stationery
Thanks for taking the time out to visit Form Over Function’s online stationery store.
We’re sure we have just what you’re looking for.
And if it’s not there? You can be certain our custom designed service can create it for you.
Our online ranges make it easy for you to have the beauty, quality and style of custom-designed stationery at an off-the-rack price.
We think you’ll agree it’s pretty special that you can simply browse the ranges, choose a design, the items you need and then sit alongside us in the designer’s chair to tell us exactly what colours you want your stationery printed in, what envelopes and envelope linings you would like and e-mail us your wording.
We take care of the rest.
It really is that easy.
Now, so long as you remember whilst looking through the ranges that you may have any design that catches your eye printed in exactly the colours of your choice, you’re ready to start browsing now, but chances are you have a few questions first, and the answers follow.
• I love what I see and want to place an order. How will it work?
• How long will it take?
• How can I choose the designs, the items, the numbers and whatever colours I want and not have to pay for a custom design?
• Is there a difference in the quality of papers and envelopes between the three ranges?
• Is there a price difference between the three ranges?
• Why are prices not printed on the web site?
• I’ve received your quote, love the design, but it’s more than I wanted to spend on my stationery, is there something that can be done to bring it in on budget?
• Is there a difference in how the three ranges are created?
• Will you print names and addresses on envelopes?
• Why are some of the envelopes on offer only suitable for calligraphy?
• Why can’t I print my own order of service inserts?
• Why are the ranges not divided into wedding, corporate or other celebrations?
• Can you organise the calligraphy for our stationery?
• How do I get to choose my own papers?
• Do you provide an editing and proof reading service?
• What help will I receive in putting my stationery together?
• How do I supply my information to Form Over Function?
• Why do I have to get everything printed at once?
• I have already chosen a guest gift, but need packaging. Can you help?
I love what I see and want to place an order. How will it work?
1. Choose a design, browse through the range, pick the items you would like and decide how many you need of each.
2. Move into the “I’d like a quote” section of our online store and fill in the details we need to be able to supply you with a fully itemised quote.
You’ll receive this quote via e-mail within five business days (and if for some reason this is not going to be possible, we’ll be sure to keep you posted).
3. Fax or e-mail us a signed and accepted quote and pay for your order. We accept payment by Mastercard, Visa, America Express, direct deposit or cheque.
4. Mail us samples of the colours you would like your stationery to be printed in. This might be a scrap of gift paper, an old card, paint sample cards, a snip of fabric or ribbon – whatever gives us a clear idea of the colours you wish to match.
5. E-mail us your wording. We will supply you with the information you need to make this as easy at your end as possible.
6. We will prepare and e-mail a PDF proof of your artwork, and mail you Pantone colour swatches to confirm your choices, along with colour samples of the stock and envelopes. The Pantone colour system is used by designers and printers worldwide to give each colour its own unique code – there are over 1,100 colours for us to choose from to match your colours.
7. Once we receive your okay to proceed to print, we go to press, and deliver a rather beautiful package to you within weeks.
How long will it take?
We will give you an estimated time of delivery for your finished stationery at the time of booking.
You should allow six weeks minimum from the placement and payment of your order, to the date you wish to place your invitations in the post.
We will be sure to let you know at the time of ordering if we can meet your deadline.
It won’t always take this long to deliver your stationery to you, but lots of factors will influence the timing – everything from whether you have chosen calligraphy and hand-finishing to how long you take to give us the go ahead to go to print.
If you need a quicker turn around than our standard six weeks, talk to us. If it’s possible, we’ll do all we can to help.
How can I choose the designs, the items, the numbers and whatever colours I want and not have to pay for a custom design?
At Form Over Function, what we refuse to do is mass produce invitations in colours of our choice and have them sitting on the shelf waiting for your order, simply throwing your wording over the top, and dictating that you may only choose between two types of stock and four ink colours.
We think that’s impersonal, and your celebration deserves better than that.
So we’ve come up with an idea to give you custom-designed stationery at an off the rack price.
We’ve done the hard design work already, so you make a saving by opting for one of the ranges available under our three labels – Bespoke, Luxe and Boutique – but you get to customise the design with the colours you choose, and the envelopes and envelope linings you pick.
No two sets will ever be the same.
Your stationery will be printed as a one off, just for you.
Is there a difference in the quality of papers and envelopes between the three ranges?
In a word, no.
The same exceptional quality and range of stock is there for you to choose from regardless of whether you are purchasing from the Bespoke, Luxe or Boutique ranges.
The only exception to this rule applies to the Bespoke label’s letterpress ranges, which require cotton papers that bring out the texture and beauty of this printing process.
Is there a price difference between the three ranges?
In a word, yes.
The quality is exceptional across all three ranges, but lots of factors influence pricing of stationery – from the number of items being printed, to their size, the number of scores (folds) required, to the number of colours to be used, and whether there is hand-finishing involved.
For example, a design from the Bespoke label which features hand-finishing with stitching will cost more than one from the Luxe range, and more again than one from the Boutique range.
Why are prices not printed on the web site?
We’re not hiding anything.
We know our stationery is exceptional value by any measure, let alone for the quality.
The reason we can’t print prices on the web site is because Form Over Function prints your stationery as a one off.
Printing costs are dictated by everything from the number of items being printed, to the number of colours being used, to the size of the stationery items being printed.
As each and every customer will have different requirements, it’s not possible to set a price for each item. We wish we could! It would be a lot less work for us if we did not have to quote individually for each and every one of you.
But we don’t mind because it means we can offer you the personalised service and stationery your celebration deserves.
