In the latest of our In The Spotlight Series - we introduce you to Natalie Fox of the Wedding Stationery Company (formerly Little Cornish Design Studio)
What does your business do and what inspired you to start?
We are based down in beautiful Cornwall and deliver both nationally and internationally. We offer personalised, DIY and printable wedding stationery which is perfect for your big day.
We want you to fall in love with your wedding stationery and make sure that it is something that you and your guests remember forever. Our designs are fresh and unique, we strive to use good quality materials and offer something to our customers that they will not find elsewhere.
We are based down in beautiful Cornwall and deliver both nationally and internationally. We offer personalised, DIY and printable wedding stationery which is perfect for your big day.
We want you to fall in love with your wedding stationery and make sure that it is something that you and your guests remember forever. Our designs are fresh and unique, we strive to use good quality materials and offer something to our customers that they will not find elsewhere.
How long has the business been going? Who is ‘behind the scenes’?
Natalie swapped her career teaching anatomy for something a little more creative after her second child was born. She re-discovered her love of design (something which she had not touched since school & college nearly 11 years previously) and started making wedding stationery as well as creating logos & promotional material for friends businesses.
This evolved into The Little Cornish Design Studio. She then decided to rename the business The Wedding Stationery Co and her company has gone from strength to strength.
Natalie's other brand, Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery, offers an exclusive bespoke design service to clients that desire their own unique wedding stationery.
Natalie swapped her career teaching anatomy for something a little more creative after her second child was born. She re-discovered her love of design (something which she had not touched since school & college nearly 11 years previously) and started making wedding stationery as well as creating logos & promotional material for friends businesses.
This evolved into The Little Cornish Design Studio. She then decided to rename the business The Wedding Stationery Co and her company has gone from strength to strength.
Natalie's other brand, Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery, offers an exclusive bespoke design service to clients that desire their own unique wedding stationery.
Give me a brief over view of the services you have on offer...
Wedding Stationery Co = Personalised printed wedding stationery, DIY kits and supplies (very soon) and print-at-home wedding invitations (PRINTable range).
Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery = Bespoke design service for wedding and event stationery.
Have you won any Awards? if so which ones?
Finalist in the Westcountry Wedding Awards 2013
She's also proud to be a Natural Wedding Company Recommended Supplier
Describe your studio
Bright, colourful, lots of space for design and production. Meeting room for clients coming soon.
Wedding Stationery Co = Personalised printed wedding stationery, DIY kits and supplies (very soon) and print-at-home wedding invitations (PRINTable range).
Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery = Bespoke design service for wedding and event stationery.
Have you won any Awards? if so which ones?
Finalist in the Westcountry Wedding Awards 2013
She's also proud to be a Natural Wedding Company Recommended Supplier
Describe your studio
Bright, colourful, lots of space for design and production. Meeting room for clients coming soon.
What sets your business apart from your competitors?
Lots of wedding stationery companies offer products which are quite generic and mundane! I produce unique designs which are more in keeping with my brides personalities and wedding themes and really reflect the couple at the centre of the day.
The cardstock I use is tactile and good quality as opposed to mass produced and or pearlescent with great big yukky ribbons!!
I have a few Cornwall-based illustrators working on some new ranges for me at the moment also.
Does you have a specialist area / style of product that you to create?
I love making bespoke products and working with my clients through the whole process, from conception to production - Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery.
Lots of wedding stationery companies offer products which are quite generic and mundane! I produce unique designs which are more in keeping with my brides personalities and wedding themes and really reflect the couple at the centre of the day.
The cardstock I use is tactile and good quality as opposed to mass produced and or pearlescent with great big yukky ribbons!!
I have a few Cornwall-based illustrators working on some new ranges for me at the moment also.
Does you have a specialist area / style of product that you to create?
I love making bespoke products and working with my clients through the whole process, from conception to production - Natalie Fox Bespoke Stationery.
What do you love most about your job?
It's got to be when customers email me delighted that their parcel of wedding invitations have arrived. There is nothing better than hearing that somebody is really happy with your work and can't wait to get their invites out to show off to their guests!
Tell me about your favourite client experience...
I was recently approached by a London client who wanted some bespoke invitation design work. She wanted to send her Save the Dates out via email. Their wedding is on Christmas Eve this year, on a coffee plantation in Nairobi. They are having an Indian wedding! They are also asking for donations to their favourite charity which saves orphaned baby elephants.
The brief was quite a challenge - to design something digital for them using the colours red and green, which featured elephants, coffee beans and referenced their Indian heritage!
