Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Paul Conway, the designer and founder of The Paper Foundry which is a design studio based in Jersey, specialising in wedding and event stationery. From hand-drawn invitations to bespoke cocktail menus, our main job is to make sure your day or event has that extra wow factor.
What got you in to the wedding business?
Prior to starting The Paper Foundry I trained as an Illustrator and spent several years living and working in London. I came back to Jersey five years ago and like a lot of people fell in to the finance industry, due to a lack of jobs in the creative market. The Paper Foundry began when I started creating wedding invitations for close friends and my own wedding last year and realised I could use these as the start to a portfolio due to the fact no one in Jersey was creating the things I had found online and wanted for my own wedding.
Can you go into your process a little? How do you like to work with a client?
Firstly we have an initial meeting and together discuss what the overall theme of the wedding is, which can be anything from a simple reception on a farm to a full blown lavish day at Longueville Manor. Once this has been established each couple is led step-by-step through the process, from choosing paper right through to printing as I craft the invitations that are tailor-made for them. For a lot of clients it doesn’t end at stationery, I can also create coordinating event décor such as menus, signage, and even smaller items such as place name cards or table numbers. Every detail of your wedding is important and that’s why every aspect is designed and custom-made to reflect you and your big day.
Do you have any predictions in upcoming trends in wedding design?
The wedding world is ever changing and now with Pinterest and Instagram playing such a big part in peoples research no two weddings are ever alike. Increasingly brides and grooms are focused on creating a timeless event with personality added quite subtly rather than with big statements. On the flip side, there are also more couples willing to be bold and brave in their wedding design, they want their wedding celebration to be an extension of their personal style and aren’t afraid to shy away from doing that in their own way.
What’s next for The Paper Foundry?
I am just gearing up for the start of wedding season so am busy with a lot of new signs which will be available to rent and buy very soon. I am also currently in talks with a UK based printers who specialises in gold and silver foiling, this is a printing technique that gives the effect of gold leaf and looks amazing on invites so I’m busy designing a range of wedding stationery which will be launched fully at the wedding fair in October.
