Happy Friday Guys!! I am so excited to have as our featured guest today....."The Invite Innovator"....Cheree Berry....Cheree had the most high honor of being selected by Modern Bride magazine as one of The 25 Trendsetters of 2008! Congratulations to you Cheree and you truly deserve the recognition. Cheree's custom wedding invitations are so unique and always so beautiful and the design will sometimes surprise you! Please visit Cheree's lovely site to see more of her wonderful designs....now let's get to know the beautiful lady behind the charming designs....Enjoy!
Our featured guest....the beautiful Cheree Berry!
TBC: Congratulations on being chosen as one of the Top 25 Trendsetters for 2008...what was your reaction when you received the wonderful news?
CB: Antonia van der Meer, editor-in-chief of Modern Bride, called me a couple of days before Christmas with the news. It was the best way to start my holiday vacation! And once I found out who the other Trendsetters were, I just couldn't believe I made the list!
TBC: What inspires you as a designer?
CB: Vintage ephemera on Ebay, children books (particularly my nieces and anything by Paul Rand), all the great colors in the ESSE nail polish collection, the writing of David Sedaris.....and my clients!
TBC: What is the best part about your job?
CB: Well, I am currently engaged, so the best part of my job "right now" is getting all these great ideas from my clients on their own weddings. I'm amazed at how creative my clients are with all the details that totally make a wedding so special. But in general, the best part of my job is getting to do with I love: design beautiful and whimsical stationery.
TBC: What has been the highlight of your career to date?
CB: One of my biggest highlights has been designing the invitation for the Today Show throws a "Martha Stewart Wedding."
TBC: What 3 adjectives describe your style?
CB: Unexpected, Colorful, and Charming!
TBC: Please share a few tips with our readers to help them make their wedding papers personal and reflect their style.
CB: The main goal is for your wedding stationery to "look like you" when it is all designed and printed. If you are working with a stationer on a custom design, make sure to add as many personalized details as you can....mix in your initials in the artwork, hide your wedding date underneath the reply envelope flap. Those special winks will make a huge difference...It's all about the details!
However, if your budget doesn't allow for a custom job, be sure to shop around for the right look for you. If you like florals, find the right floral (if you are using tulips at your wedding, don't go for a rose pattern design). There are a LOT of options out there so there is sure to be one that is perfect for you. And if you have 2 colors in your wedding palette, think about doing a 1 color invitation design but lining the envelope in the other color. There are plenty of ways to cut back the cost of stationery. But, if you are going to go all out in one category of your stationery, do it with your invites.
Once your BIG DAY arrives, there will be so much for your guests to enjoy (band, flowers, cocktails, cake) that the collateral at the wedding (programs, menus, escort cards) will not be the only focal point.
TBC: Tell us a little about your personal life...we want to get to know you a little!
CB: Well, in addition to having a stationery company, I am the author and designer of the book, "Hoorah for the Bra", a pop-up book on the history of the brassiere. It was my senior thesis in college and it was published in 2006. I love paper, both 2-D and 3-D. And my fiance and I just bought a 113 year-old house in a historic neighborhood in St. Louis, so the house will be a fun project. I have been reupholstering anything and everything I get my hands on. Oh, and unfortunately I bite my fingernails.
Thanks SO much Cheree for stopping by the cafe today...we love your work and again...CONGRATULATIONS.....you truly are a "Trendsetter"! Now let's check out some of Cherees's beautiful wedding papers!
All so beautiful and unique....guys you are sure to find the perfect invite for your BIG DAY!