Here's a brief interview conducted by Couture Colorado back in September 2013. We wanted to share why we started doing what we do (and what we love). Wait- what is all this "we" talk, it's just me! Please enjoy this little glimpse of my heart.
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Sweet Zion Paperie is a custom, one stop shop for all things paper – from Save the Dates to Thank You notes, envelope printing & calligraphy, escort cards, programs, favors and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Papergoods can make a ordinary wedding extraordinary. I can’t get enough of creative save the dates and gorgeous invitations. I am please to introduce you to Sophie of Sweet Zion Paperie.
When and why did you start your business? I started the business in 2010 while I was working full time as an event coordinator for a local non-profit organization. I was always making baby shower invitations for friends or birthday cards for family. One of my very best friends is also a business owner in the wedding industry and she was a constant source of encouragement to me – always asking “why aren’t you doing this and getting paid for it, Sophie?!” I booked my first wedding – a co-worker of my husband’s – in November and charged them $150.
I also like to think I started this business because of the experience I had as a bride to be while picking out invitations. While planning my own wedding, I’d never have guessed there were alternatives to picking your invites out of a big binder at your dress shop. Unfortunately, we settled on a really plain jane design and paid in incredible sum of money for said “OK” invitations. Not only that, they were square and we ended up paying extra postage to mail just “OK” invitations. Overall, not a very positive experience and I left feeling underwhelmed and with the sense that I needed to do something about it. Sweet Zion is able to offer couples an invitation that truly fits who they are and at a reasonable cost.
How did you learn your craft? When I graduated college, I worked for a non-profit. In that industry you wear many hats, many of which are outside your job description. I had never take a graphic design course in my life, so the day that my boss came to me and said, “We need you to design a magazine advertisement…by tomorrow”, I was absolutely terrified. I sat down at the computer with my instruction manual for Adobe’s InDesign and worked away, completing the project. It was stressful, but it was so fun and I felt it a great outlet for my creativity. Sometimes it takes that sort of pressure to realize what you’re truly capable of or that trying something might lead to new and exciting things.
What or who inspires you? My clients! I love seeing how people are inspired, both the story behind that inspiration and the way they translate it. My clients from 2012 on, I feel, are growing bolder and bolder with their color selections, including different materials and mediums, requesting interactive invitations, using fabric or stitching, creating characters or storylines – it goes on and on.
I have been shocked at the vision people are carrying. It’s truly amazing the creativity of people that I am fortunate and blessed to come alongside. I love supporting the creative mind and challenging the laws of design or the rules of what and invitation can and can’t look like. It’s my goal to make it happen.
Favorite Wedding Trend: Bold patterns and unexpected color combinations. Really, with the talented vendors we have in Colorado especially, these 2 trends are always executed to the nines.
Advice for a couple planning a Colorado wedding: Stay true to yourself and what you want your big day to look like. Don’t put yourself in a corner for wanting something different. Choose vendors who you like, not just based on recommendations or if you can help it, budget. Surrounding yourself with people who get your vision and who you get along with will really help you to feel supported and reassure you that you've put planning your biggest, baddest, and most beautiful party in good hands.
Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Colorado? I grew up on an acreage outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. I think it’s kind of a hush hush thing in Colorado to admit you’re not originally from here, but I’m proud of my roots. Growing up where I did gave me stability, a great work ethic, and a general happiness about life. I love visiting Nebraska, but I’m not sure I’ll ever leave the Rocky Mountain state.
I actually arrived in this great state thanks to my husband, who is a legitimate native. The two of us met in college in Iowa, and when we graduated, we had a beautiful wedding in Nebraska and began our life together in Colorado.