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!

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The Business of Bullying

Business cannot be done without other people. People can fill various roles in business, they can be customers, vendors, or other professionals in the same field. In simple terms, I estimate there to be 2 arms of business; the customer side (who patrons your business, the ones that pay your mortgage) and the support side (the vendors who enable you to do what you do - i.e. the nurse to the doctor). Though I also appreciate and admire the zealousness that some business owners have in protecting, honoring, and ultimately delivering for their clients and customers, I am at times honestly surprised that they can still find people who are willing to fill their support side.

The question in this entry is this: when does the esteem for your customer become a bad thing?

As a small business owner myself, I understand the need to side with your client, however, when that so grossly violates those that support and enable you to conduct your business, I would venture to say that you have become a bully in business. Even further, I cannot understand how business can be successfully or ethically conducted when service to your customer greatly outweighs the respect and consideration for those who support you. In my opinion, at ground level, it's a lack of integrity.

Although this doesn't sound like a heart-warming post, I have found great insight in recently learning this lesson which, fortunately for me, was gleaned by someone else's poor example. When recently a business owner tried to swing their proverbial "weight" around and back me into a corner, I acknowledged what was happening. I immediately took a stand for myself and the integrity I choose to run my business with. The best part? Probably shocking them by turning away their business.

By consciously choosing to run my business with a code of ethics, I have set up check points to prevent myself from becoming snarky, overly competitive, or even a bully. The reward for this diligence is that I also get to choose who I work with. No amount of money or number of contracts in a year is worth me risking who I am and what I stand for. Unfortunately, for the business owner I was supporting, the scales were tipping.

Now I'm not saying I'm perfect - there are many examples, I am sure, of humility to throw on the table. However, I refuse to be a victim to insecurity, bullying in business, or small thinking. I want to embrace each challenge, surround myself with people who support me and keep me in check. I want to celebrate the successes of my competitors and colleagues and support them in ways that are unique to me. I love collaborating with other professionals because in the end, that's what business is about - recognizing you can't do it alone.

It takes people, not power.

Wax on, Wax off

Wax! Not only is it a cool word, its definitely a cool trend in the wedding industry at present. I've seen a true resurgence of "craftsmanship" in this day and age with young couples bringing back letterpress like it's gold as well as the aforementioned wax seal trend. Now, I'm not as old as I sound, but I do take time to appreciate nostalgia and also to give credit to the sage and true coined phrase "They just don't make them like they used to". However, in this case (and good news for you), they do!

Wax seals are perfect for event stationery for a myriad of reasons. We have used seals to close pocket invitations, to add a finishing touch, to establish a brand or theme, and even to seal an envelope or two. Check out these beautiful photos of some recent wax seal projects.

Lauren & Tino 2013

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Now, you can integrate what was once a very vintage thing into a very modern and current piece of stationery giving just a shadow of scrutiny to the old adage "They just don't make them like they used to".

My Creative Dream Realized

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.

Avoiding the Bling Cha-Ching

It's that time of year again - no, I'm not talking about Valentine's Day. What I'm writing about spans much longer than a mere day; in fact, it's an entire season. Wedding Season. il_340x270.539154858_262l

Wedding Wire indicates that about 33% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve, making January - March very busy time for nearly everyone involved with the wedding industry. Whether you're a business owner or vendor piled under writing contracts and pricing proposals or you're here because the proverbial stars have aligned in your love life (yippee!), here's my advice to avoid getting taken advantage of and Beware of Bling Cha-Ching.

1. Although I'd love to think that every bride has an unlimited budget to make her wedding the most fabulous day ever - I don't believe this is true and I also don't believe you should go into debt to live this fantasy. I've heard horror stories of couples banking on their wedding gifts (checks and cash) to cover the cost of the fabulous party they just threw. My encouragement is this: your friends and family think that YOU are fabulous enough and that's why the showed up. Don't outdo yourselves and be upstaged by your dress, your flowers, even your paper (gasp! Did I just say that?!).

2. Don't believe the lie that you can't do it on your own....I mean, part of that is true (if you don't believe me, check out Pinterest fails or try eating a really poorly baked wedding cake...gross). However, don't play into the insecurity that you aren't creative or that you have to pay everyone for things you know you could do. Try tackling things like wedding favors, decor (ie - go antiquing or thrift store shopping for mismatched vases or dishes), create your own photo booth with a retro Polaroid camera, make your bridesmaid jewelry, or wedding party gifts.

The caveat to this is don't DIY everything. Don't let Uncle Jim take your wedding photo or video. Don't let your aspiring project runway little sister take charge of your fashion. And don't bake your own wedding cake. See my take on that here.