* All photos are courtesy of Bonnie Sen Photography.

How did you and your fiance meet, and how did he propose?
Mike and I met junior year of college at an event my sorority was throwing. After college, we dated long distance for five years until I decided to move to Washington, DC. Finally (phew!), after seven years of dating, Mike popped the question at my parents’ house on the 4th of July. It was a private, sweet and simple proposal, which was perfect. We spent the rest of the day and night celebrating with lots of family, friends and fireworks in the sky.

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?
Going into the process, I knew I wanted an invite exactly like what I ended up with. I actually have a close family friend who used the same invitation suite, and I loved it so much. I tried really hard to find something different, that had the same look, but I could not find another invite I loved as much as this Crane & Co. invitation.

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
I love the invitation suite we ended up with because it is simple and classic, but I felt the font had a modern feel, which I really loved.

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
There are endless choices and options. Look through blogs online to get an idea of what you want and bring pictures of your inspiration for the invite, as well as for your wedding to help the stationer understand the vibe and feel of your wedding.

What was your favorite moment from the big day?
My absolute favorite moment of the day was when we were finally married and we were able to let loose and celebrate with all of our family and friends! We ended our evening on stage with the band dancing and singing—so that was definitely a moment we will never forget.

Are you a bride or stationer who has a Crane & Co. wedding invitation you would love to share? Email us at concierge@crane.com!

The post Real Weddings: An Invitation Inspired by Something Borrowed appeared first on Crane Post Script.

It was a Crane invitation with a beautiful gold crest, elegant navy script and delicate frame. Anne, manager of Paper Source’s SoHo location, helped with the process. Here, they talk to us about proposals disguised as lobster rolls, the importance of time frames, and the special details that make the big day. 

View a similar wedding invitation design to Kate and Kevin’s. 

The Bride: Kate 

Tell me how you and your fiance met, and how did he propose?
Kevin and I first met when we were 8 and 12 at my parents’ camp in northern Ontario, Canada. It wasn’t until almost 20 years later when I was visiting NYC that we became reacquainted. Our parents are very good friends, and while they say it wasn’t a set up, we know better

We got engaged July 14th 2012 at dusk in Southampton. We were in the Hamptons for a relaxing weekend with our dog, and Kevin convinced me there was a pop up lobster roll shop on the beach (he knows I will do anything for a lobster roll). We got to the beach, and as soon as I realized there was no restaurant, I looked over and he was down on one knee. We have a picture of us that was taken at the very same beach from the summer before, and he wanted to recreate the scene. Now we go back each year and take a picture at dusk—a very sweet and special tradition.

Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding invitations—did you have something in mind and did that change?
I knew that I wanted the invitations to be timeless, elegant and to set the overall tone for the wedding weekend. I knew that I wanted metallic gold, navy script and a crest or a border of some kind. I have very particular taste, and knew that I would “know it when I saw it”.

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
I was thrilled when the suite that I picked was from Crane. According to my mom, my grandmother loved Crane. She would have been delighted that I went with such a classic and well-crafted brand.

I fell in love with the border of the suite I chose—it was exactly what I was looking for. It had dots and a striped line border that fit in perfectly with the preppy feel I wanted. I loved that I could customize the suite, and I chose a beautiful gold crest that gave the elegance and timeless quality that I was looking for. I knew that it would set the tone for the weekend perfectly. I have the suite framed in my office as a beautiful reminder of our magical weekend.

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?
One of the hardest parts was selecting the various script fonts. I didn’t want the invitations to be too formal, but I also wanted them to be elegant with a hint of prep. With so many font choices, it was overwhelming at times!

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
I would advise brides to gather a few words that sum up the feel you want your wedding to evoke. With those in mind, it can really help to narrow down the choices when browsing through the countless books.

What were some of the special details from your wedding day?
My vision for our wedding was the marriage of seaside prep meets English cottage garden. Since we chose Nantucket, this came naturally. I really wanted to let the island charm shine through without being overtly “nautical”. I chose a color palate of navy and peach with accents of antique silver and gold. We wanted the wedding to be relaxed and fun with the focus being time spent with our loved ones on a paradise island.

We chose Nantucket because it is where we really fell in love. We first said “I love you” there and when the discussion of wedding locations came up, we both knew it was where it had to be. We loved the idea of sharing what is such special place to us, with our loved ones.

The guest book was surrounded by pictures of parents, grandparents and other family members on their own wedding day, which added to the sentimental feel of the reception. The bride’s chair was adorned with her mother’s bridal veil.  The wedding favor was a hand-stamped bag filled with late night snacks and drinks along with a keepsake custom hand-painted watercolor map of the island.

I knew I wanted a very simple cake with fresh flowers. And I wanted it to taste delicious! My mom makes the most delicious lemon raspberry cake so I had the wild idea of asking her to bake it. (She is not a professional baker.) She was up to the task and made the most delicious masterpiece in the kitchen of the home we had rented for the week.

The Stationer: Anne, Paper Source SoHo

Tell me about working with Kate and about the process you went through to get to the final decision.
I wasn’t involved in the earliest part of the process but I know she was looking for something more traditional when she started. She looked through several books, but when she saw this invitation suite she knew pretty quickly it was what she wanted. Kate loved this suite so much that she ordered pieces to match it for her reception. Kate extended the color theme and style from the invitations to her menu and even the place cards she made for the reception.

