"Learning from the Experts"

Stationary is such a fun aspect to any wedding. You can add so many cute and personalized details! If you don't believe me or don't think it's worth it...thank again! Check out the expert advice from Melissa Haley, Owner of M. Haley Designs!

Is custom stationery for me?

The invitation is the first glimpse that your guests will have into your wedding.  A fun graphic, a modern pattern or a classically-styled monogram are all ways to showcase your personal style to those important people whose presence you are requesting for your big day. A deliberate process involving decisions regarding style, design elements, and language can share a lot about your wedding style with your guests.

Deciding whether you would like custom stationery can seem like a daunting task, but there are several key issues to keep in mind in order to help guide your decision.  Firstly, it is important to consider your budget as custom stationery is an investment – an artistic and creative element of your wedding that can serve as mementos for you and your guests for years to come.  That said, custom stationery does not have to break the bank, and is often comparable to catalog or online options. 

The most important issue is your vision. Some brides envision a style and message that they will be unable to find in pre-designed items and catalogs. While these catalog outlets may work for some, others find the limited options and “cookie-cutter” approaches to be frustrating. The final consideration for custom stationery is the details that can be added based on your taste and budget.  Whether you are looking for a custom printed envelope liner, a whimsical pattern on a belly band to organize things, or a strategically placed Swarovski crystal, any good custom stationer should be able to accommodate these types of requests. 

The best place to start when considering invitations is to search the Internet, look through magazines and blogs and begin to solidify a vision for your wedding.  Your color palate will drive many of the stationery decisions, so it is important to have made those decisions before you begin the design process.  Once your vision begins to emerge you should contact a stationer in order to discuss the countless possibilities.  Meet with them, share your ideas, evaluate the expertise and advice that they provide and determine if their design process, pricing and personality are a good fit for you.

It can be the smallest design element that makes a dramatic difference between pre-designed and custom invitations. Custom stationery may be the proper choice for you if you have a definite vision in mind.  If this is the case, you are looking for someone (like me) to execute your vision.  That is the primary objective of any custom stationer. 

At M. Haley Design, we are able to offer many different printing options which range from the most economical (digital/offset printing) to the more high end options like thermography, letterpress and engraving.  We have a wide range of lines of papers which allow us to combine different company’s products together in new and innovative ways.

Happy planning!

Here is some of Melissa's brilliant work in action!