Play it safe? Not always. Sometimes with invitations you should take a risk: use a palette of citrus green, crisp tangerine and hot fuchsia; print on a bright color instead of white or ivory, and use a modern floral graphic and a non-traditional font. I love this invitation because it incorporates fresh colors into a …
Every once in a while we end up with an invitation that carries widespread appeal and once the finished product is hanging on our “wall of fame” we get multiple requests to duplicate it. Jessica and John’s invitation is one such example: they picked out this Anna Griffin ivory floral patterned pocket and used plenty …
Mocha-licious is the word to describe this pale lime and chocolate pocket fold invitation. Just a hint of pale green, a beautiful ivory satin ribbon and a cool script make this a perfect blend of contemporary and traditional.
Morgan was one of those brides who amazed me because she made planning a destination wedding seem like a breeze, on top of all of the other responsibilities she was tackling in her life (not the least of which were the twins she nannied, who accompanied her on several trips to the shop). Morgan liked …
This was the era of the 5×7 pocket fold, which is why you see several of them in our gallery, such as Stephanie and Kyle, Amanda and Matt or Jessica and John. This type of folding invitation became the go-to style for a while because brides would see one on display in the shop, love the …
Silver. Black. A script with lots of swashes. Double-faced Midori satin ribbon. Add those ingredients together and you have the recipe for an elegant formal wedding invitation. Stephanie chose a silver metallic pocket invitation in a classic 5×7 size for her Hilton Head destination wedding because she wanted to make sure people knew it would …
Eggplant and taupe are a warm and inviting combination in this colorful yet classic pocket invitation. Lots of metallic layers, including an understated lavender layer and a gorgeous taupe ribbon complete this pocket package perfectly. Their wedding program was a coordinating booklet using the same papers, fonts and colors.
Sometimes simple is the way to go…three layers: chocolate brown, pale gold and a chartreuse accent and fun, contemporary fonts.
Maureen’s pink and black invitation was a pocket-style with three enclosure cards. We kept the invitation fairly simple, with a modest monogram watermark screened behind the invitation text. She wanted to use primarily black and white with punches of hot pink for style.
My good friends got married at Carillon Park and had a glamorous wedding bathed in pink and silver, complete with a swanky lounge area and outdoor chandeliers. They paid attention to all the details and provided an incredible event that left their guests talking about it afterward. Their programs were simple 4×9 white micah cards …
Purple and silver were HOT in 2011- I can’t count how many weddings we did in this color palette! Jennifer and Jon liked the custom line because it allowed them to choose exactly the perfect shade of purple, pair it with a silver and purple plume pattern to add formality, and finish it with a …
Winter Wonderland: Ashley and Christopher were planning a winter wedding in Wintersville, Ohio and chose this 5×7 z-card design, a unique design that shows off plenty of the black and gold pattern surrounding the invitation. What makes this invitation different than most is the band wrap on the right panel that houses three 3.5×5 cards: …
The Chateau Elan in Atlanta was the perfect setting for Courtney’s “rustic elegance” wedding, and she needed an invitation that fit the feel of the wine cellar where the reception would be held. Courtney also wanted to make sure to include plenty of resort and leisure information about the Chateau for her guests who would …
Lisa’s 5×7 pocket fold invitation is one of the most popular styles we design for brides, due to its versatile size and overall design that allows up to four cards to be tucked into the pocket. Lisa’s invitation was clean and classic with a more modern twist since we used nearly all Roman fonts- she …
An oldie but goodie, this purple and black 5×5 z-card from a 2008 wedding still hangs on the wall of fame today because a) it’s purple color continues to draw the eye and b) it’s a great example of a different way to combine many pieces of information into one design. The invitation is printed …
Laurie and David had fun with the process from the first day… they were planning a Spring wedding in Las Vegas and wanted the invitations to feel formal and elegant, yet still “like Vegas” and not like a traditional wedding invitation because they still wanted to have fun with it. The ceremony took place on …
The daughter of one of my favorite customers got married to the love of her life, and they made every effort to make sure the invitations (and the wedding) were a perfect example of who they are as a couple, right down to the surprise after-hours hot wing bar that the mother of the bride …
This was an extremely meaningful invitation because it was for my very first intern at The Envelope, “Awesome Allyson” from UD. It was only a few months after we opened, and I didn’t even know I needed an intern until Ally convinced me of all the reasons why she should come to work at the …
