Whilst we’re in a bit of Limbo being at home on lockdown with Covid-19. I wanted to ask some of my wedding supplier friends some insightful questions, on how this epidemic has affected their business plus their top tips!
This week “Supplier Spotlight” is the very talented Lo from Somers Creative.
I first met Lo over a year ago now on a shoot at Camp Katur, we immediately hit it off and I instantly fell in love with her work. So much so, I asked her to design my business logo.
As well as being amazingly talented, she’s one of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet!
I’m excited for you to read the Q and A’s and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
How has the Corona virus affected your business?
Currently all my lovely couples planning to get married between April and June have already moved their dates, mostly into 2021. This looks set to happen for June and July dates too. Obviously, that’s a blow for any small business, but right now my focus is on supporting those couples through the process of rearranging their weddings and looking at what needs this big shift creates for my clients.
I have to say - I am so glad that so far all of my clients have postponed rather than cancelled. It’s heart-warming to know that love is persevering through this crazy time!
I have also just recovered from having COVID-19 myself, so I feel like I’m a couple of weeks behind in getting to grips with the situation! I’m still in full isolation (just me and the dog!) but it’s giving me time to look at new designs and to add ‘Change of Date’ designs to every one of our house collections designs.
A simple digital “Change of Date’ design to email to your loved ones is available free of charge, just email me at hello@somers-creative.com
What designs are hot right now?
Before all this craziness this year, florals were where it was at for wedding stationery! Though I predict a return to a cleaner and more modern approach to design, with bold splashes of colour and a focus on typography for next year, I think Peonies and Ruscus will still be featuring heavily in what I create for my couples!
Do I need save the dates?
Given the unpredictable situation at the moment, and the number of people pushing their dates a year forwards, Save the Dates are invaluable right now – not only are they a great way to hold your date with your friends and family without having to firm up all of the details too far ahead of time, they are a lovely way of delivering some happy news to friends and family you perhaps haven’t seen in a few weeks now. It’s always good to have things to look forwards to!
Top tips for getting the most out of your wedding stationary?
• Plan it well in advance o While it is always handy to know when you would like to send out your invites, make sure you leave plenty of time before hand to have your stationery created, printed and delivered to you. Factor in the time you’ll need to write your envelopes (if you’re not having them printed with your invitee’s addresses). It takes around 2-3 weeks for us to create and deliver our House Collection stationery, whereas our bespoke service can take up to 6 weeks.
• Don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing - Your day, your way. Try and make it your mantra through your planning! Whatever your plans are make sure that you keep it personal, and don’t be afraid to ask for exactly what you want! You’ll thank yourself later!
• Don’t leave booking too late - With so many weddings moving up into next year, calendars are filling up fast for lots of suppliers. So, if you have seen and loved someone’s work - book now, don’t wait. Not only will it mean you avoid disappointment later, your booking may also help a small business out during this tough time.
RSVPs
Not everyone wants RSVP card, but I can’t tell you how lovely it is to reach out to family and friends and have them send back their RSVPs – especially at a time with so much distance between us and the people we love!
Think twice about DIY
DIY stationery can be really beautiful when it’s done well – but as tempting as making your own stationery might sound, always bear in mind the time it takes to craft your own invitations and the cost of the materials to make them. It’s not always the easier or cheaper option - especially if you don’t craft often!
Anything else that would help our couples when planning their invites/stationary?
Choose your style and colours and stick to them, whatever they may be! Your early choices like stationery, venue and floristry etc. will solidify your wedding day style and remember that there’s no rule saying you can’t put your suppliers in touch with each other to discuss options and coordination!
Hope you enjoyed our first Supplier Spotlight!
To find out more about Somers Creative check out her website www.somers-creative.com
Much Love Emma xx