Shocker alert – we’re pretty heavily into environmental conservation over here (big news, right?).  Everything from the tree-free cotton papers we print on, to the wind powered electricity we use, to our vegetable based inks and more is intended to minimize our impact on the natural world in every way we can possibly think of.  And so with that being the case, how could we not be totally all about this amazing naturally inspired Deveril (by Beth Ann Seal) customization!  We owe the pleasure of being able to print this beautiful set to our buds over at Sweet Paper in La Jolla, California.  It features espresso ink, our white 2-ply paper, and custom designed wood grain envelope liners inspired by our Adirondack design.  There’s also a little secret pocket on the back of the invite to hold the reception card, website card, and reply card neatly in place!  The whole set is earthy and organic feeling, but not in a kitschy kind of way because it’s still a very classic and formal looking set.  We dig it.  Hope you do too!

ink: espresso | fonts: burgues script + danube | paper: white 2-ply | invite size: f8 | liner: custom adirondack pattern in espresso

Our vintage chic Cartoccio (by Ian Koenig) letterpress wedding invitations are modernized in this customization that screams with 2011′s popular colors. Letterpress printed in watermelon and pewter inks on 1-ply white paper, our free eco specs message is also featured in watermelon on the back of the invitation. A #17 (typically our place card or website card size) reception card to match is also an unexpected element of detail. We adore the wording featured at the top of the invitation which adds such a personal touch- how romantic! Our modern floral envelope liner in pewter adds character to this whimsical set. Nothing is sweeter than a Italian summer wedding!

We love this bold and modern letterpress invitation customization that combines the best of our Alice (by Tara Hogan) and Deveril (by Beth Ann Seal) designs! Submitted to us by our friends at The Village Invites II in New York, New York, this stylish set features double-sided letterpress invitations as well as dual-purpose coasters – our favorite! The fun combination of black and spring green inks, along with the unique monogram pattern on the reply postcard, has us head over heels!

ink: black + spring green | fonts: danube + impression | paper: 2-ply white | invite size: F-8 |  liner: vintage stripes in spring green ink | edge painting: spring green

by Sarah Walroth, In-house Graphic Designer.

We printed these amazing letterpress wedding invitations, our Nautilus design, for a wedding at sea. They feature 3-color letterpress in light sapphire and black inks with a schooner motif in blind deboss. The reception card features the anchor from the Nautilus suite and the couple submitted their own skull and crossbones motif to complete the look. We love the pretty pirate-inspired feel of these invitations!

As fall moves into Upstate New York, we find ourselves in love with these letterpress wedding invitations, a customization of our Exuberance design bursting with fall colors on our ivory paper. The letterpress invitations and reception cards were printed in pumpkin and antique gold inks, while the directions cards, reply cards and thank you cards were each printed in 1-color letterpress – the directions cards were printed in marigold, the reply cards in antique gold, and the thank you cards in pumpkin. We love how this customization incorporates so many great coordinating colors resulting in a suite with warm, rustic charm that’s just perfect for this couple’s upcoming fall ranch wedding.

Printed in aquamarine and papaya inks, we love this bright and cheerful customization of our Joy letterpress wedding invitation design from our 2010 collection.  The couple included a letterpress directions card, printed in 1-color letterpress in aquamarine, and a letterpress reception card detailing all of the information about the celebration following their wedding ceremony. From the bright color combination to the pretty pairing of fonts, we love everything about this invitation suite.

Deciding which pieces to include when deciding on your letterpress wedding invitations can be a bit confusing if you’re just starting to research so we thought it would be helpful to share some of the pieces we print most often and how you might use them. The great thing about all of these pieces is that you can pick and choose just those elements that are relevant to your event and fit comfortably within your budget, lending a lot of flexibility as you decide on your invitation suite.

{Save the Dates}
While not especially traditional, Save the Dates are becomingly increasing popular. Initially, Save the Dates {Cartoccio design featured above} were used almost exclusively for destination weddings, but we’re seeing a growing number of couples opting to send letterpress Save the Dates in advance of the wedding invitation to give guests a heads up on the upcoming event. Some simply list a date and location, while others might note a wedding website or specific venue. Usually couples send Save the Dates anywhere from six months to a year in advance, depending on the length of their engagement. Save the Dates are especially helpful when you are expecting a lot of out of town guests, but are by no means a requirement.

