Daily Inspiration: Meet Danielle Connell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Connell.

Hi Danielle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was always the friend that would host the party, or paint the signs or design the thing. I even hand-drew wedding invitations and addressed them for a friend, not even giving it a thought that people got paid for this!

Once I stumbled down the wedding rabbit hole, there was no coming back for me. Every cell in my body wanted to figure out how to create the gorgeous heirloom wedding invitations I was drooling over but as I waded through that murky territory, I took a few detours painting murals and restaurant menus and a ton of large format (hand-lettered!) wedding signage.

All of these detours as well as the process of fine-tuning my knowledge and skills working with hundreds of couples over the years formed what Paper Cliché is today. A full-service design studio in Costa Mesa specializing in wedding invitations and signage.

One of the most important business decisions I made was niching down to serve couples who value quality, minimalist design and high touch service and at the same time narrowing down my offerings. That was really tough on me as I loved doing it all but I must say… it’s pretty dreamy to get to pick and choose the clients and projects that are a good fit. This enables me to provide real connections with my couples and create heirlooms for their wedding that bring them joy! And what is better than spreading joy!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I definitely struggled for years saying yes to every project that came my way. I had to learn the hard lesson that other people’s emergencies were not my emergencies. Once I let go of my calligraphy savior complex, I stopped feeling bad saying no! Okay, I feel less badly anyway.

If I could scream one thing from the rooftops about starting your own small business, it would be to HIRE A BOOKKEEPER. Like, way before you think you need one. This should be your top priority. Do not wait like I did. Trust me on this one.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love the written word. Completely obsessed. And there is something special to me about the record-keeping process of wedding invitations. They are literally one of the only tangible goods that you keep from your wedding day and a little time capsule of what made you and your SO feel good at the time. I am all about timeless design but I also love the idea of nostalgia that speaks to a certain time in your life.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I focus on intentional design and work one on one with my couples to create something truly unique to their vision. I also offer a semi-custom line of invitations that are highly customizable!

I try to make the process as simple as possible as I know high-end stationery can be totally overwhelming at first. The best way to get started is by filling out my inquiry form on my website so we can schedule a quick chat 🖤

Pricing:

• Investment starts at $1000
• Paper Cliché couples typically spend $2500-$5000 on invitations
• And $1500-$4000 on day of details

Contact Info:

• Website: www.papercliche.com
• Instagram: @itspapercliche

Image Credits
Alvin D Photography Kassidy Ilane Studios Chris Glenn