Interview with Unica Forma
The Design industry isn’t just graphic and web design. Today I want to go over
Hi Jordin, can you please tell my readers what it’s like to be a wedding stationery designer?
Hi Mindy! Thanks for having me 🙂 Being a stationery designer has been amazing! Its fun, it pushes my creative boundaries, it’s time-consuming and freeing at the same time. Working for myself has allowed me to create a daily schedule that lets me thrive in all areas of my life. On the flip side, working for yourself means your business doesn’t progress unless you make it progress. It’s been quite the journey, with a lot of learning curves along the way, but I can’t see myself doing anything else!
What makes you passionate about designing?
I like the process of making someone’s ideas/visions into a tangible reality. I remember my first few orders, and things I designed before Unica was even born. They weren’t great, but I remember the sense of pride I felt having a final product that started out as nothing. The feeling I get after I create something that I like, my clients love and their wedding guests obsess over it unmatched.
What are the most challenging things about designing for couples? And what is the most rewarding?
The most challenging thing about designing for couples is how big I dream. Sometimes I meet a couple and become completely obsessed with them and their wedding plans. Sometimes I get a little carried away on what all I want to do with their stationery. As a paper lover, it’s hard to not want the very best for every couple!
The most rewarding part of my job is definitely getting to be part of the biggest day of someone’s life. The fact that people trust me to create something they love is still mind boggling to me sometimes. Hearing the couple’s love story and figuring out how to tell it through design is the best part of the whole process!
When I got married I actually designed my own wedding invitations, but only because I am a designer. If someone wanted to design their own wedding stationery what could go wrong? Why is it important to hire a professional?
In short, a lot of things could go wrong haha! Basically everything that I’ve spent the last 3 years learning about is what could go wrong. Wrong paper, the quality not being good enough, the files may not be set up properly for printing, you may order the wrong size envelopes/pockets, missing important information on the cards, etc.
Hiring a professional takes all of those issues off the table. You are hiring an expert in the field to make sure everything comes out to meet your expectations.
I read on your website that you offer different paper types. Can you explain what different types you use and what is your favorite?
We have over 100 types of paper available for our couples from felt, to linen, to handmade paper, to cotton, to a smooth stock. We have a variety of textures and colors available for all of our projects. Our standard/most common paper is a 130# Matte Smooth stock, but my personal favorite is definitely handmade paper. I am OBSESSED with handmade paper. I used it on our personal Christmas cards this past year. I will include a picture below!
I would love to see a few of your favorite designs. Can you share a few?
Of course!! Here are some of my favorite + our most popular.
How do you show your clients that they can trust what you do?
Creating a foundation of client reviews, and a portfolio that showcases our capabilities builds trust with prospective clients. I am very transparent on our process and pricing to make our couples feel as comfortable as possible.
If your clients are not local how to do you communicate and show them designs?
We have a huge online portfolio – on our website, on Pinterest, on our blog, Instagram and more! This helps our out of town clients see what we can do. We also have Sample Packs available that go towards the total of your actual invitation order. We talk to our clients via email and phone – whatever they are most comfortable with! Most of our clients aren’t local and we’ve worked with couples all over the world!
You mentioned handmade paper. Is this something you actually make yourself?
We do not make handmade paper in house; we source it from other amazing entrepreneurs across the country!
About how long from start to finish does it take to design a wedding invitation?
We prefer our couples to reach out 6 months before they want to send their invitations out! The design/logistic consultation happens first, where we discuss what packages and components work best for our clients’ budget & dream suite. Once we get the formalities figured out, the designing begins! This can take anywhere between a week and a month, depending on the amount of back & forth we have with the couple. Once we get the approval from our client, the entire suite goes into the production phase: printing, assembling, addressing, packaging etc. Lead times vary based on the amount of assembly required, the printing style chosen, etc.
What is the best time frame before a wedding to start the process with you?
Reach out as soon as you get engaged! We want to get you on our design calendar as soon as possible. Even if you don’t know the details of when/where your wedding is, we can work on design concepts, getting you information you need & figure out your stationery budget. We need about 4-6 months for the entire process from start to finish!
I would love to see a few of your favorite designs. Can you share a few?
Of course!! Here are some of my favorite + our most popular.
April 2, 2019
xoxo,
Mindy
