STATIONERY
I have been fortunate to work with Louise Ralphs from LouPaper on numerous occasions and I cannot recommend her enough. Her stationery encapsulates her couples personalities in the most gorgeous modern and luxurious way.
So lets get to know Louise….
Have you always designed stationery, what’s your background? I founded LouPaper back in 2015, merging my degree in graphic design with over a decade of experience in the wedding industry. Starting with designing for friends and colleagues, the business grew and I went full time last year. My wedding journey started at the age of 15, when I worked as a Saturday girl in a local wedding shop and I’ve loved weddings ever since!
How would you describe your style?
My stationery combines curated design with romance and nature, perfect for couples with a keen eye for style and detail. My designs are simple, considered and crafted with love. I capture the essence of my couples, reflecting their unique personalities and interests and I strive to create truly beautiful and personalised stationery that sets the tone for their big day.
Do you find that you design most of your stationary using calligraphy?
Calligraphy plays a huge part of my designs, I adore the bespoke qualities it brings. Each piece of calligraphy is hand lettered so it brings its own quirks and personality to the stationery. Created using a nib and ink, it allows my creativity to flow across stationery and makes for the most beautiful keepsake, treasured for years to come.
Where do you get your inspiration from & have you found there is a current trend?
I find my inspiration in all corners of nature, anything from the blue tones of the ocean waves, to floor tile patterns on my travels. My designs reflect the wedding seasons, from light and airy springtime, to rich and sumptuous winter nights.
As for trends, it’s all about different materials and finishes. For something contemporary, Perspex and vellum are both great materials to use on your big day to bring a modern, minimalist vibe. If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, try using handmade paper and gold leaf to bring opulence and a tactile quality to your stationery.
Are you able to help with the wording on invitations?
I can of course help with wording, remember your wedding is all about you as a couple, so the wording of your invite should reflect your style & personality. I’ve written a blog with some handy tips about wording – https://www.loupaper.co.uk/post/wedding-invitation-wording
Do you offer recycled paper or any other eco-friendly materials?
Most definitely, I work closely with my printers to source the most eco-friendly yet high quality card stocks for all my stationery. There is so much to choose from and the range is ever growing. There is now ever recyclable Perspex which is a great win for the industry.
What is your lead time? How long does it take to design, print and ship?
It depends on the route my couples choose, either a semi-bespoke design from my collection or a bespoke design especially for them. For a collection design the process usually takes around 4 weeks, for bespoke a little longer, more like 6 weeks. I work closely with my couples to ensure everything is perfect before printing, and include 2 rounds of amendments in all my costs.
What’s the best way for couples to see your work? My website houses all my stationery collections so is a great starting point, there is lots of information and useful hints and tips. Then my couples use my Instagram as a portfolio as I add to it on a daily basis, so it’s a great source of inspiration.
What do you love about working in the wedding industry? I love that I get to translate my couples love stories onto paper, I’m a hopeful romantic and I love that stationery allows me to be a small part of my couples big days. It is such a joyous occasion to be involved in! I also love the community and network with other wedding suppliers, we are like a huge family which means a lot when you work for yourself. They’re like the work colleagues I don’t have and we all support one another, sharing advice and love!
And finally, do you have a design that you have created that stands out for you?
It sounds cliché but I have to say my own wedding stationery, it was such a personal journey to go on and I’m lucky that my now husband is an artist so we created our stationery together, and it was every bit us as it could be. It also allowed me to experiment with different printing techniques and finishes so was also a learning process!
You can download a stationery guide at the following link with lots of handy hints & tips – https://www.loupaper.co.uk/post/free-wedding-stationery-guide
