Kelly Ann:
Hand calligraphy is a beautiful way to add a special touch to many features of your wedding. Most commonly seen are the hand lettered envelopes for your wedding invitations. When a guest receives an invitation that has been addressed by a calligrapher, undoubtedly, one of the first things that guest thinks is, “Wow. They had somebody hand-write these. This is going to be a nice wedding.” You are subtly letting your guests see that you are giving many of the details of your day that same attention. Is calligraphy just for envelopes? Absolutely not.

Invitations can be hand lettered as well. If you are having a small wedding, a calligrapher may do all of your invitations by hand, but for larger events, and invitation is created and brought to a printer for reproduction.

Other options for calligraphy include escort/place cards, seating charts, ketubahs, wedding vows, programs, attendant gifts, and the list goes on. Hand lettering options are really only limited by your budget, the calligrapher’s experience, and your imagination.
Calligraphy is expensive though, right? Not necessarily. It can be pricey, but there are ways to add this touch to your wedding without breaking the bank. One way is to do it yourself. You can take a calligraphy class that might cost about $100, and learn a lovely Italic or Copperplate font that will be perfect for your envelopes. There is a future bride in the class I am taking right now who is doing this. The plus side of this option is that if you end up really liking this new craft, you can then help other brides by providing your own calligraphy services.
If learning calligraphy is just not going to fit on your planning plate, you might contact the instructor and inquire as to whether any of her students are interested in gaining the practice by addressing your envelopes for free or a minimal fee. After my first class, I contacted a friend of a friend who I knew was getting married and volunteered my new found services. She graciously accepted, received free calligraphy, and was trilled with how they looked. A beginning calligrapher, like me, may also charge significantly less than a more experienced calligrapher. Finding a talented novice can be a huge money saver.
Search the internet. What is great about calligraphy and those who provide the service, is that often, you never have to actually meet with the calligrapher. Envelopes can be shipped back and forth, designs can be confirmed through e-mails, and questions can be answered over the phone. So while a well-known NYC calligrapher may be too expensive for your budget, there may be a calligrapher in Nebraska whose calligraphy is just as beautiful, but less expensive. Your calligrapher could be just a Google away.
There are many ways to incorporate calligraphy into your wedding. Envelopes are popular, but certainly the choices do not end there. It is very possible to find affordable calligraphy options, so don’t think you have to rule it out because it looks expensive. Hand lettering is a beautiful way to add to the romance of your wedding, and something your guests will appreciate and remember.
Note that Ms. KellyAnn used FH's name, both of our dog's names (Kota and Juneau), my name, our Engagement Anniversary date as well as our wedding date in her samples! I am so fortunate that she is gifting us her service for our wedding... but even if she wasn't, her rates are reasonable enough, where i'm sure i could have found room...


Did any of y'all opt for Calligraphy? How'd you decide what style you wanted?
Let me know which font you'd pick for my wedding... I think i'm leaning towards font #1 but with the style above where the name is diagonal and the address is standard horizontal... or something funky and fun like that! :-)
and if you have any questions regarding personalization of your own wedding and Kelly's affordable rates, Contact her and see about what she can to personalize your wedding, you'd be (pleasantly) surprised at how affordable something so classy and personal can be :)
the style of the last one is my fav :)
ReplyDeleteI like the first one!
ReplyDeleteAmy, that first one is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWhere were all these great blogs and businesses around when I got married. It was only 3 short years ago...
I heart Calligraphy!
ReplyDeleteI love calligraphy! And the middle pic on the bottom is my fav. So pretty! I am trying to squeeze room in forus to have calligraphy, we will have to wait and see!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going for calligraphy. It gives a special touch of personalization. I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI like the style on the 4th image.
i like #3
ReplyDeleteI really like the third one. We are getting ready to send out or invitations and I soooo wish we would have done calligraphy. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteThe last one looks best!
ReplyDeleteI would like Calligraphy, but I'm on a SUPER tight budget lol.
I like the second one. I'm going to be different.
ReplyDelete:-)
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteHand lettering is a beautiful way to add to the romance of your wedding, and something your guests will appreciate and remember.
ReplyDelete