Design by Laney

Design by Laney I make wedding invitations and I teach artists how to make money.

09/15/2026

A lot goes in to planning and designing your wedding invitations! Hiring a professional is a huge step, but so is understanding the differences and why things cost what they do!

In this video we break down the differences between three popular wedding invitation print methods: letterpress, foil stamping and digital printing!

We hope this helps you make informed decisions about your own wedding invitations - let us know, did you learn something new?

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Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

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Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

09/11/2026

In this video we go over the new Assembly Services Store! With this feature you can add your services as products and make them shoppable right from your existing portals!

If you're new to Assembly, it offers a branded client portal, messaging, file-sharing, invoicing and more all in one centralized place! This is a great option for small business owners looking to house everything in one software!

Get $100 Off Assembly Plan - https://assembly.com and Code: LANEY

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Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

09/08/2026

Vellum can be such a great addition to your wedding invitations! But what is vellum and how do we print on it?

In this video I'll go over the types of vellum (hint: which one you have matters for your printer type), and several examples of how we incorporate vellum into our designs such as overlays and wraps!

Get $25 PrintsWell: www.printswell.com/a/laney
My Fave Vellum: https://www.amazon.com/shop/designbylaney

~

Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

09/04/2026

In this step-by-step tutorial, I’m walking you through how to design for foil stamping using Adobe Illustrator! Whether you’re creating wedding invitations, holiday cards, or luxury stationery, you’ll learn the essential rules of designing for metallic foil, how to vectorize your files, and how to set up your artboards for printing with PrintsWell.

📌 KEY POINTS & TAKEAWAYS:
How Foil Stamping Works: Heat, pressure, metal dies, and tactile paper impressions.

Essential Design Rules: Line weight minimums, adding strokes to script fonts, and why vector files are mandatory (no PNGs or rasters).

Foil Proofing Tip: How to create a gold gradient in Illustrator to simulate foil for client proofs.

Saving Money on Dies: How to design reusable foil dies to save on die creation fees across multiple print runs.

Avoiding Double-Sided Foil Mistakes: Why back-side digital printing is recommended over double-sided foil.

3-File Print Setup: Step-by-step walk-through to create your Composite, Digital Print, and 100% K (Black) Foil Die files.

PrintsWell Order Walkthrough: Paper selection (120 # Eggshell Ultra White vs. Cotton), uploading files, double-checking the preview portal, and understanding die pricing.

🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Get $25 off your first PrintsWell order: www.printswell.com/a/laney
Vector vs. Raster Video: https://youtu.be/rodNq18dAGk
Bleeds Video: https://youtu.be/UvjeIHBq-6g

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Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

09/01/2026

Are you trying to decide whether to print wedding invitations in-house or outsource them to professional print shops? Many new stationery designers assume printing at home is the cheapest way to maximize profit margins—until they calculate toner usage, paper waste, and hours of manual cutting!

In this video, we break down the exact math comparing an in-house print run to outsourcing a 100-suite, 4-piece wedding invitation order through PrintsWell. We cover equipment costs, toner yields, paper specs, and the biggest hidden expense in your business: your time. Discover when in-house printing makes sense, why outsourcing is usually more profitable, and our favorite print vendors to partner with!

Key Points
• The Upfront Cost Illusion—saving $45 isn't the full picture.
• The Hidden Labor of Trimming
• Value Your Time Correctly
• Best Uses for In-House Printers
• Top Vendors to Use

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• PrintsWell ($25 Off First Order) → www.printswell.com/a/laney
• Stationery Vendor Toolkit → https://designbylaney.com/stationery-vendor-toolkit
• Cards & Pockets → https://www.cardsandpockets.com/?aff=7
• Mingo Press → https://www.mingopress.com/ (tell them Laney sent you!)

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Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

08/28/2026

Are you wondering what to put in your wedding invitation portfolio to attract ideal clients and book more stationery jobs? While we might not carry physical art portfolios around anymore, having a curated online gallery, sample kit, and in-person sample set is essential for growing your stationery design business.

