White on White

   Invitations & Stationery For All of Life's Events!

sherborn, ma

 Life Events: [ Wedding ]  [ Baby ] [ Parties ]  [ Holiday ]  [ Religious ] [ Stationery ] [ Moving & Travel ]

 Etiquette  •  Product Lines  ∙  Printing Options  •  Ordering •  Thoughts & Trends  •  Other Services  •  About Us

  Printing Options

There are a wide range of printing styles to choose from, depending on the formality of your event, your budget and your personal preference.

• Engraving: Engraving your invitations is the most traditional and formal printing option you can have. It is one of the oldest printing styles, as well as the most expensive. It also takes the longest to complete. To print, stationery is pressed onto a copper plate, giving engraved invitations a raised print appearance. Because it is pressed through the paper, it can be felt on the back of the paper, sometimes referred to as a bruise effect.

• Thermography: Thermographed invitations are similar to engraved invitations. They both have raised lettering. They differ in that thermographed invitations have a shinier, glossy finish and the print does not press through the back of the paper. Thermography is a process that fuses powder and ink to create a raised letter. This takes less time than engraving and is less expensive because copper plates do not have to be engraved.

• Letterpress: Letterpress began in Europe in the 14th century as an alternative to laborious calligraphy. Today, many designers are returning to the craft of letterpress for a soft classic look that can’t be achieved with any other technique.  Since the “bite” characteristic of letterpress is the result of metal type or a photoengraved plate being impressed into the paper, it is important to choose paper that can accentuate this effect.  Handmade papers can be beautiful letterpressed.

• Lithography: Lithography, also known as flat print or offset printing, is the most widely used printing style for wedding invitations. The process involves printing lettering with ink but does not result in a raised or pressed-through appearance. It is the least expensive because it is the quickest to produce.  It is also the least formal.

• Blind Embossing: Blind embossing (or just "embossing") is a process similar to engraving. As with engraving, a raised impression is created from a copper plate. Unlike engraving, no ink is used. Blind embossing is commonly used for a family coat of arms, the return address on the outside envelopes, and monogrammed thank-you notes. Dies made for blind embossing can be used again to blind emboss or to engrave in a metallic color. They cannot, however, be engraved in other ink colors.

Be sure to visit the Product Lines page to see some of the line we carry. 

phone 508.653.7889       mobile 617.921.4236       facsimile 508.319.3030       e-mail us