What questions do you always ask at that first meeting with a bride?
I always start the conversation asking the date of the wedding and congratulating the bride/couple. Then we work into whether they have looked at invitations yet and whether they have a style in mind. Once we touch on invitations, I ask what other parts of their wedding they’ve completed or thought about: do they have a dress picked out? A venue? Have they picked their colors?

I try to collect as much information as possible to help determine where we’ll start in their search for the perfect invitation suite.  It’s also important to know what kind of time frame we’re working with. This allows me to manage their expectations about what is realistic within that time frame as early in the process as possible.

What are some of the big invitation design trends you’re seeing these days?
This year is more about gold metallic than last year was. Our brides are very into foil invitations with gold foil by far the most popular foil color. We have more interest this year than past years in gilded edges and metallic thermography or engraved printing.

We’re also seeing an uptick in brides and grooms wanting some sort of design (or motif) element on the invitation. Before the text of the invitation was all they wanted on the card.

More and more brides and grooms (and their mothers) are more comfortable with including the wedding Web site directly on the invitation. As recently as two years ago, most customers wouldn’t dream of including that on their invitation.

More couples are paying for all or most of their wedding, so they are moving away from the traditional wording in which the bride’s parents extend the invitation to the wedding. More people are using wording like: “Together with their parents” or the couple extends the invitation.

What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
If the appointment is to consider invitations for the very first time, I tell them to look first for components that they love.

I explain that it can be overwhelming to find the perfect invitation. They should start narrowing down the field by identifying elements that really resonate with them. I also tell them not to worry if they are looking as a couple and they don’t agree at first. Inevitably they will find elements they both love and then will be able to find the invitation they love.

Another important piece of information I share is to start looking at the different wording that is out there. This way they can piece together a sentiment they love without the pressure of having to figure it out by themselves.

When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how are today’s brides different from those five years ago?
Brides today lean a little more casual than they did five years ago. It may be that everything from the paper color to the font selection to the print method is casual. It may be something as small as an unexpected ink color.

In addition, they are more involved in selecting their fonts and colors than they used to be. Five years ago, most brides went with the whole suite from a book including whichever fonts and ink colors were featured. Now they mix and match fonts and study every color possibility before making their decision.

Far more grooms are involved with the decisions about the invitations than ever before. While they used to visit the store with their bride, most grooms used to say that they would be fine with whatever the bride wanted. Now more of them have very specific opinions about the text and sometimes about the design of the invitation.

Special thanks to Gina Brocker Photography for providing Kate and Kevin’s lovely images. If you are a bride or a retailer who would like to have your Crane wedding invitations featured in our Real Weddings series, please email us at submissions@crane.com.

The post Finding The One (Wedding Invitation): Kate and Kevin appeared first on Crane Post Script.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Yale

The Couple: Trifon and David

Tell me about the proposal.
For David’s birthday, I surprised him with a trip to Blue Hill at Stone Barns upstate. I had the rings in my pocket and was going to propose in one of the old silos after dinner (this was pre-arranged, of course). We took a walk around the farm, looking at the animals and greenhouses and ended up on a bluff overlooking the property as the sun was setting. I had a panic-induced change of heart and decided to propose then and there. He was shocked, and it was perfect! I gave him two rings. One is a simple gold band I designed with three sapphires, which were taken from my mother’s favorite ring (she passed away and never got to meet David. I wanted him to have something special of hers). I also designed the other ring, which has five round diamonds and milgrain detailing.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Yale

We then went inside for one of the most amazing meals we’ve ever had. The night ended with a tour of the kitchen and a private moment in said silo with desserts and champagne. We then drove back into Manhattan and went to a favorite bar in Tribeca. All of David’s friends waiting there, under the impression that they were surprising David for his birthday. David did not know they were there, and they did not know I’d just proposed. When we walked in, he screamed in surprise at seeing them and instinctively threw his hand up, showing the rings. They all erupted in congratulations and converged on us for hugs and hand shakes. It was amazing!

Who did you use to order your invitations? Tell us about the process of choosing your wedding invitations. Did you have something in mind going into your first appointment and did that change?
We worked with Joy Agodon at the Papyrus on Third Avenue, between 73rd and 74th Street. She was very patient! We had tons of questions and weren’t absolutely sure what direction we wanted to head in. We wanted something simple and classic, but with a touch of spirit. It couldn’t be too feminine, either. We decided to go with a simple design, but to use color for the font. Originally, we had chosen to do a border in a contrasting color, but it ended up looking too much like an invitation for a baby shower, so we nixed the border in favor of a tonal, beaded border.

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
We chose the Pearl White Beaded Frame with a French Blue scripted font. We fell in love with the font style first and then chose the border to compliment. I think we appreciated that the invitation was totally suitable for two men getting married—not too sweet, but simple and elegant. The French Blue was the perfect punch of added personality that it needed (and blue was a recurring theme in our wedding, from the save the date to the invitations to our navy tuxedos).

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?
Not really. I’d say the only surprise was how the first proof came out when we were doing the French Blue font with a Sage Green border. We both work in the interior design industry, so I’d say we’re pretty good with picking colors and having the foresight to know how they are going to turn out. But when we got the proof, we immediately knew it was not going to work. It was at that point that we decided to keep it simple, switch the border to a tonal one and just go with the French Blue.

