So You're EnGAYged, A Gay Wedding Blog

With an incredible sense of humor, Leigh Wells fills us in on getting “legit” as a calligrapher to riffing on traditional forms.

Please tell us a little bit about your business.

I have had a successful commercial illustration business for the last fifteen years, working for magazines, publishers, and advertising. Early in 2009, I decided to offer calligraphy services to individuals, families and couples for their special events.

How did you get into doing what you do?

After being interested in calligraphy since I was a kid, then studying typography as a designer and incorporating many types of lettering into my illustration work, I finally decided to get “legit” about calligraphy and teach myself how to letter with a finicky dip pen.

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

A Marie Antoinette getup of sorts. The best part is the very, very tall powdered wig. (more…)

Daniel Sroka’s work at Modern Ketubah speaks for itself – inspired by nature and his beautiful photographs, they are truly works of art.

First, for our readers who aren’t familiar, what’s a ketubah?

A ketubah is a work of art that uses images and words to express the love and commitment of your marriage vows. While the ketubah has its roots in the Jewish wedding tradition, its beauty has become embraced by couples from all different religions and cultures.

Please tell us a little bit about your business!

I am an artist and designer who creates fine art wedding ketubahs from my abstract photography of nature. My ketubahs are designed specifically for non-traditional couples, such as interfaith, multicultural, and same-sex couples. My ketubah designs combine beautiful images of flowers, leaves and nature with accessible, modern language, making them perfect for couples from all different backgrounds. (more…)

One of the coolest things about Heather Toupin of heatherjeany’s work is that she does all the printing herself, color by color, one by one, and pays very close attention to detail at every step of the way. Check out our interview below!

Please provide your business’ mission or vision statement.

My goal at heatherjeany is to work with you to create the wedding invitations of your dreams. Whether this consists of customizing one of my current designs or creating something brand new and unique I strive to make the perfect invitations and paper goods to set the tone for your wedding. Since I began making invitations for my own wedding in 2005 my little business has grown into a full time job. I’ve worked with so many wonderful people and every day i feel so fortunate to have the job I do.

What do you love about what you do?

I love the design process; working with different people to come up with just the right design, but the real icing on the cake for me is the printing. I love the repetitive nature of screenprinting, with the music in my studio turned up loud it’s so satisfying to see my designs materialize on paper, layer by layer.

How did you get into doing what you do?

I have always had a love of printmaking. In college I took as many printmaking electives as I could fit into my textile design major. I learned the ins and outs of screenprinting at that time and I’ve been doing it ever since. For 10 years after I graduated college I worked as a textile designer, during that time I started up heatherjeany with a small run of screenprinted folded cards. As my little business grew fate stepped in as my “real job” ended with the closing of the mill I was designing for. At that point I decided it was make it or break it time, and look at me now! I’m making it! I’ve been doing heatherjeany full time for 2 years now.

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

A lot of things that I probably shouldn’t and as a result i have a lot of ink on some pretty cute clothes :) besides that I like to wear shoes with no laces, tank tops, short pants and short skirts but never shorts or long skirts. My hair is crazy corkscrew curly so I usually have that up in a pony with a big flower fascinator.

How is your business “green”?

I try to use recycled cardstock and envelopes whenever possible, I’m excited that my paper supplier is adding more and more recycled options as this is something important to me and many of my customers. I also like to stress that I do all the printing myself, color by color, one by one, and pay very close attention to detail at every step of the way.

If you have done work for at a gay wedding, what is one thing you had to change your assumptions about?

Honestly I didn’t have to change any assumptions about the gay weddings that I’ve done invitations for. It thrills me to be part of the union of two people in love, no matter the gender.

Do you have a favorite “moment” that happens while you’re doing your job?

Yes! When I’m printing the final layer of color and I finally see all the time spent designing/editing/prepping/printing all come together. It’s so satisfying.

Rave time!

“Other than the “marrying my best friend” part, these invites are my favorite aspect of the wedding! Heather is so talented and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

“Heather is the greatest thing that has happened to our wedding so far! Creating wedding stationery with her has truly been the most enjoyable part of planning the wedding by a long shot. Heather is creative, intuitive, and responsive, and she really cares about getting things done right. Best of all, she is a genuine pleasure to work with! I would recommend her services to anyone without hesitation or reservation. Thanks again, Heather!”

