What is letterpress?

Letterpress is a type of relief printing that involves pressing a design directly on to a piece of paper.

Traditionally, individual letters, called type, are lined up and gently printed on the surface of the paper (called a “kiss”). This is how newspapers and books were conventionally printed. It was considered bad form to have any sort of impression.

Now that digital printing is the norm, letterpress printing with an impression (called a “bite”) has increased in popularity. There’s just something about the experience of holding a textured piece of paper with a beautiful design pressed in.

Letterpress does have its limitations. Each design is turned in to a photopolymer plate. The plate is then mounted to the press, where rollers cover it in ink. The plate then meets the paper and creates the impression.

Only one color can be printed at a time. For a second color, or even a blind impression (where no ink is used), the press must be cleaned, the plate will need to be replaced, and the paper placement must be lined up perfectly. This process results in a longer timeline than digital printing, but don’t most good things take time?

When should I mail my invitations?

Do you know how far in advance you should mail your wedding invitations?

wedding invitations

The general rule is 8 - 10 weeks; however, with supply chain issues and post office delays, it is now recommended to mail them 10 - 12 weeks before your wedding. That means you should start ordering invitations at least 4 months out - even further out if you're interested in a custom option or printing method that requires additional time (like letterpress or foil).

There is a balancing act to mailing out invitations. If you mail them too far in advance, people will forget they received them and may not fill out the RSVP until you hunt them down. If you don't give them enough time, they may not mail their RSVP in time for you to give your final count to other vendors such as the caterer.

Keep in mind you need to apply the correct amount of postage to your envelope to ensure your invites aren't returned. Mail pieces that weigh over 1 oz require more postage than a standard forever stamp.

if you're interested in vintage postage for your invitations, contact us!

Why letterpress?

It may seem strange that a calligrapher also ventured in to letterpress printing, but really, these two art forms go hand in hand!

Both are antique methods that are enjoying a revitalization thanks to modern technology. In the past, books were printed on a press and ornate letters were hand written by a calligrapher.

Today, we are able to take our calligraphy and vectorize it with Adobe Illustrator, turn it in to a photopolymer plate, and print the design!

letterpress wedding invitation on handmade paper with calligraphy

Both of these art forms require attention to detail, problem solving, and ultimately share the same goal: bringing beautiful words and letters to life.

want to take a look at our semi custom invitation suites? head on over here!