We are starting off the blog in the New Year with Of Light & Letters because we love their uplifting vibe! We all need a little positivity going into the New Year, don’t you think?
Company Snapshot: Of Light & Letters is a Massachusetts-based, one-woman calligraphy business run by Emily DeMeo. Specializing in wedding and event day-of goods, her services include both custom calligraphy and hand lettered acrylic signage. From addressing your envelopes to the welcome sign at your ceremony, she takes care of all the beautiful details that make your event uniquely you!
How did you pick the name of your business? My business name is one of my favorite stories about who Of Light & Letters is as a brand. In my personal faith journey, the word “light” has been so influential. I even have it tattooed on my arm! Matthew 5:16 is a verse that stuck out to me early on, and one I have continued to abide by in all I do.
Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Even through calligraphy, through every client conversation, every vendor interaction, I have an opportunity to share light with others. So naturally, with lettering being what I do, the name Of Light & Letters was born! It actually started off with the word “and” in place of the ampersand, but when designing my logos, the ampersand just looked prettier (and personally, I love to letter a good ampersand- they’re so fun!) Essentially, Of Light & Letters, to me, indicates my Christ-centered, relational way of using this gift that I’ve been given.
What motivates you? I am so motivated by the incredible couples I get to work with! In my onboarding process for new clients, I love getting to know each one individually. It’s my favorite thing to hear their love stories- how they met, their proposal, and all the unique details that they are bringing into the wedding. With each wedding being as one-of-a-kind as the couples, I am constantly seeking new ways to incorporate calligraphy. I love to experiment with new materials, custom ink colors, and putting a twist on current trends. I gain so much inspiration through my process and with each project bringing something new, I always have a reason to look forward to my work.
How have you pivoted given the current circumstances? I feel like I almost did things a bit backwards in the crazy pandemic world we’re living in. I graduated with my masters in May and the job market since then has been less than ideal. So I really have taken the past few months as an opportunity to invest in Of Light & Letters and turn it from hobby to business. I was able to focus on branding, hone in on my niche, and further refine my calligraphy skills. Thankfully, instead of having lost work, I’ve really been adapting and marketing myself during this time.
In terms of the ways I work with clients, I had to be ready for my 2020 couples to make some hard decisions. I am thankful that many decided to postpone. I had to split up the work I was providing, with some of it being used this year for micro-weddings, and the original plans still on hold for 2021. I think having walked through the rescheduling of my own wedding this year has allowed me to have more compassion and empathy for all the other couples in a similar boat.
What do you do in your spare time to decompress? Whenever I’m asked this question in a job interview setting, my go-to answer is always calligraphy, but that’s really my job now! When I’m feeling stressed, I love spending some extended time reading God’s word and journaling. It allows me to let all my thoughts out and lay them before the one who is in control of it all, because I need the reminder that I am not! I’m a sucker for a good interior design show and any cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie (it’s never the wrong season to watch them!) and I love taking walks with my husband, Steven, around our gorgeous farm neighborhood, getting fresh air, and enjoying the beauty of nature.
If you had to give just one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding, what would it be? Just because your wedding may have to be smaller right now, does NOT mean it has to be any less special!! I have seen so many couples go through with their scaled-down weddings and heard one testimonial after another about how sweet (and sometimes even less stressful) it was. People have become so creative in the way they approach wedding planning, and I think newly engaged couples are learning a lot from this. We don’t know how long the current restrictions will last, but coming from someone who got married anyways, I promise it is SO worth it! Plus, with a smaller guest list, you have the opportunity to really invest in the details that would maybe be out of budget for a 200+ person wedding. There is a chance to make your wedding completely you, with every last detail being exactly how you dreamed.
Contact Emily at Of Light and Letters to work with her for your wedding!