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Handmade Weddings: Creating Custom Letterpress Wedding Invitations with Pistachio Press
Story by pistachiopress
Published on April 7, 2009 in How-To 		Photo by

pistachiopress

Letterpress printer pistachiopress walks us through the process of getting custom made invitations. Check out some of the other Handmade Wedding posts we've done on invites: Invitation Options with Moontreepress, Pushing the Envelope with Calligraphy, Invitations and Papergoods by Poppytalk.

As a printmaker, I have always loved the tactility of prints on good cotton papers.  Naturally, this led me to letterpress printing and eventually to working with brides and grooms on custom wedding invitations. I know that the idea of working with a printer on custom invitations can be a bit overwhelming, but I hope this piece will clarify the process and make the experience a bit less daunting.


[Left: save-the-date booklets, Right: wedding stationery designed by Alexander Cheek and printed by Pistachio Press]

For custom letterpress wedding invitations, I think it’s best to start with a printer whose work you love, even if that work isn’t exclusively wedding stationery.  There are a lot of great letterpress printers on Etsy who also make and design wedding invitations. Etsy’s Alchemy feature is another way to find a printer who will work with you on custom designs.  My favorite part about Alchemy is the option to send a private request to a seller whose work you already love. (You can also contact a seller by sending her a "convo" message.)  I suggest purchasing a sample of the printer’s work to get an idea about the quality of the papers and printing offered. 

For most of the history of letterpress printing, the inked type just lightly kissed the page and didn’t create an impression.  In contemporary letterpress printing, the tactility of a deep impression on cotton paper is often desired to set the piece apart from other forms of printing. Many printers now use photopolymer plates instead of lead type, which allow more options for typefaces and illustration elements (see more about how this works here).  It’s a good idea to talk to the printer if you would like a very specific impression.


[Left: photopolymer plates, Right: detail of machine stitched invitation]

Letterpress printing is generally a bit more expensive than other forms of printing because the labor involved is often much greater.  The paper must be fed through the press separately for every color printed, which will be a large factor in your pricing quote.  To keep costs down, many couples opt to go with a two-color invitation and one-color response cards, thank you notes, and menus.


[Left: eyelet lace cards, Right: recent invitation and response card]

Depending on the complexity of the illustration you want and how many pieces are being designed, complete custom design work can range from $300-$800 in addition to the cost for printing, which can range from $500-$2000.  This generally includes one design direction and about three rounds of revisions.  For custom work, it’s especially helpful to have a clear idea of what you would like the finished product to look like because additional revisions can increase your overall price. 

Having a solid idea about the kind of wedding you’re planning is key when you start looking for invitations.  Are you going to have a large, traditional wedding or a smaller wedding at a park?  Your invitations are the first indication your guests will have about the wedding and they help to set the tone. The more information you can give to your designer, the better!  I love knowing where a client is getting married or what colors the bridesmaid dresses will be and incorporating these details into the invitations.


[Left: hand-drawn invitation, Right: detail of a response card]

Many letterpress printers have several options available for customizing handmade invitations without having a complete custom design created from scratch.  For all of my pre-designed pieces, the couple always has the option of changing ink colors, paper stock, wording, and typefaces.  I have a list of available typefaces that I provide to my clients and I often custom-mix the ink colors for the invitations to match a swatch of fabric from a tie or a dress.  If the designer already has a card with a design you like, you may want to ask if that specific element can be incorporated into your wedding invitations.  This may also cut down on the cost of custom design because the illustration and plate have already been created.  


[Left: mixing the perfect shade of green ink, Right: green swirl cards]

The timeframe for custom invitations is generally 4-6 weeks for design work and 4-6 weeks for the printing.  The process may be shorter if you know exactly what you want, or longer if you make a lot of changes to the design.  I would suggest building in a bit of a cushion in your timeline for addressing the invitations.  Many printers will mail you the envelopes early so that you can start the process of addressing or give them to a calligrapher.


[Both images: custom design by Tara Hogan (tarahogan.etsy.com) and printed by Pistachio Press]

If you’re in love with the work of a designer who isn’t also a letterpress printer, you may want to ask the designer and the printer if they would be willing to work with you on the invitations. I have printed for a few clients who either designed their own invitations or worked with another designer and the process was a lot of fun.  

Further Resources:
Pistachio Press (www.pistachiopress.com)

Handpicked Wedding Items | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase

Paper Goods Category | Letterpress Wedding Invitations

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Tags bridal, engaged, engagement, Handmade Weddings, Handmade Wedding Series, invitations, invites, letterpress, paper goods, PistachioPress, planning, printmaking, RSVPs, save the date, weddings
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69 comments     Login to add your own!