“I GOT THEM!!! YOU ARE A F-ING ROCK STAR!!!!!! You are TOO MUCH. I love you Heather.”

The most unique thing about Lasso’d Moon is that everything on their site is completely customizable, can come in a couple of hundred colors and 1000s of combinations (literally) or they can create something new and different (which is owner Carey Bunker’s favorite!).

Tell us a little bit about your business!

One of the questions I’m asked the most is where my business name came from. “Lasso’d Moon” is from the Jimmy Stewart movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Truth be told, mostly parents of my clients get the reference, but my generation tends not to (and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend seeing it at least once around Christmastime). But it says a little about me and my sensibilities. While I can’t do without my technology, I’m an old fashioned gal at heart.

How did you get into doing what you do?

After doing save the dates, shower and bridal invitations for one of my best friends who was married at the end of 2004, I was encouraged by family to do it as a business. So I did!

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

As I get to work from home, I tend to be in comfy clothes- typically jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt weather depending. But I do get to dress like a business woman when meeting clients or doing bridal shows, which is always a nice change.

How is your business “pro-gay”?

I’m truly happy working with any one in any capacity. I love designing and creating- the occasion or event type makes no difference to me as long as my clients are happy in the end. Our contracts are gender-inclusive and as we love to show off our work, as long as our clients don’t mind, they might end up on the blog and on the website. We’re actively looking for weddings or civil unions to showcase on our blog. It’s fun to see how our invitation and wedding stationery designs play into wedding decor.

What do you love about what you do?

The look on someone’s face when they see their invitations for the first time, and see it in print, is priceless. No matter how much money you’ve spent up until that point, having that piece of paper with your names on it…it’s a very surreal and exciting feeling.

If you have worked at/done work for a gay wedding, what is one thing you had to change your assumptions about?

I don’t bring any assumptions to the table, no matter a gay or straight wedding- they’ve all been different. What matters to me, in the end, is that my clients are happy with their products. Putting a smile on someone’s face, or hearing the excitement in their voice when they see their invitations for the first time- that’s why I do what I do.

Do you have a favorite “moment” that happens while you’re doing your job?

I love when I’m sitting in a consultation or working with someone over the phone and there’s suddenly this “AH-HA!” moment where the design just gels and my clients have this barely perceptible sigh of relief- like it’s one less thing to stress over.

Rave time!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am way beyond impressed with the invitations and all of your hard work and dedication to make them just right! I can’t even tell you how many compliments I got on the map alone! Once again Carey I am so happy and I want to thank you once more for your patience and suggestions through out this whole process.I will make sure to tell everyone I know about Lasso’d Moon designs because you have made a life customer out of me! -Jessica

Carey worked with me through many drafts. My friend did a watercolor that I wanted to use throughout the invitations, programs, seating cards, etc. Carey carefully chose paper that would work and helped to layout everything perfectly. She responded quickly to emails and listened to what I wanted. She also helped me to alter the invitations to fit within my budget. Carey is flexible and wonderful — her work speaks for itself. -Becca

Wow! I just received my wedding invitations and I can’t thank you enough for all your help these last few months. You were consistently patient and always answered every single one of my million questions so quickly. The invitations are absolutely gorgeous! If you ever need a recommendation or a reference, let me know and I will sing your praises just as glowingly! -Regan

You may remember Sara Olsher from Stinkerpants Designs from our recent blog post Pissed off with good graphic design. She’s a brilliant artist with a great gift, and I had the pleasure of interviewing her!

Tell us a bit about the work that you do.

I illustrate completely custom artwork that tells a story about the couple getting married–their engagement story, their favorite activities, or their love of their pets. The artwork is then incorporated into Save the Dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, or a large piece of artwork to display at the event and then hang in your home. These drawings really add something personal and unique to a wedding. They’re fun, kind of silly, and really represent the one-of-a-kind relationship shared by the couple.

What do you love about what you do?

