FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Mailing & Timelines

when should i mail my invites?

We recommend for Save The Dates to be sent 6 or more months before the wedding. We recommend mailed invitations to be sent at least 8 - 12 weeks before the wedding. (You might see some online advice for 6-8 weeks; this is outdated and post office standards have changed post-Covid.)

If you’re having a destination event or expect many of your guests to be traveling long distance, we’d suggest adding 2 - 4 weeks to the timeline.

We'd advise for your RSVP deadline to be 4 weeks before your wedding; this provides ample time to finalize your seating chart and communicate this info to your vendors.

When should I reach out for my stationery?

For custom inquiries: We’d recommend reaching out 10 - 12 months in advance if you’re looking for Save The Dates, 6 - 10 months in advance if you’re looking for Invitation Suites, and 3 - 5 months in advance if you’re looking for Day-Of Goods.

For semi-custom inquiries: We’d recommend reaching out 7 - 9 months in advance if you’re looking for Save The Dates, 5 - 7 months in advance if you’re looking for Invitation Suites, and 2 - 4 months in advance if you’re looking for Day-Of Goods.

I’m having a destination wedding. How does my stationery timeline change?

If you’re having a destination event or expect many of your guests to be traveling long distance, we’d recommend adding 2 - 4 weeks to your wedding timeline. This accounts for the increased transit time of your invitations and that your traveling guests may need to make their plans earlier.

Should I do online RSVPs or traditional mailed RSVPs?

There are great reasons for both. Collecting your RSVPs online can be convenient and cost-effective. It also minimizes communication hiccups resulting from lost or delayed mail, improperly filled out cards, etc.

On the other hand, traditional mailed RSVPs retain the charm of traditional correspondence and can be more inclusive for guests that have trouble navigating the internet. Couples often find that guests from older generations prefer the familiar custom of physical RSVPs.

What’s the right way to address my guests on my invitation envelope?

Short answer: there is no right way.

Long Answer: Traditional addressing etiquette dictates certain rules regarding standard titles, name orders, etc. A good starting place is this online guide. If you’re looking for something more in depth, Crane's Wedding Blue Book is published by etiquette experts. However, many modern couples are opting to choose make their own decisions about how to address their guests.

If you choose to work with us for your addressing, we’ll provide more in-depth guides for addressing options, with samples of various different family scenarios.

What if I want to assemble and mail my invites myself?

Our standard service includes full assembly and mailing by our experienced hands. We wouldn’t recommend for clients to take on these tasks for themselves solely in hopes of saving time and money — large scale assembly can be much more time consuming and detail-oriented than expected, especially when multiple elements are involved for every invitation suite. If you make more mistakes than extras ordered, it is costly to reprint. Furthermore, your experience at your local post office can be inconsistent; each office can have its own policies and it can be challenging to navigate the rules around hand-cancellation, non-machinable mail, and size/shape/weight restrictions.

If assembly and mailing is still something you’re interested in or are excited by, we suggest getting a group of friends over for an assembly party to lessen the load. We’ll send you an assembly and mailing guide with tips and tricks for how to make the process more successful.

Do you ship internationally?

We service clients around the world and ship our finished products internationally. For invitations that need to be mailed, we’re able to mail them for you from here in New York using standard USPS letter service or trackable mailing—however, it may be much less expensive to mail them from your destination country.

Alternatively, we can ship your invitations to you as a package so that you can take care of postage and mailing out yourself. We are not responsible for any additional tariffs and taxes that may be charged by your local customs duty. We recommend you research what fees may be in place in your country to avoid any surprise fees by your carrier service.

Why do vintage stamps cost more than their face value?

Vintage stamps are no longer in production, meaning every time a vintage stamp is used, one less of that specific stamp is available for use. Due to their rarity, vintage stamps can range from 3 - 10 times their face value in cost.

Studio Policies

Is there a minimum quantity?

We do not have a minimum quantity. In the past, we’ve done projects of very small quantities, such as 5 or 10, for clients that were looking to do something very special for their closest circle. Note that smaller quantities will have a higher price-per-invite to account for fixed labor, such as production setup, design, etc.

However, we have a project minimum of $2500. Very occasionally, we may accept exceptionally compelling projects under this minimum. We review these opportunities on a case-by-case basis; please contact us at hello@studioxixi.co for inquiries.

