Blog for Michigan calligraphy & invitation design by Leah E. Moss Designs

Online wedding invitations aren’t created equal: differences between shopping with me and Minted

One of the questions I often receive is “How is your semi-custom line different from Minted?” And I get it — it’s also a collection of online wedding invitations, with some of the options that are pre-determined and lots of elements personalized to you. But my line (and any other indie stationer’s line) costs more than Minted, and the big box option has quite frankly done a nice job with papers and print methods, in terms of quality. So your question is totally valid. Why spend more if you don’t have to? That’s just being a savvy shopper, and when you’re planning a wedding, you need to factor in every cost to get the most bang for your buck.

In this blog, I’ll go through the reasons why my semi-custom collection is different from shopping with Minted, so you can make an informed decision about what’s right for you as part of your big day!

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How to use your wedding color palette for a different season

/ Education, Weddings

I was recently chatting with my friend Sarah, who’s a self-proclaimed “COVID bride.” She told me that so many of her fellow brides have asked in their group chats about how to repurpose their original wedding color palette for a new date, that falls in a different season from the original one. If you’ve been planning a 2020 wedding that’s now at a different time of year in 2021 or 2022, this blog is for you! Sarah, I hope this is helpful for you and your fellow COVID couples… thanks so much for letting me know that this was such a hot topic!

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5 Wedding Stationery Tips for Engaged Couples

/ Education, Weddings

Wedding planning can be overwhelming, even without a global pandemic happening. There are so many aspects, each with their own vendors, questions, and factors. So, in this week’s blog, I’m tackling some wedding stationery tips to help make things a smidge easier. Couldn’t we all use a bit of help? I’ve got five tips for you, so let’s jump in.

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How the custom stationery process works

/ Behind the Scenes, Education, Weddings

People often think that having something custom-made for them is a really complicated process. If that’s you, that’s cool. I get where you’re coming from, but I’m here to try and change your mind! Just because something is special and an investment, doesn’t mean it has to be convoluted, off-limits, or beyond your reach. Let me explain how the custom stationery process works, from start to finish, for every couple that I get the privilege of welcoming into the Leah E. Moss Designs family.

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Hiring a custom wedding invitations designer is worth the money, but isn’t the right choice for everybody

/ Weddings

In these uncertain times, it’s even more challenging than usual for engaged couples to decide which vendors they want to have for their special day. Considerations about every aspect come into play! Hiring a custom wedding invitations designer is worth the money, but it isn’t the right choice for everybody. I’ve always known this and would never try to convince a couple who may not be a good fit, but in today’s climate, I’m especially sensitive to this. With that in mind, I’m breaking down why having a custom wedding invitations designer is truly so valuable, as well as the reasons why it may not be the best fit for the two of you. Ultimately, I want you to be able to make an informed decision about what will be the smartest investment for your situation!

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Tips for reception invitation wording after a private wedding in 2020

/ Education, Weddings

So, we all know that 2020 has been the year of the postponed wedding. Couples navigating this pandemic have been faced with tremendous hurdles, and it’s been amazing seeing the individuality shine through with each couple’s answer to the inevitable “what the heck do we do now” question. For some, a complete postponement has been in order – and that’s amazing. I know your day will be worth the wait! Other couples want to get married now and are opting to make things official privately this year and postpone their larger celebration until next year – for lots of reasons, this is my personal vote! But this begs the question… what does this mean for your reception invitation wording after a private wedding?

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Wedding Stationery Checklist

/ Education, Weddings

When most people think of wedding stationery, the first item that comes to mind is the invitation. And that makes sense – usually, the invitation suite is the star of the stationery show! But, the invitation isn’t the full picture. In fact, it’s only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. Working with a stationer allows you to have cohesion from your save the dates all the way through to thank you notes. Plus, having one vendor for all of these items saves the headache of cobbling it together (and hoping it sort of matches) from multiple sources. Let’s dive into this wedding stationery checklist from start to finish!

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Get organized without cleaning out a closet

/ Home

I’m excited to announce a new product line of items to help you get organized, but because it’s a departure from my core business offering, I felt like it deserved an explanation as to why this type of pivot.

I’ve always been a nerd about planning – I’m “super Type A,” if that’s a thing. But over the years, I’ve honed some processes for getting organized and being more productive at home, without having to clean out another closet. These systems emerged after having problems in different parts of our life at home that needed fixing. By tackling the root problems with an ongoing system, these solutions were actual fixes – not just a Band-Aid closet or pantry purge.

In this blog, I’ll explain the frustrations we had in each area in our house, and how this system has improved each situation.

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4 inspiring takeaways from business owners’ pivot strategy

/ Behind the Scenes, Education

With weddings, events, workshops, and art fairs getting postponed/canceled left and right, the paper community of vendors has had to be nimble and figure out ways to navigate this pandemic. When the stay-at-home order first came into play, I wasn’t sure what to do – I had to sit with the uncertainty for a bit. I’m in the process of developing something now as part of a pivot strategy, but these women sprang into action early on and came up with amazing changes to their business. They’ve each inspired me in their own way, and I can only hope that what I have up my sleeve is as helpful to and warmly received by the community as theirs have been. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

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3 Types of Wedding Invitations Postage

/ Education, Weddings

When we were newly engaged, my grandparents took me and Adam out for a congratulatory dinner and surprised us with a gift. We opened a beautiful silver and crystal serving set, designed for a decanting bottle of wine and four glasses, all on a tray. It’s an heirloom piece that was theirs as newlyweds. It sits in our display case in the dining room, and it hearkens back to a time long ago – I love it every time I walk by. I think the exact same way about postage – there’s something deeply nostalgic about stamps. I can’t be the only one who thinks this (uhhh tell me I’m not alone, please!). But at any rate, stamps are the final important detail to consider with your stationery; you’ve got options for your wedding invitations postage. If you’re not working with a custom stationery designer to help you with this step, I’ve explained each category here in this blog.

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