This week on the blog, we're featuring Plush Invitations and the lovely Alissa Mercier. This custom invitation and stationery design house has focused on classic design with modern elements for decades. Alissa has managed the business for nine years strong, and continues to produce one-of-a-kind designs on the daily.

Whether you're in the market for clean and simple or floral and extravagant, the talented team at Plush will customize your order to your exact taste. We sat down with our wedding industry pal to get all the deets on the invitation business, her personal experiences and the oddest stationery job she was ever hired for.

JR: Tell us about yourself, your background and your business. How did you discover your passion?

[PI]: Hi, I’m Alissa. I’ve been in the stationery business since 2008. My background is in Visual Communication Design and Marketing (BComm). I’ve always loved telling a story or message through the visual medium, as well as making things with my hands, so you could say it was inevitable that both sides of my background would lead to owning a stationery company. I remember back in elementary school, I would make various crafts and sell them out of a pizza box (decorated, of course) at lunchtime — already a budding entrepreneur!

I started with Plush as a finisher, then designer, then I bought the company in 2012 and took it on as my own. It’s been such a fun job with lots of amazing couples to meet, planners to work with and trends to follow. This job has allowed me to work from home, which has its ups and downs, but has been tremendously helpful while having and raising my kids - now ages six and two. This past year has been a tough one, as I’m sure most of the wedding community can attest to, but in a way, its challenges have encouraged me to think of new ideas and refine my processes.

JR: Your stationery is so classic and elegant. How did you end up in the world of stationery? How would you define your style of work?

[PI]: I moved to Calgary in 2008, having just left a corporate marketing job in Edmonton and couldn’t land a similar job here right away so I thought I’d do something that simply made me happy for a while. I thought stationery was something that I could do to use my background in design and keep my hands busy.

I’ve been doing this for a long time which I feel has helped shape and refine both my style and preferences. I’m confident in my processes, pricing and approach to the industry after 13 years. I know how to help couples find what they’re looking for, and there is rarely something stationery-wise that I haven't seen or done before.

I’d describe my style as a mixture of classic design with a modern edge and a hit of embellishment. I pride myself on well thought out typography and quality paper choices. I love clean, classic lines and colours, brought together with something extra — maybe an embellishment of beautiful silk ribbon, envelope liner or wax seal.

JR: Are there any new trends to watch out for in the invitation and stationery world?

[PI]: Staying connected in the wedding industry helps, keeping in touch with various planners, and following all sorts of design and wedding industry people on social media helps me feel connected and up-to-date with what’s happening — whilst each in our own bubbles, of course.

In terms of current trends, I see a lot of texture whether it be in the form of handmade paper, layering of different weights and translucencies, the addition of wax seals, and dried florals. As well, I see a focus on organic and natural feeling when it comes to stationery design, including muted and natural colour tones. With the current pandemic, there is also the new trend of smaller weddings and elopements, creating a greater need for 'Save the Date' cards, announcement cards and keepsake pieces.

JR: What is your favourite thing about working in the wedding industry?

[PI]: There are always more trends emerging, like new materials to play with and popular colour schemes that are fun to play with. It’s an industry that is basically based on the happiest day of people’s lives - so it’s always fun to be part of that.

JR: Are there other industries you mingle with?

[PI]: I do some corporate work and social stationery, but I'm mostly wedding-based.

I recently worked on a project for the wax seal brand Artisaire, which I loved. It involved writing a blog post, as well as designing, creating, styling and photographing the wax seal and stationery products. I’ve never felt so fulfilled creatively! I’d love to do more work like that in the future.

JR: Where do you get your ideas for themes, designs and templates?

[PI]: I especially like to use what I see in interior and floral design, and then translate aspects of that into stationery pieces. A lot of my ideas come from playing around with different materials, layouts, colour combinations, etc. It’s very much a hands-on process for me.

JR: Do you have any other passions outside of work?

[PI]: Well, I do have 37 books on the side of my bed right now (I just counted!), so I read a lot (and apparently need a bookshelf). Other than that, I find raising my two kids keeps me on my feet. I love home styling, furniture and interior design, but I can’t say I’m really involved in that at the moment, maybe later in life :)

JR: Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself.

[PI]: Hmm, I can tell you the oddest stationery job I was hired for. A national energy company called me up and needed someone to tie a perfect bow to be photographed for their ad campaign. So out I went, tied a red bow or two, and bam, I was nationally published!

One of the biggest jobs I was ever hired for was for invitations to a corporate event in Nassau, Bahamas. The guest list included celebrities from around the world, the live performer was Lenny Kravitz, and they even flew us down to Nassau to hand-deliver the invitations.