Shawn Rabideau Stationery Design of the Week - Bernadette

With Mothers' Day coming up this weekend I thought it would be appropriate to feature the stationery design I named after my own mother, Bernadette.

Growing up I always loved the maidenhair fern that was around my parents property.  When I see it I am always reminded of the flowers and garden that my mother put so much care into. I used this as the inspiration for the Bernadette design which has a beautiful, natural look.  It is perfect for weddings, engagements and bridal showers.

As with all designs, you can coordinate the entire look of your event with table numbers, menus and escort cards.  

So happy Mothers' Day to all the moms out there and...

Cheers!

Featured invitation design - John

Since I started the trend of featuring invitation designs influenced by my immediate family with the last 2 posts showcasing the Rina Lyn and Rachael Christine designs, I thought I should continue the family theme.

I thought it would also be great to feature a more masculine design that would be great for graduations or even for Father's Day.  The invitation I am featuring today was inspired by my father and named "John" after him.

As a kid I always remember the striped ties that my father wore to the office every day.  I used this inspiration on the invitations with a stripe patter that is incorporated into the front of some of the pieces in the line and on the backs of all of the invitations.  As you can see, the design also is well suited to a nautical stream with the white and blue stripes.  It is just a clean masculine look that I love.

As you know from previous posts about my line, there are coordinating pieces so you can have a consistent look from the invitation to the escort card, menu, table number and even thank you card.  And once again, a special thanks to Jennifer and Charles of Maring Visuals for their great work photographing my line.

Until next time...

Cheers

Featured Stationery Design - Rina Lyn

Since the last stationery design I featured was named after my niece Rachael I thought it only fair to feature the design named after my other niece, Rina Lyn.  After all, I don't want it to look like I am playing favorites.

My inspiration for this design came from the vintage prints from the 60s and 70s that I always loved.  With that inspiration I created a kaleidoscope of color in this invitation set.

In addition to this pink / yellow / orange combination this design is offered in darker color scheme which includes purple and blue tones.  It is also a stunning, vibrant collection of colors.

As with all of my designs, you can order not only invitations but also menus, escort cards, note cards and all elements needed for your event.  Check it out on line at FineStationery.com or at one of these great stationery stores.  

Retail Locations for Shawn Rabideau Stationery

Also, I have to give a special thanks to Jennifer and Charles from Maring Visuals for their great work photographing my entire collection.  They're the best!

Until next time....

Cheers!

Featured Stationery Design - Rachael Christine

It has been a while since I featured a design from my stationery line so I thought it would be a good time to present one of my favorite designs, Rachael Christine.  As you may know, all of my designs are named after family members and people close to my heart.  This design is named after my youngest niece.  I love that it is bright, vibrant and fun, just like her.  

As with all of my designs, you have the ability to carry the theme through your entire event, from the invitation to the table number, menus, escort card and even the thank you cards.

I really love the look of the printed back.  It is so vibrant and colorful.

While I love the blue/green look, this design also comes in an orange/red color scheme that is equally wonderful.  So visit one of these local retailers, or shop on line at FineStationery.com to see all of the stunning designs from Shawn Rabideau Stationery.

Happy shopping and ...

Cheers.

Featured Stationery design Je t'aime

Many of you know that I am from Rochester, New York, but most do not know that my background is French Canadian.  Given that, the French language was commonly spoken around my home.  Unfortunately, my parents used it mainly as a way to communicate between themselves in a way that my sister and I would not understand, so we never really learned French.

Despite this, there are some words we did learn ie: Je t'aime.  In French this means "I love you" and is the way my parents always sign their cards to each other.  This always touched me and I thought Je t'aime would be a great name for one of the designs in my invitation line.  And, with Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought this would be the perfect time to feature this design.

You can see from the images that the invitation features 2 lines converging.  I used this to symbolize 2 becoming 1, giving it special meaning for an engagement or wedding invitation.  Given the translation of Je t'aime this design really holds a special place in my heart.

As in all of my designs, I offer a variety of colors along with coordinating collateral pieces such as menus, escort cards, table numbers and more.

Check out my collection on line at FineStationery.com or at one of these amazing stationery stores.

Have a great Valentine's Day and ...