This was a last minute wedding we pulled together this week (the wedding is in 10 days!) Since we had a pretty short window to work with, we used yellow topaz metallic card stock off the shelf, a classic white top layer, and then added a cool script and sunflower graphics. We tied it all …
Heather and Matt got married at The Dayton Art Institute in November 2010. Their wedding colors were primarily black and white, with hints of green. To create a Fall Elegance feel, their ceremony featured amazing floral displays lining the aisle that included tall tree branches, clusters of hydrangea and glass votive candles hanging off the …
There was a short period of time in 2007 when I was really tired of Tiffany blue, however I got over it and I couldn’t be more pleased with how this invitation turned out. I really love printing on vibrant colors rather than neutral hues, mostly because I feel like it makes a huge impact. …
As you may have noticed, we do a lot of pocket-style wedding invitations; the two main reasons they are so popular is that they are highly customizable while also being practical. The pocket provides a neat and tidy place to keep the enclosure cards for the reception, directions and reply, and everything can be done …
I have never been as excited about an invitation as I was to work on this design for a small Las Vegas wedding. The bride-to-be came in knowing she wanted to send invitations in a box with poker chips and dice, so I knew we had to raise the bar- we had to create something …
This was a classic case of a “color matching challenge”- there was a very specific shade of coral that Stephanie was trying to match and we couldn’t seem to find the right color in our custom line so she ended up bringing us 12×12 sheets of scrap-booking paper that we cut and used as her …
Sometimes customers bring us ideas they have seen online and ask if we can create something similar…almost always the answer is, “Yes!” Usually it’s a font or graphic that draws their attention, and there was something about the typography of a certain invitation she saw online that really grabbed Stephanie’s attention, so we made sure …
This pocket invitation has become known as the “Christina” because it became a hit almost the instant we designed it for Christina and Nick earlier this year, and at least half a dozen brides since then have seen it and said, “That’s the one.” For Christina, we chose a graphite pocket card, with shades of …
Beach weddings are the most popular type of destination wedding; Dana exemplified the destination bride with her laid back attitude…from the first day we met Dana, she put the power of creative control into our hands and told us to “just do it.” She had a few ideas of her own that she wanted incorporated …
One of the textured papers we carry has a tree bark grain to it, which comes in about half a dozen different colors including this dark chocolate, a lighter birch, and a cool white. This square pocket card invitation boasts a tidy pocket on the back of the invitation, which we tucked Rebecca’s RSVP and …
A good use of fonts, frames and minor breaks in the text frames makes this invitation pleasing to the eye, while keeping it simple.
Simple yet elegant, this invitation in pale gold and blush pink uses a prominent script as the only graphic element, which we used throughout the ensemble as a recognizable element. This soft and feminine set includes a rehearsal dinner invitation, wedding suite, and program.
Concentric overlapping circles in shades of periwinkle, navy, and grey balance well with the traditional script.
A classic black pocket invitation with a monogram seal in hot pink and silver with black ink.
This unique combination incorporated purple and a bright orange pattern, but kept a formal font so as not to downplay the elegance of the occasion.
I never get tired of fuchsia and black together, and this pocket invitation didn’t disappoint. This sparkly invitation was for a spunky bride with a flair for style who “didn’t know what she wanted” but as soon as we pieced it together with her, she knew this was it. A few weeks prior to the …
This beautiful invitation incorporated cherry blossoms into the couple’s purple palette, as well as their names in Hebrew for their Spring wedding outside Washington, D.C.
Another destination wedding, woo hoo!! We love the hot and cool colors of the beach, shown here with a seahorse/starfish motif in Tiffany blue and bright coral.
This is one of my 2013 favorites. Burlap makes everything cooler, and we paired it with an oatmeal colored PC 100 recycled stock and a darker charcoal accent layer. The fonts and layout idea were inspired by the work of one of our favorite letterpress lines, and it worked beautifully with these colors and textures. …
This was the year of the out-of-state wedding, and this fabulous letterpress invitation was the introduction to a Fall wedding in Tennessee for Lyndsey and Richard. They chose a 600 gsm Crane lettra stock, a rich purple ink and a fantastic envelope liner to round out the set.