I’ve received your quote, love the design, but it’s more than I wanted to spend on my stationery, is there something that can be done to bring it in on budget?
Very likely.
Please talk to us if the quote is over your budget. Chances are we can guide you to make tweaks to the order that will bring the costs down – something as simple as changing the number of colours, the envelopes you have chosen, or even switching from a square invitation to a DL, can make a difference that matters to your bottom line, whilst still delivering you beautiful stationery.
Is there a difference in how the three ranges are created?
In a word, yes.
Bespoke
All the designs sold under this label are either off-set printed, letterpressed, embossed or feature hand-finishing – stitching, beading or fabric finishes. Others have earned this label due to the number, or amount, of inks required to print them.
Luxe
All the designs sold under this label are off-set printed, but each one has been designed using only one or two ink colours to minimise printing costs. Many of the designs look like they have been printed with more than one colour – this is because the off-set printing process allows you to choose one colour, but have it applied in full, down to its lightest tint, and all the variations in between.
Boutique
All the designs sold under this label are beautifully printed by a fine art printer. By doing away with scored (folded) designs except for orders of service, and not printing solid pages of colour, this label provides a cost effective way to announce your event with style. It is also an ideal range for those requiring only a small number of invitations or items.
Will you print names and addresses on envelopes?
Not only will we print names and addresses on your envelopes, we include it in every job, and can also add a touch of your stationery motif to the envelope if that appeals.
It means you stationery is seamlessly beautiful from the moment it arrives.
Why are some of the envelopes on offer only suitable for calligraphy?
Form Over Function has hand-picked four ranges of truly beautiful envelopes, providing almost 100 different colours and scores of textures, some lined, some not, so that you can have creative control over every aspect of your stationery.
Of these, two ranges are only suitable for calligraphy.
One range, imported from Spain, is hand-crafted from 100 per cent cotton paper. They are too thick to put through a printer and the fibres jam the printer (we know because we’ve tried!). The other, a white tissue lined range, is also too thick to run through a printer without jamming too often.
If you don’t want calligraphy, the two ranges suitable for both calligraphy and printing of names and addresses, offer a delicious range of colours and textures, so you won’t be missing out.
Why can’t I print my own order of service inserts?
Firstly, you don’t want to be up in the nights leading up to your wedding editing, printing, scoring, binding, wondering "what was I thinking?". (And yes, more than ten years experience tells us – repeatedly – that this is what most couples end up doing).
Secondly, unless you are a fully qualified graphic designer, with access to the right tools of the trade, your insert pages won’t match the covers, no matter how hard you try, defeating the purpose of going to the trouble of getting us to create seamlessly beautiful stationery for you in the first place.
Why are the ranges not divided into wedding, corporate or other celebrations?
If you look across our range there are corporate invitations we have designed that would work just as beautifully for a milestone birthday or a wedding with an exotic twist.
There are wedding invitations that would be perfect for a corporate soiree with a tropical theme.
There are designs which, with a change of colours and wording, switch from milestone birthday to wedding.
Just as we ask you to view the ranges through any-colour-lenses (because you can pick whichever colours you wish) we also ask that you see the designs with only your event in mind.
It strikes a chord? Then it’s the right one.
Can you organise the calligraphy for our stationery?
Of course.
And you get to have Australia’s best calligrapher creating every exquisite letter for a lot less than you may think.
How do I get to choose my own papers?
We’ll make some selections for you, guided by what we know will work best with the design and colours you have chosen, and mail you paper samples so you can make the final decision.
Or if you have a sample of the white, cream or ivory, or other colour you would like us to match, send it to us, and we will make it happen.
Do you provide an editing and proof reading service?
Yes.
Not only does Form Over Function provide you with the security that comes from knowing we have been creating exquisite stationery as a one-off for each and every client for more than a decade, we also boast in-house services of a team member with more than twelve years experience as a writer with The Sydney Morning Herald.
It means that Form Over Function brings a very sharp eye to every detail of your stationery – from the wording, to layout, graphics and design.
What help will I receive in putting my stationery together?
Once you have booked and paid for your order, Form Over Function will e-mail you the forms you need to ease the way for you to supply us with guest names for invitations, as well as names and addresses for envelopes.
We will also e-mail you our insider’s how-to on gathering the information you need for all your stationery, what to take into consideration with your wording and more.
How do I supply my information to Form Over Function?
Your colour samples are posted to us.
Everything else is e-mailed, with online forms supplied by Form Over Function for you to fill in.
All the wording for your stationery needs to be supplied in a word document via e-mail.
If you need us to enter the information for you, this service is available at additional charge.
Why do I have to get everything printed at once?
Your stationery set is printed as one-off by either an off-set printer, a letterpress printer, or a fine art printer.
Offset printing sees, for example, all your invitations run together over several large sheets, along with the other items you are seeking. The more items you print, the lower the cost. It also ensures consistency of colour and stock.
It is possible for you to have additional items printed down the track, but the set up costs can make this a very expensive exercise for only a small number of items.
For wedding clients, the order of service inserts and seating plans are printed closer to the date of the event.
Menus can also be done as an overprint closer to the day for an additional charge (this means the menus are printed in the first initial print run along with all the other items, and the wording is printed as a second print run closer to the event day).
I have already chosen a guest gift, but need packaging. Can you help?
Absolutely.
Tell us what you wish to present to your guests and we’ll come up with just the right way to package it in style, dipping into an extensive range of boxes and other packaging ideas in an extraordinarily wide range of colours, finishes and prices.