Supplier Spotlight - Emma Bradstreet Paper & Press
Goooood morning all!
Isn’t it weird after you write or reveal something really heavy that you get stuck in a rut of not knowing what to write next. The post-lockdown debrief was horrendously timely in a lot of ways, with the all the rules and regulations changing once again for couples, suppliers and weddings alike. I just want to firstly say, if this has meant you having to change your wedding plans, maybe even for the 3rd or 4th time, I am deeply sorry, but I am always here for help, support and encouragement (and wine too). Please, everyone, stay strong, and stay hopeful, and most of all - stay kind.
Now, if you ever needed the perfect post to all the uncertainty, it will be this! I had the absolute joy of meeting and working with Emma from Emma Bradstreet Paper & Press on a photo shoot in August - see my Instagram for jaw-dropping photos - where my flowers were honoured to be next to her stunning stationery. Emma is not only lovely and warm, her letterpress stationary is timeless, and something to be treasured long after your big day is over. I also want to mention that her botanically themed greeting cards are the elegant, minimal, embossed creations of MY DREAMS. Each piece not just a card, but a work of exquisite art. If you are looking for the perfect invite or stationary for your wedding, a perfect greeting cards or some new swanky personalised stationary for your home office, look no further than the splendid Emma and her letterpress studio. Make sure you follow her on Instagram too! Links at the bottom of the interview…
Emma Bradstreet & Maisie
Firstly, please introduce yourself!
Hello! I am Emma and I run a small letterpress and design business called ‘Emma Bradstreet Paper & Press’.
Through a combination of traditional printing methods and timeless, elegant design I create everything from bespoke wedding and event invitations to everyday stationery and greetings cards. Everything is carefully designed and hand printed in house by me ensuring everything is produced to perfection for my clients. Inspired by beautiful tactile papers, soft neutral colour palettes and minimal design, I am passionate about creating luxurious stationery that is uniquely special and resonates with the person that receives it.
Why and how did you get started?
I started my business in 2019 after choosing to leave my career in the Fashion industry. I had studied Fashion Design at university and went on to work for some well known brands from the British high street. Although I loved it for many years, I soon started to crave something more. I had always sought out other creative outlets in my free time and just before Christmas I took a Letterpress workshop in Surrey with a lovely lady who taught me everything she knew. She was incredibly open and gave me such invaluable advice and information that I was incredibly grateful for.
Shortly after this I bought my first mini letterpress, an Adana 5x3 off eBay and I had the letterpress bug! I soon upgraded to a larger Adana press and then a few months down the line I bought my big Treadle press which I now do all my printing on. I absolutely loved it and decided that I just had to give it a go to see if I could make it work full time. It was a scary leap but I tried to reassure myself that the worst case scenario was that it didn’t work out and I could either get a part time job on the side or go back to Fashion. Fortunately with a lot of hard work and determination I am still here and I am always so grateful that I get to do the job I love every day!
Describe your style in 3 words!
Elegant, Minimal, Luxurious
Describe your first wedding commissionl
The first wedding invitations I created were for a lovely couple who knew exactly what they wanted. They were getting married in Ireland and then having a second ceremony and celebration on board their family boat in Turkey.
I created bespoke wedding invitations and order of services for them taking inspiration from the nautical setting they would enjoy on the day. We used handmade paper with deckled edges, gold foil detailing and cobalt blue envelopes to match. They were thrilled with the final outcome and I was so pleased to have helped them bring their vision to life. The order of services were designed to sit along side and we used a rustic twine to bind them together. It felt like such an honour to be trusted with such an important part element of their wedding planning.
What’s the biggest lesson you have learnt along the way?
I think perhaps the biggest lesson I have learnt along the way is to not be afraid to surround yourself with others in your industry, you don’t have to run your business alone. I think it can be quite lonely sometimes when you work alone and knowing you have the support from others in your industry can be so powerful. I am not naturally a confident networker but I have been so lucky to meet so many friendly people so far in my business and it so helpful to learn from others who have been there and done that.
Another thing I have learnt is sometimes it pays off to invest in your business. This felt like a difficult lesson to learn for me as I wanted to save as much money as possible by doing everything myself but as soon as I started to invest in myself and my business a bit more I really saw a big change!
