Wedding Biz Bliss features calligraphers who wow brides and grooms with their unique styles and designs, creating glorious wedding details that become a memorable part of their wedding celebrations.

Our cover artist, Claire White, has become known for her wedding signage installations. She also runs a thriving stationery business with her sister. Her brides become raving fans and return to her for seasonal products and art commissions long after their weddings are over.

This issue includes advice on pricing, contracts, and how to define your calligraphy style so that you can attract your dream clients. If pursuing wedding calligraphy is on your radar, then Wedding Biz Bliss is a must read for your business.

MEET COVER ARTIST CLAIRE WHITE

Claire White’s bubbly personality and stylish designs have won her loyal fans among brides and wedding planners in the Nashville, Tennessee area. No surprise that she won the Best of Nashville Award in 2020, after receiving third runner-up in 2019.

SO YOU WANT TO START A WEDDING CALLIGRAPHY BUSINESS?

Wedding calligraphy, although a luxury service, is alive and well in our digital, instant-gratification age. If you have one or two strong calligraphy styles in your repertoire, an eye for detail, and organizational skills, you can get started in wedding calligraphy.

EXPRESSING YOUR STYLE: A HAPPY UNION OF CALLIGRAPHY & CREATIVITY

Not everyone is your client is a mantra we know is true but sometimes have trouble taking to heart. Defining your design aesthetic can be challenging, but if you can verbalize it confidently on your website and social media you will have a better chance of attracting dream clients and projects.

STATIONERY SUCCESS FOR PAPER PEOPLE

Starting a stationery business is both easy and hard. The barriers to entry are small, but finding resources and setting up your workflow can be daunting unless you have the right mindset when you jump in. Thank goodness we have stationery experts who are willing to share what they learned after starting their own businesses.

STATIONERS SURVEY RESULTS

So what factors will help you start and run a successful stationery business? I surveyed members of several Facebook stationery groups to ask about their skill sets, work process, and advice they would give to newbies.

GRATITUDE, NOT ATTITUDE: HOW TO WRITE OUTSTANDING THANK YOU NOTES

When working with brides, I provide guidance on writing Thank You notes as part of the wedding stationery order. It’s information everyone can use for any occasion, but particularly for brides and grooms who need to send handwritten notes in a timely manner.

MONOGRAMS, DUOGRAMS, AND CIPHERS: OH MY!

Wedding calligraphers are often asked to create a design of the couple’s initials to use on stationery and wedding day details. But what are the etiquette rules for these versatile pieces of art, and how do these rules affect the design?

ENGROSSER’S SCRIPT VS COPPERPLATE: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

What is the difference between Engrosser’s Script and Copperplate?

EDITING  &  WATERMARKING PHOTOS ON THE GO

Why should I spend the time learning how to edit my photos? Is there an easy way to do this with just my phone or tablet? What is a watermark, and should I include one on my images?

CALLIGRAPHY ON ICE: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA RENO

Calligraphers often seek out unique surfaces to enhance with beautiful lettering. Andrea Reno, a Professional Cake and Sugar Artist from the Republic of Honduras, uses iced cakes and cookies as her canvases for stunning calligraphy designs.

THREE IMPORTANT LESSONS I’VE LEARNED FROM BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CALLIGRAPHY BUSINESS

Want to start a calligraphy business, but have NO IDEA how? That was exactly where I was, in November 2015. I knew I loved calligraphy. I knew I wanted to make a business out of it.

5 KEYS TO CONFIDENT PRICING

Do the words “How much do you charge for (insert project description here)” instantly give you butterflies? When you hover over the “send” button on an estimate for a client, do you ever feel a little (k, more than a little) nervous?

DO I NEED A CONTRACT?

Contracts may sound intimidating, but you’ll  love them once you get to know them. If a conflict comes up with a client, you can say, “Let’s see what the contract says” and it will have your back.