Story-telling with Stationery

My initial consultations with wedding coordinators and clients often include a conversation about my love of story-telling. I usually share about how I like to get to know my clients, understand their stories, and help them express them. I love subtle details and wacky romances. I want to hear about the proposal, how my couples met, and what they are most excited about for their marriage. Some might think I’m sappy but I find connecting with people to be the most meaningful part of my work. Expressing these personal details in bold and understated ways is why I do what I do.

When I met with Gloria McCune of Grand Engagements about our upcoming photo shoot, I was delighted to get to know her story a little better. As we talked about her inspiration for the stylized tablescape and decor, I began to connect the dots. She described an urban vibe with an eye for fashion and something a little unexpected. Her vision included a striking palate of black and silver with accents of purple. It wasn’t just an arbitrary concept however. Gloria wanted to infuse part of herself in this shoot.

When I discovered that she is Hungarian, grew up in Germany and the US, speaks multiple languages, and has a rich Eastern European heritage, I knew we were getting somewhere. The crown in her logo isn’t there just so she can connect with brides who want to feel like a princess; she has a very regal sensibility about her. As she shared about her childhood and the aesthetic & cultural influences that have made her who she is today, I knew we needed to tell this part of her story.

Gloria’s love of chess, languages, romance, and fashion came together at this fabulous photo shoot at The London West Hollywood.

To top it all off, the fabulous girls over at The Wedding Chicks featured the photos on their blog.

The incredible professionals involved in this shoot included:
Event Design: Gloria McCune - Grand Engagements
Venue: The London Hotel West Hollywood
Photography: Jasmine Star
Floral Design: Carissa Jones - JL Designs
Cakes: Melody Brandon - Sweet and Saucy Shop
Chairs + Settings: Classic Party Rentals
Hair + Makeup: Janelle Contreras for Nirvana Salon
Bridal Veil: Linda Ly - Whimsical Designs
Linen: Wildflower Linen
Stationery: Allison Howell - The Innovation Companies

Holiday Greeting Gallery

Here are some of our favorite holiday greetings from years past. Hope they inspire you as you check your list twice.

Holiday Greeting Dos and Don’ts

We have sent a number of holiday greetings in our time and learned a lot in the process. Here are our tips for creating and sending a holiday greeting that will get opened, noticed, and remembered.

DO

•Order your cards early enough to get them hand-addressed (allow one week for every 100 cards you plan to send). A hand-addressed envelope is more likely to be opened and savored than one that has a label or printed address.

•Sign each card personally. While a printed signature may feel more convenient, you won’t fool anyone. Use the opportunity to demonstrate your personal connection to clients and friends.

•Plan to mail your holiday cards during the week of Thanksgiving so they are received at the beginning of December (Remember that design + production, signing by hand, and hand-addressing all takes time. Order your greetings in September in order to stay ahead of the rush).

DON’T

•Never include “salesy” language or special deals in your holiday card. Keep the message clear: you appreciate their business, you have enjoyed working with them, you wish them well, etc.

•Don’t send a generic card that says nothing about you or your business. Be different, be unique, be you! Seize the opportunity to strengthen your brand by sending a memorable and thoughtful holiday greeting.

Alternative Holiday Greetings Part Two

Let’s face it, getting noticed around the holidays is hard. By the time they get your holiday card, your clients and friends are recovering from the tryptophan of Thanksgiving turkey and gearing up for the onslaught of festivities, gift-giving, and obligations that surround what should be a joyous and restful time.

This year (maybe more than ever), you want to stand out and say something with every opportunity you have to connect with your clients. As you think about what to send to your friends and clients this year, consider what message you want to communicate. Are you thankful, serious, sophisticated, fun? Do you want to send a message of celebration, appreciation, sincerity, or playfulness? (Note: The answer to these questions should not be “yes.” Choose a specific sentiment to express.)

Whether your greeting will come from your business or your family, crafting the message is key. Thoughtfully planned greetings demonstrate that you care about the recipient personally (not generically). The type of card or communiqué (and the materials) you send should reflect this emotion you want your them to feel when they receive it.

After intentionally choosing the sentiment you’re going for, consider some of these alternatives to the typical holiday bi-fold card.

Start a Tradition or Continue an Old One
In this down economy, demonstrate that you are committed to the long haul by sending a greeting that you can repeat with a different twist next year. Choose an object that you can personalize and send to your clients year after year (see Duffy & Partners’ wine bottle holiday tradition as featured in HOW magazine). If you have a tradition of sending a card in a box or delivering holiday sweets with custom packaging, this is the year to continue the trend. Don’t miss the opportunity to remind people you are still around and committed to them.

Say Aloha
Many industries have seen a trend towards local sourcing this year. Demonstrate your loyalty to your hometown by sending postcards from right where you’re at. A custom postcard with a local scene and your carefully crafted message will allow you to demonstrate more than one of your values at the same time

Get Techy
An e-greeting can be just as meaningful as a physical card. If your company has a green initiative, many clients who would rather receive an email, or just want to do something different, consider using a more technical approach. Generic e-cards can send the wrong message or force you to include advertisements for other products with your holiday cheer. A custom-designed e-greeting, however, can help you get just the right point across.

Combine Forces
While we strongly discourage our clients from including sales messages or promotions in their holiday cards, don’t be afraid to use a holiday greeting for double duty. Announce your new office address, share about a charity you are partnering with, or introduce recent additions to your team. Make sure the message isn’t mixed or muddled by connecting them to your main point (for example, “how Santa will find us?,” “proud to partner with Art & Creativity for Healing this holiday season,” “we look forward to helping you grow in the year to come”).

Tomorrow we’ll share our time-tested Dos and Don’ts for effective holiday greetings.

Alternative Holiday Greetings

Two thousand and nine has been a year to remember. On the personal front there have been many changes for me. I decided to join the team at The Innovation Companies (and in so doing, close my business of almost five years). My husband had many new things in his work/school situation including seven seventy-hour work weeks in a row (yikes!). We started and killed our first community garden (we’re hoping to revive it for fall vegetables). I watched eight seasons of Murder She Wrote.

At work, I met some wonderful clients and got to be part of their celebrations, business launches or evolutions, and growth for families and enterprises. We have had the privilege of working on some killer design projects. I started this blog and have been learning how to have a voice in the graphic design and special event industries. Today is also the first day at my new desk in my new office at The Innovation Companies (I’ll share pictures soon).

To say the least, it has been a remarkable year for me… and it is only September. September first has always been a reflective day for me. I associate it with the beginning of school, a fresh start, and the beginning of my favorite two seasons: autumn and advent.

On this first day of September, I have been my usual reflective self but I am also looking forward. I have begun to think about Christmas. I love Christmas and September first is not at all too soon for me to think about my tree, holiday party plans, and what fabulous gifts I will buy my husband Tim.

My plans this year will not include a Christmas card, however. I actually have never sent a personal Christmas card but this year I have a different plan in mind. Instead of neglecting to think about it until it is too late, I have decided to forgo the tradition and send an alternative holiday greeting.

This year I will be sending letters of gratitude. I’m designing custom stationery that Tim and I will use to hand write letters (yes I said “hand write”) to the people in our lives who have really made a difference for us in this memorable year. I am looking forward to spending the time reflecting on the impact of my colleagues, friends, and family who have really stood by us this year. We’ll mail them just before Thanksgiving and start our holiday season with thankfulness in our hearts.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more alternative holiday greeting ideas (I’m just brimming over with exciting options).