We had the pleasure of chatting with Nika Smernoff at Calligraphette & Co. in Washington, DC. Nika is a calligrapher and designer with a decade of experience in the industry. Below, Nika explains how she got her start, what keeps her going, her favorite trends, and more! 

Q: Tell us about yourself and how your studio came to be? What was your inspiration?

During my first semester of graduate school in 2015, studying the relationship between pandemics and national security of all things, I found calligraphy and quickly fell in love with spending meditative evenings practicing my letters. In 2016, I started a business doing envelope calligraphy to help pay my way through school. When I received my degree in 2018, I figured I could either wonder where Calligraphette & Co. could’ve gone or jump into working for myself full-time. I had fallen in love with the wedding industry and loved the thrill of being able to see someone else’s vision and help translate it into something beautiful and tactile.

Q: What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?

Weddings are just such a happy time in people’s lives. My clients are figuring out how to express their love for each other and their personality as a couple for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. In particular, I get to make people realize they’re creative, help them make something that they didn’t realize was possible, and hopefully ease a little of the stress that other parts of wedding planning can create.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of your business?

My end goal is for my clients to have an invitation tucked away somewhere in a keepsake box, to find with their children one day, and be transported 25 years back in time to when they were engaged. Whether that means curating and personalizing a Bella Figura design or creating something from scratch, I want to create heirloom pieces for people to enjoy. Not everyone wants to take on the work it takes to create custom designs, even if they have the taste for it. If I can continue to help couples send out invitations that rise to the occasion of their wedding, I’ll always consider that a success.

Q: Do you have any current trends you’re loving?

I’m loving the trend of non-rectangular inserts! Whether it’s a circle or a custom die-cut, playing with shapes is such a fun way to bring life into an invitation suite. Velvet is a trend I’m excited to try, especially with letterpress and foil printing. Although this isn’t a new trend, I’m always a fan of putting pets on wax seals! It’s a great way to give a nod to an important family member without necessarily making them the focus of the invitation suite. Lastly, I’d say custom match boxes because they’re so unexpected and also so much fun to have after the wedding!

Q: What do you think your clients enjoy most about working with you to create their event stationery?

One theme that I’ve noticed in reviews is that I always go the extra mile and put myself fully into the design process with each client, making it easy for the client and bringing their vision to life. Almost all of my clients apologize early in the process for being picky and too detail-oriented, and I always tell them that the best clients are the ones who care about the small details. I’m always happy to refine font choices and make adjustments to colors in order to have a design reflect exactly what you see in your head, even if it’s hard to describe.

Clients usually say that I was their most responsive vendor, combining warmth and professionalism to make their decisions as easy as possible. I’m also notorious for becoming good friends with my local clients, so chances are, if you’re located in DC, we’ll be grabbing a glass of prosecco after your wedding to catch up!

Q: Anything else we should know or that you would like to share?

There can be a lot of focus on how to make your wedding about other people. Don’t get me wrong. Of course, you want your guests to have a wonderful time, for your friends and family to mingle and create memories, and for the day to run smoothly. Invitations are perhaps the one aspect of your wedding where you don’t really have to consider anyone else and do just what you want. This doesn’t have to mean spending months crafting something from scratch, but getting to play with paper and colors and discuss what designs you and your fiance like is such a joyful part of the planning process. A good stationer will make it feel like fun, with minimal to no homework for you to do, providing a glimmer of ease in an otherwise email and logistics-heavy process.

This engagement celebration invitation came to us from our dear friend Mickey of the Social Type, and it’s stunning. This invitation is inspired by our Midge design, specifically the reply card. Get the details and find out how the clean lines and a geometric pattern make this invitation an homage to Mid-Century Modern design.

The invitation is the same size as the Midge invitation, a no. 10, which measures 9.19 x 3.81 inches and features rounded corners. A floral cartouche, digitally printed in goldenrod, adorns the top and bottom, coordinating with the bride- and groom-to-be’s names. The rest of the text appears in sea mist. 

