Tell us more about your business!
The Fancy Cat Studio is a boutique graphic design studio specializing in wedding invitations and signage. I also offer modern calligraphy, engraving, and small business branding!
I've been doing graphic design for as long as I can remember, and taught myself calligraphy in 2013/2014. My team consists of just me (for now!) and we are based just east of Seattle, WA.
Why did you want to get into the wedding industry?
When I first learned graphic design and calligraphy, I didn't have any intention of getting into the wedding industry, mostly because I didn't know anything about it, and it seemed so out of reach.
After I started posting my work on Instagram and getting envelope addressing jobs, I started to do more research on what it was like to work on weddings, and made a point to reach out to some people in the industry. The more I got into it, the more I could see myself in it.
I used to be a therapist for couples and families, where we would work through the hardest times in people's lives. As much as I wanted to help, it really burned me out, and the idea of celebrating people's love and living through their happiest moments was really refreshing. This aspect of the field also kept bringing me back.
What makes your business stand out?
Similar to a lot of other fields, the art and design industry is really saturated and it is incredibly difficult to stand out. I try my best to create unique, never-before-seen designs by drawing inspiration from outside sources, like nature, fashion, and architecture.
More recently, I've been experimenting with common mediums and challenging myself to use them differently. An example of this can be found in a sign I made for a bridal style event.
Wood signs have been popular for years, and although beautiful, I wanted to find a way to stray away from that look. I ended up laser-cutting the text and coating both the words and backboard in acrylic paint. It turned out really cool, and was unlike anything I've seen!
Granted, new ideas don't always come this easy, but I'm grateful when they do.
Tell us about your style when it comes to your craft?
My style is clean, minimal, modern but also fine art, and upscale yet approachable. I love using soft or muted colors, but have been experimenting with brighter shades, lately!
Favorite part of working with couples?
I love hearing about special things about each couple's relationship and how we can translate those into paper goods. Each couple has a story, and being able to help tell it to their friends and family through things like invitations and signage is truly an honor.
Also, I wish I got to do this more often, but getting to see the couple's faces the first time they see the ceremony space after months of planning is really special. I've only gotten to experience this once as a vendor, but the feeling it gave me, I'll never forget!
Favorite part of the wedding day?
This is a tough question, because I just want to say, all of it! As a stationer, I typically don't set up or attend weddings, so getting to see previews on Instagram from fellow vendors throughout the day never gets old!
Advice to couples in selecting a vendor in your category?
The most common misconception I get from prospective clients is that they have to know exactly what they want their invitations or signage to look like. This is not the case at all! It's perfectly ok to not know what you want, and as a designer, a big part of my job is to help bring your vision to life.
Business Name: The Fancy Cat Studio
Email: crystal@thefancycatstudio.com
Website: thefancycatstudio.com
All Social Media Handles: IG- @thefancycatstudio