The pineapple is a well-recognized symbol of Southern hospitality; I learned once during a visit to an old plantation outside of New Orleans, Louisiana that the tradition of leaving a pineapple in a guest’s room during their stay was a polite way of informing them that they had overstayed their welcome, i.e., “Here’s a lovely …
This Charleston, South Carolina wedding was full of southern charm and hospitality. The welcome dinner invitations included the iconic pineapple as a watermark, and a tree dripping with Spanish moss.
We saw a lot of coral and persimmon in 2014… Shades of orange, grapefruit, and dahlia were extremely hot, and look good with nearly any color you pair them with. The tailored stripes and traditional font were a crisp combination for this July wedding.
Watercolor effects made a BIG comeback in 2014, and this invitation shows off exactly why. The vibrant, hand-painted look of this card immediately makes a statement.
The credit for this grey on grey, half-tone monogram belongs to Eric, our intern who transplanted to Washington to work with reclaimed wood in early 2014. This was one of his projects while he was with us, and the monogram (which the bride absolutely loved) carried throughout the pieces of this no-fuss, grey and ivory wedding invitation …
Kelsey chose one of the contemporary designs from Designer’s Fine Press for her wedding invitation ensemble and we ran with it for some in-house accessories, including her programs, menus, and “newlywed advice cards”.
This pink floral pocket invitation was a nice remake on the classic ivory and gold version we have done several times. Meghan still wanted to bring ivory and gold into it, but couldn’t pass up the lovely pink textured pocket.
Jenna had an apple-themed wedding, so we created an original apple illustration to use on everything from the invitations to the place cards and thank you notes.
This one should look familiar… despite it being one of the year’s most sought after designs, this invitation never gets old. This image really shows the depth of the letterpress, and paired with the gold printed patterned envelope liners, this invitation was simply bellissimo.
Ok, so this was pure awesomeness. This was a collaborative effort between myself and Sam, the groom. He found someone to die cut wooden invitations into the shape of Montana, and burn the text into the material. We stepped in to find a pocket that would accommodate the shape and size of the invitation, as …
This couple came to me with the vision of having a sports-themed wedding. They wanted us to create an invitation that felt like a ticket to an event, so we developed an invitation, reply card and program to fit the bill.
Please select a category from the dropdown menus in the main navigation bar above to view invitations and announcements for various celebrations, including weddings, parties, and holiday events. This is just a small sampling of work I’ve done, and almost everything is custom-created based on your occasion. Feel free to browse the galleries above, shop …
I’m showing my age here, but there was a song in the late 80s by Steve Winwood that I used to dance around the house singing to, jumping up and down off the furniture, using a wooden spoon as my microphone. The prevailing lyric in that tune was “You’ve got to roll with it, baby…” …
After 9 months of working from home, the one question I get repeatedly from friends and customers alike is: So how do you like working from home? In some cases, the inquiry comes from genuine curiosity; in others, it sounds like a loaded question–as if they’re daring me to say I’m sitting around eating bon-bons …
Lush letterpress you can afford to love …without scrimping on the materials you love. Choose from a variety of papers, including Crane’s 100% recycled cotton tree-free Lettra paper. Customize your selection with your choice of inks and typestyles. Designers’ Fine Press was born with the idea that impeccable designs impressed into fine papers (aka letterpress) should be …
Whatever kind of celebration you’re having, I’ve got you covered. These are just a handful of examples of custom invitations I designed, but there are loads of options for every occasion. Order online or contact me to create something that reflects your individual personality.
For much of my adult life, and even during my teenage years, I’ve felt like “one of the guys” in many ways. Growing up, I even cut off my Shirley Temple curls at the age of three, purportedly so I could run faster like my big brother. My family lived on 55 acres, so what did we do …
Read more “Bridesmen and Groomsmaids: Not Your Mother’s Bridal Party”
Hey, guess what? We’re moving this week! You’ve heard the rumors…so let’s set the record straight, shall we? After 11 years in business, 2016 had me noodling on how to continue to grow while meeting the needs of my clients in the absolute best way possible. So, I did what I always do. I mixed things up a bit. As the …
This destination wedding was meant to be bright and fun, so we used splashy coral graphics and a tropic blue to set it apart.
