We just printed a suite of gorgeous wedding stationery for Corina and Jose. We love how the quite luxuriant gold edging is offset by the classy black script. Add in some subtle New York illustrations and it's a recipe for a beautiful invitation!
Here are a few more examples of some business cards we have really enjoyed designing and printing.
There's something lovely and tactile about a letterpress business card - you can really feel the indentation of the type on the card.
Once you have purchased your business cards, you might also want to think about keeping them in a nice holder! Here are a few options that we are really fond of - just click on the image to link to the store...
A business card can express something of the personality and interests of the person who gives it. This may be as simple as choosing a small image that represents your line of work:
Or it could be communicated via the choice of font and color:
In Japan, the business card or "meishi" is quite an important item in terms of how it is exchanged and received. The card should be held at the bottom two corners, face up and angled so that it can be read by the person receiving it. The recipient takes it by the top two corners using both hands. Placing one's fingers over the name or other information is considered rude. Upon receiving the card, one is expected to read the card carefully, noting the person's name and position. It's an acknowledgement of the status of the person giving the card - definitely a different experience to the more Western approach to distributing business cards!
We've reached the end of our Save the Date recap - and we wanted to finish with some lovely, classic examples of card announcements.We really like this simple calendar design with the heart-shaped date marker - can't you imagine guests keeping this on their mantlepiece or fridge as a pretty reminder of the upcoming wedding?
Calendar
These seersucker cards are ideal for a spring or summer wedding and could be printed in any thematic color...
Seersucker1
Seersucker-detail
We really enjoyed working on this destination wedding. All of the separate items fit into the custom envelope and they have a wonderful 1920s vintage travel feel!
Tickets
Finally, I'm a sucker for anything with a nautical or maritime theme so these whale-printed cards make me swoon...
Most of the business cards we print are rectangular. This follows on from the earliest examples of calling cards which would always be this shape. However, we also like the individuality implicit in a card with an unusual shape or dimensions. We recently printed this gorgeous square business card and now most of us here in the workshop are coveting them!
In the 19th Century, it wasn't just the information printed on the calling card that mattered, subtle adaptations to the card itself could convey meaning:
If a gentleman folded over the left hand upper corner of his card, it implied that his visit was congratulatory in nature.
A fold to the lower left hand corner meant that he sent his condolences.
If a gentleman was taking leave for a considerable amount of time, this would be communicated by a fold in the lower right hand corner.
I'm not sure people would pick up on these distinctions nowadays, but perhaps we should start experimenting with our own business cards:
Here at Sesame, we print lots of business cards. Even though they are a relatively simple item, we really love the challenge of designing something memorable and unique within the quite small parameters.
I've been investigating a little more about the humble business card and I wanted to share some anecdotes with you. This is also a great opportunity to post some photos of our favorite business cards.
Sarma
During the 19th Century, the practice of “calling” upon relatives, friends, and acquaintances was a middle and upper class social ritual with strict guidelines and rules. Visiting etiquette hinged upon the calling card. Upon arrival, a gentleman placed his calling card on a silver tray, held by the servant who answered the door. This served to 'announce' him to the person he was visiting.
If a gentleman was visiting a home for the first time, he would leave a card and then depart. If the new acquaintance wished to receive a visit, he or she would send a card in return. If no card was sent, or if the return card was sent in an envelope, this signaled that the new acquaintance did not wish for a personal visit to occur. It was basically the well-mannered brush off. All those subtle little social clues...a little different to "un-friending" someone on Facebook!
Our spooky Bags of Mystery have been featured on the lovely Discover Paper blog. They posted a round-up of 13 awesome Halloween paper goods and we're thrilled to be mentioned!Here's the full list - we're number 9...