Cheers,

Rabidos and Rabidon'ts for Holiday cards and invitations

This morning I had so much fun on The Better Show talking about the Rabido's and Rabidon'ts for sending out Christmas and Holiday cards this season.  You can see a clip from the show by clicking on this link:  Shawn on Better TV

So many people love to send out photo cards.  There are plenty of great sites like FineStationery.com or Celebrations.com that you can use to produce your cards, but there are a few do's and don'ts when sending your photo cards.

Rabido - When making a photo card, be sure all the subjects in the picture are on different levels.  This will create depth and the varying height will make the photo more exciting!

Rabidon't - Don't force anyone into strange poses or positions!  You want everyone to look natural.  When they do, everyone in the photos will look fabulous!

Rabido - While you don't want everyone in the same sweater (no ugly sweaters here), you do want everyone to coordinate.  So make sure you choose a base color that coordinates.  And have fun!  Use ski hats or scarves as accents.

Rabidon't - While it's okay to dress up your pets (come on, it makes them look that much cuter) it's not okay for people to play dress up for your holiday card.  Save that for Halloween!

Rabido - Use props!  Have fun!  Spell out your family name with giant letters, or spell out words like "JOY", "NOEL".

Rabidon't - We all have them, but don't use your phone to take your holiday photo!  Use a good camera or get a friend to take the picture for.  No selfies here!

Rabido - Do make sure you have good natural light!  Using natural light will literally make your photos shine!

Rabidon't - Don't stress if you don't have time to mail your cards!  There are plenty of sites where you can upload your image, create your greeting and email it to your friends.  And some are even free like Celebrations.com.  Although I would use this method as a last resort, it's not necessarily a Rabidon't because no one should stress over sending holiday cards. The holidays can be stressful enough!

Rabido - Get the kids involved!  If photo cards aren't your thing, get the kids to create cards.  There are plenty of DIY kits you can purchase.  Have your kids put the cards together with stickers, strings, ribbons and decals and then have the family sign and send.  It's a great way to personalize your cards.

Rabidon't - Don't stress this holiday season!  If you don't have time to send your cards wishing your family and friends a Joyous Holiday Season, then send them a card in January wishing them a Healthy and Prosperous 2014!  I'll bet you might even get a few good after Christmas sales too!

Rabido - Do look for the Shawn Rabideau Stationery line Christmas cards and all on sale now at www.FineStationery.com.  Simply type Shawn Rabideau Christmas in the search field on the site and you'll find all my current designs.

Until next time!

Cheers!

Shawn Rabideau Stationery featured in Munaluchi Bride

I just received the new issue of Munaluchi Bride and was excited to see a full page feature on Shawn Rabideau Stationery.  

Munaluchi Bride is the leading authority of bridal inspiration for women of color.  Jackie Nwobu has done an amazing job creating a leading magazine for Brides and I am so honored to be featured.  So, visit your local Target or Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy!

Enjoy and Cheers!

The art of the handwritten note

Recently a reader asked what about thank you card etiquette.  Does anyone send them anymore?

That's a great question!  And yes, people do still send hand written notes in the mail.  Less than before, but they are being sent.  Of course there is a certain etiquette to be followed and I really like the etiquette section I found at Dempsey & Carroll Stationers.  Here is the link.

Thank you card etiquette

However, I would like to take the issue of thank you cards, and written notes in general, a bit farther.  Let me ask you when was the last time you sent a "thank you note"?

As you may know, I recently launched the Shawn Rabideau Stationery collection for just that reason (among others).  The art of the hand written note is just about dead.  However, if I can single handedly bring it back…I will!  I know I have an uphill battle on my hands.  What with texting and email being "so popular" I might as well give up…but I'm not going to, and here's why the hand written note is better than a text or email.

A hand written note shows someone you care:

When you receive a hand written note from someone in the mail it shows they've taken the time to pick out a card that fits the occasion.  Whether it be"thinking of you", "congratulations" or even"sympathy" it shows that person cares about you and where you are in life at the moment.

