Bridal Bouquet: Inviting Style

Charm your guests right off the bat with invites from these local ladies

Joy Deangdeelert Cho has devised palettes and patterns for brands including Cynthia Rowley’s Swell and New York’s Freddy & Ma. So when her own wedding came around, the designer applied her modern, whimsical aesthetic to her and her husband’s “brand,” creating an iconography of butterflies, leaves and swirls of wind to apply to each piece, from letter-pressed invites to favor boxes. And so was born a new branch of her Philadelphia-based business, Oh Joy! Studio. Brides-to-be approach Cho after falling for her style, which she describes as “fun without being too cute or girlie.” You know, something a husband-to-be can sign off on. Prices range from $12 to $25 per set, ohjoystudio.com.

It took Erin Mulcahy’s and Nicole Michels’ own recent Philadelphia weddings to reveal their true calling: creating uncommon invitations using surprising materials. The graphic designers founded Bird and Banner — named for their favorite design elements — and set out to create outside-the-envelope pieces: They’ve printed on lobster bibs for a clambake invite and onto white fabric for a bride-to-be in the fashion industry. They’ve also silk-screened pieces of maple wood to summon guests to a summer wedding in Vermont. So far, each piece has been completely unique. “There’s no overlap,” says Mulcahy, “because no ones’ stories overlap.” Prices start at $14 for set of invitation, RSVP card and RSVP envelope, birdandbanner.com.