CharmCat will not be offering semi-custom or custom stationery design moving forward after over 10 years. While I am saddened, I also know that my business needs to adapt to where I am today. I will still offer custom artwork for the foreseeable future, and expanding my licensing options as I devote my time to other, more imperative projects. Read more on my blog. Thank you for the support!

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Custom Wedding Invitations

My approach

You deserve wedding invitations that are as vibrant and unique as you are. And I want to make them!

Whether your dream invitation is a seven-piece suite printed in two-color letterpress with vellum overlay or just an invitation and reply card that’s as unique as you both, it’s my pleasure to help it become a reality.

Why do wedding invitations matter?

Wedding stationery is the first and last piece of your wedding that your guests will get. The invitations help set the atmosphere for the style of wedding you want to have, and those thank you cards sent out after the day let guests know how much they mean to you.

But more importantly, your invitations are one of the few tangible pieces you get to keep after your wedding is long over. The food is gone, the flowers wilted, the band packed up and went home, but that personal art created just for you lasts forever.

You might choose to put your invites at the front of your photo album, or frame them to go on the family room wall next to your wedding portrait. Either way, they’ll be a part of your love story forever.

So why choose me?

There’s a lot of stationers and watercolor artists out there. We all have our own style and our own way of bringing your personality to paper. So what sets me apart?

First and foremost, no one else out there paints like I do. I love bold colors, unexpected details, and the marriage of opposites. My favorite projects are bringing all the pieces of your separate lives together into one cohesive wedding suite.

Second, you get my winningly sarcastic personality to keep things chill while you panic over all the preparations you have to do. (And trust me, no matter how minimalist the wedding, you’ll still panic. It’s like a right of passage.) And I’ll do everything I can to keep your custom invitations from being something you need to panic about.

Last but not least, I’m a team player. Being your designer means being there for you. I’m flexible when you need me to be, I’m available when I can be, and I’m not afraid to offer suggestions if I think I can do it even better.

And on the flip side, I won’t push you into doing things you don’t want to do. You don’t need the most expensive papers and printing (unless you want to)! I’m here to help you get the invitations that you’re happiest with, and that means respecting your budget and your vision.

My Invitation Design Process

Whether I’m creating for the shop or making your custom design, every piece gets the same level of detail and care through the steps that take it from concept to completion. You’ll be a part of the process as we go along on a journey to create your invitations.

Step 1: Inspiration

Inspiration can come from anywhere—so collect your ideas from places, themes, photos, and objects in a notebook or Pinterest board. We’ll go over your inspiration ideas together and figure out the best way to translate it into a watercolor design.

Together, you and I will figure out what’s most important to you and narrow down your options to find the perfect combination of paint, paper, and font to create the invitation that meets your needs.

Step 2: Sketch and Colorize

Once we’ve finalized our ideas, I’ll begin the design work.

First, I’ll create several sketches that explore different design options. It’s kind of like a brain dump, to visualize all the ideas sparked by my consultations with you

After weighing the options, we’ll work with the design that best fits your overall vision. I’ll work with you on colors with the sketch so I have an exact plan for when I start painting.

Step 3: Paint

After the sketch is approved, this is where the design really comes to be! Your messy sketch is translated into a professional painting.

Behind the scenes, I break the sketch out into individual pieces to be painted separately. This makes the design more versatile.

I paint with water-based acrylic paints on heavy watercolor paper to get the best detail and the richest colors.

Step 4: Digitize and Design

Your painting is digitized using a high resolution DSLR camera and stand with neutral lighting to capture the best detail and texture.

This is where the digital magic happens! I pull together all the painted elements, create the layout, and set the typography to create a complete design. Using my training and experience in graphic design I will create the best look for your invites!

We go through several rounds of proofs so you can fine-tune any elements or fix any misspellings.

Step 5: Print

Once you approve a final proof, it’s off to the printer!

I use a few different printers and suppliers to offer the best quality for the best price. Depending on which print method you chose and any embellishments, your order could take anywhere from a week to a month to complete.

After final quality checks, your order is packaged and shipped off to your front door!

See the Real Invitation Design Process in Action!

CharmCat will not be offering semi-custom or custom stationery design moving forward after over 10 years. While I am saddened, I also know that my business needs to adapt to where I am today. I will still offer custom artwork for the foreseeable future, and expanding my licensing options as I devote my time to other, more imperative projects. Read more on my blog. Thank you for the support!

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