The Green Kangaroo - Unique Wedding Invitations and Stationery

Last night, a movie called The Cove was awarded an Oscar for “Best Feature Documentary” film. It’s a gripping examination of a highly secretive annual dolphin massacre that takes place off the coast of Japan. The film was produced by the Oceanic Preservation Society, a non-profit organization founded by filmmakers, photographers, and eco-activists.

As animal lovers ourselves, we were astonished by the movie’s revelations about this horrific industry. So in support of OPS, we are launching a special “blue” March promotion! The Green Kangaroo will donate 5% of all blue sales for the remainder of March to the Oceanic Preservation Society.

Help build our fund by ordering something “blue” – literally! Blue orders contain one or more of the following:

• blue ink

• blue paper

• blue ribbon

• blue embellishments

We’ll feature some of the most lovely blue orders on the blog throughout the month, to provide you with inspiration! Just remember, to qualify for this promotion, orders must be submitted before March 31, 2010.

We were thrilled to learn a few months ago that TGK had been chosen as one of the University of Georgia’s Top 100 “Best Bulldog Businesses.” And at the awards banquet this weekend, we learned that TGK ranks #14 out of those 100 amazing companies, in terms of our rate of growth! Color us green with excitement!

Melissa and Kristen had big plans to travel down to Atlanta to attend the super fancy awards gala, but were sidelined by the snowstorm that hit North Carolina. So I, their intrepid blogger (and fellow UGA alum), braved the nasty Atlanta drizzle to attend in their stead. Oh, what a rough life I lead …

My sweet husband and I were wined and dined at the fancy Intercontinental Hotel among such illustrious alums as the CEO of AFLAC and the founders of numerous innovative corporations, not to mention a few old faces we hadn’t seen in years. (My husband was most impressed by the appearance of UGA Athletic Director Damon Evans, naturally.)

Unfortunately, my bum camera failed to capture any of the Kodak moments, but we will post some of the “official” event photos once we can get our hands on them. Until then, we’ll leave you with this quote from the University’s press release on the event:

“The Green Kangaroo should be congratulated for being among the first selection of Bulldog 100 companies,” said Deborah Dietzler, Executive Director of the UGA Alumni Association. “With more than 400 nominees representing businesses from throughout the United States, it is a true achievement to be selected.”

While obviously we advocate for custom printed save-the-dates, we were thoroughly entertained at the TGK studios last week with bridepop’s collection of “epic” save the date wedding videos.

My favorite is the quirky French couple, but there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the medieval / viking quest-themed movie trailer style video. Oh, it’s impossible to put into words – just check them out here!

TGK is busy, busy! In the coming months we are participating in several bridal shows and we would LOVE for you to come and visit us!

We will be at The Carolina Inn Bridal Fair in Chapel Hill, NC on January 31. Want to drop by? We have a limited number of FREE TICKETS for the first few blog readers who post a comment! Be sure to leave your email address in your comment so we can contact you! (Tickets are first come, first served with a limit of 2 per commenter.)

The Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh, NC will host Wedding Secrets on February 18. This event is “a constructive seminar aimed to educate brides on everything you need to know before you say I DO.” TGK will be one of 10 vendors chosen to share behind-the-scenes tips on what you really need to know when planning your wedding. Be sure to register early for this one!

And on March 4 we will be at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, NC for Cary Magazine’s Elegant Weddings Gala!

We hope to see you at one (or all!) of these wonderful events!

We were super excited to learn this week that The Green Kangaroo has been chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Award™ 2010 from WeddingWire! What an honor!

From WeddingWire:

“This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, and professionalism. The Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through extensive surveys and reviews, which means your past clients have spoken on our behalf and selected you to receive this honor.”

Visit TGK on WeddingWire and check out some of our reviews there. There is nothing more gratifying than satisfied customers! We’re blushing!