Do you have any advice for couples on the invitation process?
Ask for a proof! I think we ended up having three or four proofs when all was said and done. It is important to see how the final product will look, and worth it to pay the nominal fee!

Tell me about your wedding! What was your favorite moment?
We got married at The First Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue at 12th Street. It is, by far, one of the most beautiful churches we’ve ever seen. We wanted the service to be very formal and traditional. I think we accomplished that with the music (played by our church’s organist), the songs sung by a soloist with the voice of an angel (the organist’s wife!) and the readings (one from the Bible, the other from Pablo Neruda). Our minister, Barbara Senecal-Davis, gave the most touching and personal homily, explaining to the guests that we had brought them there for a reason and asking them to act as our support system in the years ahead. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house as we walked down the aisle as husbands.

After the ceremony, we walked to the venue through the streets of Manhattan. It was pretty special. Our amazing photographer, Rebecca Yale, photographed us all along the way—and we ended up with some fantastic shots. The reception was a brunch at One if by Land, Two if by Sea, an old New York restaurant. It is housed in Aaron Burr’s old carriage house in Greenwich Village, and it is absolutely stunning. We arrived while everyone was having cocktails and a jazz trio was playing live. We ate a delicious three-course meal and drank something called the French Assistance, which was our signature cocktail, involving champagne, pink peppercorn and tarragon.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Yale

David and I enjoyed our first dance to “Come Rain or Come Shine” by Ray Charles. He danced with his mother, and I did the same with my grandmother. After the meal was over, we put on the music, which David organized. It was a selection of Motown hits, and the guests loved it. Right before we left, we put on a Greek song (as a nod to my heritage) and performed a traditional Greek dance. I think that every guest, Greek or not, got up for that one! It was a great way to end the reception.

We’d had so much fun dancing we forgot to cut the cake! So as we were standing in the front of house saying goodbye to our departing guests, we cut the cake and took a quick bite. (For the record, it was a strawberry crepe cake from Lady M, and it was delicious).

For those guests who wanted to keep the party going (including David and I), we headed over to the Hotel Hugo to watch the sun set over the Hudson from their rooftop bar. We all lounged on their banquettes with a few more cocktails, reliving our favorite moments from the reception only a few hours before. It was the perfect way to end the day.

As for the favorite moment, we loved it all! The formal ceremony, being photographed walking through the streets, the dancing at the reception, being surrounded by guests full of such love and happiness! But if we had to pick one moment, I’d say when Barbara delivered her homily. It was the moment when the magnitude of the day came into sharp focus. This was for real, and that we would be spending the rest of our lives together. The moment was so personal to us, but also involved all of the family, relatives and friends we’d invited to the wedding. We think it was the most special moment of the day.

The Stationer: Joy Agodon, Papyrus

Tell me about your first meeting with the couple and a little about the process you went through to get to the final decision.

From the initial visit from the couple Trifon and David, the couple had different views on what they wanted their invitations to look like. They wanted a traditional feel but still with a modern flair. They were contemplating several border and color options and wanted a type style that was both whimsy and modern. We went through several proofs and finally narrowed the decision down to a white embassy card with an embossed border.Because the type style they chose was a little larger in scale and not so traditional, an embossed border was the viable option so it did not take away from the type and look of the invite.

What questions do you always ask at that first meeting with a couple?
I always try and ask open-ended questions from the start so I can gauge what type or style of invite they are looking for. I ask for when the date of the wedding is. This narrows down what printing options I can offer the couple. Are their tastes more classic and traditional, modern or whimsical? Is the wedding informal or formal? There are so many options out there these days. I do not want to overwhelm the client from the start so that they leave frustrated or feeling even more overwhelmed. My goal is to make this part of the wedding planning fun and ultimately happy with the choices they have made.

What are some of the big invitation design trends you’re seeing these days?
Bright, bold pattern designs are definitely big. Chevron patterns are still popular with my clientele. My clients are still very traditional here on the Upper East Side. A beveled, engraved or letterpress invite is what I see trending here. Lace applique and laser cut invites are also very popular.

What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
When potential clients first call or walk in, first and foremost I always ask when the wedding is. I do not want the client to have their heart set on an engraved or letterpress invite if they are under a time constraint to get their invitations out. I also ask what kind of budget they have so I am showing them types and styles of invites that fit in their budget.

When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how is today’s couple different from those five years ago?
I still have a very traditional clientele here on the Upper East Side. They still seem to gravitate toward the engraved royalty ecru invite, however, letterpress invites seem to be the more popular trend now. The current couple still likes the traditional look, but prefers the softer look of the letterpress options. They are definitely choosing brighter ink options, foil stamping as well and more whimsical and calligraphic type style. Even though the invite is traditional in the heavier card stock option, the look and feel is modern.

If you are a bride or a retailer who would like to have your Crane wedding invitations featured in our Real Weddings series, please email us at submissions@crane.com.

The post Real Wedding: An Eye for Design appeared first on Crane Post Script.

Couple Jessica and David’s wedding invitation is proof that it is possible to be both on-trend and completely original. For their charcoal-atop-pearl white invitation, they incorporated not one but two of the most popular trends we’re seeing these days—monograms/duograms and calligraphic typestyles. However, instead of choosing a duogram design from our album, they chose to have one custom drawn. Below, Taylor of The Lettered Lily in Salisbury, North Carolina shares the details and Jessica shares the importance of sticking to your vision—and always agreeing to go see a turtle.

