If there’s a trend in wedding invitations for 2015 and 2016 weddings, it’s personalization. Letterpress, thermography, foil printing, laser cutting, vintage fonts, unexpected envelope liners–all of these are on the table. The key to choosing the right combination of style, color and printing technique is letting your invitation reflect the unique feel and look of your wedding. This is the first glimpse your guests will get of the celebration they will experience. Make it shine…and make a magnificent first impression!
Psst, Houston bride: Haven’t picked out your save the dates, wedding invitations, place cards, programs, or thank you notes yet? We’ve got a secret for you: There’s a new stationery studio in town, and it’s filled with must-have paper treats for discriminating Houston couples.
If you’re looking for fine, one-of-a-kind paper products and invitations for your big day, head straight to Pressing Events in Memorial. This elegant shop caters to Houston brides who understand that save the dates and invitations set the tone for a wedding.
Pressing Events specializes in Letterpress Paperie designed by in-house artists. Alternatively, you may opt for letterpress invitations by southern California’s Wiley Valentine or The Lettered Olive of Charleston, South Carolina. Letterpress isn’t your thing? Don’t worry: Pressing event also offers thermography, embossing, and engraving for all of your custom wedding stationery needs. Did we mention that Pressing Events designs your stationery just the way you like it?
From the moment you enter the small shop, you’ll know you’ve come to the right place. The studio itself screams elegance, and the knowledgeable staff are brimming with creative ideas to help you translate the visions in your head into an invitation, save the date, or program that will make your guests say, “Wow!”
And if you’re still looking for parent gifts, attendant gifts, or a gorgeous guest book, Pressing Events can help you with that, too. The shop has a small but lovely collection of fine gift items, photo albums, and monogrammed guest books that will remind your guests of the most beautiful invitation they’ve ever received—yours!
Invitation: Embossed Graphics of Texas Photo: Eason Photography
Invitation: Tad and Faboo
Your wedding invitation is much more than an informational packet instructing guests where and when you and your one and only will be tying the knot. It is the first opportunity you have to introduce guests to the style and tone of your wedding. Grand and elegant or cozy and whimsical? Celadon and coral or silver and sage? A well-chosen wedding invitation entices invitees and gives them a taste of the celebration to come.
Since there’s no second chance to make a first impression, it pays to know a bit about invitations, particularly the different printing techniques available to you. Houston’s finest stationers are experts in the latest—and most traditional—printing possibilities. Before you select the one who will create perhaps the most important invitations of your life, let our handy printing-technique guide give you the head start you need.
Engraving: Formal, elegant, timeless. Engraving typically utilizes copper plates to produce raised print, and works well with black ink on light paper. Engraving is time-consuming and expensive, but the cost goes down with the volume of invitations produced, making it a good choice for weddings with large guest lists.
Letterpress: This centuries-old technique is in vogue once again. With letterpress, words are stamped by machine, and letterpress print looks especially good with textured or handmade paper. Not as expensive as engraving usually, but still on the pricey side.
Lithography: Also known as offset, lithography uses plates, emulsion and light exposure to produce crisp, flat print. It allows for a vast range of colors and works well with almost any kind of print surface. Lithography is a versatile technique that costs less than engraving or letterpress.
Thermography: With thermography, ink is applied to paper then treated with a chemical and heated to produce a raised-print appearance. This technique can only be used with certain ink colors and paper types, so it has its design limitations. BUT, it is considerably less expensive than engraving, and produces a similar effect.
Digital: Fast, flexible, modern, inexpensive. Digital printing is a great option for contemporary invitations, short planning schedules and limited budgets.
