When it comes to designing for industry events, there’s an added layer of intention. Every detail matters, every texture is noticed, and every moment is an opportunity to inspire. At its heart, the evening was about inspiring creativity and making space for vendors to connect, collaborate, and celebrate one another. Needless to say, it was a true honor to plan and design elevated event details for the 2nd Annual Wipa Nashville Gala at 1 Hotel Nashville.
This luxury hotel was the perfect location to hold this epic event. The design brought bold color into the organic environment the hotel is known for, creating an atmosphere that felt both vibrant and welcoming. The theme, Lush Hues and Lavish Views, set the tone for a vibrant, layered, and immersive design experience. At White Ink Calligraphy + Co, we had the honor of bringing that vision to life through the details we created.
Invitations with a City View
The invitation suite introduced guests to the evening before they ever stepped foot inside the space. This is always our goal when creating custom paper invitations for weddings. In fact one of my favorite parts of my job is hearing our clients tell us all the amazing feedback they got from their guests after receiving an unexpected invitation that WOWS. We wanted our industry friends to experience that same dopamine hit wedding guests get when receiving beautiful invitations in the mail.
Let me just say: Goal accomplished! This is why paper is so important. This is why the invitation sets the tone for the event day. Sometimes, you just have to experience it, to get it.
For this event invite, a rich purple backdrop with a delicate white sketch of the Nashville skyline added a refined, architectural element. The event title, Lush Hues and Lavish Views, was written in shimmering silver calligraphy, catching the light in a way that felt both celebratory and elevated. It was the perfect balance of color and fine detail, a preview of what was to come.
The custom cityscape of the Nashville skyline that was central to the event design was included on the invitation, the seating chart installation, and the die cut pocket on the menus. As always, all the artwork was done by hand – not shortcuts here. It was such an honor to bring this theme to life and carry it throughout this event celebrating fellow Nashville wedding professionals.
Menus with a Personalized Touch
At each place setting, guests found menus that doubled as place cards, featuring their names handwritten in calligraphy at the top and tucked into a custom die-cut pocket featuring a sketch of the cityscape of Nashville. These kinds of details invite guests to slow down, look closer, and truly experience the design. These purple menus looked amazing at each place setting.
The tablescapes were a work of art. With stunning floral arrangements, intentional linens, purple glassware, and the royal purple table numbers we created in a fun material, it was a sight to behold.
Fig Shaped Escort Cards and Interactive Seating Chart
One of the most playful and visually striking installations of the evening was the escort card display. Each guest experienced the seating chart installation, walking up the steps to find their escort card amongst the trees. Each escort card was die cut in the shape of a fig, with the guest name and table number in calligraphy. The organic movement of the cards, paired with their unexpected shape, created a moment that felt immersive and artful. The trees framed a large arch display of the Nashville Skyline, which mimicked the design of the bar signage we also created.
Statement Bar Signage
The bar signage featured semi-circle acrylic designs in custom colors that tied seamlessly into the event palette. Each piece incorporated a stylized Nashville cityscape, reinforcing the visual story throughout the space. The curved shapes softened the overall look while still feeling modern and bold, a perfect complement to the venue’s aesthetic.
While guests grabbed a drink at the bar, they could also grab one of the cocktail napkins or matchbooks we designed. For the cocktail napkins, we had two designs. One in a bright green hue that featured the event theme, Lush Hues and Lavish Views, on it, adding a vibrant pop of color. The second napkin design was a soft lavender color that showcased a delicate line sketch of the Nashville skyline, tying back to the invitation suite.
Next to the napkins in a bowl, were the light purple matchbooks that carried the event branding, offering guests a stylish and functional keepsake from the evening. Each element worked together to create a layered, cohesive design story that felt intentional from start to finish.
Custom Onsite Engraving Experience
To make the evening even more memorable, we brought in a live engraving station, which is one of our favorite ways to elevate a guest experience.
Attendees received compact mirrors engraved on-site, creating a personalized keepsake they could take home. Watching the engraving process unfold added an interactive element to the event, while the finished pieces felt thoughtful, elevated, and truly one-of-a-kind.
