Real Weddings: Natasha and Patrick

When I met Natasha for our initial consultation, I was so sweetly surprised by how easy going she was. Natasha is a girl who has an air of confidence about her, but balances that with a carefree-ness and a love to laugh. I enjoyed working with her to find the vision she had for her wedding stationery. I didn’t get the privilege of meeting her groom Patrick, but I’d imagine he must be pretty great to captivate a girl like Natasha.

I enjoyed working with this couple on a beautiful, modern, and classic invitation suite along with some really fun signs and treat flags. Following the ceremony, we created custom stationery just for them. Their invitation was a one-color charcoal letterpressed card mounted to a luxe quartz metallic stock. The bride opted for a whimsical dip-pen style calligraphy for the outer envelope, hand lettered in charcoal. Enjoy this fun event – beautifully captured by Jason+Gina Photography.

Photography: Jason+Gina Photography

Venue: The Denver Art Museum

Planning: Bliss Elevated

Stationery: Sweet Zion Paperie

Love, Love, Love!

Happy Monday! Usually on Monday's we "Show Some Love" for one of our favorite local vendors. Today, we are showing some love for ourselves and announcing the start of our Mad Love Giveaway!

Here are the rules:

1. You MUST like every post from Monday, Feb 9- Friday, Feb 13. The winner will be announced on Saturday, Feb 14 and the will get a prize sent to their door!

2. You MUST complete each challenge that the post asks of you... if you don't, your name won't be entered into the drawing at the end of the week!

Are you ready to show your crazy love for Sweet Zion?! Good Luck!

Wedding Wars 2015: James Bond

We are so grateful to have the opportunities that we do! This super fun opportunity was a part of Team Galore at Wedding Wars bridal show a few weeks ago. The theme was James Bond, super fun! Take a look at what our amazing team pulled off. Thank you for being innovators in this industry: Rachel Austin Events, Urban Safari Photography, Astonishing Cakes LLC, Bella Lu Floral, Occasions Catering Denver, Vehicle Vault, The Bridal Collection, Denver Tux, Jaded Beauty, Masterful Musicians, Vintage Rentals Denver, Yonder Floral + Decor House, Snappy Face Painting, Knotty Tie Co, EventRents

 

The Ins & Outs of the RSVP Card

The dreaded RSVP card...they may sound like a hassle, but they can be great! Let's start with the basics:

RSVP? RSVP, the abbreviation for the French phrase “respondez s’il vous plait,” means please respond.

What are they? RSVPs are usually needed when sending out invites to formal events or weddings.

Who do they go to? Make sure you send one along with each invitation.

When do they need to be returned? For weddings, make your RSVP date two to three weeks before your wedding date -- this will allow enough time for you to get a final head count to the caterer (one week before) and to finalize your seating chart. If some guests still haven't responded by your deadline, give them a quick call and ask for their RSVPs (still via mail) so you have all their information.

Sometimes guests tend to forget to mail back their response cards after they receive the invitation. Make it easy for them by sending reception cards that use decorative designs.

Make your RSVP fun! This library card post card was the perfect reply for a surprise birthday party we did for an avid reader.

Planned by @savethedateevents

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Paper Lovers! Can you believe that it's already the end of 2014? What a crazy year it has been for SZP. We have created countless invitations, save the dates, programs and name cards. We have added to our team and become a part of others. We have laughed and cried. We have learned a lot and taught others as well. We have licked envelopes, replaced ink cartridges and had hundreds of meetings. And we have LOVED every second of it!

We are so thankful for everything that 2014 has brought us and we can't wait to see what 2015 has in store.

Wishing you health and happiness in 2015,

Sophie and SZP Team!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me....

Merry Christmas Paper Lovers!!!

This year has brought us so much! Lots of love and laughter with family and friends and we are so happy that you could be a part of it!

This year, our Christmas card used handmade papers from Sustain & Heal along with Hemp cord from Hemptique. Our card was letterpress printed with hand illustrated greeting by Sophie's husband, Tim!

Here is the poem that Tim wrote:

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

Sophie was scrambling to get the Christmas cards out

Our mission: send Uli-tide greetings to loved ones dear

So we cracked open some ‘nog upon a midnight clear

With snow in November, We’re snuggled close in bed

Not Sugarplums dancing, but poetry instead.

“Write On, dear husband”, said my sweet bonnie lass

Putting pen to paper, Let’s kick this Christmas poem’s …. butt.

Soph falling to pieces like a nutcracker doll,

Surgery fixed knee and hip - now she’s decking the halls.

With crutches, and braces, apparatuses to spare

We met our deductible by January this year.

A Superbowl flop had me down in the dregs,

The She-hawks recipients of a Broncos lain egg.