Oh, and I only had a couple of days to complete it!
It's got to be when customers email me delighted that their parcel of wedding invitations have arrived. There is nothing better than hearing that somebody is really happy with your work and can't wait to get their invites out to show off to their guests!
Tell me about your favourite client experience...
I was recently approached by a London client who wanted some bespoke invitation design work. She wanted to send her Save the Dates out via email. Their wedding is on Christmas Eve this year, on a coffee plantation in Nairobi. They are having an Indian wedding! They are also asking for donations to their favourite charity which saves orphaned baby elephants.
The brief was quite a challenge - to design something digital for them using the colours red and green, which featured elephants, coffee beans and referenced their Indian heritage!
Oh, and I only had a couple of days to complete it!
I produced a few different ideas for them for their Save the Date e-card and they chose one design which they were really happy with. Hopefully later on in the year I will be designing their printed wedding invitations, I'm excited as I can source some really exciting & unusual paper and cardstock which will show off their design beautifully.
I'm working on a bespoke invitation at the moment featuring a barn illustration at night in the snow. Another one of my bespoke clients is having a winter wedding. We decided to go for a midnight-blue illustration on cream textured card and a midnight-blue wallet which is just gorgeous!
I'm working on a bespoke invitation at the moment featuring a barn illustration at night in the snow. Another one of my bespoke clients is having a winter wedding. We decided to go for a midnight-blue illustration on cream textured card and a midnight-blue wallet which is just gorgeous!
What are the stages of your service and how long on average does it take from consultation to completion?
It's a good idea to start thinking about wedding stationery 8 or 9 months before you intend to send your wedding invitations out really. Many people leave it until the last minute and don't factor it into their budgets, however, wedding stationery is often the first contact you have with some of your guests about your wedding and it is a very important way of communicating what your wedding will be like. First impressions really do count!
Come and see me as soon as you have decided on your wedding style/ theme...
I like to have a minimum of 8 weeks if possible for my bespoke service in order to gather research, design prototypes, get feedback from my clients and go to print. There is also time involved with sourcing and costing unique materials and delivery. The longer I have, the more I can do for you.
For my pre-designed range at The Wedding Stationery Co I like to have at least six weeks before you need them to personalise your invites and get them delivered to you.
I have some really busy periods in the year and so sometimes things take a little longer, but there are also times when things quieten down for me so if you are in a rush don't hesitate to ask as I may be able to turn something around quite quickly for you.
You should think about sending your Save the Date cards out to your guests as soon as you have set the date and booked the venue. This gives them time to make arrangements and avoid going on holiday when you are planning to get married! If you have sent Save the Date cards out then formal invitations containing all the important information can go out approximately 6 -8 weeks before the big day, giving guests time to send their reply cards back to you. You may also need to gather menu choices from them and give this information to your caterer so you need to factor that in as well.
Don't forget to think about Order of Service booklets, seating plans, place name cards, table menus and thank you cards! These things are often thought about last-minute also and I've seen many a stressed bride rushing around last-minute trying to sort these things out! I can take the stress off you and design these to match your bespoke invitations and we also have matching products available for our ranges at The Wedding Stationery Co.
It's a good idea to start thinking about wedding stationery 8 or 9 months before you intend to send your wedding invitations out really. Many people leave it until the last minute and don't factor it into their budgets, however, wedding stationery is often the first contact you have with some of your guests about your wedding and it is a very important way of communicating what your wedding will be like. First impressions really do count!
Come and see me as soon as you have decided on your wedding style/ theme...
I like to have a minimum of 8 weeks if possible for my bespoke service in order to gather research, design prototypes, get feedback from my clients and go to print. There is also time involved with sourcing and costing unique materials and delivery. The longer I have, the more I can do for you.
For my pre-designed range at The Wedding Stationery Co I like to have at least six weeks before you need them to personalise your invites and get them delivered to you.
I have some really busy periods in the year and so sometimes things take a little longer, but there are also times when things quieten down for me so if you are in a rush don't hesitate to ask as I may be able to turn something around quite quickly for you.
You should think about sending your Save the Date cards out to your guests as soon as you have set the date and booked the venue. This gives them time to make arrangements and avoid going on holiday when you are planning to get married! If you have sent Save the Date cards out then formal invitations containing all the important information can go out approximately 6 -8 weeks before the big day, giving guests time to send their reply cards back to you. You may also need to gather menu choices from them and give this information to your caterer so you need to factor that in as well.