Immersive Design Experience
The WIPA Nashville Gala at 1 Hotel was a celebration of creativity, community, and elevated design. The Lush Hues & Lavish Views brought in creative design elements that were thoughtfully woven through the day creating an immersive experience for all in attendance. Seeing the joy on everyone’s face as they witnessed the various day-of event details was a highlight. It was truly an honor to be a part of such an amazing event for such a wonderful group of professionals. The wedding industry in the Southeast is filled with incredibly talented people, and I’m so grateful to be part of a community that continues to inspire me every day.
If you’re planning a wedding or event in Nashville, or anywhere in the world, we’d love to help you create meaningful, personalized stationery and event details that tell your story.
Reach out today to learn more about our full-service wedding and event design offerings! We can’t wait to create something unforgettable for you!
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This year we started off a busy fall wedding season with White Ink Couple, Ashley and Austin, at the iconic Hermitage Hotel in downtown Nashville. This unforgettable, art nouveau-inspired wedding did not hold back when utilizing details, pulling in colors, and interlacing style and texture throughout the entire event. White Ink was there for ALL of it!
We rolled up our creative sleeves and worked to help bring Ashley and Austin’s elegant vision into focus. We wove together poignant characteristics from The Hermitage Hotel’s architecture along with the flowing geometric styles and muted colors of the booming art nouveau movement were incorporated into all the important details of the day.
This was an unforgettable experience for the our team and we are delighted to finally get to share this day with you!
Art Nouveau- Did you know?
Art Nouveau or “new art” was a movement that gained popularity from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. According to the The Art Story’s website, “Art Nouveau was aimed at modernizing design, seeking to escape the eclectic historical styles that had previously been popular. Artists drew inspiration from both organic and geometric forms, evolving elegant designs that united flowing, natural forms resembling the stems and blossoms of plants. The emphasis on linear contours took precedence over color, which was usually represented with hues such as muted greens, browns, yellows, and blues.” www.theartstory.org
This invitation suite was designed to reflect the timeless details of the wedding venue. We custom-designed the envelope liner to include that classic, art nouveau look. Muted greens and yellows rested perfectly together with a focus on the natural beauty of white birds and the liners’ harmonious shapes and lines.
One notable detail within The Hermitage Hotel is a hand-painted bird theme throughout the guestrooms and suites. The idea to include birds in the custom envelope liner was a purposeful and beautiful way to connect the invites to the venue.
The ornament framing around the rsvp and details cards was meant to mimic the ornate frames and trim work throughout the hotel. This invitation suite was truly the ultimate ‘sneak peek’ for Ashley and Austin’s guests of what was to come!
A wedding welcome sign is multifunctional, especially if it is mirrored. Event signage, in general, is a seamless way to provide guidance for your guests as they enter the venue space. It adds to the tone of the space without stealing the show. It’s also a fantastic way to showcase the theme of your big day.
Ashley and Austin chose to use our floor-length, Bourdeaux, gold-framed mirror with minimal ornamentation. It was the perfect sign to bring just enough attention. Even in a vintage, art nouveau-themed wedding, small details can go a long way. Giving guests a quick opportunity to check their reflection is a welcomed added bonus!
Our couples often use seating charts and escort wall displays as an opportunity to showcase their wedding day theme in a big way, and I am HERE for it!
Ashley and Austin trusted White Ink to create a custom wallpaper to serve as the backdrop for this one-of-a-kind escort wall display. We kept with the art nouveau theme by focusing on natural elements, like leaves and flowers with a soft brown and white. The oval escort cards were individually hooked to the display and boasted a thick yellow tassel to replicate a vintage hotel key. How cute are these?
This stunning muted blue frame with gold ornamented trim was the perfect addition to our custom bar sign. It fit in with theme so seamlessly. The cocktail hour bar sign was a beautifully subtle addition to help carry the art nouveau theme by pulling in those soft hues and bold fonts.
Details like these are so much more than signs and menus, they provide a pivotal role in a carefully designed event. These little details leave a lasting impression and are something guests appreciate.
I could stare at these custom die-cut menus and place cards for hours. Guests enjoyed many day-of details that these little guys boasted. Much of the day’s style, colors, florals, and designs can be found right here in the artfully designed paper details.
