Frequently Asked Questions
Whenever I get asked a question more than a handful of times, I post them up here for clients new and yet to come. But if you don't see your question answered here, please ask away!
What does a professional calligraphy artist do?
I offer an elevated experience by coming on-site for calligraphy artwork. I show up for events, luxury brand activations, wedding favors, and beyond. I can write on just about any surface you can think of using pen, ink, brush, and machine. I offer post-event support to make items ahead of time, and if items are needed to display to guests on the day!
In the world of weddings, I offer full service wedding calligraphy stretching from digital calligraphy to be used on your print work, to full inviation design, all the way to finishing touches on the cocktail signs at your after-after-party.
Where are you located?
As of 2023, I am in Washington, DC! I service in person for all of the surrounding areas in Maryland, Northern VA, and maintain my larger clients in New York City. If we are doing non-on site work, I service globally! My business was in New York City for 9 years until I started a family and moved back home to the DMV.
Can you write on this?
I can usually write on just about anything. I've written on everything from wood to sea glass to champagne bottles to mirrors to pumpkins to hangers to rocks. Certain materials, paper, and card stock lend themselves to different kinds of ink and writing utensils. I often advise my clients to think about their ideal finished product in terms of color and style, and I can advise the proper materials to make that happen.
Timing?
Giving as much notice as possible is always the sure way to get everything you want when you want it! Turnaround times on all orders are completely dependent on my schedule and the projects currently on the calendar. Please contact me to check availability for your dates!
What is the process like for wedding calligraphy?
It’s a fun, creative process. I’m always up for collaborating with my clients, or I can offer to take the wheel if they need a more ‘hands off’ approach. I have worked with many clients who have a strong, realized vision of what they want, but just as many clients who are overwhelmed by the process and need guidance. We discuss your event and the type of product(s) you'd like me to create. I can source the materials we need, or if you are already working with another vendor or have certain materials you’d like to use, we can work with the tools you have laid out. You'll have the coolest, most lovely, personal touch to your event that will be a keepsake for a lifetime.
When making printed items (like menus, invitations, etc) I have trusted printers that I work with in both New York City and Washington, DC. For more involved custom illustration and painting, I usually collaborate with the incredibly talented Tiffany. Or if your aesthetic leans to a näive style, I paint as well.
I can address all of your envelopes! If you already have a stationer you like, or designs are already in motion for some of your paper goods, come to me for the calligraphy! I can offer my writing digitally (“spot calligraphy”), which your stationery designer can use.
How far out do I need to book you?
Now? Ish?
For weddings, I recommend contacting me 1 year out. For day-of details, we can begin to discussing at the same time, or at least 3 months before your wedding. The more time the better, as I like to have plenty of time to put your vision together. For corporate events and on-site brand activations, reach out a few months ahead of time, as it is all about my availability at the time. For envelope addressing only, reach out at least 2 months before send-out. Once I start, I only need a week or so to complete, proofread, and send them to you. Consider that certain times of year are busier than others, so the more time you can book in advance, the better!
If you are coming to me last minute, have no fear. Reach out, and we can see how to make it work!
What does a “custom invitation" really mean?
Custom invitations mean that everything is made for you, from scratch, top to bottom. Custom invitations are the perfect fit for you and your event. Together, we pick the fonts, design the color palette, commission any artwork needed, work on the wording together, the envelope colors, and the calligraphy styles. I do not offer non-custom/semi-custom invitations at the moment, but I can refer you to amazing colleagues who do, and I can still give you my calligraphy work for your designs and can address your envelopes.
How do I send you my addresses?
Once we move forward, I will send you my ideal format for your addresses. You will receive a document with all of this information.
Do you design custom invitations?
I love designing invitations! I only have room for several invitation clients per year, so that I can devote all the time needed to each. I can design for foil stamping, letterpress, and digital/flat printing.
Do you print the invitations?
I have a couple of trusted print shops NYC, Martha’s Vineyard, and Washington, DC that I work with to print your designs. I also have several stationers I love to recommend to my clients who print in-house, and I can still be part of the process, giving them my handwriting for the final product, and addressing your envelopes.
I want a custom crest or a map! How does that work?
Oh, those are my favs! In addition to myself, I have two other incredible artists that I work with and we can create these for you. I factor in their fees to my own, so you don’t need to pay for this separately. Before I build my quote, we will discuss the artwork you would like and I’ll add that in. Any time you see artwork on my website or Instagram, it is done by myself, or Tiffany. And the best part is, you can use these images for your programs, menus, and other day-of items down the road!
Can you copy this computer font I like?
I completely understand why I get asked this question from time to time. The short answer is: not exactly. But, it’s arguably a better idea not to make that the goal. The beauty is in the variance! The long answer: Depending on the style and the context, I can certainly make a conscious effort to make my writing a sister, if not an exact twin. I offer a bunch of writing styles and am confident in selecting a style that will work beautifully with your chosen computer font and your overall aesthetic. This will be a style that will still be organic to my hand and special to the look of your project. I generally say that I can’t copy, but I can ‘lean into it' a bit. But nothing handwritten will ever look entirely like a computer-generated font. (Phew.)
What are the parts to the invitation suite?
Great question! Check out my blog post on the parts of the invitation suite. Some elements are pretty standard, and some are totally optional.
Why do you need extra envelopes/place cards?
Alas, I am a mere mortal. I make mistakes! Sometimes it’s my brain, sometimes the ink has a mind of its own, sometimes my dog decides to bark at the doorbell and it causes my hand to fly up in the air in surprise. And other times, I just wish that letter was a little more to the right, and this way I can feel like I'm giving you the best work I can do. Spacing on surfaces both larger than usual or smaller, all have a bit of a learning curve. The additional materials allow me to get it just right. Separate from errors on my end, there can be mistakes discovered later on the list given to me, and we need to be sure we have spares to cover those errors as well! When I have room to make errors, I can go a lot faster, which gets you your pretty products even quicker!
Can the post office read that?
They can! Most people can, with no trouble. Postal machines can not always read everything, either because it’s been done in cursive, or even due to the ink color. When this happens, the envelope is put aside for a human to read. This is when 99% of your envelopes will make it to their destination! However, if the postal worker has trouble reading an address, this is when they will flip over your envelope and refer to your return address on the back! This is why I always advise you to have your return address be in printed, easy-to-read letters. Should you get an invitation back in the mail due to an issue with legibility (otherwise known as a “bounce back”) I use a spare envelope and make a new one! I may use a different style this time around so we can be sure it arrives. 1%-2% of invitations you send out may return to you. (More, if your friends have forgotten to tell you they moved to a new address…) Triple-checking the address list you send to me can also cut back on any addresses that are incorrect, which would be another reason the envelope would be returned to sender.
I always advise my clients to take their invitations to the post office and give them to an employee at the counter and ask for them to be hand canceled. This means a postal worker will stamp the invitations one by one (it’s pretty quick, and you can leave after they take them from you) rather than the envelopes getting thrown into a big machine where they will tumble around and get a little more beat up than they would otherwise.
Can I use your handwriting for parts/all of my invitations?
Of course! I can work with any stationer who designs custom invitations! I can give them my writing in the names and words you want (which I call "spot calligraphy") and they can take it from there! I love doing this. It makes the entire invitation suite feel like they are matching accessories!