WEDDING INVITATION QUESTIONS

I start with your story, not a particular style. The most personal invitations carry details exclusive to the two of you. Maybe it's a family crest, the flower from your grandmother's garden, a drawing of the place you got engaged. I listen for these details on our first call, and then find little ways to weave them into your design.

Yes, and it's one of my favorite parts of the process. Custom artwork is part of every suite I design, whether that's a watercolor of your venue, a monogram created for the two of you, or a crest that honors your family's history. Read Tiernan and Blake's wedding story to see how this suite came to life.

Letterpress is a traditional printing method coveted for its pillowy impression, the kind you can see and feel with your fingertips. Each design is pressed deep into 100% double-thick cotton paper by skilled artisans who have spent years perfecting their craft. It's a labor of love: every press is set up by hand, every card is fed by hand, and each color in a design is printed in its own separate pass. The result is an invitation with weight, texture, and a luxurious impression.

Read more here: What are letterpress wedding invitations?

Letterpress is at the heart of what I do, and I pair it with other finishes when a design calls for them: foil stamping for shimmer, embossing for raised detail, and blind debossing for a subtle, colorless impression. When a suite includes watercolor artwork, I combine digital printing for the artwork with letterpress for crisp, pillowy text. Because every suite is fully custom, the possibilities are nearly endless, so I curate the options that suit your design and your wedding.

Keep it somewhere you'll see it. Many couples frame their invitation and hang it at home, while others add it to a shadow box with other wedding keepsakes or tuck it into their album. Your invitation is the first piece of your wedding anyone held, and it tells your story in a way few other things can. With my couples, this part is already taken care of (see the next question).

Yes. Every couple I work with receives their invitation suite framed at the end of our time together. After nearly two decades in interior design, I believe in surrounding yourself with meaningful things you love. This is my way of making sure the first piece of your wedding becomes something you keep.

My couples' suites are beautifully diverse, ranging from classic and formal to botanical, illustrated, and modern, and some are quietly minimal. What they share is an elegance that comes from the details: fine paper, premium print methods, balanced layouts, and touches drawn from each couple's own story. The best way to see the range is to browse my portfolio.

To view my work, check out my portfolio here.

Yes, and I love them. Traditional invitations have a quiet grace that never goes out of style: formal wording, elegant script, a monogram, inner and outer envelopes, heavy cotton paper. For black-tie weddings, I like to layer contrasting textures, such as a velvet liner against a silky smooth envelope or a glossy wax seal on a modern design, for a beautiful juxtaposition. I also know the etiquette behind every tradition, so you can honor it with confidence.

Read more here: "Traditional details that are always on trend”

Yes. Custom illustration is one of the most personal touches an invitation can have, whether it's a watercolor of your venue, botanicals from your wedding flowers, or a small drawing of a place that means something to you. I work with talented illustrators whose style suits your wedding, and I guide each piece so it feels like a natural part of your suite.

Read Annalee and Matthew's wedding story.

The Design Edit is how every custom suite begins. After our first call, I create three distinct design directions for your wedding, The Classic Suite, The Curated Suite, and The Heirloom Suite, each shaped by what you've shared with me and each with its own pricing range. Instead of scrolling through samples and guessing, you see what your invitation could be. Most couples know right away which one feels like them.

Read more: The Design Edit blog post (renamed from The Invitation Compass)

The Design Dossier is a collection of your chosen colors, papers, and printing samples, mailed to you once you've chosen your direction and reserved your date. It lets you hold your wedding stationery in your hands, feel the weight of the paper, and see the colors in real light before anything is printed. If you're working with a planner, she receives one too, so everything complements the rest of your wedding.

Everything from the first idea to the mailbox: custom design, wording and etiquette guidance, printing, envelope addressing, assembly, postage, and mailing. You’ll also receive The Design Edit and your Design Dossier along the way, and your framed invitation at the end. My goal is simple: you enjoy the process and I take care of the details.

Most suites include an invitation, a reply card and envelope, a details card, and inner and outer envelopes. From there, every suite is unique, like the envelope liner we printed with a Scotland castle, or a wax seal pressed with a couple’s own monogram. Some of my favorite details began with me asking a couple, “What if we…?” All I ask is that you come with an open mind and enjoy the journey with me.

Yes, all of it. Once your suite is printed, I address every envelope by hand calligraphy or with guest addressing printed to match your design, assemble each invitation, add postage, and mail them to your guests. You'll never have to stuff an envelope or stand in line at the post office.

Yes, for couples who are already working with me on their invitations. Carrying your design through to the wedding day, with menus, place cards, programs, and signage, makes the whole celebration feel cohesive.

That's very common. We can begin with what you know, and when details are still coming together with other vendors, we simply adjust. There's no pressure to make decisions before you're ready.