A place card sat atop each menu, connected together with a soft, vintage, yellow chiffon ribbon. The same yellow ribbon could also be found on their invitation suite. I especially appreciated the functionality of the color-coded blooms on the place cards, which served as the meal indicator. Absolute perfection.
White Ink carried the vintage frame design from the invitation suite, rsvp, and detail cards to create Ashley and Austin’s table numbers. Table numbers don’t have to steal the spotlight in order to be a memorable part of a stunning tablescape.
The best way to tie in wedding theme details throughout the day is by pulling in designs just like this. Our couple also decided to use the vintage, wreath table number base from our extensive wedding rental collection. As you can see, it was the perfect choice!
Ashley and Austin came to White Ink with an elegant, vintage, art nouveau-inspired wedding vision. It was an honor to take on the task of bringing their vision to life. Taking in the approving whispers and smiles of the bridal party and guests is an unforgettable feeling. It is at the heart of why we do what we do. We love seeing the faces of our couples and their loved ones light up when they see their wedding dreams become a reality. We can’t wait to do it for you!
If you’re looking to add custom, thoughtful touches to your wedding or event, we would love to help make your vision a reality. Reach out today to learn more about our full-service design offerings—we can’t wait to create something unforgettable for you!
Perhaps the most important element of a couple’s custom wedding invitation suite is the storytelling. In the same way a movie preview prepares viewers for a film, custom designed invites serve as a powerful glimpse into what the guests can expect from the bride and groom’s big day.
Custom Wedding Invitation Suite
After years of crafting and designing invitations for our White Ink couples, we’ve developed a keen awareness of this unique storytelling. Helping clients incorporate themes, colors, and a bit of their personalities into their invites is something we simply delight in.
It was an honor having the opportunity to do just that for White Ink couple, Kelsey and Alex. Designing their custom wedding invitation suite was so fun! I’m beyond excited to finally share this amazing suite with all of you.
“Creating a strong perception of the beautiful and loving celebration we are throwing!”
– Kelsey and Alex
Urban Garden Party Theme
Undoubtedly, one of the best parts about working with Kelsey and Alex was how well they communicated to us exactly what they wanted their invites to reflect. The overall vision for their invitation suite was Urban Garden Party.
In order to make this vision a reality, we incorporated vibrant colors, like summer pinks and crisp greens, with modern elements like custom die-cut pockets. This allowed contemporary, industrial chic to meet seamlessly with the classic garden party theme. The result was gorgeous!
Talk about attention to detail! Kelsey and Alex took customizing their invites to the next level! They included a custom architectural sketch of their wedding venue, Brooklyn’s historic Wythe Hotel in New York, on the invitation. What’s even more amazing is that the very pattern used on the envelope liner is the same pattern from the tile on the floor of the Wythe Hotel! Can we say obsessed?! These are the little details that we love to incorporate into your invitations to tell your unique story.
While discussing their invitation vision with our team, Kelsey and Alex noted that the most important aspect of their wedding invites was, “Incorporating imagery of the venue and creating a strong perception of the beautiful and loving celebration we are throwing!”. I think it’s safe to say, they absolutely nailed it!
Let’s Talk about the Details.
Here are some of our favorite details from Kelsey and Alex’s custom wedding invitation suite.
We used digital printing for this invitation suite. This helps to efficiently transfer custom tones, colors and fonts making each invite equally vibrant.
A custom shaped die-cut was used to create the pocket within the suite adding a notable tone of modern sophistication.
A custom architectural sketch of the wedding venue, the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, New York, peeked out from the corner of the invitation sleeve.
The pattern used for the envelope liner was specifically designed to mimic the pattern seen on the floor of the Wythe Hotel.
Custom envelope calligraphy was used for addresses. – always a guest favorite!
Vibrant, summer floral postage to pair with the theme of the invitation suite.
Giving our brides and grooms a space to bring in their creativity and personality is the most rewarding part of what we do. They are the storyteller giving their guests a sneak peek into what’s ahead by adding the delicate details of their favorite colors, favorite seasons, favorite places, and styles to a customized wedding invitation suite.
If you’re looking to add custom, thoughtful touches to your wedding or event, we would love to help make your vision a reality. Reach out today to learn more about our full-service design offerings—we can’t wait to create something unforgettable for you!
