As wedding planners, we work with our couples through every stage of the wedding planning process – this includes stationery! After many years of helping couples with this element, we have formed connections with incredible Stationers in Minnesota. Since this is an area that not as many couples understand why they should place high importance on, we decided to take some time to interview these business owners to answer some of the most common questions we hear.
First of all, of course, one of the statements we hear the most is why should someone work with a stationer (you know, a real person!) rather than work with an online provider like Minted, Zola, Zazzle, etc. Brandi from Hunt Wright Design Co. puts it simply, “A small business owner is going to bend over backward for your approval. My business and reputation depend on it.” Josie from Ivory Isle Designs points out “Along the way, we bring new design ideas, technical know-how, and knowledge of traditional invitation etiquette such as how to address envelopes and the correct way to word your invitation suite based on the venue at which you are getting married (did you know that wording is different for houses of worship?) Those are all elements that are missed when ordering online.” Evelyn from Epitome Papers talks about how working with a stationer can save you time and be an extra set of eyes on your items. “With all our place card orders, we organize and alphabetize each card for you and pack them by table number. Or we can mail your invitations out for you and help you pick some matching postage. In the rare event something goes wrong we are able to catch it and fix it even before you knew it happened. With online, you would have been sent the error and be on your own to contact them to fix it.”
Having ALL the signage and printed items on your wedding day is great for detail shots but it can get expensive! We asked our experts what they felt were some of the top items to have on the wedding day that can make the biggest impact. They all pretty much said a welcome sign is a must. Sarah from A Milestone Paper Co. said “Welcome signs make a big impact! Whether they are hung from a metal frame or displayed on an easel, they are an easy way to set the tone and “wow” guests as they enter the event.” No matter what signage or printed items you have at your wedding, Julie from Champagne Press says having a cohesive look is really what is most important. “Having your wedding paper goods be cohesive from the start really drives home the feel of your wedding. Repeating your monogram, unique artwork, paper colors, and type styles really gives your event a polished and cohesive look. While you might be able to piece together all the signage your need via Etsy or other sites when your welcome sign, cards and gifts signs, bar signage, ceremony programs, escort cards, table numbers, and menus are all designed by the same person it just conveys a thoughtfulness that every good event needs.” We also asked them what was a piece that could be skipped. Brandi says “Depending on your budget, it may make more sense to you to skip the ceremony programs or menus at each setting and opt for either a single sign for the program or a single menu per table instead.”
We know that it is not always easy for Stationers to work in tandem with clients for their printed goods. Much of the content needs to come from the couple (program info, menu info) and final design approval and proofreading also have time limits. We wanted to know from our Stationers what some common struggles were to working with couples. Not surprisingly, timing was a big one. “With some of our fine art print processes (letterpress, engraving, embossing) they can take a good amount of time to finish. So it can be difficult when a client disappears or stops responding!” says Evelyn. “We always send timelines to our clients to keep us all on track, but have a reminder that the longer you wait, the farther out the mail date will be.” Josie said making sure expectations are set right away is the key to having a good relationship with her clients. “Great design, affordable prices, fast turn-around: you can always only have two of the three. Sometimes there are clients who want great work, in record time, at an amazing price, and that is where expectations need to be managed. We can do amazing design work at an affordable price, but we need to allow time. We can do great design work in a tight timeframe, but there will be rush fees. If you want affordable design on a rush, we do have semi-custom options that can be created affordably and very quickly. The important thing is to discuss your desires clearly.”
We know that working with a Planner is a benefit to all Vendors, but we wanted to know specifically how it benefited Stationers. “Planners help their clients stick to a clearly defined design plan. It can be easy to stray from the plan without a planner’s input. A planner also provides accountability by paying close attention to the pre-determined budget and sticking to timelines” says Sarah. Brandi adds “Your planner knows the overall vision, which is trickled down to me. I bring my talents to the table and the planner assists with having it all come together cohesively. The planner acts as the in-between which helps with budget, communication, and timeliness.”
We are beyond grateful to these stationers for taking the time to share their valuable expertise and outstanding talent. If you want to read their full answers to each of the questions, click HERE.
Be sure to check out more about each of them and their work:
Champagne Press
Looking for help with the details of your entire wedding? That’s where we come in! Get in touch with us HERE.