First, 13th, 40th…big birthdays call for big celebrations! The invitation is the first impression of the kind of party you’re hosting, so don’t be afraid to put a little personality into it. This is just a small selection from my custom collection, but there are truly SO many options both custom or pre-designed. Reach out …
Truth: As a business owner, for the most part I get to decide what to do every day. Some days that can be a blessing (all right, most days), and sometimes it’s a curse (especially without a team of coworkers to help keep the creative juices flowing). Some days I design things. Some days I print things. …
Wedding Season has begun! Wait- what’s that you say? But it’s January! Yep, that’s right… And in the world of wedding industry professionals, this is the beginning of our busiest time of year since most couples plan weddings that will take place during the months May-October. Since we know a lot of our customers are …
Read more “10 Things to Ask Your Stationer (and we hope that’s us!)”
I’ve been stewing all morning about what I should be doing differently… with my business, with my life, and with my relationships. There’s just an overarching feeling that I’m not quite doing something “right.” And I’ve felt somewhat paralyzed by indecision as I’ve been swirling options around in my head without any particular direction or …
The Envelope celebrated its tenth anniversary on September 3, 2015 – that’s ten whole years of being open for business! In some ways I can’t believe how fast the years flew by, and in other ways it seems like an entire lifetime. To say I’ve learned so much from being a business owner is to …
Sending a save the date as your holiday card can be a great way to announce your upcoming wedding, plus it doubles as both a holiday greeting and save the date in one. I have a bunch of save the date options or if you’d like, I can create something special using an engagement photo …
This save the date had a cool retro feel, incorporating vibrant Palm Beach artwork on one side and wedding weekend details on the other.
I offer holiday invitations and greeting cards in practically every theme and style, a small sampling of which is shown below. Whether you’re expressing simple sentiments of peace, Christmas blessings, or hosting an annual holiday bash, there are plenty of holiday invitations and greetings (including religious and New Year’s) available in my online store or …
A cool way to tell friends and family to “save the weekend”, this chalkboard style save the date lists on a timeline three key events for the weekend: a birthday party, an engagement party, and a bridal shower. Let the fun begin!
Everything about this invitation suite was gorgeous. The paper we chose was lightly textured and felt like a letterpress stock (even though we printed these digitally). The graphics were pale green and coral succulents, and the text was all soft shades of grey. These romantic, feminine invitations were one of the last projects our intern …
I love this invitation. It’s one of the only single layer custom invitations we have ever done that I actually loved every part of. The card stock they chose was a duplex with a dark grey damask pattern on the back, and a lighter grey solid matte on the front where we printed a luxe …
What makes this menu stand out is the large script that bleeds almost all the way to both edges. It was a cool way to let guests know what they were being served, and matched the colors of the wedding as well, serving up a nice compliment to the table settings.
This was one of our more popular designs for wedding programs during Summer and early Fall, and involved the use of bridal party graphics to provide a fun visual break in the text. Of course, we customize the colors of the paper and ink with the bride and groom’s wedding color palette, and could easily …
“I’m deep into writing love letters…” she said as she walked in the door. “I hope you can help me. I was up until 3 a.m. because the words kept pouring out.” Simply put, I love this. I love that people are still writing love letters. I love that people are seeking out special stationery …
Decadent. That’s the one word I would use to describe Midori ribbon. With French double-faced satins, organdy, dupioni silk, gros grain, velvet, velvet satin, custom tidings ribbon and more, you’ll never be without the perfect ribbon ever again. Midori also offers gorgeous handmade gift wrap and boxes. Midori started on a kitchen table in 1989, created by …
Still haven’t quite had enough of the chalkboard look…Especially when it involves really fun fonts, like this rehearsal dinner invitation does.
We keep getting requests for bridal party silhouettes on wedding programs, which is fun because we are able to change up the colors involved, as well as the style of the program. This was a trifold square program on a raw silk ecru card stock, using the bride’s colors of coral, gold and ecru.
