When I was planning my wedding in 2010, I wanted to create wedding invitations that unfolded to reveal all the beautiful details.  Folded pockets were all the rage then, and whilst they looked lovely, I wanted more.  In 2015 I opened my wedding stationery business as a part-time gig so that I could offer couples something different, something unique.  Fast forward to 2022 and I continue to try my best to offer styles of invitations that are a little left of centre.  This is where my new release of designs in my signature collection comes in – and I call it “Fiore.” Today, I (Nat from A Tactile Perception) am giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how I created this new collection!

My signature collection of origami-inspired invitations are daring yet elegant – they add dimension to your stationery and delight your guests when they are opened to reveal all the elements in the suite.  In 2022, couples are doing things their way, they want something individual, bold, and beautiful, and I had something in mind that had me bursting with anticipation.

A few years earlier, I had found an account on Instagram by someone who photographed wedding bouquets after the wedding as the flowers were dying.  Sounds odd, but these photographs were next level.  I found myself “oohing” and “aaahing” every time the photos came up in my feed.  Every now and then I would wonder if I could somehow use these in my stationery, but didn’t give it too much thought. Until recently. I realised that a 2022 release of origami stationery, where I could wrap the folds in these stunning photographs and be seen on the outside in their full glory, would be perfect. But the photos weren’t mine.

I wanted to reach out to this amazing photographer, Elise from Floragraphica, but immediately I felt fear creep in.  You know when you want to do something daring and wonderful but you worry about getting rejected?  I have done enough personal development to recognise that this is what I was feeling, so I decided to write Elise an email straight away describing my idea.  Low and behold, she replied the same day with a resounding “YES”.  We became instant and very excited collaborators, and “Fiore” was born.

A lot of love and hard work went into developing these invitation suites.  Three photos to pair with three exclusive fold designs, each with its own distinct look.  The Aijou fold is feminine and contemporary; Yorokobi is bold and dramatic, and Hanabi is delicate and graceful.  Each fold is given a Japanese name as a nod to the origami (and to my love of all things Japanese), but the name Fiore (meaning flower in Italian) just spoke to me as fitting for these powerful images and suites. The folds, the photography, the typography, and the layout needed to work in harmony to convey just the right feeling.  Because that’s what it’s about isn’t it – you create extraordinary stationery to convey a feeling to your guests in anticipation of your biggest day.  All the items in the suites, from the save-the-date cards through to on-the-day stationery, were created in the “Fiore” release too, all coordinating like peas in a pod.

Getting the right paper was one of the biggest challenges.  It had to be the right thickness, the right white, and the right finish to make sure the paper didn’t “crack” through the image printed on the paper.  I have created origami invitations many times before, but none with solid colour photography like this.  I spoke to my expert printer on the phone and we narrowed it down to four options.  But did each stock have the right envelopes?! I chose two to have samples printed on, and I eagerly awaited their arrival in the mail.  When they came, I folded them both to see what would happen to Elise’s beautiful images, and interestingly, whilst the paper options looked almost exactly the same, one cracked A LOT and it was totally unsuitable for this project, but the other was perfect.  This excellent option happened to be a Japanese stock too, how fitting!  It was slightly thicker than standard paper so it held the fold well, and was just the right shade of white.  Now to get more printed!

The other challenge was to offer wedding signage that was both unique in form but was also coherent with the nature of the origami invitations.  How does one create a large origami sign?  I had just been introduced to a new material by my signage company – aluminium with rubber – and I happened to print another sign on this a few weeks earlier for a wedding.  This new material was next level – it was stiff enough to be free-standing, came with a matte finish, and was more environmentally friendly than the standard PVC.  I was in love, and desperately wanted to use this to create a sign to fit in with the “Fiore” suites.  I was thinking about the lines of the origami folds, and it came to me.  Create two signs that hang together with angles that mirror the origami.  I had never seen anything else like this, and so I set about getting one made. Creativity is about bringing elements together and testing them, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. When I first saw this sign printed, it had certainly been a success!  Now we were all-systems-go.

My sweet friend and wedding photographer Niki from Fotogenica kindly gave up her pre-Christmas time to photograph all these beauties, and she lent her expert eye to make sure that the images also conveyed the right feeling for these suites, as well as a meticulous hand in getting all the details and angles right.  It was so exciting when she delivered the product photos to me, I felt like a kid in a candy store.  I couldn’t wait to share them on social media and on my website.

It was important to everyone involved in this process to deliver an exceptional product, and in a reliable way so that couples didn’t have to stress about what sort of quality they were getting.  And I believe we delivered.

Origami invitations are not just for those who love all things Japanese.  They really are an unforgettable way to introduce your wedding to your loved ones and will remain one of the few items you can keep long after the day is over.  “Fiore” – with its stunning floral photography (could I rave about Elise from Floragraphica more?!) is to be released January 21st 2022. You can get the two-part wedding sign that I mentioned for free when you purchase invitations on the weekend of the launch (so get in quick!). I can’t wait to work with you!

About A Tactile Perception: A Tactile Perception offers unique stationery you won’t find anywhere else.  Natalie values quality and is dedicated to creating beautiful pieces that will delight your guests and truly reflect you as a couple.