Real Brides: Karrie and Chris

April 24, 2010 | Filed Under catalog invitations, custom invitations, do it yourself, posts featuring other vendors, posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment 

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

Real Brides: Jill and Paul

March 12, 2010 | Filed Under custom invitations, posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment 

Jillian and Paul came to us as a referral from The Sheraton Suites. And you know how much we love our Sheraton brides! By the first time we met with Jill she had an all-star lineup of vendors and quite a few unique ideas for her fall wedding (my favorite being the large tree with hanging escort cards). Meeting with her and her mom Rebecca was always such a pleasure….not only because we had great conversations (they always made me laugh…) but also because we stayed on task and accomplished so much!!  We truly enjoyed providing the invitations, escort cards, ceremony programs, memory cards, table numbers and thank you cards for this amazingly beautiful wedding.

 

 

What part of the wedding planning was the most fun?
Honestly, I can’t pick! I had an amazing time during the entire wedding planning process. I truly felt like our vendors became friends (i.e. Stacy and Stephanie) and due to all of their hard work, our wedding day was beyond perfect. Our wedding was a dream come true and a wonderful start to a new life with my new husband!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun?
I had fun during the entire process. Who doesn’t have fun planning their dream wedding to the perfect man???

 Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories?
The feedback from our guests was overwhelming in its praise of our invitations and accessories. Words used by our guests included: beautiful, brilliant, creative, elegant and classy. Our wedding invitation truly set the tone of our wedding and there is nothing I would have changed.

 Please list anything you would like to include regarding your experience with Paper Persuasions:
Working with Paper Persuasions was truly a remarkable and quite memorable experience. Stacy and Stephanie provided the total package. They walked us through the entire process from the initial consultation, to the drafts, to the end product. We are so grateful to have found Paper Persuasions and to have had the opportunity to work with them. We look forward to planning another big event where we can use their creative services once again!

 Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding?
Before you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Enjoy your wedding planning…I promise, it can be lots of fun! I believe a successful bride and groom do not plan their wedding alone – they get help, and lots of it! One of the best ways to have a successful wedding is to be organized and begin planning your event as soon as possible. The earlier you begin preparing the better your chances of getting the vendors that you want.

 Here is Jill and Paul’s vendor list!

Ceremony: Pilgrim Church
Reception: Sheraton Suites – Cuyahoga Falls
Bride’s Apparel: Steven Yearick from Henri’s Cloud Nine
Groom’s Apparel: American Commodore Tuxedo
Floral: Klaus from Wildflower
Linens: Sitting Pretty
Photography: Lyon’s Photography
Reception Entertainment: Redline – Jerry Bruno Productions
Ceremony Music: Suite Elegance
Transportation: Lolly the Trolley
Lighting: Pro-Disc Entertainment
Cake: Zoey’s
Ice Sculpture: Elegant Ice Creations
Hair and Makeup: MC Hair Consultants
Stationery: Paper Persuasions

In lieu of favors, Jill and Paul made a donation in honor of Jill’s father – the late Mr. Lewis Crouch. On that card, they shared a quote with their guests…and it has stuck with me since I first read it. “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa

Jill and Paul – may you have many many happy years together!

Real Brides: Emily and Andrew

February 9, 2010 | Filed Under accessories, catalog invitations, custom invitations, posts with pics, real brides | 1 Comment 

 

We first met with Emily and her mom Marianne not long after we opened our new studio. It was clear from our first meeting with them that the invitations needed to be classy, formal & traditional while still setting the tone for a somewhat contemporary color scheme of chocolate brown and orange. Emily selected a gorgeous pearl border invitation from the Carlson Craft line and added a chocolate brown satin ribbon below the monogram to make the invitation unique to her. The orange was first introduced into the wedding stationery when Andrew’s mother Angie surprised the couple with custom rehearsal dinner invites which happened to match the custom wedding accessories we designed for the ceremony and reception. Sending thanks to Paul Floyd Photography for taking some of the best shots we’ve seen of our work. Of course what blog reader of ours is going to pay attention to the stationery photos when the entire wedding party is this gorgeous?!?!  

