Becky of Sugar Plum Invitations {Wedding Invitations}

Becky is probably one of the sweetest persons you will ever meet. She is the brains and the heart behind Sugar Plum Invitations. She is the only person on the Central Coast brave enough to do letterpress invitations, business cards and thank you notes. If you don’t know what letterpress is then read on!

Letterpress is a historic form of printing which leaves impressions into the paper. These kind of invitations are fast becoming desirable in the wedding industry like what vinyl is to a record collector. Becky’s letterpress machines are monstrous beasts of metal and iron. It’s amazing to imagine this little lady managing 100 year old presses and turning out these delicate and beautiful invitations. Becky tells us that she learned how to letterpress from a couple of old men who perfected their art before computers were even invented. She couldn’t do it without her husband who is her maintenance man; piecing together old machines and bringing them back to life. Thanks Becky for preserving and reviving this lost art for couples who want their invites to impress their guests with crisp lines, elegant patterns and bold typography.


People don’t usually understand letterpress – what do you tell people when they ask what letter press is?
It’s an old fashion form of printing where an inked image is pressed into paper. Letterpress gives a great textual impression, especially if combined with heavy cotton rag paper. It's a unique look and feel that other forms of printing can't match.

Do you feel that letterpress is a dying art?
I think because it has become popular, many people are working to save this print form. It’s great to see old presses saved and in use again.

Do you do in house design?
We do design in house, but we also offer print only services for designers.

What all do you offer?
Wedding invitations, business stationary, birth announcements, and custom printing.


Tell us about how letterpress happens.
We have to ink the press, with a single color (we can only print one color at a time). We set the plate in the press, each piece of paper is hand fed. Rollers ink the image, the press closes with the paper inside and then you have a print. You remove the print and add another sheet. To print the second color you have to re-set up the press and plate and re-feed all the paper through again. It’s very time consuming, but beautiful.

Do you have any magazine features coming up?
We’ll be featured in the Knot magazine in July, and in an upcoming Knot book on the best of wedding colors. We’re very excited and honored.

How do most people hear about you? Where do you get most of your business?
A lot of our clients come by “word-of-mouth” referrals from other brides, and many of our new clients find out about us from the web. Many of our clients are international and from the East Coast.


Do you mix your own colors?
Yes, we hand mix our own colors. We use the Pantone color system, so we can do our best to match flowers, dresses, linens etc.

How much time does it take to get a finished product; from design to invites?
Typically about 6 weeks, sometimes faster. We can work with the bride to expedite if necessary.

What is your favorite part of your job?
Seeing the final product turn out perfectly and the bride being happy.


What inspires you the most?
Nature and vintage fabrics

Besides letterpress, what are some other ways you like to express your creativity?
Watercolor painting when I have time, which is never, cooking, and blogging on my wedding style blog -{She Walks in Beauty}.

Your blog {She Walks in Beauty} addresses all things weddings and much more. What is the inspiration behind your posts?
Family, friends, daily life, colors, fun trends, travel, things I love.




Send Becky a note:
805.748.5409
becky@sugarpluminvitations.com
Sugar Plum Invitations