A hand written note is better than the cell phone bill:

I know everyone has "bundle plans" these days, but getting a hand written note in the mail gives you that tingly feeling that you don't get from a cell phone bill.  Especially when you know you may have gone over your text limit.  Writing a hand written note only costs you the expense of the card, the stamp and three minutes of your time.  Going over your text plan can cost you much more than that!

A hand written note is always opened first:

I don't know about you, but when I receive a hand written note I open that before my credit card bill.  It makes me smile and I even put them on display in my home where I can see them, giving me smiles for days to come.

A hand written note can bring comfort:

When was the last time a text brought you comfort?  I have a dear friend who lives several hours away and while I can't always get a hug in person, her notes make me feel as if I received one of her fabulous hugs.  She knows when I'm sad, happy or just need a boost.  While I adore her texts, her hand written notes last forever.  I keep every single one in box…I can't do that with her texts.

Writing a hand written note polishes your writing skills:

I recently found out that my nieces never learned how to write cursive.  Let me say that again…The school doesn't teach cursive!  WHAT?!  Rather they taught them typing.  I remember having to write my letters, words and sentences over and over until I got them right and received an "A".  Writing by hand makes you polish your writing skills. Not only with appearance, but with spelling…I like the challenge of not depending on spell check.

Writing a hand written note makes me feel happy:

When I write a note to a friend, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Partially because I feel like I'm doing something good for someone else.  But also because I know when that person receives the note it will put a smile on their face.

I could go on and on for why you should write a hand written note, but the bottom line it's the right thing to do

Email is somewhat acceptable, but I would never recommend texting a thank you note or any other kind of sentimental note, it's quite impersonal and frankly lacks emotion or feeling.

Next time you're about to send off an electronic note, pick up a pen and paper and see what kind of reaction you get.

Until next time…Cheers!

Shawn Rabideau Stationery Designs - Trevor

Fall is in full swing and if you like to entertain like I do check out the Trevor Invitation Suite from the Shawn Rabideau Stationery Collection.  Growing up in country side of Western New York I was surrounded by the beauty of tress all year long and thus the inspiration for this Faux Bois invitation.  It's rustic and elegant at the same time.  I offer it in natural and a bright stunning yellow.  And the best part it can be customized with your initials.

The Trevor Collection is perfect for intimate dinner parties all the way through Thanksgiving.  Use this collection to inspire your tables setting with place cards, menu cards and even gift tags.  The possibilities are endless.

Check out the Trevor Suite on FineStationery.com or at a retailer near you.

Cheers!

Hanukkah Entertaining

I just happened to be reading the New York Daily News today and read the following article reminding me that Hanukkah is early this year. 

When Hanukkah and Thanksgiving fall on the same day, it's "Thanksgivukkah"

For the first time in 125 years Hanukkah takes place over Thanksgiving.  I really enjoyed reading the ideas in this article for blending traditions to adapt traditional food served during Hanukkah with those served at a Thanksgiving feast.  I know I will be testing out some ideas of my own.

And of course, if you are planning a Hanukkah celebration visit FineStationery.com or one of these great stationery retailers to see the Hanukkah invitations in the Shawn Rabideau Stationery collection.  

Here to a Happy Hanukkah and a great holiday season!

Cheers!

It is not too early to start planning for the Holidays!

I know you are going to hate me for saying this but it really is true.  As a planner it is my job to think ahead and not get caught having to do everything at the last minute.

To help you in the planning process I encourage you to take a look at the Holiday collection offered by Shawn Rabideau Stationery.  You can find it on line at FineStationery.com or at one of these great local retailers.  Shawn Rabideau Stationery Stores.

Let me be the first to wish you a Happy Holiday Season and...

Cheers!

Very Special Wedding in Central Park

Given all of the groundbreaking developments yesterday surrounding gay marriage I wanted to share a wedding I recently designed and produced for 2 very dear friends at the Boathouse in Central Park.  This wedding was unique for me first, because it was for friends who have been together for 18 years and second, because I was also a guest which is very different for me.

When we started planning Alan and John's wedding I was honored in that they selected the Schylar invitation from my stationery line for their invitations.  We decided early on that we would use this design to bridge the entire look and feel incorporating it into the table numbers, escort cards, menus, welcome notes, gift tags and even the thank you notes.