A non-professional photo of the invitation ensemble that we took when her order arrived…

Heres a list of other vendors that Emily and Andrew used:

• Bride’s Apparel: Brides by Demetrios (Legacy Village)
• Groom’s Apparel: American Commodore
• Ceremony Site: Hudson Community Chapel
• Reception Site: Sheraton Suites 
• Cake: A Catered Affair
• Floral: Frank Feysa – Ohio Green
• Photography: Paul Floyd Photography
• Entertainment: The DJ Crew
• Salon: Salon 180 (Hudson)

 Here’s what Emily and Andrew had to say about their wedding experiences:

Wedding Date: 8/1/2009

What part of the planning was the most fun? Choosing all of the details that made our wedding unique – the colors, favors, music, locations, menu, etc. Anything where we could add our own personal touch and flare was fun for us!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun? Assembling favors, tying ribbons on bubbles, writing check lists and to-do lists!! All of the tedious tasks that were easy but time consuming.

Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding? Enjoy it! It goes so fast. Get as much planning as you can out of the way early on so you can relax and take it all in toward the end.

How was your overall experience with Paper Persuasions? Steph and Stacy were fabulous and made the paper and invitation aspect of our planning so enjoyable and easy! We would recommend them to absolutely anyone!

Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories? Yes! All positive! We got raving reviews about every paper product – from the invitations down to the table numbers!

*******

Working with Emily and Andrew (and each of their mothers) was such a treat! From their very first visit to look at invitations – all the way through finalizing the table numbers and escort cards for the reception – our meetings were a breeze….sometimes it simply felt too easy!

To Emily, Andrew and Marianne: Thank you so much for all of your kind words…and for the numerous referrals you have sent our way. From close family friends to people you’ve bumped into at the supermarket, we’ve had at least half a dozen people mention that you told them about us. You have no idea how much this means to us!

Real Brides: Renee and Andy – August 8, 2009

January 2, 2010 | Filed Under posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment 

When we first met Renee, her upbeat personality immediately shone through! Super organized and knowing exactly what she wanted, Renee *thought* our custom design services would be outside her budget so her first consultation with us was spent looking through catalogs and not finding what she had pictured. Eventually she came back in for a second consultation, talked to us about custom design and realized that what she was looking for wasn’t outside her budget at all. Little did we know that the design we finalized that day would later become a huge hit with other brides who saw it on display in the studio and on our website.

As with most brides, budget was a concern and Renee was planning on DIY-ing what she could to save a little money. Although she didn’t want to tackle the invitations, she DID want to make her own accessories (and did a mighty fine job I might add!). So that everything would coordinate, Renee purchased Envelopments©  paper and cardstock from us, but then printed, cut and assembled her accessories (programs, menus, table cards just to name a few) at home! This photo collage was put together using printed photos that Renee brought in for us to scan. All images are © Brendan Thomas Photography.  

Here’s what Renee and Andy had to say about their wedding experiences:

Wedding Date: 8/8/2009

What part of the planning was the most fun? Spending time together, planning our future and selecting the yummy food and cake!

What part of the wedding planning was the least fun? Listening to the opinions of everyone else!!!

Do you have any advice for the bride-to-be currently planning her wedding? Don’t worry! Whatever is making you stress won’t even matter in the slightest when you see your hubby-to-be!

How was your overall experience with Paper Persuasions? These two ladies are the best! Our elegant and classy invitations set the right tone for our wedding! And they were so helpful with our DIY stuff too!

Did you receive comments from your guests regarding the invitations and accessories? Tons of emails, phone calls and texts about our invitations! A few guests said they didn’t even want to tear open the envelope!

Heres a list of other vendors that Renee and Andy used

• Bride’s Apparel: Catan Fashions
• Groom’s Apparel: Tuxedo Junction
• Reception Site: Portage Country Club
• Cake: A Piece of Cake
• Floral: The Empty Nest
• Photography: Brendan Thomas Photography
• Entertainment: Beach Boyz

 And finally a  couple other photos from the big day courtesy of the photographers Facebook Page.

