Let’s talk about: paper

While I love the design process as a whole, my favorite part is developing the invitation suite. I know, maybe not what you would’ve guessed, but let me explain why.

Early on, after choosing a venue and securing a date, I started the deep dive of gathering inspiration and trying to figure out a general theme for the wedding. Really, I hate the word “theme.” I believe that you don’t need to have a theme, but you do need to have a vision. And I know what you’re probably thinking — no, they are not the same thing. I equate a vision to a feeling. Maybe you don’t have every detail accounted for in your head, but you know how you want it to feel. So, this was at the start of that vision, and feeling, really coming into focus in my head.

I was first inspired by, of all things, some wrapping paper I found while out and about on a Saturday afternoon. It had a charcoal base with what looked like hand-painted cream-colored roses and greenery on it. I was also inspired by a sweatshirt of mine from a local pizzeria in town (...which my dog has since chewed up). It was my favorite shade of blue: slate blue. Both items were odd things to be inspired by, but nonetheless, I was inspired. 

I love shopping locally and supporting businesses in my community, so after many shopping trips in Midtown, OKC, I stumbled upon Chirps & Cheers. It’s owned by Jade Urash, a wedding planner and master of all things paper who really has an eye for design. From April, all the way up to the wedding week, I met with her multiple times, and we emailed back and forth regularly. The process of designing our save-the-dates, followed by the invitation suite (the invitation, optional detail card, and envelope), and then even miscellaneous items for the day itself (programs, escort cards, etc.), hugely impacted the choices I made with other vendors. The items she created with us were something one of a kind, and those early elements served as the road map for all the other design decisions we made.

If you’re curious about the process of working with a local artist or business to create your paper suite (and even signage), it went something like this:

Initial meeting for save-the-dates. We also discussed our overall vision for the day and our preferences when it came to an invitation suite. Preferences can include colors, fonts, layouts, etc. It helps to do some research via Pinterest, social media, or print, to see what all is out there and to pull reference pictures that contain elements that you like. We brought our reference photos to the meeting and also spent time browsing through her portfolio of work, pulling suites and elements of suites that we liked. *Pro tip: for all aspects of wedding planning, learn to identify what you like or don’t like about something and why. You’re not the professional, so you may not have all the lingo to communicate your thoughts, but being able to pin-point the elements that you don’t like or do like makes it much easier to get your vision across and plan productively.

In the first meeting, we also discussed the budget. Because there are so many different methods of printing and a bunch of embellishments that can be added to dress up a simple invitation, working with a local company is good for just about any budget. For example: We wanted our invitations to be more formal and dressed up, so choosing a letterpress printing method was important to us. For the save-the-dates, however, we went with a more basic flat print. Color, printing methods, embellishments—you name it—can be fully customized and therefore tailored to your budget. This level of customization can often be missing when working with a large chain. 

Next, Jade sent us some digital mockups of our save-the-dates. She gave us a few different options, and we replied with any changes we wanted to make. She was so easygoing and really would’ve let us go back and forth however many times we needed to. But she’s also really good at her craft, and we loved what she designed for us. She incorporated our color scheme choices and a photo that we sent her, and crafted an original floral design that would become the common thread for ALL of our paper suite and signage. Not so much a wedding logo, but more of a wedding motif, as well as a nod to my beloved wrapping paper! This was an element that felt unique to us, and I loved it.

After signing off on the design, it’s sent off to print, and the turnaround time was fast! It took maybe only a week or two for everything to come in. I received everything and had the option to either “stuff them” myself or Jade would do it, but you know I opted to assemble those envelopes myself!

For the invitation suite, the process was similar, except there was less of a meeting to establish preferences, and more of a check-in on the direction we wanted to go. The invitations were designed in August for our December wedding. We worked on the invitation, a details card (which was one of my favorite details), and the envelopes.

Pictured: Wedding invitations by Chirps & Cheers and calligraphy by Akela Clark Designs. Other details include wedding bands from BC Clark, Jimmy Choo heels, Lele Sadoughi floral earrings, and wax seals donning the wedding floral motif. Photos by Courtney Leigh Photography.

It’s important to note that I was able to change quantities, add in elements, and take things away at multiple times in the process. We weren’t sure how things were going to pan out with Covid-19, so we had a few back-up plans ready that anticipated changes in local regulations. Jade was understanding and thoughtful as we made careful decisions regarding circumstances we couldn’t foresee. 

After save-the-dates and invitations were sent out, I worked with Jade on miscellaneous items. These included ceremony programs, place cards, seating chart ovals (to be mounted on a mirror), and signage for our tables. We were able to work on the design of these in October, but many of the items were contingent upon RSVPs to the wedding. So these weren’t ordered and printed until about two weeks out from the wedding. What I loved about this stage of the process was that we were able to bring the elements of our paper suite to life in our day-of design. There were common threads in the colors, fonts, and floral motifs, but new elements were introduced, too, making each paper product feel distinct yet cohesive with our overall aesthetic. That right there is the ultimate goal when it comes to design: refined and completely unique to you and your love. 

Pictured: Miscellaneous items including the ceremony program, seating chart ovals, and signage used throughout the wedding day. Photos by Courtney Leigh Photography.

All of this to say, I love and fully stand by the choice to work with a local business on paper products. This sort of experience can’t be replicated through a big chain, and the option to shop small can still be a very budget-friendly option. Plus, I now know the face behind the business, and I am delighted to have found a friend in her. Her style epitomizes taking a vision and running with it, and the end result was beyond anything I could’ve created myself.

— LNC

Pictured: My beloved wrapping paper that served as the inspiration for the invitation suite — and really the entire design of the day!

Photo by Courtney Leigh Photography

*This post was in no way sponsored. What I’ve described is my honest experience.

Thumbnail photo: Courtney Leigh Photography