We're kicking off our new Vendor Spotlight series with Nicole Block - owner of NicEvents, a stationery and event design company - who has received rave reviews from her clients here on BrideBoard. She is a trained illustrator who fell into design work after realizing that her good sense of color, creative placement skills as well as her painting and illustration talents were a great fit for graphic design. After designing for 6 years, 5 of which she worked for a publication, Nicole decided to start her own company. Here's more about Nicole and NicEvents:
Q. There are so many different printing terms. Can you briefly explain them and describe the benefits / drawbacks of each in terms of look and price?
A. Offset: This is what most people refer to as "flat printing." Like other printing processes, it is usually done in spot colors. For example, your designer would choose a certain type of green ink and a certain type of yellow ink, which would be priced as a 2 color job. It's the most cost efficient so it's the go-to option for brides on a budget. I don't think couples should discount this printing method. Sometimes it allows for more freedom in a job or a more complex pattern. On the right paper, it's a lovely and appropriate printing method.
Letterpress: One of the older forms of printing, this process involves the making of plates from the design or type, and then pressing that plate into the paper so that it imprints the design into the sheet. It's a fairly involved process, and could require up to 6 weeks during busy seasons to get the job done. This is also the reason it is so expensive, since beyond the price of the inks, you also have to pay for the process of making the plates. I think that element is important for people to remember, as the cost of the process is definitely worth it. Letterpress does lend itself to an amazing elegance and is wonderfully employed in simple or formal invitations. The right letterpress printer can also do wonders with a more funky or artistic design. A lot of brides are drawn to the texture of the imprint and the thickness of the paper stocks which are used.
Engraving: I believe this is the oldest printing process. Much like letterpress, it involves the making of plates, but it involves pressing the paper into the plate so that the result is a raised texture. Often thought of as the most elegant form of printing, it was most often used for formal invitations. Though the rules are much more relaxed now, it should not be discounted. The right engravers are hard to find, but they do an amazing job. Also rather pricey.
Thermography -- Designed as an inexpensive alternative to engraving, printers use a type of ink that is mixed with resin to print the invitations. The result is a raised, hard ink that is shiny in appearance. I don't use thermography for my invitations as my style just does not work with it. I prefer to use any of the above 3 processes instead.
Q. What are some popular trends right now for different designs and colors? Are couples doing a lot of individual monograms and designs?
A. Monograms were hot last year, but I've seen it die down over time. Same with cherry blossoms and a turquoise/brown color scheme. Silhouettes are really in fashion right now, and letterpress is always the most desired printing option. Yellow and green have also been a popular color combination. All that being said, I try my best to stay away from trends if possible. You are always influenced by what is around you, but I think it is important to keep your own style as a designer as well as your client's needs if you are doing custom work. The more I know about my clients, including their relationship and wedding needs, the better I can design for them using any theme or cultural background. I love researching and finding the appropriate scheme for the couple. This is what makes the invitations and designs so special.
Q. What computer program do you use to develop your designs? Any tips for our DIY brides?
A. I use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator most often in addition to my research and custom illustration for the pieces. It's a fairly involved process, but an enjoyable one. For DIY brides, I would tell them to keep it simple. Choose your colors, figure out your information and phrasing and find a good font. It's better to buy the font rather than use a free download as a purchased font will be better designed and not need as much tweaking. If you are going to use an image, make sure that the image is of printable size (300 dpi or above). But if you are not sure, better not to use the image. It's better to have a simple, lovely, text-only invitation than a pixelated or blurry image-based one.
Q. Can you show us something interesting you've designed recently and describe the overall design process?
A. I'm lucky enough to have had many interesting clients, but one that was particularly interesting was the event design job that I did with Michelle and David Vinjamuri. Michelle is Jewish and David was in the process of converting to Judaism. David is also half-Indian, AND the wedding was being held on the beach in Long Island. So, I thought it would be wonderful to combine all aspects of the wedding -- Jewish, Indian and seaside -- into one successful theme.
We decided on a color combination of blue, brown, and deep coral red. The save-the-dates involved a graphic reminiscent of seagrass (being used in the floral design) alongside an Indian fan design. These elements set the tone for the upcoming event. Of course, the invitation pieces were more involved. The couple had a number of different events going on during the wedding weekend, but not all of their guests were invited to all of the events. So we had to come up with a way to print them on separate cards, but still hold them altogether neatly. I opted to make the invitation itself double as the card-holder, so that everything was enclosed inside the invitation. The phrasing was on the interior right side, while the enclosure cards were held by a simple brown ribbon on the left side. The design for the pieces involved putting together an Indian-based print that felt free-flowing (as though it was in water), a dot design that moved in waves, and an Indian circular design that is printed along with a phrase in Hebrew, which read "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." I carried all of this through the menus, programs, and even the cake design.
Overall, it was so amazing to work on these designs and invitations and all of the recipients loved it. I've never heard so many wonderful comments from the invited guests. They really felt involved in the wedding, and it was very personal to the couple and their families.
Q. What are some questions to ask before booking a designer for invitations and other stationery items?
A. First and foremost, you have to choose a designer that works with your personal design aesthetic. Some couples are more interested in formal invitations whereas others want something more fun. While all good designers can accomplish both tasks, it may not flow with their individual styles. Also, remember that the designer should be doing something personal so you should choose someone with whom you can form a good relationship. You need to be open and communicative with your designer and allow her to get to know the real you. It will lend itself to a more developed piece. A couple that decides to invest in a custom stationery suite will have something that's theirs and theirs alone. I think that's worth it.
Q. In addition to your customized design work, you also have a store on Etsy. Can you tell us more about Etsy and the products you sell there?
A. My Etsy store is new!! I just launched it at the holidays, and it got a lot of attention in the blogosphere. I enjoyed designing the holiday cards, mostly because I got to use my own illustrations and my personal sense of humor. I look forward to doing more stationery for purchase, and I would love to continue on Etsy. It's a great site that hosts some really talented handmade-craftspeople. |
