Tenn Hens Design Turns 20

If you want to send a memorable anniversary card to congratulate Tenn Hens Design on 20 years of bespoke event branding, we’ve got a recommendation: Tenn Hens Design. Bonnie Cross and Currier Stevens can dream up a frame-worthy piece of unique correspondence to celebrate the milestone.

It has been two decades since Bonnie and Currier—both former art directors at The Buntin Group advertising agency—hung out a shingle to do advertising work and graphic design on their own. A custom invitation studio wasn’t the original business plan—until they both got married. 

“We ended up doing our own wedding invitations, and that led to it,” Bonnie says. They call their work “event branding,” because they sit down with a client in the beginning to define a look to resonate through a whole event—from save-the-date card to dessert menu.  

“We’re reinventing the wheel each time,” Currier says, describing initial client meetings at their Highway 100 office. “We talk to the bride and groom, to find favorite themes, animals, flowers and places.” 

Starting with original artwork--often a watercolor—Currier and Bonnie collaborate to weave motifs through the event, to rhyme without necessarily repeating. For example, an invitation might feature a landscape of a family property or wedding venue, while accompanying paperwork for RSVPs, menus and place cards echo that image with local butterflies, flowers and trees. 

More elaborate projects can add three-dimensional designs, such as die-cut paper accents, pockets and pop-ups.

Over the years, Tenn Hens have created signature stationery suites for wedding invitations; celebrity and children’s birthday parties; holiday cards, invitations and gift tags; Grammy celebrations; and nonprofit events including Frist Gala, Land Trust for Tennessee’s Blue Moon, and Swan Ball. 

For a look at 20 years of Tenn Hens creativity, check out Instagram @tennhensdesign and their website at tennhens.com