This was one of the more fun bridal shower themes I’ve heard of to date. Carrie grew up playing Scrabble, so the ladies who threw her shower thought it only appropriate to go along with her idea for a theme. They were even able to procure a bunch of Scrabble boards from garage sales to use …
A great change of pace from most traditional programs, this single card two-sided wedding program explained Jewish wedding traditions in lieu of simply listing the order of ceremony events. I really loved putting this program together to match the invitation Katie and Tal chose, as well as read about the various traditions involved in their wedding …
Art deco font wedding program in pink and grey
City skylines made quite a splash in this year’s printed world… Tag and Co. offers some really cool skyline ideas- everything from abstract outlines to more detailed pencil sketches. With the popularity of “going local”, people are developing a healthy sense of pride in their communities and wanting to show off their local love by …
This was another of my favorites this year. The invitation was neutral and formal using a palette of black, a tiny bit of ivory, and shades of gold. We used all metallic stocks, which set an extra elegant tone. One thing that was different about this invitation suite is that it included a card that listed the …
“Make good choices today,” my mom said as we hung up the phone this morning. Really? I’m a woman in my thirties, and my mother is reminding me to “make good choices”? I actually laughed out loud. But as soon as I hung up, her words seeped into my subconsciousness, where I’m sure they will …
I recently fell in love…with an old building in Centerville that caught my eye last Summer when it came up for sale. As I walked through it, it spoke to me. Not once, not twice, but every time I set foot inside it. The building silently told me things I didn’t know about myself; it …
Photo cards are a popular choice for many due to the big changes that can take place in families throughout the year, especially if you have loved ones you may not see as often as you’d like. Sending a photo greeting is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family near and …
Three layers of metallic silver, peacock blue, and white, coupled with a playful oversized font give this invitation a contemporary lilt.
Natural kraft fiber paper and a deep coral stock make this earthy but formal invitation a stunner.
For this Captiva Island wedding, we chose one of this year’s hottest colors, a deep coral, paired it with a funky chartreuse kaleidoscope pocket, and used a blocky roman font to create balance in the design. The simple monogram kept the look modern and clean, while adding a personal touch to the outside of the …
This little pink and grey floral pocket program was fitting for the garden wedding it accompanied, and the sleeve ended up protecting the programs when it started to rain. They say rain on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck…
Eight years under my belt. Today marks the beginning of my ninth year as an entrepreneur. Somehow when I wasn’t looking I turned into a grownup. This definitely warrants a cupcake. Let me try to describe the feeling I had driving to the shop today, as one of my favorite songs came on and my …
Green ribbon across the top ties the invitation and the program together (not literally), while the black and white and funky script makes these invitations crisp and modern.
Caroline and Matt’s program was a delightful compliment to their layered gold and ivory wedding invitation, from the layers of gold and ivory, right down to the moss satin ribbon.
With the societal trend toward whatever is better, faster, and smarter, I’ve noticed (and I’m sure I’m not the only one) a decline in the overall quality of goods and services in the marketplace. It’s become evident that as big box retailers work themselves into a frenzy trying to keep up with the curve while …
It’s been a long time since I cried over paper. And before you go thinking I’m a big ninny, I can assure you that it doesn’t happen very often, but when it DOES, there’s a pretty good reason for it. In fact, the last time was in New York City at the National Stationery Show …
When was the last time you challenged yourself? I mean really challenged yourself. Have you ever reached for something that wasn’t even on your radar six months ago? Have you ever pushed yourself to do something that you didn’t think was possible? When was the last time you put yourself into a situation you weren’t comfortable with, …
What goes better with a vintage wedding at the Packard Museum than a telegram invitation? Answer: Nothing. Adrianna’s invitation topped the creativity charts and didn’t miss a single detail, from the full stops after each piece of information to the fun text frames we peppered throughout the natural kraft pocket-fold style invitation. We had a …
Jessie and Joe’s wedding had an orange and silver theme, but Joe’s mom decided to lend a totally different feel to their rehearsal dinner invitation. The rehearsal was to be held at the Springfield Country Club, and we created a green and pale gold invitation with a modern leaf graphic entwined into the background layer. …
Life is full of milestones and noteworthy events, from new births, to graduation, moving and more. Wherever your journey takes you, let me help you find the ideal way of sharing your news with your loved ones. There are a bunch of cool announcements in the online store, or I can create something personalized (I’ve …
Read more “Birth Announcements, Graduation & Other Milestones”
Kate had one heck of a wedding planner in her corner for this fabulous October wedding- her wonderful mom, Monica. Together, we planned every printed detail of this wedding from start to finish: the invitations, programs, rehearsal dinner invitations, place cards, menus, thank you notes…the whole kit and kaboodle. Kate’s invitations were from Checkerboard, and …
