all stationery & site design copyright paper olive • ©2007 to present • all rights reserved
los angeles • worldwide • 818.445.2235 • mail@paperolive.com • by appointment only
• why choose paper olive?
let’s be honest. we know you have plenty of choices, and we know our designs are not for everyone. traditional cream color palettes with traditional script styles are not what we do.
but there are a lot of brides today whose tastes fall outside of tradition, brides who want more than the ordinary and are looking for something fresh, colorful, vibrant, chic, personal, and most of all — fun. we mix beauty with whimsy, and have so much fun doing it that we believe our excitement transfers onto our clients. that’s a good reason to choose us.
• what is your process for placing an order?
placing an order is easy — please visit our process page to get started. for specific step-by-step details, you can also download our complete gallery order process or our custom order process.
• what is the price range for your services?
each custom or personalized price quote is entirely dependent on the size, materials and complexity of the finished design, which is also a reflection of each client's unique budget. therefore, our design prices are as individual as our clients. of course, most of our existing designs can be embellished or simplified to meet specific budgets.
as a basis, flat and pocket fold invitations start at $1000 per 100 sets. couture, fabric folio and silk boxed invitations start at $2000 per 100 sets. save the dates start at $4 per card.
olive press letterpress designs start at $1275 for 100 sets (one-color ink), $1695 for 100 sets (two-color ink), and $1875 for 100 sets (three-color ink). olive press designs are also available in flat printing at $795 for 100 sets, or thermography at $1050 for 100 sets (up to 2 colors).
olive press designs requiring custom sizes and add-on embellishments can be quoted individually.
• how do you price your designs, and what does the price include?
we price each of our designs by the individual set — and that set will include all of the pieces agreed upon during the consultation and proposal. for example, our “flourish" design suite is priced $14 per set, and that set includes an invitation, an addressed color envelope, an rsvp card, and a return-addressed color rsvp envelope. our designs also include shipping.
• can i see samples of your work?
yes. if we meet in person, you will have the opportunity to look through all of our samples, fabrics, papers and embellishments.
• can you mail me a sample?
yes. if you are not located within the los angeles area and wish to see our work in person, you can purchase a sample of the design of your choice, which we will create and mail to you. this sample fee is used to cover the cost of materials, setup and shipping, and will be applied as a credit to your future order.
sample prices are based on the specific materials involved, but many flat samples can be purchased for $25. silk box invites will cost a little more due to expense and order minimums — between $50 and $85 on average, depending on the design. letterpress samples average $15 per sample, by availability. we keep samples in stock for our letterpress designs, but reprints can take time to produce — if we run out of a certain design, we will send a comparable sample to give an idea of paper and ink quality.
• do you have a brochure?
since our designs are typically custom creations that are constantly being updated, we do not keep a catalogue. of course, you can always view our current portfolio on our website.
• what printing methods do you use?
we employ a wide array of printing processes depending on the design, including flat offset printing, digital printing, thermography, embossing, foil stamping and letterpress.
• can i customize a design with different colors, shapes, or create matching stationery pieces?
absolutely. while we do lots of custom work, we can also personalize any existing design to match your style or colors. if you like a design but want a different invite shape, want to add/remove inserts that you don’t see in the sample, or need to change a silk box to an envelope to bring costs down, we are happy to work with you. you can also have menus, place cards, escort cards, table numbers, or anything else you like created for any design you like.
• do you make two-sided invitations?
indeed. this comes in very handy when trying to keep to a budget — printing directions on the back of an accommodations card to save paper, for example. it also works with bilingual invitations.
• should i order extra invitations to cover last-minute needs?
we recommend it, yes. since guest counts can fluctuate, and unexpected additions may arise, we advise our clients to order roughly 10 to 25 sets above their original guest total. these extras will often become keepsakes, and will cover any last-minute additions that are necessary, without requiring an expensive, rushed reorder.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT LETTERPRESS REORDERS: because letterpress involves such a laborious process, last-minute reprints for letterpress designs can be extremely costly. though the initial design & plate fees will not be charged, a rush reoorder of 25 additional invitations can cost nearly half of what an original order of 100 would cost, once setup and rush fees are taken into account. it is always cheaper and safer to order extra up front to save yourself time and money.
• how far in advance should i order my invitations?
since we believe your invitation sets the thematic tone for your entire event — and thus can influence floral, accent, and motif decisions — we recommend that you start the invitation process as soon as the venue location and date has been chosen. ideally, six to nine months in advance. if this isn't possible, planning ahead by at least four to six months still avoids a rush.
• how long will my order take to complete?
depending on our production schedule and the complexity and size of your order, our process can take anywhere from three weeks to three months to complete. if custom fabrics, materials or papers need to be ordered, that can lengthen the process.
we generally complete most custom orders within 8 – 12 weeks, start to finish (we know it's long, but it's worth the wait!). our letterpress and olive press invitations will often take less time, provided embellishments are at a minimum.
• will you accept rush orders?
yes — but this depends on our schedule and the complexity of your design, so we accept rush orders only on a case-by-case basis. depending on your design materials and order size, rush charges range from 20% to 30% of the total order. a rush order is typically completed in under two weeks — for larger and more complicated orders, the time frame could be up to 4 weeks.
• do you charge sales tax?
only to california residents, who are required to pay 9.75% sales tax.
• when should i mail out my wedding invitations?
typically, wedding invitations are sent out 6 – 8 weeks prior to the wedding date; however, with destination weddings becoming so popular, couples often mail destination invitations 10 – 12 weeks out.
• how much will postage be for my invitations?
because many of our designs (especially from the couture collection) are contained in unique boxes and more exclusive packaging, postage for our invitations will sometimes be higher than an ordinary invitation. final postage will depend on the size and the weight of your finished invitation set, so you will need to weigh one complete invitation set at the post office to determine the exact postage.
note: our signature service includes rsvp card standard postage, which we adhere to the completed rsvp envelopes, saving you a step and the application process. outer envelope postage options can be discussed during our consultation.
• can i change or cancel my order?
we understand circumstances can change, and we like to be as flexible as reason allows.
quantities: because we price per set, we can often change your quantity — provided that we have not already begun production. once production has begun, we can increase quantities for an additional cost, but are unable to lower quantities, since materials have been purchased and work has been completed.
cancellations: if you must cancel after a deposit has been made, and we have not yet begun production, we will refund your deposit minus a 25% cancellation fee and any costs that were incurred up to the point of cancellation. we regret we are unable to cancel or refund any orders that have gone into production, and will require full payment.
• i need to send you my address list. what format do you require?
ideally, we would like to receive your invitation list via excel or via microsoft word, broken out exactly as you would write them on the envelopes or box labels.
for example:
• First & Last Name (Ms. Mary Smith)• Address 1 (Sixty Seven North Magnolia Boulevard)• Address 2 (Number Fifteen)• City, State (Los Angeles, California)• Zip Code (91505)