Highlight of your career (so far)!
Well my business is still fairly new but I would say my highlight so far would probably have to be when I printed my semi-custom wedding stationery range for the first time. I had spent a long time designing the range which is aimed at couples who love the idea of letterpress but perhaps don’t have the budget for a bespoke suite. Many hours, late nights and love went into the designs and when I printed them for the first time on my press it was just the most exciting thing. I felt so proud of them and was so excited to share them with the world.
One bit of advice you’d give to your couples when it comes to
planning and dreaming of their own wedding stationary?
My advice would be to get in touch as early as possible with the suppliers that you would like to work with. This means you get to work with the people who are the right fit for you but also so you can put the work in their hands and tick it off your list.
It is my job to take all the planning and stress away when it comes to your stationery and leave you time to enjoy planning the other elements. I only take on a certain number of clients each month to ensure I can dedicate the deserved time to each couple so it is great if you can get in touch early so we can pencil you in. Couples often don’t think they should get in touch until they know exactly how many guests are coming but really just a rough idea is fine to begin with. During these uncertain times it is difficult for couples to commit to anything concrete as guidelines are ever changing. I try to be a sympathetic to this as possible and so will other suppliers so I would always suggest getting in touch first and we can work everything out together.
What’s a big wedding stationary trend you predict for 2021?
My designs have quite a timeless identity so I tend to not focus too much on trends but rather focus on new and exciting ideas that feel right to me and my business. With this being said I have noticed a tendency for my couples to be really loving venue illustrations at the moment which is great as I really love this part! Also foiling is another thing that I am seeing a lot of. Hot foil printing is fairly similar to letterpress but uses a different press which heats up and uses foil instead of ink. I have a little foil press in my studio and really enjoy mixing up the two mediums.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
I would love to continue working with lots of lovely couples to create the wedding stationery they have dreamed of but to also expand the other side to my business which is personal stationery and greetings cards. I really enjoy doing a mix of these things and I would love to start working more with wholesale customers and getting stocked in independent shops around the UK.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
My typical day always starts with walking my dog Maisie. We normally get out the house by 8ish and go for a long walk around my local common which is always such a nice way to start the day. I then sit down at my desk with my coffee to check emails and write my to do list for the day, I often have a few different jobs at once so these need to be planned quite carefully! If it is a print day I will usually try to get started earlier in the day so I am feeling fresh and can concentrate better. Letterpress printing has to be very precise and can be quite testing on some days so a clear head is always the way to go! More often than not there is a lot of admin to be done which is the less glamorous but essential side of the business. This can include anything from accounts, social media planning, emails or website amendments. I always try to make time for being creative and to step away from the computer though as it is so easy to let hours go past and you haven’t moved from your desk!
I take Maisie for another walk around 4 o clock which is often a nice time to reset and clear my head again before finishing off the day. My partner comes home around 7 o clock which is when I will try and pack away to enjoy the rest of the evening. Not every day is like this but as my studio is in my house I do try and give myself boundaries by shutting the door on everything at a reasonable time each night!
What’s your favourite part of your job?
The best bit of my job is without doubt the printing.
I absolutely love it! It can be quite a tiring thing to do and you have to be in the right headspace to do it properly but nothing beats seeing your designs printed for the first time. It is such an incredible process and being hands on is really my favourite part of my job by far. It is so exciting to see them come to life and hope that my clients are going to be just as excited about them as I am!
And finally, what’s been your favourite stationary creation so far?
I was meant to be getting married this year so one of my favourite creations was designing and printing my own wedding stationery (which sadly wont be used!). It was really fun putting myself in the position of the customer and thinking about what I wanted. Doing it myself meant I had the freedom to really go to town and that was so exciting. I illustrated out wedding venue on the top, used the most beautiful paper and envelopes and even included a little map to show our guests the way. We have postponed our wedding to next year now and the stationery will need to be printed again so I am wondering whether to have a bit of a fun with it and design even more elements!
Thank you Emma, for not only being a part of this blog but also being such a wonderful part of our Style Shoot in August.
It was a pleasure to meet you and your work was so inspiring!
You can find her website and Instagram below - give her a follow and say hey!