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Wedding Stationery Guide: Letterpress Printing

Printing Primer· Wedding Stationery Guide

6 Feb

Letterpress printing. Whether you’ve never heard of it, or you have been head over heels in love with it since you first came across it, this printing process is undeniably gorgeous. But how in the world does it work? And why is it so much more expensive than flat printing? I’m answering these questions and more in this installment of the Wedding Stationery Guide! Letterpress is my all time favorite printing process – nothing compares to its look and feel. It effortlessly elevates a traditional wedding invitation from plain to elegant, and instantly transforms a simple typographic design into a work of art.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to hold a piece of letterpress stationery, order a sample pack so you can run your fingers over the paper and see its beauty for yourself.

letterpress printing for wedding invitations


As part of the Wedding Stationery Guide, I’ve put together a primer on printing processes to clear up some of the confusion that comes with ordering wedding invitations. See other posts in the series here: Printing Primer

Letterpress is an artisan printing method that results in a deep impression on soft cotton paper. It’s a time honored technique, making it perfectly suited to producing elegant and traditional letterpress wedding invitations.

peach lace letterpress

In letterpress printing, ink is transferred from a raised surface to paper using pressure. Originally, printing was done using wood type set by hand. While some printers still use movable type, all the invitations I offer are printed using a custom made printing plate. This means I can create custom designs on my computer using the typefaces and embellishments you choose.
movable wood type for letterpress

Once the layout for an invitation design is finished, the digital artwork comes to life when it’s made into a polymer plate. A separate plate is created for each ink color used in the artwork. Ink is applied to the plate, paper is hand fed through the printing press. The plate is pressed into the paper, creating an inked indentation.

vintage letterpress

Letterpress inks are mixed by hand, printing plates are manually aligned, and old presses have their quirks. This is all part of the beauty of letterpress, and means that there will be slight variations between the pieces in your order.

hand mixed letterpress inks
Blind letterpress (also referred to as “blind impression”, “embossing” or “debossing”) is the technique of letterpress printing with an un-inked plate to press a design into the paper. The result is a subtle texture without color. Because a separate printing plate is made for blind letterpress*, it counts as a “color” for pricing purposes.
blind letterpress lace on cotton paper

Letterpress is a labor intense process. Most of the costs are in the set up, so the cost per piece for low quantities is high. Conversely, the higher the quantity the lower the cost is per piece.

Letterpress printing is best suited for two or three color designs with minimal ink coverage. Soft cotton paper allows for the best impression, but letterpress is also available on smooth paper stocks (there will just be a less noticeable indentation in the paper). The letterpress collection showcases designs that are perfectly suited to this classic printing method. I’m happy to adjust other designs to work with letterpress printing too!

Letterpress can also be paired with foil stamping – as seen in the Delicate design below, featuring blind letterpress with rose gold foil stamping.

Hopefully this post and the photos gave you a better understanding of letterpress printing. However, I think letterpress needs to be seen in person to be truly appreciated! Head over to the shop and order a sample foil wedding invitation so you can run your fingers over the deep impression in the paper and see its beauty for yourself.!

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MEET SARAH

Hello! I´m Sarah - I am a mom, wife, and stationery designer living in southwest Michigan. I believe in God and good manners, love beautiful typography, adore traditions, and am infatuated with pretty paper.
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ABOUT ME

I’m Sarah, and I create tailor-made wedding stationery for brides that need a simple, classic invitation design with just the right amount of personality.

