We often say that Crane is a name that is passed down from generation to generation. But we’re still always delighted when we meet someone—especially a bride—who chooses our stationery because it was given to them by a beloved older family member.
Bride Liana wanted to do just that after her mother gave her Crane stationery when she began college.
“She told me that I could write to her, in addition to calling home, if I ever felt homesick,” Liana said. “I loved that paper set, and knew I wanted to go with Crane for my wedding invitations.”
Here, Liana advises who brides should take with them to their invitation appointment, and her stationer—Corinne of The Paper Merchant in Naples, Florida—shares why traditional invitations are making a comeback.
The Bride: Liana
How did you and your fiance meet, and how did he propose?
My fiance, Coury, and I met in law school. Coury was a teaching assistant in my 1L Criminal Law class. I knew from the very first moment that I saw him that I had to meet him, so I emailed him that night for “extra-help.” The rest, as they say, is history.
Coury proposed in late October. The engagement ring had been burning a hole in Coury’s pocket for weeks. He probably took me to every fancy restaurant in the city that month, but couldn’t find the perfect moment. Ultimately, he took the moment and made it perfect by getting down on bended knee first thing in the morning in our apartment. I said, “yes, yes, yes!”
Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding invitations and did you have something in mind going into your first appointment? Did that change?
I went to boarding school at the age of 14, and when my parents dropped me off at my new home in New England, my mom presented me with the most beautiful Crane & Co. stationery set monogrammed with my initials. She told me that I could write to her, in addition to calling home, if I ever felt homesick. I loved that paper set, and knew I wanted to go with Crane for my wedding invitations.
Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
The Bella suite really jumped off the page! The invitation I chose stood out because of its simplicity and understated elegance. I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out.
Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?
I wasn’t expecting it to be so easy! But when it’s right, it’s right.
Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
Take your mother or someone special with you to share the moment with. It makes all the difference.
What moment are you most looking forward to on your big day?
Definitely the father-daughter dance! I’ve been looking forward to it since I was a little girl and can’t believe it’s almost here! I am also really looking forward to seeing my best friend and future husband waiting for me at the end of the aisle.
The Stationer: Corinne
Tell me about your first meeting with this bride. What process did you go through to get to the final decision?
Liana, the Bride, and her parents came to The Paper Merchant one Saturday afternoon looking for wedding invitations. She definitely had something in mind and that was a Crane invitation. They were so thoughtful and pleasant to work with that it made the process truly enjoyable.
All Liana needed was a little guidance and she knew exactly what she wanted from there. Liana kept going back and forth to Crane’s Bella suite invitation until I told her that she could always incorporate their initials. This way, her invitation will be uniquely hers. With our knowledge of the Crane product, being a dealer for over 35 years, it allowed us to help Liana create her dream invitation.
What questions do you always ask at that first meeting with a bride?
When brides come to the shop looking for invitations, most of the time they do not know where to start. We always ask these key questions:
- What is your budget?
- Date of wedding (seasonal)?
- Location of wedding (destination)?
- Do you have a specific style in mind?
What are some of the big invitation design trends you’re seeing these days
Pinterest is a big trend but also a big nightmare. We find brides are combining lots of styles they see on Pinterest and it is then our job to create the perfect invitation from that!
What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
Have a budget in mind—it is much easier to guide them when you have an idea of what they want to spend. At that point, if they see something a bit more or less, you can always tweak it, but at least you have a starting point, just like bridal dress shopping.
When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how is today’s bride different from those five years ago?
Today’s bride definitely is more knowledgeable of what is out there due to a vast array of ideas on the web. They are also wanting a paper invite versus email since it is more personal and bucking the email trend of five years ago. I believe that traditional invitations are certainly making a comeback, and that there are three key aspects: Simplicity, elegance and quality.
Are you a bride or stationer who would like to have a Crane invitation featured in Real Weddings? Email us at submissions@crane.com.