This was an entertaining way to get Angela’s guests involved in providing a fun keepsake for the couple after their Big Day. Angela came to me with this incredibly fun idea- Wedding Guest Libs- into which we easily incorporated her wedding colors of turquoise and mocha. We used the turquoise as a color pop on a crisp white background. Angela’s invitations …
Love, love, love this couple! Britt came in with her mom, looked through some books and just wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to go. A few albums and a little flutter of disappointment later, Britt saw the “Christina” style invitation hanging on the wall and said, “That one. That’s the one I want.” It …
Angela’s Tiffany blue and mocha wedding needed a simple program to match, and by the time she made it to the program stage of things, Angela was tired of making decisions and asked me to suggest something simple and easy that wouldn’t break the bank. Our go-to program in situations like these is a 4×9 card, …
We do custom. This is where it all begins…Consistently over the past two decades, I haven’t seen any one company rival the popularity of this custom design invitation line. Envelopments offers the ability to create your own one-of-a-kind invitation using layers of gorgeous card stock, original artwork, pocket folds, ribbon and more. Envelopments was recognized …
There’s something about familiarity that you just can’t put a price on. Think about it. The folks from Cheers nailed it. What is it that makes you decide where you’re going to shop, get a cocktail after work, or buy a special gift for someone? I would be willing to bet that most of us …
Come experience a vibrant collaboration of art by three local Dayton artists and community leaders at an Opening Reception Friday, June 15th. The Opening Reception kicks off the beginning of a special exhibit that will run through July 5th, featuring: Painting on Rusted Steel by Mike Elsass, Abstract Expressionism by Ron Rollins and Urban Photography …
UPDAYTON’S “STAY IN DAYTON” MISSION CONTINUES (Written for Dayton City Paper by Annie Bowers) Where will you be on Friday, April 27th? Are you interested in attracting and retaining creative talent in the Dayton Region? If so, join close to 200 fellow Daytonians and community partners at the Dayton Art Institute for the 2012 updayton …
Corinne and Pablo wanted to incorporate airplanes into their wedding invitations and save the dates, not just because they currently live in city known as the birthplace of aviation, but because they are both involved in the Air Force. They were legally married in a small ceremony in one of the small wedding chapels on …
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to be headed in the right direction.” I took the advice of a marketing guy I know and decided to use my most recent fortune from P.F. Chang’s as my blog post topic this week. (And by “this week” I mean the first post I’ve written since …
I was pulling into the parking lot at work the other day, and I had this crazy idea… What if there was only one homeless person? Now I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just thought, “If there was only ONE person who needed a home, wouldn’t most of us feel inclined to help?” Doesn’t …
Just once this week, I challenge each of you to put down the laptop, the iPad, the smart phone….and make something with your hands. And don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how to do that. Remember in elementary school how we had art class at least once a week? We’d make paintings, chalk rubbings, little clay …
There’s been quite the hullabaloo lately surrounding the notion of “keeping it local” and supporting local businesses. Why all the fuss? Well, it’s like this: when small businesses support each other, it creates a sense of community. When there is a sense of community, people are more prone to endeavor to continue making that community …
If you’ve talked to me at all over the past month or two, you’ve probably heard me mention the term “minimalism” once or twice. Part of my excitement over this concept started during the research I did for a Dayton City Paper article that came out last week. I had the pleasure of interviewing two amazing …
…don’t forget to slow down, make time for friends and loved ones, and try to remember that this time of year isn’t about rampant consumerism, or the latest technological gadgety doo-dads, or the eight dozen cookies you need to make for the school cookie exchange. The holiday season holds special meaning for many people, for …
There should be more days when we allow ourselves just one goal: create beauty. I’ve had the unique opportunity to spend some time in the Front Street studios, working and painting alongside renowned artist, Mike Elsass. Mike’s Dayton gallery, “The Color of Energy,” and countless others from Sedona to Chicago showcase his talents, and now The …
As I walked out of Boston Stoker this morning, chai in hand, I realized something. I had just wished the barista a happy Labor Day weekend, and he responded, “You have a good weekend, too!” To which I replied, “I’ll try…” Now, why did I say that instead of, “Thanks, I will!” or any number …
I had a hard time deciding which noun to use in the title of this post- does “complacency” accurately depict what happens when a business refuses to grow and adapt to the changing times? I also thought of the word “atrophy” because if we fail to change, we fail to grow and thrive, and we …
Napa Valley here they come! Carrie and Mike’s invitations were from our custom line, Envelopments, and featured a 7×7 square black linen pocket invitation with a wasabi green accent layer, classic white top layer and enclosure cards, and a green satin ribbon. Since this is a destination wedding, they made sure to include plenty of information about Napa Valley, including travel and accommodations info, and they even planned wine tastings for their guests throughout the weekend’s festivities. They chose a simple format for their program, featured here- a 4×9 black linen card with classic white stock mounted on both sides. The ribbon band added texture and color, and provided a beautiful visual break in the design. Cheers!
