Weddingbee

My seventh grade crush once peeked inside my Trapper-Keeper and saw our names written in romantic script, complete with fancy flourishes and dramatic loops. He was not impressed by my penmanship. While I’ve gotten over the embarrassment (and that boy!), I’ve never gotten over my love affair with beautiful handwriting.

Luckily for me, there are so many amazingly talented calligraphers. Each has a unique style that may or may not work with the feeling of your event. The key is to choose a calligrapher whose style complements the vision and theme of your wedding. Here are some wonderfully dreamy options:

Bernard Maisner
The grand poobah of the calligraphy world, Maisner is internationally renowned for his extraordinarily beautiful work. His calligraphy has been featured in numerous magazines and movies (Sleepy Hollow, Age of Innocence). Maisner’s decadent, extravagant calligraphy would be perfect for a high-class, very formal affair. Click here for an interesting article on the master himself.

Rebecca Trawick of Bluebird Studios
Funky, creative, and wildly whimsical are just a few of the ways I would describe Trawick’s one of a kind calligraphy. She is also the wonderful calligrapher who added so much style to Mrs. Gummi Bear’s wedding stationery! Trawick’s pen would be the perfect accompaniment to a wedding with a fun, light-hearted feel.

Laura Hooper
A favorite of Southern California brides, Laura Hooper has a fantastic reputation for high-quality, beautiful work. Her website features a number of calligraphy styles to match any type of event, from uber-traditional to modern to funky.

Nancy Howell
Recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings (in the calligraphy cakes article), Howell’s work has a romantic, yet modern feel. I especially love the custom maps she pens– they would be lovely as save-the-dates or inserts in out-of-town baskets.

Ilee:
The best of both worlds: Ilee specializes in both traditional and whimsical styles. I love the idea of customizing envelope lettering to the recipient: traditional for your manners-minding relatives and whimsical for your sexy, fancy-free friends.

Debi Zeinert of The Blooming Quill:
I first spied Debi’s work on the Bella Figura website– her letterpressed calligraphy invitation is so exquisite. I was *thisclose* to ordering it for our wedding. Her style is so fluid, yet crisp. It could work for almost any type of wedding.

Betsy Dunlap
Wonderfully zany and whimsical, Betsy’s style looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland. I love how creative and inventive her style is– her style would be perfect for a truly quirky, offbeat affair.

John DeCollibus
Also recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, DeCollibus has an ethereal, highly romantic style. The seating scroll is such a lovely idea– it serves a practical function as a seating chart and is also a cherished keepsake when the day is over.

Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls
In addition to penning beautiful, slightly whimsical lettering, May-Belle creates truly lovely hand-drawn maps. I particularly love the whimsical key save-the-date below– I wish I had thought of that!

Are you choosing a calligrapher for your wedding stationery? Who did you choose?

all images courtesy of bernard maisner, bluebird studios, laura hooper, nancy howell, ilee, debi zeinert, bella figura, betsy dunlap, john decollibus, may-belle