New Year, New Ring?!

Did you get a blingy ring over the holiday?! Then this blog post is for you! Hello newly engaged bride-to-be; we're excited you're here!

So you're engaged...now what?! First, let us introduce ourselves. We are Nico and Lala. We specialize in creating custom invitations and event branding. We believe that all wedding paper, but especially a couple's save the date (since it's often the first piece sent), really sets the tone for your entire wedding. We gather inspiration from all aspects of your big day (both big and small) to capture the essence and style you want to represent in your wedding. We specialize in branding weddings, so from beginning (save the date) to end (thank you stationery for wedding gifts), your entire look will be cohesive and truly unique.

 We are in love with these Venetian save the dates for an Italian destination wedding! We drew inspiration for this piece from the wedding venue, the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice.

When designing a custom save the date, it's best to start at the beginning. First comes love, then comes a custom wedding monogram (if monograms are your kind of thing). Since we specialize in branding weddings, a majority of our couple's choose to incorporate a wedding monogram or logo. If you imagine any piece of your wedding paper being monogrammed, we ideally begin design here.

Once we have your wedding monogram created, we move onto the save the date! Wedding invitations usually tend to run on the formal side, so the save the date is where we like to incorporate lots of creativity!! We love finding inspiration from the smallest detail, and turning into something meaningful for the couple. We've put together a "frequently asked questions" from our past brides into one convenient place to answer any questions you might have on our design process.

FAQ's about N&L Custom Save the Dates:
We want Nico and Lala to design our custom save the date...how do we begin the process?
For Chicago-based brides, we usually begin with an in-studio consultation. For our long distance brides, we begin with a phone consultation. We ask brides both near and far to send us any inspiration they've collected, details about their big day, their Pinterest boards, and anything you find inspiring!! Between the meeting and all of these inspirations, we're really able to capture the feel and style of a couple and what they want for their wedding day!

I don't live in Chicago, can N&L still design my save the dates?
Of course! We regularly work with brides and wedding planners near and far, so don't let distance come between us! We love sending our long distance brides samples of wedding papers so they can feel and experience our work. We are experts at interpreting your ideas into a tailored and to-die-for wedding and the majority of our brides ARE long distance.

How far in advance should I start designing my custom creation? 
Save the dates are typically sent 6 to 8 months in advance of your wedding date. At Nico and Lala, we recommend sending destination wedding save the dates about 8 months in advance. If you're having an international wedding, we typically lean towards one year in advance to give your guests ample booking time for flights and hotels. That being said, proofs take a few weeks and monogram/wedding logo design time is a few weeks as well, so keep that in mind! If you are wanting your save the date envelopes addressed in calligraphy, 2 additional weeks needs to be allotted for that as well. Basically, you need to begin the process at different times in advance, depending on what items you are needing from us. If you are just needing welcome bags, then 2 months in advance should be sufficient!

What printing techniques do you offer for save the dates?
A majority of our couples choose to digitally print their save the dates, which means they are printed in house on 100# paper. We also offer thermography, foil stamping, letterpress, and engraving. For more information on the different printing styles, please visit our website. 

I've approved my save the date for print...when will I receive them?

Printing timelines vary based on how the item is being printed. A majority of our save the dates are printed digitally, and once approved, we print and ship within 5 to 7 business days. We ship all custom orders via FedEx Ground, and forward all tracking information once your order has shipped. If you prefer to receive your order faster, you always have the opportunity to expedite shipping, with any additional fees being billed to you.

Do you offer calligraphy for my save the date's?

Of course we do; we're from the South! We work with several excellent calligraphers nationwide, and are more than happy to handle this process for you. We can send you samples of their work, as well their pricing upon request. We do charge a minimal fee to ship your envelopes to your preferred calligrapher to cover shipping costs. Keep in mind that all calligraphy jobs must be booked in advance, and usually take an additional two weeks. 

I need a custom stamp for my beautiful save the date, can you do those too?

Yes, we love custom stamps! They are the perfect accent to our custom design. We will send along design options per your request for you to approve. Please keep in mind, we do not estimate postage. We will happily ship you a complete ensemble for you to weigh at your local post office. Every post office weighs and measures invitations differently, so we have our bride's calculate their postage locally.

My custom save the dates have all been mailed...what's next?
Your custom wedding invitation, of course!!

Still have questions? For more information on the N&L design process, see our past blog post on custom save the dates!! Prepare to be inspired, because we've saved the best for last. Here's a peek at some save the dates we've been working on for our 2015 brides! Wedding paper heaven!!

We're excited to work together, and to get started creating something wonderful!! E-mail us: (info@nicoandlala.com) to start designing your wedding monogram and custom save the date!

Xo,

Nico and Lala