JUNIOR INVITATION DESIGNER

We are looking for a highly motivated and detail oriented individual to join our team. Our ideal candidate is someone who is a quick learner with a positive attitude, who can manage tasks within a tight deadline.

DUTIES

• Assist with the design and proofing of custom and semi-custom invitation orders
• Interpret customer needs and wedding inspiration boards into a cohesive design suite
• Update existing invitation suite templates to fit customer preferences (colors, fonts, monograms)
• Communicate clients via email and phone if needed
• Meet design and print production deadlines
• Design marketing content for our website and social media streams
• Assist with miscellaneous hand assembly tasks (wax seal, adhere liners to envelopes, ribbon tying, packaging orders, etc.).

REQUIREMENTS

• 3+ years of graphic design experience in print or digital media
• Portfolio that demonstrates strong knowledge of print design
• Strong knowledge of typography and vector graphics
• Extremely detail oriented and organized
• Understand trends in the wedding industry
• Familiar with our Wedding Collection and our Customization Options
• Solid knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud programs (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)
• Strong communication and project management skills
• Able to manage multiple deadlines
• Strong work ethic, desire to learn and grow
• Self-driven, ambitious
• Experience with Shopify, WordPress, and Flodesk (or MailChimp) is a plus

POSITION

• This position is part-time (15-20 hours) with the possibility to expand into a full-time position
• Hybrid work environment, with some days being required in our Tustin, CA studio (our hours are 10:00-4:30pm Tues-Fri, 10:00-2:00pm Saturdays).
• Equipment and software will be provided on-site

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your resume and link to your portfolio: hello@thepapermintpress.com.

The post We’re Hiring! Apply to be a Junior Invitation Designer appeared first on Paper Mint Press Blog.

Digital or Flat Printing – $

What is Digital/Flat printing? Digital or flat printing is the type of printing you’re probably most familiar with. Flat printing is a form of printing where ink (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) is transferred to the paper using a digital image, resulting in a ‘flat’ finish. We offer flat printing to our clients who don’t have the budget or time for letterpress and foil, but still want a well-designed invitation suite from our collection.

What makes it special? There is no limitation to the number of colors can be printed.

Cost: It’s the most cost effective version between the three print methods we offer. Make no mistake about it, though. Just because it’s least expensive does not mean the quality suffers in any way. We have done meticulous research and offer only the highest quality paper. We can even print on stocks that are just as thick as our 2-ply cotton letterpress papers.

Limitations of Flat Printing: Well, flat printing is… flat. This type of printing is best for designs heavy on graphics – large floods of color, watercolor art, photographs, etc. Simple designs with a focus on typography can look great, but will lack the depth and textural element that only letterpress can achieve. Also, there’s no way to print a metallic finish via flat printing.

Who it’s for? Budget conscious couples or couples with a super tight deadline. It’s great for couples who aren’t 100% sure about their wedding plans since we can make last minute changes before printing.

Turnaround: Usually 2 weeks, but even sooner with a rush fee. Because it’s the quickest turnaround, this is the method we prefer for Day Of Wedding Accessories.

Letterpress Printing – $$

What is letterpress printing? Letterpress is a method of relief printing that utilizes a raised image (like a rubber stamp), that is pressed directly onto thick, soft cotton paper with a letterpress machine. This creates a beautiful “stamped in” effect that you can see and feel.

What makes it special? We’re biased, but in our opinion it’s one of the most beautiful print methods ever. The results are simply unmatched. The paper we print on is made of cotton, creating a deep, pillowy impression. Detailed artwork and thin fonts can print with crisp clarity even better than digital printing can. The results are truly striking, and you don’t even need a design that’s over-the-top. Simple script fonts or even block text instantly looks elevated in letterpress printing. In my opinion, you don’t even need more than one ink color to create a standout piece. When I come across a letterpress invitation, I can’t help but take a moment to inspect and appreciate the craftsmanship behind it.

