When it came to my baby shower invites, I was just as picky as I was with my wedding invites, which is why I went with Bliss & Bone again.
They have invites that are unlike anything else. They’re so fucking dynamic & dramatic that they’re everything you want them to be & it just makes a world of difference.
If you don’t remember, I designed moody, modern wedding invitations with Bliss & Bone & there was nothing white, bridal, glittery or lacey about them. They were dark, they were vampy, & they had a twist.
Cindy totally got my vision & it was no different when it came to the baby shower invites, which I wanted to be alligator themed. This was totally inspired by Patricia Altschul & her alligator dinner party on Southern Charm. ( She is just one of a kind by the way, if you haven’t listened to her podcast episode, you gotta. )
At the time, we didn’t tell anyone the gender of the baby ( we did the gender reveal at the baby shower thanks to Manservants ), so we wanted to keep it masculine & feminine & wanted the invitations to reflect that too. But with some pops of pink to represent The Pink Palace, aka The Beverly Hills Hotel.
Cindy & I worked together to do a dark green alligator skin invitation with pops of BHH pink. We used pink marble to mix in with the green & had big beautiful envelopes with vintage alligator stamps. No, I’m serious…we found a picture of a vintage alligator & had them made into stamps. THAT is how insane working with Bliss & Bone is. That’s the kind of stuff they’ll do & how closely they’ll work with you.
We also designed menus for each place setting at the shower. They had the same green alligator border with the main body being white. It was so fun to carry the idea of the invitation through to the menu. Really pulled things together, ya know?
For a refresh on my wedding invitations definitely check out this post where I break down everything.
If you’re someone who is super specific, know what you like, always have the vision in your head but can’t always articulate it the way you want to… then Bliss & Bone is for you. THEY GET IT !
You should also know that we used Bliss & Bone’s paperless product for our save the date cards. We also used a paperless invitation to send everyone a reminder about the pastel dress code. I wasn’t fucking around on the pastel theme LOL !!
Creating with Cindy was a totally seamless experience from the save the date paperless invites, to the paper invites, to the dress code reminder, to the menus. Everything was cohesive & I literally had no changes or edits to make. Which is RARE, let me tell ya.
In fact, you guys can check out this quick little video on what the paperless save the date looked like.
Today Cindy, the boss behind Bliss & Bone is here to answer some questions. In this interview you’ll hear about how Cindy got into the biz, all the ways to make invites with Bliss & Bone, & how she makes her company stand out.
Let’s welcome Cindy to TSC.
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♡ Let’s get into it! Introduce yourself, your company & how it came about.
Cindy Skanderup: Hi!!! I am Cindy Skanderup, born & raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. I graduated with a degree in fashion design, moved to NYC, tried out the fashion industry & quickly learned it wasn’t for me.
I then made a career switch to become a graphic designer at an ad agency. When I say I learned on the job, that’s putting it mildly – I knew NOTHING – but dug in & learned quickly. Fast forward 4 years – I moved to LA & started freelancing, taking on print, branding & web design projects. I did this for almost 10 years prior to starting Bliss & Bone.
In the midst of it all, I met Carl, my now husband & business partner. At that time he was 10 years deep working in finance & finishing up his MBA, but he desperately wanted a change of scenery. He’s more of a t-shirt & shorts kind of guy & can’t really sit still, so a desk job wasn’t really his true calling. When the time came to plan our wedding we were blown away as to how stale the wedding market was ( it has come a long way since which is super exciting ). We had a hell of a time trying to find something that fit who we were – so, we decided to create it. Carl quit his job, we invested all our money, & dove in head first into Bliss & Bone.
♡ Why do you think your products/designs standout more than other companies?
CS: From the beginning we’ve always had a different vibe – that was the entire motive behind creating the business. We know that we’re not for everyone out there, nor will we ever try to be. Staying true to our vision & constantly trying to innovate helps keep us fresh & unique.
A major difference, aside from aesthetic, is that we provide digital & printed solutions. We were one of the first companies to offer this one-stop-shop approach. With our websites & newly launched paperless invitations, we strive to bring something different to the table that goes beyond looks. We listen to our clients, take to heart their needs & wants, & make the necessary adjustments when developing our products. Being a family run business allows us to really pay attention to who we’re serving.
