Tropical Styled Shoot - Gimme those summer vibes!

It’s the dead of winter but that didn’t stop this amazing vendor lineup from shooting a tropical inspired styled shoot in Florida last month! With coral and peach hues, pops of tropical greenery, and the cutest couple you ever did see, this wedding styled shoot is sure to warm you up!

Since I don’t fancy myself a photographer, it’s pure joy to receive amazing professional pictures of my tropical invitations. Here are a few of my favorites including pictures of the my “Riviera” suite, tropical table decor, the couple, and beautiful tropical flowers! I even created monstera placecards with gold calligraphy and menus for this shoot. I love how it all turned out!

Vendors:

Photographers: @catgrangerphotography & @carlingzhou

Venue: @habitatseya

Wedding Planner: @jessicajevents 

Styling Assistant: @summercoevents 

Florist: @houseofredman

HMUA: @brushedbeautyllc_

Rentals: @somethingvintage @fieldandgown 

Stationery/Calligrapher: @kokomocreative (that’s me!) :)

Cake: @bttrcrmbakeshop

Couple: @muir_models

Why Choose a Tropical Invite for a Destination Wedding?

Is sending out tropical themed invites for your tropical destination wedding overkill? Or is it the perfect way to get your guests in vacation mode?

So you’ve decided you want a tropical destination wedding. Or maybe you’re lucky enough and live near the beach and would love nothing more for all your guests to come visit for your big day. Either way, it may seem overkill or obvious to go with a “tropical” theme for your wedding and/or invites. But I happen to think sending out tropical themed invites for your destination wedding is the perfect way to get your guests excited about not only your wedding celebration, but that escape vacation. Because, let’s be honest - that vacation part may be a big reason guests decide to go. They get to celebrate you and your loved one AND get an awesome vacation?! Win-Win!

A tropical themed wedding invite will be your guests’ first glimpse into what you have planned for the week or weekend. What better way to give your guests a sneak peak than printed palm tree silhouettes, lush monstera leaves, and pineapples?

Okay, I have something to tell you if you’re planning a destination wedding. You may not want to face it, but one of the first things your guests will think upon receiving that Save the Date (right after pure joy and excitement for your upcoming nuptials, of course) is, “How much is all that traveling going to cost if I go?” Heck, maybe that’s exactly why you’re having a destination wedding! You’d rather keep things intimate while not having to choose who to limit invites to. I totally get it. It’s no secret that destination weddings typically don’t have as many willing RSVPs as a local wedding. A lot of friends or families just can’t swing it financially or take the time off necessary to travel.

Whether or not you’re hoping for less RSVPs, or you really would love for everyone you invite to come celebrate your wedding, a tropical invite will get everyone in the mood for celebrating, lounging beach or poolside, and plenty of tropical drinks. And if they can’t make it - they’ll know exactly what they’re missing out on!

Why Is Letterpress So Expensive?

So you’ve scoured the internet, Pinterest, and Etsy and you’ve finally found them. Your dream wedding invitations. So you reach out to the shop or supplier and get a quote on those gorgeous cotton letterpress or gold foiled invites. You cannot wait to start mailing out those beauties.

But there’s a problem. You get the quote back but you just stare blankly at the total and think... “That can’t be right… there must have been a mistake. An extra ‘0’ got added perhaps? Maybe they quoted way too many? Isn’t it just paper? PAPER. How can a piece of paper cost that much!? Whyyyy!?!?”

And then disappointment and confusion hits full force. You feel bait and switched. I get it and I’m here to help explain why.

"Fancy" forms of printing (like letterpress, metallic foiling, screen printing, engraving, etc) are much more complicated and require large, and often old and vintage, forms of machinery. Letterpress, for example, is an old printing method where metal plates are created with the words/design and paper is hand-fed so the metal plate “presses” into the paper, creating the indentation that looks so romantic and pretty. And if you’re doing a foil? It’s the same process but now the foil needs to be transferred onto the paper as well adding costs in materials and time.

If color is to be incorporated into the letterpress, a new metal plate will have to be created for EACH color and layered, one pass at a time for each plate/color, until the final product is complete.

 

So why is it so expensive?