I must say planning a wedding for friends does add a level of stress I hadn't expected.  I wanted this wedding to be spot on perfect and while I do everything in my power to create the perfect event for every client, the personal nature of this party really kept me on my toes.  With the ceremony and after party were being held outdoors, I had more than a little concern when the weather forecast was calling for rain...all day long.  You can imagine my relief when the rain took place while guests were indoors dancing and everything else stayed dry!

Alan and John wanted to keep the ceremony intimate, not filled with formalities and they wanted their family and friends surrounding them while they said their vows. This is something of a growing trend for same sex couples and one I am growing quite fond of!  Before the exchanging of the vows the couple was serenaded by the amazing Wanda Houston, a long time friend.  To say the ceremony was emotional and touching is an understatement.

For the look of the wedding I wanted to keep it simple and masculine to match their taste and I was honored that John took the lead in directing me with decor because it really fit their style and taste.  We used succulents throughout the wedding and added accents of yellow floral.  As guests entered for dinner they were greeted by an escort card table featuring a wall of succulents and accents of yellow roses, calla lilies and orchids.  I actually designed the wall for reuse so Alan and John now have the wall as an accent piece hanging on their patio.

Each of the centerpieces were designed in a firwood bowl that was filled with succulents and yellow floral.

While the decor was great, the food was wonderful and the weather held out, the key to this event was the entertainment.  On the Move Entertainment did a great job with the MC, DJ and live musicians.  It was the special touches Alan and John added that made this event unique. First, the amazing Wanda Houston was incredible as she sang for the ceremony and performed a flawless rendition of "Isn't She Lovely" for the Mother/Son dance.

The really nerve racking part of this wedding for me was what came next.  Alan and John challenged each other to come up with a special surprise for the wedding.  Of course I had to coordinate the execution of each of their surprises without letting the other know what was going to happen.  It was a challenge that worked!  We started with Alan who brought in 2 amazingly talented Broadway entertainers, Michael Marcotte and Josh Prince.  They opened with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" which which turned into a flash mob surrounding John. You can even catch a glimpse of yours truly in the flash mob.

After a bit more food and dancing it was John's turn to spring his surprise on Alan.  Alan's jaws literally dropped when John introduced the New York City Gay Men's Chorus as they entered the room to sing a special selection of songs.  

The surprises were a huge success and the guests were thrilled. I breathed a huge sigh of relief!

If you want a special treat we have these performances on video.  Just click on the link below to see:

Performance video

This wedding was such fun and so special.  What I also really enjoyed is that the fun did not stop at the Boathouse.  Since this was an afternoon wedding we had an entire night left to celebrate.  All of the guests were then treated to a wonderful outdoor party, again, thankfully the weather cooperated, which lasted well into the night and was the perfect finish to a wonderful day.

I would like to thank Natsumi Restaurant who did a great job with the welcome dinner and with catering for the after party.  We were also fortunate to have great photography and video compliments of 5th Avenue Digital, 

And I would like to thank Alan and John our dear friends for trusting us to make their special day come to life!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Featured Invitation - Ruth

A lot has been written recently about a return to formal elegance being a trend in the Wedding industry.  I have to agree that many of my Brides want a wedding that has a classic, elegant feel.  When I think of this look it reminds me of one of my favorite shows, Downton Abbey. The look  that is portrayed by all of the characters captures the style and grace of a bygone era.  I do find many of my clients want that feel and look for their own celebrations.

In going through my stationery designs there is one I feel perfectly captures this classic, elegant look.  The design is named Ruth, after my Grandmother, as it reminds me of the lace that was always around her home.

As with all of my designs, the back of the invitation carries through the design from the front.

Additionally, I offer coordinating pieces for every design so your table numbers, escort cards, menus and even your thank you cards can all be matched to ensure a consistent theme throughout your event.

The Ruth invitation is really perfect for anyone trying to capture a classic, vintage look.  I encourage you to go to www.shawnrabideaustationery.com to check out my collection that can be purchased on-line at www.finestationery.com and that is coming soon to a stationery store near you.

Until next time...

Cheers.

Sending invitations - plan ahead!

I have to share a recent experience I have had in sending out wedding invitations to help others avoid a lot of anxiety and frustration when sending out their own invitations.

