Majestic mountains, serene lakes, kayaks, and starry nights makes us excited that spring and warmer weather is upon us! Dust off your packs and get inspired by the outdoors!
We get loads of questions about envelope addressing. And with good cause – after you’ve invested in some gorgeous letterpress invitations, who wants to make a glaring faux pas when it comes to the envelope? It’s the very first thing your guests will see when they receive your wedding invitations in the mail, after all.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a little crash course of frequently asked addressing questions (or FAAQ) and ran them by calligrapher Debi Zeinert for some answers. Because who’s going to know more about addressing invitation envelopes than someone who does it for a living? Meet Debi in the video below!
Q: Are there any things you find your clients are consistently confused about concerning addressing etiquette? A: The biggest confusion comes when the wife is a doctor. Mr. and Dr. John Smith is incorrect. When a woman has a title her first name should be noted, and she should be listed first. For example: Dr. Susan and Mr. John Smith. Or, if they are both doctors with the same last name, Doctors Susan and John Smith.
Q: What’s the best way to organize guests names and addresses before someone sends them to their calligrapher? A: I prefer to get guest lists in the form of an Excel spread sheet – this way I can mail merge it to my liking for addressing. Though i will accept any sort of typed list. When using Excel its best to organize it in columns as follows: Outer envelope name, Name 2, Address, Address 2, City, State, Zip, Country, Inner envelope.
Q: When is it appropriate to use colored ink? A: I believe that if the return address is printed in color it’s okay to use colored ink. In fact, if the return address is a dark color such as blue or brown you SHOULD used colored ink. If the address is a ‘fun’ color or a pastel you may want to keep the addressing in black to hold on to formality. For a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or non-wedding calligraphy you always want the calligraphy to match the return address.
Q: Is your preference to spell out the name of the state, or to abbreviate it? A: It’s not just my preference, but I believe it is only proper to spell out the state. If it does not fit on the same line as the city, use the next line.
Q: Do you have any other tips you’d like to share with clients planning to work with a calligrapher? A: A referred calligrapher is the best calligrapher. If you find someone who does not come with a recommendation make sure you get actual samples addressed to you. Seeing work on someone’s website may not be a good representation of their usual work.
Make sure you schedule your job as soon as you know you want to use them. Don’t wait till you have your envelopes in hand. Most calligraphers book up weeks out. And be sure to pick a realistic date – remember, you are blocking out days of time on a schedule and if you are not ready you may not be able to get rescheduled.
Make sure you have extra envelopes – dip pens and ink are unpredictable! And make sure your guest list is complete as possible. There are always stragglers, bit to add a name everyday for a week is difficult on a calligrapher’s schedule. It’s not as easy as just writing another envelope – each job has set up time, drying time and packing and shipping time.
Q: Any good stories of really tricky addressing etiquette situations? A: I’ve been doing this so long I’ve seen everything and pretty much can handle any thing. One thing that is annoying to all calligraphers is the extra long first lines – for example: Mr. George and Mrs. Martha Washington or Mr. and Mrs. George and Martha Washington. Way too much to make it pretty. Or when the numbers of an address are all written out – for example: Seventeen South One Hundred and Forty Third Street. That must really annoy the post office! Numbers under 20 can be written out, but the rest should be numerals. I love it when people go ‘informal’ on the inner envelopes – it’s fun to write ‘Nana and Papa’ or nicknames. One time I even had to write ‘Anna and Shithead’ on an inner!!!!
Q: Are any other common questions you get a lot? A: One question I do get is if there is a discount for quantity. The answer is no – if one envelope takes 3 minutes, 10 take 30 minutes and 100 take 300 minutes – it does not speed up with quantity. And personally, I do not copy computer fonts, nor do I copy other calligrapher’s styles.
Well that’s about it for this little crash course, but naturally there are other questions we’ve not yet addressed here. Have any unique addressing quandaries or concerns of your own? Post them below in the comments section below and we’ll do some homework and get back to you. Class dismissed.
Check out these stunning letterpress wedding invitations submitted by our friends at Inklinations. Our modern Irving (by Ben Whitla) design looks softer in a new color palette and script font.
Dogs are a man’s best friend and an even a better addition to your wedding day! Don’t leave your furry, lovable friend out of the mix – besides, he is family, right!?