1. Well for one, that metal plate that needs to be created for each color is not cheap or easy to do. 

2. It can be a very time consuming process for the printer

3. Materials needed to operate and upkeep the vintage machinery

4. Special paper that will show off the indentation of the press

5. If you have multiple colors, you will need a plate for each color/design (hence why adding additional colors gets much more expensive in comparison to only 1 color)

6. The printer may have to hand-feed the paper for each color applied

This isn’t your standard, load the paper and hit “print” device. But that’s what makes it so special and provides a vintage and old-world feel. Totally worth the splurge if you can find it in your budget! You only get married once and your invites completely set the tone of your wedding as they are the first glimpse your guest gets into your big day. Sending out invites and paper products have become a special surprise in our mailboxes, especially in this new digital age. Don't lose the art of crafted invitations! If there's ever a reason to do it - it's your wedding day!

Lettepressing/Foiling a Large vs Small Area

I often get asked the question, "What if we gold foil only our monogram at the top? Will that cut costs?" Sadly, no it's not cheaper. It's the same cost whether your foiling or letterpressing a large area versus a small area on your invite (there are exceptions of course where large areas may be more expensive due to the cost of the foil). However, typically, the area size does not matter due to the reasons listed above. The cost isn't in the amount of space being letterpressed, but the entire process and the fact that a metal plate has to be create regardless if it's only a monogram or a whole paragraph of text. 

So, now you know!

Hopefully this post helped ease some confusion over the extreme price difference between print options and paper. And now you know why letterpressing and foiling are much more expensive than your standard “flat” print option. If you have any questions or would like a sample, please don’t hesitate in reaching out to me.

And if it turns out that letterpress or gold/silver/copper foil are indeed out of your price range - not to worry! I offer two different flat print options based on quality and paper type. If you're interested in a custom quote, just click the button below!

Tropical Wedding Invitations: A process as easy as you sipping a mai tai on the beach

So you said, YES! Now prepare for endless decisions.

So you're engaged - CONGRATULATIONS! Now prepare yourself to make more decisions in the next 6+ months than you've had to do in your entire LIFE! Just kidding. Sort of. You will be bombarded with ALL the questions not only from friends, family members, vendors, your wedding planner, and anyone else participating in your big day. And not just questions that need answers. But questions that require strong, definitive opinions. For a people-pleaser like me and someone who goes with the flow, this was a tough one when planning my wedding. Wait, I can choose any color/song/design/flower/etc. available?! Do I have strong feelings about these things? Not really? Oh well, still gotta pick one! Ahhh.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? Are your wedding invites the least of your worries and demands at this point? I feel you. Invitations are often a piece of the wedding picture that get overlooked or put off until the last minute. But they shouldn't be! Here me out on this one.

Your Guests' First Impression

You may have been planning the details of your big day for over a year but the invites are oftentimes your guests' first introduction and impression into everything you have been planning. This is your chance to finally bring your guests into YOUR love story and celebration. Yes, the day is about you and your future spouse committing your lives to one another. But why go through all those decisions, spend so much money, and throw a massive party if it wasn't about your guests too? Get them excited with the invites. It truly sets the tone and subtly let's them know what to expect whether it be a black tie sunset soirée or a casual barefoot beachside celebration. Yes, your invites can help communicate that.  

It's Really Happening

Brides often tell me when they see their invites printed, assembled, and ready to be delivered, that that's when it all feels "real." It's really happening. We're really getting married and all these people will be there to witness with us and celebrate! I just love when this moment hits. And I think all the more reason your wedding invites should be more than an after thought or more than a piece of paper you print your names on. It's in invitation into the rest of your lives. A life you'll build with your best friend and that is SO freakin special. 

Tropical Stationary: It's kinda my thang

"Okay," you must be thinking, "but how is this supposed to put me at ease!? Aren't the invites just now one more thing I need to make a decision about?" Well, my answer is yes, but it doesn't have to be either. I'm assuming you're here because either you've seen my work and you like it, or you're planning a destination wedding in a tropical location (or both!). Well you're in luck, cuz tropical stationery is kinda my thang and I'd love to help you and create memorable invitations for you to deliver to your guest list. 

If you see a set you like here or on my Etsy shop, all you have to do is purchase, send me your info, provide some easy peasy decisions, and I will handle the rest. If you want something semi-custom or completely unique to you and your big day, fill out this questionnaire and i will provide a quote. Don't worry, I have options ranging in all different styles and budgets. 

No matter which route you go, I can't wait to work with you and make this a fun process that captures your wedding day. It really should be as relaxing as sipping a mai tai on the beach. Once those invites have hit the mailboxes and you start getting texts from friends and family about how much they love them and how they can't wait for your wedding weekend, it makes it all worth it. And let the final countdown to the big day begin! 

Contact me to start on your tropical wedding invitations!