Custom Gala Invitation
1998 Swan House Ball
The Atlanta Historical Society
Winner of the:
- the 1999 ISES/NACE Allie Award
Most Creative Invitation
THE EVENT
One of 'the' social events of the year in Georgia's political and social circles
is the Swan House Ball sponsored by the
Atlanta Historical Society of the
Atlanta History Center. Traditionally, the current Governor's wife is
the celebrity co-chair of the event. The other chair is held yearly by a
different, powerful and respected member of Atlanta society. The co-chairs
are assisted professional by the elite of Atlanta's special events industry.
PLANNING
The theme of the 1998 Swan House Ball was the
'Titanic,' Among H.M.S. Titanic's lost passengers and crew, was a
doctor from Atlanta who was traveling on the doomed ship with his wife.
The event's decor was to be stupendous. A huge tent was set up in the
sculptured back yard garden of the Atlanta History Center. Inside, the
tent was decorated to approximate the
'A La Carte Restaurant' on the actual ship. The Gala's menu was the
same served on the Titanic as Irish clog dancers and bands performed for
bejeweled guests.
EXPECTATIONS
We were asked to design and produce invitations and collateral pieces (Menu
Cards, Table Assignment Letter, and Save the Date Card) that reflected the
Titanic theme of this event while expressing the wonder, joy and elegance of the
ship and its passengers.
PROJECT DESIGN
In preparation of this project, our designer Gwen Ware read several of the
important books on the Titanic, studied all available documentaries and movies
on the ship, and viewed Titanic memorabilia. The result was her original
drawing of the Titanic sailing at dusk into a starry night. The drawing
served as the centerpiece of a mini-poster that looked as if it was designed and
printed in 1910, placed in a steamer trunk and forgotten until it's re-discovery
in 1998.
To give the eight and a half inch wide by eleven inches tall invitation the
appearance of 90 years in a steamer trunk, we artificially aged the antique
natural parchment paper by staining it with natural washes, crumpling the paper,
and burning the edges to imitate the flaking edges of old parchment. After
we printed the design on the treated paper, we performed the final aging
treatment by brushing the mini-poster with a layer of yellow shellac.
The printed and antiqued bottom sheet was topped by a sheet of translucent
vellum on which the names of the board members were printed. The vellum
sheet was attached to the parchment sheet by a gold clip embossed with a single
rose in tribute to the heroine 'Rose' in the 1997 release of the movie
"Titanic."
For an added touch of reality, the White Star logo was placed on the RSVP
card. The RSVP Card was printed on antiqued natural parchment paper
and accompanied by a cream colored RSVP envelope.
The co-chairs preferred a white, opaque mailing envelope . In keeping
with the the event theme we printed the White Star logo on the envelope.
Guest names and addresses were printed within the banner beneath the logo.
Guests who returned their RSVP Cards next received a letter from the Atlanta
Historical Society containing their table assignments. Again, keeping to
the event's Titanic theme, our designer Gwen Ware researched the stationery of
and letters issued from the White Star Line. The end result was an
antiqued letter that very closely mimicked the appearance of actual letters from
the White Star line right down to the fonts, stationery design and logos.
Included with the Table Assignment letter was a table assignment card and its
cover.
When guests arrived at their seats, they found a yellowed, 6-page, 11inch by
17 inch "Newspaper" that appeared to have been printed the day the H.M.S.
Titanic first set sail from Southampton England on its way across the English
Channel to France. Gwen Ware, our designer created the newspaper which in
reality was the event's Program and Menu Card. For the amusement of the
guests, the 'newspaper' also included articles research and written by Gwen Ware
about local and world events that were reported the day the Titanic sailed.
CHALLENGES
There were a myriad of moving pieces to this project and attention to a detailed
schedule was key.
EVENT DELIVERABLES
The Electronic Pencil custom designed and handcrafted the following items for
this gala:
- 400 Event Invitation Sets (Invitation, RSVP Card, RSVP
Envelope and Mailing Envelope)
- 400 Save the Date Cards
- 350 Table Assignment Letters, Table Assignment Cards and
Card Covers
- 350 'Newspaper' Programs/Menu Cards
MORE AWARDS
|
2006 Wedding |
2006 Gala Event
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996
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