Client Stories: Martha & Bertie
This project was such a pleasure to work on as it got straight to the heart of what I love to do at Wilde & Scribe: originality, creativity, and a strong relationship with the client.
Martha and Bertie got in touch after discovering my work online - they had already sent out their own save the date cards which featured a beautifully bold colour palette, but for their invitations they wanted something more personal and tailored that would match the same aesthetic. They needed someone to bring together their vision with artistry, consideration and care.
The Brief
The Save the Date cards featured a vibrant combination of emerald green and raspberry. They wanted their wedding invitations to follow this palette whilst also introducing more specific details for the day including:
A custom illustration of their venue, Halton Grove in Northumberland
A bespoke illustrated map of the area and key landmarks
A matching RSVP card
A clean, modern finish with a touch of artistic flair
In-Person Creative Collaboration
I was thrilled to hear that Martha lived locally, so we took the opportunity to meet in person over coffee to chat through the vision. We looked through examples of my previous work, which helped us define the aesthetic direction quickly and gave me the insight I needed to create something which would hit Martha and Bertie’s brief from the very beginning.
Mood Board & Design Direction
Next up, I created a bespoke mood board to visually capture everything we discussed—from style influences and colour references to layout inspirations. Martha gave it the green light straight away! Time to move on to my favourite part - the illustration and design stage…
Custom Venue Illustration
The standout feature of the design was to be the hand-drawn illustration of Halton Grove, created in fineliner with soft watercolour accents. This style was chosen specifically to reflect the couple’s desire for something both contemporary and timeless. I also designed a freehand border, using emerald and raspberry tones to echo their Save the Date palette.
A quick check I was on the right track - I sent over images of the work-in-progress to the couple - they loved it! Meanwhile, Martha and Bertie had worked on finalising the invitation wording, and so it was on to finalising the design and setting...
Envelope Liner & Final Details
For the final version of the design we further refined the border width and tweaked colours slightly to get everything perfect. We also decided on elevating the final suite with a bespoke envelope liner. I suggested transforming the hand-drawn border into a vertical stripe pattern, alternating in emerald and raspberry. The result was a striking, playful detail that added a joyful pop of colour when the invitation was opened and tied everything together.
Before print, we jointly reviewed a paper sample pack, allowing the couple to choose the finish that best suited their style.
Print & Personal Touches
With all final designs approved, the suite was sent to print. As a final flourish, I hand-scribed the names of each guest onto the RSVP cards using a calligraphy pen and black ink—a personal touch that added to the tactile, intimate feel of the suite.
The Finished Items
Seeing the final printed designs is always a thrill! The quality of the subtly textured off-white paper beautifully set off the designs resulting in a final suite that felt polished, cohesive, and truly personal.
Martha and Bertie were really happy with the final invite suite and gave glowing feedback from themselves and their guests!
‘‘From the first contact Rachel has been amazing…she made the process so easy and enjoyable and has gone above and beyond to create something really special which is perfect for us. We are delighted with the final product and have already had lots of comments from guests on the beautiful invitations.’’
Thinking of Something Bespoke?
You invitations are the first insight your guests will have into the celebration to come, and when done correctly can convey the tone and heart to your day beautifully and with elegance.
Working with Martha and Bertie was a joy—from first meeting to final brushstroke! Please do get in touch to start your own bespoke journey - I’d love to hear from you.