Praez Occasions, is a couture invitation design company that specializes in over the top custom creations with a designer flare. Founder Zeb Powell, a former finance executive with a background in marketing and promotions, found her true calling when her god-daughter was engaged to be married, and insisted on custom wedding stationery– thus the birth of Praez Occasions Custom Couture Invitations and Accessories. Zeb's couture creations have been featured in celebrity weddings and most recently on WeTV’s “My Fair Wedding” with David Tutera, celebrity wedding planner.
Here are some helpful tips from Zeb on how to achieve truly inspired invitation looks that are as unique as you are:
BEGIN EARLY
With so many choices available today, it is best to begin considering what you want in an invitation before you need to make a purchase decision. Make sure you have ample time to determine your preferred style so that you know what kind of vendor to approach. Just as you wouldn’t go to the sportswear section of a department store to purchase a pair of Jimmy Choo’s, you also wouldn’t go to a generic print shop or online vendor to obtain custom design and printing services. Research the internet for different design styles, and then take the time to approach vendors of choice with expertise and experience in your preferred style so that you have adequate design and turnaround time.
BE AN EDUCATED CONSUMER
There are many options to consider, so educate yourself. Customized invitations are not the same as custom-designed invitations. Letterpress and engraving are more formal (and more costly) than thermography or digitally-printed invitations. An online company cannot provide highly specialized or tailored services like a couture or custom invitation design studio or firm, and may often have limited style choices and printing options. By educating yourself , you won’t settle or bust your budget because you didn’t know what you could get, or simply failed to plan.
EXPLORE BOLD STYLING OPTIONS
Unless you’re maintaining traditional invitation format, the world is truly your oyster when it comes to design. Today’s options entail bold colors, rich details, and unique textures that were not available just a few years ago. Sites like Pantone.com (the designer’s authority on color), WeddingColors.net, and COLOURlovers.com are great resources for identifying color harmonies that are appropriate for the season or time of year of your wedding, reflect your personality, and fit your design scheme. Pinterest is a fabulous way to score unique design ideas in various arenas, including: fashion design, interior design, floral design and wedding and event design. Use what you find to create an inspiration board or binder and share this with your selected wedding professionals, so they can clearly identify your specifications.
OBTAIN SAMPLES AND SWATCHES
Whenever possible, get swatches of the exact papers and other materials you like so there’s no mistaking what hue or texture you want. There’s a distinct difference between champagne and antique gold, or chartreuse and moss, and between faux silk and Thai silk, French satin and Swiss satin, and aside from genuine diamonds, nothing but nothing dances like a Swarovski crystal! When you identify a hue or a material that you love, request a sample of it to share with your vendor. An invitation designer with graphic skills will know how to integrate the colors and textures into your ensemble to create a design that exudes your heritage, sense of style, and penchant for the unusual to create a design that is truly unique to you.
This is your wedding, one of the most important and poignant moments of your life. Your invitation should be an expression of your preparation, your love, and your expectation for a truly memorable affair – no matter if it’s an intimate setting or a grand gala. By taking the steps outlined, you’ll spare yourself the agony of costly missteps and oversights, and ensure a keepsake of your special day that will bring joy each time you look at it.
Zeb designed a custom wedding anniversary box that made it's debut at the 2012 BlackBride.com Bridal Show earlier this year. A lucky couple won the lovely couture anniversary box, covered in bronze copper silk, and Swarovski crystals during one of the hourly giveaways.