I LOVE what I do. I get to talk to so many different people and hear about their lives together. Sometimes people come to me with a vision of what they’d like me to draw, but sometimes they have no idea–so we brainstorm and come up with something perfect for them. My clients usually have a good sense of humor, too, so working with them is fun–I really feel lucky to have such great clients! I also love being able to produce something that gets people really excited. Hearing from clients after their guests have seen what we came up with, is great too–they always have such nice things to say!

How did you get into doing what you do?

I started planning my wedding in mid-2007, and wanted it to reflect the wonderful relationship that I have with my partner. I drew our Save the Dates first, and then did a drawing for each table (this ended up to be 18 drawings! It was SO MUCH WORK!). When I shared my Save the Dates on my local knot.com discussion board, people loved them–and several asked me to do a drawing for them! I really knew I was on to something at our wedding–our guests loved the drawings.

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

Hehehe, I like this question! Despite the fact that I work from home, I get fully dressed every day. I just don’t feel like I’m ready to start working if I don’t dress for work! Although, every day IS casual Friday, I must admit. I basically live in my jeans! ;)

Are there any special products you offer?

One of the more unique options I offer (in addition to invitations, Save the Dates and thank you cards) is called an Event Theme. Instead of purchasing a printed product, couples can purchase the rights to reproduce the illustration–put it on programs, water bottles, out of town bags, and anything else they can think to stick it on. These drawings are usually in circles and squares so they can be easily incorporated into the designs of various paper products. (See images below!)

If you have worked at a gay wedding, what is one thing you had to change your assumptions about?

I have done drawings for gay couples before, and I can honestly tell you that I didn’t have any assumptions that I needed to change. Gay people are people, just like everyone else– although generally they have political and ethical beliefs in line with my own, which is always nice. ;) I really enjoy doing gay weddings specifically because it makes me very happy to see, state by state, that our country is legalizing gay marriage. I am also very happy every time I see a gay couple in my home state of California choosing to tie the knot in spite of Prop 8. A commitment ceremony or civil union isn’t called marriage just yet, but love is love. :) We’ll get there.

Do you have a favorite “moment” that happens while you’re doing your job?

Definitely. There’s a certain point in every drawing when something clicks–a sparkle I draw on a wine glass or a dog with his tongue hanging out–and I suddenly think, “OMG! This is going to be SO CUTE!”

Rave and sample time!

“We sent out the invites a couple days ago and we’ve been getting SO MUCH awesome feedback on them…my friends have called me up and told me that they made them so happy….and of course everyone loves the cats. My mom’s friends have called her and told her that they normally like more traditional things but they love these. Thank you so so so much!!”

“Thanks again for everything!! It was a fun experience for me, and I loved the finished product! I can’t stop looking at it. =) You really helped me to get started on my wedding planning and it makes me happy knowing that I will be able to share such a personalized “theme” with my family and friends.”

Sabrina Moyle of Hello!Lucky was kind enough to fill me in on all the yummy details of this incredible design shop. Hello!Lucky specializes in custom design – all of the designs can be adapted to a customer’s preferences (think inks, paper colors, envelope colors, etc.). Sabrina adds, “While we’re known for letterpress printing, we just launched our digital invitation line which is printed on letterpress-quality papers.” Yahoo!

What is Hello!Lucky?

We’re a design and letterpress stationery studio dedicated to promoting great design and the craft of letterpress printing. We print a range of humorous and whimsical vintage-inspired letterpress greeting cards, as well as both letterpress and digitally printed wedding invitations, birth announcements, and personal stationery. We originally started only doing letterpress but gravitated towards offering letterpress-quality digital printing this year as well in order to make our designs accessible to a broader audience. Good design for all!

What do you love about what you do?

The design process is by far our favorite. We love creating new designs and brainstorming hilarious card ideas. We also love collaborating with fellow artists. Last year, we published Handmade Hellos, a DIY card crafting book from Chronicle Books that entailed collaborating with about 20 designers and artists around the world. It was serious fun and super inspiring.

How did you get into doing what you do?

Eunice, our creative director and co-founder, was working at a pet boutique and the owners asked her to design some cards they could sell there. They were a hit and Kate’s Paperie placed an order for them. Around the same time, she took a letterpress printing class and immediately bought her own press on eBay. Sabrina, our CEO, had just finished business school and got involved because of her passion for helping turn art into a sustainable business. We started with maybe 8 greeting cards and slowing started adding to our line. Now, we sell our cards to over 800 retail stores and have a popular website where we sell our custom invitations. Oh, and an office in London!

