MEET MEREDITH
Simply put, I love weddings. There is something so profoundly special about a wedding day. It is the only day in a couple’s life where every person important to them will gather together to celebrate their union. Weddings are a true reflection of the uniqueness of a couple and the love they share. I believe every aspect of the day should echo that individuality.
I was lucky enough to marry my college sweetheart back in 2006 and I, like so many other brides-to-be, threw myself into planning the wedding of my dreams. I have always had an affinity for paper projects, and so I was especially excited when the time came to start planning my invitations. Living in New York City meant that I had a wealth of invitation choices. But as I went to store after store, and looked through album after album, I became disheartened by the whole invitation process. I felt that my fiancé and I were too unique as a couple to just point at a sample in a book, change some colors and fonts, and say “that’s it”. I wanted something more unique than that. I looked into working with a custom designer. Every stationer I consulted with was more than willing to design a personalized invitation…for twice the cost of my wedding gown! After a lot of thought, I decided that the only way I could get the invitation I wanted for my budget was to make them myself. That’s exactly what I did. And I loved every minute of it.
Over the next several years, I shared my invitation experience with several friends and family members who felt the same way I did. They wanted customized invitations without spending a fortune. I had so much fun working with each and every bride and groom. Together we created a collaborative invitation suite that best reflected their uniqueness as a couple. With each happy couple, referrals started to follow, and Bell Papel was born.
ABOUT THE PROCESS
Let’s face it. Wedding planning can be extremely stressful and daunting. And when it comes to invitations, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the little details that go in to making the perfect suite. It’s my goal to create the perfect invitation for each couple I work with, and do so with as little stress as possible. Here is how we will achieve this:
consultation
We start off with a free consultation, during which we speak in general terms about the look and feel of your wedding. I’ll try to get as many of the pertinent details from you as possible that will be needed come design time (such as your full names, the wedding location, parents’ names, etc.) as well as the inspiration for you big day. During this time, I will also share with you my portfolio so you can get a sense of my style and range as a designer. After I have everything I need to get started and you have had all of your initial questions answered, we shift into the design phase. At this time, I would take a non-refundable design deposit and begin to create the invitation of your dreams.
design
All designs will be sent digitally and can be edited as many times as necessary to achieve the perfect look. I am not happy until you are happy, and I will continue to edit until you are as sure about your invitation as you are about saying "I do". Pricing estimates will be sent as designs are finalized, so that you have an upfront idea of the costs associated with the design of your dreams.
production
Once the entire suite is designed and approved, we will move into production. At this time, a non-refundable 50% production deposit will be taken (the design deposit will be applied here) and upon receipt, the invitations will be produced. Once production is complete, all invitations will be available for pickup or shipment and the balance will be due upon receipt.