For any of you who have happened to make it through all of the FAQ’s (and actually read the blurb at the top about not getting answers to ALL of your questions), here is the final answer to a pretty darn important life question, if I do say so myself. What is the secret to …
There is a poignant greeting card from Curly Girl Design that says “It is without question our duty to honor the love of every human heart as we would our very own.” I just had a woman stop in and buy this particular card to send to a friend’s adult son who had been particularly …
I took this picture in Times Square in May as I marveled at this guy who was offering free hugs to passers-by on the street. There is something so honest and vulnerable about a stranger on the streets of New York asking for hugs, but if you really think about it, it’s simple – sometimes …
“The concept of a handwritten note, a wax seal, and the whole nine yards is kind of lost on the public at large these days,” he said as he looked through paper selections trying to find the perfect stationery to represent his personality and taste. I couldn’t agree more. It wasn’t too long ago that …
A wedding weekend schedule is a wonderful way to provide tons of helpful information for your guests regarding what to expect the weekend of the wedding. It’s a great place to include a schedule of weekend events, including a “meet and greet”, golf outing or post-wedding brunch, as well as other area information such as …
The rehearsal dinner is an important part of the wedding weekend and as such, should have its own invitation to coordinate with the look and feel of the rehearsal dinner venue. Melisa and Michael’s dinner was to be held at C’est Tout, a French bistro in Oakwood that uses a lot of yellow in their …
Oh La La! Before her Chateau Elan wedding in Georgia, Courtney’s friends and family threw her a French-themed bridal shower. We wanted to go ultra feminine with the invitations so we used a vintage damask black and white portable pocket with a brocade pattern, as well as a black chandelier graphic that was designed to …
As I sit here taking a small break from the hustle and bustle, I am reflecting on this past year, and realizing how lucky I am. First and foremost, I’m so lucky to have such a cool, smart, sensitive little boy that I get to spend the holidays with. I’m also so incredibly fortunate that …
I had an enlightening experience today that reminded me of the caliber and integrity of our customers. A young man stopped in today explaining that he was in a major time crunch and hoped we could help. His wedding is next weekend, and the company that was supposed to print his programs dropped the ball. …
Q: How long does it take for invitations to come in? A: Depending on which company produces them, turn-around time is anywhere from 1-6 weeks. The quickest formal invitation line I currently carry is Embossed Graphics, which boasts proofs within 24-48 hours and ships the order within 3 days after that. Those puppies have been …
Q: What is the proper way to send a thank you note? A: A thank you note should be written on a note or card bearing your name or monogram, rather than the words “thank you”. This is a common misperception due to the influx of thank you cards in stores, but etiquette dictates that …
Q: How far in advance should I send social invitations? A: Party or shower invitations should be sent one month before the event. Any sooner than that and they tend to get overlooked or forgotten about, and any closer to the date and people will likely already have plans. Mailing them a month in advance …
Q: How far in advance should I mail save the dates? A: You can send save the date cards anywhere between 6-12 months before the wedding. You don’t want to send them too early or people will forget, but too close to the wedding and you might as well forget it entirely and just send …
Q: How far in advance should I mail wedding invitations? A: Six to eight weeks in advance, or earlier if it’s a destination wedding. Most weddings fall during what’s known as “Wedding Season” which runs May-October every year. Due to the popularity of weddings during these months, and the fact that people typically get pretty …
Q: How far in advance do I need to order wedding invitations? A: I generally tell people to order invitations 6 months in advance. This is a safe amount of time in case a stock is backordered or the proofing process takes an extraordinarily long time. You definitely don’t want to start feeling crunched for …
Q: Do you address envelopes? What if my invitations don’t have inner envelopes? A: I offer several options for envelope addressing: calligraphy, in-house computerized addressing, and some of my paper lines also offer cool labels and/or their own matching computerized addressing as well. There are a bunch of choices depending on what look you’re going …