In this video, we break down step-by-step what to include in your invitation portfolio—from how many printed pieces you actually need to setting accurate client expectations, showcasing specialized print methods, and taking your own cohesive flat lay photos. Learn how to highlight your unique style, avoid common rookie printing mistakes, and keep your gallery updated to reflect your evolving business.

Key Points
🖨️ Print Real Work: Invest $250–$300 to print 5–10 sample suites. Mockups only go so far, and printing early helps you catch design/print mistakes on low-stakes samples rather than live client orders.

🎯 Match Pricing & Client Expectations: Showcase the exact embellishments, base suites, and average price points you want to sell so clients know what to expect within their budget.

🎨 Highlight Your Unique Style: Dedicate prime portfolio space to your signature strengths—whether that’s custom watercolor, calligraphy, or bold typography.

📜 Showcase Print Methods & Keep Vendor Samples: Feature the print finishes you want to get hired for (like letterpress, foil stamping, or wax seals), and keep printer swatch decks on the backend for extra finishes.

📸 Master DIY Flat Lay Photography: Taking your own flat lay photos right before suites ship out gives you total creative control, quick turnaround, and visual consistency across your website.

🔄 Audit & Refresh Every 6–12 Months: Regularly remove outdated work and update your portfolio gallery so it accurately reflects your current skill level, style, and pricing structure.

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Stationery School → https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school
• Flat Lay Styling Class → https://bit.ly/3TFGxsX

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Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

08/25/2026

Trying to figure out which CRM (Client Relationship Manager) is best for your business? In this video, I’m breaking down the top 5 client management platforms for beginners: Dubsado, HoneyBook, Rock Paper Coin, 17 Hats, and Bonsai!

Choosing a CRM comes down to a balance between ease of setup and long-term feature robustness. Whether you need a simple tool you can launch in under 24 hours or a fully customizable platform that grows with you, this comparison will help you pick the perfect fit.

✨ What We Cover in This Video:

⚡ Easiest Startup Option (Rock Paper Coin): Get up and running in under 24 hours with white-glove setup service for contracts, invoices, and payments

🏆 Best for Long-Term Growth (Dubsado): Why it’s my personal top recommendation for forms, questionnaires, calendars, and complete brand control

📊 Feature-Rich & Financials (HoneyBook): Robust financial reporting, tax help, QuickBooks integration, and deep customization

🎩 Balanced & User-Friendly (17 Hats): A streamlined, simple alternative with essential management tools

💼 Best for Bookkeeping & Rates (Bonsai): Advanced financial tools, income/expense tracking, rate cards, and purchase orders

💡 Beginner Advice: Why basic questionnaires and client management save you time, energy, and costly mistakes

🔗 Links Mentioned:

• Get 1 Year FREE of Rock Paper Coin → https://app.rockpapercoin.com/SignUp?ref=laneyruddell&promoCode=LANEY
• Get 30% Off Your First Year of Dubsado → https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
• Get 30% Off Your First Year of HoneyBook → http://share.honeybook.com/laney
• Try 17 Hats → https://www.17hats.com/card/wspvtdpzpz
• Bonsai Discount → https://www.hellobonsai.com/?fp_ref=laney
• Dubsado Setup Course → https://designbylaney.com/how-to-use-dubsado
• HoneyBook Setup Course → https://designbylaney.com/how-to-use-honeybook
• Full CRM Comparison Playlist → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhXDd9EOenMVBG3SgEAN-uguTnr7R1AKv

~

Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

08/21/2026

After over 10 years as a wedding invitation designer, I’m looking back on the most humbling—and expensive—mistakes I’ve made in my business, and how you can avoid them!

From $500 color-matching mishaps and manual Google Sheets invoicing errors to wording slip-ups and client payment hiccups, this video is an honest breakdown of everything I wish someone had taught me when I first started out.

