Vendor Spotlight - Griffin-vites Stationery

Whether you're looking for invitations, save-the-dates, escort and place cards, or menus, Sara customizes paper products with the use of watercolors to create that one-of-a-kind style brides are looking for today. Check out Sara in today's Vendor Spotlight!

image by Brea McDonald Photography


Griffin-vites Stationery
Owner: Sara Fitzgerald O'Brien
Location: York Harbor, Maine
Phone: 207.361.4784
Website: www.griffin-vites.com

Griffin-vites is also on Facebook!

Number of Years in Business: Griffin-vites has been in business for just about 3 years.

Pricing Information: Our wedding invitation sets begin at $10. If a client is interested in custom illustrated stationery (which makes up a majority of our work at the studio), prices increase a bit and vary depending on the items of interest.

What makes me stand out in what I do? I hope that I bring a truly unique spin to custom stationery design. In creating original watercolor illustrations for Griffin-vites papers, I’m able to offer my clients the ability to really integrate their personality and style into their wedding stationery. I hope that others would recognize my passion for art/design, my detailed eye (to a fault at times!) and my love of people.


What's the favorite part of my work? Having the privilege to work creatively everyday is amazing. There are so many aspects of this career that I enjoy. Of course, the painting and paper design. But also, the correspondences with lovely clients (past and present), building wonderful relationships with fellow industry vendors (there is so much talent out there!) and being invited to play a role in such a meaningful event as one’s wedding!! Nothing makes me happier than getting that follow-up phone call or note from an excited bride-to-be who has just received positive (stationery) feedback from her guests! It makes my day!

What do I like to do in my spare time, if you have any? Haha… seriously. Well, I spend as much time as I can with my fantastic (and patient) husband, Miles. And when we’re not laying low with our adorable pups, Griffin and Sadie, I’d say spending time with family & friends, catching a movie, eating (this should probably be listed first!), writing, antiquing and decorating our home rank up there on the list!


What charity am I supporting and why: I’ve chosen to support the ASPCA and am thrilled to have this as an option! I am a HUGE animal lover and would not have found my scruffy little terrier-mixes, Griff and Sadie, if it weren’t for shelter adoption and rescue organizations.

Also, I'd like to mention the Griffin-vites ‘Pet Notes’ collection. Clients simply email in some photos of their favorite pet and I custom create their watercolor illustration, which is then printed onto note cards. They make for great gifts --- and I’m SO excited to say that a portion of their proceeds will be donated to local animal rescue efforts! (The myKPW team thinks these are fabulous!)

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography



Check out more of Sara's work...

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

image by Brea McDonald Photography

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

image by Brea McDonald Photography

Vendor Spotlight - Jan Boyd Calligraphy

We've had the pleasure of working with Jan for several occasions as her work is absolutely stunning. And since anything she does is to perfection, we just had to share her talents with everyone!

Company: Jan Boyd Calligraphy
Owner: Jan Boyd
Location: West Roxbury, Massachusetts
Phone: 617.327.6041
Website: www.janboyd.com


Years in Business: Since 1980 (so almost 30!)

Pricing Information: Pricing varies per request, but here are just some starting points for a few items.

-Place Cards start around $1.70 each
-Table Center Numbers and Names start around $5.00 each
-Envelopes start around $3.25 each
-Menus or Programs personalized with name start around $1.75 each
-Seating Scrolls (22"x28" - most common size) which includes up to 130 listings for approximately 225 guests is $400. Smaller and larger scrolls are priced upon request.

What makes me stand out with what I do: I have developed many, many different lettering styles over the years. I think I have about 30 on my website and I’m developing new ones all the time. With a basic, solid foundation in letter forms, I have learned to adapt lettering to match the style on each bride’s invitation – or to do a style that enhances the look of the invitation by being boldly different. If the invitation is printed in color, I hand-mix paint to come very close to an exact match for addressing the envelopes. I’m always learning and adapting to new styles, trends and colors. I also do “combo” styles on invitations so that if the invitation the couple has chosen has their names in script and the rest in block letters, for instance, I can replicate that look on the envelope. I have lots of samples on my site and in my studio for ideas and inspiration. I aspire to create envelopes that set the tone for the wedding. After all, it’s likely the first thing that the guests will have seen to herald the upcoming event.

I also feel that my studio stands out because of our professional approach to the business. I operate a full-time home studio, so doing lettering is not a hobby for me. My assistant and office manager, Ilene, manages all the details except the actual lettering. She goes over every list, checking with the bride for any missing details or questionable spellings, etc. She counts the list and envelopes to make sure there are plenty long before it’s a crisis (a list of 150 addresses and 125 envelopes, or inner envelopes that don’t fit into the outer envelopes has happened more than once!). In most cases Ilene also proofs my finished work before it leaves the studio. We are very accurate in meeting our deadlines – and are available and in constant contact for any issues that arise.

What’s the favorite part of my work? Creativity. I love meeting with a couple or a bride and her mom and brainstorming ideas about how to make calligraphy really add to the look of the wedding. From envelopes, invitations and place cards to signage, favor tags, menus, programs, bar signs, seating boards, gifts for bridesmaids, gifts for the bride and groom to give to each other, vows hand-calligraphed for the first anniversary (which is paper!)… etc., it’s an endless list of things that can be done. I love working with people who get excited about the possibilities ☺. My least favorite part is not having enough time – brides not knowing that they need to have planned ahead enough so that their envelopes get to me with enough time for me to hand letter each one. My normal turnaround is 2 weeks. I hate to disappoint people, but if I know I can’t meet their deadline, I’ll turn down the job.

What do I like to do in my spare time? I have learned that I need to have some “down time” in order to be my most creative and productive in my “up time”. I love to read, I paint watercolors and pastels, and I take weekly yoga and pilates classes. I usually take at least one master class a year with another calligrapher, and weekend classes in new techniques whenever I can. While my kids are grown, I love spending time with them whenever possible. My husband and I enjoy movies and gardening and great meals together (cooked by him!). I also travel to visit with my parents in Seattle at least 3 times a year.

Which charities am I supporting and why? I am supporting the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the ASPCA. All of those you support are very worthy of your involvement. We also support WGBH, Rosie’s Place, the Pan Mass challenge and are often involved with human service related agencies. My husband is a social worker (I was too, in a former pre-child life ☺) , so the myriad events run by his agency are a part of our lives.


Check out just a few examples of Jan's work...

Vendor Advice and Trends - Samantha Finigan from Gus & Ruby Letterpress

Samantha and Whitney from Gus & Ruby Letterpress are passionate about their work and really care about the bride and groom's experience when it comes - not only to picking out their venue or attire - but paper products. Many times, the experience of picking out invitations is overlooked as many brides find themselves just sitting down at a table flipping through multiple binders and not speaking with anyone until they've come up with a decision. But with Samantha and Whitney, the experience is personalized for each couple and advise brides to make sure it's an important and meaningful part of planning a wedding.

image by emilie inc.


And as we were talking with Samantha about their shop in Portsmouth (with Whitney in the background :)), she shared with us some tips she gives couples when choosing paper products for their occasion. See what she has to say...


-This goes for any vendor you choose; be sure to work with people you like and fully trust. Choose someone who will be a good advocate for what you want and really care about how the end product turns out. The vendor you choose should be open to constant communication; comfortable enough to call at anytime because we're here to be your resource for information.

-When thinking about your invitations; make it personal. We're starting to see a trend with brides moving away from extravagance and more into an intimate feel and style where the whole experience is carefully crafted. The bride and groom are making a huge commitment, and the decisions that they make and the work that we do should reflect their life together. Working with vendors to craft that experience, whether it's choosing colors, wording, or helping the to create a letterpress cut of the location where they're getting married, personalizes their moments together.

-Take your time figuring things out and go with what your gut tells you to go with. Often times, we see brides over-think things, either because family members or friends are giving input on what to do or brides think about what others want to see. Always go with how your heart feels--it's your day.

images above by emilie inc.

Vendor Spotlight: Gus & Ruby Letterpress

We had a great conversation with Samantha from Gus & Ruby Letterpress yesterday, and if you're looking for a relaxing and intimate experience, you must stop in! While their shop is absolutely adorable, the love for the work that they do truly shows. Oh, and the pups are so adorable!

images above by Emilie Inc.



Company: Gus & Ruby Letterpress
Owners: Samantha Finigan and Whitney Swaffield
Store Location: Portsmouth, NH
Phone: 603.319.1717
Website: www.gusandruby.com
Blog: www.gusandruby.com/blog.html

You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter!

Number of Years in Business: Whitney and I combined, for about 4 or 5 years. Whitney and I together for Gus & Ruby, about 2 years now.

Pricing Information: A full suite of invitations (for about 100 people) generally runs between $800-$2,500. Each couple is different and we adapt to any budget - large or small.

What makes us stand out in our industry? First, we are both very passionate about weddings and feel that every part of planning a wedding is really important and special - not just when a bride is picking out her dress. So when a bride or couple comes in, we give them a glass of champagne and sit them down to chat. And we don't just chat about what they're looking for in paper products, but the whole wedding! We really want to get to know our clients to visualize their dream wedding. Each moment and experience should be as amazing and memory-filled as finding that perfect dress. Second, is our custom designing and the vendors that we work with; we carry vendors that others don't have and represent the best of the best. We like to meet with the vendors to make sure it's a quality product; something we can stand by.

What do we like to do in our spare time? We don't have too much spare time, but I've been an equestrian since I was little so I truly enjoy riding. And for Whitney, well she's an incredible skier and field hockey player (skiing and playing field hockey for Plymouth State College). We're both very close to our families, so spending time with them is really important to us and we love to bake and spend time hiking with our pups!

What charity are we supporting and why? The ASPCA. We figured it was most appropriate since our dogs are a big part of our business--I mean it's named after them! It's so cute because one is like 10 lbs and the other is like 50lbs...and they're so in love :)

Check out some of their invitations!

images above by Emilie Inc.