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

Jeans and whatever was hanging around the closet that’ll keep us warm (it can get pretty chilly in our studio!). As a result, Eunice often ends up looking like a 5 year-old in mismatched sweaters and scarves! When we’re motivated, we wear cute vintage dresses!

If you have done work for a gay wedding, what is one thing you had to change your assumptions about?

We’ve worked on numerous gay weddings. The main thing it’s caused us to question is traditional invitation wording etiquette – for example, invitations being formally addressed to Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, or the traditional wording for wedding invitations (e.g. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the pleasure of your company…). We find it’s often more comfortable not emphasize traditional gender roles, for example omitting the Mr. and Mrs. salutations from names. At the same time, we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how easily a lot of the invitation etiquette does translate to gay weddings. We’ve had more than a few clients deliberately use the traditional wording to underscore the legitimacy of their union and keep things on an even field with what their heterosexual friends and family experience. We think that’s great, too.

The most important thing we’ve learned from our experience with gay weddings is how meaningful every detail becomes. We once received feedback from a gay couple for whom we’d done beautiful custom letterpress invitations that the thought and care that went into the invitation design really legitimized their marriage in the eyes of their friends and family, since it’s the first thing guests receive. It sent the whole tone, and helping make it the experience they dreamed about having.

RAVE time!

“Thank you (and all at Hello!Lucky) for your hard work- they are simply gorgeous. I am tempted to roll around on the bed with them, they’re THAT sexy! Really though, thanks so much for the wonderful product, the amazing customer service and support, and the patience. I will definitely recommend Hello!Lucky to anybody and everybody, and will definitely be buying from you guys again. Lovely lovely lovely! Eeeeeeeeeeeee!”

“Our invitations arrived in the mail yesterday, and I just have to say how incredibly happy we are! They’re more amazing and gorgeous in person than I ever could have dreamed. Even your packaging is delightful! Thank you so much! I am telling everyone about Hello!Lucky!”

“Thank you so much! Once I realized our budget did not allow for letterpress invitations, I thought we would not be able to have classy and quality invitations. Boy, was I wrong! Thank goodness for Hello!Lucky.”

Katie Fischer of Katie Fischer Design has a a background in studio art and graphic design, so, as she says, “anything my client dreams of is possible!” I love that the sky is the limit for Katie and her work, and that she loves clients who “reject the mass produced”.

What’s your business’ mission or vision statement?

I want to capture people’s essence in their invitations. In our fast paced, digital world—it is so special to receive a card in the mail!

What do you love about what you do?

People fascinate me—trying to create something that will represent them at their best is a fun challenge. As an independent designer, I have the pleasure of attracting really interesting people who have vision, who reject the mass produced, and who desire artful invitations that reflect their uniqueness.

How did you get into doing what you do?

I used to make artsy greeting cards as a hobby. In my mid 20’s, I got a job at a talent agency—the one good thing that came from that miserable job was the realization that I had to make designing cards and invitations my life’s work. So after years of doing everything but my passion, I finally took the leap and I couldn’t be happier doing what I do now!

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

If I’m in my studio working, I usually wear my bright pink Miss Sixty jeans and a sweatshirt or I have a rotation of paint-splattered overalls that do the trick. If I’m meeting with clients, however, I usually dress up.

Have you worked with gay couples?

Yes, I’ve designed invitations for gay weddings… My dream gay wedding would be legal in every state!

Do you have a favorite “moment” that happens while you’re doing your job?

When I nail it. I love getting to know a person/couple and delivering exactly what they had in mind. Or better yet, being inspired by them and creating something that they never would have imagined and having it be perfect for them. The invitation sets the tone for the entire event.

Rave time and pictures!