Why is it so expensive? For one thing, letterpress machines simply aren’t made anymore. There’s a finite number of vintage machines available out there, and a handful of skilled printers who know how to operate them. In the past, designs were limited to wooden or metal type that a typesetter had to manually arrange on a chase (thing that holds the artwork onto the letterpress machine). Nowadays, we are able to combine images, text, and design elements onto photo-etched polymer plates. Many steps of the process are still done the old fashioned way, requiring a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. We still hand-mix the inks, manually register the position of the print, inspect each sheet as it goes through the press, and trim the final product by hand. In this way, modern technology melds with old machinery to create a hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind work of art. Simply put: it’s labor intensive and the materials (polymer plates, paper) cost more.

Limitations of Letterpress: While letterpress printing yields beautiful results, it is best used to print vector based designs. Letterpress printing is unable to capture the colors of a photograph the same way digital printing can, for example. So if you’re looking to print watercolor floral artwork on an invitation, I would recommend digital printing over letterpress. However, if you like the look of a detailed floral line drawing/sketch, letterpress is the perfect medium for that. It’s also quite a bit more expensive to run multiple colors since we can only print one ink color at a time. More colors = more plates = more setups/labor = more $.

Who is letterpress printing for? Anyone who loves the feel of luxe paper, who wants to create a memorable experience for their guests when they receive an invitation. Someone who wants their invitations to be a beautiful keepsake. Someone who appreciates the craftsmanship of handmade invitations made with an antique letterpress.

Turnaround: This really varies with each printer, but on average I’d say anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. I typically like 2-4 weeks to print and assemble, if possible. Quicker turnarounds are possible with a rush fee.

Foil Stamping – $$$

What is foil stamping? Traditional foil stamping is a similar process to letterpress printing, except it uses a combination of heat and pressure to stamp a thin metallic sheet over a custom metal die onto a sheet of paper. It requires a special press and custom made dies, usually made of copper, brass or magnesium.

What makes it special? It’s reflective and shiny! There is simply no way to print a metallic, shiny finish with traditional printer inks (I’ve tried – it just looks brown lol). Even metallized inks made for letterpress has a shimmery texture, but is not reflective or shiny the way metallic foil is. There are dozens of different foil colors available out there, but the most common around here are gold, rose gold, copper, silver, white, and holographic. This is ideal for highlighting design elements you want to stand out and can be combined with letterpress and flat printing. This method also works best for printing light colors on dark papers (ie. printing white text on black paper), because foils appear opaque on dark papers (whereas letterpress inks are transparent).

Why is it so expensive? Like letterpress printing, foil stamping requires special foil presses and custom dies that are generally expensive to make. The minimum cost for a custom foil die can range from $100-$300, depending on the size of your finished piece. This is in addition to the cost of paper and set-up fees. Like letterpress, this option makes sense for printing higher quantities, since the work involved in printing 1 piece vs. 100 pieces is the same.

Limitations of Foil Stamping: It takes a skilled pressman to print fine details and get crisp results in foil. Some printers have different capabilities and requirements, so if you’re a designer it’s best to ask your printer about a particular design before moving forward with an order. Generally, we recommend avoiding super thin details and loosening up the kerning between small letters. Like letterpress, you will also need vector based art, and multiple foil colors will cost you more in dies and setup fees.

Who it’s for: Couples who want to add some BLING to their invites!

Turnaround: We recommend 4-6 weeks to turnaround a custom foil job, especially if paired with other print methods.

How to choose the best invitation print method for your wedding

My advice is think about what is most important to you about your wedding invitations. What are your “musts” and why? For instance, when browsing invitations, what stands out to you the most? Is it the design? The luxurious feel of high end paper? The shiny finish?

If incorporating a specific design with lots of colors is something you envision over a fancy print method, then digital flat printing is a great option for you. You will be able to have a design created specially to tell your love story and print it economically, without sacrificing quality.

If you lean towards more understated and classic designs and appreciate the luxurious quality of specialty paper, letterpress might be the right fit for you. Many couples find that having their names in calligraphy or incorporating a monogram crest is a great way to personalize their invites, and would rather spend their budget towards a higher end print method and fancier paper. Plus, isn’t the idea of having your invites printed on an antique letterpress machine so charming?

