Wedding Invitation Specials!

Did I mention that it's wedding season? Come on into the store - we've got specials on wedding invitations from some really wonderful companies!!

From Crane, purchase 100 or more engraved, letterpress or foil stamped wedding sets and receive the invitation and address dies free. Purchase 100 or more thermographed or flat print wedding sets and receive the return address on the invitation envelope for free.

This includes Crane, Kate Spade and Martha Stewart ensembles. 

Hurry, special ends April 12th! 

William Arthur's special is for 25 free invitations when you purchase 75 or more! Ends March 28th. Includes William Arthur, 

Vera Wang and Rita Renning.

Elum, one of my favorite letterpress companies had a great special as well...

UPDATE: Sorry, this special has now expired. 

 

While elum's new umi album isn't included in their special, the pricing is so great in this album, that it's almost as good as a special. 

And we've already got our first order from it!

This one is my favorite - gorgeous!:

Page, another letterpress company, is offering free return address printing on the invitation envelope!

Happy Envelope is offering 1/2 off your stationery order when making a wedding invitation purchase! 

 Finally, Checkerboard is offering a special for 25 free invitations 

when you purchase 25 or more invitaton ensembles. 

Offer expires March 28th. 

 

Join us at the store to view these and other great invitations! 

We can't wait to see you! 

Name placement etiquette in stationery

As a stationery store owner, I often get questions about etiquette, and I’m happy to answer. It seems that over the last several decades there’s been such a movement towards ‘casual’ that we forgot to teach our kids some of the rules. Surprisingly, however, it’s often the generation older than me that is locked into incorrect ways. So, here are a few simple rules pertaining to name placement on stationery.

1. Ladies, we didn’t go through women’s lib for nothing! But even without that movement, in most social situations, we are supposed to come first when mentioned with our husband. Some say the man’s “first and last name should never be separated,” some say “ladies first.” I say it’s the “polite way.” No matter, the effect is the same: it’s Susan and John Doe. Not John and Susan Doe.

2. With wedding invitations, the parents of the bride typically extend the invitation and many brides want their mom’s first name mentioned. While that is fine, it certainly decreases the level of formality. And when the mother’s first name is given, titles should be dropped. So it’s Susan and John Doe or Mr. and Mrs. John Doe inviting you to the wedding; not John and Susan Doe, and not Mr. and Mrs. Susan and John Doe.

3. When you send wedding invitations, please, please don’t use stickers on the envelopes!!! Just because ‘everybody does it…’ doesn’t mean you should. (Remember your mom saying ‘if everyone jumped off a bridge’…?) An event as important as your wedding deserves the time it takes to hand-write your guests’ names and addresses. And again, as you address the envelope, return to #1 and #2.

4. When addressing envelopes, and writing any correspondence, recall the level of formality of the event, your familiarity with the person to whom you are writing (and their spouse, as applicable), and any professional titles they may carry. Mr. and Mrs., Dr. and Mrs., and Professor and Mrs. are always in good taste. First names may not be.

Remember, etiquette isn’t as much about what’s “right” and what’s “wrong” as it is about making people feel comfortable and welcome. It’s about being polite and treating people with kindness and respect. Come on, let’s make the world a kinder place!

On Wedding Invitations

So, being the owner of a stationery store, I’ve long dreamed of the invitations that would invite friends and family to my kids’ weddings. So many options: engraved, letterpress, colorful, classic. But it just has to be letterpress. My ultimate favorite.

My son and his fiancée live in Oregon. They love all things outdoors: camping, snowboarding, hiking, biking. I’d personally selected a beautiful invitation from Oblation, an Oregon company, how perfect. Hand-made recycled cotton paper, ivory with a brown pine bough. I figured they’d be married in the fall, with brisk mountain air and the smell of pine. I’ve had this one in mind for a few months now, ever since my son hinted of an upcoming engagement.

So when they announced a May or June wedding I was a bit taken aback. May? June? Somehow that doesn’t fit what I’d envisioned! May and June are bright and colorful, not ivories and browns. Hmmm.... Back to the drawing board.

One night I woke in the middle of the night – yes, that’s it! The beautiful magenta ink from Julie Holcomb! Perfect match for peonies – my favorite flower! And peonies are perfectly timed for mid-June, what now appears to be the date. Finally it all came together in my head! But when the cobwebs cleared, it hit me - pink wording? What was I thinking? (or dreaming) A pink design, maybe, but not words – this is the wedding, afterall, not a shower, and my son would never tolerate that. Guess I’d better sleep on it some more…