“They are one of a kind, elegant, professional and yet still understated. Katie was such a pleasure to work with and her finished product was as sophisticated as they come.” – Jeff

“I love how my invitations were simple, minimalist cards that were designed by a talented artist to fit our wedding’s personality. The little drawings from them are currently framed in a little cluster in my living room, and I love looking at them every day!” – Lauren

Inkbox Design Boutique creates custom invitations to perfectly suit any event. Inkbox has a whole suite of gorgeous ideas (check out the photos at the bottom!). As Lisa Tse, Designer and Owner, says, “We love details, so we can create pretty much anything you can think up from beginning to end.” My favorite item in Inkbox’s collection is the Miss Bride tshirt that comes in 2 different ink colors – as Lisa points out, would look great as a set!

What do you love about what you do?

Everything! I get to create fun, memorable pieces for the most important days in peoples’ lives. Hearing the reaction of all of my clients’ guests when they see the invitations for the first time is my favorite part of the process. It lets me know I did my job!

How did you get into doing what you do?

In my hometown of Miami, FL, I attended a magnet school for art in 8th grade, then went on to a magnet high school called Design & Architecture Senior High. From there, I moved to San Francisco and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art University. I interned at 3 of the top packaging design studios while there, then was recruited to work for Abercrombie & Fitch in Columbus, OH, then Paul Frank Industries in Southern California, then did some freelance work for Roxy & Hard Candy. While at PF, I designed my own wedding invitations and enjoyed the process so much I decided to go out on my own and specialize in doing just that for other people. The product line was only natural for me to do, since I had designed t-shirts and apparel graphics for my previous employers, so CAKE came shortly after Inkbox was born.

What do you wear when you’re doing what you do?

This is one of my favorite parts of my job—I work at home, so it’s usually my PJ’s, sweats or jeans…anything comfortable! Of course I dress up a bit more when I meet with clients, but since most of my clients are not local, everything’s done over email and phone calls. One of my two mini dachshunds are usually sitting behind me on my chair!

How is Inkbox unique?

Inkbox is known for creating ‘not your everyday’ invitations…We strive to create things that you’ve never seen before. We want your invitations to stand out in a pile of mail. We want to WOW your guests and get them even more excited about your event. We also focus on designing a package that represents the theme or feeling you will be carrying throughout, which really sets the tone for your event.

Tell me about your products!

Our CAKE products are not like anything out there today. When I was a bride myself, I searched high and low for bridesmaid gifts and only found the typical (for lack of a better word ‘tacky’) rhinestone or sequin-encrusted tank top. I didn’t want to give my girls anything I wouldn’t want to wear myself, so there was definitely a void to in the industry to fill. I searched for the highest quality, softest t-shirts I could find and designed graphics that looked sophisticated and fashion forward enough to fit into the rest of your wardrobe, but when you got close enough to read the copy, you’d smile at the tongue and cheek verbiage. Another thing that makes the bridal party tees extra special is the fact that they come in beautiful packaging! I love packaging and wanted these to be extra special and make the perfect gift!…I eventually added a Miss Bride Zip Hoodie, Letterpress Note Cards and Doggie of the Bride T-Shirts to the line—because doggies deserve to look fabulous on your big day, too!

Our Miss Bride T-Shirts come in 2 color options, so ordering one of each would make a perfect pairing for a couple with ‘two brides’. We also design CUSTOM T-Shirts as wedding favors for your guests, so we could design something just for you to represent your one of a kind gay wedding.

Do you have a favorite “moment” that happens while you’re doing your job?

There are several ‘moments’ that I love…First, hearing my clients reaction after seeing the first draft!…Then, when I receive the finished, printed pieces back from the printer—it’s so exciting when they are ‘real’ and in front of me…Then, after assembling all of the pieces with my helpers, it’s just amazing to see how beautifully everything comes together…and lastly, hearing what their guests think when they arrive!

Raves and photos!

“I still can’t get over how adorable our invitations are. Excellent job, Lisa! We keep getting lots of compliments on our invitations. Some of my friends told me that they would frame it. “Best invitation of all I’ve ever seen before…” “So creative and different” “Absolutely beautiful!” I mean I can go on and on about our invitations!” – Nori & Matt

“WOW!!!! Everything looks FABULOUS! Your attention to detail and relentless determination to release a quality product on time is greatly appreciated. When I first started looking for something special and different for my invitations I only had a vague notion of what I wanted, but you translated it into a dream come true!” – Elly & Larry