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

Inspired by Color

Every project we take on has one thing in common. While we use our layout skills and sense of proportion in everything from wedding invitations to websites, there is no doubt that our best tool is color. Color can set the tone or make a good project go bad quickly. People perceive bad use of color more readily than any other design flaw.

Color is the foundation of the design process for us. Because different colors have different meanings, we don’t usually present logo designs across the rainbow to our clients. We match their brand with an appropriate color scheme. We want the chosen colors to evoke and strengthen the ideas they want to express. We also want to be thoughtful about where the logo will appear. Especially because color is perceived differently around the world, color selection must account for a company’s long-term goals as well as their current place in the market.

Because color matters, it is also a paramount concern in our invitation work as well. While our brides and event planners generally choose their color schemes before they bring us in on the project, presenting color consistently is essential for success. Guests at an event may not hold the invitation up to the napkin to make sure it is the same shade but if we can get close, why wouldn’t we?

Successful color selection and execution depends a lot on communication. While color perception might have far-reaching consistency within a culture, describing color isn’t always that easy. For this reason, we encourage our clients to adopt one of our favorite friends throughout their branding or event planning process. Pantone has universalized color. Their system of swatch books have revolutionized consistency in ink colors, fashion, and home decor.

For companies wanting color consistency across multiple formats, choose a Pantone color and stick with it. While web colors aren’t always the same as ink colors, having a Pantone color as the target will help serve as a goal. Throughout the design process, don’t be afraid to whip out one of these handy tools. While slight variation can still occur, having a benchmark will help everyone stay on the same page. If you are planning an event, check out The Dessy Group’s Pantone swatches that you can give to vendors and designers involved in your process.

For another perspecitve on successful use of color for logo design, check out Brian Hoff’s post on flexibility.

Images from Pantone and The Dessy Group

7 Questions to Answer Before Creating a New Website

Your website is a powerful tool for telling a story about your business. When clients come to us for website design or redesign, we encourage them to think about how to use this tool in the most effective way possible. Here are seven questions you should ask yourself before diving into the process.

1. Who will view your website?
New customers? Past or recurring clients? Referral sources? Investors? Knowing who will be looking you up can influence what to focus on.

2. Are you happy with your current brand and aesthetic?
Many of our clients come to us for website design but end up taking the opportunity to completely rebrand. If you aren’t happy with your current look and company personality, don’t build a website on that shaky foundation.

3. What information do your viewers need to find on your website?
Including your portfolio, contact information, philosophy, and services might be essential. Perhaps your clients want to see video interviews, a calendar of your events, a place to buy your products, and a downloadable map too. Think about the most frequent phone calls and emails you field. Can you include this information on your site at all so your clients can find it without contacting you?

4. How will people find your website?
Many of our clients are concerned with SEO but have businesses that are based on a small tightly-knit community. If your ideal clients find you on Facebook, through a friend, or directly from your business card, it may not be important for you to focus a lot on getting in Google’s good graces.

5. What do you want customers to do in response to your online presence?
How will you utilize a call to action on your site? Do you want clients to call you? Should they be able to schedule an appointment online? How will your client take the next step? Your website should clearly facilitate steps that lead to sales.

6. How often will your site change?
If you plan to update content or pictures often, consider having your website built on a platform that allows you to make the changes yourself. If you aren’t technically savvy, you’ll need to consider the cost of adding to and changing your site regularly to keep the content fresh and relevant.

7. What are your goals for the site?
Do you want increased revenue? How much? Is the purpose of the site increasing brand awareness? How will that be measured? What will a successful website do for your business? What are must-haves in order to accomplish this?

Calligraphy Tips

Yesterday, I shared about my newly elevated view of calligraphy. Today, I wanted to share some tips from calligraphers about using hand lettering in event invitations.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan your addressing and mailing:

•Most calligraphers require 2 to 4 weeks for addressing 100 envelopes. Make sure you order your invitations early enough to allow time for this. If you have less time, give Leslie McCarthy with Lettering by Leslie a call. She can do 200 envelopes in just three days!

•Leslie suggests that “invitations arrive at their destinations on Saturdays (when people are in their best moods and home from work).” In order to accomplish this, get your invitations in the mail on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

•Leslie also adds that “Postage stamps should thoughtfully be suggested and choosen depending on the colors & theme of the invitation and the wedding reception. Generally speaking, you may end up placing a bit more postage than necessary on the outer envelope (sometimes the rsvp envelope as well) due to the most festive and personally selected stamps for the occasion. This often results in having two or three actual stamps on each outside envelope. (Please remember, do NOT apply postage on RSVP envelopes being mailed to out-of-country guests as they must use stamps from their country or origin).”