Invitation

• digital ink: goldenrod + sea mist (front) /goldenrod + sea mist (back)
• font: playfair display black + la luxes script + ivy mode regular
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 2-ply
• card size: no. 10
• finishing: rounded corner
• liner: classic color pattern in sea mist digital on white text
• envelope: white text
• envelope addressing: goldenrod + pool digital on the front and back
• job #75476

Double-sided printing takes this engagement party invitation to the next level. The broad, geometric floral artwork is our Midge 2 pattern. This pattern appears on the back of the Midge reply card and the envelope liner for the save the date, where it was foil-stamped. The couple’s initials are digitally printed on the back of the invitation in sea mist for a charming and personal touch.

Are you daydreaming about patterns and subtle details that transform an invitation into something custom and meaningful? Work with one of our dealers to create a stunning engagement celebration invitation!

This custom wedding invitation came to us from our dear friend Candy of Where’s the Party?, and this entire set is a stunner. Remington and Joshua chose a decadent aesthetic for their California nuptials.

While this invitation is a custom design, it pulls elements from our Sibgha and Harro designs. The couple selected our Sibgha pattern for the back of the invitation. The front of the invitation is digitally printed in plum and has a very traditional yet edgy appearance. The deep, rich ink color gives the invitation a decadent look. The invitation is complemented by a vellum overlay, featuring our Harro pattern in rose gold foil. The overlay is a luxurious touch to the already elegant invitation. The Harro pattern makes a second appearance as the envelope liner, except this time it is digitally printed. The plum envelope perfectly coordinates with the plum letterpress ink on the invitation.

Invitation

• digital ink: plum (front) / holly + cmyk + black (back)
• font: athelas + vintage heirloom
• paper: bella smooth cotton bright white 2-ply
• card size: f-8
• liner: harro pattern in black + plum digital on bright white text
• envelope: plum text
• envelope addressing: white digital on the front and back
• job #70639

Overlay

• foil: rose gold shine
• Paper: 40# vellum
• card size: f-8 overlay (6.19 x 8.31)
• job #70639

The details card is printed using our Bella smooth cotton bright white in 1-ply. A digital flood of old rose ink creates the illusion of color paper. The reverse side (not shown) does not feature a digital flood, creating contrast between the sides. The text appears in plum on both sides of the details card. Lastly, the welcome party card features white digital printing on our holly 1-ply paper. The white text provides sharp contrast and easy legibility, while the dark green paper adds to the moody vibe of this decadent wedding invitation set.

Details Card

• digital ink: old rose + plum (front) / plum (back)
• font: athelas + vintage heirloom
• paper: bella smooth cotton bright white 1-ply
• card size: no. 17
• die cut shape: franklin (BF-56)
• job #70639

Welcome Party Card

• digital ink: white
• font: athelas + vintage heirloom
• paper: holly 1-ply
• card size: a-5
• job #70639

We are so happy for Remington and Joshua, and thank you to Candy for bringing this unique invitation to us. This invitation is an excellent example of how you can pick and choose components from our existing designs to create something extraordinary for your big day. Contact us to share your design inspiration or work with one of our dealers to create something curated for your wedding.

We were thrilled to bring Kelly and Colin’s vision to life for their custom wedding invitations. The wedding was held at the stunning Morris Museum in New Jersey in December. The dreamy blind emboss accents and coordinated custom envelope liner to create something seasonal yet timeless. Get the details of these custom blind emboss wedding invitations.

Invitation

• letterpress ink: holly + spruce
• emboss: blind
• font: neutra text + bell mt + trend sans
• paper: bella smooth cotton ivory 2-ply
• card size: f-8
• liner: vintage custom pattern in cmyk digital on ivory text
• envelope: holly text
• envelope addressing: white digital on the front and back
• job #67210

Belly Band

• digital ink: spruce
• paper: ivory text
• card size: f-8 vertical belly band (1.75 x 13.25 open, 1.75 x 6.24 closed)
• finishing: adhere with double-sided adhesive
• job #67210

The couple chose our 2-ply smooth cotton paper in ivory. Our smooth cotton paper is made just for us, and it has a smooth surface with a satiny feel. The bride and groom’s names appear in holly letterpress with the remaining text appearing in spruce letterpress. A single pine branch accent appears in blind emboss. Embossing is a printing technique that utilizes heat and pressure to create a raised design. The absence of ink, known as blind emboss, emphasizes the paper, adding a subtle texture.

