Jean M Blog

An entire collection to make coordinating your wedding easy — and beautiful!

You first met our Aqua Blue Modern Floral pattern in the FREE Save the Date promotion.  And now, we’re making it easy to coordinate your entire wedding with matching pieces!

Check out the NEW Aqua Blue Modern Floral Collection of two-sided invitations, photo save the dates, envelope icings, place cards and menu cards, plus other aqua blue items to complete your wedding look.

1. The two-sided Aqua Blue Modern Floral wedding invitation card of rich, heavy paper features your invitation wording on the front in the format shown and your reception, direction, accommodation or other wording on the back, eliminating the need for separate enclosure cards.

2. Provide colorful coasters at your bar and on your tables to bring in your aqua and blue color scheme. Add your favorite design or your monogram for a personal touch.

3. Create a signature drink in your wedding colors for a splash of fun at your reception! Serve the drinks in clear toasting flutes or stemless glasses to show off your style. (photo by Infinity Photography)

4. Aqua Blue Modern Floral save the date postcards feature a fun surprise on the back — your photo!

5. Dress up your envelopes in a unique way with our Aqua Blue Modern Floral "Envelope Icings" — just address and wrap around the envelopes!

6. Choose from a multitude of ribbon colors to make this white satin Create Your Look Pillow coordinate with YOUR wedding colors! Shades of aqua, blue and green match our Aqua Blue Modern Floral Collection beautifully. Check out all our ribbon colors and be sure to buy rolls of ribbon for endless decorating!

7. Even your napkins will be a statement of your wedding style when you personalize them with a stylish design or monogram in a foil color that coordinates with your color scheme.

8. Cream or white flowers accented with punches of bright green make a fresh, unique statement. (Photo by: Yeakle Photography)

9. Get a great, coordinated look throughout your entire wedding with ribbon in colors that match your look. Purchase satin, grosgrain and chiffon ribbons on rolls for a great value.

10. Aqua favor boxes will dress up your tables and add a touch of color to your reception. Choose your design or monogram to coordinate perfectly.

11. Make your wedding menu stand out in a delicious way with our Aqua Blue Modern Floral menu cards.  Prop one at each place setting for a beautiful touch of coordinating color at your tables.

12. Send guests to their reception places in style with Aqua Blue Modern Floral place cards. They’re personalized on the front and open on the back for you to write in each guest’s name for a personal touch.

13. Outdoor or summer wedding? Help guests keep cool with fan programs!  Choose aqua paper and tie with coordinating ribbon for a look that’s fresh and pretty.

 

Enjoy!

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: Pink and Red!

Pink and red are so pretty together — and not just for Valentine's weddings! The sweet color combination is perfect for heart-theme celebrations and romantic "I Dos" all year through.

 

We’ve put together a Color Story in Pink and Red to give you ideas for creating a wedding look that’s pretty and unique. Just look at all the options you have for mixing, matching and coordinating!

1. Start the romance the minute guests receive your invitations! Choose our “Gwen” custom layered wedding invitation in princess pink and merlot papers with damask-patterned layout JM4280. Go for the ultimate touch — print your invitations in princess pink ink, too!

2. Abundant red roses set a dramatic, lush and oh-so-romantic look for your event. Choose roses that are lighter at the base of the petal and darker red at the tips for tone-on-tone elegance. (photo by Handeland Tesoro Photography)

3. Love the look of our invitations, but want to print and assemble them yourself? Get creative with DIY wedding invitations and cardstock from Jean M. You'll find flat cards, folders, pockets and envelopes, perfect for everything from your save the date card and invitations and enclosures, to your menu cards, place cards, programs, social invitations and more!

4. Sometimes the smallest details make the biggest impact, like adding a ribbon to your place cards. Guests will feel pampered by the added touch of luxury at their place settings! Our ribbon place cards are pre-punched with holes to make it easy for you to thread with ribbon.

5. Racy, merlot red favor boxes brighten up your reception tables. Print a design that coordinates with your wedding theme on the top (in rosewood-pink foil, of course). And don’t forget the chocolates inside!

6. Fun pink matchbook favors personalized with your monogram or design in red are the perfect accompaniment to favor candles. You’ll encourage romance while coordinating with your wedding theme.

7. Bring hearts into your pink and red wedding color story for an added touch guests will love. Our heart-handled favor boxes are the perfect little accents. Personalize them with your choice of design.

8. Make your napkins a statement of your wedding style! Choose pink with red personalization, red with pink personalization, or a fun and romantic combination of both!

9. Whet guests’ appetites by printing the wedding dinner fare on eye-catching menu cards, like our round menu cards in princess pink with red ink.

 

Enjoy!