If you just love how shiny metallic foil POPS out at you, then you can’t go wrong with foil stamping. There are so many fun foil colors to match your wedding style and you can always pair this option with digital or letterpress printing for a dynamic look. It may be the more expensive option, but there’s just something about the way that foil shimmers in the light that makes it so eye catching.

If you’re still not sure, start a conversation with us! We are happy to send sample packs with all three print methods so you can compare them for yourself. We can also recommend ways to incorporate these methods into your budget without compromising on quality. Hope this little guide helps break down the different processes a bit more!

The post Digital, Letterpress, or Foil Stamp? A Breakdown of Invitation Print Methods appeared first on Paper Mint Press Blog.

When To Start Planning for Vintage Stamps

Let your stationer know right away if you plan on incorporating vintage stamps on your wedding invitations. It’s truly best to start before or during the invitation design process. There are many things to consider when designing an invite suite with vintage stamps, like how much room to leave for addressing since there will be multiple stamps, what color envelope will best showcase your stamps, etc. In addition, you will need to know how much your invitation suite will weigh before you purchase your stamps, and your stationer can help you answer these questions from the start.

Choose Your Theme/Color Palette For Your Postage

Curate your vintage postage set based on wedding theme or incorporate tidbits of your personality! For instance, if you have a love for travel, you could source geographical stamps with places that are meaningful to you. If you are getting married in a garden or in nature, a collection of floral vintage stamps would be stunning. If you share a love for books or literature, there are a ton of stamps honoring famous authors. The possibilities are truly endless.

You could also curate your stamps based on your wedding color palette, which might be the easiest and most common route. Let your wedding colors be a guide and pick complementary colors or even go for a monochromatic look.

Calculate Postage Amount and Budget

This is where a stationer will come in handy. Depending on how many pieces you are ordering in your invitation suite and what kind of paper you are using, you will need to figure out the correct postage amount based on the weight, size, shape, and thickness of your envelope.

Generally, anything that weighs under 1oz and is not super thick is going to cost $0.55 (as of 2021) to mail domestically. If it weighs more than 1oz, you will have to purchase an additional postage, which is $0.20 per oz.

Square envelopes or envelopes that are not a standard size (A2, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, No. 10 and 4 Bar) will incur a “non-machineable” surcharge. A non-machineable mailpiece cannot be sorted in USPS’s automated machines, meaning it will need to be manually hand-canceled with a rubber stamp. This charge is $0.20 extra ($0.75 total for a standard mailing). Envelopes that are rigid, lumpy, that include a wax seal, buttons/string, or clasps, are considered non-machineable and will require this postage amount.

Make sure that you will know how much postage you need to purchase and budget for it! You might be surprised to find that vintage stamps can be significantly more expensive than buying current postage stamps. Not all vintage stamps are priced equally, depending on availability and denomination. Be prepared to pay somewhere around 3-4x more for vintage stamps compared to the cost of purchasing current USPS stamps.

Don’t forget to order extra sets for keepsakes (like one to photograph on your wedding day), or for lost/returned mail.

Where to Find Vintage Postage Stamps

My go to stamp dealer is Verde Studio. Their collection is vast, and the communication and ease of ordering has been AMAZING through the years.

Little Postage House, Vintage Postage Shop, Edelweiss Post, and Flourish Fine Writing are all wonderful sources as well!

My advice? Let your stamp dealers curate a set for you. Simply give them your wedding colors/theme, how much postage you’ll need for each set, and how many sets you’ll need to order.

If you are going to source and curate stamps yourself, make sure to buy UNUSED stamps. Many stamp dealers sell used stamps because they have value as collectibles, but unfortunately these stamps cannot be used for mailing.

Plan The Layout of your Stamps

After you calculate your postage and source your stamps, you’ll have to figure out the actual layout of the stamps for the envelope. It’s best to discuss this with your stationer or calligrapher so they’ll know how much space to leave for addressing. It would be a shame to receive hand calligraphed envelopes from your calligrapher and realize later that there was not enough room for your vintage stamps!

