Guest Blogger and recent Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo Bride: Heather Dombrowski
Owner of Pretty Ink Press, LLC
Planning your wedding requires thoughtfulness regarding the theme and tone you want to set, and it’s going to start with your Save the Date cards.
Whether you are having your wedding on a tropical island, a formal grand ballroom, a funky winery, or at home with your family members including the furry ones, sitting down with someone like Heather Dombrowski, owner of Pretty Ink Press, LLC, will allow you to thoughtfully plan this announcement piece, as well as your invitations, with your wedding guests.
We met Heather when she came for a bridal appointment at our Philadelphia bridal shop and said Yes to her magnificent dress! It became even more fun when her husband Tom came for tuxedos and not only are they incredibly nice people, Heather is a very talented graphic designer. We are thrilled to have her as a guest blogger! Read more about her, Pretty Ink Press, and details to help guide you toward announcing your wedding in your own unique way.
How did you get started in your business?
I started designing wedding stationery five years ago after being a graphic designer in the corporate world. I was instantly hooked on creating bespoke invitations sets. Every couple I have the opportunity to work with receives a set that is truly tailored to their own wedding day style. Today, I continue to offer bespoke wedding invitations through my home studio, Pretty Ink Press, LLC. I work with brides throughout the area and out of state brides as well.
What are some popular wedding invitation trends for 2017?
There are a lot of fun ideas going for invitations this season. Such as monograms, watercolor, foliage and calligraphy style fonts. Envelope liners are starting to become a staple for customized sets too.
Once the date is chosen, do you recommend “Save the Date” cards?
Yes! Save the Dates are very important. Everyone has super crazy schedules between work, school and kids where calendars are filled months in advance. Brides spend so much time planning their wedding days and want everyone to be there on the big day. You’ll want to send your Save the Dates to guests at least six months before the wedding. If you’re having a destination wedding, you can send them to guests at least a year before the wedding. Save the Dates are friendly but much welcomed reminder that your guests will truly cherish. It’s also a great way to show off those fun engagement photos.
How far out should brides start looking for invitations?
Most brides typically have an idea of what they want shortly after getting engaged. When it comes time to order them, a good 4-6 months before your wedding is preferred for custom designs. Brides wanting to start with Save the Dates tend to start the process a year out. Remember, wedding invitations should be mailed out minimum of 8 weeks before the wedding and guest’s responding at least 4 weeks before.
What are the different styles of invitations offered?
I am a huge fan of pocket invitations. I personally love how they hold everything nicely together. I offer brides a few different styles of pockets to choose from. Brides can also go for mounted styles, with wraps or ribbons. There are also fun papers to choose from to have your invitations printed on. Such as cotton, felt and linen cardstocks.
What is the process like?
To start, I schedule all brides to come meet me for a complimentary consultation. This is where we’ll look at samples, different styles and color pallets. Essentially “building” your invitation set. From there, the order is placed and the designing begins. Brides will also be given a fully printed/assembled sample of their invitation so they can see their visions come to life.
Why choose Pretty Ink Press, LLC for wedding stationery?
When a bride chooses to work with Pretty Ink Press, it’s not just clicking a few buttons and hitting checkout. It’s getting to work one on one with a designer who has a passion to create wedding stationery. Brides get to be involved throughout the whole process which makes it more special. As a stationery design studio, I can help with questions regarding your invitations. Like, how to properly address an envelope, how wording should be formatted, postage questions, etc. I even personally reach out to the wedding photographer and mail them one of the invitations so that the set can be photographed for the wedding album. One less thing the bride has to worry about doing for the big day.
It’s not just invitations either. You may want to add on escort cards, programs and menus for the big day. I can create all those items to match accordingly with your invitations using the same fonts, designs and papers.
We think that stationery is a very important part of setting the tone of your wedding, and after reading this, you may be thinking more about it, too. Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo is proud to feature our local partners, and even more excited when the featured business owner is one of our brides! Please visit www.prettyinkpress.com for more information on Heather and her company, and contact our Philadelphia bridal shop today to schedule an appointment for your fitting.