Christmas Cards are OUR thing.
Read moreBe Our Guest: Lindsay
Oh how we love December for many reasons but the greatest reason has to be the gathering of families who come together to celebrate. Here at SZP, we treasure our clients and consider them to be part of our family. We love to check-in with our couples and find out how they are doing and what they have been up to since their Big Day! We always want to hear their words of wisdom and what they loved/disliked about the wedding planning process. This month’s “Be Our Guest” blog post comes from one of our favorites, Lindsay Anderson. Enjoy!!
Q: Tell us your love story (how you met, got engaged, and why you chose the wedding date and venue you did).
A: We met at a local fast food restaurant called Runza. (If you are ever in Nebraska, you should check it out). We hung out a bit outside of work, but the day I put in my 2 weeks’ notice he told me that he had a crush. We started dating shortly after.
Q: What was one of your favorite memories from your wedding day?
A: Oh gosh, how can I pick just one?! My totally awesome wedding party agreed to do Thriller as our group dance. It was a crowd pleaser.
Q: What about your wedding celebration would you do differently?
A: Absolutely nothing! The day was perfect. I know a lot of brides don’t get the chance to say that, but I truly mean it. He showed up, the rest was just fluff!
Q: What was your favorite part of your wedding preparations? Conversely, the part you disliked the most?
A: I think my hubby would agree, the food tasting was really fun. You sit in a special room and you are served tons of food, it makes you feel really important. I also loved putting together our slideshow, I’m kind of computer nerd. After the wedding out marriage license was sent in the mail to the court house, along the way it got destroyed in a mail sorter. SO, we had to travel to get our best man’s signature again. Not really a part of the planning, something after that we had to get done.
Q: What was your favorite part about working with Sweet Zion Paperie?
A: Well #1, Sophie Rocks! But we all know that. I had sent her an idea I had about these crazy invites, it was a very rough draft and she magically turned them into something spectacular. I still get complements to this day on how creative and “out-of-the-box” they were. Kudos to you!
Q: Speaking from experience – Do you have any advice to future brides & grooms for planning their wedding?
A: Weddings can be expensive, make a budget, plan for those items that you really care about, and cut back on the ones that are not as important. Let your vendors lead you to other reputable vendors. I bet Sweet Zion Paperie has some good leads on venues, photographers, caterters, ect. Don’t sweat the small stuff, what matters at the end of the day is that you have each other.
Q: It’s the little things. Now that you’re married, what is one little thing that you love about your spouse that you didn’t notice before?
A: He has this constant willingness to see that I’m happy and that I’m taken care of. Not that he didn’t do that while we were dating, I think I just notice it more now. Plus, he puts up with my insane scheduled.
Q: How did you celebrate your 1 year anniversary?
A: We told ourselves that we would do/try something new each anniversary. We spent our first anniversary trying a new restaurant. We also traveled to Tahiti for our honeymoon and stayed in one of those super cool over the water bungalows. Last year we did a couple massages, which freaked him out. I, on the other hand, completely enjoyed it!
Q: What is next for you? (babies, moves, jobs, etc.)
A: Oh baby! We had our first beautiful baby girl last September, she’s a rock star. Life has completely changed, but for the better. If we are not spending time with her, we are traveling. We both work full-time and I have a part-time photography business. Travis loves to hunting and I teach Jazzercise. There isn’t much downtime at the Anderson house hold, but we are loving life.
Thanks for sharing Lindsay and thanks for stopping by everyone! Enjoy these adorable photos of their baby girl! Happy Friday!!!
TurkeyDay Giveaway!!!
With Thanksgiving comes family, food coma, and fantastic dinner disaster stories! Maybe you got locked out of your apartment and burned the turkey or maybe your flight home got cancelled and instead of spending time around a dinner table with family, you were stuck in the airport eating McDonalds with strangers. Whatever your story may be- We want to hear them! Send us your story and be entered in our Turkeyday Giveaway! Winner will receive 20 Free Recipe Cards in addition to favorite recipes from the entire Sweet Zion Paperie team, including Venti! You can leave us a comment, message, or email us at marketing@sweetzionpaperie.com and the winner will be announced on Friday, November 27th!
Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
The SZP Team
Welcome Bags on #WeddingTipWednesday
With the craziness of our 2015 wedding season winding down, we are finally getting a chance to come up for some air and reflect on the incredible year. This season we assembled and delivered hundreds of welcome bags and boxes to wedding guests across Colorado. Though these are partially responsible for us being in dire need of a vacation, we sure do love helping our clients create unique and fun welcome bags. We believe they are such a wonderful way to welcome your guests and to say thank you for coming. In honor of it being #WeddingTipWednesday, here are 5 tips for creating welcome bags/boxes that your guests will love:
Tip #1: Set the tone and capture your vision Much like your stationery, welcome bags can be a great way to set the tone for your wedding weekend and capture your wedding vision.
- Incorporate your wedding colors, location, design elements, etc. Giving guests a glimpse of your wedding vision will allow them to see the thread that ties your whole event together.
- If you want your wedding to be a part-ayyyy, think about including a hangover helper. Ours include items to help your guests recover from an incredible night of celebrating with you! :)
- Add fun tags and stickers that can be attached to the different items so that your guests will know why you chose to include it.
Tip #2: Throw in some of your favorite items Make your gift bags unique to you as a couple by throwing in some of your favorite items.
- If you love sweets, but your groom is more of a salty fan, consider getting some fun chocolate bars and a bag of local popcorn.
- Maybe you are huge wine fans (let’s be real- who isn’t?!?), consider including your favorite Cab or Chardonnay.
- If you are super artsy and love photography, include postcards from your favorite places that you have traveled together
- If you want your guests to truly relax, consider including some calming bath salts or organic soaps.
Tip #3: Allow your guests to get a taste of local flavors Especially if you are doing a destination wedding or if a lot of your guests are from out of town, local foods can be a great way for your guests to enjoy more of the unique elements of your wedding location. Check out local shops and boutiques (we love supporting small business shopping!) for unique snacks and delicious treats.
- If you consider coffee to be a food group like we do- check out local coffee shops for bags of freshly grinded beans or flavorful tea bags.
- Local jams, jellies and honey can always be a fun gift that your guests can enjoy for weeks to come.
Tip #4: Think about including your itinerary, map and local things to do Guests come to the wedding looking to explore the location and for more information on the weekend events.
- Include an itinerary that will highlight the main events for the weekend so guests know where to be and when.
- Consider listing favorite restaurants, fun sites to see, delicious coffee shops, local museums, hiking or biking trails, etc.
- Though most people have smart phones these days, a map is a great way to give your guests a bird’s eye view of the city. Here you can mark the locations of the events for the weekend as well as some of your favorite spots.
Tip #5: Consider preparation and delivery When creating the bags or boxes, it is important to consider the preparation and delivery.
- Think about creating a thank you card to top off the bag as a reminder of how grateful you are to be celebrating with those who you both love.
- Compile a list of places of which guests are staying at which hotel. This will allow the front desk to add the bags to each guests’ reservation.
- Every hotel is different, some like to deliver the bags or boxes to the room, while others prefer to hand them out at the front desk upon arrival. Call ahead if you have a preference.
We hope all these tips and ideas got your wheels turning! Wedding preparation can be incredibly stressful with all of the decisions and planning, but allow this part to be a fun way to celebrate your guests and show off your #couplesstyle. We are always here to help with ideas, assembly, and delivery! Happy Wednesday!
Hello, My Name Is....RACHEL!
Welcome to our newest team member, Rachel Swiezynski! Rachel is the newest addition to our growing SZP team. Before making the decision to hire, I kept telling my husband Tim, "I need to find a clone!" because we needed someone who can do it all. Well, God certainly smiled on us and we found Rachel! Not only is she a multi talented graphic artist, adventuresome spirit, and eager learner, she is also a dog lover. Needless to say, we are all very fortunate to have her a part of our team (and our resident fuzzball, Venti most certainly agrees). Rachel will be assisting SZP with design assignments, consultations, and managing our online and wholesale presence. Without further adieu, please meet Rachel!
- Sophie
RS: Hi Everyone!
I am so excited to be a part of the SZP team. I was born and raised in New Hampshire with my two older sisters by my amazing parents. I attended the College of Design at North Carolina State University (Go Wolfpack!). After graduating I began my design career at a graphic and industrial design firm in Raleigh, where I worked for about 2 years.
