Besides running a wonderful letterpress and design company, Amy Armato of Armato Design & Press also publishes a wedding and design blog called the Wedding Phile, with tons of cool inspiration pieces from vintage tags and her own designs. Also on her site, you can find a great video that shows the involved process that makes letterpress possible – what a great way to explain such a beautiful and complicated method of printing.

Inspirations are found everywhere for my invitations from my garden at home and a book bought in Paris, to vintage wallpaper patterns and afternoons spent at the museum. I also find my clients inspirational. I believe every special occasion should have a lovely invitation to match. Whether it is a letterpress invitation or a flat-printed invitation, Armato Design & Press makes every occasion unique and welcoming.

Amy participated in our “meet the members” Q&A – her answers appear below.

Why weddings? I adore stories. And I especially love telling stories through design. Weddings are a dream for me because I get to help a couple not only tell the story of their upcoming wedding, but I also get to tell the story of who they are as a couple.

What new wedding tradition do you want to get more love? Blank reply cards. This isn’t a new tradition, it’s actually a very old one that I would love to see used more. I love reply cards that clearly request a reply (with a “reply by” date, for example) but the blank space on the card invites guests to write a personal note. Those notes are priceless gifts. The couple will cherish them longer than any toaster.

What should people know about what you do? They should know that I am a creative problem solver. This refers to both my designs as well as my approach to a bridal couple’s budget. I am thrilled to find creative solutions even when there are budget constraints. People should know that I love my clients. They should know that I care about the experience they have while we work together. I believe the design experience should be fun and not add to the stress of wedding planning.

What is your favorite part of a wedding? My favorite part of a wedding doesn’t actually take place at the wedding at all. It takes place a couple of months before when I hear from a client that their guests are so excited to come to the wedding because the invitations are so perfectly descriptive of them.

How does your style differentiate you? What sets you apart? Because I am a professional graphic designer, my designs are not just pretty they have a meaning, a theme, a purpose. I talk to my clients and learn about what makes them who they are, what they are attracted to and what will best visually describe them and their event.

What do you wish you had known when you started working with weddings? Letterpress printing makes a great design exceptional BUT letterpress does not make a bad design any better. We offer both design and letterpress services and we will print a client’s design if they already have one. I think people who love letterpress often concentrate too much on that rather than making sure they have a top notch design first and foremost. Armato Design & Press offers both exceptional design and letterpress. I am very proud of that.

Are your clients mostly from Minnesota? No. I think because of my presence on Etsy I have had clients from all over the country.

Cake or cupcakes? Even though I think the most interesting wedding invitations are a bit edgy and untraditional, I am a traditionalist when it comes to this question: cake. I think because of the statement it makes at the wedding. Actually, this idea is in line with my overall attitudes toward stationery. Wedding stationery should make a statement.