guests as they arrive at your reception. Add special touches like personalized napkins and coasters for a custom look.

 

 

Also serve wine in personalized glasses that guests can take home as mementos of your wedding.

 

 

Choose versatile containers for serving and decorating. Flared little glasses like these are perfect both for holding floral arrangements and serving fruit, olives, desserts and more. Also use them as candle holders and as favors for guests, tied with beautiful ribbon and personalized, leaf-shaped tags.

               

Make your reception tables a reflection of your wedding colors and style with colorful table linens and centerpieces incorporating natural items and textures. Also choose colorful plates and glassware to make your settings pop. And don’t forget printed menu cards detailing all the delicious items that will be served for dinner.

Set the bride’s and groom’s chairs apart with grapevine wreaths adorned with clusters of grapes and wide, grosgrain ribbon in colors that match your décor.

 

Send guests home with bottles of wine to enjoy as they remember your wedding. Personalize the bottles with custom wine labels and a meaningful message to make the gift extra special.

Ask the vineyard staff to save all the corks from the bottles of wine served at your reception and store them in a keepsake vase or make a fun wreath out of them as a great memento to display in your home after the wedding

Enjoy!

What’s hot now? Outdoor ceremonies! Here’s how to make yours beautiful.

Getting married outside is so romantic — nature provides the décor, the atmosphere and the beauty for you! But you’ll still want to add your personal touches to your ceremony location, whether it’s in your backyard, a park, a field or a formal garden.

 

First of all, think of your guests’ comfort. If your wedding is in the morning or afternoon, make sure to place chairs or benches in the shade so guests don’t swelter in the sun or get sunburned. If no natural shade is available, provide parasols guests can use, or set up a pole or frame tent to create shade. Also provide guests with programs printed on fans  to keep them cool.

 

Define your ceremony space to create a sense of intimacy in the great outdoors. Make the most of the surrounding trees by hanging beautiful ribbons from their branches. The ribbons blowing in the breeze will look romantic, elegant and welcoming.

Mark your ceremony entrance, light up the surround area or edge your aisle with candles in pretty, wire lanterns. The open design of the lanterns will blend in with your natural surroundings beautifully. Also decorate with candles in glass vases filled with sand to protect the flames from blowing out.

     

Speaking of flames blowing out — have you ever tried to keep an unprotected candle lit outside? It’s almost impossible! That’s why I suggest having a unity sand ceremony instead of lighting a unity candle at an outdoor wedding. The symbolism of two lives joining is just as lovely and meaningful with blended sand as it is with a lit candle. Choose containers and colorful sand that match your wedding colors and theme.

Make a grand entrance — and protect your shoes and dress — with a unique, personalized aisle runner. Your processional will be so memorable!

Let everyone be a “flower girl” at your outdoor wedding! Hang pretty purses filled with petals on your chairs and invite guests to strew them over the aisle before your processional or to toss them over you after the ceremony. Everyone will have fun taking part in your ceremony in such a fun way.

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!

Go Green — Beautifully — On Your Wedding Day!

So many couples today are intent on celebrating their love with a beautiful wedding that’s also easy on the planet. How do you have a “green” wedding that’s unique and stylish? Here are some of my favorite ideas.

 

• Choose recycled paper invitations, favors, menu cards, place cards and more. Recycled paper is easier on the environment and if it comes from certified production facilities, you’ll know it’s being made with sustainable practices. (You’ll be happy to know that most of Jean M's colorful papers are made from 30% post-consumer fibers and printed with soy-based inks whenever possible!)

 

                              

• Celebrate your wedding in a natural environment like your backyard, in a vineyard or at a park. You’ll have built-in ambience and décor, reducing the need for lots of decorations and wasteful materials.

• Give “green” favors like seed packets printed with a cute verse and accented with ribbon, or bulbs or tiny trees wrapped in favor bags.

• Use potted plants, trees and shrubs as ceremony and reception decorations. Plant them in your own yard after the wedding, or give them away as gifts at the end of your celebration.

 

                        

 

• Use fresh fruits as centerpieces and they can double as favors. For example, use large vases of apples for a fall wedding and invite guests to take an apple as a favor with cards printed with “Enjoy!”

 

 

                                   

• Make a donation to your favorite charity in lieu of favors but remember to have a few recycled paper donation cards printed for each table to not that you’ve donated in guests’ honor. Also ask that guests make donations to your favorite charity in lieu of gifts.

• Collect wedding programs, place cards and menu cards at the end of your celebration for recycling.

• Environmentally friendly transportation is thoughtful and will always be remembered. You and your husband could arrive and leave in a horse-drawn carriage, an electric car or even on a tandem bicycle.

• Borrow items such as your jewelry and veil rather than buying them. Have your dress made from organic cotton or silk, or buy a vintage gown and have it altered. And choose dresses your bridesmaids will actually wear again.

• Donate leftovers to your local homeless shelter.

By making wise choices and spending your budget on eco-friendly products and services, you’ll have a beautiful wedding AND make a difference to our planet!

Enjoy! ~ Jean