A Stunning Crossed Keys Estate Wedding
Today on the Write Pretty for Me blog, I am sharing something REALLY special. For the first time ever, I’m featuring a real wedding! Meredith and Ryan’s stunning Crossed Keys Estate wedding took place this past May and I absolutely love the way that all of their custom calligraphy pieces came together on their wedding day. (I’m thinking about sharing real weddings more often, so if this is the kind of wedding inspo that you love to see, message me on Instagram!)
In case you are new to my world, I’m Alane, the gal behind Write Pretty for Me, and I specialize in custom wedding signage and other gorgeous wedding calligraphy pieces. I believe handwritten details matter, and when I share Meredith and Ryan’s wedding with you today, you can see the difference that custom wedding calligraphy pieces can make on your special day. If you’re currently planning your own New Jersey wedding, you can learn more about my services here.
Planning the Wedding Calligraphy for this Crossed Keys Estate Wedding
Meredith and Ryan worked with a fabulous New Jersey wedding planner – Jodie from Particular Planner – and when she reached out, I couldn’t wait for us to all hop on a call. I love when wedding planners let their couples be involved in the fun stuff and then work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen. Jodie connected us via phone, and then all together, we talked through their vibe, calligraphy items and created an overall design direction for their wedding day.
It’s crazy to think now that my 2021 wedding calendar is full, but Meredith and Ryan only started working with me in February of 2021 for their May wedding. If you’ve been hesitant to reach out to me for your 2022 wedding because you aren’t sure of all the details yet, don’t delay! As long as you have your wedding date on my calendar, we can (and will) start finalizing your wedding signage and decor as it gets closer to your wedding date.
Custom Wedding Day Signage
After our call, I put together a proposal for a custom welcome sign, seating chart, drink signs, a card box, guest book sign, table numbers. Most of what they wanted was custom and, as you can see from the photos, everything turned out beautifully. As the wedding details were finalized, Meredith and Ryan added on a few additional drink signs and a custom bridal jacket. Bridal Jackets are one of the biggest wedding calligraphy trends in 2021 and I am a huge fan. Meredith chose a white leather jacket and it turned out perfectly. What a great keepsake for your wedding day!
For my custom wedding signage couples, I also offer rentals to help with any low waste wedding initiatives (I talk more about what I think you should rent and what I think you should buy here). For Meredith and Ryan’s Crossed Keys Estate wedding, they chose to have custom wedding signage but rented frames for their drink signs and wood bases for their table numbers.
Wedding Reception Decor
I know I’m biased, but what I love about wedding calligraphy is how interactive it is. Unlike other pieces of your wedding decor that your guests may see, the handwritten pieces are designed to be where your guests look: whether that’s a seating chart, table numbers, a signature cocktail sign, or a wedding card box. Nothing is purely decorative — it’s all designed to be welcoming, informative and interacted with. I also truly believe nothing makes your guests feel more special than seeing their names handwritten in calligraphy (whether that be a seating chart or place cards). That might just be the wedding calligrapher in me though!
Crossed Keys Estate Wedding
Overall, it was one of the most incredible wedding days. I loved how Meredith and Ryan trusted me with their wedding vision from start to finish. Although everything was very cohesive, nothing felt cookie-cutter. We went for a rustic-elegant vibe to fit the feel of the venue and did so by incorporating handmade paper, watercolor details and gold elements. I talk quite often about how you don’t need to just choose “one” style and commit. Often, you can mix and match different elements and styles that you love and as long as you keep some consistency (like the calligraphy), everything still really flows together seamlessly.
If you’re currently planning your wedding, I would love to hear about your wedding day vision and see how we can work together. If you aren’t sure what to expect, I also talk about budgeting for custom calligraphy here and the process of working together here. Space is filling up fast for 2022 (2021 is already fully booked!) so get in touch here and let’s start a conversation as soon as you are ready!
Vendor Squad
Planning: Particular Planner
Venue: Crossed Keys Estate
Flowers: Crossed Keys Designs
Photography: Long Brook Photography
Calligraphy: Write Pretty for Me
Invitations: Hudson Paperie