Play around with the order of the stamps! You can have them go straight across the top right or have a few stacked on the right side. If you have a mix of vertical and horizontal stamps, play around with the layout. It’s a little bit like a puzzle to figure out which will look the most balanced yet visually interesting. You’ll want to keep the colors and sizes into consideration when planning out how you want them arranged.

Tips for Applying Vintage Postage Stamps

• Applying vintage postage to envelopes is tedious and detailed work. Make sure you have a clean and organized space to do this.
• Lay your stamps out in the order you plan to stick them onto the envelope to make the process go smoother.
• Many vintage stamps do not have a self-adhesive like the modern ones do. This means you will need to moisten them to adhere to your envelope. I like to use a simple shallow bowl and moistened sponge (you need less water than you think!). Sometimes a pair of tweezers helps to fine tune the application process, especially since you want to make sure they are perfectly straight and evenly spaced out.
• If a stamp is really old and doesn’t stick well, you can always use a glue stick to help.

Tips and Tricks

• Mix modern and vintage to save on costs
• If budget is a concern but you still want to use vintage stamps, consider only purchasing a limited number of sets to send to the super important people on your guest list.. no one will know they got a different stamp!

As your stationer, I can help you with this entire process and often times will work with stamp dealers directly to ensure an efficient workflow. We also offer assembly services if you’d rather have us handle all the tedious handiwork! Contact us today if you would like to start the invitation process by filling out our Questionnaire or simply send an email to hello@thepapermintpress.com.

The post All About Vintage Postage Stamps for Wedding Invitations appeared first on Paper Mint Press Blog.

Communication is key

Many couples with weddings planned for 2021 know that plans could change rapidly because of COVID. If you have a tentative date set in 2021, it’s generally okay to send out Save The Dates. However, I suggest having some verbiage that reassures guests that you will inform them ASAP in case plans change. Get ahead of all your guests and communicate everything – even if you haven’t made concrete decisions yet. Nothing is worse than dealing with postponing a wedding, and then fielding questions from your attendees about logistics and changes. Nowadays, many people do understand if wedding plans change and they just want to be kept in the loop.

How should I send out Save The Dates?

Mailed Card – The most traditional way to send Save The Dates is to mail a physical printed card. It’s my favorite way to be informed (I know I’m biased but seriously, who doesn’t love happy mail?). Last year, many couples did this and unfortunately, had to send out follow-up “Change the Date” cards. It was a headache (not to mention costly). Now that a COVID-19 vaccine is out, I am optimistic that we’ll need fewer of these “Change The Date” cards. The great thing about working with a stationer is that most will be accommodating if there is a major change in plans. For instance, I am happy to create graphics for my couples who’ve had date or venue changes so that they can electronically update their guests in a timely manner.

If you are someone who enjoys receiving beautiful mail and are pretty certain your wedding will happen 6+ months out from now, then by all means, mail out those Save The Dates! Just have a plan in case things change – either via a mailed follow-up card or an electronic update.

Email – Electronic announcements became a huge thing in 2020 because it’s cheap and easy. Is it as fun as opening fun mail? Nope – but it gets the job done. If you have a specific vision for your wedding day, then I truly believe that every touchpoint you have with your guests, from Save The Dates to Place Cards, should be visually cohesive. Even if you decide not to mail out STD’s, it doesn’t mean you can’t have the electronic version match the rest of your wedding. You can still use tools like Paperless Post (or your plain email) to send them, but I would have your stationer design the custom Save The Date graphic for it. All of these little details add up to create a great guest experience for your wedding.

Who should I send Save The Dates to in 2021?

Uh, everyone you want to invite. Seems like a no brainer, right? Well, this might not be the best strategy for 2021. Depending on your state or city’s regulations for social gatherings, you may have to limit your guest list. I strongly suggest checking the restrictions for your state or city before having anything printed or sent to your guests. I would create a guest list with ONLY your must-have invitees based on the maximum guest count allowed for your location. Send out Save The Dates to this VIP list only. This way, you wont have to awkwardly un-invite guests in case you suddenly can’t have the larger gathering you planned for.

