Boho Loves: Monty Manatee Wedding Venue Design Directory...........PLUS win a thumbprint tree guestbook

Today I would like to tell you a bit more about Sara Bodinar from Monty Manatee Designs. Sara is an artist and stationery designer based in Nottingham but originally from the same place as me, Cornwall. I had the pleasure of meeting Sara at the end fo last year when she came to my Boozy Boho Bash, and she really is lovely.

Sara has recently launched her Wedding Venue Design Directory, which gives you the bride and groom the opportunity of having personally design wedding stationery which incorporates your very own wedding venue!……….and it’s at a price that won’t break the bank!

Sara is also giving you the opportunity to win a ‘thumbprint tree guest book’ in a monthly draw on her my facebook page to win all you have to do is like her page HERE

I’ve asked Sara to tell us a bit more about her, her work and her influences, so I’ll hand the blog over to her

I’m a Cornish artist, (originally from Penzance) but now living in Nottingham and I create wedding stationery that features your wedding venue! (For a very reasonable price)
A combined love of art and weddings. Made me start my business in 2011. My wedding day was the happiest day of my life, so what could be a better profession than helping other couples to achieve the same?
This is my dream job. If it wasn’t my job, I’d still be drawing and colouring. It’s not something I can stop myself from doing!

Your Style
Original, quirky, bright and colourful but romantic too.

Biggest achievement so far
The wedding venue design directory. This is a directory of designs of wedding venues that I have put together. The designs are applied to various items of wedding stationery; save the date cards / wedding invitations / RSVPs /orders of service / tableplans /menus / place-setting cards / thank you cards. Usually then, a bespoke touch is added to the design to make it personal to the couple (ie the addition of the bride’s favourite flowers or pet / the couple’s wedding colour scheme or theme etc). The couple then has a range of wedding stationery items that feature their very own wedding day! So far the directory only consists of designs of wedding venues based in the East Midlands (and South Yorkshire) but this is changing rapidly. There has been a lot of interest and venues from across the UK will be added in. If a couple’s wedding venue is not yet in the directory, couples can commission their venue to be added at no extra cost to them. (Commissions don’t have to be the wedding venue, I have just finished an order that required a design of New York!)

What makes you different?
I was an artist before I got into wedding stationery (I currently have exhibitions in two Cornish art galleries – place an order with me and your stationery might be worth more than you paid for it in a few years time!!) so my approach to designing is less prescriptive and I perhaps have more flexibility about what I can put onto my stationery. (ie pretty much anything) Also I give couples the chance to tweak the design before it goes to print. It is important to me that a couple is entirely happy with their design.

Pricing
Save the date cards / invites / thank you cards / orders of service / menus – £1 each (add £10p more to each if you have a personalised touch added)
Postcard style RSVPs and place-setting cards – 70p each (add 10p more if you have a personalised touch added)
Tableplans £10 (includes signage for 5 other tables. Additional tables £1 each)
Thumbprint trees (alternative guestbook) £10

Inspiration:
The wedding invitations for my wedding had on them a picture of my venue – Lands End – because it was unusual (especially as half my guests were travelling from the Midlands) and it occurred to me that other couples might like to see their venue on their stationery, especially if it incorporated other aspects of their wedding. And luckily for me, they do!