What is your most memorable wedding?
I was asked by a couple (who are now very good friends of mine) to design them a Rockabilly Wedding set. I made their invitations, place cards and also table plan in black, red and polka dot. We became such good friends that I even got an invite to their wedding day! The most nerve-wracking thing was seeing the A1 table plan I had made and hearing people comment about it without knowing it was me who made it! Thankfully, everyone was very complimentary!
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Versatile, Contemporary, Elegant, Cost-Effective, Simple
What about your business are you most proud of?
Elle Bee started life as a cardmaking business - over five years we've evolved where the majority of our work is now in catering for couples and their wedding day. In 2018 we moved digital printing from an outsourced printers, to investing in a commercial-grade printing system, enabling us to reduce our pricing and increase our versatility.
Making that investment has been a big step for Elle Bee and one that we're exceptionally proud of.
Alongside this, we are happy to work alongside a number of West Midlands venues on either an informal or formal basis, all of whom trust us to professionally support them, whether it's a wedding fair or an open day.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Stationery is important. Save The Dates and Invitations are the first glimpse of your wedding day that you provide to your guests, they convey the theme and style - and if you've got the opportunity for a unique and stylish first impression, you should take it!
This also extends to being organised. Whilst a number of our digitally-printed items have a short turnaround time, invitations and stationery should be a consideration made in advance - doing this will ensure that availability is there to make your items but also reduce the stress levels as your big day approaches!
It's also worthwhile thinking outside the box. For example on the day itself you could opt for separate menu cards, place cards and table numbers. Or you could opt for a wedding favour with a tag doubling up as a place card, having your menu cards personalised, or a "Table Talker", a three-sided table number that also includes a list of guests and your wedding menu. There are many ways to save money on your invitations and stationery; and we'll guide all couples to something that's suitable.
What is the most important piece of stationery for a wedding and why?
Definitely invitations! Invitations are the first impression guest will get of the day that they are going to be involved in. Romantic invitations give the impressions are love and warmth, elegant invitations give the impression sophistication. Handmade stationery is particularly tactile and also weighs a fair bit; I have had couples contact me after their Wedding to say that family members have held onto their invites as a keepsake, one even framed it! So for me invitations are the most important part of what I do.
What is your best seller?
King's Road is our most popular from our printed range. Our handmade ranges with Hessian seem to be very popular for vintage/rustic weddings as well!