If there was ever a bride qualified to give a testimonial about our company, it would be Karrie! She and Chris explored just about every facet of Paper Persuasions. Their save-the-dates were ordered from one of the many catalog vendors we carry, their invitations and programs were custom designed and made by hand in our studio, and their menus, table numbers and escort cards were made by them – utilizing our DIY project services. Although most of our meetings took place with Karrie and her mom, Chris was definitely involved in the process which we love to see! And honestly, as much attention as their invitation and program still get (they are included on our display wall), it feels as if they are current clients since we are talking about them so often! After all, they were the couple who inspired us to create a ceremony program with a tissue pocket attached to the back cover. And my-oh-my, you wouldn’t believe how many people love that idea!  Check out a few of their fantabulous photos below….as well as a brief interview with Karrie about the wedding process and her experience with us.

What part of the wedding planning was the most fun?
We had the most fun personalizing and putting our own special touch on all the details of our big day! While it was AWESOME to have amazing vendors who we could trust to take care of everything for us, the most fun we had was working with them to make sure the final product was just what we wanted. From save the dates & custom invitations to the goodie bags and homemade wine for our overnight guests, we loved every minute of it!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun?
With so many decisions to make, it is easy to involve parents, family, friends, etc and get their opinions. It started to be hard though when we worried about making everybody happy…that can get stressful and you have to remember not to lose sight of what you and your fiancée want!

 Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories?
Most definitely! Many of our guests wrote notes on the response cards truly raving about how gorgeous the invitations were! People were still talking about them at the wedding – along with the other accessories…Chris’s guy friends were even commenting!!!!

 Please list anything you would like to include regarding your experience with Paper Persuasions:
I can’t say enough about our experience with Stacy and Stephanie!! They are truly remarkable people and have surely left a permanent mark of excellence on this industry, even with the few years they have been in business! I came across Paper Persuasions on a random internet search and they were the first place we looked and my mom and I were SOLD from that day forward! They are professional, prompt, creative, thorough, and, most of all, just so much fun to work with! During the custom design of our invitations and programs they listened to our thoughts and ideas, added their expertise and style, and before we knew it we had the most unique, gorgeous stationery and accessories we’ve ever seen. They even helped us order some fantastic save-the-dates by catalog as well as design some DIY accessories…again with great skill and perfection! The quality of their work is over and above any expectation…just look around their studio! Search no further – they are the best of the best!

 Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding?
Everyone tells brides to “slow down” and “take it all in”….and it is really true! The day goes so fast, my best advice is to really try to step back and let all the excitement sink in….even just for a minute. Whatever you do, don’t let something little ruin such a big day…for the one little thing that may go wrong, there are a million other things that go perfectly and will make your day unforgettable! Planning-wise, my best advice is…don’t skimp on things like invitations, linens and flowers. Your invitations really will set the tone for the event and get everyone as excited as you are! The flowers and linens really pull any room together and keep that “wow” factor going!

 Here is Karrie and Chris’s vendor list!

Ceremony: Immaculate Heart of Mary
Reception: Marriott at Key Center
Bride’s Apparel: All Brides Beautiful – Hudson, Ohio
Groom’s Apparel: American Commodore Tuxedo
Floral/Lighting: Neil Leeson Decor
Photography: Rich Pappas – Dreamcatcher Studios
Videography: Moonstruck Productions

Reception Entertainment: Scott Jones / Jerry Bruno Productions
Cake: Fragapane Bakery
Stationery: Paper Persuasions

Long before Stacy and I ever actually met Janet Capocci, the Event Planning Coordinator at the University Center, we knew who she was. You see, when she was the Wedding Specialist at the Sheraton Suites – Cuyahoga Falls, we shared several mutual clients and nearly every single one told us that they chose to have their reception at the Sheraton because of her. Not because of the gorgeous facility or delicious food …but her.  When we finally did get to meet Janet, you better believe she cast her spell on us too! She is such a sweet person who genuinely loves weddings and just plain knows what it takes to make any event extraordinary. Needless to say, when we found out she was leaving the Sheraton, we were just as devastated as her brides were!  So when we ran into her (and the equally sweet Becky Dehart) at the JSK Center bridal show, we were thrilled. Turns out they are working to promote weddings at the University Center! Since we hadn’t heard anything about the venue in the 5 years we’ve been in the industry, we were amazed when we learned of all it has to offer! We’ve asked Janet to share a little bit of that information with all of you!

Here’s what Janet had to say about the facility and staff: 

Can you tell us a little about the location and capacity of the facility?  The University Center is conveniently located in North Canton approximately 1.2 miles from I-77 (just past Green and next to Jackson Township).  We have a ballroom that can seat up to 400 guests.

 How many wedding consultants do you have on staff and what are their qualifications?  We have two – Becky and I.  She has been here 4+ years and I have been doing weddings for about 7 years.