My sister and I relocated to Denver about three months ago for a new adventure! In my spare time I enjoy exploring with my fur baby Winston. I love all things gold and DIY.
I am thrilled to be assisting in design and the management of SZP's online and wholesale presence. As always, cheers to new adventure and beautiful design!
Best,
Rachel
Our Growing SZP Family: Welcome Brittney!
I am delighted to introduce you to our newest Team member, Brittney Ostransky! Brittney is a total gem to have on our team - she's super sweet and amazingly helpful. I first met her when she was planning her very own big day with help from the fabulous Claire of We Tie the Knots. We met at a Starbucks, discussed her plans for her wedding stationery and the rest is kismet.
From the very get go, I loved working with her and her stationery suite was one of my favorite from 2015. Brittney will be whipping us into shape and administrating our day to day ins and outs of the office as well as assisting with assembly, social media, and client consultations. Enjoy a bit about Brittney and a sneak peak of her and hubby Will's stunning wedding day (with a full feature to come!). - Sophie
B: I was born and raised here in this majestic state of Colorado. I have always loved the changing aspen leaves, the glorious snow peaked mountains, 300 days of sunshine, Country music and the miraculous orange sunsets (proof that God truly is a Broncos Fan!) For college, I chose to head west to Santa Barbara California, where I studied Communication and further developed my fascination of people and the value of written language. I did have a little fun while I lived there as well - playing a lot of beach volleyball and going to Disneyland more times than I can count. Following graduating, I worked at a floral design and event planning company where my love for creating beautiful things for wonderful clients was born.
Outside of the Sweet Zion studio, I can be found spending time with my wonderful husband, hiking around some beautiful trails, drinking a Chai Tea Latte, watching football or spending time on my family's ranch.
Sweet Zion Paperie created all of the stationery and paper products for my own wedding and I had the most wonderful experience. We (my fiancé at the time and I) were so impressed by the custom and creative work as well as the personal attention and care; I knew I had to be part of this team! It has been so fun being on the other side and helping to create beautiful work for each and every client.
Texture is Better : featuring Jillian + Tommy's fall wedding
Oh fall - such a great time of year. We love the richness it brings - the colors of the leaves, the crispness in the air, excuses to stay inside and bake, watching football - the list goes on. Fall almost has a texture. On that note, this year we have played with texture more than ever before. Today we are showcasing Jillian + Tommy's invitations [FINALLY]! I have wanted to share these for some time and since their September 19 nuptials have made this lovely couple official, feast your eyes!
We used a lovely matte finish Navy pocket. Honestly, there's nothing like a matte navy. It's so luxe - you don't need any added sparkle. Add some navy velvet ribbon, walnut wood veneer, and cotton paper stock and you've got it made. Jillian + Tommy wanted a hint of rustic with their otherwise elegant, formal, and victorian style. The combination of floral liners and backers and the gold foil stamping set off the wood veneer accents perfectly, leaving guests with the wow factor that the couple was hoping for.
You all know about my love for a good monogram and luckily Jillian + Tommy felt the same way. We designed this beautiful crest for them and the couple included this foil stamped crest throughout the remainder of their printed pieces. This couple gets an A in my book for consistency (which is key to developing a cohesive look/feel for your big day).
Extra love to Ashley and Nicole from Ashley Nicole Events for their outstanding eye in planning and for bringing us such a lovely client.
Best wishes to Jillian + Tommy and a lifetime of only happiness!
Sweet Summertime
What a busy summer it has been for us! Between the custom wedding invitations and special birthday stationery, we've been featured in Style Me Pretty and 100 Layer Cake and even toured Porridge Paper Letterpress and Papermill in Lincoln, Nebraska. Through all the design craziness, it's been a great few months. Take a look at what we've been up to and stay tuned... the fall should be just as wonderful! :)
Event hosted by Wedding Paper Divas and StudioWed Denver.
Planning by Save the Date Events.
Loved working with Ashley Nicole Events for this super cute baby shower. Wooden block invites screen printed in mint and packed in shred and Kraft box with a wrap around label to match. Check out the 100 Layer Cake Feature: http://www.100layercakelet.com/2015/07/20/denver-garden-baby-shower-by-ashley-nicole-events/
We love the look and feel of this save the date for one of our 2015 couples. Gold foil with Navy velvet backer and a rich Cabernet liner. What a first impression!
