The old world artform of Engraved and Letterpress printing are the only two methods of printing that we offer at Gryphon Stationers. We have a love for both of these exquisite crafts of printing, where the finished product is of equal caliber but the results are quite different.

Engraving is one of the oldest and most elegant processes for printing, dating back to the European Middle Ages. Historically developed as a method of producing images on paper for artwork and illustrations, engraving involves etching the text and artwork onto a copper plate. During the printing process, the plate is coated with ink that fills the space created by the etching, and then the plate with ink is compressed onto the paper, leaving the ink raised on top of the paper, and a bruise on the back of the paper from the force of the impression.

At Gryphon we love engraving because unlike other forms of printing, the ink is opaque and can be printed on any color paper stock, and can have incredible detail and true metallic

A traditional technique developed in the 1400s by John Gutenberg whom is credited with the invention of movable type printing, which used moveable raised metal letterforms that are coated with ink during the printing process and then pressed into the paper, transferring the ink and creating an impression in the paper. Later in the 20th century a single raised metal die is made of the entire form of type or artwork, which is the system used to this day for letterpress printing.

Letterpress creates a deep impression into the paper, producing an appealing texture, which is the opposite of engraving, which creates a raised texture. We love letterpress for the tactile quality of the paper and impressions the printing creates.

Bring the party to life with touches of this light and carefree color. Turquoise has a sweet feminine feel while the darker teal shades add sophistication. At Gryphon Stationers, we love this color combination paired with elements that are slightly whimsical and have an unfussy feel help to complete this look.

01.Gryphon Stationers, Two Color Cornucopia Letterpress Invitation, White Feltweave Paper Stock, with Turquoise & Dark Blue Green
02. Vases, Two’s Company
03. Dress, Milly Marrakesh Paisley Dress
04. Ring, Stephen Dweck Floral Ring
05. Cake, The Knot

In the 1700’s, many of the royal families included their family crest on their wedding invitations. At Gryphon Stationers, we love the classic look of traditional heraldry.

Capture this look with a shield motif monogrammed with your initials, and pair it with our decadent eggplant paper stock and spring green and sunny yellow inks to create a truly royal invitation.

01. Gryphon Stationers, Gryphon Classic Shield Engraved Invitation, Eggplant Feltweave Paper Stock, with Green and Yellow
02. Earrings, Jose and Maria
03. Peacock Feather
04. Dress, Faviana
05. Cake, photo from Wedding Style Guide, cake by Planet Cake
06. Bouquet, The Knot

Classic Black and White never go out of style. While you can’t go wrong with a traditional invitation of black Engraving on Ecru paper, why not update this classic and try the reverse with a touch of metallic gold? What you will end up with is a stunning invitation that sets the mood for an elegant affair.

We love subtle details of gold and white paired with touches of black create a combination that is both elegant and modern.

01. Gryphon Stationers, European Engraved Invitation; on Black Feltweave Paper Stock, with White and Gold
02. Earrings, Cathy Carmendy, on Grace Ormonde Wedding style
03. Vases, on Elegant Bride
04. Bouquet, Anthony Todd
05. Gown, Carolina Herrara
06. Table Setting, on Grace Ormonde Wedding Style

The letterpress Cornucopia Invitation (the cornucopia being a symbol of abundance) is a great way to celebrate spring and welcome new beginnings. For this look, we love pieces that are vintage inspired combined with rustic elements. Shades of green create a casual cool, perfect for when the days are warm and the flowers are in bloom.

01. Gryphon Stationers, One Color Cornucopia Letterpress Invitation; White Feltweave Paper Stock, with Green
02.Flowers, Anthony Todd
03. Gown, Carolina Herrara Gown
04. Cake, Martha Stewart
05. Chandlier, The Knot

Thank you Rebekah and Elizabeth for the privilege of being a guest blogger this week!

About Gryphon Stationers
As Graphic Designers, we wanted to develop a system where couples could take a hand at being the designer and create their own wedding invitations online. The Gryphon Stationers site offers high-quality letterpress and engraved printing, with a multitude of handsome motifs, monograms, colors and typefaces to create the style that’s perfect for you, all from the comfort of your home. If a one-of-a-kind invitation is what you’re looking for, we also offer custom services where the sky’s the limit.

We think that the invitation is one of the most communicative elements of a wedding. It is the first to convey the mood and tone of the ceremony to the guests, therefore making the invitation one of the most important details of wedding planning.

This is why we have chosen some of our favorite invitations from the Gryphon Stationers site and created a complete look surrounding them. Over the next four days, we will be posting different wedding style looks based off of an integral part of wedding planning; the invitation.

We hope you enjoy!
Gryphon Stationers