The Bride: Jessica 

Tell me how you and your fiance met, and how did he propose? 
David and I met when we were six years old. We had the same group of friends. Although we spoke to everyone in the group, we never spoke to each other. It wasn’t until we were 21 that we said our first words. His older brother was in a horrible car accident three months prior. My father was his neurologist. He and his family were spending some time at their river house near Camden, South Carolina and invited my family to visit. When I arrived, David was playing horseshoes with his father and mine. I walked down the stairs and gave my dad a hug, said “hi” to David’s dad, and then turned to David. I said, “Hello!” He simply looked down at his shoes and replied, “Hey.” We spent the rest of the day talking and the rest is history.

For the next four years, David and I were inseparable. We saw each other as often as we could, mostly on weekends since we were finishing college. We spent many hours on the golf course near his house. One night, before David was set to move up to Washington, DC and start his new job, he and I started watching a movie at his house. His mom went out and his sister, Leigh, went out for a run. About 10 minutes after Leigh left, she called David. She had found a huge snapping turtle on the golf course. We rushed over to see it. (Their grandfather had put one there when they were young. Could this be the same one?)

By the time we got to the spot, the turtle had swum away. David called my name. I turned around. We were eye-level, which was weird since he is about 15 inches taller than me. He told me that I was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he loved how we had intelligent conversations and still found time to be silly and ridiculous. He loved me! He wanted to spend the rest of eternity with me! I was stunned. The evening sun was just beginning to set as I said “yes,” not even noticing that we were in our spot at the golf course. We hugged and kissed, completely forgetting Leigh was standing right there. We turned and thanked her. She had been taking pictures. No, there was no turtle and we were eye-level for a wonderful reason!

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?
My mom and I had been referred to The Lettered Lily for our save the dates and invitations. We both wanted something simple and elegant and went to our first appointment with open minds.

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
After looking at binder after binder during two separate visits, I had marked the samples I had liked. There were a lot! However, I kept coming back to this one particular style. It was gorgeous—simple and elegant. We had created our two-lettered monogram previously. I asked Taylor if it was possible to have the invitation embossed with our two-letter monogram at the top. She said it was. I was so excited. It was unique and different—something that David and I have always embraced.

Why did you decide to incorporate a monogram, and why do you think a monogram adds such a nice touch?
I have always thought that monograms were classic. I always wanted to have a two- and three-lettered monogram when I got married to embrace my newly acquired name. Taylor, my mom, David and I put our heads together for different ideas of doing the monogram. I loved the idea of stacking/interlocking the letters. I had a vision in my head. The final product was amazing!

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?
I wasn’t expecting such a quick turn-around between our meetings and seeing proofs. I also enjoyed the amount of creativity that could be applied to the invitations! I did not want to repeat what many other brides-to-be had done, I wanted to be different and was happily surprised with how many custom options are available!

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
Don’t be afraid to say what you are thinking. It may seem a little complicated, but remember “nothing ventured, nothing gained!” If you want to try something, go for it! If there is a way to do it and it has never been done before, pioneer it! Have fun!

What moment are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?
I cannot wait to see my dad’s face when he sees me in my dress and veil. Also, I can’t wait for David’s face when he first sees me walking down the aisle to meet him.

The Stationer: Taylor (pictured right with business partner Megan), The Lettered Lily 

Jessica and her mother, Ellen, were a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. Our shop is open throughout the week, however, bridal consultations are one-on-one with myself or my business partner, Megan, where we meet with our bride and her guests to get a glimpse into what they are envisioning for their wedding suite to then make it into a reality.

Tell me about your first meeting with this bride and a little about the process you went through to get to the final decision.
I always begin my consultations asking the bride about how the bride and groom met along with the elements of the wedding that they have started on: colors, themes, florals, etc. Jessica began by telling me of how her and David met—they are a childhood love story with a twist and, from the beginning, I knew I had a connection with them!

They then showed me their amazing engagement photos by Stephen Thrift Photography and they were absolutely breathtaking. Soft and romantic with a grace and elegance that I could foresee taking shape throughout their entire wedding suite.

Jessica and Ellen were looking for a Crane wedding suite that encompasses that same theme: soft, romantic, graceful and elegant with touches of charcoal grey, the color of her bridesmaids dresses. They brought wedding invitations that they have received over the years as inspiration, but Jessica was very firm on making sure that her wedding suite stood out from the rest and that’s where the monogram/duogram started to take shape!

Jessica didn’t want a traditional style monogram/duogram but something that was unique and classic. She mentioned that David loved the clean lines of English style type and thought it would be neat to have their initials interlocking to symbolize their union. I created their duogram and now monogram (to incorporate their marriage last name) using texture to see the difference between letters, with David’s “D” strong and bold and Jessica’s “J” interlocked with a soft and feminine curvature.

What questions do you always ask at that first meeting with a bride?
I always want to get to know my bride and her groom as individuals first to gain and build the connection so that it’s a bit easier for them to open up and really help me envision what they have been imagining for their wedding day, their entire lives.

A consultation can be quite nerve-wracking for a bride, and I always strive to make them feel comfortable and confident that we will be able to create the perfect wedding suite for their special day. After learning about my bride and her groom, I then have them explain to me the themes, colors, location, etc. of the wedding so I can visualize it, just as they are.