Belly bands have been all the rage for us this year! Great way to keep individual pieces together inside an envelope instead of a pocket. This sleek white letterpress invite features one in the ever popular "sea salt" grey.
We told you it's been a busy summer... all hands on deck!
Rustic details are perfect for this Spruce Mountain Ranch wedding. Always a pleasure working with Brynn at Save the Date Events.
Bindery day. Working on some drilling at present on our drill press, Sergeant
Beautiful signage. Check out the Style Me Pretty Feature: http://www.stylemepretty.com/colorado-weddings/denver/2015/08/11/romantic-industrial-denver-wedding/
Hangover bags!
Tags for the #welcomebag swag!
Chop chop. Snip snip. Putting on the finishing touches on some lumberjack themed birthday invites for a special client. First birthdays are to be celebrated (by adults in flannels with beards and brew)
At Porridge Papers in Lincoln, NE. I love the work that Christopher is doing there in making handmade letterpress stock out of recycled content. It's just plain good craft.
Assembly time! Stuffing Tricia and Brian's invites for their BEST DAY EVER wedding. Loved working with Milk Glass Productions on this super custom, music enthused event.
Enjoyed the perks of having a sweet aunt with backstage access and loved seeing my girl Laura Cook because there really is #noplacelikehome
There's been lots of laughs, lots of fun and lots of work accomplished this summer and we've loved every minute of it!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest and greatest... we're sure to be a hoot!
Envelope Liners, Monograms, RSVP's and Letterpress... OH MY!
A couple weeks ago, we posted this to our social media sites (make sure you are following us!) and you all loved the combination of the liners, the monogram, the design of the RSVP and the look of the letterpress. After all of the likes and questions, we figured we would go into some greater detail about all of the different aspects!
Envelope Liners:
Why? Are they really worth it? YES. Liners add a simple, but impactful detail to wedding invitations. It creates a statement that is all your own and really pushes your stationery to the next level.
Monograms:
They are tony and classy and can be the perfect special touch on your wedding invitations. Monograms are classy and timeless... We vote yes!
RSVPs:
Check out our blog here about RSVP cards!
Letterpress:
It's beautiful! It will make your invitations stand out and when paying for letterpress, you are buying something that is worth your money!
Check out the photos of all of the aspects of the design:
Entrepreneurship - The guide to not taking yourself so seriously
I never thought I was a “play it safe” person, but I also didn’t consider myself a huge “risk taker”. As I pursue entrepreneurship, on a daily basis I realize I am much more risky than I’d thought. Here is a sneak peak into my brain, my daily struggles with business, and insecurities. Hopefully you’ll still like me….wait, I mean, hopefully you find this encouraging, inspirational, and maybe even a bit humorous! All my best,
Sophie
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A few things I was scared about when starting my business:
- Purchasing equipment - making the initial investment and being able to pay leases - Advertising - picking the right avenues so you get the right clients and making the investment - Doing it Alone - I’ve always enjoyed working on a team/group. Now if I fail, it’s all on my shoulders - Financial Independence - my decision to quit a job to pursue an unknown could effect my family - Aligning myself w/people in the industry - feeling like a “newbie” with no contacts/friends
Things I am still scared about in business BUT have newfound perspective:
- Purchasing equipment - making the initial investment and being able to pay leases So worst case scenario, no one wants my stuff anymore and I can’t afford to stay in business. I’ve learned that it’s not the end of the world. Some of the most successful business people in the world have had one or two failed businesses before they made it work. I have now adapted to this sort of “fear” but I don’t find myself up at night worrying about it. If it ever happened, I’d live it out and try to look at the best while doing it. If anything, entrepreneurship is a how to guide to not taking yourself so seriously. - Advertising - picking the right avenues so you get the right clients and making the investment I’ve learned that EVERY small business person struggles with this and it’s basically a crap shoot. If you’re diligent about doing a bit of research when choosing a prospective avenue of advertising, you have about as much control over the situation as you can. Additionally, I have learned to ask those who I have connected with and have used the form of advertising in question to see if they’ve had a positive experience. It also never hurts to ask what advertisers can do for you on pricing - as I’m sure you’ve heard, advertising is quite the investment. But all in all, it’s just money - it doesn’t define your happiness and if it doesn't work out for you, then [hair flip] “Oops”. - Doing it Alone - I’ve always enjoyed working on a team/group. now if I fail, it’s all on my shoulders For the first 3 years of Sweet Zion, I was too broke to afford to pay someone to help me. For the 4th year, I was too scared. Finally, we have a great staff who I have the pleasure of working alongside. But for the first 4 years, I did it on my own. It was terrifying, but it was rewarding - especially when you get the reactions when people call you a badass or when you hear “I want your job!”