How many units should I order?

Save the Dates and invitation suites are generally counted by addresses, rather than individual guest count, so it is common to order for the total number of households rather than guests. In addition, we’d recommend adding about 5 extras for every 75 total units to your order to account for last minute guest additions/plus ones, any lost invites, and extras to provide your photographer or for heirloom purposes. It can be much more expensive to have to add additional units after we’ve already started the production process, as extra fees may apply for re-setting up printing and rush service.

I already submitted my order but need more. What should I do?

Please contact us right away to let us know. If we’ve already started with production, additional set-up fees (depending on production method) will apply on top of the cost of the extra invitations. Depending on your project deadline, rush fees may also apply. Please note the set-up fee will be charged each time you make a change to your order.

A $200 set up fee will apply for specialty printing, $70 for digital printing, $50 for hand calligraphy or spot calligraphy.

Can I use your custom designs on other elements for my wedding?

If you love something custom we created for you and want to use it for other purposes when working with your planner or different vendor (such as cocktail napkins, cups, dance floors, etc), we can provide an extended license for personal use. We’ll also ask you to sign a brief contract which outlines permitted and prohibited uses.The licensing fee is $75 for single use (e.g., just on napkins) or $250 for unlimited personal use.We retain full rights to any design and artwork in all of our work. This extended license does not grant the right for commercial usage.

Does Studio XIXI design for things other than weddings?

We love creating for all sorts of happenings, from corporate events to personal celebrations. Please contact us to get started with a custom quote.We’re also developing a number of a-la-carte items that are not wedding specific, such as place cards and fun stationery goodies. Our shop is coming soon!

Where does your logo and name come from?

The double happiness symbol “囍” depicted in our logo is a frequent adornment in Chinese weddings. It’s a union of two “喜” characters, which individually means happiness, prosperity, and good fortune. Two of these characters come together to symbolize the joyful union of two souls.

The single Chinese character “喜” is romanized as “xi”, pronounced in English as “see” or the letter c. The symbol as a whole is usually referred to as “Shuangxi,” translating to “double happiness.” We adapt the literal interpretation of the symbol as our name and brandmark— XIXI.

Printing & Process

What will make the biggest impact on my budget?

Labor. This refers to own labor (e.g. our design quote), but also applies to luxury add-ons like specialty printing, handmade paper and ribbon, etc. These are all made by artists with specific training in slow, often traditional, labor-intensive processes and are typically made in small batches. Some items like wax seals are each individually created. All suites and day-of stationery is carefully crafted and assembled one at a time.

Studio XIXI and all the artists involved in our process take pride in keeping pricing standards high so that it’s possible to make a living as a creative professional.

What’s the difference between a blind letterpress and a blind emboss?

A blind, or “inkless” letterpress print is a print resulting from a run through a letterpress machine without any ink. The letterpress plate is pressed into your paper, resulting in a subtle inkless impression. If you ran your finger across a letterpress print, you’ll be able to feel the lowered depression of the letters and patterns.

In contrast, a blind emboss is the result of paper being sandwiched between two molded dies, resulting in a raised impression. Heat is applied to make the paper malleable so that it can be pushed outward. If you ran your finger across an emboss, you’ll feel the lifted impression of letters and patterns. Embossing is an inherently inkless process, and the materials and equipment needed for embossing makes it a pricier process.

Within embossing, there are further distinctions of 3D sculpted emboss vs single level emboss. You can read more about that in our textbook.

Can I order samples?

Yes! Ordering a sample pack can be a great way of experiencing the wide range of possible materials, paper textures, thicknesses, colors, etc.

For $50, we can ship you a collection of previous prints on various papers, so you can experience different textures and thicknesses, as well as get a closer look at specialty printing. We can also include some requested add-ons, such as different ribbon types, tassels and wax seals, vintage postage, etc. If you continue to book with us, the $50 will be credited to your project.

Please inquire directly at hello@studioxixi.co to order a sample pack.

Will my final product look exactly the same as the mockups?

We strive to represent the colors of your suite as accurately as possible in our photorealistic mockups. However, we cannot guarantee that the printed color will be identical to the color on your screen. Due to a variety of monitor settings, the colors of your items as seen on your monitor may slightly vary from the actual printed color. If particular color accuracy is a priority for you, we can prepare a specific sample pack for you featuring your desired colors. If you continue to book with us, the price of the sample pack will be deducted from your total.

