Weddings

A wedding day is many things. It is a day of laughter and tears, a day of love and joy and expectations. Creating a day as perfect as the one you have imagined requires hard work and careful planning. At times, the number of details may seem overwhelming. Remember, Paper & Roses is here to help.

With over ten years of wedding consulting experience, owner Betsyan Gilcreast and the staff of Paper & Roses have learned most of the "ins and outs" of putting together the perfect Wedding Invitation ensemble. Wedding details can be daunting so Paper & Roses suggests each bride start with a good wedding planner. Good planner books keep track of those details and help with the scheduling of all the people you may need to see during the busy months to come. If an "etiquette" problem arises with wording, format or seating, the shop relies on the Crane Blue Book of Wedding Etiquette for guidance. Says Betsyan, "We look to Crane for the basic guidelines and then we try to tailor the needs of the bride and groom within those guidelines. Sometime it works and sometimes we simply have to make up the rules as we go along!"

We can assist with your selection of announcements, invitations, reception, response and thank you cards--as well as pew bows, flower girl baskets, ring pillows, aisle runners and any other "finishing touch" you may need. We offer knowledge, experience and gentle advice and are always happy to work within your budget.

Other helpful hints as they apply to our services:

The Invitation--is an important aspect of your wedding day. Whether traditional or contemporary or something "in between", the invitation sets the tone for the entire celebration and should reflect the personality of both the bride and the groom. Paper & Roses is proud to offer invitions by Crane Fine Papers, NuArt, Birchcraft, Gala Aldengrace and Regency. The shop also carries unique blank stock and does its own in-house printing for less formal occasions.

Specialty Stationery--such as Shower or Rehearsal Dinner Invitations, Informals or Thank you Notes, Table and Place cards should also be chosen with care. Direction, map cards and accommodation cards are often helpful for out-of-town guests. You may also wish to consider a Wedding Program to acknowledge the members of your wedding party and to outline the order of your wedding ceremony.

Finishing touches (and lots of detailed planning) make your wedding memorable. Paper & Roses offers a wide range of bridal and reception accessories, including:

• Alter and Pew Bows
• Unity Candles
• Aisle Runners
• Bridal Baskets (for cards)
• Guest Books and Pens
• Garter Sets
• Ring bearer Pillows
• Flower Girl Baskets
• Cake Boxes and Napkins
• Reception Scrolls and Favors
• Toasting Glasses and Cake Servers (which we are happy to decorate)

In addition to our own services, we have an "up-to-date" Referral List of other professionals with whom we have worked. (see the FAQ section) This list includes musicians, rentals, florists, ministerial services, wedding cakes, guest lodging, photographers, videographers and ceremony locations.

The "picture perfect" Wedding Day requires care and creativity, in addition to our own expertise, we offer a list of professionals (link for FAQ on this topic) with whom we have worked that provide music, rentals, flowers, ministerial services, tuxedos, cakes, lodging, photography, videography, and ceremony locations.

Anniversaries

Anniversaries are always special occasions. Sometimes, however, they suddenly turn into EXTRA-special occasions. . . showering us with almost as many details as a wedding. Again, a well-planned anniversary celebration begins with an invitation, includes a guest book, photo album, cake napkins and table cards. Come see us. . . we can help.

Births

Most moms and dads-to-be have a good nine months to "get ready". That readiness, however, rarely includes a birth announcement. So, may we point out our Announcement stock and In-house printing services. If you choose your announcement, the proud father can call us from the birthing room, the hospital or the car and give us the information we need to start printing.

We also have a Crane and Regency Birth Announcement Album offering contemporary or traditional designs in a wide range of prices. One nice thing about our In-house printing is moms can take the envelopes ahead of time and get them addressed while she is still getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night.

One cute story: a proud dad did phone us. . . . . gave us the date, the time, the weight and length of his new baby, Riley. When he appeared about to hang up, we quickly asked, "Is it a boy or a girl!" There was silence for a minute and then a rather strangled reply, "Oh, my. . . . I don't remember!" (It was just a momentary laspse, however.)

Retirements

This isn't the standard, once in a lifetime event that it use to be! People rarely remain with one company for their entire career. But, everyone (including a Volunteer) deserves to be recognized for loyal service to a company, firm or organization no matter whether they have been there just 5 or 10 years.

Loyalty is hard to come by these days. So whether you are planning an event in the firm's cafeteria or on Main Street, downtown. . . start with an contemporary, fun invitation And be sure to include a Memory Book for Guests to make note of their fondest memories and pertinent email addresses. Choose your guest list with care and include people your guest of honor would choose. Indeed, consult the guest of honor.

Retirement parties should not be "surprise" parties. One business we worked with planned a party down to the last detail. . . . . we kept suggesting they consult the guest of honor, but they felt it had to be a surprise. Two days before the party, on a whim, the guest of honor flew out to Seattle, WA to visit a new, baby granddaughter.