. It makes it all worth it to have worked so hard and now work with a very curated team of talented and smart people. Just a bit of affirmation that growth stretches you and makes you uncomfortable, but if you’re open to it, you may end up getting what you want if you work hard and dream big. - Financial Independence - my decision to quit a job to pursue an unknown could effect my family There’s no getting around that this is still a real fear, but I know and have seen that there’s grace in so many areas of life that, “It all works out”. I am blessed to be married to an incredibly capable man who has a fantastic job. Not only that, but I have this “you cant keep me down” stubborn German spirit thing going on…. - Aligning myself w/people in the industry - feeling like a “newbie” with no contacts/friends Being in this industry for about 5.5 years, I still feel like the “newbie”. But that’s also because people are entering this industry all the time, so there will always be someone you haven’t met or haven’t heard of. The networking events, social gatherings, and industry get togethers can be awkward, but I’ve learned to find a core friend or two who I can gang up with. It’s even better if this person is someone who you can help graft into the community. I try to look for opportunities to add value to not only my business, but also someone else’s by connecting them to others within the industry. I don't believe in being fiercely competitive when it comes to booking contracts - there is enough business to go around for all of us. With this mentality, it’s way easier to meet people and to be an includer.
Real Weddings: Amy + Mark
Picture this: I first meet the lovely Amy for coffee and a design consultation at one of Denver's cutest little cafe's. We each order a latte. She tells me she is a paper lover, dog lover, monogram/logo lover, and insists on buying mycoffee. What's not to love?! Did I mention she is a smart + savvy business owner herself?
Seriously though, I adore Amy and I know that Mark must be a pretty swell guy to be the MR. to her MRS. Amy + Mark's invitation suite is...well, Sweet. Featuring clean lines, blush and navy, a touch of rustic, and the cutest pup on the planet, their gold retriever Dublin. We loved working with these two on their gorgeous Grand Lake wedding. To Amy + Mark - Thank you for the pleasure of working with you! Enjoy!
Vendors:
Planning: Rachel Austin Events
Photography: David Lynn Photography
Venue: Grand Lake Yacht Club
Real Weddings: Ashley and Kyle
For those who think wedding professionals have it easy, think again! Sometimes crafting a fabulous, never seen before, never to be seen again, custom event is arduous. However, I believe the pictures from Kyle & Ashley’s big day at Dunafon Castle last July speak for themselves. The hard work by all the talented event professionals was well worth it when you take a look at the happiness in these photos. Not to mention, getting married in a legit castle is kind of epic. For the invitation and stationery, Sophie broke out her background in art and created a sketch of the castle used from a Mark Hayes original photograph. This artwork was used throughout the invitation and remainder of printed materials for the day. The bride and groom even printed it on muslin welcome bags for their guests to enjoy. We also created a custom wax seal for the soon to be Mr. and Mrs.
Enjoy the results of a labor of love, crafted for love, with love, and in the name of love.
Vendors: Dunafon Castle, Idledale, Colorado : http://www.dunafoncastle.com/ Jamee Photography : http://www.jameephotography.com/ Planning: Save the Date Events/ Sapphire Celebrations (http://www.savethedateevents.com/ & http://www.sapphirecelebrations.com/) Event Décor/Design: Design Works : http://designworksevents.com/ Sketch Inspiration: Mark Hayes Photography: http://markhayesphotography.com/ Favor Bags: Ribbons & Bows, Nancy Parker
Be Our Guest: Eli
We've decided to showcase one of our brides every month in a special "Be Our Guest" blog edition. Our first guest, Eli, has a wonderful love story. Enjoy!
SZP: Tell us your love story (how you met, got engaged, and why you chose the wedding date and venue you did).