Banter & Charm is a Michigan wedding invitation design studio based in St. Joseph. Not local? I serve brides throughout Michigan and northern Indiana, Notre Dame, Chicago, the Midwest, and across the US. Read More…

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205 Main Street #331
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When your wedding ceremony location is as stunning When your wedding ceremony location is as stunning as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, you need equally eye-catching invitations. And these custom invitations for Lizett and Andrew’s Notre Dame wedding don’t disappoint!⁠
Want to see more of this pretty invitation suite? Follow the link in my profile for all the details (p.s. the silver foil on the invitations is my favorite!)⁠
@ndbasilica⁠
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#customweddinginvitations #letterpressinvitations #navyweddings #classicwedding #classicinvitations #velluminvitations #weddinginspo #basilicabride #notredameweddings #venueND #ndbasilica
Looking for a swirly script for your wedding invit Looking for a swirly script for your wedding invitations? Or maybe you want something with an art deco flair or a traditional serif? No matter your preference, I’ve got you covered. Typography is an obsession of mine, and I have the font library to prove it!)⁠
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So, while you probably haven’t given much thought to fonts (besides the standard options available on your computer), I could spend hours picking out the perfect typeface for the project I’m working on!⁠
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Want some tips on choosing fonts? Head over to Banter & Charm's blog! (link in profile)⁠
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#typography #fontlove #dailydoseofpaper #weddinginvitationdesigner #customweddinginvitations #letterpress #letterpressinvitations #classicinvitations #classicweddings
Upscale details like silver foil vellum belly band Upscale details like silver foil vellum belly band and matching envelope liner elevate this invitation suite from simple to stunning! And the simple mix of traditional fonts keeps the design from looking too feminine (if your fiance doesn’t love hard to read script fonts, this might be for you!)⁠
Want to see more of this elegant suite? Head over to the blog (link in bio)!⁠
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#banterandcharm #basilicabride #notredameweddings #silverfoil #foilinvitations #formalwedding #classicwedding #invitationideas #monogrameverything #weddingmonogram #monogramaholic
Looking for ways to streamline your wedding statio Looking for ways to streamline your wedding stationery planning? I have just the thing! I've put together my top 5 tips for stress-free wedding stationery - link in profile.⠀⁠
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I love thinking outside the box when it comes to u I love thinking outside the box when it comes to using finishing touches! How pretty is this invitation that incorporates a wax seal and silk ribbon in the design, instead of using them to wrap up the whole suite?⁣⁠
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#banterandcharm #therisingtidesociety #fineartweddings #customstationery #dailydoseofpaper #midwestwedding #michiganbride #journeymanwedding #journeymandistillery #chicagobride #waxseal #weddinginvitations #weddinginspo
White ink calligraphy on pine green envelopes 😍 White ink calligraphy on pine green envelopes 😍😍😍⁣⁠
⁣Calligraphy by @madebymeer⁠
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#makewavesmonday #banterandcharm #customweddinginvitations #dailydoseofpaper #calligraphy #weddingcalligraphy #weddinginvites #weddinginspo #mibride #journeymanwedding #midwestwedding #chicagobride
New year, same (picture of) me! 😄 I do have som New year, same (picture of) me! 😄 I do have some updated headshots planned for a little later this year, but for now, you'll have to take my word for it that I still look the same 😉⁠
Regardless of how I look, I'm still Sarah. I’m a Midwest girl, born and raised in southwest Michigan where I still live today. I’m married to the love of my life, Jake, and am a mom to two adorable children, Abby and Alex. I believe in God and good manners, I treasure family traditions (both old and new), and I’m passionate about beautiful typography and pretty paper. ⁠
Fortunately, my passion is also my full-time job, and I spend my days designing wedding invitations for sweet brides through my stationery company, Banter & Charm. My side hustles also involve designing! Whether it's holiday cards for @minted or funny t-shirt on @zazzle I'm happiest when I'm able to put my creative talents to good use.⁠
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One of my favorite trends from last year was using One of my favorite trends from last year was using a colored paper (especially paired with foil stamping 😍)⁠
This gold on black is gorgeous, but I also saw a variety of lighter shades gaining popularity (can't wait to show a few new suites in blush pink and dusty rose)⁠
Would you ever use a colored paper for your wedding invitations? Or are you a traditionalist that prefers white?⁠
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#banterandcharm #fineartwedding #foilstamping #customweddinginvitations #notredamewedding #basilicabride #lovemidwestbride #chicagowedding #michiganinvitationdesigner

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