Design and Design Award of 03/05/2012 is assigned to our Caligrafía invitation.

The design will appear on the homepage of design&design.com for a full day & will be published in the upcoming “Book of the Year Volume Five” to be release in December 2012!

ِAll Designs & Photos by ©2007-2012 Natoof

Here’s a fun post about special custom giant paper clips/bookmarks made for a family member, as you will guess the name is “Mariam” as my own. These clips are great to use as bookmark for books, magazines or simply to clip papers & documents. They just add beautiful personal style statement to stationery.

Since its my birthday today (12th April), you can enjoy downloading & using the name “Mariam” in two different Arabic calligraphy styles as featured on the clips/bookmark.

Arabic name مريم – The file in PDF/vector format – Download (Right click /Save as)

Plus, you can use these images for your mobile display profiles:

Happy Marayem

Posted by Mariam Bin Natoof | All photos & artwork by © Natoof | Disclaimer: You can use the PDF calligraphy work of the name for your personal non-commercial usage.

There must be brides who come to you with a very fuzzy idea of what they want. How do you help them hone their vision?
I advise the bride and it’s crucial to involve her in every element of the design process. If she doesn’t have a clear picture about specific theme, I take the time to listen to her thoughts, and learn more about her style and personality. I then suggest a few concepts that reflects a certain idea or mood for her wedding day.

Do you often get brides who meet you with binders of inspiration?
I’ll admit it’s always exciting and challenging to work with brides who arrive brimming with ideas & inspiration. Once I’ve grasped your style, I’ll advise you on various possibilities and how you can translate your ideas into print, keeping your budget in mind.

Any advice when it comes to the wording?
Creative writing helps a lot! I always suggest adding something personal to emphasize the design. Often a favorite quote or poem lends an evocative feel. Some brides prefer words to be crafted like a fairy tale to create an aura of something special their guests can look forward to on the wedding day.

TOP TIP: “Think of your invitation as one the focal points of your wedding day. Put some time & thoughts about the design you want to create. Start collecting everything you like from the moment you get engaged like visuals, photos, colors, patterns from magazines & from the Internet. Once you have gathered these elements, the process of designing your invitation becomes a seamless & rewarding process.”

Is it possible to have an invitation that feels contemporary & creative yet formal?
Yes, the beauty of design now is that you can combine more than one element or style in an invitation. It doesn’t have to be too colorful to be considered modern and, for formality, it does not have to always denote white cards. The right designer would know how to incorporate the right balance of contemporary with a formal tone – perhaps the interplay of complementary colors with classical fonts.

What is the ideal time-frame for couples to order their invitations?
First, prepare a list of guests to determine the precise quantities to order. Once an order has been placed, it usually takes between three to four months for a specially customized order. However, if you opt to choose a pre-designed template, then roughly two months are required for them to arrive. If you are mailing your invitations, it is ideal to check with the postal service to properly plan your distribution & avoid delays.

Does the look & feel of the invite reflect the theme of the wedding?
An invitation is the first thing guests receive, so it conveys the first impression about your wedding day. I feel they should reflect the theme of the wedding, as the guests look forward to what they can expect to see.

The interview was first published in Martha Stewart Weddings ME Nov-Dec 2010
ِPhotos: Purple Autumn Wedding Invitation by © Natoof | Personal Scarp Book by Natoof | Natoof Wedding Board on Pinterest

On personal preference, I requested a jeweller to create a custom monogram necklace for my letter “m” with the Buttermilk font, I didn’t want to select a regular handwritten & calligraphy font which is widely used by the jewellery shops such as “Edwardian Script or Champignon…” . Therefore, I created the visual for the letter & the artisan produced it perfectly:

We’ve also used the font previously with the Bridal Thank You notes and created a similar style to match it with the Arabic typography:

More snap shots of Buttermilk used by others on their designs:

 Posted by Mariam / The monogram Necklace & Bridal Thank You notes by © Natoof /  Buttermilk™ Copyright © Jessica Hische

Links:
Jessica Hische Website | Myfonts.com | Veer.com 

Credits:
Blog title for Keiko Lynn | Mothers Day Card by Lucky Bee Press | Hendrix Invitation by Jessica Hische for Bella Figura | Wallpaper Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say by 55 Hi’s | Damn Fine Day by The Sibling shop 

Caligrafía: artistic shapes & curves of Arabic letters through laser cut & foil stamp.

You can view the photos in our gallery.

If you are interested in our wedding invitations, please read the FAQ page then get in touch with us by email.

ِAll Designs & Photos by ©2007-2012 Natoof

Touch Branding II, a newly released book published several of our design & branding jobs on 4 pages.  They’ve selected our branding project for “Zilar” &  ”Sposa Haute Couture”. Moreover, the book showcased our exquisite invitation “Felicità” on two spread pages as a wedding branding.

Read the full post on Invitation Crush website:

“It’s no wonder that Tiffany Blue is one of the most inspirational colors around for all things wedding. The beautiful shade of teal conjures feelings of sophistication and luxury, along with images of the unforgettable Holly Golightly nibbling on a pastry in her little black dress. Romantic. Classic. Perfect inspiration for a wedding invitation. And this Tiffany-inspired invitation by UAE/Dubai-based invitation design studio, Natoof, is just as unforgettable as the iconic character.”

Something Blue, our newest design. Tiffany blue inspired wedding, required an invitation which complimented the theme. Therefore, what a better idea than the the concept of the famous gift box; a representation of modernity & classiness. The invitation was packaged in a wrapped box with a magnetic closure, a plus element for an easy access. The package holds a laser cut clear acrylic invitation.

You can view the photos in our gallery.

If you are interested in our wedding invitations, please read the FAQ page then get in touch with us by email.

ِAll Designs & Photos by ©2007-2012 Natoof 

Our greeting cards are featured in the new book  ”Best of Greeting Cards”,  published by Zeixs.
~Regardless if it’s the standard paper card or its digital equivalent, greeting cards are indispensable
as well in private as in business life. Of course modern greeting cards have little in common with those
old-fashioned flowery-types, but there have been highly interesting developments also in this field of work.~

يمكنكم الان زيارة موقعنا من خلال النطاق العربي نتوف.امارات

اسم النطاق العربي الجديد “.امارات” هو أفقٌ جديد تبلغه الإمارات العربية المتحدة السبّاقة بخطواتها وإنجازاتها، تأكيداً على اعتزازها باللغة العربية، ودورها الريادي في دعم المحتوى العربي في الإنترنت، لتسهيل استخدامه وتصفحه من قبل ملايين القراء الناطقين بالعربية حول العالم، من خلال كتابة العناوين الإلكترونية بالحروف العربية، دون الحاجة إلى كتابتها بالحروف اللاتينية. للمزيد من المعلومات عن النطاق العربي يمكنكم زيارة الموقع عربي.امارات