Whitney Owen Designs

Whitney Owen is one of our preferred vendors at Eberley Brooks. She can truly make your wedding invitation dreams come to life.

How did you get into invitations?

Well, I was still in college at the time and one of my best friends happened to be engaged. While some other friends and I were planning her lingerie shower, we couldn’t find an invitation that worked for us. So, I thought that I would try my hand at making them. That’s where it all began... 17 years later and I am still creating and I love it so much!! 

What is your favorite part about invitations?

You would think it would be that I get to be creative everyday, however, it is the wonderful people I get the honor of working with. Getting to be a part of someone’s big day such as a wedding or graduation or those celebrating the impending arrival of a new baby, definitely gives me all the feels. I love when I can meet with clients in person because it just makes things that much more personal. I am so fortunate to have many of my clients turn into life-long friends. It has enriched my life in the best way possible! 

What invitation did you have the most fun making?

Oh gosh! I have had so many fun jobs but the one that still takes the cake for me is the invitation I did for Courtney and Jamie several years ago. I absolutely loved working with them! After meeting with them, I had lots of ideas and Courtney told me to do “my thing.” Oh how I love that!! I could really get creative then. 

What invitation challenged you the most?

That’s a tough question. I think clients that come to me with more of a western style are tougher for me but I think that is just because that isn’t what my personal style is. When working on a country or western style suite, I take a little more time to get myself in that mind set with research and lots of country music. In the end, I love how things turn out. 

Are there any myths about wedding invitations?

Oh I think there are quite a few! Some that I deal with the most are the following:

1. All the paper in the suite has to be the same with the same type of printing. - Good gravy, NO! Add some interest by tying in an accent color whether it be bold or subtle. Mix foil printing with some digital printing or even digital with white printing. And paper...it doesn’t even all have to be paper! There could be a piece that is acrylic or wood. SO many options by doing custom invitations. 

2. You must follow proper etiquette guidelines. - Again, no. Honestly, I like to be a little bit of a rebel so if a client wants to do things differently I am totally okay with that. Things are just so different than they were in say the 1940s or even the 1990s. For my own wedding invitations (picture attached), I stepped outside the box and I wouldn’t have changed one thing. 

3. Wedding invitations are so expensive. - “Expensive” is such a subjective term. Every single client is different and so is their budget and wants vs. needs. Yes, custom can run a little more than ones you find online that a million other brides choose but there is so much that goes into the pricing. With my clients, I always tell them we can work on the price until it fits within their budget and what they are comfortable with paying. I let them know I can get them a quote for something they have in mind and then we can take it from there. Definitely reach out for an estimate! You can keep in mind that when doing a custom design that time is put into not only the design but then the assembly as well. You can always choose a less costly print method and/or even opt to address them yourself. Please don’t dismiss the idea of custom invitations! 

Do you prefer wedding invitations over other event invitations?

I absolutely love designing wedding invitations but I also love the fact that I also design other types of invitations. From birth announcements to graduations to holiday cards...I love everything in between. I think it helps keep things interesting and fresh for me