The pine bough accents are a nod to the season while still maintaining a formal and elegant, yet minimalist design. The pine branch accent is repeated on the custom envelope liner. Featuring a digitally printed pattern for a cohesive look. We offer a wide selection of envelope liner patterns, but we can also create something unique.

Reply Card

• letterpress ink: holly + spruce
• font: neutra text + bell mt + trend sans
• paper: bella smooth cotton ivory 1-ply
• card size: a-5
• envelope: holly text
• envelope addressing: white digital on the front
• job #67210

Accommodation Card

• letterpress ink: holly + spruce
• font: neutra text + bell mt + trend sans
• paper: bella smooth cotton ivory 1-ply
• card size: a-6
• job #67210

We wish the best of luck to Kelly and Colin! Do you have an idea for a custom blind emboss wedding invitation or a one-of-a-kind envelope liner? Contact us to share your design inspiration, and we can help you create something beautiful for your special day!

What’s not to love about handmade paper? The feathery edges and gentle texture create a tactile element while still holding a crisp letterpress impression. We were thrilled to help Bella and Scott create their dream letterpress invitation on handmade paper.

This charming invitation is based on our now-retired Novella design. Just a reminder, we no longer maintain samples when a design is retired, but the design and artwork are still available.

Invitation

• letterpress ink: plum
• font: didot
• paper: bella handmade white
• card size: f-8 deckle edge
• liner: custom pattern in plum digital on white text
• envelope: pointed flap white text
• envelope addressing: plum digital on the front and back
• job #68514

Reply Card

• letterpress ink: plum
• font: didot
• paper: bella handmade white
• card size: a-5 deckle edge
• envelope: pointed flap white text
• envelope addressing: plum digital on the front
• job #68514

The floral artwork and handmade paper give off a rustic vibe while still maintaining a subtle refinement. We partner with North America’s preeminent papermaker for our handmade paper, and we could not be happier with the quality of this paper. The invitation and reply card use on our white handmade paper, while the details card is on our cotton 1-ply, also in white. Even though the papers are produced using different techniques at different locations, the color is consistent so that both paper types can be used within the same suite.

Details Card

• letterpress ink: plum
• font: didot
• paper: bella cotton white 1-ply
• card size: a-6
• job #68514

The floral artwork on the invitation also appears on the details card and became a custom envelope liner. Bella and Scott kept things formal with a pointed flap envelope using white cotton text. We recently added the ability to convert our handmade paper into envelopes for a completely coordinated set.

Bella and Scott’s letterpress invitation on handmade paper is dreamy, and we are so happy for this couple. Are you looking for custom wedding invitations or interested in incorporating handmade paper into your wedding stationery? Reach out, and we can help!

Joanna and Jason’s invitations came to us from our dear friend Donna of Designs by Donna. This customization of our Bright Lights design has a definite New York City vibe. See more and find out how this NYC skyline wedding invitation highlights this couple and the Big Apple.

One font is used throughout the design for consistency. The bride and groom’s names appear in vine letterpress ink while the remaining text appears in clover ink. This design choice highlights the bride and groom’s names and coordinates with the artwork at the bottom of the invitation. The NYC skyline appears as a continuous line-inspired artwork in vine letterpress. The artwork stretches completely across the bottom of the invitation. The Statue of Liberty artwork also appears on the reply card, creating a cohesive feel across both printed pieces. 

The skyline is a fitting choice for this NYC couple, and it is even more appropriate given that the wedding was held at Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn. Many of the landmarks noted in the line drawing are visible from the venue location.

The final nod to NYC can be found on the envelope liner. The liner bears a vintage map of NYC digitally printed in our acadia ink. This NYC skyline wedding invitation is representative of the couple and their love story. Envelope liners are a great way to introduce a personal touch that is meaningful to the couple or relevant to the location. 

Work with one of our dealers to create the wedding invitation of your dreams! Our highly talented dealers provide expert guidance to make the entire process easy and ensure your invitations are exactly what you envision.