March 24, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. JustAnotherDay

Beautiful work! I am saving up for a press! (just a table top though) Hopefully it won't be too long!

March 28, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. sycamorestreetpress

great explanation pistachio press! i'm bookmarking it so that i can send clients here. thanks :)

April 7, 2009 at 4:52 p.m. VintageEye

Thanks for sharing your process with us!

April 7, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. dragonhouseofyuen

Fantastic - thanks pistachiopress - for explaining this - I just love letterpress printing, the texture, the depth, the simplicity of colours.. ohh, I could go on!

April 7, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. ScottieinaCanoe

Gorgeous items! Awesome explaining :)

April 7, 2009 at 5:12 p.m. IlluminatedPerfume

Ooo gee, I'm missing the Vandercook flatbed. Left it in NYC when I moved to LA. Love all the pics...makes me yearn for a press and that smell of ink! Thanks so much for sharing this!

April 7, 2009 at 5:13 p.m. daniellexo

If you ever need an ink swirler, I'm your gal!

April 7, 2009 at 5:29 p.m. MyJunkyTrunk

Oh my gosh! It's all so gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.

April 7, 2009 at 5:29 p.m. ageratum

Great story - so much info! Thanks! Hope everyone is having a great day too! :) Donna

April 7, 2009 at 5:43 p.m. EnfinLaVoila

I can't wait for my atelier to be finished, I have a Vandercook and a platen press
waiting for me....
Until than, I use my 8 color digital press....

April 7, 2009 at 5:47 p.m. TheCraftyRagamuffin

This story makes me so happy. After handmaking all of my own wedding invitations I got confused responses from some people wondering why I would bother to spend the time doing it. I'm so happy to see that more and more people are choosing to send lovingly handmade invitations, which I think represent what a marriage is all about...patience, creativity and love!

April 7, 2009 at 5:53 p.m. Ryanplz

really interesting. i want to go and do this now!

April 7, 2009 at 6:13 p.m. lucybluestudio

Letterpress is such a wonderful printing process. Thanks for sharing.

April 7, 2009 at 6:31 p.m. worksofwhimsy

Wow, these are so beautiful.

April 7, 2009 at 6:32 p.m. vitamini

What a great little article - thanks!

April 7, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. WoollyWonka

Beautiful!

April 7, 2009 at 6:41 p.m. lovelygifts

Very nice work. Love the eyelet cards!

April 7, 2009 at 6:52 p.m. baconsquarefarm

Great read full of info, thanks for sharing, lovely work as well.

April 7, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. blueberrydeluxe

Just BEAUTIFUL. I took letterpress in college and I don't know how you guys do it so perfectly. It's so much WORK! Really divine work here. :) xo

Blueberry

April 7, 2009 at 7:03 p.m. PenelopeAndAnastasia

Oh I'm so in love with letterpress!! If I won the lottery, I'd have the most beautiful business cards on the planet...and they'd be from Etsy of course!

April 7, 2009 at 7:04 p.m. asundrynotion

Absolutely fascinating with such lovely results. I'd like to see the process in person.

April 7, 2009 at 7:06 p.m. mykonos

The patterns are sooo pretty!!

April 7, 2009 at 7:44 p.m. PetitOiseau

pistachiopress did our wedding invites last October - they were FABULOUS! so happy.

April 7, 2009 at 8:25 p.m. odiliafu

Great article. Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing!

April 7, 2009 at 8:26 p.m. TheCottageCheese

Oh, these are so beautiful! Pistachiopress does amazing work, it was fun to read her description of the process. I'm not doing invitations, as my wedding will be family only, but I am shopping for announcements, so this article is so exciting!

April 7, 2009 at 8:47 p.m. SavonShoppe

Wonderful read. Use to work in a print shop I found the process fascinating... Great work. Bookmarking.

April 7, 2009 at 8:56 p.m. stellahats

Beautiful work, I love the pressed designs, they are so crisp!! great papers.

April 7, 2009 at 9:01 p.m. VintagePaperParade

Beautiful!
I love letterpress. I've taken a few workshops and would love to find a vintage press & explore it more. Thanks for the great article.

April 7, 2009 at 9:18 p.m. uncharted

beautiful work!

April 7, 2009 at 9:48 p.m. Tunaj

WOW! it is a really interesting work.
The works are beautiful.