If you have a pet that is near and dear to your heart, use a part of him on your invitations like we did on the Overlook letterpress custom invitation! A small paw print is all you need!
It’s not just metallic gold that’s making a big appearance in wedding invitations this year — all different shades of shine are showing up and we couldn’t be more exited! Metallics instantly bump up the wow factor of any invitation while creating an elegant and glamorous appearance. There are lots of ways to incorporate metallics into your wedding suite: you can go all out with foil stamping and foil edging on your pieces, or pair them with a metallic envelope liner and a metallic envelope to really make heads turn! Not feeling that much dazzle? You can mix in small details of shimmer just by adding foil edging or a metallic envelope liner.
If you couldn’t already tell by all the foil in our new 2012 wedding invitations, we’re obsessed withfoil stamping as a way to add some sparkle to your wedding invitations! We offer a wide variety of illuminating foil options, from vintage and formal golds, silvers and copper, to edgy and eye catching forest green, red or indigo. You can combine any letterpress ink with foil stamping in a single design; print your invitation in bold beautiful colored foils (fuchsia! purple! teal!); or go two tone, mixing a gold matte foil with a gold shine foil for a truly wowing look.
Foil edgingadds an awe-inspiring, smooth, shiny surface to the edges of important pieces in your wedding suite. It works wonderfully as a complement to a wedding suite full of foil stamping or to add an unexpected pop of color to your letterpress invitations: think fuchsia, blue, green, or copper!
Our metallic pocketfolds come in 5 sparkling shades that pair perfectly with any of our wedding invitations to create a memorable enclosure your guest will be sure to keep forever! On the exterior of your pocketfold, we can even letterpress print your names, date, monogram, a design element from your invitation or anything else you can dream up to completely customize your wedding suite!
No matter what dose of metallics you choose for your invitations, it’s sure to make a statement! Still not sure what metallic combination will best capture the style of your wedding? We offer free design consultations after you place your order, where you’ll have a chance to talk one on one with our designers about all of your invitation choices (or if you need help now, just ask!).
Metallic gold is showing up everywhere this year, from high-fashion to home decor and especially in weddings. Metallic gold is one of the most glamorous and elegant colors you can add to your wedding to make it an event to remember! We love this trend so much, we’ve incorporated it throughout our new 2012 wedding invitations. This dazzling metallic isn’t just for traditional or formal weddings — it also works perfectly to add a feel of romance to vintage inspired weddings, and an unexpected flare to modern and contemporary weddings. To add this sparkling shade to your invitations, you can mix letterpress and gold foil stamping, or go with all foil printing (think matte gold and shiny gold for a super-stunning effect!).
If you loved our Pinterest contest last month, wait til you see what we’ve got in store for March! We want to see what good means to you: is it volunteering at an animal shelter? Planting trees? Donating to your local food pantry? Building homes for the less fortunate? Whatever it is, we want you to tell us about it and show us how you’re making a difference — and we’ll give you 25 free invitation sets* just for doing your good deed! It gets better: for the grand prize, we’ll give an entire set of free invitations to the person who submits the ultimate good deed. No purchase is necessary to participate, and the contest is open to everybody worldwide!
*25 free invitation sets when you order 50 or more.
To help get you inspired, check out these inspirational quotes that our designers put together (the designs are based on different Bella Figura designs!). We’ve also gota great list of ideas from our eco-partners, staff, and designers for different suggestions of things that you can do to make a difference in your community.
Here’s how it’ll work:
Deadline: Your good deed must be done during the month of March 2012. Good deed submissions should be made by April 1 at midnight.
Prizes: Everyone who follows the above guidelines and enters their good deed will receive a coupon and a unique code for 25 free invitation sets with the purchase of 50 or more. This promotional offer is valid through July 31, 2012. “Invitation sets” includes the invitation, reply card + envelope or reply postcard, invitation envelopes, and any coordinating embellishments (this includes envelope liners, edge painting, etc.). The grand prize consists of 100 1-ply, 1-color invitations, reply cards, and envelopes, and must be redeemed by October 31, 2012. The grand prize winner will be announced by April 16, 2012.