The bold, vibrant colors and fun, tropical look of our Gigi design were an excellent starting point for Madeline and Darroll’s wedding invitations. The festivities were held in the Florida Keys, so the bright colorway coupled with beachy motifs and a clamshell die-cut card set the perfect tone. Our dear friend Kristyn of Oliver’s Twist brought us this lovely tropical letterpress invitation suite.

Invitation

• letterpress inks: watermelon + persimmon
• font: palmore + questrial + la luxes script
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 1-ply
• card size: f-8
• liner: l’anana pattern in aquamarine digital on white text
• envelope: white cotton text pointed flap
• envelope addressing: watermelon + persimmon digital on the front and back
• job #73386

This two-color letterpress invitation features an organic border in persimmon ink that almost looks hand-drawn. Madeline and Darroll chose our l’anana pattern for the envelope liner, which beautifully coordinates with the tropical locale of the ceremony. The same border from the invitation is repeated in digitally printed aquamarine on the whimsical details card. The details card also features a variety of motifs for a fun, personalized, and playful look. The die-cut rehearsal dinner invitation is adorable and perfectly fits the tropical theme.

Details Card

• digital inks: lime-aid + aquamarine + watermelon + persimmon + cmyk
• font: palmore + questrial + la luxes script
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 1-ply
• card size: a-6
• job #73386

Rehearsal Dinner Invitation

• digital inks: lime-aid + aquamarine + watermelon + persimmon
• font: palmore + questrial + la luxes script
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 1-ply
• die cut shape: cd-341
• card size: 5 x 5
• job #73386

Reply Card

• digital inks: lime-aid + aquamarine
• font: palmore + questrial + la luxes script
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 1-ply
• card size: a-5
• job #73386

It was a joy to work on Madeline and Darroll’s tropical letterpress invitation suite, and we always look forward to working with Oliver’s Twist. The right invitations set the tone and get your guests excited for your big day. Find one of our dealers so you can see samples and swatches and get expert guidance to create your perfect invitation!

This letterpress wedding invitation suite captures the ambience of a Brooklyn wedding held during the summer. Zoe and John worked with our store, Bella Figura NYC, to create these touchingly personal invitations that include a lovely custom map envelope liner.

At first glance, Zoe and John’s wedding invitation design has a lot in common with Hadaway, the original inspiration design. The overall layout is similar, including the stunning letterpress printed border. The garden letterpress ink is seasonal and lovely. Swapping out the original fonts completely changes the look and feel of the invitation. Using a script font for the bride and groom’s names maintains the formality, while making the invitation more contemporary and modern.

The couple added a personal touch by adding motifs to each card in the wedding suite. The nature-themed sprigs on the invite and the details card are charming and befitting a summertime affair. The pizza slice motif on the reply card is fun and a nod to the couple and Brooklyn, the location of the nuptials. The wedding locale is further emphasized on the envelope liner. The liner features a digitally printed map of Brooklyn with a heart marking Liberty Warehouse, the location of the wedding.

Are you interested in a custom map envelope liner? Or other ways to incorporate special details into your invitation suite? You can work with our store or one of our dealers to help you create the perfect invitation for your big day.

This invitation seamlessly blends tradition with a contemporary flair, crafting a finished piece that is both elegant and modern. This blind emboss & foil invitation came to us from our dear friend Susie of Pink House Productions.

This customization is an excellent example of just how much you can alter one of our designs to fit your vision. This invitation is based on our Province design. For the customization, the size was changed from an F-8 to a no. 10, and the orientation was flipped from portrait to landscape. The bride and groom’s initials were separated, instead of overlapping, and printed via blind embossing in place of letterpress.

Embossing creates a raised design, which is a tactile element in its own right, but the luxurious texture of our cotton paper further enhances the feel and look. The remaining text appears in gold shine foil, which presses the foil into the paper, creating even more texture and adding an elegant touch to the finished invitation. Gold shine foil also appears in a classic stripe pattern on the envelope liner.

Invitation

• foil stamping: gold shine
• emboss: blind
• font: AW conqueror didot light, caslon 12 twelve OT -AT
• paper: bella cotton bright white 2-ply
• card size: no. 10
• liner: sullivan stripe pattern #16 in gold shine foil on bright white text
• envelope: bright white cotton text
• envelope addressing: black digital on the front and back
• job #70271

This blind emboss & foil invitation sets the tone for a lovely evening to celebrate the couple. Find one of our dealers to create the perfect invitation for your upcoming engagement celebration, rehearsal dinner, wedding, or other special event.