✨ What We Cover in This Video:

💸 The "Dumb Money" Post-It: Reframing costly mistakes into valuable learning experiences

🖨️ Understanding Printing: RGB vs. CMYK, monitor calibration, and why tools like Canva or Procreate aren't ideal for print files

💡 Lighting & Color Matching: Why you should never compare colors at night (and why coordinating beats exact envelope matching)

📜 Etiquette & Wording: Being the expert on spelling (like "accommodations"), traditions, and RSVP postage

📊 Invoicing Systems vs. Spreadsheets: How a manual formula error cost me $250—and why I switched to Dubsado

💳 Payment Rules: Why you should NEVER deliver final products before receiving payment

📑 Contracts & Banking: Protecting your business when bank transfers or payments get delayed or rejected

✅ Double-Checking Production: Quantities, paper shades, RSVP numbering, and staying organized with production sheets

🤍 The Stationery Community: Why building a creative business is worth every single lesson along the way

🔗 Links Mentioned:
• Stationery Design for Beginners Course: https://designbylaney.com/stationery-design-course
• Adobe Illustrator & Design Resources: https://designbylaney.com/ccbundle
• Try Dubsado (Client Management System): https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney

~

Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

08/18/2026

In this video, we are breaking down everything you need to know about wedding invitation pricing and what you can actually get at different budget levels!

This step-by-step breakdown will show you what invitations look like at every price point.

✨ What We Cover in This Video:
💌 DIY Templates ($12–$22): What you get when you edit and print invitations yourself
🎨 Semi-Custom Suites ($500–$750 per 100): The difference between 4-piece and 6-piece sets
💎 Invitation Upgrades ($1,750 Total): The real cost of letterpress, venue watercolors, double-thick paper, die-cuts, and address printing
🖋️ Fully Custom Invitations ($2,250–$5,000+): Custom artwork, design fees, and building a suite from scratch
⚖️ Budgeting & Balance: How to choose which upgrades are actually worth the investment for your suite

🔗 Links Mentioned:

• Etsy Shop (Templates & Semi-Custom Suites): https://designbylaney.etsy.com
• Stationery Designer Courses & Tools: https://designbylaney.com/business-resources
• From Start to Suite Bundle: https://designbylaney.com/stationery-design-course

~

Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

08/11/2026

Want to speed up your workflow and scale your stationery business? In this video, we are breaking down everything you need to know about using Kajabi to host courses, memberships, and digital downloads!

Whether you're prepping digital products, designing course curriculum, or trying to streamline your customer email automations, this step-by-step walkthrough will show you exactly how we built a $600k+ system.

What We Cover in This Video:
💵 Real account stats: How we generated over $660k (and $92k/yr in recurring revenue)
📦 Products vs. Offers: How to strategically package downloads and courses to save money
💳 The game-changing revenue secret: Why we use payment plans on every offer
🎓 Organizing 100+ classes inside our flagship Stationery School membership
⚡ Built-in email marketing and smart customer segmentation automations

🔗 Links Mentioned:

• Try Kajabi (50% Off Your First Year) → https://app.kajabi.com/r/Sdivbzjr/t/mioun3sy
• Stationery School Membership → https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school
• Penny in Your Pocket Themes → https://www.pennyinyourpocket.com/

~

Links contained in the video and/or description may be affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no cost to you! We appreciate your use of our links so we can continue making free content for you!

----------

Hi, hey, hello! Welcome to the Design by Laney channel! I am a wedding invitation designer & stationery business educator! On this channel, you'll find videos featuring design tutorials, systems reviews, and the most requested tips and tricks for running a creative business - yes, including my favorite printers!

New to Invitation Design?
💌 Check out our *From Start to Suite* course!
https://designbylaney.com/from-start-to-suite

🤓 Sign up for our FREE Adobe Illustrator course series:
https://designbylaney.com/free-illustrator-course

👩🏻‍🏫 Want to learn even more about running a stationery business? Join us in Stationery School!
https://designbylaney.com/stationery-school

💛 Follow Along:
www.instagram.com/designbylaney
www.designbylaney.com
www.facebook.com/designbylaney
www.pinterest.com/bylaney

🖨️ My Favorite Print Shop www.printswell.com/a/laney
📋 Try Dubsado https://www.dubsado.com/?c=designbylaney
📋 Try Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/laney

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