•Brides ask Ginny Moore of Calligraphy, Ink. etiquette questions when putting together their address list. She says, “On the outer envelopes, following proper etiquette includes spelling out as much as possible. This includes street names, titles (except for Mr., Mrs. and Dr. when the doctor holds a PhD and not an MD), and even street numbers when there is room. It is not considered proper to indicate “and Family” or “and Guest” on the outer envelope.” If an inner envelope isn’t being used, however, she suggests “using the term “The Moore Family” which is succinct, inclusive and uses correct etiquette.”

•Ginny also offers advice about “Ms.” “As far as old-school proper etiquette claims, it is unacceptable, but it’s increasingly more common today as people feel it’s more politically correct than “Miss” for unmarried women over the age of eighteen. For a divorced woman, if she has returned to her maiden name, etiquette would require the use of “Miss” and if she has kept her married name, “Mrs.” is appropriate, but again, “Ms.” is a common solution to that dilemma.”

•Both calligraphers agree that sending invitations out around eight weeks before the event is standard. If you’ve sent a save-the-date, you can wait a little longer.

For more advice and examples of their calligraphy, be sure to visit Lettering by Leslie & Calligraphy, Ink.

Printing 101: Thermo v. Engraved

When most people think about engraving, they think about a design or pattern etched (indented) into metal, glass, or another hard surface. In the printing world, however, engraving gives a raised feel to a design or type. Printers make engraved (indented/etched) metal plates, fill the grooves with ink, smash it onto paper and Voila! The ink stays raised on the paper keeping the shape of the plate from which it came.

In recent years engraving has taken a back seat to thermography, a process that results in a similar raised ink feel but not so similar process. Instead of etched plates, thermographic printing starts with flat printing (see lithography) that is dusted with a fine plastic powder that sticks to the wet ink. A vacuum removes all the excess powder and then the piece is heated so the plastic melts together.
Photos Courtesy Withers Wanberg Pictures

Each method has its advantages. Thermography is far less expensive than engraving (sometimes called “the poorman’s engraving”). It can be completely more quickly (most of the time) because it does not require special plates to be made. Thermography is also more easily accessible than engraving (some say it is a dying art) and can be created with clear “ink” leaving more of a varnish or textured feel without adding color.

Engraving, however, can hold a much thinner, more intricate line. Any invitation design that has a lot of detail should definitely be engraved. Engraved pieces have a “bruise” on the back side of the paper showing the pressure of the plate. Engraving also can be burnished leaving a rough texture that adds a richness that thermography lacks. In addition, while most types of printing can’t use light ink on a dark field, engraved ink allow for this process successfully.

Each project requires carefully chosen printing. If our clients are in love with the texture of raised ink but want to use thermography for their budget’s sake, we steer away from intricate designs. A client longing for white ink on chocolate brown paper should opt for engraving.

The great debate will continue but we use both. Different strokes for different folks.

What’s your preference?

Editor’s Note: One other consideration for thermography is whether or not it will be exposed to heat after printing. If you plan to put your letterhead through a laser printer, for instance, don’t use thermography or you will end up with a melted mess.

Printing 101: Litho & Letterpress

We love printing. We play with paper and ink all day and we’ve learned a lot. We know when to use lithography and when to print digitally. We know when letterpress is the perfect fit and when raised ink is the best man for the job. Our clients trust us to advise them about all things inked. We take that responsibility seriously.

Today, we want to talk about lithography & letterpress. These drastically different types of printing are both an important part of our repertoire.

For the beginners out there, lithography (or offset printing) is flat printing that can use lots of colors (CMYK, 4-color process) or a single color (PMS spot color) to bring an image or type to life. When you think litho, think glossy brochures, one-color flat posters, and larger quantities. Lithography is a relatively inexpensive type of printing. It is great for big projects, projects with lots of color, and projects where the texture is going to come from the materials or design itself.

Letterpress, on the other hand, brings the texture all by itself. Imagine a rubber stamp made out of metal smashing into soft thick paper. The result: luxuriously indented type and graphics. This is best for simple designs (not too intricate and stay away from thin lines), designs with a dark ink on a light paper, and cotton-based papers that are thick and fluffy. We like to use letterpress with type that we want to emphasize, to add pop to simple designs, or to excite the texture-obsessed clients out there.

Letterpress requires a different plate for every new color, it can’t use screens (less opaque versions of the same color), and requires an artistic eye. It is more expensive than lithography but it can be just the ticket for some brides and events. It has an old school feel but is also hip these days.

Stay tuned for more lessons about printing– coming up next: Engraving v. Thermo: The Great Debate Continues

Photos Courtesy of Ink Invitations & Chenin Boutwell