Ruth Bleakley, the designer behind our sponsor Concertina Press has one top frequently asked question (besides, "OMG, can you design our wedding invitation, please?") and the answer is fascinating...

The number one question I get is: "So, did you draw all of those sea creatures?" And, in my head I'm always thinking, "Dude, if I could draw like a scientific illustrator I'd be working for the Smithsonian." But then I actually tell them how I used to work for a marine biology library, and one of my jobs was cataloging all of the century-old scientific journals to be scanned for public use. Fast forward several years, and now I breathe new life into old illustrations, and turn them into stationery!

Wanna see more of the original scientific inspiration for the most awesome sea creature invitations you'll see today?

Check out these before and afters...

What her fans are saying...

"Until I saw Ruth's beautiful designs, I was seriously having doubts about having everything for our wedding take on a nautical theme. I mean, I like boats okay - and Ruth has some beautiful products featuring ships - but for me, getting married by the sea is something I am doing because I love the ocean. I love all the things about it. So, the standard navy on white invitations with a compass embossed across the pages with an anchor charm dangling off of it, did nothing for me. That didn't feel personal enough for me.

So, when I found her wedding invitation page, I knew I had found something special. The inspiration for her work comes from old scientific illustrations - which has it's own special meaning for my fiancee and me - and she really brings her subjects to life, and the colors are beautiful. Having recently received the actual invitations in hand, I can say that I am ecstatic about the end product, and the online pictures don't do justice to the beauty of her work." - Sandra and Freya - Navy Octopus Invitation

"I would highly recommend Concertina Press. I was looking for a unique and special sand dollar invitation for our seaside wedding in Maine. All I could find online were cartoon-y simple invitations, until I came across Concertina Press. Ruth's creations are so incredibly special, unique and are very high quality. I was a bit nervous to purchase online instead of being able to see and touch them in person, but all my worries were put to rest when they arrived.

The bonus is Ruth is a real pleasure to work with, she was professional, and everything arrived onetime exactly as she said it would." - Sarah and Brendan - Sand Dollar Wedding Invitation

"We had been looking for something nautical but unique, but also had a tight deadline - luckily we found the perfect fit with Concertina Press. Ruth was excellent to work with - she was patient and clear, with a quick turnaround and great communication. The jellyfish invites we ended up ordered were amazing! We received many compliments once we sent them out. A definite recommend!" - Melissa and Todd - Jellyfish Wedding Invitation

You can get all Concertina Press designs as your wedding invitations, Save the Dates, note cards for Thank Yous, hell, even Christmas cards! And all of her designs are so smart, they practically have masters degrees. So go take a deep dive into the wonderful world of Concertina Press.