Letterpress Wedding Invitations
Printed on a press older than your grandma. Pressed hard enough to feel it.
Letterpress wedding invitations are the ones guests pick up, run a thumb across, and then refuse to throw away. I'm Lauren, and I print every single one myself on a 1905 Chandler & Price platen press in my studio in Kansas. No print shop middleman. No sending your files off and hoping for the best. Just me, the press, and a concerning amount of ink under my fingernails.
If you want an invitation that looks nice on a screen, there are a million options. If you want one that feels like something, keep reading.
Meet the Press
She's a Chandler & Price 8x12, built around 1905, back when mailing an invitation was the only way to invite anyone to anything. She's been printing for over 120 years and has no plans to retire. Neither do I. I'm on her almost every night.
Every ink color is mixed by hand, by weight, in tiny batches. So when you say "that exact shade of tomato soup," I can actually make that exact shade of tomato soup.
What Makes Letterpress Different
Digital printing puts ink on top of the paper. Foil makes it shiny. Letterpress presses your design into the paper, so every letter and line sits in its own little dent. You see it, you feel it, and your guests will absolutely touch it at the dinner table.
Each color is its own setup and its own trip through the press. A three-color invitation gets printed three separate times. It's slow, it's physical, and that's the whole point.
Custom Letterpress Wedding Invitations
Nothing here starts from a template. Every suite is designed from a blank page around you, then printed with whatever combination of methods makes it hit hardest:
Letterpress in any color, mixed to order
Blind letterpress: no ink, just impression, for when subtle is the flex
Sculpted emboss: raised, dimensional artwork you can feel from across the room
Die cutting: custom shapes, cut on the same press
Add-ons: foil, wax seals, ribbon, and luxury boxed invitations for suites too thick for a regular envelope
More is more. I will never talk you out of a fourth color.
Is Letterpress Right for You?
You'll probably love letterpress if you've ever touched a nice business card and thought about it for a week, if your wedding has a floral installation budget, or if you want your guests to text you "this is SO you" before they've even RSVP'd.
It's probably not for you if you need 300 invitations by next Friday. A 1905 press does not do rush.
Timeline
Reach out at least 6 months before your wedding. Design comes first, with proofs you can actually read. Once you approve the final proof, printing and hand assembly take about 3 to 6 weeks. The earlier you reach out, the more room we have to get weird with it.
Letterpress FAQ
Is letterpress more expensive than digital printing?
Yes. Every color is a separate setup and press run, and it's all done by hand. Pricing depends on quantity, number of colors, and add-ons. Your proposal breaks it all down.
Can you print on both sides?
Deep impression shows through on the back of the paper, which is part of the charm. We usually keep the back simple or handle it a different way.
Can you match my wedding colors?
Yes. I mix every ink by hand, so if you can show it to me, I can make it.
Do you only work with Kansas couples?
Nope. I print in Kansas and ship letterpress wedding invitations everywhere, with tracked mailing available.