Ana Linn & Patrick’s Winston-Salem Wedding

Carole Murray Real Weddings January 4, 2017

I haven’t blogged in quite a while, because I’ve been busy planning a wedding! Our oldest daughter, Ana Linn, got married on October 22nd! The ceremony was at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the reception was at Bermuda Run Country Club. It was the most beautiful, crisp fall day!

She was engaged to her sweet fiance, Patrick for over a year, so we had lots of time to plan all the details. And fortunately for me – she wanted ALL the calligraphy I could dream up!! So we started with the Save the Date…

It was done in letterpress, with the coolest envelope liners. We designed the card together with the help of the fine folks at Gifts & Paper on Plaza. I came up with a new lettering style for the envelope and addressed them in a shimmery gray ink.

The wedding invitation was also done in letterpress, by the wonderful team at Gifts & Paper on Plaza. We chose a super thick card with the most gorgeous gold edges. I designed a duogram (first initials of the bride & groom), incorporating the laurel wreath from the Save the Date. We used the duogram on napkins, favor tags, thank you notes and reception signage.

And speaking of signage…

The amazingly talented team from Green Bee Floral Designs added greenery for just the perfect touch.

Magnolia leaf escort cards are always a fun addition and fortunately, I have a neighbor who lets me harvest them all year long!

Because it was a fall wedding, we knew we wanted to add white pumpkins. The perfect solution was to use them as table numbers! We also used some smaller ones and painted a few gold for added sparkle. With florals and candles from Green Bee Floral Designs, each table was stunning and unique.

Since Ana Linn was involved with all of the planning, I wanted to have a couple of surprises for the day of the wedding. I lettered their last name and had it laser cut into a cake topper by Fine Line Supply Co.

They also used my lettering to make Mr. and Mrs. chair signs, which we attached to wreaths tied with white satin ribbon.

And last, but not least, we sent them off in style.

It was a magical day, documented perfectly by Jordan Brannock Photography. She pours her heart and soul into her work and we have the lovely photographs to prove it!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Nifong!

Calligraphy on the Coast

Carole Murray Styled Shoots July 10, 2016

It’s officially summer and beach weddings are a popular choice for many couples. I was fortunate to participate in a styled shoot with Bronwyn Duffield Photography back in March. The shoot took place at a secluded beach near Wilmington, North Carolina. I provided the calligraphy for all the paper pieces and Bronwyn worked her magic to create and capture these incredible images. If you are planning a wedding at the coast, I hope you find some inspiration here. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

New Website!

Carole Murray About Carole March 15, 2016

Calligraphy by Carole Custom Calligraphy

I’ve been working on re-designing my website since last Fall and am so excited to share this labor of love with you! I launched my original site in 2008 and so much has changed since then! I’ve developed several new writing styles, incorporated calligraphy for reproduction, chalkboards and return address stamps. I’ve also created a new logo, which I’m particularly excited about.

I couldn’t have done all of this without the expertise of a few professionals. Kate Dickson took incredible photos of my work; including some headshots, which make me feel so fancy. She was a pleasure to work with and had such wonderful styling advice. Please visit her site, Katie Dickson Photography and check out all the beauty she creates.

Finally, Brian Leimone at Nu expression was the patient, driving force behind the development of the site. He was informative, efficient and so easy to work with. He answered all of my questions in a timely and professional manner. He connected me with Craig Phillips to work on my logo and he made it look so professional. Now, I can’t wait to get new business cards, stationery, and labels! Be sure to check out Nu expression on the web – a link is conveniently located at the bottom of my new site.

Finally, I’m so happy that these fine folks are located right here in Winston-Salem. It’s very important to me to “shop local”, because I’ve been so fortunate to receive such support from Winston-Salem and the Triad.

So take a look around and let me know your thoughts. I hope you like my new site as much as I do!