The Stationers Guild

I continue to be surprised by the number of people seeking “thank you notes” when they should really be looking for stationery.  A typical conversation will go something like this:

Stationer:  “May I help you?”

Client:  “Yes, where are your thank you notes?”

Stationer:  “We have a nice selection of  ‘thank you notes’ on the spinner, but perhaps stationery might prove more useful.”

Client:  “Stationery?”

Stationer:  “Sure, stationery is generally far more practical than thank you notes.  For instance, personalized stationery works well for both business and social correspondence and can be used for birthdays, anniversaries, promotions and condolences as well as for saying ‘thank you.”

Client: “Oh, I hadn’t really considered it.  But I think I’ll just take the thank you notes now and come back later for stationery when I have more time.”

I suspect that this conversation is similar to that which occurs in many stationery stores across the United States.  Clearly, the client recognizes the importance of using written correspondence for this particular occasion but has somehow been led to believe that a “thank you note” is the appropriate form of correspondence.  I have no idea if this is attributable to “good” marketing or simply that personalized stationery is no longer deemed necessary by a generation that has become attached to digital communications.

At the Dallas Market, William Arthur showed us some of their new Thank You Notes and boxed foldover notes that can be personalized.  Both of these attractive cards are useful for simple “thank yous” and the personalized card from Vera Wang with Emily’s first name can easily be used for a thank you note or social correspondence.

While both forms of correspondence are perfectly acceptable, personalized stationery is far more versatile and, in my opinion, is preferable to the more commercial “Thank You” Note.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

If you are like most people seeking information on wedding invitations, you have probably bought a couple of wedding magazines and spent several hours researching “wedding invitations” on the Internet.   Some may have gone a bit further and exchanged ideas with family and friends or even visited a local stationery store.   Many bridal couples feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available and  perhaps a bit frustrated that it is often difficult to separate useful information from a sales pitch. 

As a stationer, I am sympathetic to the “information overload” and offer the following suggestions on choosing wedding papers.  Whether you are planning DIY wedding invitations or designing your own wedding invitation based on samples from talented designers and printing companies, these suggestions should help you get the best value from your budget dollar and, more importantly, save you countless hours of frustration.

Practical Advice on Selecting Your Wedding Invitation

• Always start with a budget.  Research suggests that approximately 5% of one’s budget should be allocated toward wedding invitations.
• Do-It-Yourself (DIY) wedding invitations remain a popular choice in today’s economy, but more often than not, they represent a significant investment in time and often prove more expensive than other alternatives.   If you are planning DIY wedding invitations, ALWAYS select your paper stock and envelopes before moving on to design options.  For more practical advice on DIY wedding invitations, see a previous Guild article on this subject. 
• Internet image resolutions are 72 pixels per inch (most printed material is between 300 to 600 pixels per inch).   These low resolution Interet images significantly distort colors and print outcomes are often different than what you see on your monitor or printer.   There is no substitute to seeing “true” colors printed on sample papers.  While local stationery stores may not carry all lines, color representation and paper styles are best seen in person.
• Etiquette remains an important component of the wedding ceremony.   Wording your invitation demonstrates respect for the traditions that have evolved over many generations.  While a number of useful wedding guides are available, we continue to recommend Crane’s Wedding Blue Book: The Styles and Etiquette of Announcements, Invitations and Other Correspondences
• Plan well in advance of your wedding.  Consider a save-the-date announcement if planning a destination wedding.  In fact, a save-the-date card is useful in helping people book inexpensive travel and accomodations well in advance of your wedding date.  Your wedding invitation should be mailed no later than 8 weeks before the wedding.   Getting started early will help on the logistics and avoid last minute surprises. 
• Seek to get the best quality paper you can afford.  Money can be be saved by selecting alternative printing processes, keeping ink colors to a minimum and cutting back on embellishments like ribbons and envelope linings. 

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

Now through March 28th, Crane & Co. is offering a free name or monogram die and free return address plate (a $96 value) with any order of 100 printed cards, fold-over notes, folders or sheets and envelopes that are engraved of printed in letterpress.  This is Crane’s signature stationery event and a most popular one for those looking for beautiful engraved stationery printed on 100% cotton paper by Crane.  So popular is this stationery sale, that we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with your local stationery store and see hundreds of sample cards and notes printed in letterpress or engraved on Crane paper. 

Engraving is one of the oldest and most elegant processes for reproducing images on paper.  Engraving  etches an image onto a copper plate. Ink is then applied to the copper plate or die where the ink gathers in the engraved cavity. Cotton paper is then pressed into the cavity of the plate, resulting in a raised right-reading image on the front and a slight bruising on the back where pressure was applied.   