A revamped defense and plenty ‘o touchdown balls

Hang Denver’s 3rd Superbowl stocking down Lombardi Hall.

On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, and Venti

Our dear Saint Bernard leaves furballs a’plenty

Pulling Santa’s sleigh will be no problem this year

Rudolph, watch your back - V’s bringing up the rear!

We got sick of feeding the student loan grinch

The checkbook always feeling that nasty, green pinch

So we said Auld Lang Syne to that 5 year foe

Now we’re kissing hard-earned Benjamins ‘neath the mistletoe

My wife the creative - with all her grey matter

Crafted many invitations; brides and grooms to flatter

With a new member added to our SZP crew

A few more elves in the workshop shrinks her lists, “to-do”

I made Santa’s Nice list without milk and cookies

A new job, new desk, new numbers to bookkeep

Debits and credits plus some amortization

Someone’s gotta audit Santa’s inventory inflation.

Home improvement projects included a new roof

Perfect for the guy in the sleigh wearing the big red suit

Tearing up and laying 800 sq feet of new floor

Left Tim, Soph, Jon & Jo quite a bit sore.

It wasn’t last Christmas that I gave Soph my heart

We just celebrated 5 years - time flew from the start

We’re looking forward to approximately 65 more

And still, time stops when she walks through the door

Our annual vacation included mouse ears and coasters

My first trip to Disney - Andy and Becca as hosters

Lots fun and walking, with souvenirs to boot

You’d think Santa came early judging by the loot

As I do every year, I’d like to plant a reminder:

Of the one Christmas gift, you won’t find one kinder,

His name is Jesus, born in humble esteem

Hosanna in the highest to our risen King

So Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

from the Ulibarri three

Joy and happiness, to you

And good will to all peeps

From the SZP team to you and your loved ones:  We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Together We Could Make a Difference

Small Business Saturday was yesterday, November 29th. It's always the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday and before Cyber Monday. It gets squeezed in between the busiest shopping days of the year, encouraging shoppers to shop local. Did you know that is each of us spent $100 a year more on local businesses instead of chain stores, it would put an extra $300 million per year into our economy? Not only that, it would create thousands of jobs every year!

Read that again. And again. And again until it sinks in.

All of that and small businesses get just one Saturday a year? It just doesn't make sense.

We challenge you to shop local. Find a local, small and family owned business to support. Every Monday, we "Show Some Love" to a local vendor that we love and we use the hashtag #ShopLocal. We encourage you to use the hashtag the next time you shop small and support a local business! It's important and it really does make a difference!

During this holiday season, take our challenge! Shop small and local and use the hashtag because together, we could make a difference. And it could be amazing.

Wintery Blues

Are these freezing temperatures getting you down? They are making us daydream about sand and fruity drinks! A few weeks ago, (when fall was still fairly present!) we did a stylized shoot! We are in love with how beautiful these turned out! So, take a break from the wintery blues and enjoy these beautiful blues instead!

Images: Rebecca Marie Photography

Planning & Florals: Isabelle Kline Design

Rentals: Allwell Rents

Oh, Baby!

Don't you just love these photos from a baby shower we did for an event planner? Simple, yet SO gorgeous!

Planning: Gabby, Save the Date Events Photo: Jason+Gina Photography Cake/Desserts: Intricate Icings

We've Got News!

Hello Paper Lovers!

Lots of new and exciting changes happening over here at Sweet Zion Paperie! We have hired a new social media manager! Her name is Sydny and we are calling her our social media guru! She knows the ins and outs of all things networking. From Colorado, Sydny is a broadcasting and sports journalism student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and found a passion with social media. Sydny will be writing blog posts, tweeting daily and sending out the newest information over Facebook! We are thrilled to have her on board and share all of her insight with us.

So, stay tuned! There are lots of things to look forward to! New posts, new custom invitations and maybe even a few “giveaways” along the way!

A Chilly [a.k.a give you chills] Colorado Wedding

In case you missed this chilly Couture Colorado shoot the first go around, enjoy it here again! And here are a few of our favorite shots from the day as well. Feast your eyes.

Matt & Rikki - 6.14.14

We're wishing Matt & Rikki all the best. Here are a few shots from their big day. Photo credit to Becky Young Photography for the all gorgeous shots.

The Business of Bullying

Business cannot be done without other people. People can fill various roles in business, they can be customers, vendors, or other professionals in the same field. In simple terms, I estimate there to be 2 arms of business; the customer side (who patrons your business, the ones that pay your mortgage) and the support side (the vendors who enable you to do what you do - i.e. the nurse to the doctor). Though I also appreciate and admire the zealousness that some business owners have in protecting, honoring, and ultimately delivering for their clients and customers, I am at times honestly surprised that they can still find people who are willing to fill their support side.