Don't forget to think about Order of Service booklets, seating plans, place name cards, table menus and thank you cards! These things are often thought about last-minute also and I've seen many a stressed bride rushing around last-minute trying to sort these things out! I can take the stress off you and design these to match your bespoke invitations and we also have matching products available for our ranges at The Wedding Stationery Co.
Top tip for choosing your perfect wedding stationery
My top tip for choosing your wedding stationery is simply to choose something that you love. There is nothing worse than going for something which is plain and boring just because it was cheap. You will regret it! Go for something that ties in perfectly with your wedding theme, don't be afraid to show your personalities in your invites (and possibly even your sense of humour!). You want to make your guests excited and give them a taste of what's to come. My mum still has a copy of my wedding invitation from five years ago in a keepsake box upstairs and she will probably keep that forever.
I’d love to start the process of working with you... how would I go about doing this?
Give me a call to make an appointment or pop into Princes House. I'm there most Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays unless I have other meetings. I offer a free no-obligation consultation if you want something bespoke designed and my full range of products from The Wedding Stationery Co are on display in my showroom and studio.
If you wish to make your own wedding invitations I am starting to fill up my DIY wedding invitation shop on my website www.weddingstationeryco.com
If you can't find what you need please ask as I may be able to get hold of it for you anyway.
I am also starting to plan some DIY wedding invitation workshops for the summer so please get in touch to register you interest if this sounds like something you would like. The workshops will be held at Princes House and you will learn several different techniques in the morning. The afternoon will be spent making your invites and I will be there to help you! It's great if you want to gather your friends or bridesmaids together and get your invites made and ready to post out! I've even talked Cornwall Chef into providing us with a yummy lunch....
My top tip for choosing your wedding stationery is simply to choose something that you love. There is nothing worse than going for something which is plain and boring just because it was cheap. You will regret it! Go for something that ties in perfectly with your wedding theme, don't be afraid to show your personalities in your invites (and possibly even your sense of humour!). You want to make your guests excited and give them a taste of what's to come. My mum still has a copy of my wedding invitation from five years ago in a keepsake box upstairs and she will probably keep that forever.
I’d love to start the process of working with you... how would I go about doing this?
Give me a call to make an appointment or pop into Princes House. I'm there most Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays unless I have other meetings. I offer a free no-obligation consultation if you want something bespoke designed and my full range of products from The Wedding Stationery Co are on display in my showroom and studio.
If you wish to make your own wedding invitations I am starting to fill up my DIY wedding invitation shop on my website www.weddingstationeryco.com
If you can't find what you need please ask as I may be able to get hold of it for you anyway.
I am also starting to plan some DIY wedding invitation workshops for the summer so please get in touch to register you interest if this sounds like something you would like. The workshops will be held at Princes House and you will learn several different techniques in the morning. The afternoon will be spent making your invites and I will be there to help you! It's great if you want to gather your friends or bridesmaids together and get your invites made and ready to post out! I've even talked Cornwall Chef into providing us with a yummy lunch....
Can I find you at any wedding fayres this year? (might not be relevant to everyone)
I don't do too many wedding fairs but please pop into my studio or visit my website to see my product range. If you want to stay in touch with what's going on please 'Like' my Facebook page www.facebook.com/weddingstationeryco
Random question please choose and one from the following: What was your best Christmas present?
My husband and I have a rule that we will buy something silly for Christmas and spend no more than £5. It's actually quite a challenge! Last year was books - I bought him a book called Gods of Rock and he bought me a Thesaurus....how romantic.
Where can I find out more about your business?
Please visit my website at weddingstationeryco.com or call me on 07838 778 553
email: [email protected]
facebook: facebook.com/weddingstationeryco
I'm on the Lower Ground Floor downstairs at Princes House.
If you don't live in Cornwall I'm happy to carry out a no-obligation consultation over the phone!
I don't do too many wedding fairs but please pop into my studio or visit my website to see my product range. If you want to stay in touch with what's going on please 'Like' my Facebook page www.facebook.com/weddingstationeryco
Random question please choose and one from the following: What was your best Christmas present?
My husband and I have a rule that we will buy something silly for Christmas and spend no more than £5. It's actually quite a challenge! Last year was books - I bought him a book called Gods of Rock and he bought me a Thesaurus....how romantic.
Where can I find out more about your business?
Please visit my website at weddingstationeryco.com or call me on 07838 778 553
email: [email protected]
facebook: facebook.com/weddingstationeryco
I'm on the Lower Ground Floor downstairs at Princes House.
If you don't live in Cornwall I'm happy to carry out a no-obligation consultation over the phone!
