Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Gardiner.
Jennifer, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I definitely inherited my mother’s creative gene and have always been interested in art and creative pursuits as far back as I can remember. As a little girl, I was always drawing, painting, etc., so it seems only fitting that I ended up in such a creative industry. It wasn’t until I started planning my own wedding in 2014 that I became interested in calligraphy and the wedding industry as a whole. It started with a beginner calligraphy class where I learned enough to hand address my own wedding invitations and place cards. On our wedding day, our photographer asked me who did all my calligraphy and when I told her it was me, she was impressed that I did it all myself! It really wasn’t until that moment that I thought, I was “good enough” to start doing calligraphy professionally. It really goes to show that you never know how your words can affect people and how much your encouragement could really be the catalyst for someone to pursue their passion. From there, I think I really just knew I wanted to be a part of the wedding industry, so, I applied for an internship with a local wedding planner, Lottie, with Grit & Gold. Under her encouragement and mentorship, I created Pretty Post Calligraphy.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think everyone that owns their own business, especially all the creative entrepreneurs out there, struggle with the day to day of things. For example, when you are caught up trying to meet a deadline or stressed with the amount of work you have on your plate, you’re sometimes wondering, “Is this all worth it?”, or, “Is this REALLY what I’m passionate about?”. Honestly, it’s hard work, and the glamour of beautiful, picture-perfect weddings is actually the result of a lot of hard work and dedication from a whole team of people. Success doesn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of working really hard, day after day, making mistakes, learning from them and little by little moving one step closer to your dreams.
Also, I think just the struggle of feeling like I’m worth it or I’m talented enough to make it in this industry. There are SO many insanely talented, hard-working, successful people in the wedding industry, so it’s hard sometimes to not compare yourself or your success to others or to second guess your own talent. But, comparison is the thief of joy and I have to remind myself that everyone’s path is different and that God has a different, unique plan for each of us.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Pretty Post Calligraphy – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Pretty Post Calligraphy is a calligraphy and design studio in Fort Worth, Texas specializing in hand calligraphy and stationary needs for weddings and special events. Our products are thoughtfully designed to reflect the uniqueness of each of our clients and we believe that your wedding day paper and calligraphy details should be an intentional representation of the love you share.
I think what really sets us apart from others would be our attention to detail, our organization and our genuine passion for our clients. One of our greatest strengths is organization, which is super important when dealing with guest lists, revisions, meal selections, etc. Having a strong foundation in organization is key and I believe is one thing that we do really well. Another area we really strive for success in, is getting to know our clients on a personal level. We feel that having that one on one connection with our clients is key and we approach calligraphy and the design process with the belief that each wedding and event is unique.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
My husband and I are both native Fort Worthians, we both LOVE Dallas/Fort Worth and we couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home. I think Dallas/Fort Worth has undergone this sort of revitalization over the past few years and it seems more and more creatives are flocking to our little, big city. Gone are the days of eating at chain restaurants and grabbing your coffee at Starbucks (although, I still really love Starbucks). Now, it seems there is a new locally owned restaurant or business popping up on every corner! Take Fort Worth, for example, the revitalization we have seen with Magnolia and the near Southside area – there seems to be such a love and appreciation of all those locally owned businesses and I have to say, I LOVE that about our city! Now, we have events every weekend it seems like, from ArtsGoggle, to the Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival – there is always something to do and always new, creative businesses and places to discover.
What I like least about our city is just the fact that people seem to always judge Texans and the Dallas/Fort Worth area before actually discovering what it truly has to offer. We have this reputation for all being behind the times, small town folk who ride horses to work and shop at WalMart. Ugh. I actually hate when I hear people talking about my city negatively and when I hear people essentially just writing us all off as no more than small town country folk. This area has so much to offer and there are so many creative, talented people here. I think that once you look past the stereotypes, you’ll actually discover a thriving city full of creative entrepreneurs, innovative artists and musicians and more foodie and brunch spots to even count. This sleepy city is doing big things, so watch out!
Pricing:
- Custom letterpress invitation suites starting at $1000
- Custom letterpress event invitations and announcements starting at $500
- Custom day of calligraphy details and signage packages starting at $500
Contact Info:
- Address: 2060 Kenley Ave
Fort Worth, TX 76110 - Website: www.prettypostcalligraphy.com
- Phone: 817-437-5179
- Email: prettypostcalligraphy@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettypostcalligraphy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettypostcalligraphy/
Image Credit:
Shannon Skloss Photography, Ellen Ashton Photography, Elisabeth Carol Photography, Jessica Gold Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