April 7, 2009 at 10:17 p.m. CutieDynamite

Gorgeous!

April 7, 2009 at 10:32 p.m. flyingwishes

Another AWESOME handmade work of art!!!

April 7, 2009 at 10:36 p.m. papermenagerie

Just lovely! The eyelet cards are my faves.

I still need to break in my letterpress.

April 7, 2009 at 10:43 p.m. UptownCreations

Wow your stuff is awesome! So beautiful!!!

April 7, 2009 at 10:54 p.m. fatcrowpress

This is a very well written article, the explanation is very clear. Good work! I find that in my job as a letterpress printer educating is a large part of it.

April 7, 2009 at 11:36 p.m. Waterrose

How beautiful!

April 8, 2009 at 1:07 a.m. SouthwestFlower

This is amazing artwork. I think those eyelet cards are amazing!

April 8, 2009 at 2:45 a.m. Nishale

Awesome

April 8, 2009 at 6:14 a.m. sandali

WOW -- I am amazed with all the prints !! It gorgeous & I LOVE it !!

April 8, 2009 at 8:08 a.m. insecteBrillant

i love the choice, so inspiring

April 8, 2009 at 8:09 a.m. MademoiselleG

Wow very nice work! It's very nice to see how these cards are made.

April 8, 2009 at 8:47 a.m. DeNovoStyle

Wow, these are just amazing!

April 8, 2009 at 9:16 a.m. ManoCelebrates

Great work, great job.

April 8, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. SimpleTraditions

Wow, everything looks awesome, I love the dandelion letter press!

April 8, 2009 at 9:21 a.m. sarahearn

fantastic! great to see rachel & her work "starring" here on etsy! thanks so much!

April 8, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. EpicBones

love those pistachiopress invitations!! i'll keep this in mind for my someday wedding. sigh...

April 8, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. rollandtumblepress

gotta' love the letterpress!!!

April 8, 2009 at 9:50 a.m. TheNebulousKingdom

really gorgeous! I love the Eyelet lace, letterpress card set

April 8, 2009 at 10:22 a.m. asmallbrightidea

beautiful! letterpress always makes me sentimental.

April 8, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. Corbaecreative

Beautiful! I love the tactile quality of letterpress printing.

April 8, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. ArtFromTheHeartBySue

Beautiful work that you do! The amount of time and the meticulous attention to detail is just tremendous!

April 8, 2009 at 11:12 a.m. edor

so pretty...

April 8, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. pistachiopress

Thank you so much for the wonderful comments! I'm very touched by all of you letterpress enthusiasts!

April 8, 2009 at 12:50 p.m. laurabrownart

this is a really great explanation of the process and how letterpress fits into the printmaking family. great piece, so concise and explanatory!

April 8, 2009 at 1:27 p.m. bellasparty

Very interesting. Beautiful work!

April 8, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. thestapeliacompany

I love letterpress. I think it's beautiful. Especially your work pistachio! ;)

April 8, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. enchantingimages

oh very nice!! good to keep in mind for the future :)

April 8, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. OhFaro

I'm in love with cards and printed materials that reflect a personality. This is a wonderful article.

April 8, 2009 at 4:27 p.m. puck55

Very good article. Beautiful work.

April 9, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. OriginalsbyParis

Great work! I'm going to tell my niece about this. She is getting married next summer. She will love this letterpress stuff!

April 9, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. GeeZees

beautifully done
Love it!

April 9, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. carinissimo

Lovely!!

April 9, 2009 at 5:50 p.m. vintagetrunk

Oh I wish I had one of those machines. Beautiful.

April 9, 2009 at 7:04 p.m. SweetGraphics

Beautiful pieces and great advise. Oh I love the feel of letterpress...

April 10, 2009 at 7:21 a.m. rustdust

I love the look wish I could see the machine at work.

April 10, 2009 at 9:03 p.m. fineartstoneware

Very interesting and nice work!

April 15, 2009 at 4:51 p.m. ovgilliesdesigns

Amazing work! I love letterpress - it looks so stylish & beautiful!

April 29, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. Mattamorphis

I've always want a letter press.

What a fab way to create invites

June 2, 2009 at 1:14 a.m. stephaniek

My sister and I are discussing designs for her wedding invitations! We're definitely going to consider doing letterpress printing.

There's so much beauty in the simplicity of 1 and 2 color design. Just one of many reasons I love hand printmaking! I especially love the elegance of the impressions into the paper.

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