Eli: Parker and I actually went to the same high school. I was a year older and we knew of each other but never hung out during high school. I went to college in Texas and we honestly never spoke after high school. A crazy turn of events lead me back home to Colorado and late one night in bed Parker's name came to mind. No idea why or how because we hadn't spoken in probably 7 years and we weren't even friends in high school. Anyway, when I moved back to Colorado I decided to send him a Facebook message, seriously out of no where, and the entire thing was a lie! I said that I thought I ran into him at Costco and how embarrassing it was that it wasn't actually him. I even went as far as to reintroduce myself in the message because I wasn't even sure if he'd remember me! We laugh about the FB message now because in all honesty I was just looking to reconnect with friends as I was reestablishing myself in Denver, heaven forbid I just be honest! Anyway, we hung out as friends for a while and then he FINALLY asked me out on a date... and the rest is all history!
Proposal... well I won't lie, it was pretty incredible! Before we started dating seriously Parker and I were bowling with friends and we bet on the final game. If I won, he owed me a helicopter ride and if he won... I don't even remember what he would win. I obviously won but to be totally honest I just never thought of it again and also thought it was incredibly unlikely that he'd ever pay up. Well, on December 22nd my company was closing down for a few days for Christmas my boss came over around noon and told me to go on home and enjoy the holiday (she was totally in on it). So excitedly I started packing up! Minutes later Parker called and said a friend of his dads who has helicopter called and invited his dad on an afternoon ride. Since his dad is a doctor and had patients to see, Parker said he scored us the ride. I totally ate it up and seriously never thought he was proposing. I was SO excited. I had never been on a helicopter and have this funny love for aircrafts and helicopters so I was on cloud 9. He flew us over the city and ended up landing us on this bluff overlooking the city. Parker and I got out and walked to the end just to enjoy. Again, I seriously never thought he was proposing! We got to the edge it was snowy and gorgeous and Parker got down on one knee! The best part was the pilot is a family friend and got pictures of the whole thing.
Venue. Well to say that Parker and I wanted a party is a tad of an understatement. With a bridal party that was 24 people, we each had 12 attendants, we needed a space that could fit everyone. I wanted to be married outside and wanted the ceremony and reception to be in the same location. That's a lot to ask for an invite list at about 350. But The Denver Art Museum had everything we wanted! It was absolutely perfect. We loved the space for the ceremony, it made it feel small and intimate and then the reception was a giant room for a dance party!
SZP: What was one of your favorite memories from your wedding day?
Eli: One of my favorite memories was the moment that my dad and I started walking down the isle and I turned to him and said "I'm getting married!" there's actually a picture of it and then when I looked up and saw Parker with the biggest smile on his face! It was such a sweet moment!
SZP: What about your wedding celebration would you do differently?
Eli: To be honest, and I've seriously thought about it, the only thing I would change is when I was walking down the aisle the musician was supposed to play the song acoustically and not sing but he ended up singing while I was walking down the isle. And to be honest I am really the only person that knew he wasn't supposed to sing. So really not a big deal. Everything else was just how I imagined it!
SZP: What was your favorite part of your wedding preparations? Conversely, the part you disliked the most?
Eli: I loved virtually every part. We hired an incredible day of wedding coordinate, CC Dick with Colorado Wedding Company, and she typically is a full service wedding planner but my mom and I so enjoyed meeting with vendors and casting a vision together. It was so fun.
My least favorite part... picking out the wording on the invitations! It took us forever and seemed so tedious but yet such a big deal!
SZP: What was your favorite part about working with Sweet Zion Paperie?
Eli: How simple and easy it was! Our programs were exactly what I envisioned! People typically don't say much about programs but we got rave reviews! I kept a number of copies and have given them to people who asked to do something similar and use SZP.
SZP: How has your relationship with your now husband/wife changed from when you were dating?
Eli: We just do everything together and have so much fun doing it! We didn't live together before we got married, you could call us traditionalists, so living together wasn't nearly the adjustment everyone prepared us for. We have enjoyed spending our free time together and not having to plan to go over to one of our houses etc.
SZP: It's the little things. Now that you're married, what is one little thing that you love about your spouse that you didn't notice before?