The question in this entry is this: when does the esteem for your customer become a bad thing?

As a small business owner myself, I understand the need to side with your client, however, when that so grossly violates those that support and enable you to conduct your business, I would venture to say that you have become a bully in business. Even further, I cannot understand how business can be successfully or ethically conducted when service to your customer greatly outweighs the respect and consideration for those who support you. In my opinion, at ground level, it's a lack of integrity.

Although this doesn't sound like a heart-warming post, I have found great insight in recently learning this lesson which, fortunately for me, was gleaned by someone else's poor example. When recently a business owner tried to swing their proverbial "weight" around and back me into a corner, I acknowledged what was happening. I immediately took a stand for myself and the integrity I choose to run my business with. The best part? Probably shocking them by turning away their business.

By consciously choosing to run my business with a code of ethics, I have set up check points to prevent myself from becoming snarky, overly competitive, or even a bully. The reward for this diligence is that I also get to choose who I work with. No amount of money or number of contracts in a year is worth me risking who I am and what I stand for. Unfortunately, for the business owner I was supporting, the scales were tipping.

Now I'm not saying I'm perfect - there are many examples, I am sure, of humility to throw on the table. However, I refuse to be a victim to insecurity, bullying in business, or small thinking. I want to embrace each challenge, surround myself with people who support me and keep me in check. I want to celebrate the successes of my competitors and colleagues and support them in ways that are unique to me. I love collaborating with other professionals because in the end, that's what business is about - recognizing you can't do it alone.

It takes people, not power.

Wax on, Wax off

Wax! Not only is it a cool word, its definitely a cool trend in the wedding industry at present. I've seen a true resurgence of "craftsmanship" in this day and age with young couples bringing back letterpress like it's gold as well as the aforementioned wax seal trend. Now, I'm not as old as I sound, but I do take time to appreciate nostalgia and also to give credit to the sage and true coined phrase "They just don't make them like they used to". However, in this case (and good news for you), they do!

Wax seals are perfect for event stationery for a myriad of reasons. We have used seals to close pocket invitations, to add a finishing touch, to establish a brand or theme, and even to seal an envelope or two. Check out these beautiful photos of some recent wax seal projects.

Now, you can integrate what was once a very vintage thing into a very modern and current piece of stationery giving just a shadow of scrutiny to the old adage "They just don't make them like they used to".

Calligraphy makes an Impression

Thinking calligraphy will make or break your wedding invitations? Here's our two cents.

The first thing your guests see regarding your big day is your invitation or save the date. If sent through the mail, the first thing of that they will see is your envelope. Handwritten touches will not only impress your guests, but also make them feel that you took the time to think of them (or paid someone to).

Calligraphy can be costly, but it is definitely an attention grabber. For an average invitation order of 100, figure anywhere from $250-450 for guest addressing and plan for about 2 - 3 weeks time for your calligrapher to work their magic.

Oh the Places You'll Go - Destination Weddings

As if a wedding isn't a rad enough party to attend, imagine spending it on the beach! For you crazy lovebirds who plan destination weddings, I'm sure it is a ton of extra work - especially if you travel to a country where English isn't the predominate language and you're not bilingual. 

My brave brother and sister in law did just last September as they celebrated their nuptials in Turks & Caicos, a place very special to the Bride & her family growing up. The beautiful sands, the warm sunshine, the TURKouise water....the setting was beautiful. The bride, Becca was absolutely gorgeous and my brother Andrew, of course a handsome groom. Together, they are a super fun pair, not to mention stand outs as individuals. 

The stationery for their big day was also really unique. We created a custom passport invitation and then an airline ticket piece as their announcement for those that could not attend. Enjoy these snapshots of the work and of the beautiful wedding. 

Island photo credit to Brovado Weddings (stunning, stunning work)

My Creative Dream Realized

Here's a brief interview conducted by Couture Colorado back in September 2013. We wanted to share why we started doing what we do (and what we love). Wait- what is all this "we" talk, it's just me! Please enjoy this little glimpse of my heart.

----------------------------------

 Sweet Zion Paperie is a custom, one stop shop for all things paper – from Save the Dates to Thank You notes, envelope printing & calligraphy, escort cards, programs, favors and pretty much anything else you can think of.

Papergoods can make a ordinary wedding extraordinary. I can’t get enough of creative save the dates and gorgeous invitations. I am please to introduce you to Sophie of Sweet Zion Paperie.