What do you feel sets the University Center apart from other wedding venues?  We are very competitively priced! You’ll find that by traveling the slightest bit south of the Cleveland/Akron area a whole new world opens up!  We offer resort-like settings at more of  a ‘value based’ pricing…all while being close to airports, express ways, hotels, etc.

 I know you have been working to strengthen wedding bookings. Have you noticed any misconceptions that potential brides have had regarding the facility? Yes…most brides do not imagine their most precious day to take place on a college campus. At the University Center, you get the feel of a country club/hotel and the pricing of a reception hall.  It is truly unlike other campus grounds.  Our secluded, lush setting rivals the most popular local country clubs and hotels.  We encourage you to take photos throughout our property, including at the gazebo on the water.  As a wedding specialist with past experience coordinating for hotels and resorts, I couldn’t be happier with The University Center’s facilities.

 What is the price range of the packages you offer? We offer competitively priced packages at many different price points. Visit our website for the most current wedding packages.  These packages are merely suggestions and we can certainly customize your menu to meet your needs.  All prices are subject to change unless secured with a signed contract.  All Kent State alumni receive a discount!

If you are interested in holding your Reception or other event at The University Center at Kent State Stark (and why shouldn’t you be?!?), contact Janet or Becky at 330-244-3300. You can also visit www.youruniversitycenter.com or www.facebook.com/theuniversitycenter for more information!

as featured on the blog of heratige studio and gallery!

Last week Amy Cameron from Heritage Studio and Gallery interviewed Stacy and I asking about how we got started, some of our favorite products and trends that we are seeing for 2010. Be sure to check out the post about us here…and while you are there, you’ll want to spend some time admiring their work!

Here’s a little tidbit about them: Heritage Studio and Gallery combines the talents of two professional photographers, Dave Ruegg and Amy Cameron. Each is a skilled lifestyle photographer who specializes in photojournalistic wedding photography especially in the Akron, Canton, and Cleveland areas. Senior pictures and family portraits are also available in studio or on location. Please visit their studio, art gallery, and custom frame shop in Canal Fulton, just over ten minutes from The Strip in North Canton.

Thanks to the both of you for selecting us! We are honored to be featured alongside your amazing work!

(c) rick sheridan - LAMS

(c) paper persuasions

(c) paper persuasions

 Although we designed and printed the programs, Jenny and Denise provided the labor to save on some of the cost. They folded both layers,  punched holes in the spine and strung and tied the ribbon into perfect little bows! Denise’s bows are so perfect I see future employment opportunity for her here at PP!

(c) denise v.

Here’s a glimpse of the 36 x 24 custom seating chart that we made for them! We provided the layout, printing and mounting and gloss finish. Although our seating charts look great without a frame, Denise added a black frame and a small bunch of flowers to the corner to complete the look.

(c)rick sheridan - LAMS

And wrapping up the stationery pics….we made these two layer menus with the flat-knotted ribbon on top…as well as the tag that was tied to the gift bag.

(c) Rick Sheridan - LAMS

Here’s what Jenny and Nathan had to say about their wedding experiences:

Wedding Date: 10/24/2009

What part of the planning was the most fun? The most fun was all the activities leading up to the wedding and then of course our wedding day. Our family and friends were amazing. It was the best time of my life!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun?Making all those decisions! We chose not to hire a wedding planner and it was overwhelming at times, but with my mom’s help and our awesome vendors, I loved the end result.

Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding? Don’t skimp on stationery or linens. Your invitation and accessories set the tone of your wedding and nice linens (tablecloths that fit properly, chair covers etc) dramatically change the appearance of any venue. Also, make a list of the pictures you want your photographer to take and make a copy for a reliable friend/family member because you won’t remember with everything going on that day.

How was your overall experience with Paper Persuasions? I don’t know what I would have done without Paper Persuasions help and creativity with my invitations, thank you cards, menu, tags, programs and seating chart. They produced first class all the way! I LOVED everything. I’m so glad I had the pleasure of meeting you both and we are honored and humbled to be a part of your blog! Thank You!

Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories? DID WE EVER! Most everyone said they were the most beautiful invitations they had ever seen. One of my favorite comments was from a family friend (who happens to be a politician) said when she saw the invitation in the mail, her first thought was that she got an invitation to the White House because it was so pretty!! Ha…! Everything was beautiful!

Here’s a list of other vendors that Jenny and Nathan  used

And now….a few more non-stationery related pics from the big day!!!

(c) jenny v. - the gorgeous atrium at NEOUCOM (cocktail and hors d'oeuvre hour was held in here)

(c) rick sheridan / LAMS - isn't the view of the ballroom absolutely breathtaking?

(c) rick sheradin / LAMS - bridal exit with bubbles!

