Brides USA

MEREDITH KUROSKO, cofounder of the chic

New York City design studio REGAS, breaks down

how to make your wedding look good on paper

KUROSKO’S

SHORT LIST

PLAN AHEAD. Reach out as soon as you have a confirmed date and

venue. We want at least four months because our invitations take

one month to design and one month to produce, and you need to

mail them two months out. COMMIT TO YOUR VIBE. The invitation

should embody the spirit of the event. Engraving is best for a for-

mal affair; for a rustic setting, use letterpress. COORDINATE YOUR

COLORS. You want to be able to photograph all of the wedding

paper together and have it look cohesive. We’ll use a color from

the save-the-date for a beveled edge on the invitation, for example.

WORD INVITES WISELY. A good stationer will explain the etiquette,

but you can choose not to follow it. Regardless of who’s hosting,

run the text by each set of parents, especially if divorces and

remarriages are involved. MANAGE YOUR NUMBERS. Couples

often forget that invites are sent by household, not individual. You

need to order enough to cover only 60 percent of the guest list.

KEEP IT TIDY. We like things to look clean and pretty. Please, no

confetti-filled envelopes! I love when there are just two pieces

inside: a single-card invitation on its own and the rest (reply cards,

reception information, et cetera) tied together with ribbon. USE A

LINER. A lot of brides skip it, but the envelope is what pulls it all

together, and a liner gives even a basic suite visual oomph. KNOW

YOUR AUDIENCE. I’m totally on board with digital RSVPs, but if

most of the guest list is not tech sav v y, a reply card is more effec-

tive for getting timely responses. FIND CHIC WAYS TO SAVE. Hire a

calligrapher to write just your names for about $150. The stationer

can scan and print the artwork onto the invitations, giving you the

same hand-done look for less. —As told to Rebecca Ascher-Walsh

PLAN LIKE A PRO

STATIONER

DETAILS

“ A STATIONER

WILL EXPLAIN

INVITATION

WORDING

ETIQUETTE,

BUT YOU CAN

CHOOSE NOT

TO FOLLOW IT.”

BEST

WEDDING FAVOR

“Something

sweet. I’m

hungry after all

that dancing!”

Cookie, $5,

Eleni’s; elenis

.com.

FAVORITE FIRST-

DANCE SONG

“Sinatra anything.”

174 JUNE/JULY 2016 BRIDES.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COURTESY OF REGAS STUDIO (2); TIM HOUT; GAB ARCHIVE/GETTY