{Planny Pants}: Vendors Uncorked, Wedding Invitations, Covington, KY

Today we’re hearing from another super fab lady and business owner. She’s the owner of Five Dot Design. You might have heard us talk about her and her awesomeness in several previous posts when she worked with us on our Prime Time Party Rental tabletop and the A Night With The Pros Event. She always goes above and beyond for our clients… even with our crazy requests!

Before we let her chat with you… let’s take a look at some of the gorgeousness that comes out of her paper genius!

But don’t just take my word… here’s hers!

* What is your job/business?

I'm the paper girl- I create custom wedding invitations. We'll sit down in my studio in Newport and work together to design your wedding stationery- it's a very hands-on process for you.

* What drives you to do what you do every day?

I'll never get tired of hearing the little gasp that a client lets out when they see their invitations for the first time. Invitations are the first visual introduction to your wedding your guests receive and I don't believe that introduction should look like another bride's across town or even across the state. You put a lot of hard work into planning your wedding and adding so many personal touches and for me, those personal touches shouldn't stop with paper.

* What is a common misunderstanding from couples in your line of work?

Many think I'm a girl with a computer that happens to like paper. This isn't something I just dabble in- it's extremely fun work for me, but I take it very seriously. I realize my service is an investment and I would never be able to justify that investment if I didn't feel like I couldn't speak to my trade confidently and intelligently. I've put a lot of time and effort into finding the best resources and materials I can find, so that when we meet, you have options that work best with your budget.

Many girls think they'll save money creating their invitations or other wedding stationery on their own. It doesn't always end up costing less, however. For some, creating them on their own works out and for others, they aren't so lucky. What you mostly end up saving money on is in time.

When you hire me to create your wedding invitations, you're not just hiring me- you're hiring my experience in both graphic design and in wedding stationery. I invest multiple hours beyond that initial hour consult with you. You're also hiring me to attend to the details and communication that go into producing your stationery: sourcing paper compatible with your printing choice, working with the printer to ensure your files are ready to go and making sure the sizes of your printed pieces will go thru the mail without any problems.

* What is a common complaint you hear from couples about something that you do… and what is the reason why you do it this way?

The most common complaint I get is that I'm more expensive than what the budget allows. And honestly, that's okay. Every bride has different priorities when it comes to hiring her wedding vendors and paper isn't always towards the top of the list. There's a trade off to every choice a bride has to make. If you choose me, you might pay more, but you're also given the opportunity to create something that's just for you and the design is dictated by what you want. If you choose to order out of a catalog or online, you might not pay as much, but you may not have as the opportunity to get exactly what you want. In most cases, I might not be able to work with a client on her wedding invitations, but I can help her with her ceremony and reception pieces like programs, menus, escort cards and table numbers.

* What are some of the things you do that contribute to your bottom line?

I'm a one person operation right now, but I use freelancers from time to time which allows me to give my clients more style options. I make sure to attend design conferences to keep visually inspired and I browse wedding magazines and blogs to keep up with new trends and styles. I share an awesome studio space in Newport with four other wedding professionals, so if we're itching to work together and haven't done so in awhile, we'll come up with a fun concept and create a photoshoot or window display around that idea. It keeps us thinking creatively and keeps us trying new things without making our clients guinea pigs.

* What are some little known facts about your particular industry that brides really should know?

I can really only speak to me, but I'm a visual thinker so the more images you can provide to me, the better- of both what you do like and what you don't. What you don't like is sometimes more important than what you do like. I use sites like pinterest.com (http://pinterest.com/fivedotdesign/pins/) to share concept visuals with my clients and that allows us to be in constant contact with the vision of the event without sending countless emails or having multiple meetings. Any of your vendors can see the images you pin and add their own images to boards, making sure everyone involved in your wedding is on the same page visually. I also like to be in contact with a client's florist and/or event designer when I can to make sure what I provide paper-wise on the table will be cohesive with the other floral pieces and linens on the table.

* If you lived in a perfect world… engaged couples would….

Stay true to YOUR vision for YOUR wedding. Some of my most successful pieces design-wise are with clients where her vision and my vision were practically identical because I understood what she wanted. This allowed us to truly work together to create her wedding stationery. It's going to feel like you have to please everyone, and there might be a few things you have to compromise on when it comes to family, but in the end, it's YOUR wedding and be sure to hire wedding professionals that understand your vision, needs, wants and wishes.

Thanks so much Kristen. I just heart her! Not only is she a fantastic designer but she’s a darn fun person too!

Before we go I just had to share this photo shoot Kristen took part in. I ADORE ADORE ADORE this tree hanging… gasp!

girl in bhldn dress