{Invitations}
Your invitation card {Mimosa is shown above} is arguably the most important element among all others and even despite the dawn of the e-card age, most couples still have a preference for traditional invitations, letterpress invitations being among the favorites. A general rule of thumb is that invitations include the date, time and location of the festivities and are sent to guests six to eight weeks in advance. Etiquette has long dictated the wording of invitations, although these days there is an increasing flexibility in how you word your invitation to guests. While we love printing traditional invitations, we also love to see how our brides and grooms get creative with language as they welcome guests to celebrate their union. With our wide range of letterpress invitation designs, there is truly something for every couple.

{Reception Cards}
Traditionally, reception cards {Deveril reception card above} were enclosed along with the main invitation and listed the time and place of the wedding reception only, while the invitation card itself was reserved exclusively for ceremony details. Reception information can easily be included on the bottom of the invitation, though some couples prefer to have a separate letterpress reception card if their reception is being held at a different location later in the evening, or if there are separate guest lists for each events. One great way to save money is to forgo the reception card, which is not only budget friendly, but also eco friendly too as it saves on paper. What’s not to love?

{Reply Cards/Postcards}
Reply cards {Lovebirds letterpress design above} as we know them are actually a modern custom, as traditionally invitations did not include RSVP information. Rather, it was customary for guests to reply with a hand written note on their own stationery. How sweet is that? While this particular practice is largely a thing of the past, we do see a number of couples printing requests for replies directly on the invitation and forgoing a reply card altogether, sometimes directing guests to a website or email address. Another common option is the choice of a letterpress reply postcard in lieu of a reply card with envelope. Again there are is a lot of flexibility with what information is included on a reply card and these days it might include not only the names and number of guests, but also meal selections and where the guests might be lodging for the weekend.

{Website Cards}
Website cards are another modern evolution in wedding stationery and are often just small cards printed with a website address providing information on events, accommodations, directions, local attractions, and miscellaneous information that might be useful to guests. While not a traditional element, letterpress website cards are very useful for spreading the word that you have a wedding website and that you’d like guests to visit. Some couples even opt to print extras so they can keep them on hand to give out when friends and family ask wedding-related questions. What a great idea!

{Directions/Accommodation Cards}
An increasing number of couples are opting to include direction and/or accommodations cards these days, especially as more couples plan destination or weekend-long events. We’re printing a growing number of directions cards and accommodations cards, sometimes one and the same, providing an abundance of really useful information for guests looking to make travel arrangements. It’s an extra element of hospitality that never goes overlooked by guests as anyone can appreciate not having to take extra time to research the best places to stay or how to get to the ceremony. It’s also possible to print directions on one side of a card and accommodation information on the other, even with letterpress, which is another great way to save money and save paper while still providing guests with great information.

{Tips for Deciding Which Pieces to Include}

- Determine the information that would be most useful to your guests given the details of your particular event and make that your focus

- Combine pieces where possible to help accommodate your budget

- Get creative! Don’t be afraid to include something totally unique or nontraditional, especially if you think it might be helpful for your guests

- Make it your own – letting your personalities shine through will always guarantee a beautiful letterpress invitation suite

We are always willing to answer questions and help you decide what invitation elements are perfect for you and your event. If you’re considering letterpress wedding invitations and wondering what pieces to include, let us know and we’re happy to help with ideas!

The Deveril letterpress wedding invitation has been one of true loves ever since we first printed the sample – it’s a customer favorite too, and we love seeing how clients customize the design. For the next few days, we’ll highlight some cool variations of the classic Deveril invitation design. We’ll start with a really fun idea – printing each piece in an invitation suite using a different color ink – the invite in navy, the reply card in garden, the reception card in fuchsia. It’s such a great twist on the usual 1-color letterpress invitation – fun, festive, but still really elegant.