Jean M "hearts" hearts! And we think you'll LOVE these heart wedding theme inspirations too

Welcome to February — the month of love! We were so inspired by the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday that we put together a beautiful collage of heart-themed and rich, red products perfect for a romantic wedding anytime of year. You'll fall in love with these items — guaranteed!

1. Carry a bold, beautiful all-red bouquet down the aisle. Your photographs will be stunning! Add in some dark red calla lilies among the roses for silky texture. (photo by Michael and Anna Costa Photography)

2. Come on, admit it: you've been doodling your initials and hearts for months now. Why not emblazon all your wedding items — like these pretty, square menu cards — with a monogram that shows how in love you are? We show monogram JM961.

3. Bright merlot-red, two-piece favor boxes personalized with a heart-accented monogram are unapologetically romantic. Add a gourmet chocolate inside and guests will fairly swoon!

4. Heart-shaped vases are perfect for displaying sweets at your candy buffet, or for setting on each table filled with hors d'oeuvres. And they make the most heart-felt gift, too.

5. They may be gone, but they'll always be in your heart. Honor the memories of your loved ones with a candle of flower arrangement in a meaningful "In Loving Memory" vase with a glass heart charm.

6. Adding little punches of bright red to your wedding will catch guests' eyes and lift their spirits. Red napkins with a fun, heart-themed monogram are just the thing. We show monogram JM957.

7. Set the scene by sending invitations designed with romance in mind. Our "Jade" custom layered wedding invitations in black and cream paper with a red monogram and red ribbon and envelopes will make guests' hearts flutter.

8. Flirty favors will tickle guests' fancies. Red matchbook printed with "Light My Fire," anyone?

9. Red satin ribbon will add richness and drama to all the elements of your wedding — invitations, decorations, gifts, favors, floral arrangements and more. Buy it in bulk on rolls for endless decorating.

10. A gift from the heart your bridesmaids will cherish: a silver-plated jewelry box with a heart design on the top. The best place for the best bling!

11. It's your day to shine — so don't be afraid to splurge on an extravagant element here and there, like a huge bouquet of red roses set with sparkling crystals. You'll remember it fondly, forever.

12. We offer so many ways to add a heart-felt touch to your entire wedding. Check out these fanciful, whimsical, romantic, classy and elegant monograms and designs perfect for printing on your invitations, programs, menu cards, place cards, napkins, favors and more! See all of our monogram and design options here.

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!

All about monograms — and how to use them to add personal style to your wedding!

Nothing says style, class and elegance like a monogram. They've been used for centuries to mark property, denote status and personalize everything from bed linens to fine stationery.

So follow in this tradition with a beautiful monogram on all your wedding items, from invitations to favors!

The traditional couple's monogram is made up of three initials, set up in this order:

1. bride's first name initial

2. groom's last name initial

3. groom's first name initial

A three-initial monogram for an individual is set up like this (remember this when ordering monogrammed gifts for your bridal party):

1. first name initial

2. last name initial

3. middle name initial

Sometimes the last name initial (#2) is larger than #1 and #3, and sometimes it's the same size, depending on the monogram style and your personal preference.

And, of course, you can always take the more modern approach and go with a single initial that represents your last name, or with a monogram style that incorporates your first names or both first initials.

Jean M offers more than 80 monogram styles to choose from. Some are beautifully traditional, some are whimsically designed, some are theme based (with hearts, holiday and destination motifs) and some are ultra-trendy. You're sure to find the style that suits your wedding perfectly! Check out all our options...

Once you have your monogram style chosen, think about all the ways you can use it throughout your wedding! Here are some great ideas...

Set a classy and stylish tone for your entire celebration with a monogrammed invitation and coordinating enclosure cards.

 

Create a unique, personal atmosphere at your ceremony with a monogram on your wedding programs and aisle runner!

Carry your look through with monogrammed favor boxes and favor tags!

Create a sophisticated reception with your monogram printed on menu cards, napkins and ribbon favor tags!

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!

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

My Top Money Saving Tips ~ Menu Cards

Don’t let the worries about the economy lead to wedding budget stress. Jean M offers so many ways for you to save money and still have the wedding of your dreams! Read on for some more great ideas.

 

 

Provide romantic couple favors

You can still have elaborate favors without going over budget by giving one favor to each couple. Fill a cellophane bag with a candle and some matches to encourage romantic moments. Add a place card to secure the tops of the bags for a complete package.

 

 

Display your menu cards at the buffet or hors d’ouevres table

Cut down on the number of menu cards you need to order by arranging just a few at your buffet or hors d’ouevres tables. Display them in table number stands high enough so guests can read the fare and add some ribbons that coordinate with your wedding colors.

 

 

Or…

Display just one menu card per table. Arrange them creatively, like in a little, square container of sweets guests can share instead of providing individual favor treats.

Enjoy! ~Jean