I recommend mailing local invitations 10–12 weeks before the wedding, and 12–14 weeks for a destination wedding. That's earlier than you may read elsewhere, and for good reason: letterpress takes time because plates are made for every design, and mail has become less predictable. Domestic invitations can take up to three weeks to arrive, and I've had overseas guests receive theirs before guests across the country. Mailing early gives everyone time to make plans and return their reply cards before your RSVP date, which I suggest setting 4–6 weeks before the wedding. When you work with me, we set your mailing date together, and I handle the mailing.

Read more here: "When should you mail your wedding invitations?"

Yes. I design save-the-dates, and they're often where our work together begins. I recommend sending them 10–12 months before the wedding, or 12–14 months for a destination wedding, so guests have plenty of time to plan travel and save the date. They're a lovely first glimpse of your invitation suite, and they set the tone for everything that follows.

Not always. Nine months or more is ideal for a fully custom suite, but a shorter timeline can still work. Under nine months, it's very workable if you reach out soon. Under six months, the timeline is tight, but depending on your vision there may still be options. Either way, contact me as soon as you can, and I'll tell you honestly what's possible.

Start here to begin the conversation.

The biggest factors are how many invitations you need, how many pieces are in each suite, and the printing and finishing details, such as the number of letterpress colors, foil, liners, and other embellishments that tell your story. Custom artwork, addressing, and postage for heavier suites add to it as well. I walk you through every option and tell you honestly where a detail will make the biggest impression and where it's fine to let one go, so every choice is one you've made on purpose.

I take care of it for you. Once your suite is finished, I weigh it, apply the correct postage, and mail your invitations. Postage is billed at cost after your suite is approved. If you'd love the charm of vintage stamps, I can curate a vintage postage design for you, billed separately after approval. Square envelopes and heavier suites with several pieces or wax seals need extra postage, and I plan for that from the start.

I take on a limited number of weddings each year, so every couple has my full attention. To reserve your date, we finalize a simple agreement and a 30% retainer. The remaining balance is due once your designs are approved and ready for production.

As traditional as feels right to you. Classic wording follows a few lovely conventions: the hosts' names come first, "the honour of your presence" is used for a ceremony in a house of worship and "the pleasure of your company" for other venues, and dates and times are written out in full. Many couples keep the tradition and soften a line or two so it sounds like them. I help you find that balance, so your wording feels gracious, not stiff.

Read more: "Traditional details that are always on trend"

On the outer envelope, use each guest's full name and formal title, and write out words like "Street" and the state name. A married couple might be "Mr. and Mrs. James Miller" or "Mr. James Miller and Mrs. Anne Miller," and a couple with different last names is listed with both full names. If you use inner envelopes, they're less formal ("Mr. and Mrs. Miller") and name exactly who is invited, including children or a guest.

When we work together, I give you clear guidelines for preparing your guest list, and then I review every name and address before anything is printed. I'm an extra set of eyes for the details that are easy to miss: a title that doesn't match the rest of the list, an address that's changed, or a newly married couple whose names need updating since they were engaged. Your envelopes arrive looking as polished as what's inside.

Read more: “How to prep your guest list without losing your mind”

You don't need them, but they do a lot more than people expect. The outer envelope travels through the mail and takes the wear. The inner envelope protects your invitation, keeps your liner beautiful, and shows exactly who is invited, which quietly answers the "can I bring my kids?" question before anyone asks. It's also the last envelope your guests open, so it makes a lovely final reveal. That's why inner envelopes are standard in every custom suite I design.

Read more: “Double Envelopes: The Unexpected Secret to Stress Free Guest List Management”

Couples who live together share one invitation. Adult children, usually 18 and older, receive their own, even if they still live at home. If you're giving a guest a plus-one, try to learn their name so you can include it, or add "and Guest" on the inner envelope. When a guest list gets tricky, I help you sort out every one of these questions.

Set your RSVP date 4–6 weeks before the wedding. That gives you and your vendors time to finalize seating, catering counts, and any last details. As for mail or online, both work. Online replies are easy to track, while a mailed reply card completes the suite, gives guests a moment to write a note, and becomes part of your keepsake. Many of my couples choose mailed replies and put their wedding website on the details card for everything else.

Put it on the details card, not the invitation itself. Traditionally, the invitation holds only the essentials (who, when, and where), and the details card carries everything else: the reception, accommodations, and your website. It keeps the invitation elegant and uncluttered.

Yes. Calligraphy is a favorite with couples who want an elegant, human touch, and I hand-letter everything myself: inner and outer envelopes, plus spot calligraphy, such as your names on the invitation. If you'd prefer, I also offer printed addressing in a font that matches your suite. Because hand calligraphy takes time, your guest list is due a little earlier, and I'll give you that date so everything stays on schedule.

Yes. I can lead the stationery design or work alongside you, whichever suits your process and your client. You'll receive The Design Edit and the Design Dossier, and I'll keep you informed at every step, so the invitations never become one more thing on your list.

Read more: For Planners