(c) rick sheradin / LAMS - the dove release!! jenny and nathan set "lovey and dovey" free to return to their home loft.

(c) rick sheradin / LAMS - we had to include a shot of jenny and her mother denise! the perfect mother/daughter wedding planning team!

(c) rick sheradin / LAMS - group shot of the bridal party. love those cinnamon dresses!!!

Jenny, Nathan and of course Denise – We had such a great time working with you throughout this entire process. I still can’t believe how beautiful NEOUCOM turned out to be!! I will be sure to recommend it to any of our brides still looking for a Reception Hall in that area! You guys put so much hard work and pure love into planning this wedding and it really showed! Stacy and I both wish you the best…for many years to come!!!

(c) Riverfront Photography

As with any wedding, the planning wasn’t exactly easy. After several things went wrong during the planning process, worries began to surface regarding the day of the wedding. When Bonnie expressed her concerns about missing parts of the wedding due to coordinating the vendors and guests, we instantly suggested she hire a Day-of Coordinator to alleviate her stress, and we sent her to Heidzillas! Luckily Heidi was available, and according to the bride and her mother – she was invaluable!

One of the things we really enjoyed about this wedding was how involved Aaron (the groom!) was. From tagging along to several of our meetings to actually designing the monogram that was used throughout all the stationery – he actually enjoyed helping make the decisions, which is a rarity for grooms. Lindsay and Aaron ended up selecting custom designed pocketfolds in pink, silver and white with a single swarovski crystal placed within the flourish design.

(c) paper persuasions

(c) heidzillas

(c) heidzillas

(c) heidzillas

Here’s what Lindsay and Aaron had to say about their wedding experiences:

Wedding Date: 7/11/2009

What part of the planning was the most fun? Picking out my wedding dress, and of course, designing the invitations and accessories!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun? Realizing that the church we booked would be in the middle of huge renovations at the time of our wedding and having to quickly find a new church and inform our guests (the invitations had already been sent).

Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding? Enjoy the process no matter what is thrown at you along the way. Just remember, at the end of all this planning, you will have a day you will never forget – and you are marrying your prince!

How was your overall experience with Paper Persuasions? Stacy and Stephanie are the best! They are by far the best vendors i’ve worked with during this whole planning process. Their work is phenomenal and I would not go anywhere else for invitations. When my church for my ceremony had to be changed due to renovations AFTER my invitations went out, they quickly came up with Addendum Cards with the new church address on them to send out to all of my guests. The addendums matched my invitation perfectly and fit right into the pockets of my invitation. They took a lot of the stress out of the situation when they came up with this quick and easy solution for informing my guests of the change. Their efficiency allowed us to send the addendums out in a timely manner.

Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories? Yes, tons! I even had someone say “Where did you get your couture invitations?”

Heres a list of other vendors that Lindsay and Aaron used

 And finally a  couple other photos from the big day!

(c) heidzillas

(c) riverfront photography

(c) heidzillas

And of course we can’t forget the custom thank you stationery we designed for the couple. And look – they even sent us one :)

Thanks Lindsay and Aaron for being such a great couple to work for! Everything turned out just perfect for you – congratulations and best wishes!

Meghan and Lance planned somewhat of a “tiffany-themed” reception so the paper products all incorporated black, white and tiffany blue colors.

Their pocketfold invitations were simple yet elegant – and I especially love that the accent panel on the front of the invitation contained a quote from their first dance song – “Oh” by Dave Matthews (of course!). The invitations had three inserts – response, reception and accommodations.

We flip-flopped the colors for the ceremony programs but used the same song quote on the accent panel.

The table tents were my favorite thing about their wedding. Instead of numbering their tables, Meghan and Lance named their tables after concert venues they have attended together. Below the name and location of the concert venue, there was a brief description or statistic about the place and then a list of the bands that played or memorable songs they heard at that particular venue. I could not believe how many places they have been to see not only my favorite artist (DMB) but several other groups like U2.

A few weeks after the wedding, DMB played Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls. Meghan and Lance were lucky enough to “run into” Dave Matthews and Stefan Lessard. They “happened” to have their Red Rocks Amphitheatre Table Tent on hand for them to sign. Below you’ll see Stefan actually signing the table tent…and then Dave just as he finished signing the tent! Meghan asked Dave if he’d play “Oh” that night….but all she got was one of his signature goofy looks in return.

Back to wedding stuff….

We tried something new with Meghan and Lance’s Escort Cards. The Sheraton needed to know who was eating what, but M&L wanted one escort card per couple or family. Rather than indicate each persons meal choice with a sticker, we used a hole punch shaped for each selection. This picture shows the escort card from above so you can see the names on front and hole-punches on back.

Here’s a closeup of the shapes punched on the backside of the escort card. The cow shape indicated “beef” the chicken shape indicated “chicken” and the little boy and girl punches indicated “kids meal”. This was Meghan’s idea – and she found the hole punches online…but we are now the proud owners of the set and other brides have started to hone in on this concept!