Pinterest is vital for most of our brides and we definitely fire up the wifi to see their wedding boards! I then discuss quantity and budget and work from there to develop the perfect wedding suite—no matter the budget or vision!

What do you love about a monogram on a wedding invitation?
A monogram (or duogram in this case) truly adds in the soft, elegant romance for a traditional Southern wedding. Jessica’s wedding suite was printed using thermography printing on an oversized soft white paper stock with charcoal ink and a very calligraphy-esque typeface. We countered this with a custom embossed duogram that was soft and subtle to add the crowning piece to the wedding invitations.

What are some of the big invitation design trends you’re seeing?
Pastels and calligraphy typefaces have been a big trend around here for our 2015 brides. Calligraphy style typefaces that are very organic and free form to appear as if they are individually hand written onto the wedding invitations and then to combine that with soft pastels is very popular as well. Pale corals and blush tones with soft grays or Tiffany blues have been our top color palettes this year.

What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
My advice is to approach the consultation with an open mind while still staying true to your wedding day. The Lettered Lily has many different forms of wedding suite options that can work within any vision, and it can be overwhelming to see all of the different options—hence, where we come in! I’ll guide them through the process to keep with their theme but still open their eyes to new unique options that will set them apart from other brides.

With wedding trends pasted all over Pinterest and wedding blogs, staying unique is a must and we will work one-on-one with our brides to ensure that they have a one-of-a-kind wedding suite, perfect for her wedding day!

When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how is today’s bride different from those five years ago?
Today’s bride has a true voice and vivid image of their wedding day that they want their guests to know from the moment they open their wedding suite, fresh from the mailbox. Five years ago, wedding suites were more on the traditional side, with brides envisioning more of the wedding day items rather than the items leading up to the wedding day (save the dates and invitations).

Are you a bride, bride-to-be or stationer who ordered Crane & Co. wedding invitations? We’d love to feature you in our Real Weddings series! Email us at submissions@crane.com for more info.

The post On-Trend and Original, So Happy Together appeared first on Crane Post Script.

The Bride: Andriana

Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding stationery—did you have something in mind and did that change?
Siegrist Engraving in Kansas City, Missouri was absolutely wonderful! Bruce Ebling was so accommodating and we had a fabulous time pouring over all possibilities before finding “the one.”

Describe the stationery you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
The invitations we selected were very classic and stunning. I immediately fell in love with these invitations! Our invitation created an atmosphere and inspired our selections for every last detail of the wedding. When I was first able to see my invitations and touch them, it almost brought me to tears because they were so gorgeous.

Was there anything about the process of choosing your stationery that you weren’t expecting?
I was not expecting to receive so many phone calls and compliments regarding the invitations. I thought they were amazing, but I did not expect that the invitations would make such an impression.

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation/wedding stationery ordering process?
The wedding invitation is the first impression—your invitation creates an atmosphere for your wedding in the earliest stage. Selecting the right retailer and stationary is key—planning a wedding is stressful, so working with the right people will make all the difference!

Photo courtesy of George Pahountis.

Tell me about your wedding! What was your favorite moment?
Our wedding was magical. The ceremony took place at the Cathedral Church of Santorini at sunset overlooking the caldera and some of the most stunning views in the world. Thinking of it now, it still feels like a dream. My favorite moment was standing at the altar during the ceremony and, as we turned to the face our guests, I was overcome with emotion of the day. Through the cathedral doors I could see the sea…all I could think is remember this moment.

The Stationer: Bruce Ebling (pictured below with his brother, Frank), Siegrist

What questions do you always ask at that first meeting with a bride?
Is there any special type of invitation you are interested in having? It’s important to find out what the bride wants.

Tell me about your first meeting with this bride and a little about the process you went through to get to the final decision.
The first meeting was with the bride and her mother at our plant and offices. Here in Kansas City, the weddings that we do are “Classic” in nature rather than the more contemporary. I have actual invitations and the related reception cards, response cards and envelopes and the inside and outside envelopes mounted on black background boards.

When a bride comes in to look at invitations, I first will let them browse through the Crane Wedding book to get a feel for the style of lettering they might be interested in using. After we have done that, I will bring out my box of actual weddings and let them view those samples. Those mounted samples seem to be a big help in trying to decide the actual size of invitations that they might be interested in having.

What are some of the invitation design trends you’re seeing these days?
The weddings we sell here are for the most part just “classy, elegant and traditional” in nature. Wedding invitations should always be of fine quality and good taste.

What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
If they have any samples of invitations they like or have received, bring them along and I can tell them what type of stock is used and how they have been produced. It gives a good idea of the taste of what the bride is looking for in an invitation.

When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how is today’s bride different from those five years ago?
All of the brides today prefer a single, heavy, invitation card rather than the very traditional side fold wedding sheets. A lot of brides coming in today are also looking for something “different and special.” And in many cases, after looking at the Crane Wedding book, and then seeing our selection of the more traditional invitations (mothers usually have some input at this point), the bride will select something a little more traditional.

We only sell Crane’s Wedding papers, and I tell each and every bride that the touch and feel of the 100% cotton papers are simply the best money can buy. When you pair that with an elegant type style and engrave it in black ink—it doesn’t get much better than that!

If you are a bride or a retailer who would like to have your Crane wedding invitations featured in our Real Weddings series, please email us at submissions@crane.com.