Eli: Oh gosh such a loaded question. One of the things I loved about Parker before we got married was how much he made me laugh. But being married it's ten fold. I am constantly laughing and he also challenges me to not take myself too seriously. We are so playful, it's the best!
SZP: How did you celebrate your 1 year anniversary?
Eli: We went to Europe!! It was so fun, we went to Prague for about a week and then to Munich for Oktoberfest!
SZP: What is next for you? (babies, moves, jobs, etc.)
Eli: Well, we actually just had a precious baby girl 2 months ago! Logan, she's the best. Right before we had her, we bought and house and pretty much flipped the entire thing. So for now, we are staying put and enjoying Logan and our house!
SZP: Speaking from experience - Do you have any advice to future brides & grooms for planning their wedding?
Eli: Don't forget that this day is about you and your spouse. It's so easy to get caught up in the details and the extravagance of the wedding but your marriage lasts forever. Spend time and energy thinking about what you want your ceremony to look like and be intentional with the ceremony. So often it becomes just another detail, and in some ways even I was this way, but keep in perspective while yes the party is fun but that lasts one night, your marriage lasts for a lifetime!
Real Weddings: Natasha and Patrick
When I met Natasha for our initial consultation, I was so sweetly surprised by how easy going she was. Natasha is a girl who has an air of confidence about her, but balances that with a carefree-ness and a love to laugh. I enjoyed working with her to find the vision she had for her wedding stationery. I didn’t get the privilege of meeting her groom Patrick, but I’d imagine he must be pretty great to captivate a girl like Natasha.
I enjoyed working with this couple on a beautiful, modern, and classic invitation suite along with some really fun signs and treat flags. Following the ceremony, we created custom stationery just for them. Their invitation was a one-color charcoal letterpressed card mounted to a luxe quartz metallic stock. The bride opted for a whimsical dip-pen style calligraphy for the outer envelope, hand lettered in charcoal. Enjoy this fun event – beautifully captured by Jason+Gina Photography.
Photography: Jason+Gina Photography
Venue: The Denver Art Museum
Planning: Bliss Elevated
Stationery: Sweet Zion Paperie
Love, Love, Love!
Happy Monday! Usually on Monday's we "Show Some Love" for one of our favorite local vendors. Today, we are showing some love for ourselves and announcing the start of our Mad Love Giveaway!
Here are the rules:
1. You MUST like every post from Monday, Feb 9- Friday, Feb 13. The winner will be announced on Saturday, Feb 14 and the will get a prize sent to their door!
2. You MUST complete each challenge that the post asks of you... if you don't, your name won't be entered into the drawing at the end of the week!
Are you ready to show your crazy love for Sweet Zion?! Good Luck!
Wedding Wars 2015: James Bond
We are so grateful to have the opportunities that we do! This super fun opportunity was a part of Team Galore at Wedding Wars bridal show a few weeks ago. The theme was James Bond, super fun! Take a look at what our amazing team pulled off. Thank you for being innovators in this industry: Rachel Austin Events, Urban Safari Photography, Astonishing Cakes LLC, Bella Lu Floral, Occasions Catering Denver, Vehicle Vault, The Bridal Collection, Denver Tux, Jaded Beauty, Masterful Musicians, Vintage Rentals Denver, Yonder Floral + Decor House, Snappy Face Painting, Knotty Tie Co, EventRents
The Ins & Outs of the RSVP Card
The dreaded RSVP card...they may sound like a hassle, but they can be great! Let's start with the basics:
RSVP? RSVP, the abbreviation for the French phrase “respondez s’il vous plait,” means please respond.
What are they? RSVPs are usually needed when sending out invites to formal events or weddings.
Who do they go to? Make sure you send one along with each invitation.
When do they need to be returned? For weddings, make your RSVP date two to three weeks before your wedding date -- this will allow enough time for you to get a final head count to the caterer (one week before) and to finalize your seating chart. If some guests still haven't responded by your deadline, give them a quick call and ask for their RSVPs (still via mail) so you have all their information.
Sometimes guests tend to forget to mail back their response cards after they receive the invitation. Make it easy for them by sending reception cards that use decorative designs.
Make your RSVP fun! This library card post card was the perfect reply for a surprise birthday party we did for an avid reader.
