Fuss Custom.

Fuss Custom creates some beautifully simple invitations and save the date cards. Their process is one centered on making your invitations and your event completely one-of-a-kind. No cookie-cutters here, thankyouverymuch.

Step 1: Meet with a designer. Step 2: Work with you to create a look you can carry through your entire event (monograms, illustrations, etc). I love that they focus on consistency! Step 3: Decide on paper, ink, printing process. Tons of options are available. Step 4: Proofs and printing.

Seems to me like they make it as painless as possible and end up with beautiful results. Check out their site for more great work.



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Brunette on Blonde.

Okay, okay. I know it’s only mid-October but I have a bit of a Christmas card addiction that I can’t seem to kick. I’m loving these sweet, minimal designs by Angie Gubler and Kristin Rees of Blonde Designs. Both served stints as senior art directors for Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings, respectively. The simplistic, clean style that’s evident in both magazines has clearly been an influence in the design of Blonde Design’s Christmas cards as well as the rest of their design lines.

My favorite of Blonde Design’s everyday designs is their modern flowers theme. So pretty, so clean, so completely my style.

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EmmaRose Papery.

It’s always reassuring to come across ex-advertisers and graphic designers who are only exes because they’ve found their true calling career-wise. These are people who I am in awe of. And I’d be lying if I said I weren’t the tiniest bit envious.

The latest case I’ve found is EmmaRose Papery, started by Eszter Rabin in 2005. Originally an ad girl, Eszter now spends her days creating custom-designed wedding invitations, stationery and cards. Seems like the thought of having a complete and comprehensive “campaign” followed with her collections of invitations, menus, table cards, etc.



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Apiary Design.

Inspired by vintage wallpaper and lush textiles, Apiary Design’s paper products are crafted with a combination of patterns and hand sewn details. Printed with raised ink, the real beauty of the cards lies in the way they feel. I love the matching envelope labels you can purchase to match any of the patterns and the sets of inviatations, menus and placecards are incedible as well.


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Posh Betty.

Posh Betty is full of fresh, modern, custom-designed announcements, business cards, invitations and letterhead among other things. Everything has a clean, retro feel to it which I adore. I think the brown invitation would be so much fun for a cocktail party.


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Soolip.

It seems so many designers trip upon becoming invitation specialists when they can’t find the exact thing they’re looking for. The I-can’t-find-it-so-I’ll-create-it mindset runs rampant. Sometimes it pans out and sometimes it doesn’t. L.A.’s Soolip is a great success story.


This is my favorite invitation on Soolip’s site. Using a tea dye process gives this vintage-inspired invitation an antiqued, almost leathered look. No two pieces are alike thanks to inconsistancies in the tea. The entire invitation package has a very organic feel to it, which the hand-sewn beads and flax linen envelopes add to nicely. Lovely and inventive.

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Abby Jean Press.

I love these wedding invitations by Abby Jean Press. Beautiful use of color combinations and type. Let’s put it this way: if I received one of these in the mail for a rodeo, which I despise, it would make me want to go to even that.



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Two Paperdolls.

I’ve talked about Louella before and mentioned that Two Paperdolls is their sister company. The ambience of their studio says a lot about Two Paperdolls and how they go about their work. They really seem to shine when given permission to go outside the lines of traditional design. They’ve even managed to squeeze in some work for Anthropologie, Nicole Miller and Vespa in between creating amazing designs for invitations and social events. Here are a few of their fantastic invitations to check out.



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Lucky Paperie.

Wedding invitations are abounding in all of the letterpress sites I check out regularly, so you’re probably going to notice quite a few posts with them over the next few weeks. These fantastic dandelion-inspired invites are from Lucky Paperie. Luckily, they realize that not invitation has to be for a wedding and will work with you through their custom design shop to cater to your needs.


Lucky is also about to release an online shop full of exquisite collections of personalized stationary, invitations, greeting cards, flat notes and gift wrap. Here’s a little sneak peek.

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