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Meet Jens and Amol, a couple so pretty on paper you would think it too good to be true. World-travelers, yet homebodies when in town, these two businessmen know how to keep the flame alive. Date nights are a weekly ritual and weekends together are a sweet dose of couple activities. Their love for each other seems almost tangible, something which they were able to harness beautifully in their choice of stationery. Crane, being their stationery destination of choice, and a resource they use near exclusively in their home, was an easy decision for their wedding – and the perfect fit. Choosing an invitation suite accommodating their exquisitely posh – yet within the bounds of casual – affair, was something the Crane team was ready for. The result? Something akin to magic, something near perfect. Their love became a sentiment caught on paper, and one all guests could touch, hold, and feel forever.

Ecruwhite Royalty Wedding Invitation

Though it wasn’t love at first sight for these two, they appear a seamlessly complementary fit to one another. With a wedding that fully articulated their styles, they approached the look and feel with a sort of casual formality that made their day equal parts lovely and luxurious. What all started at a business conference led to a candle-lit proposal, and then to an incredible wedding that included a surprise serenade by Jens at their reception. This beautiful couple planned quite the event – and it all started with their invitations.

Ecruwhite Royalty Wedding Invitation

So let’s get to know them a little bit more in depth. We promise it will only prove that, though pretty on paper, they’re even better in real life.

Ecruwhite Royalty Wedding Invitation

Tell us a little bit about yourselves! What type of couple are you – adventurer-seekers, or the popcorn and movie night type?

Jens: We both have hectic jobs that require quite a bit of travel, so when we happen to be in the same place and not working, we really like to just enjoy our time and not be too scheduled…so that could be a bottle of wine at home, a nice dinner out, or hitting the gym. One of my favorite times is our Saturday mornings.  We spend hours reading the weekend papers and having breakfast together before working out. We also make sure to have at least one ‘date night’ a week.

Amol: I love our relaxing weekends, and weekly date nights, but when we’re not at home we love traveling (Jens especially!). Over the last two years we’ve been to places like South Africa, Turkey, Belgium, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Maldives. Our favorite place is Mexico, for the resorts (Jens) and the spicy, veggie food + margaritas (Amol).

Tell us how you and your partner met, and what was the proposal like? Give us all the details.  

Jens: We met at a networking conference when Amol was in business school and I was representing my employer at that time. Needless to say I was all business and made a bad impression. A couple of months later when Amol was in New York I wrote him to see if he wanted to catch up over a drink. He only realized it was a date about an hour in! The proposal was just as much a surprise to Amol. He had just accepted a new job offer, and I told him I would cook a celebratory meal. What he didn’t know was that he would be walking in on 400 tealight candles and 1,000 rose petals, as well as a wedding proposal.

Amol: I remember when I first met Jens, and I was so put off because, despite having mutual friends, he wouldn’t talk to me because I wasn’t interested in consulting! I nearly didn’t make it to what turned out to be our first date because it was a cold evening in January, I was coming back from a dinner with a couple of friends, and couldn’t find a cab. I’m glad I made it though! The moment Jens proposed was so indicative of how he is in general — the surprise, the bottle of Dom Perignon he had saved for that very occasion (before he met me, he had that bottle planned), the hundreds of tealights in our apartment. It all felt so perfect and amazing.

Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding invitations and did you have something in mind when you first approached Crane.com? What drew you to Crane.com? Did that change?

Jens: I’ve always used Crane for my personal stationery. I like the combination of a non-fussy design with the formality of the high quality paper stock for a written thank you note. For the wedding we were looking for the same kind of casual formality: black tie dress code at the Harvard Club of New York, but with guests truly enjoying every moment rather than being uncomfortable or bored. The invitation we chose fit with the venue and dress code: heavy paper stock with a very traditional font type and wording. We also worked with a calligrapher, Ashantai Yungai, that came recommended by Crane. He was the cherry on the cake, making sure our invitations wowed people as they received them.

Printed Ecruwhite Save the Date Card

Amol: We’ve always used Crane stationery at our house, so choosing Crane was our number one choice. Our invitations were hand-calligraphed in navy blue ink, which was one of our wedding colors. We really wanted them to feel special.

Printed Ecruwhite Save the Date Card

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?

Jens: I didn’t realize there would be so much choice! Nor did I expect that, once presented with all the choices, I actually had strong opinions about wedding invitations. I was also shocked to see how much (or how little) some of the invitations cost. Crane was a great choice for us. I was very familiar with the product quality and it allowed us to get a very luxurious invitation suite without exploding our budget.

Ecruwhite Royalty Wedding Invitation

Do you have any advice for couples on the invitation process?

Jens: One of the best tips I received when picking our invitation, was to remember that for months, the save the date and subsequently the invitation are really the only tangible part of the wedding for all of your guests. You want to set the right tone and create the right expectations. That’s why, for example, we made sure to use a calligrapher for both the save-the-dates and the actual invitations.

Amol: Completely agree. Not skimping on the invitations was one of our best decisions. I still have a copy of our invite, which we saved with our album.

Tell me about your wedding! What was your favorite moment?

Jens: The ceremony was actually my favorite moment of the day. We had a dear friend officiate, and the whole ceremony felt very personal. I really liked that we both wrote our own vows. I’ll remember those forever. I also really liked the speeches. We went light on the number of speeches and how long they could go. Everyone did such a great job at keeping them short, sweet, and funny.