Planned by @savethedateevents
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Paper Lovers! Can you believe that it's already the end of 2014? What a crazy year it has been for SZP. We have created countless invitations, save the dates, programs and name cards. We have added to our team and become a part of others. We have laughed and cried. We have learned a lot and taught others as well. We have licked envelopes, replaced ink cartridges and had hundreds of meetings. And we have LOVED every second of it!
We are so thankful for everything that 2014 has brought us and we can't wait to see what 2015 has in store.
Wishing you health and happiness in 2015,
Sophie and SZP Team!
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me....
Merry Christmas Paper Lovers!!!
This year has brought us so much! Lots of love and laughter with family and friends and we are so happy that you could be a part of it!
This year, our Christmas card used handmade papers from Sustain & Heal along with Hemp cord from Hemptique. Our card was letterpress printed with hand illustrated greeting by Sophie's husband, Tim!
Here is the poem that Tim wrote:
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Sophie was scrambling to get the Christmas cards out
Our mission: send Uli-tide greetings to loved ones dear
So we cracked open some ‘nog upon a midnight clear
With snow in November, We’re snuggled close in bed
Not Sugarplums dancing, but poetry instead.
“Write On, dear husband”, said my sweet bonnie lass
Putting pen to paper, Let’s kick this Christmas poem’s …. butt.
Soph falling to pieces like a nutcracker doll,
Surgery fixed knee and hip - now she’s decking the halls.
With crutches, and braces, apparatuses to spare
We met our deductible by January this year.
A Superbowl flop had me down in the dregs,
The She-hawks recipients of a Broncos lain egg.
A revamped defense and plenty ‘o touchdown balls
Hang Denver’s 3rd Superbowl stocking down Lombardi Hall.
On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, and Venti
Our dear Saint Bernard leaves furballs a’plenty
Pulling Santa’s sleigh will be no problem this year
Rudolph, watch your back - V’s bringing up the rear!
We got sick of feeding the student loan grinch
The checkbook always feeling that nasty, green pinch
So we said Auld Lang Syne to that 5 year foe
Now we’re kissing hard-earned Benjamins ‘neath the mistletoe
My wife the creative - with all her grey matter
Crafted many invitations; brides and grooms to flatter
With a new member added to our SZP crew
A few more elves in the workshop shrinks her lists, “to-do”
I made Santa’s Nice list without milk and cookies
A new job, new desk, new numbers to bookkeep
Debits and credits plus some amortization
Someone’s gotta audit Santa’s inventory inflation.
Home improvement projects included a new roof
Perfect for the guy in the sleigh wearing the big red suit
Tearing up and laying 800 sq feet of new floor
Left Tim, Soph, Jon & Jo quite a bit sore.
It wasn’t last Christmas that I gave Soph my heart
We just celebrated 5 years - time flew from the start
We’re looking forward to approximately 65 more
And still, time stops when she walks through the door
Our annual vacation included mouse ears and coasters
My first trip to Disney - Andy and Becca as hosters
Lots fun and walking, with souvenirs to boot
You’d think Santa came early judging by the loot
As I do every year, I’d like to plant a reminder:
Of the one Christmas gift, you won’t find one kinder,
His name is Jesus, born in humble esteem
Hosanna in the highest to our risen King
So Merry Christmas, Happy New Year
from the Ulibarri three
Joy and happiness, to you
And good will to all peeps
From the SZP team to you and your loved ones: We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cheers!
Together We Could Make a Difference
Small Business Saturday was yesterday, November 29th. It's always the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday and before Cyber Monday. It gets squeezed in between the busiest shopping days of the year, encouraging shoppers to shop local. Did you know that is each of us spent $100 a year more on local businesses instead of chain stores, it would put an extra $300 million per year into our economy? Not only that, it would create thousands of jobs every year!
Read that again. And again. And again until it sinks in.
All of that and small businesses get just one Saturday a year? It just doesn't make sense.
We challenge you to shop local. Find a local, small and family owned business to support. Every Monday, we "Show Some Love" to a local vendor that we love and we use the hashtag #ShopLocal. We encourage you to use the hashtag the next time you shop small and support a local business! It's important and it really does make a difference!
During this holiday season, take our challenge! Shop small and local and use the hashtag because together, we could make a difference. And it could be amazing.