Engraving is used for all types of events on many forms of stationery. Every piece of engraved stationery is fed into the engraving press by hand. Because there is no mass production in engraving, each impression — be it a note, invitation or card — is a customized one. The most elegant invitations are engraved. Wedding invitations, in particular, are commonly engraved. The finished product has a warmth all its own that conveys an unspoken message of distinction and timelessness.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

The Vera Wang Folio Collection released last Fall consists of four folios:  Wedding Accents, Invitations, Writing Papers and Design Elements.   Her new Folio Collection is a significant departure from Vera Wang’s On Weddings album that was released at the National Stationery Show in 2009.

Vera’s Folio Collection is the result of an intense collaborative effort between Vera Wang and the designers at William Arthur, where Vera’s creative motifs and eye for fashion are faithfully reproduced on quality paper.   It is obvious that William Arthur and Vera Vang have spared no effort to produce invitations and stationery that capture Vera’s elegant style and passion for expression.  Clearly, Vera Wang and William Arthur have a symbiotic relationship which, in my estimation, define how “branding” should be done in the stationery industry.

The Folio Collection features five new paper colors with offerings from the invitation to wedding reception coasters.  In addition, there is a wider selection of paper sizes and formats, 14 new patterns in a new digital palette and much more design flexibility overall.  A useful new addition was a detachable reply card (perforated) that works well for both weddings and corporate events.

In addition to the innovative use of texture which runs through the suite of Vera’s invitation designs, there is also the inspired use of calligraphy and floral motifs which seems to extend the invitation into space using full-bleed printing.  “These opulent invitations are simply delicious to touch,” commented one very impressed stationer.  We too believe that you will find the papers and design elements of Vera’ new Folio Collection a heady start for creating your own custom wedding invitations.

We strongly recommend that you contact a stationer in your neighborhood to see Vera’s Folio Collection in person.  For helpful hints on selecting your wedding invitation, please download our FREE wedding invitation guide.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

Just in time for the 2011 wedding season, William Arthur has just released William Arthur Weddings Volume I which replaces an earlier version and has made some minor changes to William Arthur Weddings Volume II.   Most importantly, William Arthur is offering a promotion through March 27th, 2011 which provides bridal couples with an additional 25 free pieces of personalized invitations or stationery with every order of 75 or more. 

According to a note sent to their dealers, the new wedding album contains the following new features for bridal couples looking for distinctive wedding invitations and wedding stationery:

• New papers, borders, typestyles and motifs;
• Single French Flap envelopes in both ecru and white;
• Foldovers in large formats, a shimmer foldover with attachment and a beautifully embossed pocket folder;
• New letterpress papers with substantial weight and rounded corners;
• New envelope linings to include a decorative cartouch surrounding the bride and groom’s names;
• Luxurious new ribbons in trendsetting colors;
• “Additional Trousseau Items” to include pocket folders, programs, save-the-date, place cards and table cards. 

William Arthur is one of the premier designers of wedding invitations and fine stationery and this new Wedding Album simply reconfirms their position as trend-setter for the industry.   We encourage readers to visit a local stationery store in your neighborhood to see William Arthur’s stunning new wedding invitation designs. 

For help on selecting your wedding invitation, please download a FREE copy of our Wedding Invitation Guide which helps answer many of the questions you may have on selecting a wedding invitation. 

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

One of the icons in the stationery industry, Kate’s Paperie, will be closing 3 stores in the New York metropolitan area effective January 15th but will continue to serve the public through a single store location in Soho (NYC).  In a note to their loyal clients, Angelica Berrie, CEO of Kate’s Paperie, announced that they will be revamping the company’s website and plan to open a gift-wrapping station at the Time Warner Center and launch a corporate gift division.  No timing was provided.

We wish Kate’s Paperie well as they implement their new strategy.

They say that there is never a “good” time to get married that will please all friends and family members, but Crane & Co. has made it a lot less expensive.   In a New Year’s promotion that kicked off earlier this month, one of the preeminent printers and leading design firms in the industry is offering prospective bridal couples a deal that is difficult to resist:  Purchase 75 or more pieces of Crane’s personalized wedding invitation ensembles and receive an addition 25 free.  This promotion is open through April 4, 2011.  

Locate a Crane dealer in your neighborhood and see first hand Crane’s extensive line of sample wedding invitations and printing options.  Don’t settle for low-resolution images on the Internet, when real samples in “true” colors are available at a store near you.   

Need help in selecting your wedding invitations, download our FREE  Guide on Wedding Invitations.

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair