Today on the blog I’m so excited to be featuring Leigh from Lovely Scribe Calligraphy with some tips for working with a calligrapher! I honestly didn’t know much about this at all until reading her post and I am totally OBSESSED with calligraphy. I dream that it’s a skill I will someday have. But for now, I’ll leave that to Leigh. I hope this helps any brides considering calligraphy for their big day!

Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now relax, take a deep breath and realize it’s all going to be okay. Your day will be beautiful no matter what. Today’s bride faces a lot of options when it comes to planning their big day, and let’s be real- whoever said ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ clearly never tried planning a wedding in the era of Pinterest and Instagram. I still say those of us who planned weddings prior to 2010 (ahem) ought to get a do over, but that’s a whole other post.

There has been a resurgence of calligraphy in the past few years. I think it can best be attributed to the way people communicate today. Thanks to social media, everyone sees things unfold in the form of images. Moments are conveyed through one single snapshot and ideas are exchanged at a rapid pace. This is where budgeting for calligraphy is really something to consider.

The First Look

Aside from seeing you strut your beautiful self down the aisle on your wedding day, the invitation itself is really the first glimpse your guests will have of your event. Something as small as the writing on an envelope truly sets the tone for your day. It conveys the mood, generates an expectation for what’s to come, and creates a general sense of excitement surrounding your wedding. Really, who doesn’t love finding something pretty nestled amongst the junk mail and bills?

Planning Ahead

Book your calligrapher at the outset just as you would your venue and photographer. Having worked with hundreds of brides, the one thing I can say I see most often is a lack of foresight. Seriously, who is thinking of letters on envelopes (unless you’re like me and you get giddy at the sight of paper) when there are things like dresses to pick out?! More often than not, I am contacted by brides at the very last minute. Calligraphers book up just as other vendors do. Realize that it is time consuming artwork that requires precision and careful attention to detail. To that end, make sure your guest list is in tiptop condition. Spelling errors and typos can be costly. Before you go about assembling an Excel spreadsheet, check with your calligrapher to see how they want to receive your list.

The Many Options

Exchange ideas with your calligrapher and make sure you’re on the same page in terms of style and expectations. Not every calligrapher can write in every style, so you really want to make sure that you’re a good match before you go ahead and get started. Ask about set-up fees, extra charges for colored ink, address centering, and addresses with more than three lines of writing. Most calligraphers include a surcharge for some of the aforementioned.

Decide how much calligraphy you want to include on your special day. Would you like to have Save the Dates addressed to match your wedding envelopes? Do you picture a custom seating chart greeting your guests at their arrival? How about a custom monogram? Keep these ideas in mind prior to booking.

Most importantly, and with all aspects of planning your special day, be sure not to lose sight of the big picture. You and your fiancé are madly in love and your day will be perfect for that reason alone. Let us calligraphers sweat the small stuff. After all, that’s our job.

To contact Leigh you can find her over on her website Lovely Scribe Calligraphy, browse her instagram, love on her Pinterest, or check out her Facebook. Or, just skip all that and send her an email at hello@lovelyscribe.com