In an era when customization is becoming increasingly more popular, Yonder Design is revolutionizing not only stationery itself, but stationery’s role in weddings. Their modern, textured designs are unexpected and tell a story that weaves throughout save-the-dates, invitations and reception decor. “We often get involved at the earliest stages of weddings, creating an overall look and feel,” says Chris, who co-founded YD with his wife Julie. “This often starts with a wedding website, which is a great way to convey details about accommodations, travel, activities and even track early guest RSVPs. We also create a lot of pieces for the wedding day itself, including large scale seating charts and signage, welcome boxes with custom sourced gifts, and of course printed materials such as menus, programs and place cards.”
Chris’s background in magazine publishing coupled with Julie's background in fine arts and graphic design created the perfect partnership to launch this design company that's changing the game. The duo, who both had experience in the event industry, discovered an opportunity for high-end designs that weren’t commonplace letterpress printing; they wanted to create an experience rather than delivering text and information on a piece of expensive paper. “With so much of the market shifting to online purchasing, we wanted to carve out a very specialized niche in the ultra luxury segment.”
Moss, acrylic, wood, velvet and corkboard are just a few materials that have made an appearance in their custom designs that practically double as a gift for guests (quite the first impression!). “When we’re creating a design, we often draw from materials present at the event venue or from places that are meaningful to our clients. That way, we’re not just incorporating unique materials for the sake of using them, but we’re able to tell a meaningful story with our designs that gives a sense of place,” explains Chris. Every detail, no matter how small, serves a purpose. “We believe that an invitation should go beyond the simple graphic design and visual appeal. Most people spend their days in front of a computer or screen for much of the day, looking at flat images,” he continues. “We want people to have a tactile experience with our creations — touching the various textures and smelling the natural elements. By giving them something to unwrap, we see each invitation not just as a piece of art, but as a small gift from the couple to the guest.”
“Most of our designs include some sort of wrapping element, overlay, box or packaging that guests can unwrap when they receive it in the mail,” Chris says. “By interacting with the designs, guests spend more time with them and make a greater connection meant to excite them and set the tone for the event to come.”
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