  

Oh….and here is one more that Renee brought in to scan – I couldn’t fit it in the collage, but as I was wrapping up this post, I decided that I didn’t want to leave it out:

Thanks Renee and Andy  for being such a cute and fun couple to work for! We enjoyed helping you bring your ‘paper dreams’ to life…and Renee, you did so great on your DIY projects! Way to make us proud!!!

Real Brides: Jenny and Nathan – October 24, 2009

November 28, 2009 | Filed Under accessories, custom invitations, posts featuring other vendors, posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment 

 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!

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.

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.

 

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!!!

 

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!!!

Real Brides: Lindsay and Aaron – July 11, 2009

October 30, 2009 | Filed Under custom invitations, posts featuring other vendors, posts with pics, real brides | 1 Comment 

We first met Lindsay and her mom Bonnie in October of 2008, and we knew from the very moment we started discussing invitations that this wedding would be stellar. And it was. In fact, you may even recognize this photo since Riverfront Photography used it in their new ad for the Today’s Bride Magazine.

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.

 

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!

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!

Real Brides: Meghan and Lance (my co-DMB super fans!) and a tribute to Janet from the Sheraton

September 11, 2009 | Filed Under accessories, custom invitations, posts featuring other vendors, posts with pics, real brides | 1 Comment 

Since I have been so behind on blogging, we had several brides to choose from for our September “Real Brides” feature. I always have a hard time picking because I want to feature EVERYONE but I managed to narrow it down to 3 brides. Then it hit me – today is Janet’s last day at the Sheraton. (Janet is the in-house wedding coordinator at the Sheraton. Our brides often tell us that they chose the Sheraton solely because she is that awesome). What better than to feature a bride who was not only referred to us by her but who *loved* both Janet and the Sheraton to pieces! Not to mention, I’ve been wanting to feature Meghan and Lance’s wedding because I have a super soft-spot for them. They are such a great couple and HUGE Dave Matthews Band Fans to boot. We bonded instantly – often chatting for 4+ hours about music, food and life in general! Plus they always brought music to share – my cd collection grew not only by what they gave me but by a few albums I picked up based on their suggestions.

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!

 

 

Real Brides: Elaine & Mike (and Gerbera Daisies Galore!)

July 31, 2009 | Filed Under accessories, custom invitations, posts with pics, real brides | 1 Comment 

We first met Elaine and her mom Mary at our Grand Opening Open House shortly after moving our studio from Front Street to Graham Road. We instantly bonded and after hearing Elaine’s ideas about the invitations we were able to design a sample on the spot which is a rarity for custom design. They were both thrilled – and very few changes were ever made to that original mock-up!


Needless to say, the invitations were a huge hit with their guests. You may remember this post a couple weeks back where we featured a photo of several of their response cards that were returned with handwritten notes from their guests regarding how amazing the invites were! And of course Elaine’s own love for her invites inspired her to carry the invitation theme to the ceremony programs, table numbers, escort cards, favor tags and thank you notes. She even ordered custom cookies from Contessa Pollina featuring the logo we designed for her wedding!






Here’s a list of the other vendors Elaine and Mike chose along with some follow up questions that we have taken from their survey:

Bride’s Apparel: Dreams to Realities
Groom’s Apparel: Men’s Warehouse
Catering / Reception Hall: LaVera Party Center (Crystal Room)
Cake: Cakes by Maria
Floral: Terry Mascia
Photography: Cirino Photography
DJ/Entertainment: Marino Brothers
Wedding Coordinator: Crain’s Creative Occasions
Custom Cookies & Pastries: Contessa Pollina Pasticceria
Stationery: Paper Persuasions

What part of the planning was the most fun? I enjoyed all aspects of our wedding planning. Some of my favorite memories of planning included the dress shopping, the invitations, and the gifts for my out of town guests.

What part of the planning was the least fun? Although our wedding planner helped make this such a not-so-bad task, I think the seating assignments would be the least fun for me. Our seating cards from Paper Persuasions along with our cookie boxes from Contessa Pollina made the task all worth it.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their own wedding? To enjoy every minute (including the planning) and to find qualitiy vendors so you won’t be disappointed.

