Why Work With a Stationery Designer Instead of Minted?
When couples begin planning their wedding stationery, platforms like Minted are often one of the first places they look. They’re convenient, familiar, and offer a wide range of designs at the click of a button.
But for couples who care deeply about design, storytelling, and a cohesive guest experience, working with a professional stationery designer offers a very different — and far more personal — approach.
Below, we’re expanding on a question we’re asked often: Why work with a stationery designer instead of Minted?
Guidance Through the Entire Process
Wedding stationery is more than choosing a pretty design and typing in your details. From wording etiquette and timeline planning to paper choices and print methods, there are countless decisions that impact both how your invitations look and how they function.
When you work with a stationery designer, you’re guided through the entire process. This includes:
Proper invitation wording and host line etiquette
Understanding what information belongs on which card
Creating a realistic stationery timeline that aligns with your planning schedule
Navigating save-the-dates, invitations, RSVPs, and day-of paper seamlessly
Rather than guessing or Googling your way through decisions, you have an expert ensuring everything is thoughtful, correct, and intentional.
Quality Control at Every Stage
One of the biggest differences between a stationery designer and an online marketplace is oversight.
A stationery designer manages every detail of production, including:
Paper selection and weight
Print methods (digital, letterpress, foil, embossing, etc.)
Color accuracy and ink coverage
Proofing and press checks
Designers also have access to specialty materials that aren’t available through mass-market platforms — things like handmade or deckled-edge papers, custom envelope colors, silk ribbons, vellum wraps, and bespoke wax seals.
The result is stationery that not only looks beautiful on screen, but feels elevated, intentional, and luxurious in hand.
Flexibility for Adjustments
Wedding plans evolve — guest counts change, schedules shift, and sometimes last-minute accommodations are needed.
When you’re working with a stationery designer, there is flexibility built into the process. Adjustments can be made thoughtfully and efficiently, whether that means:
Revising wording
Adding or removing events
Adjusting quantities
Creating last-minute inserts or signage
Rather than being locked into a rigid system, you have a human partner who can pivot with you and help problem-solve as plans unfold.
Cohesive Suite Development
Your wedding paper goods should feel like they belong together — not like a collection of disconnected pieces ordered at different times.
A stationery designer ensures that every element works together as a cohesive collection, from:
Save-the-dates
Invitation suites
RSVP cards
Programs, menus, escort cards, and signage
Typography, color, paper, and layout are all considered holistically, creating a consistent visual story that carries from the first piece your guests receive to the final details on your wedding day.
Photos by Gideon Photography
A Personal Relationship (and Truly Personal Design)
Perhaps the most meaningful difference is the relationship itself.
When you work with a stationery designer, you’re not selecting a template — you’re collaborating with someone who takes the time to understand you, your style, and your vision. That relationship allows for designs that feel personal, layered, and authentic to you as a couple.
Your stationery becomes more than just information. It becomes the first chapter of your wedding story.
“If you are debating “papers” for any event, especially wedding invitations and “day of” papers, look no further. Kara’s work/Reverie started the dream and completed the magic my daughter dreamt of having. The invitation is where it all begins! The tone is set. Kara listened, created, was timely and very fair with her pricing. Working with her was an opportunity, and I actually wanted her by me at the wedding, for she was the brains behind making the big and little, the important and simple aspects ALL happen. A Washington D.C. acquaintance recommended Kara and I am eternally grateful. You don’t have to live in Richmond to work with Kara/Reverie for her communication makes it happen wherever you are in the world. My budget started with just invitations, 18 months later, Kara did it all-invitations, cards for gift bags, programs, “day of” papers, tapestries, place cards, bar menus and even a watercolor for my gift to the groom. We had never met and rest assure, I will work with Reverie for all life events moving forward! Anyone is lucky to connect with Kara and her company, Reverie!””
The Bottom Line
Minted and similar platforms serve a purpose, and for some couples, they’re the right fit. But if you’re looking for guidance, craftsmanship, flexibility, and a fully cohesive experience, working with a stationery designer offers something entirely different.
It’s not just about paper — it’s about intention, expertise, and creating something that feels unmistakably yours.
If you’re curious about working together or want to explore whether custom or semi-custom stationery is right for you, I’d love to connect.