Amol: My favorite part of the day was a surprise piano performance by Jens of John Legend’s song, “All of Me.” Jens had every single moment of the wedding planned out, so I was completely taken aback when suddenly this big piano rolled into the room, and Jens sat down to sing and play that song. He serenaded me in front of all our guests and loved ones. It was so beautiful — I was completely struck by how emotional and happy I felt. To this day, whenever I hear that song, I think back to our wedding day, it was really special.

Credits:

Photos by STAK Studios.

Kara Neff lives in New York City by way of Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. She is a fashion writer as well as a freelance writer covering beauty, fashion and interior design. 

Are you a bride, groom or stationer who has a Crane & Co. wedding invitation you’d like to have featured in Real Weddings? Email us at submissions@crane.com.

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How did you and your fiancé meet?
Chuck and I met just outside of Washington, DC. In an auditorium of thousands, I sat one seat away from him and directly beside Andrew, who will be our Best Man. Chuck approached me later that day, exclaiming, “Ma’am, ma’am! We didn’t get a chance to introduce ourselves!” Two weeks later, after realizing that he would be passing through Washington again, Chuck asked me to dinner.

How did he propose?
Chuck sent me on a surprise scavenger hunt to our favorite places in the Washington area. At each stop, a different group of family and friends were waiting with the next clue—a piece of paper with a QR code that I scanned to retrieve a video message guiding me to the next location. The final clue led me to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where Chuck was waiting with a ring!

Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding invitations. Did you have something in mind going into your first appointment? Did that change?
When looking at wedding invitations we had two primary considerations—the quality of the paper and the elegance of the design. After researching various options online, we found only one company that could deliver on both the quality paper and timeless elegance we sought: Crane. We were very pleased to see that the paper was even more beautiful in person than it appeared in pictures. Additionally, the custom-edge gilding was truly a work of art!

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design.
We chose an ecru heavy weight gilt edged invitation because of its traditional nature. We wanted something that would stand the test of time, something that we will be able to pass down to our future children as a keepsake for years to come.

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations you weren’t expecting?
Crane went above and beyond anything that we could have ever expected! Crane not only created the most beautiful invitations we could have ever dreamed of, but their staff was absolutely delightful to work with! Their customer service, attention to detail and responsiveness were truly remarkable. We are incredibly grateful to have been able to work with them on our wedding invitations.

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
Aside from choosing a good stationer, like Crane, equally important is finding a good custom stationery store to work with to order your invitations. We worked with Carolyn and Nick at Just Paper and Tea in Georgetown. They were absolutely the nicest, most incredible people that we have worked with while planning our wedding! Not only are they genuinely good people, but they are also highly professional and have been in the stationery business for over 25 years. Had it not been for them, our wedding invitation experience would not have been nearly the same.

What moment are you most looking forward to on your big day?
We believe that marriage is a sacred covenant, and one ordained by God. We are most looking forward to committing ourselves to one another before the Lord and all of our closest family and friends. For us, this is the most important part of our wedding day.

Do you have a Crane invitation suite you think would make for a lovely Real Weddings feature? Email us at submissions@crane.com.

The post A Truly Touching Tale appeared first on Crane Post Script.

One trend we are seeing a lot of these days is layering. Just like with hair, layers give invitations dimension and volume. For this process, our finishing department applies a process called duplexing: the larger card serves as the bottom layer, and the smaller—most often a different color—is affixed to it. Couples love the look because of the thickness it creates as well as its ability to showcase a wedding color palette while keeping the design classic and elegant.

Such was the case with Erika and Ryan, who enlisted the expertise of stationer Sarah at The Paper Merchant in Geneva, Illinois to create their ecru-atop-navy invitation. Not only is it layered, but it also features a gilt edge, a detail that adds such a stunning touch. Here, we talk to both bride and stationer about, among other things, creating this timeless look.

The Bride: Erika

How did you and your fiancé meet, and how did he propose?
Ryan and I were introduced by mutual friends our senior year at Miami University (Ohio). We immediately had a connection and began spending a lot of time together. We officially began dating a few months before our graduation in 2012. Even though Ryan and I were going to spend the next year apart as we pursued further education, I had confidence our relationship would endure the long distance. Ryan and I made sure to see each other as often as we could. Our time apart made us realize how much we truly cared for each other. We began making plans to live in the same city. We now reside in Cleveland, Ohio where I work as a neonatal nurse and Ryan is a CPA.

The day Ryan proposed to me began with a walk through my quaint hometown of Geneva, Illinois. When we returned to my parents’ house, Ryan led me to the patio where the table had been decorated with flowers, champagne, a letter, a picture of the two of us and a ring box. I was completely surprised and speechless. I read the letter Ryan had written me and when I looked up he was down on one knee! Ryan told me how much I meant to him and that he wanted us to spend the rest of our lives together. Of course I said yes. It was the happiest moment of my life! We then toasted champagne with my parents who were there to share in the celebration. I also found out that Ryan made a secret trip to my family’s favorite hometown jeweler to purchase the ring, which made it all the more sentimental.

Tell me about the process of choosing your wedding invitations. Did you have something in mind going into your first appointment? Did that change?
My mother has been a customer of the Paper Merchant for many years. We always knew we would order wedding invitations from them. They also have a wonderful reputation in our community. Living out of state, I had my mom go into the Paper Merchant to preview invitations with Sarah. They found several great possibilities, but one in particular stood out. On our next visit to Geneva, my mom could not wait to show Ryan and I what she had found. There were many lovely choices but we were all drawn to the same one: the ivory invitation with our initials at the top. Going into the process we knew we wanted an invitation that was traditional and elegant without any extras such as ribbon or lace. We also wanted a thick card stock. We feel this Crane invitation encompassed our initial thought.

