Your wedding invitations should reflect you and your fiancé’s personal style and help set the tone for your special day. Epitome Papers is a locally-owned company that sets out to create intricate and custom invites that will wow your guests while providing all the necessary details.
Scroll to meet owner, Evelyn Miller, and find out what trends are hot in wedding stationery and what she’s up to in her free time!
Q: Let’s get to it, what’s your business’ specialty?
A: We create custom luxury invitations for your wedding or special event.
Q: Where can we find you?
A: 261 School Avenue Suite 110 Excelsior, Minnesota 55331
Q: Tell us when and how your business began.
A: Epitome Papers has been a part of Minnesota history since the early ’70s! Epitome first opened as a clothing store in St. Louis Park. Then we added our famous stationery while it was in the Galleria in the early 2000s. Finally, Epitome dropped its clothing and moved to just amazing stationery located in Excelsior, where I purchased the business in 2019!
Q: What makes your company unique from others?
A: We create completely custom luxury designs for our couples. Meaning we sit down with you and hear about who you and your fiancé are, what you want to see in your wedding invitations, and what colors and concepts you like. Then we pick the best printing process, paper, and other fun items for your invitation suite that will help tell your unique love story to your guests!
Q: How long have you been in the industry? What do you think has changed the most since then?
A: I, myself, have 10+ years of experience in print + design but have been in the wedding invitation business for three years now. In the time I have been running Epitome Papers, our industry has changed A LOT.
The wedding invitation business has split into two different tiers. You can order something quick and easy online and sort of build everything yourself with templates. Or you buy into the experience and work with a professional designer to create something unique. With recent COVID events, we have been adjusting to accommodate the ever-changing party sizes, postponements, and good health practices.
Q: Walk us through your average day.
A: I normally start my day responding and reaching out to our current clients, I always want to make sure they hear from me right away. Second, I go about the usual business needs (finances, order follow-ups with printers, social media, etc.) to make sure all the gears are turning as they should. Finally, I save the best for last and jump into any current orders that need designing or any needed artwork. It’s my favorite part of the day and takes up most of it 😊
Q: What would you want couples searching for your business type to know?
A: Don’t stress the little things and have fun! It is my job to guide you through the creative process and ensure you get what you are looking for. Leave it to us to sweat over the itty-bitty details and have fun creating!
Q: How far in advance should a couple book with you?
A: You want your invitations to be mailed 8 to 12 weeks before your wedding day, this way your guests have time to book hotel rooms if needed. So that we have plenty of time to create your custom design, schedule your initial consultation 3 to 4 months before your wedding date.
Q: What’s hot in invitation trends right now?
A: Foil printing! This is where you add sparkle or shine to the lettering in your invitation. The most popular is gold foil, but there are a lot of amazing new holographic that have been coming out! We love to add foil to our couple’s names on an invitation, so it adds a fun POP.
Q: What do you think we’ll see more in invitation trends?
A: I think we will begin to see a lot more handmade papers, cotton papers, and other eco-friendly options. It already is becoming uncommon that the paper we use for our invitations isn’t recycled or non-paper based.
We can expect to see more eco-friendly wedding invites, according to Miller
Q: What are your other hobbies and passions besides creating invitations?
A: I love animals! I have two kittens (Ruby Soho & Cheddar Biscuit) as well as a puggle named Ryley. Eventually, it’s my goal to bring chickens and goats into the family. My biggest love with animals is horseback riding, I lease a quarter horse named Sierra who I absolutely adore. We go on trail rides a lot and I’m currently training to compete in local shows once COVID allows it.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
Q: Do you have any favorite podcasts?
A: RadioLab, I said God Damn!, Biz Bash Podcast and Levar Burton Reads are my weekly go to’s
Q: Who’s your most played artist on your streaming service?
A: The Devil Makes Three and Valerie June
Q: Heels or flats?
A: Flats for sure!
Q: Mountains or Beach?
A: Mountains
Q: Go-to cocktail (or mocktail)?
A: I’m more of a beer/cider kind of girl
Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: An Artist or Zookeeper
Q: You’re at brunch. Are you going for something sweet or savory?
A: Savory, Eggs Benedict all the way!
Q: Go-to comfort food?
A: Mac & Cheese
Q: Duck Duck Grey Duck or Duck Duck Goose?
A: Don’t kill me Minnesota…. Duck Duck GOOSE
We’ll let “Duck Duck Goose” slide this time, Evelyn. Thanks for chatting with us and keeping us up to date on all things wedding invitations! Ready to start creating yours? Reach out to their team at [email protected]!
For more on Epitome Paper’s expansive offerings, check out Calligraphy – Epitome Papers. Check back every week for new V-O-W’s!