Ahhh – there’s so much to look forward to in the new year! To provide some inspiration for this year’s weddings, we wanted to share this list that’s been circulating the Internet of the Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2010! (View the full article here on North Carolina wedding planner Erin McLean’s blog.) We’ll be blogging about some of these trends–and a few others!–in the coming weeks. Let us know what trends you’re seeing as you plan your wedding!

1. Focusing on Basics

10. “Fusion” of Still and Video Photography

Since we do such a large portion of our business online, we really enjoy opportunities to get out of our studio and meet brides and other wedding vendors. And this past New Year’s weekend, we did just that! The Green Kangaroo exhibited at The Wedding Show down the road in Raleigh and, as expected, we had a wonderful time schmoozing with brides-to-be and their contingencies of mothers, maids, and even the occasional groom. Not to mention the amazing group of vendors in attendance, like Southern Bride & Groom Magazine and Katie Hamister Photography. Top notch all the way!

Photo is courtesy of the amazing Christobal Azul of Azul Photography.

Our design team is a multi-talented bunch, and the exhibit booth they have created perfectly captures the TGK style of fun, whimsical sophistication. We thought our blog readers may enjoy a little behind-the-scenes peek at our fancy exhibit space!

We’ll keep you posted on other wedding shows we’ll be visiting throughout the season. Who knows? We may even have some special prizes for blog readers who stop by our booth at the next event!

In celebration of the Christmas holidays, we will be closing early today to spend some time with our families and friends. With all this cold weather, we are looking forward to some cozy fireside afternoons … and maybe a few showings of Christmas Vacation! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! We’ll see you back on Monday.

We are loving the new Ingroom site designed as an online wedding resource specifically for men. While we are a bit skeptical that any guys we know would proactively seek out this site, this great resource, written from the male perspective, is definitely on the list of things they should read.

From outlining the groom’s traditional wedding duties to articles on proposal ideas and ring purchasing tips, your guy can get an answer to just about any question he’s likely to have. And even if your sweetie won’t navigate away from espn.com long enough to check it out himself, it’s a worthwhile stop for you to get guy-approved ideas to make the wedding a bit more special for him as well.

Just before Thanksgiving, The Green Kangaroo was named to the University of Georgia’s inaugural 100 Fastest Growing Bulldog Businesses list! TGK co-founder, Melissa Windley, and her husband are proud alumni of the University of Georgia, making this tremendous honor doubly sweet for our in-house Bulldawg!

TGK was selected out of more than 400 companies nominated from across the U.S. and had to meet a specific set of criteria to even be considered for this distinction. Though we think we’re proudest of the recognition that our company operates in “a manner consistent with UGA’s ‘Pillars of the Arch’ character statement” reflecting wisdom, justice, and moderation.

We find out at a fancy awards banquet in January just where TGK falls in the ranking. For now, Melissa’s got everyone in the office learning how to call the dawgs in celebration of this honor!

TGK’s Harvest Pumpkin save-the-date.

Something about the wood-smoke air and the last of the leaves falling has made us a bit reflective this Thanksgiving week. Indeed, there is much to be thankful for this year …

The Green Kangaroo continues to blossom and grow, reaching more and more brides across the country, and even internationally …

Connecting with brides who are inspired by our core vision of providing unique, custom wedding stationery and who let their imaginations be the inspiration for exciting new designs …

Working in an industry that is focused on creating exceptional memories and enjoying that special energy every day …

The support and encouragement of an amazing network of family and friends who cheer us on and celebrate each milestone with us, big and small …

And lastly, we’re thankful for you, for taking a moment to visit our site and explore a bit more of what we’re all about. Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving!

Melissa and Kristen, creating a one-of-a-kind MSW magazine cover at the event’s photo stand.

If you follow The Green Kangaroo on Facebook or Twitter, you already know that our Head Kangaroos, Kristen and Melissa, traveled to New York City earlier this week to attend the 15th anniversary celebration of the venerable Martha Stewart Weddings. K somehow convinced M that they should tear themselves away from the rigors of the TGK studio, all in the name of “industry research and networking” (wink wink!) at New York’s inestimable Plaza Hotel.