Describe the invitation suite you ended up with and why you fell in love with that design. What in particular did you love about the “layered” look?
Our invitation suite is beautiful! The invitation is ivory, subtly trimmed in gold and layered on top of navy backing. It is printed in navy and has our initials at the top to make it more personal. I love the layering for many reasons. The navy backing makes the ivory stand out and sets off the gold trim. The navy backing also incorporates our wedding color and doubles the card stock giving the invitation the thickness we desired.

Was there anything about the process of choosing your invitations that you weren’t expecting?
At The Paper Merchant the invitation process was truly a custom experience. I was surprised by the number of options that were available and how we were able to combine elements from multiple invitations into one. The navy backing and gold trim were not original to the invitation we chose, but Sarah was able to incorporate these details from other Crane invitations into our final product.

Do you have any advice for brides-to-be on the invitation process?
My advice for brides-to-be is to have patience, an open mind and work with a reputable stationer whom you trust. I am grateful to The Paper Merchant, especially Sarah, for her expertise and guidance that was invaluable throughout the invitation process. Sarah was timely, made us feel confident in our decisions, and, most importantly, made the process enjoyable!

What moment are you most looking forward to on your big day?
Spending the day surrounded by our family and friends, walking down the aisle alongside my dad and most of all marrying my best friend!

The Stationer: Sarah

Tell me about your first meeting with this bride and a little about the process you went through to get to the final decision.
The bride’s mother has been a great customer of the shop for many years. So when she stopped in and said she had a wedding in the works for her daughter, I was delighted to know they chose us to do the invitations.

The bride’s mother, Kris, began the initial search since Erika and Ryan live out of state. We went through and picked out a couple options for Erika and Ryan to look at during our next appointment. The happy couple came in to meet with me on their next visit to Geneva. After discussing the elements of the wedding and the look they were trying to achieve, it was decided that the Crane & Co. design aesthetic would be the most appropriate for this event. They wanted something elegant and traditional but with a little something extra to make it stand out from other invitations. When they saw the gilded gold edging on the Royal Avalon Suite invitation incorporated with the navy border they were looking for, the couple knew it was “the one.” Timeless, elegant and perfect for the type of wedding Erika and Ryan wanted to covey to their guests.

What questions do you always ask at the first meeting with the bride?
In a first appointment, I always discuss the basics such as when is the wedding? Where is the ceremony? Is the reception at the same place or a different location? Is there a budget I need to work with? From there I try not to overwhelm the customer too much. I let them browse and allow time to understand each company’s style.

It is usually during the second appointment when I begin to ask more detailed questions: What are your colors? What are the bridal party and groomsmen wearing? How are your flowers going to look? What are you looking forward to the most at the ceremony? The reception? From there, I can begin imagining what the event is going to look like in my head and direct the bride toward designs that would reflect that “look” they are trying to achieve.

Layered invitations seem to be popular right now. Why do you think this is such a popular choice with brides?
It’s a great way to add dimension and color to an invitation without making the invitation too over the top. A layered look, especially with Crane & Co. papers, just creates a timeless and striking invitation. The guest who receives it will appreciate the time and effort that went into creating the beautiful final product. It also helps to have a great color palette to work with. In this particular instance, Erika and Ryan chose classic colors. When put together with this wedding invitation suite, it became eye-catching and elegant.

What advice do you have for brides who are ready to make their first invitation appointment?
Always…always have an open mind and be patient. They go hand-in-hand when looking at invitations. I recommended looking about eight months before the wedding date. By then you’ll have an idea of what your save the date will look like and you can begin looking at wedding invitations.

In your first appointment, you just need the wedding date, an idea of quantity needed, location of ceremony and location of reception. These few details will be very helpful when looking at wedding invitations for the first time. It can give you an idea of pricing and what pieces you will need to order to create your invitation suite. Don’t feel rushed to have all the information during your first appointment, save that for when you are finally ready to order.

When it comes to choosing wedding invitations, how is today’s bride different from those five years ago?
It’s all about the details. Every bride wants the wedding, invitation included, where the little things make the biggest impression. Long gone are the days of vellum overlays and bland colors combinations… and hello creativity!

I think the brides of five years ago were a bit cautious when it came to how creative they thought they could be with their invitation suite. They tried to stay a little more traditional in fear that adding colors would distract or take away from formality of the event. How far you can take your colors and design ideas depends on the event. That’s why I ask so many questions about the wedding.

With Erika and Ryan’s wedding I knew that the ceremony was in a historical church in a beautiful setting, while the reception was going to be at an elegant venue with great food, music and atmosphere. So with their invitation, they accomplished that feel by using formal yet contemporary typestyles and adding the gold gilded edges to pop against the striking navy backer. Using the oversized cardstock made the invitation stand out when the guest received it in the mail.

Are you a bride or stationer who would like Real Weddings to feature a Crane invitation? Email us at submissions@crane.com.

The post For the Love of Layers appeared first on Crane Post Script.

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:

1. What is your budget?
2. Date of wedding (seasonal)?
3. Location of wedding (destination)?
4. 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.

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