So that wraps up the stationery….

Here’s what Meghan and Lance had to say about their wedding experiences:

Wedding Date: 6/19/2009

What part of the planning was the most fun? Invitations of course! Many of our “fun” experiences were in large part due to our vendors. Stephanie and Stacy are amazing, that goes without saying, but Janet (The Sheraton Suites) has also been amazing…I’m not sure we would have made it without her!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun? Research, research, research! I felt like I was in school again!

Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding?As painful as research can be, do it! At the end of the day, go with your heart. Remember, in some cases you will be spending all day with your vendor. If you can’t handle 15 minutes with them, keep looking!

How was your overall experience with Paper Persuasions?We followed our hearts and can’t express how happy we were with Stephanie and Stacy. They are like family now…(That’s right girls, you are stuck with us!) And Steph solidified our instinct when she started reciting Lance’s favorite song…”What’s the use in worrying, What’s the use in hurrying…”

Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories?ABSOLUTELY! I was getting text messages, Facebook messages, you name it! Even the guys were calling Lance (LOL)! And his aunt wouldn’t let anyone touch it. Can you imagine?!

Heres a list of other vendors that Meghan and Lance used

• Bride’s Apparel: Alfred Angelo
• Groom’s Apparel: Men’s Warehouse
• Reception Site: The Sheraton Suites – Cuyahoga Falls
• Cake: Phyllis Lester Designs
• Floral: Prestige Floral
• Photography: Best Image
• Videography: Graham River Productions
• Entertainment: Jon Blair Quartet (Jerry Bruno Productions)
• Transportation: Thomas Limo

As you can see by Meghan and Lance’s comments above, Janet was an asset to the Sheraton. We’ve shared quite a few brides with her and we know that she will be greatly missed. We wish her all the best in her new endeavours!!

 And finally a  couple other photos from the big day!

The happy family!

group shot of the bridal party

the bridal party stopped at Hudson’s Restaurant (one of Meghan and Lance’s favorite place to eat…and home of the MOST.DELICIOUS.HOUSE.CHIPS.EVER.) for photos and appetizers.

the happy family – being serious :)

meghan and lance did such a great job choosing dresses that weren’t identical but worked well together – these could be my favorite flower girl dresses ever!

look at those gorgeous tablescapes!!

a classic sheraton elevator shot!

So yeah – this is how it all went down. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and decided I was not only going to skip my morning workout….but wear my sloppy-yet-super-comfy ‘paper persuasions’ sweatshirt to work today. Didn’t do my hair. Didn’t do my makeup. Mentioned to Stacy at least three times “I wish I could just go home and go back to bed”. At noon Fox 8 calls: “We’d like to feature your business on the news tonight, can we send a reporter to interview you around two o’clock”. Well, it was a less than perfect day for it…but we made the best of it.

It was a cute little spot on both the 6:00 and 10:00 news. They basically introduced our business as last years Hot List winner – showed a short video of our custom invitation wall and a partial clip of my *much* longer answer to a basic question about the studio.

So anyways…the Akron/Canton Hot list is back…and we need your votes! Please take a minute to vote for us with as many valid email addresses as you have. We promise – they don’t spam you if you do not request to receive email. I’ve voted in a few of these! If you have an extra minute or two, we’d love if you took the time to rate us and write a brief review about us.

Thanks for your support!

Steph
Click here to vote for us!

What could be better than Food, Wine, Family and Friends? The turnout was bigger than we expected – thankfully I always ‘overbuy’ for parties so we did not run out of anything. I want to give a special thanks to Alyssa and Pete for helping us with everything. With moving on the 6th it was alot of work to get everything ready for the party. Those two ran errands, helped make food and really just made sure everything came together at the last minute. I know she hates when I mention this – but their friendship is a special blessing to me! Alyssa and Pete were clients of ours for their October 2007 wedding. After our first meeting, I just knew that Alyssa is the long lost friend I never got to have in high-school and I am so happy that we met! Happier yet that they are about to have a baby around Christmas time!

Here are a few pics of how the evening turned out…..

The signs were done just in the knick of time!

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Some of the food – and the cutest cookies in the world. These cookies came from SugarHouse Cakes and Cookies and they have our logo on them!

Alyssa and Baby Currie putting the finishing touches on something food related, Stephanie and her husband Dave, Stephanie and Stacy in front of delicious cookies , and finally an early toast with Debbie and her mom from Crains Creative Occassions (they sublet from within our studio)and our friend Katie.

My dad took a ton of pictures after the party actually started – hopefully he will get those to me soon and I can post more!

Thanks to everyone who came out to support us. You have no idea how much it means to have such encouraging and supportive friends and family!

Stephanie