When and why did you start your business?  I started the business in 2010 while I was working full time as an event coordinator for a local non-profit organization. I was always making baby shower invitations for friends or birthday cards for family. One of my very best friends is also a business owner in the wedding industry and she was a constant source of encouragement to me – always asking “why aren’t you doing this and getting paid for it, Sophie?!” I booked my first wedding – a co-worker of my husband’s – in November and charged them $150.

I also like to think I started this business because of the experience I had as a bride to be while picking out invitations. While planning my own wedding, I’d never have guessed there were alternatives to picking your invites out of a big binder at your dress shop. Unfortunately, we settled on a really plain jane design and paid in incredible sum of money for said “OK” invitations. Not only that, they were square and we ended up paying extra postage to mail just “OK” invitations. Overall, not a very positive experience and I left feeling underwhelmed and with the sense that I needed to do something about it. Sweet Zion is able to offer couples an invitation that truly fits who they are and at a reasonable cost.

How did you learn your craft? When I graduated college, I worked for a non-profit. In that industry you wear many hats, many of which are outside your job description. I had never take a graphic design course in my life, so the day that my boss came to me and said, “We need you to design a magazine advertisement…by tomorrow”, I was absolutely terrified. I sat down at the computer with my instruction manual for Adobe’s InDesign and worked away, completing the project. It was stressful, but it was so fun and I felt it a great outlet for my creativity. Sometimes it takes that sort of pressure to realize what you’re truly capable of or that trying something might lead to new and exciting things.

What or who inspires you? My clients! I love seeing how people are inspired, both the story behind that inspiration and the way they translate it. My clients from 2012 on, I feel, are growing bolder and bolder with their color selections, including different materials and mediums, requesting interactive invitations, using fabric or stitching, creating characters or storylines – it goes on and on.

I have been shocked at the vision people are carrying. It’s truly amazing the creativity of people that I am fortunate and blessed to come alongside. I love supporting the creative mind and challenging the laws of design or the rules of what and invitation can and can’t look like. It’s my goal to make it happen.

Favorite Wedding Trend: Bold patterns and unexpected color combinations. Really, with the talented vendors we have in Colorado especially, these 2 trends are always executed to the nines.

Advice for a couple planning a Colorado wedding: Stay true to yourself and what you want your big day to look like. Don’t put yourself in a corner for wanting something different. Choose vendors who you like, not just based on recommendations or if you can help it, budget. Surrounding yourself with people who get your vision and who you get along with will really help you to feel supported and reassure you that you've put planning your biggest, baddest, and most beautiful party in good hands.

Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Colorado? I grew up on an acreage outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. I think it’s kind of a hush hush thing in Colorado to admit you’re not originally from here, but I’m proud of my roots. Growing up where I did gave me stability, a great work ethic, and a general happiness about life. I love visiting Nebraska, but I’m not sure I’ll ever leave the Rocky Mountain state.

I actually arrived in this great state thanks to my husband, who is a legitimate native. The two of us met in college in Iowa, and when we graduated, we had a beautiful wedding in Nebraska and began our life together in Colorado.

Avoiding the Bling Cha-Ching

It's that time of year again - no, I'm not talking about Valentine's Day. What I'm writing about spans much longer than a mere day; in fact, it's an entire season. Wedding Season.

Wedding Wire indicates that about 33% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve, making January - March very busy time for nearly everyone involved with the wedding industry. Whether you're a business owner or vendor piled under writing contracts and pricing proposals or you're here because the proverbial stars have aligned in your love life (yippee!), here's my advice to avoid getting taken advantage of and Beware of Bling Cha-Ching.

1. Although I'd love to think that every bride has an unlimited budget to make her wedding the most fabulous day ever - I don't believe this is true and I also don't believe you should go into debt to live this fantasy. I've heard horror stories of couples banking on their wedding gifts (checks and cash) to cover the cost of the fabulous party they just threw. My encouragement is this: your friends and family think that YOU are fabulous enough and that's why the showed up. Don't outdo yourselves and be upstaged by your dress, your flowers, even your paper (gasp! Did I just say that?!).

2. Don't believe the lie that you can't do it on your own....I mean, part of that is true (if you don't believe me, check out Pinterest fails or try eating a really poorly baked wedding cake...gross). However, don't play into the insecurity that you aren't creative or that you have to pay everyone for things you know you could do. Try tackling things like wedding favors, decor (ie - go antiquing or thrift store shopping for mismatched vases or dishes), create your own photo booth with a retro Polaroid camera, make your bridesmaid jewelry, or wedding party gifts.

The caveat to this is don't DIY everything. Don't let Uncle Jim take your wedding photo or video. Don't let your aspiring project runway little sister take charge of your fashion. And don't bake your own wedding cake. See my take on that here.