It was an exciting chance to rub elbows with some of the most well known names in the wedding biz and there were many celebrity sightings to be sure. But the best part of the evening was surely soaking in the ambiance that only a Martha Stewart event can provide!

Guests were greeted with an impressive display of banners featuring some of the magazine’s most popular covers from over the years. As they ventured through the party, they were serenaded by three different bands ranging from jazz and electric violins to good old rock and roll.

The dessert buffet was like something out of a candy-coated dream! Carrying out the pale pink-and-gold color scheme was a delectable selection of bite-sized snacks including ice cream sandwiches, pink-and-gold candy bars, and even itty-bitty pumpkin donuts! The savory buffet featured miniature grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato bisque cups with pizza dipping straws. K&M loved the inventiveness of the food displays.

Guests had plenty of seating options as the event designers brought in these cushy white sofas and ottomans with matching low tables, supplied by the lovely ladies at Taylor Creative Inc. Bringing in seating beyond standard-issue venue tables and chairs is a fun solution for brides looking to create a hip, modern feel at their reception venue! K&M lounged like VIPs!

If you want to see even more photos of some of the event’s amazing scenes, check out the MSW Bride’s Guide blog and photo gallery.

Last week, the in-studio crew took a field trip to Jay Andrews Salon to participate in the Pink Hair for Hope project. Everyone got some rock-star worthy pink hair extensions to show our support for the 25th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We had a ball and have been generating lots of interest on the streets of Cary, NC! We guess folks don’t normally see a lot of pink hair around here.

Want to join in the fun? Nearly 400 salons around the country are participating in the Pink Hair for Hope campaign. Click here to find one near you. Send us a picture of your pink hair extensions and we just may have a surprise for you!

And even if pink hair isn’t your bag, you can still help The Green Kangaroo mark National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by participating in our Think Pink promotion. Just incorporate ANY pink element into your next order in October and not only will you receive 10% off, we will also donate 10% of the cost of your order to a local breast cancer charity.

Our friend Christobal – who just so happens to be an amazing photographer – tagged along to photograph the pinking out. We will be sure to post those photos next week and give you a blow-by-blow of the hair extension transformation!

Our Sally

This weekend, The Green Kangaroo is participating as a “Diamond in the Ruff” sponsor (isn’t that adorable!) for our favorite local charity, Best Friends Pet Adoption’s, 2nd Annual Whiskers & Wedges Golf Tournament and Raffle!

We aren’t exactly scratch golfers, but we know a good time when we see it! And we love any chance to support this organization’s mission of rescuing homeless animals. Hopefully all of this rain will have breezed through and will leave us with some crisp fall weather to show off our new pink hair extensions (more on THAT next week!)

We also just found out that we’ve become the lucky parents/sponsors of a sweet little BFPA gal named Sally! Ain’t she a cutie? We are so proud.

Wedding Aces is a fabulous new online community dedicated to – you guessed it! – everything about weddings! It’s made up of some of the best vendors in the industry who provide scads of valuable advice, information, and ideas relating to their particular specialty. TGK’s inimitable owners, Kristen and Melissa, were recently asked to join the team as the “stationery and invitations” Aces, and TGK is supremely honored to be a member of such an elite cadre of wedding professionals! (You can read their introductory entry here. We are so proud!)

One of the coolest features about the site is that brides can write in specific questions to be answered by the Aces themselves and other members of the community. The site is updated constantly with new material from the panel of Aces and it’s super-easy to browse with its simple category-style organization.

We think you’ll love this exceptional resource for wedding planning! Please visit the site and let them know how happy you are to have Kristen and Melissa as contributors. And let us know if you have questions that you’d like to see them answer on the site – or here on the blog!