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How did you hear about Thistle & Pearl?

What type of event are you hosting?

What do you need?

Please describe your project/vision/style.

Event Date

Invitations

If you envision bespoke invitations or envelope calligraphy as a part of your event, please complete the following.

Quantity

Remember that the quantity of invitations is often significantly less than your guest count, since many couples/families may only need to receive one joint invitation.

When would you like to send out your invitations?

Do you have a printing preference yet?

We recommend mailing your invitations 6-8 weeks prior to your event date

(or 10-12 weeks prior for a destination event).

Any upgrades?

Please find a description of each printing method below, listed from lowest to highest in terms of pricing.

Flat Printing

Flat (or digital) printing is the most cost-effective printing method. It allows for designs with unlimited color options, which makes it the perfect method for including images in your design. However, the paper needs to be a bit thinner in order to run through a digital press, so duplexing is necessary for thicker cards. Flat printing also works best with light-colored papers since the inks have some transparency. While this is also used for invitations, it is particularly suited to day-of paper goods like programs or menus.

Letterpress Printing

Letterpress is one of the most popular and luxurious options for weddings and special occasions due to the rich texture it creates. This traditional printing method requires hand-mixed inks to be applied to a raised acrylic or copper plate (we use copper) and pressed into a thick, soft paper. Each piece of paper is fed through an antique press individually for each color used, leaving behind a deep impression of the design. For that reason, and while your color options are technically limitless, pricing is determined on a per-color basis, which may be limiting. Blind imprints are when the paper is run through the press without inking the plate, resulting in a debossed, colorless texture.

Foil Stamping

Foil stamping is another traditional printing method similar to letterpress. Instead of ink, however, metallic or opaque foil is sandwiched between the copper plate and paper, using pressure and heat to transfer over the text or designs. Your color options are limited, but it's really the only way to achieve a true metallic effect. Pricing is similarly determined on a per-color basis, as each paper item and foil color is run through the press and applied individually.

Individually Hand-lettered/Illustrated

The most personalized, but priciest option is when each individual item is uniquely hand-lettered or illustrated. While there will be some variance between each piece due to the fact that a human and not a machine created it, you can't beat the quality and sense of intentionality created with each brush or pen stroke. Calligraphy or smaller details added by hand to printed items are the most common use of this method, but full illustrations are also options. (This category does not pertain to calligraphy used for standard envelope addressing.)

Combination Printing

Also known as the good ol' mix-and-match, this option isn't necessarily the most expensive - it just means your invitation suite can boast a combination of flat, letterpress, foil stamped, and/or hand-lettered/illustrated cards. Maybe you want your main invitation to be letterpress printed, but you want to flat print the details and response cards, for instance. You can even combine two printing techniques within the same card, such as flat printing an engagement photo for a save-the-date with all of the overlaid text stamped in gold foil.

Anything else?

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Bespoke Questionnaire

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