Criteria: You determine the definition of “do good.” For the free 25 invitation sets, anything you consider good will work. For the grand prize, we’re looking for actions that bring us hope; that demonstrate the power of an individual to do good; and that show us how the world can be a caring and beautiful place. In either case, please be sure to get a photo or video of yourself in action.
Judging: The team at Bella Figura will choose the top 5 do-gooders and will post them to a finalists board on Pinterest by Wednesday, April 4. Everyone is encouraged to read about the five finalists on the Bella Figura blog from April 4 through April 11, and should “like” their favorite on Pinterest in order to cast a vote. The do-gooder with the most likes on Thursday, April 12 will win the set of 100 free invitations. You must have a Pinterest account in order to “like” one of the finalists, so if you need an invitation, email dogood@bellafigura.com and we’ll send you an invite right away.
As part of our Do Good in March promotion (where we’re giving you the chance to win free letterpress invitations just for doing good!), we’re hoping to inspire others to create some good in the world. Wondering what counts as something you could do that’s considered “good”? Lots of things – we’re letting you decide! But if you need some ideas to help get you started, our eco-partners, designers and staff have some amazing ways to spread the love. Have some ideas of your own? Tell us in the comments section below!
Lighten your (wedding’s) footprint with The Conservation Fund. There’s no doubt your guests will flock from miles away to be a part of your big day, but did you know that guest travel is likely the largest piece of your wedding’s carbon footprint? The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program can help measure your impact and then plant trees in protected parks and wildlife refuges that will trap CO2 as they grow. Want help creating a custom footprint for your wedding or destination? Email cgombos@conservationfund.org today.
Recycle your cell phone with Earthworks. Keep the toxic metals that cell phones contain out of landfills. Earthworks has a program called Recycle My Cell Phone, which enables consumers to send in their old phones. They will make sure the phones are reused or that the components are responsibly recycled. There are 2 ways to participate: either send your phone directly to Earthworks, or visit Earthworks’ partner’s website, Cell Phones for My Cause – they’ll pay the shipping if you’ve got 20 phones or more to send in. You can send in a single phone, or hold a cell phone drive and send in a boxful!
Some of our designers have really great ways to help others — keep reading for more great ideas!
The Left-Handed Calligrapher Nicole Black donates to the North Texas Food Bank – where every $1.00 donated helps to provide 3 healthy and nutritious meals to those without. And as a bonus – during the month of March, the SuperBowl XIV host committee will match the first $1 million donated, doubling your efforts to eliminate hunger in North Texas. You can volunteer your time, too — food banks are always in constant need of volunteers to help run donation centers, food banks, administrative needs, educational services and special events. If you’re not in North Texas, donate to Feeding America – every dollar you donate helps provide 8 meals to families struggling with hunger.
Master calligrapher Kelle McCarter and her husband support a worthwhile cause that’s close to their hearts — they support The Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. This group rescues abandoned and abused golden retrievers and finds loving homes for hundreds of them each year. Kelle and her husband have adopted two dogs from the rescue (below) and they are the loves of their lives! A portion of the proceeds from Kelle’s new magazine “Paperswell” will go directly to GRRR to support its commendable work. Visit www.goldenrescue.com to make a contribution or adopt a pet today.
Patricia Mumau reads aloud to children whenever she can – it’s not just for parents! We all have kids in our lives that can benefit from a little story time. You can also touch base with your local library to see if they need volunteers to read to children, or stop by your local children’s hospital and spend some time reading to young patients. If you’re looking for a little more direction, Jim Trelease for years was a dedicated advocate of reading aloud to children and wrote an excellent book, The Read-Aloud Handbook. He currently maintains a website with articles, booklists, and helpful links.
Elizabeth and David Mandel support a new museum that is being built in Atlanta (and David has taken on the role of the Design and Content Manager) called The Center for Civil and Human Rights. Their mission: To continue the universal search for a secure human existence in a way that inspires vigilance and leadership among future generations. Check with your favorite local museum to find out how you can volunteer your time.
Jamie Bertsch takes part in a great mission each year called the FEED Project – by purchasing a beautifully made bag (made using fair labor), you can commit a set donation that provides school meals to children. You can choose, based on your donation, to provide food for a set amount of time or up to an entire year.