It used to be the case that when invitations were properly mailed using first class postage they would start to appear in guests mail boxes within 2 to 3 days.  Please know, that is no longer true!

A couple of weeks ago I mailed the invitations for a client's wedding and the result was frustrating to say the least.  Everything was done properly from having the envelopes checked and weighed 3 times to make sure we had the correct postage to delivering them directly to the post office and having them hand cancelled to avoid any possible problem.

It wound up taking 12 days for the invitations to begin arriving in guests' mailboxes. I have to tell you this created a lot of anxiety not knowing why the invitations were delayed. 

I felt the need to share this story in order to give you a heads up when sending invitations.  I recommend that you add an extra 2 weeks to the process to ensure that your guests receive them in time and to help avoid the anxiety that we experienced.

It was definitely a lesson learned, thank you USPS!

Until next time...

Cheers

Design of the week - Notably Happy

I was so excited last week that, in addition to Thanksgiving, my family celebrated an early Christmas since we were all together.  You know what that means?  My Christmas shopping is done!  What a relief.

However, I know that most of you are in full swing with your Holiday shopping so this week I wanted to share some designs that make perfect gifts.

Some people say that e-mail and texts are doing away with hand written cards but I totally disagree.  I love sending and receiving personal cards and thank yous in the mail.  It is much better than just receiving bills and it shows that the person on the other end cares enough to take the extra time to send a personal greeting.  In fact, I am seeing a resurgence in these personal notes.

That is why I am so proud of my "Notables" collections and the note cards that are available on FineStationery.com.  Take for example the "Notably Happy" boxed set shown below.

The collection features 4 different colorful note cards with my favorite sayings such as "Big Hugs", "Cheers", "Tickled Pink" and "Love and Friends".  Each note card comes with a coordinating lined envelope.  It is really a great gift.

In addition to the notables I have a large collection of individual note cards such as the "Ruth" and "Rachael Christine" flat cards shown below.  

I really like the delicate lace look in the "Ruth" card which was inspired by my Grandmother and "Rachael Christine" has the vibrant, sassy feel that reminds me of my niece Rachael.  The cards can come with matching lined envelopes and can be customized to make a great gifts.

There are many more options in the line and more to come so keep watching for new and exciting patterns.

Best to all of you for a great holiday shopping season.

Cheers!

Shawn Rabideau Stationery - Design of the week.

I can now officially say that I am feeling the holiday spirit after putting up my Christmas tree yesterday.  I know you may think I am crazy to be decorating my home for Christmas before Thanksgiving, however, last week I realized that, with the crazy schedule I have coming up, I either had to decorate now or it would not happen.  In any case, I am done and very happy about it.

Now that I am in the spirit it is time to start planning the holiday party.  I am trying to pick out the invitation I want to use and really like the design on my Snowflake Holiday Invitation.  

Being from Upstate New York, I know snow!  And nothing is better to get me in the holiday spirit than a beautiful, fresh snowfall.  This feeling inspired the design for this invitation.  I love the light, crisp colors and, to add the final touch, there is a touch of sparkle in the snowflakes to make the invitation pop.  

There are so many fun designs in the collection that I cannot decide which I will use but this is definitely a front runner.

Best wishes to everyone for a fabulous holiday party season.

Cheers!

Shawn Rabideau Stationery - Design of the Week

As you all know, I recently launched my stationery line on FineStationery.com.  I must say that I am thrilled with the response the line has been receiving and am excited to hear all of the positive comments.  

So far I have been showcasing my Holiday invitations as the season is rapidly approaching, however, there are many other parties being planned so today I want to highlight the signature design in my collection, named "Shawn".

I love working with succulents.  I use them in arrangements, bouquets and many of the floral elements I create for events.  I think they add texture and are a great addition to many displays. In creating this design I actually flattened a succulent to see what it would look like.  The result was very similar to the design you see repeated on the front and back of this invitation. 

As with all of my invitations, I have coordinating pieces so you can maintain a consistent look through all elements of your event.  So you can order coordinating menus, table numbers and even note cards to send thank you cards to your guests.  

I hope you like "Shawn" and I can't wait to share next week's design with you.

Cheers!