Once you are 6-10 weeks out from your wedding day, you can send out wedding invitations to all guests you originally intended to invite (within the gathering limit of course), regardless if they received a Save The Date or not.

When should I mail out Save The Dates in 2021?

Typically, Save The Dates are sent out 6-8 months before the wedding date, but I am seeing shorter timeframes during this pandemic. Here’s a quick reference for sending out STD’s based on your wedding month. Keep in mind the month on the right is the latest I would send them out by. For example, for an August wedding date, March is the absolute latest I would mail them by, but it’s totally fine to send them in January if you have it ready.

If your wedding is local and is taking place in January-May, I would suggest skipping Save The Dates and just mailing out your invitations a bit earlier than you normally would. Typically, invitations are sent 6-8 weeks before the big day. If you are skipping STD’s, I would send them out 8-10 weeks before the wedding date to give guests enough time to plan.

When should I order Save The Dates?

So now that you know when you should aim to mail your Save The Dates, when is the ideal time to order them from your stationer? Every vendor is different, but if you are ordering from me, here are my guidelines:

Flat-printed Save The Dates – Order 4 weeks before mailing

Digital (electronic) Save The Dates – Order 2-4 weeks before sending

Letterpress/foil Save The Dates – Order 6-8 weeks before mailing

p.s. If you are able to support a small local business, please do so! Wedding vendors like stationers got hit really hard from COVID, so your business really does make a difference for us mom ‘n’ pop shops. I promise your experience will be less transactional and way more personal than ordering from a big box store!

Have a Wedding Website No Matter What

Whether you decide to send out STD’s or not, I cannot stress how important it is to have a wedding website these days. You just never know if you will quickly need to inform anyone of any changes. Websites are the fastest way to communicate everything important about your day. It can never replace your Wedding Invitation, but is used in tandem with your invites or Save The Date to give guidance and updates to your guests. There are many free website tools for couples out there, such as WeddingWire, TheKnot, Zola, etc. However, if creating a website seems daunting for you, a private Facebook Group can be another great way to effectively update your guests.

Book your Wedding Stationer early

2021 wedding dates are getting booked up to absorb all of the postponed weddings from 2020, so it’s going to be a crazy year. I want to stress how important it is to reach out to stationers as early as possible. Wedding stationery takes longer to produce than you may think. Factor in the time it takes to personalize the design, order supplies, have them printed, addressed, assembled and mailed out. If you are adding calligraphy, add at least 2 more weeks on top of that. Once they are in USPS’s hands, it could take up to a week to reach their destination. It can be a tricky timeline knowing when to order, because understandably, you don’t want to order luxury invitations in the event that it may be postponed, but you also do not want to start this process too late and throw something together last minute.

If you’re worried about signing a contract with a wedding vendor, my advice is still to get a conversation going with a stationer you’d like to work with. Many are incredibly flexible and understanding. I will personally answer all of your questions about what to do when deadlines change, how I handle deposits, qty changes, etc. We have also become pretty experienced figuring out special wording for unique COVID-19 scenarios (I had a client change venues 3x last year!), so it’s in your best interest to hire us to help with the stationery logistics and take some of that stress off!

Lastly, many wedding dates in 2020 ended up changing, but most people actually ended up sticking with their original wedding vision. I can mock up wedding stationery with your original theme and colors, but wait til the date, locations, and guest counts are finalized before producing anything. It helps to start this process as early as possible… even if we have to pivot later down the road, a bulk of the work will already be done!

Let’s chat!

If you’re looking to get married this year, I sincerely hope this post helps you make a Save The Date decision for 2021. Please feel free to reach out to me (hello@thepapermintpress.com) with any questions you might have! I’d love to walk you through my wedding stationery process. We also have our Semi-Custom Wedding Collection in case you want to browse some of our original designs. I am SO looking forward to seeing more weddings happen in 2021! Cheers!

The post Should we send out 2021 Save The Dates during COVID-19? appeared first on Paper Mint Press Blog.