Today I caught up with Harriet Bull, founder and creative force behind Kissing Otters who create such gorgeous and unique wedding stationery designs.  Harriet started Kissing Otters following her own wedding in 2014.  I really love her style of designs, that lace together pretty & traditional with fun and quirky, and her spinner design is my favourite wedding invite I have seen in a long time! Katie xx

Let us know a bit about the face behind Kissing Otters – what do you like to do when you are not creating wedding stationery?

I am an avid traveller and love going abroad; I spend plenty of my day plotting my next holiday in my head – next up is New York!

I live with my husband John and 2 cats Archie and Lola (who is snuggling into me as we speak) – life is pretty sweet! I am very partial to an art gallery and I have got a new lust for spin classes at the gym.

I used to play the cello but I cut it up with a saw for a Picasso inspired art project…you can see where this is going can’t you…I’m pretty normal I promise.

What journey led you to become a stationery designer?

I always loved creating and making things.  From the age of seven I would collect up Mum’s old metal garlic paste tubes, cut them open to reveal their shiny gold insides and make beautiful embossed birthday cards for people using a ballpoint pen! My creative side continued throughout school and before I knew it I was graduating University with a First Class Honours Degree in Graphic Design *CHUFFED*.  I then fell into stationery when myself and my hubby John were married in 2014.  I got the stationery bug, my portfolio grew, I started getting enquiries and never looked back!

Where did the fabulous name ‘Kissing Otters’ come from?

Not only are otters unquestionably my favourite animal in the world, but they also pair up and hold hands (well, paws!) when they go to sleep so they don’t drift away from one another *CUE AWWW* It was a clear winning name, very memorable, and made me think of brides and grooms starting out on their lovely life journey together.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I love an art gallery as previously mentioned, but I find because I am also a graphic designer designing client work, the current trends inspire me in various ways. Kudos also goes out to Pinterest, my church, for a quick browse and some inspiration. When I was planning my wedding Pinterest was an absolute MUST, but sometimes it can be the smallest thing like a bright yellow dress that inspires me or even a stroll that clears my mind, and EUREKA!

Is there a design that you are most proud of?

I am a big fan of my Vintage Rose inspired design, and it seems to have been very popular with lots of brides & grooms.  However, the design that gets the most attention is my spinner design. Each one is professionally printed, hand cut (the compass scalpel is my friend) and then finished with a pearl brad. I would say that’s the design people really remember when I speak to them as they want something new and different.

You also provide photobooths to events, how do the two businesses work together?

Kissing Otters love, love, LOVE a photobooth! We totally don’t try on the props at home and take selfies… It came about because my best friend Emma really wanted a booth at her wedding, but she wanted a cost effective solution and didn’t want to hire a box booth, and being her maid of honour I didn’t want to disappoint. Since I love a challenge, I set about creating a photobooth I thought she would love, acquired a tonne of props and ran the booth on her wedding day. The guests loved it and we booked further weddings off the back of that. Hubby and myself run the booth.  He is chief cameraman, and I tend to be the boss and load guests up with props…the more the better! The Otters are all about fun, and we like to think we offer it in bucketloads with the stationery and booth. No one should leave a wedding without a photo of them with an inflatable guitar, cowboy hat and feather boa, it should be against the rules of weddings!

What trends for 2015 are you most excited about?

Summer weddings are set to be casual with a relaxed vibe…think boho, fields and flowers everywhere. Winter is looking rich and glam – Marsala, Pantone’s lovely deep red colour of the year is already singing out to be used (with gold of course).

Brides seem to be getting bolder, braver and want to make statements – come and challenge Kissing Otters to make something unique you lovely lot!

Harriet may be just starting her Kissing Otters journey, but the lady knows her wedding invitations!!  Her designs are beautiful, fun, and bang on trend – a bit like Harriet herself!

Katie xx

You can follow Harriet on Facebook or shop online for her designs on Etsy. We love Harriet’s designs so much that they have received a great big Bicycle Made for Two thumbs up in our featured product section.