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Today on the wedding blog I have the pleasure of introducing a fabulous North East wedding stationery (and other wonderful stuff) designer that I have been working with recently. Her name is Helen, of What A Do Weddings and her fabulous designs need no other introduction. She is a real artist and her services should be snapped right up!
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How and why did What A Do Weddings begin?
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I’ve designed wedding stationery for years as part of my job as a graphic designer. I’ve often thought why are no graphic designers offering couples this service? The kind of agency service you would expect for any other type of design, where you discuss what the client is looking for, propose a few concepts and work with them to visualise something they love. So while on maternity leave this year I stopped wondering and started doing. I chose the name ‘What A Do’ to reflect the amazing weddings I’d be inviting people to through my designs. I get excited when I receive a quality invitation (not very often). I believe it sets the standard or feeling for what’s to come and adds to the excitement and build up to the event. I have designed many invitations for birthdays also and corporate and charity events so the grand plan was to have mini-sites for What A Do Parties and What A Do Events.
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Are you married? Did you make the invitations for your own wedding day?
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I’ve been married 6 years, and designed my own stationery. I look back on it with fond memories: it was and still is very personal to me. I couldn’t help but brand my day, something I now like to do for others. Having that little touch that reminds you of the event you are at or have been to is one of the things that makes it unique.
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What designs are available to order?
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My website showcases bespoke designs (some of which could be used or tweaked for others) as well as some more generic designs which are not venue or couple specific. Any of these are available to order and not just as you see them. I work to various sizes and formats such as pocket, boxed and greeting card format, and am happy to alter designs, and obviously change them to suit any colour scheme. The designs so far cover vintage, damask, floral, swirls, ornate and illustrative.
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Can you do bespoke designs?
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This is my strength and I believe what sets me apart from other stationers. I love to design, and the nature of design is to create something visual from a discussion – something new. I relish a new challenge or request and would only ever turn it down if I did not think I could make it look good. My bespoke designs to date include the following…
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I photographed the interior and picked up a heart shape in a fireplace which was repeated into a frame with the couples name inside.
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Two designs: one features the unique rose ceiling inside the chapel, the other a more obvious photograph of the Chapel but still stunning and one of my favourites.
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A friendly illustration style of the Hall itself.
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And my biggest challenge to date – a Sunderland fan getting wed to a penguin fan!
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What is your favourite design and why?
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Can’t help but love vintage. My favourite design is my French vintage invitation. Unfortunately this was not for a real wedding but for a photographer who wanted to feature a French vintage invitation in her new book. I’d love someone to use it though – calling all brides to be! I have another vintage style with torn edges. I love this too.
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Where do you get your inspiration from?
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Absolutely everywhere. I take pictures of all sorts. I love typography and will always snap any old signage, textures to use in designs, anything ornate, architecture and landscapes. I also love doodles particularly children’s doodles as they have a unique way of simplifying things. I am passionate about art particularly print making. I screen print and have bought an Adana machine to eventually create letterpress stationery with. I like to attend and take part in local art exhibitions. I own a couple of original antique letterpress posters and have a collection of Victorian labels which are going to allow me to develop this style into invitations. Music, quotations, eclectic styles, design, the list goes on.
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What products are available in each design?
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Where does it stop? Obviously the usual suspects, rsvp’s, place cards, table plans, menus, save the date, evening invitations, thank you cards etc. but I also do wedding websites, kids colouring packs (venue or couple specific), hen do t-shirts (I have even done posters for a large hen do), save the date magnets or bookmarks. Whatever a customer may ask for I’d like to think I will have a way of doing it. I welcome any new ideas. Couples can have the original illustrations (if this is their stationery design) framed and kept as a keepsake also.
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Who would be your dream client, and what sort of design would you envisage for them?
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Any bride to be who wants something different, even slightly whacky or arty. Now I’ve said this I don’t know if any fall into this category, but I’d love to push the boundaries, do something new and wow. If I had to put it on a personality I’d say Gwen Stefani (even though already married). I’d reflect her style and personality with something bold and arty. Love the fact her husband is Gavin Rossdale so would want to mix the rock style in too.
