As the snow starts to melt and spring comes around, the wedding season is starting to heat up.
A big part of the wedding planning process is the stationery and calligraphy work needed to invite and impress the wedding guests. One of the latest trends, according to The Knot, the nation’s leading wedding planning marketplace, is that many couples are trying to focus on ways they can promote and support local businesses.
Miranda Griffiths, owner of Miranda Writes, is one of those businesses. She was able to find that market not only in Omaha, but also around the United States.
Griffiths specializes in wedding stationery and calligraphy, but doesn’t limit herself in other potential work opportunities, such as graphic design projects, laser engravings, large-print posters and banners and event signage like menus or welcome signs.
What separates her from competitors is the calligraphy; most of her competitors only do wedding stationery and have clients find the calligraphy elsewhere.
“I think the reason I’m able to continue being successful in this business is because I actually enjoy doing the work, and I love customizing for a couples’ specific wants and needs,” Griffiths said.
Griffiths started her stationery and calligraphy business just a couple years out of college in 2014. She took interest in the craft after noticing some calligraphy on Pinterest, and was determined to try it herself. Being self-taught, she said she was able to create a style that no one can replicate.
Since then she’s been able to make calligraphy and graphic design her full-time job, and her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Buzzfeed, Oh So Beautiful Papers and Style Me Pretty. She said she has gained a certain level of popularity in the local wedding planning community, and she credits this to her versatility.
“Some of my competitors exclusively work on weddings, and personally I love doing every aspect of the creative side in order to show my clients that I’ve gained a lot of experience in this industry and that I’m capable of any job,” Griffiths said.
Griffiths promotes her business through her online site and Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
“I think the thing that I had to get used to pretty quickly was being the wearer of all the hats,” Griffiths said. “I had to learn how to be my own accountant, my own social media, and my own public relations, all while doing the graphic design and the art.”
Alyssa Koley, a wedding client of Miranda Writes, said Griffiths’ work and personalized calligraphy represents the future of stationery and special event art.
“She’s a total pro and I would recommend her to anyone who asks,” Koley said. “Having her do the decoration I need feels a lot more personable and real than finding a company.”
Koley also said a small business like Miranda Writes is easier to collaborate with than a large company.
“She’s very pleasant to work with and she listens to any suggestions I make, even if they’re not totally what she had in mind,” Koley said.
Griffiths thinks small business artists are able to customize more easily.
As for where she goes next, Griffiths said she wants to continue primarily working on weddings and host classes and workshops for others trying to learn the art of stationery work and calligraphy.
“Everyone wants a wedding that is crafted to specifically suit them, and you can only get that personal customization with a small business, or an independent artist,” Griffiths said. “I think it’s a business that a lot of people would like to get into, and I would be more than happy to show some of my tips and tricks for those who want it.”
