Royal Steamline The Blog | Inspiration for Brides & Grooms

For actors, performers, and those that hold a special place in their hearts for the stage, we present a new design that we call Velvet Curtain:

The rich reverse side of Velvet Curtain in gold

However, don’t think Velvet Curtain is just for theatre devotees. Available in black, Velvet Curtain can be the perfect subtle accent for a goth-inspired event…

Velvet Curtain in black -- just enough darkness for an understated goth affair...

…or any wedding that has conceptual ties to iron and velvet.

The front of the invitation -- note that the words "lengendary wits" and "fearless performers" are customizable!

Please note that the phrases “legendary wits” and “fearless performers” are placeholders only! You’re welcome to replace those two phrases with anything you’d like (provided you match the approximate character count).

Enjoy!

We’ve been meaning to post about this for a while, but you know how other things always seem to crop up. Well, no more excuses!

Earlier this year, Royal Steamline was invited to participate in a wedding concept photoshoot co-coordinated by Jessica Monnich (of Jessica Monnich Photography), Erin Coleman (of Peppermint Pretty), and Beth Bennett (of Stylish Happenings). The shoot, held at the Three Points Ranch outside of Austin, Texas, had a vintage carnival theme, so we thought that our Two Ring Circus design would be a perfect match:

Two Ring Circus invitations (as well Steamside on center right) -- photo montage by Jessica Monnich

And here’s a fun shot of the matching Table Cards:

Two Ring Circus table card at the Austin shoot -- photo by Jessica Monnich

There are tons of great images from the huge shoot, which included amazing fashions, cute couples and…fire eaters!

Flames of Love -- photo montage by Jessica Monnich

Please check out the full spread at Jessica’s blog or see the awesome compilation over at Utterly Engaged (our invitation is on the cover!).

Finally, thanks to Jessica, Erin, Beth and everyone else who made this a fantastic project. We were so happy to be a part of it!

Inspired by the scorching heat we’ve been experiencing (as well as Viktor Vasnetsov’s fantastic depiction of a triumphant Ivan Tsarevich), we present Flight of Fancy, a new invitation design that celebrates ancient mysteries of sand and steppe:

Flight of Fancy

Incorporating elements that blend the 19th with even earlier centuries, Flight of Fancy whisks you to an imagined Arabia — but remains adaptable to wedding themes ranging from steampunk to the Old West.

Now please excuse me while I refill my skins at the oasis…

After a weekend like the one we just had here in PDX, there’s no doubt that summer has arrived. We thought it seemed like the perfect time to re-introduce Laurel Canyon 1904:

Re-introducing Laurel Canyon 1904

It’s always been one of our warmest designs..but we thought it needed a bit of color adjustment. We replaced some of the yellows with more muted blues and purples, accentuating the watercolor approach. Oh, and new fonts, too! We feel that the new look maintains the quietly psychedelic tone of the original while using a more appealing palette. Perfect for an wedding in a breezy meadow or under a maple tree in June!

Love all the Gorey details in this Portland wedding captured by the fabulous Jessica Hill Photography. See more of this wedding on her blog.

Offbeat Bride’s post on the spider in the wedding bouquet reminded me it’s been way too long since I’ve checked in on artist  Ann Wood’s blog. I try to stay up-to-date on her creepy (and not so creepy) creations. These stunning pieces are made up of lovely scraps of vintage fabric and buttons…and I want them all.

Here’s a round-up of my favorite so far…

Black Bustled Spider

Chillingworth Owl

Strolling Spider

Botanical Experiments

I’m excited to share another local, vintage clothing Etsy shop that offers fun, gorgeous pieces from decades past. Fab Gabs Vintage offers a mix of casual and fancy dresses, suits and accessories. There’s even a special section for boudoir vintage lingerie! Whether you’re going for a Mad Men style, rockabilly or an “old Hollywood” wedding, there’s plenty of guys and dames fashions to be found here. The ’50s-era polka dot dress below would look amazing with one of these crinoline petticoats we featured last summer.

Wartime Bouquet

The Ultimate Lucy Dress

Paul Drake 1960s Sportcoat

… and there’s still a week left to enter Teh Fab Gabs Vintage Giveaway. Head over to the blog for details.

Mon dieu! Like many, we’ve been fascinated by the myths and realities that surround Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen. As Marie Antoinette, she’s come to symbolize beauty, youth and extreme luxury. Allow us to introduce our first invitation design to salute her legend, Petit Trianon:

Not only does Petit Trianon reference the young Dauphine de France, it alludes to a perplexing and eerie incident in which time itself may have become momentarily and capriciously malleable. A bizarre incident matched only be the decadence of the court at Versailles…

Ever since October, I’ve been following the Tweed Ride phenomena. I mean, what’s not to like about a combination of Victorian gear and cycling that emphasizes fun and camaraderie? I’d noted that my former home of San Francisco had been a major force in American Tweed Rides. This, however, left me all the more disappointed that my current home — and de facto cycling utopia — of Portland was noticeably ignoring a phenomena that seemed like a perfect fit.

Well, we finally got our collective act together and produced a smashing Tweed Ride not two days ago.

Photo by william200549 on Flickr

There are many fine photos of the event on Flickr here and here. Oh, and some fine video footage, too (note the pipe-packing at 1:25):

Now, why are we at Royal Steamline posting about cycling? Because we were quite impressed with some of the riders’ ensembles, particularly the gents. Upcoming grooms leaning toward a vintage wedding would be well served to peruse these images and take note of any styles they find particularly fitting.

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the perfect connection between Tweed Rides and our Rovers and Country Ride invitation designs.

Looking forward to the next ride!