Our staff is always busy doing good, too! Check out what our team does to help out:
Tiffany Button – lead client coordinator here at Bella Figura – finds opportunities to spread the love whenever she hosts a party. She encourages her guest to bring something to the party for the less fortunate — for an upcoming baby shower that she’s helping to plan, she’s asked guests to bring books for a local library in need. It creates a nice balance — you’re able to honor the guest of honor while keeping the less fortunate in mind.
Racheal Decker, a graphic designer on our team here, is teaming up with a group of friends this spring to donate to Operation Shower, an non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families. The group provides joyful baby showers for military families to ease the burden of deployment.
Christie Jones, one of our client coordinators, and her husband help out at a new nonprofit called Hope Print, which helps the refugee community right here in Syracuse, New York. The organization helps refugees with housing, ESL, and basic needs.
Lead designer Jess Tierney donates money and supplies to local animal shelters on a regular basis and volunteers her time when she can. If you’re looking to help your local shelter, you can donate money, time, or resources: drop off blankets, towels or toys that aren’t needed — every little bit helps! Or, start your new family together by adopting a furry friend — you’ll be loved forever! Visit the ASPCA to find out more today.
Graphic designer Sarah Walroth donates to the Alzheimer’s Association and plans to give a donation in lieu of favors in honor of the guests at her upcoming wedding to help support their valuable research efforts and help generate awareness. You can do the same by visiting www.alz.org, or choosing a different cause that means a lot to you.
Chris Gannon and Sean Mahady, both client coordinators, are committed to the community — Chris regularly makes it a point to pick up items left on the side of the road and bring them to our local recycling center, OCCRA, to make sure they’re properly disposed of, and Sean helps his elderly neighbor by shoveling his driveway in the winter time.
Graphic designer Lindsy Aragona loves being around children and likes to volunteer at a local children’s hospital to help kids find hope through art, storytelling, and the best medicine of all — laughter!
Be sure to tell us what you do to “do good” in the comments section below!
As part of our “Do Good in March” promotion (where you have the chance to win a grand prize of 100 free invitations and everyone who enters gets 25 free invitation sets with the purchase of 50 or more!), we’re hoping to inspire others to get out and do good this month. Service work can mean the world to the people you help, but you’d be amazed at how good it will make you feel, too! We rounded up some of our favorite quotes to inspire you and have paired them up with some of our favorite designs — check them out!
This customization of our Joie de Vivre design by Kamal is the perfect introduction to your festive, dance-all-night wedding celebration! Fun colors and a bold font give this a playful party feel. For an extra pop, replace the navy liner with metallic blue pearl and go with a fuchsia shine foil edge.
Bright inks that pop and neon that glows are going to be huge this year! These fun and funky colors add a lively feel to any of our letterpress wedding invitations and are sure to spark excitement about your big day to all your guests. But figuring out how to incorporate these intense colors into your own invitations can be challenging. So we’ve come up with some helpful tips to bring in bright colors!
Want to go all out with big, bright color in your invitations? You’ve got lot’s of amazing options to consider, but some of our favorite letterpress ink combinations that make a statement are: Cornflower and Watermelon inks for a sweet and summery look (like our Modern Fete design); ocean inspired Garden and Aquamarine inks; Jade and Sea-side inks for a destination wedding or Hot Pink and Day-glo inks (like Storybook Romance) that scream chic and contemporary. Pair the color in your invitations with an equally bold patterned or metallic envelope liner. You can use the same colors from your invitations to keep things consistent or spice it up with a complementary color to brighten things up even more. Then top it all off with some edge painting. Again, you can use one of the colors from your set or really up the contrast with a bright new color for an extra eye-catching look!
If neon and bright colors make you a little nervous, and you’re hesitant to put them on your actual invitations, consider adding some vibrant edge painting or foil edging to add a splash of color to an otherwise neutral palette. Adding a colorful edge is a great way to incorporate a bold color you love in moderation. If you’re feeling a little more daring, bring in the brights to your envelope liners. You can add some flare to an otherwise traditional invitation by choosing a graphic pattern in a bright color to really let your personality shine!
No matter what amount you use, adding bright, beautiful colors to your letterpress wedding invitations will surely make a lasting impression!
Bold colors and tattoo like motifs can add a lot of spunk to your wedding invitations. We paired prussian blue and surf inks on this Urban Ink letterpress customization and focused on the word “LOVE.” Edgy invites can still be romantic!