Elaine also had these kind words regarding her experience working with Paper Persuasions: We received TONS of compliments on both the invitations and accessories. Steph and Stacy are very creative. Just give them any idea you may have and watch it blossom! That happened to us. I had mentioned to them my love for Gerber Daisies and before you knew it, the Gerber Daisy that Steph designed was the focal point or theme of our wedding! Steph and Stacy were not only great vendors but became our friends!

We often bond with our clients throughout the custom design process and Mary, Elaine & Mike were no exception! We just loved working on thier wedding and we were delighted when we (and our dates) were invited to attend their wedding as guests! My husband Dave & I and Stacy had so much fun! It was the first wedding any of us had attended at the LaVera Party Center and I have to say that I was more than impressed with Anthony! The wedding was perfect…and we were thrilled not only to have had our hands on every piece of wedding stationery, but also to have witnessed this beautiful day! Many happy years to the both of them!

Wedding Featured in Today’s Bride Magazine

July 14, 2009 | Filed Under custom invitations, real brides, studio news and happenings | Leave a Comment 

We recently found out that one of our past weddings was featured in Cleveland’s ‘Summer 2009 Edition’ of Today’s Bride Magazine. Emily and Matthew were married in August of 2008 and we were honored to have provided Custom Designed Wedding Invitations, Ceremony Programs, Table Numbers, Escort Cards and Photo Thank You Cards for their special day! Emily, Matt and MOB Debbie were so great to work with and we were excited to see they were featured. Check out the photos on the TB website as provided by Greg from Perfect Image Photography.

Real Weddings: Emily and Matthew

Real Brides: Ashley and James take on DIY Invitations

May 29, 2009 | Filed Under custom invitations, do it yourself, posts with pics, real brides | Leave a Comment 

We first met James and Ashley on a CRAZY BUSY Saturday. They are one of those couples who are just…well…infectious. They are both so nice, smiley and awesome that you can’t help but be in a great mood after talking to them! They knew they wanted to make their own invitations – already having purchased a DIY kit – but just weren’t satisfied with the results. James’ mom encouraged them to take the 1 hour+ drive down to our studio after hearing about us on Fox 8 News.

Not wanting the hassle of printing the invitations, they knew they wanted us to provide the printing but handle the rest of the project on their own. Their initial visit lasted about 1.5 hours and we were able to work with them to finalize their design, wording, typestyle and layout. They weren’t sure of their final counts – so a quick email and phone call later in the week was all we needed to get the proper amount of product ordered. About two weeks later, their product was here, printed and ready for pickup. The rest is history…..and the couple has shared photographs and a few tips from their DIY journey……

We ask all of our DIY clients to complete a brief survey to share with other prospective DIY’ers. Here are the results of theirs:

Did you initially plan on making your own invitations? Yes

Approximately how ling did your project take to complete: 20 hours

Was was the difficulty level of your project compared to what you expected?: About what I expected

Please describe your project in as much detail as you’d like. Feel free to include funny stories, hassles and mishaps, your over all experience, etc. : Advice would be to have a paper cutter! Split the project up over days, I (James) did all the cutting while watching the basketball playoffs and Ashley did the gluing of the invitations while watching movies in the background. With the cutting, be sure to “Math Out” how many sheets of cardstock you will need for each card before cutting and place them in separate piles. When gluing, the gun saves so much time and is easy to use. Make sure to have old newspaper down for the spray adhesive as it travels everywhere no matter how careful you are. Save all left over pieces – you never know when they might come in handy again. Be sure to get your invitations weighed. Our finished invite mailed at $.61 even though it was a standard sized envelope. Again, spread the project over a week as taking your time will give you amazing results! We had a great time making our invitations and now have even more special memories as we did them together.

Do you feel Paper Persuasions was a valuable partner in helping you throughout your project?: Yes. Stephanie was very helpful and spent so much time explaining and helping us pick out and individualize our invitations.

James and Ashley – thanks for taking that long drive down to the studio! You both were a pleasure to work with. Your project turned out amazing and we are happy to have provided the paper products and printing services for your DIY Invitations. Best of luck as you continue to plan the wedding…and Ashley – we hope have a blast at your Bridal Shower this weekend!!

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