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I also love a themed wedding. Anything special to that particular couple that they can translate into a style across their whole event. Retro, garden, childhood sweethearts theme or anything that is new, something different that I haven’t done or seen before.
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Does all the stationery have to match?
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It should work as a set. There should be a common element whether it be a font, paper type, colour scheme, but other than that it is nice to have a little variation. I usually push the colour scheme as far as I can before it looks too different, so if you are using 2 or 3 colours I’d try and use all of these colours as a solid background on different items, not just apply one colour background, one colour text etc. but I always discuss this with the couple as I work. This is my way of working as a designer, other stationers will have different ideas.
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Where are you based and where can you supply?
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I am based in Durham but see no reason at all why I can’t work for anyone anywhere. I finished a job for a couple earlier in the year from London. I never spoke with them or met them it was all done on email and through the post. The surprising thing is I felt like I got to know the bride much better than most with our long late emails to each other. I find every couple I’ve worked for different and I am very much led by how they wish to work.
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Tell us about other products?
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I am planning lots of other products targeted at the gift side of weddings. I already sell ‘bride to be’ bags, kids colouring packs and personalised mounts. I hope to extend this into a range of fabric gifts for weddings such as personalised children’s bags (various styles and sizes), as well as personalised Mr & Mrs Aprons, tea towels, hen do t-shirts and a lot more. Wedding congratulations cards and personalised memory boxes are other ideas. Very early days on these but I’d love to hear any thoughts not just from couples but anyone in the industry. Something else I’d like to build on is work for and with other wedding suppliers and venues. It could be a unique set of stationery, a dedicated wedding website, kids colouring packs with illustrations of your venue, or promotional materials such as flyers and banners.
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What are your prices, are you doing any special offers?
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My prices are good! I use quality papers and often do bespoke designs at no extra charge. Invitations start at £1.50. I offer 10% discount on orders over £400. If you mention Brides Up North and order before November 2011, you can choose from 10 free kids colouring packs or a free mounted memory (mount with your wedding details and names on for you to ask guests to sign or keep and put your own photos in – details on request).
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How long do you take to turn around an order?
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If you request a design I already have and you send a swatch through for me to colour match, I will have a sample to you within 10 days and following your approval can deliver an average order 3 weeks later. If you are looking for a new design I prefer 3 weeks to get the initial proof to you, but if further amends are to be made it can become impossible to put a time on it as all new designs are different. I can prioritise an order if needed, however your wedding stationery is something that should not be rushed.
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How can I get in touch to discuss my requirements or place an order?
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The best way to contact me is by email (helen@whatadoweddings.co.uk ) or phone (07545 216339). If you have any ideas and images of things you like it is best to put these all onto an email and send it across for me to digest and come back with my thoughts. I have a website (www.whatadoweddings.co.uk ), facebook page and I am always on twitter (@whatadoweddings).
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Why did you Join The Northern Revolution with Brides Up North?
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I’m a visual person so when I cast my eye over the wedding blog for the first time I was instantly sucked in by the amazing photography. Julia has an eye for showcasing the best and as I looked closer through the images I was pulled in deeper by the ideas, dress, decoration, accessories, venues and overall detail which make these shots and weddings so stunning. I will never tire of the content because lets face it us gals love a wedding, but admire the way the content is constantly changing and yet always such a high standard. It is a must not only for brides to be but suppliers looking to be the best at what they do also.
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What is the future for What A Do Weddings?
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Possibly premises, definitely letterpress stationery. More collaboration with event planners, products into shops and boutiques, online shop, wedding gift range including congratulations cards and fabric gifts, lots of happy customers, new wedding industry friends and colleagues, get into wedding magazines and blogs, make a bit of money. Am I aiming to high?!
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Watch out for a VERY SPECIAL giveaway coming soon to Brides Up North courtesy of What a Do Weddings!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2011 What A Do Weddings
What A Do Weddings is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
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