This bold letterpress save the date features an extravagant typography-inspired look. The couple, Elaine and Matthew, were inspired by the Gilded Era grandeur of the Metropolitian Club and worked with our NYC store to create their luxurious save the date and details cards.

The couple chose our now-retired Corwin save the date design. We periodically retire designs, which means we no longer maintain samples. Although you can still select and customize any of our retired designs.

The original design, seen above on the left, features foil stamping on our Bordeaux 2-ply paper. The couple opted to use a letterpress ink color reminiscent of the paper of the original, paired with our Bella smooth cotton white 2-ply stock, as seen above on the right. The contrast between the deep, rich color of the ink and the white paper adds to the design’s intensity, while the thick stock is luxurious and holds a deep letterpress impression, perfectly showcasing the exquisite flourishes of the sweeping script font. The text slightly tips upward across each line, creating a dramatic effect.

Save the Date

• letterpress: currant
• font: mozart script
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 2-ply
• card size: a-6
• liner: custom map pattern in currant digital on white text
• envelope: white cotton text pointed flap
• envelope addressing: currant digital on the front and back
• job #73830

Details Card

• letterpress: currant
• font: mozart script, adobe garamond pro regular, italic
• paper: bella smooth cotton white 1-ply
• card size: a-2
• job #73830

The coordinating details card uses the same script font for the heading, but utilizes a serif font for the remaining text. The liner features a vintage map of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the location of the wedding, which is such a charming detail.

A save the date is the first thing your guests see when it comes to your big day, so choose something that sets the right tone. In this case, the couple chose a simple yet extravagant design. Contact us to design your letterpress save the date!

Brooke’s Bat Mitzvah invitation is lovely and formal, while also being fun and whimsical. This cosmic invitation suite design was sent to us by our dear friend, Hollis of Bering’s on Bissonnet in Houston, Texas. This custom design invitation features lots of celestial design elements, personal touches, and a pocketfold.

On the invitation, Brooke’s name and the border appear in purple shine foil while the remaining text appears in prism shine. The glimmer of the foil, particularly the prism shine foil, perfectly complements the cosmic theme.

The night sky artwork of the party card is digitally printed, allowing for stunning colors and a high level of detail. This artwork is also creatively used to fill in the block text on the cover of the pocketfold. Brooke’s initials, BER, are used throughout the suite. Twice, the initials are part of the phrase, ‘A Night to RememBER,’ for a fun and personal touch.

The invitation adheres to a pocketfold, and when opened, the remaining cards in the suite are nestled into a pocket on the opposite side of the folder. This sleek presentation is orderly and secures all the cards in place while in transit via mail.

We offer a wide array of Bar and Bat Mitzvah invitations to choose from, or you can create a custom design, as Brooke did, for something truly unique. Work with one of our talented dealers to create your next invitation or announcement!

Claudia and Brian worked with our NYC store to create their custom wedding invitation suite. The design is refined and classic, while a belly band with a custom illustration introduces a fun, personal touch.

Our 2-ply cotton stock holds a deep impression to showcase the black letterpress printing and champagne matte foil stamping. The foil edge, also in champagne matte, adds an extra glimmer. The envelope liner is a custom pattern in dark gray digital on our ballet text, for a subtle use of color.

The wedding was held at The Bowery Hotel, so what better detail to include than an illustration of the Bowery Boy, the logo of this decadent hotel? The vellum belly band is just large enough to cover the bride and groom’s names when it is on the invitation, although the names are still visible through the 40# vellum. The jaunty Bowery Boy is centered on the belly band and is likely the first detail guests notice when they remove the invitation from the envelope. The belly band is more than a whimsical detail; it’s functional, securing all the cards in the suite and creating a bundle that neatly fits inside the envelope.

There are so many ways to incorporate your venue into your wedding stationery, from a custom illustration to a die-cut card. We can help you add fun and personalized details to your invitations that represent you and your partner, or your venue, or whatever else you want to highlight. Reach out to get started designing your custom invitations!