Is Calligraphy Dead?

[Club'nBabySeals]

Do people still pay to have their wedding invitations/placecards/etc. hand addressed by a calligrapher, or has the advent of widespread accessibility to easy-to-print computer fonts killed that tradition?





Assuming it's not a dead art...How much would you be willing to pay for it?

[Gwydion]

We are paying my middle school teacher $100 to write a poem in calligraphy on our guest registry sheet. She said she is only employed as a calligrapher by her ex-students that get married.

[Mousebaby (Premo)]

Um, Pretty much yeah. Did a little in high school haven't done it since, been a loooooooooooooooong time since I was in high school!

[Club'nBabySeals]

Originally Posted by Gwydion

We are paying my middle school teacher $100 to write a poem in calligraphy on our guest registry sheet. She said she is only employed as a calligrapher by her ex-students that get married.

Did you choose her because she has credentials for the work, or just because she's a family friend?

Does $100 for the written poem seem reasonable to you?

[Gwydion]

Originally Posted by Club'nBabySeals

Did you choose her because she has credentials for the work, or just because she's a family friend?

Does $100 for the written poem seem reasonable to you?

Haha, um, I don't know what you mean by credentials. I know her work well enough to think she does great work. (I'll post a picture when I get it picked up, although its not scheduled for delivery until mid next year).

To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea if $100 is reasonable, as far as caligraphy goes. I won't divulge the poem, but it was 14 lines long, roughly 100 words. I simply emailed her with it and offered $100. Don't know if she was cutting me a deal because she knew me or if I offered too much or if I ripped myself off, but for me, knowing who penned it was easily worth the money, seeing as it will be on display in my future house.

Your first question was about invitations and placecards. I couldn't imagine the cost for hand-written invitations... To be done well it takes a decent amount of time and one simple shake in the hand and you'd have to start over. We are opting for computerized mass produced invitations.

Our placecards are computerized, but for each one we are putting their name on the front fold, then on the inside fold we are putting a personal statement towards them, whether it be a fun memory of us (the guest and either my fiance, me or both) or a statement of thanks for...something.

While not exactly calligraphy, we think that will still be..."worthy" of...I don't know... it will be special.

[Club'nBabySeals]

Cool...thank you for your perspective. I'm just trying to get an idea of what people are willing to shell out for these services; and if it's still common for people to seek them out at all.

I took a bunch of calligraphy classes back in college, and did the calligraphy for my own wedding a few years ago. After recently becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I've decided that I need a hobby (and in this day and age, one that is profitable is better than one that's not). Someone mentioned wedding calligraphy, so I looked around for calligraphers in my area and found the niche very lacking. I wasn't sure if that's because people just don't use them anymore.


Good luck with everything, and best wishes for the wedding. :)

[Gwydion]

Originally Posted by Club'nBabySeals

Cool...thank you for your perspective. I'm just trying to get an idea of what people are willing to shell out for these services; and if it's still common for people to seek them out at all.

I took a bunch of calligraphy classes back in college, and did the calligraphy for my own wedding a few years ago. After recently becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I've decided that I need a hobby (and in this day and age, one that is profitable is better than one that's not). Someone mentioned wedding calligraphy, so I looked around for calligraphers in my area and found the niche very lacking. I wasn't sure if that's because people just don't use them anymore.


Good luck with everything, and best wishes for the wedding. :)

Oh haha I thought you were wondering if you should get one for your wedding and was looking at ideas for that. If you're into it, then maybe you could start advertising at religious events, perhaps talk to your religious leader and see if you can write something int he handout every week.

or teach it at a community college?

[SmowPea]

Buy a calligraphy kit. It's simple to do and cheap.

[puggymom]

Originally Posted by Club'nBabySeals

Cool...thank you for your perspective. I'm just trying to get an idea of what people are willing to shell out for these services; and if it's still common for people to seek them out at all.

I took a bunch of calligraphy classes back in college, and did the calligraphy for my own wedding a few years ago. After recently becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I've decided that I need a hobby (and in this day and age, one that is profitable is better than one that's not). Someone mentioned wedding calligraphy, so I looked around for calligraphers in my area and found the niche very lacking. I wasn't sure if that's because people just don't use them anymore.


Good luck with everything, and best wishes for the wedding. :)

My opinion is that with the price of weddings going up brides are willing to cut out the stuff like this because it can get pricey. I think if you were affordable (and I honestly have no idea what that is anymore in terms of weddings) there would definately be interest.

[sockgirl77 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by SmowPea

Buy a calligraphy kit. It's simple to do and cheap.

My aunt got me a kit for my 12th birthday. I still remember how to write in caligraphy and use it quite often. I mainly use it for scrapbooking now though.