Thinking Outside the "Pocket"

As I mentioned a few blog entries ago, I will be hosting a mixer for the Greater Palm Springs Wedding Association in a couple of weeks. The mixers are a way for local vendors to meet and mingle, and an opportunity for the host to showcase a location and/or work.

I never had the opportunity to host a GPSWA mixer, because I work out of my home based studio. It wasn't until recently, when one of my aunts purchased an hacienda style home, which she intends to market as a vacation rental and reception site for special events. She offered me full use of it, as a way to give her newly acquired property a bit of exposure, and give me a place to showcase my work for an evening.

The GPSWA mixers are open for all members, and to vendors who are interested in joining the association. But because there are many members I haven't seen attend a mixer in a while, I designed and eye-catching invitation that will hopefully spark their interest and will entice them to make an appearance.

The invitation consists of a combination of velvet, embossed, and traditional ivory and khaki colored paper, neatly layered, and accentuated with rhinestones. I included 3 separate inserts, a map, a note with admission rates for members and non-members, and my business card. These three items were secured with gold cord, placed behind the invitation, and everything was mailed in sparkly gold envelopes.

I agree that pocket invitations are beautiful, but this is just another example of how we can further customize an invitation by applying the budget toward textured paper and embellishements, rather than pockets.

Below are a few images of Casa Del Sol, the place where the mixer will be held at. These are only temporary images, a new photo shoot will take place in the coming weeks, to fully illustratate the home's features.