Who are we? Well, we are just like many of you, we like things to look a particular way, often our tastes reach beyond our budget. That doesn’t stop us though. We work to create what we want by rolling up our sleeves to make our own paper. We also tear cards by hand, hand dye silk ribbon, print and assemble invitations and we get earth under our nails as we plant and press our own flowers. We work hard to make beautiful things and we have created opportunities for you to make those same beautiful things with our do it yourself options.
What else can be said about us? Well, we ship custom designed wedding invitation orders in just a week and most of our products can ship on the same day if they don’t require custom work. However, since we offer so many DIY options, we do have an overwhelming amount of information to communicate to you regarding ordering options. So what that means is, well, we have a few online organizational issues. Many of our customers are challenged with our navigation menus. We are always working to improve but our primary concern is always filling orders, so please forgive us (and call us) if you get a little lost on our web site.
As we started in business by making our own handmade paper wedding invitations, that continues to be our main focus. We offer sheets that can be ordered singly or in bulk. Our single sheets sell for $10 each, they measure 18” x 24” and are often enhanced with flower seeds and petals. We have always been earth friendly (see our name) and none of our handmade papers contain tree fibers. We offer recycled options that include up to 100% fiber content. Even the first use fibers are eco-friendly though as they are made with a waste product of the cotton seed oil industry.
Our many invitation designs are custom tailored by paper style, font, layout and size. Each component of every invitation can be ordered individually or as a group. If you like the idea of saving money but just don’t have the time, we will gladly send you a complete invitation package that includes; invitation, reply card, reception card, direction card and envelope ready to be stuffed and addressed at home. If you want to add matching thank you notes, programs and place cards, we have you covered!
Contemporary invitations allow for many options. Most of today's couples choose to include directions with their invitations. Often you can combine a map, written directions and accommodation information all on one card. Etiquette directs you to make the invitation very simple but we recommend that you avoid a separate mailing. This will save paper, reduce waste and cut down on costs! You will need a response card if you are having a catered event. Your caterer will need to have a final guest count within two weeks of your event. You can save trees/waste/money if you use the more casual postcard style response.
Our standard shipping and handling fees range from $10 to $25. You can estimate the costs by putting the items you like in our shopping cart and navigating through the first part of the checkout process. Handmade paper is light; most of our shipments are under ten pounds. All shipments are sent requiring a signature; the driver will not release the package without that signature. Please be sure to provide an address where there will be someone to sign for the package.
We love to answer your questions so please pick up the phone and call us or use the customer service page to submit your question or request.
Thanks for visiting!
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| In 1995 Kevin and Lori shared a passion for each other and the world around them. Lori had just graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Fiber Arts and Kevin had just left a career as a commercial fisherman in Alaska (both life changing experiences).
In planning their own wedding they discovered they enjoyed working together both in making the necessary arrangements for a party for 135 people and while endeavoring to make their invitations. They still have some of the original invitation pieces (and have been surprised to learn over the years which friends hung onto them as well) which included a self mailing reply card (handmade), folding invitation card (handmade with flowers applied to the paper), a folding direction card with map (there were two versions of this as their friends received an email reply request - in 1995!!) and a handmade envelope sealed with wax. This amounted to more than three hundred individually formed sheets of paper made one at a time in their kitchen, dining, and living room (picture a one bedroom, 770sq. ft. condo). The kitchen blender was never to be the same (thank goodness for wedding gifts).
On their honeymoon while recounting everything that lead up to their big day, they discussed what they wanted out of life and realized that they had an opportunity to make a difference and a living together. In the majority of responses they received on their reply cards there were handwritten notes commenting on how much the invitations were loved (someday we will put scans of these online). They saw that wedding invitations touch so many people and can have an impact in their choice of words, paper and delivery. Lori and Kevin realized that by creating a business that embraces our environment with earth friendly practices and an earth focused product, they could reach even more people if they helped other couples to send green wedding invitations.
In the intervening sixteen years their dream has become a reality with more then 1,000,000 people receiving a card or invitation made on paper created by hand with the earth in mind. Of The Earth is proud to continue offering great earth focused products. We are also proud of our efforts to be a low impact business, to encourage our customers to use less paper (we love single envelope invitations and postcard reply cards), to produce paper with recycled/recovered water and to use every practical measure possible to ensure an environmentally responsible workplace.
Thank you for sharing our vision.
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