Q: Do you offer wedding planning services? A: After working in the wedding industry since 2003, I consider myself a wedding professional and I’m happy to sit down and discuss your needs, whether it’s full event coordination or just day-of services. I also work with a couple of fantastic wedding planners in the Dayton area …
Q: Is rush service available? A: Yes…most of the time. An in-house rush is easier to accommodate since I have more control over the projects I design and print, but it can still be tricky depending on how many other jobs I am working on at any given time. And with any service that requires …
Q: Do I need to know all of my wording before I can order? A: No, and honestly that takes all the fun out of it for me. 🙂 I do this all the time and can make it much simpler for you if we can sit down and walk through the wording one step …
Q: How many cocktail napkins should I order? A: How fun are your friends? Just kidding. Kind of…In all seriousness, you should anticipate 2-3 napkins per person, depending on whether or not they are just being used at the bar, or also for the cake table and/or passed hors d’oeuvres. If you’re using them in …
Q: What is the time frame for sending out wedding thank you notes? A: There is a lot of debate on this one. Some say you have up to a year, but let’s face it- if you got a thank you note for a wedding you went to LAST summer, would you get slightly bent …
Q: What is proper etiquette regarding whose parents are listed on wedding invitations? A: Parents of the bride traditionally host weddings (host=pay for) however these days anything goes. The general rule is to list whoever is hosting the wedding at the top of the invitation. If both sets of parents are pitching in and splitting …
Q: When is a good time to order holiday cards? A: If you’re an early bird, you can usually get killer deals in October and still ensure you’ll get your cards mailed out before the holiday craziness begins. Please, I’m begging you, don’t wait until after Thanksgiving to order! I know you have a turkey …
Q: What if I don’t find what I’m looking for? And what else do you offer besides invitations and stationery? A: Let me know what you’re looking for and I’ll do my best to create something similar (or maybe even closer to what you had in mind?) In addition to invitations and stationery products, I …
Q: What if I find a better price somewhere else? A: Just bring me your estimate from a competitor and I’ll take a look and see if I can beat it or match it. I’d love to work with you and frequently offer the same products at similar or lower prices. That being said, I …
Q: Is it appropriate to put registry information on wedding invitations? A: Nope, sorry…registry information should only accompany shower invitations or be spread via word-of-mouth. Etiquette dictates that putting registry information anywhere in a wedding invitation = asking for a gift. I know this worries some couples, but I promise: people will get you a …
Q: What if I want to use a photo on my save the dates? A: Great idea! I have many, many options for amazing photo save the dates. Tag and Company is my favorite because no one has better photo quality, anywhere. I have several of Tag’s albums to look through and their website is …
Read more “To Photo or Not to Photo? That is the Save the Date question”
Q: Can I order paper and make my own invitations? Can I bring my own paper in to be printed? A: Absolutely! I have about a bazillion stocks to choose from and I’m more than happy to help with as much or as little of the design/print process as you’d like. I have customers who …
Q: Do you have invitations in all price ranges? What is the industry average cost for wedding invitations? A: Yes, I do have invitations in every price range! In case you’re curious, the industry average cost for wedding invitations is approximately $1,000 for the ensemble. Most ensembles include the invitation, outer mailing envelopes, reply card …
Q: Do I put down a deposit on invitations or pay in full? A: Once upon a time, we used to take a deposit for orders, but there were a few unhappy occasions where people ordered things and never came back to get them- this became problematic because (you do the math) half of payment …
A school-themed invitation is a unique way for two teachers to announce their upcoming nuptials… We created college-ruled card stock, school days verbiage (check out the RSVP card with a “due date”) and a cool red date stamp, and tied it all together with red gros grain ribbon. The invitation and reply post card were …