Does Your Wedding Stationery Designer Need to Be Local?
When you're planning a wedding, there's a good chance you're looking for vendors in or around your wedding location. And that makes sense! Your florist, caterer, photographer, and venue all need to physically be there on your wedding day.
But your wedding stationery designer? Not necessarily.
In fact, when it comes to wedding invitations, where your designer is located matters a lot less than whether they're the right fit for you.
Let me explain
It's all about finding the right designer
Every wedding stationery designer has their own style. Some specialize in romantic, floral illustrations, while others lean towards modern minimalism, vintage-inspired designs, or bold typography.
And much like choosing a photographer, finding someone whose work you genuinely love is far more important than finding someone who happens to live nearby.
So if you've fallen in love with a designer's work but they're a few thousand miles away, don't cross them off your list just yet.
But how does the design process work remotely?
Pretty much exactly how it would if we lived in the same city!
We start by getting to know you, your wedding, and what you're envisioning for your stationery. From there, I'll create design concepts for you to review, and we'll work through revisions until everything feels just right.
You'll receive digital proofs throughout the process, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to review the details, share feedback, and request changes before anything goes into production.
And if you have questions along the way, I'm always just an email away.
You don't need to sit across a desk from your designer to create something beautiful together.
What about paper samples and printing?
Now, this is a fair question.
Wedding stationery is an incredibly tactile experience. There's a world of difference between seeing letterpress on a screen and actually running your fingers over that beautiful impression. On that note, I wrote a blog about different printing effects, which you can read here.
While digital proofs are wonderful for reviewing layouts, colours, and typography, they can't perfectly replicate the texture of handmade paper, the depth of letterpress, or the shine of foil.
Which is exactly why I provide physical samples!
I can send you samples so you can see and feel the different papers, printing methods, and finishes for yourself. Whether you're curious about the texture of cotton cardstock or what letterpress actually feels like, you don't have to rely entirely on photographs to make those decisions.
Because some things really are better experienced in person. Beautiful paper happens to be one of them.
But what about shipping?
Well, that's the easy part!
Mango Paperie is based in Vancouver, Canada, but I work with couples across the United States and around the world.
Whether you're planning a wedding in California, New York, Scotland, or somewhere entirely different, we can work together to create your invitations.
And here's a little bonus: shipping is free for all orders within Canada and the United States!
You’ll want to plan ahead
I would say that this is important regardless of where your designer is based.
Custom wedding stationery takes time. Between developing the designs, reviewing proofs, sourcing materials, printing, assembling, and shipping, there are quite a few moving parts.
At Mango Paperie, semi-custom invitations typically take 6–8 weeks, while custom invitations generally take 8–12 weeks from the start of the project. You can read more about custom invitations here.
And if your invitations are travelling internationally, I'd recommend allowing a little extra breathing room for shipping and any unexpected delays.
The last thing either of us wants is your invitations having a little adventure of their own when they're supposed to be on their way to your guests.
So, should you hire a local wedding stationery designer?
If you've found someone local whose work you absolutely love, wonderful!
But if you haven't, there's no reason to limit your search to your own city.
Wedding stationery is deeply personal, and finding a designer who understands your vision, aesthetic, and priorities can make all the difference.
TL;DR: Your wedding stationery designer doesn't need to be local. Find someone whose work you love, whose process you're comfortable with, and who understands what you're trying to create.
And if that someone happens to be a certain wedding stationery designer in Vancouver…
Well, hello. I'd love to work with you.