♡ You designed my wedding & baby shower invites with me. Do you like working with someone so specific ( me ! ) or do you prefer to have your own creativity.
OMG YES! Working with you is dreamy. While you know exactly what you want, you have never squashed the creative juices. The inspiration you provide is contagious & you’re always down to run with it! Pushing boundaries is something both you & I do best, so together it’s a perfect match 🙂
The number one element to a successful project is trust. We have the client’s best interest at heart & always want them to be overjoyed with the outcome. It doesn’t matter if they know exactly what they want or are completely overwhelmed – putting the trust in us to listen & deliver will always lead to a gorgeous result.
♡ What’s the most extravagant idea you’ve made come to life?
CS: I think we launched Bliss & Bone with some pretty extravagant stuff like leather invitations, ferns pressed between acrylic & even a silk chiffon scarf invitation which had to be printed in Italy! We are pretty much down to try anything!
♡ What are some things people can expect when working with your company? What are the details & things you guys do differently?
CS: We listen & are completely honest. We will never take on a job that isn’t the right fit. If we think someone can do it better, we’ll say so. When working with us you can always expect something unique without ever sacrificing quality.
♡ As an entrepreneur with a niche business, how have you stood out?
CS: It’s certainly not through social media since I fail on that front! Fortunately, I think our products & aesthetic speak for themselves. We’ve never had to really make a case for why people should choose us. You either love it or you don’t. So often we hear huge relief from our clients – they are psyched that they finally found something that speaks to who they are.
Behind the scenes, there is not a day that goes by where Carl & I don’t discuss new ideas, ways to improve our products, & both the positive & negative feedback that we get from clients. We are always listening, learning & paying close attention to every detail.
♡ What’s the process of designing a card or invitation?
CS: We have developed 3 products, each with their own builder on our site. Paper for anything printed, Websites for wedding & event websites, & Paperless for digital cards & invitations.
We work with our clients on whatever level they require. Some will come to the site, do it all online, & we’ll never ever cross paths with them – not even a single email will be exchanged. Alternatively, we provide design services & consults where we will guide clients through the process. We even create & save projects for them in their account or handle everything offline if there is something more unique at play. We understand that everyone has a different skill level, comfort level &and time availability, so we cater to everyone on an individual basis.
Simply put, our builders are really easy & you go through the guided step process to create your own invitation – if you need us, we’re here to hold your hand.
♡ What makes the most beautiful invite you’ve ever seen?
CS: Wow that’s tough. I’m pretty fickle which is a good thing as a designer since I tend to want to do something different all the time. At heart I’m a minimalist. I LOVE a lot of white space & beautiful, mostly tiny, fonts. Playing with neutral tones, pops of black & varying textures to add dimension, just pulls at my heart strings.
At the end of the day, if the invite reflects the event & the people behind it – then it’s perfect!
♡ How can someone work with you?
CS: Order online or give us a call! We love to chat on the phone a& really connect with our clients. Most of the time we’ll push for a phone call instead of email because talking through the details is sometimes easier. But, if you don’t want to deal with us you can do it yourself online & we’ll leave you alone 🙂
You can buy something as is, request customizations to existing designs, or come to us with a completely different idea – regardless you’ll always receive a high quality product & great customer service. Carl is awesome at the customer service bit – so you’ll probably talk to him & I’ll chime in when design is up for discussion.
♡ Leave our audience with some advice for up & coming entrepreneurs, especially when it comes to the influencer space.
CS: I think it’s about finding the balance between staying true to yourself & your vision, while bobbing & weaving with the market. Do what you do best, but also listen to your clients. They will often give you the best ideas on how to pivot or grow your business.
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Hope you guys loved that post & as I said, working with Bliss & Bone is a TREAT for anyone who is as psycho-specific as I am. I’m just absolutely obsessed with their invitations ( like, our envelopes were lined with velvet, guys ).
Also, Cindy is offering all TSC readers 10% off paper & paperless invitations so use code SKINNY10 at checkout.
Be sure to follow them on Instagram @blissandbone & checkout their website.
x, lauryn
+ check out all the baby shower details here.
++ listen to the baby shower playlist.
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