Letterpress wedding invitations has been the mainstay of the US wedding stationery market for so long but for some reason it has taken a lot longer for the beauty of this age old printing technique to take a grip of the UK wedding stationery market.  For better or worse it is fair to say that most trends from over the pond eventually hit our shores in some shape or form.  Well this is one fashion that I welcome with open arms.  As a result of this revival the number of Letterpress outlets in the UK has increased substantially over the last 18 months or so.

It must have been some 8 years ago now that I fell in love with the simple designs offered by The Letterpress of Cirencester and Piccolo Press in Scotland.  Aside from these two there were few other companies that offered letterpress wedding stationery until very recently.  What is interesting is that the new companies that have emerged have done so not out of a commercial drive to explore a new gap in the market but out of a love of the art of fine print.  This is good news for the consumer because the quality of letterpress printing is determined not by investing heavily in factory plant and resources (factors that typify the success of a modern print shop) but for a love of restoration and a passion for design and innovation.  Most letterpress invitations are printed on machines that are a generation or two old and the skill required to operate them can only be achieved by individuals who have patience and a true love for that work.  It is no surprise that when I read the history behind new suppliers that have started in the last 5 or 6 years they have begun in very humble surroundings such as a garden shed or garage.  Many have been introduced to letterpress by a relative in the old printing trade and have learnt their skills in a hands on apprenticeship and turned their hobbies into successful wedding stationery businesses.  Sounds like a dream job to me.

Have a look at some of the new entrants to the world of letterpress wedding stationery to see what gets them buzzing and see if you too fall under the letterpress charm for your choice of wedding invitation.

• Willow Wood
• Cardlab
• Whites Letterpress
• Hello Lucky

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