Welcome back for another episode recap from the Apple Brides Podcast; where we chat with wedding vendors around the Pacific Northwest about various tips and tricks for planning your big day. This week we interview the owners of Mango Ink, Ryan and Heidi Miller, as they navigate us through the world of wedding print materials.
Who is Mango Ink?
Mango Ink is an invitation company that designs and prints paper materials for holiday cards, birthday cards, wedding invitations, thank you cards, and so much more. Heidi and Ryan Miller began Mango Ink in 2005 out of a need for cute and appropriate invitations. The couple loved to entertain people and invite them to parties, but they ran into a problem looking for invitations and struggled to find any they liked. They believe that your invites set the tone and say a lot about what kind of party you are going to have. Is it elegant, is it eccentric and fun, or simple? Once they had children, they again had a hard time finding invitations for their children’s birthday parties or even holiday cards. It was then that Ryan and Heidi started making their own cards that were as elegant and special as their parties.
They began mainly doing holiday cards, something they still do and love, and then found their niche in wedding print materials sometime later. Heidi loves everything about weddings including the paper textures and fonts, so she moved her focus toward wedding invites and print materials like seating charts, welcome signage, and thank-you cards. The name Mango Ink was inspired by the mangos Ryan would enjoy when living in Haiti. The mangos were sweet, like the cards that they make, and they found the term broad enough that it didn’t tie into a specific holiday which made it work well for a business name. The term Ink is printer-related and is what they used to make their cards, so they found it fitting to name their business Mango Ink.
What Sets Mango Ink Apart?
Mango Ink believes in creating an entire Wedding brand with print materials. The invitation is what sets the tone, then everything else you include in your wedding can match the brand and bring the entire event together. Having everything coordinated and consistent with fonts, colors, etc. will really bring your wedding day together seamlessly. What sets them apart from big box companies is that they are also the designers as well as the printers. Oftentimes box companies sell other people’s designs, but Mango Ink designs all of their cards themselves.
What Is Mango Ink’s Wedding Invitation Process?
The invitation process is done mostly online. Clients will submit their photos to them, then choose from the designs they offer, or they can go for a fully-custom design. Heidi and Ryan will send a proposal based on what they are looking for, then they will usually make adjustments to the proposal if, for example, certain parts are out of their budget, or they want to add letterpress. When you work with Mango Ink for your invites, you can reserve them for all of your print designs including menus, seating charts, welcome signage, gift tags, etc. Then all of your print materials will have branding that coincides with your invitation.
You do not have to do a ton of signage either! Some couples will just do welcome signage and a thank-you note on everyone’s plate or invites and a seating chart. Including some of these extra details really adds to the experience and memorability of your wedding. They also make vow books that can add a special touch to the ceremony, and provide you with a spot to write your vows and hold onto them forever.
As for payment, they ask for half of the deposit upfront and the remaining half is due when the designs go to the printer. They will work with you and your budget, as well as allow you to make payments if need be.
The History of Wedding Invitations
We did some digging to discover the history of wedding invitations, which dates back to the industrial revolution when the lithograph was invented in 1798. Back in 1447, they would use a town crier because no one could read or write. In 1660 when the printing press was invented, they began announcing weddings in the newspaper. Not everyone could afford this though, so for a while, it was considered a luxury.
What Makes Your Wedding Invitation Special?
The invitations are so useful because they include the address to the venue, the starting time of the ceremony, and sometimes the dress code/children restrictions. Weddings are becoming larger events because we want our guests to feel special and appreciated. If you are invited to a wedding and received an invitation, just know that it is an honor and someone paid for that. It is only respectful to RSVP.
Why It’s Worth Going With Pros vs. DIY
After 17 years of experience, Mango ink is well-versed in design software, proper invite copy, and the world of printers. You may think designing your own invitations or other print materials will be a quick and easy task, however, it can actually be quite daunting. You don’t want to underestimate all the work that it’s going to take including postage, envelopes, and shipping. If you do it yourself you will end up doing hours of research and design work and could end up hating the end result.
If you go with a professional like Mango Ink, you can fine-tune exactly what you want your invitations to look like, while getting all of the best materials, fonts, and colors. They also know all of the proper invitation etiquette; what to say, what not to say, and how to say it. They know how to politely direct people to the registry, or how to inform guests that there will be no children attending. Heidi loves to design wedding materials and creates beautiful, intricate designs with wax seals, and foiled textures, along with gorgeous fonts and colors. You will never go wrong working with Mango Ink. Get started by sending them an inquiry here!
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