It is also important to note that various paper types, especially those of a handmade nature, may have slight differences in shade and texture from batch to batch. This is what makes handmade materials exceptional and unique; we do not consider these imperfections.

Can my invitations include a language other than English?

We service many multilingual couples, many of whom want to ensure their family and loved ones can experience their invitation to the fullest extent. We’re absolutely able to accommodate designs for different/multiple languages in our full custom process. We also strive to accommodate for this in our semi-custom collections, and will handle requests on a case-by-case basis.

Since we only know so many languages between the two of us, we aren’t able to conduct our usual proofing for grammar, etiquette, and typos in every language. We request that clients with invitations in different languages ensure all the written content is provided to us exactly as you want it printed, and be extra vigilant when checking over digital print proofs.

What do I write on my invites?

We're happy to help you draft up verbiage for invitations and other wedding goods. While we do a standard grammar/typo check before sending anything off to print, the final responsibility of ensuring that all written content is exactly as they want it to be printed lies with the client. If you'd like some guidance around wording etiquette, here are some helpful guides:

Wedding Invitation Wording by Minted
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Standard Wedding Invitation Wording Examples by The Knot

General Live Services

What conditions are required for Studio XIXI’s live services?

We ask for a space with a table and chairs for each artist present. The table should be a minimum of 5’ wide and should be desk-height to be suitable for drawing/calligraphy. We also require adequate lighting — if the event is at night in a dimly lit space, we’ll need to be close to an electric socket for our lamp.

Specific setup location is up to you. We request for the table and chairs to be ready for us upon arrival (30 minutes before the start of the event) so we have sufficient time to set up our materials and supplies.

When should I start the live event booking process?

We can be booked anywhere from 1 month to 18 months in advance. However, our calendar is limited, so we generally recommend reaching out as soon as possible.

How does the booking process work?

Fill out our inquiry form with your event date, time range, venue, and any relevant additional information. We’ll put together a quote, including any applicable additional art or travel fees, and send it over with a contract. To secure your spot on our calendar, we take a 50% deposit, which reserves your date. Your remaining balance is to be paid 28 days prior to the event.

Does Studio XIXI travel?

We’re based in New York, so events in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens don’t incur travel fees. For events outside this area, submit an inquiry with the venue location for a custom quote. Travel fees may include, but are not limited to, ground transportation, lodging, and air fare.

Live Illustration

What is an heirloom piece?

The heirloom piece is a larger 8"x10" portrait piece done in the same style as our usual 5"x7" live illustrations portraits, usually including some more environmental details of the venue/event to capture more of the scene. Since live illustrations go home with the guests, wedding couples often opt to include a heirloom piece of themselves to make sure they get to take home a piece of art too. This is ordered prior to the event and included in the quote, and are usually completed onsite before or after the booked hours.

How does the live illustration service work?

Our usual process involves guests coming up to our table. A line usually forms organically. For our Signature Portraits, we take a video of the guests and draw from that reference, relieving any burden on guests’ schedules on busy days such as weddings. For our Flash Portraits, guests will pose for us for the 90 second duration of their portrait.
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However, since each event has different needs, we can discuss the best way to operate after booking. For past events, we’ve taken photos of guests as they arrive, or gone around photographing guests during cocktail hour to illustrate during dinner.

Do guests get to take their illustrations home with them?

Yes! For our traditional package, all the illustrations will be available for pickup immediately or after our service time ends. We spray the illustrations with a fixative and place them into a protective sleeve. For our digital package, all the files are airdropped/transferred to the event coordinator by the end of the event.

What medium are the pieces completed in?

For our traditional illustrations, we use a combination of oil pastels, crayons, pencil crayons, and pens on archival art paper. For digital illustrations, we complete the sketch on our drawing tablet and final illustration files are sent to the event host.

Will everyone who wants a sketch get one?

In 1 hour, we can illustrate 8-10 guests for our Signature Portraits or 30-35 guests for our Flash Portraits. The total number of guests illustrated can be estimated by multiplying our hourly output with the number of hours you’ve booked. If you'd like to ensure some guests receive an illustration, you can opt to include heirloom pieces for them, or additional standard 5"x7" pieces for them.

