Ajalon Printing and Design Review

This post has been such a long time in coming. A while back, I "liked" Invitations by Ajalon on Facebook, and then tweeted about it. As happens online, that started a conversation between Ajalon and me about the perfect letterpress designs for mountain brides and culminated a gorgeous sample pack being sent my way. Thank you Ajalon!!!

Design: Fleur 

 

Letterpress is different. When we were planning our wedding we opted for do-it-yourself invitations that we designed on our home computer and printed at a local shop. During the same time, we received a letterpress invitation from a friend of ours who was getting married around the same time. It was a small understated letterpress card that signaled that their wedding would be lovely and elegant. Ours, signaled a more casual event. The look and feel of letterpress is a game changer.

Design: Kira

 

They say that invitations set the mood, style, and formality of the wedding. There is something about letterpress that says: "you will be an honored guest at my wedding." If you're not yet a paper geek, letterpress will turn you into one. 

Design: Laura

 

The sample pack came in a gorgeous folio that had pinstriped letter pressed into it.  The Ajalon logo was hot foil stamped onto the front. A pretty brown bow wrapped around the folio like a promise of all the beauty that awaited inside.

Design: Orchid

 

I was not disappointed. On Ajalon's blog, they have a post asking if you have "experienced the luxury of letterpress." That is the exact feeling I got when I opened my sample pack. Letterpress creates such a nuanced tactile and visual experience. The weight of the paper, the feel of the impressions, the look of the design all come together to create, not just a feeling of luxury, but also a feeling of anticipation for the delights the wedding will bring. Just like our experience withour friend's letterpress invitation. 

"Send Me a Sample Pack Mountain Brides Would Like"

I asked Ajalon to send me a sample pack that would appeal to a variety of mountain brides. Here are their selections. The invitation pack showcased invitations exclusively from the floral gallery, but these designs aren't "flowery" per se. Some are clearly flowers, like the Laura, which features beautiful hydrangeas. But others, like the fleur, which is more akin to the Fleur-de-lis but with more arching, gleeful swirls. 

Here are Ajalon's picks for mountain couples

• Fleur in Brown 4695 or Sky Blue 543 (top two images)
• Kira in teal foil (next two images)
• Laura in Grape, Dark Frost, or Dark Lilac (third two images)
• Orchid Two colored in green 7492 and brown 4635 (last two images)

In addition to letterpress samples, he sample pack also came with a tri-fold envelope and a book fold envelope. It also came with a handy card with paper samples and another handy card with color samples allowing you to mix and match color, paper, and design.

In most cases,  letterpress is for mountain couples opting a more elegant affair. This doesn't necessarily mean you're having a grand lodge wedding for 250 guests. You can use letterpress for a more scaled down, intimate reception at a swanky lounge or artsy museum. (Yes we have such things in the mountains, especially in Asheville, NC.) You can also use letterpress for a more formal outdoor wedding. Ajalon's natural floral designs are perfect for such events. 

One more thing, don't be afraid to call and ask for help with choosing the perfect invitation for your wedding. To order your own sample pack from Ajalon visit their website