Custom wedding stationery is a special process! We try to make it as fun and easy for our clients as possible, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot of time and thought that goes into your invitation suite.

We tell our clients to expect the custom process to take anywhere from 8-12 weeks - and it could go even longer, depending on what you order.  It seems like a long time, but good things come to those who wait. We build a lot of extra time into our timeline for a couple reasons. The first is that a lot of what we do is dependent on our client’s response times and availability - we don’t want you to feel stressed if you’re totally slammed one week and need to reschedule a meeting, or forget to get back to us. On the up side if you are responsive, we often wrap up faster than estimated. We never hold onto your invitations longer than we need to, just to stick to a timeline.  The second reason is because we don’t often source our supplies locally, so halfway through the process we need to take a break for your supplies to actually get to us. But you’ll learn all about that below.

Part of being a stationer involves also being an editor. Which to be honest, I totally hate. While I can catch most spelling errors, I’m always so worried that one will make it through the cracks - I am just human! I thought today I’d share the time my nightmare came true - and what I did to make sure it never happened again.

The other day, Gabrielle and I shared some exciting news… we are separating our business into two entities! I will continue to work as a stationery designer at One + Only Paper, and Gabrielle is starting Quietude Co - a calligraphy and lettering business.

So I have a confession - I am obsessed with the little details that finish off a suite. Gabrielle and I both are. We own multiple glue guns for wax seals, Gab has a vintage stamp collection that would make you envious, and I frequently just run my fingers over silk ribbon because I like the way it feels, and I’m weird. It often feels like these details get overlooked, or people just don’t know about them, and I’m here to educate you! These can be inexpensive ways to add a little special touch, or if you really want to make a splash, you can add all of them, and listen to people rave about how cool you and your invitations are. Let’s dive in!

A question we hear a lot is ‘why is this so expensive?!’ I totally get it. It can seem like once you get married, everyone wants you to pay top dollar just because it’s your wedding, and it can add up quickly. I hear a lot of comments about how if you mention the word ‘wedding’ it automatically doubles your bill, which is absolutely not the case with us, or with many of the vendors we work with. In fact, I think it’s often the opposite problem - we love our clients, and we know this is an exciting time for them. We want them to have exactly what they want, and we certainly don’t want anyone to feel that they have to go into debt or pay more than they are comfortable with. So, we’re always happy to re work the estimate, and find something that works for everyone. Being a stationer brings me so much joy, I’d do it for free if I could, but unfortunately I have bills to pay, so it’s a balancing act of finding that sweet spot where the price is good for the client and for us.

While we usually stick to designing invitations, sometimes it’s fun to mix it up a little, and think outside the box, so to speak. When our friends at Videri came to us with a fresh spring flavor, and asked for help, we knew it was definitely one of those times.

What is it?

Pretty much what it sounds like! A visual guide to where your venue is located in reference to all of the other spots your guests may need to visit (rehearsal dinner, hotel.)  It can also serve as a guide to your favorite local hangouts, so while you’re prepping for the wedding on the day of, your guests can be enjoying your city. If you don’t want to go for a full on map, a directions card allows you to succinctly inform your guests of any important information. For example, if it’s tricky to get from your ceremony venue to your reception venue, a directions card is a great way to ensure nobody gets lost!)

Printing processes can be pretty confusing, if you’re not in the know. The difference between all the different options, the effect on pricing, and the list of requirements for each process can be a little overwhelming when it comes to choosing what’s best for your invitations. We get a lot of questions about these differences, so we thought we would put together this handy guide for your reference.

What is it?

Typically a smaller card, it directs your guests to the reception site. This can be especially helpful if your ceremony and reception are in two different venues.

Ordering your wedding invitations can be a little tricky - there are a lot of components to get together, and it’s easy to miss something. If you take the time to get everything together before heading out to your invitation appointment, (or going online to place your order), it will make the process much smoother.