If you’d like more guests illustrated by the end of your event, you have the option of purchasing additional illustrations or more time onsite, depending on artist availability.

If I choose a digital package, can I still get physical prints?

We offer our digital illustrations printed on archival cotton cardstock as an add-on! In addition to receiving your digital files after the event, the physical prints will be mailed to you 1-2 weeks after the event. The physical print service ranges from about $70-$100. Please inquire for a specific quote.

On-Site Calligraphy

does studio xixi accept calligraphy projects on client provided materials?

We usually can, though it depends on the material. For unfamiliar materials, we request samples to be sent to us so we can test our tools on them.

Calligraphy Services

Can Studio XIXI provide the paper/surface for calligraphy projects?

We’re able to provide common stocks for popular items such as place cards and signs. Let us know if you want us to provide the paper/materials on the Calligraphy Project Inquiry Form and we’ll include our recommendations in your custom quote.

Can Studio XIXI help with other parts of a calligraphy project, like printing, design, or assembly?

We also offer printing services for products that involve any digital printing, such as return addresses for envelopes.

We are able to provide custom design services. Include specific project information in your inquiry form and we’ll include a custom quote for your project.
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At this time, we do not provide assembly services for calligraphy projects, such as stuffing envelopes, adhering stamps, or mailing invitations. Studio XIXI currently only offers assembly for clients that are working with us for custom stationery service.

Can I provide my own envelopes/paper stock?

Yes! If there’s something specific you’d like us to use or if you’re working with another creator throughout your project process, we’re able to calligraph on stock that you supply.

For any paper or materials that we haven’t worked with before, we may request to be sent a sample for us to test our tools on to ensure it is suitable for calligraphy work. Please take this testing time into consideration when planning your overall project timeline.

If you’re sending us envelopes to address, we require them to have all other necessary printing already completed, such as return addresses, as hand calligraphy can be damaged if run through a printer. We also offer digital printing for envelope addressing if you’re looking to get everything done in one place.

We require an additional 20% spoilage for all customer-supplied stock to account for human error. For example, an order of 100 addresses will require 120 envelopes. We will send any unused stock back to you with your order.

What ink options are offered?

Each of our hands can be executed in calligraphy ink, watercolor, gouache, acrylic paint, or paint pens.

Some of our hands are most commonly done with specific mediums (such as Elizabeth, who is a classic pointed nib calligraphy script), and this is noted in the description of each hand.

However, many of our styles can be adapted to several mediums, but will experience some visual differences. For example, Eleanor with a paint pen will lose the contrast in stroke size, but will retain its structured slant.

Your color options within the ink types are nearly endless. Popular calligraphy inks are black, white, walnut (a slightly translucent brown), and gold, but we’re able to source or mix unique inks. For paints like watercolor or acrylic, we generally request a hex code that we color match.

How does the booking process work?

Once you complete the inquiry form with your project info, we will follow up with a custom quote including any material fees, and project timeline. We take a 50% deposit to reserve your project on calendar. Once your contract is signed and your deposit paid, we’ll finalize project details, like calligraphy hand style or ink choices. Once your project is completed, the rest of your balance will be due, and then we’ll send it your way.

How long do calligraphy projects take?

This will vary widely depending on the type of project and our current project capacity.

The following is a general guide and outline some time minimums. Any turnaround rates shorter than the below will be subject to a rush fee of at least 25%:

For envelope addressing: A week for every 50 addresses.
Place cards, other: A week for every 150 words.
Signage: A week for anything smaller than 8x10 (bar signs, menus, etc) and two weeks for anything larger (welcome signs, etc)

When planning for project timelines, we advise clients to take into account shipping time (both from the client to us and back, if the client is supplying stock), any necessary testing time (if stock/material is unfamiliar), and any additional design time.

When should I reach out?

Our average project turnaround time is 2-3 weeks, contingent on our availability, but we advise reaching out 2-6 months before your event mail-out date to secure your spot on our calendar. This gives us ample time to iron out all the project details, conduct any potential testing, account for material freight time, and mail the project to you.

For weddings, we advise for your mail out date to be 10-14 weeks before the event.

Please take into account average USPS mailing times to your destination when calculating when to start a calligraphy project with us.

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