By Karen Bartolomei, Founder and Creative Director of Grapevine Paperie

I LOVE my job. Every couple that comes through my door has an amazing story and it is my job to tell that story through imagery, typography texture and color. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

I am inspired by every couple…their shared interests, family history, where they came from and what brought them together!

Over the last 14 years I have had couples come to me knowing exactly what they wanted, and I’ve had couples come to me with no ideas at all who have asked me to create a vision for their invitations, save the dates and reception paperie that would be the inspiration and creative spring-board for their entire celebration from linens, florals and decor to wedding party attire, music and signature cocktails!

I am comfortable with any scenario and honestly, I do not prefer one over the other. Each client has different needs and desires and the creative process is different every time. My job is to create a wedding “brand” for each couple that will be timeless and reflect them and their wedding celebration perfectly. Every design is a collaboration, and that’s what makes my job so much fun!

That being said, it is important to come to the initial consultation with your wedding date, location and guest list total as well as any dress or linen swatches, magazine tear sheets, pictures of decor, dresses and florals, or creative ideas of any kind. This will help us determine the right production schedule, quantities and pricing for all of the pieces in their wedding paperie suite and allow us to begin brainstorming design concepts, color schemes, fonts, and imagery so that we make the most of our time together.

Keep in mind that the smallest details can cause your paperie budget to balloon out of control, so it is difficult but necessary to be honest with yourself about budgetary limits. Everyone has a maximum amount in mind that they are comfortable spending, and knowing this in advance allows me to suggest the right printing methods, embellishments and assembly to remain within budget.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than falling in love with the perfect design only to find out that it is not within reach. If you come to the initial consultation knowing your maximum budget, it will allow me to propose creative ways to save money early in the process and keep the budget in mind when adding details on to the designs later. As a general rule, your wedding paperie budget (everything from save the dates to thank you notes, including postage and calligraphy) should be roughly 5-10% of your overall wedding budget.

Our first meeting is a brainstorming session for everyone involved in the decision making process, so I always advise my clients to bring all key decision makers to the initial consultation. If your mother, sister, maid of honor, or fiancé has a strong opinion about the invitation design and you really value his/her opinion and want his/her input before you make your final decision, that person should definitely attend the creative meetings. It can be very frustrating to choose a design you love only to take it back to your fiancé or family and find out they don’t like it and we are back to square one!

You will be able to see and touch our entire selection of printing techniques, papers and embellishments. Engraving, letterpress printing, offset lithography (flat ink), thermography, digital printing, foil stamping and screen printing are all very different techniques that require different artwork formats, different paper thicknesses and textures and different budgets.

Each printing process and paper choice evokes different emotional responses from the recipient and all of this will be explained in detail when you are here.

Infuse your personal style in your paper designs and, above all, have FUN! Your initial consultation is your chance to share your likes and dislikes, the story of how you met and what you are passionate about, your plans for your wedding and future together…anything you wish to use as inspiration for your exclusive design.

It is also a rare opportunity to view our full private portfolio of designs from offset printing and foil stamping to letterpress printing and engraving, and from boxed invitations and popup books to scrolls and laser etched plexiglass.

We will begin with the invitation design, work backwards to the save the date (as you want it to be a reflection of – but not steal the thunder from – the invitation) and then move forward with the design of your reception pieces, finishing with the thank you notes.

Your stationery should be a cohesive suite of designs so your guests know when you are communicating to them about your celebration. However, not every piece has to be an exact match. I always suggest mixing your chosen papers, textiles, artwork, fonts and envelope sizes throughout to create visual interest and excitement.

The possibilities are endless, the sky is the limit and the result is a treasured keepsake for your family and friends that is the perfect reflection of your individuality and your wedding celebration!

Photos taken by Melina Vanderpile & Floral Design by David Beahm