Invitations
Looking for a person to do our invitations and all the other stationery has been a really interesting experience! We initially found 3 people we wanted to see for quotes, but after seeing just 2 of them, we knew exacty who we are going with.
1 person came with a decent recommendation – the other, a reputation…
Paper Garden
Funny enough the lady that runs Paper Garden in the “Cape Town” area runs it from her home right opposite our church in Strand! This at first we thought wasn’t really such a good thing, since how good could a person be in creating wedding invitations if they came from the Strand?
Well we were mightily impressed. We sat at her table that was covered in left-over invitations that we got to play around with to see exactly how our invitations would look like. Chop this, change that, use that colour, or maybe this insert… it really was a lot of fun. She went through the entire process with us from the invitations, to the ceremony list, to the seating arrangements and confetti ideas. We came away from her really having a sense that we knew exactly how our entire wedding would be branded – which is something I am big into. Verdict: Very chuffed, but we hadn’t seen anyone else yet – but the standard had been set.
Elsje Designs
We went to see Elsje after work one evening. This was an experience to behold. The following is my account of events.
Arrive at Elsje Designs. We are greeted at the door by one of her 3 assistants. She comes out of her studio to greet us and I am given a 3 page document regarding our wedding to fill in. We are told to choose a few – “Not more than 4” invitations up on the walls to start with. Elsje leaves us alone and I fill in the paper work and Karina start to look around. Eventually I am looking all of these other peoples wedding invitations and getting very confused. I don’t want someone else’s wedding invitation? She comes out and I explain to her that she is making us choose another weddings invitation and that we are slightly confused on how this works. She sits us down and goes through our documentation. One thing I made a grave mistake of doing was ticking box 2 out of 4 when it came to price we are willing to pay. Elsje then takes us as a cheap couple wanting a lot, but not paying much for it.
I eventually just take a boring invitation off the wall and say “well this is ok-ish, but its not the right colour”. After spending roughly 20 minutes with us going over the invitation – we have gone with this exact invitation in a white envelope and white invite. Everything we try and suggest gets the disapproval of Elsje so eventually I am sarcastically agreeing to EVERYTHING she says so we can get out of there!
So once we finished, she wants us to pay a R200 consulting fee, which I decline since no one even told us about it!
Anyway, the experience was extremely strange and off putting. Elsje comes across very cold and methodical about the entire process. Not once is she even trying to sell her self or a design. She also kept on bringing up words like “cheap” and “too expensive” which really puts Karina and I off even more.
All I can say is that after telling this story to a few people, Elsje designs seems to have quite a reputation for late delivery as well as some of her staff leaving because they cannot put up with her.
I am not knocking Elsje, all I am telling is our experience with her and that I cannot recommend her services. With regards to the R200 fee, I have a feeling that for her to charge a fee for a consultation means she probably has a high rate of people declining her services, thus the reason for the charge. If you were doing 10 quotes a day, and 8 of them were buying your services, you would never even consider charging a consulting fee, not so?
So, Paper Garden are now officially one of our recommended service providers. And expect something small from us very soon. 
38 Comments so far. Would you like to add something?
Gina Potgieter posted on August 5th, 2008 at 4:22 pm |
Dear Karina & Jason
It was very interesting to me to read your comments regarding Elsje Designs, it just shows again how people have different opinions, styles and preferences. I was a wedding planner and personally also a client of Elsje Designs. Elsje made all my own wedding’s stationery as well as my sisters and most of my friends. Today we are still clients of hers and she just made my godchild’s baptism invitations. My experience with this company has been the opposite of your experience and I would recommend them to anyone! My wedding stood out because of the special detail they put into my stationery, people commented and couldn’t stop talking about our unique wedding stationery. I have never met another person as creative as Elsje, she also keeps coming up with original and new ideas. Every time I walk into their studio I have to stand in awe of all their latest and new creations. I think it is unfair to judge them after you only met them once and have never made use of their services yourself. I also think that your style is properly not that of Elsje Designs and I can understand that you didn’t find something you liked, I could not get myself to choose only one invitations and wanted everything they had, sometimes you meet someone and you just click and find yourself on exactly their wave length, well that was what I found at Elsje Designs and in Elsje. I thus think people should make up their own minds and go see for themselves. Their service to me was excellent, but as everyone in the wedding industry knows, it is an extremely difficult business with emotional clients having very high expectations. Elsje Designs have each and every time exceeded my wildest expectations.
Regarding the R200 consultation fee, this has been practice in most service providers in the wedding industry for years. If you go see any designer, for instance wedding dress designers or wedding planners, they all charge consultation fees, you then get refunded if you make use of their services. This makes sense to me, because you get so many copy cats and people only going around stealing the top designer’s ideas. According to what I can remember Elsje Designs sends out an e-mail reminder confirming your appointment and stating what you can expect and reminding you of their policy, rules and the R200 consultation fee.
You also should remember that Elsje Designs specializes in couture wedding invitations, thus custom made designs that takes time and will thus cost more, you cannot compare them with Paper Garden, it would be as to compare Gert van de Merwe with Hip Hop, both makes beautiful amazing dresses, but totally different.
Thus, it is sad that you didn’t feel their passion and couldn’t see their amazing talent, but luckily there are so many different suppliers to suit each and everyone’s taste because it is impossible that everyone will like the same suppliers.
Kind regards
Elsje Designs Fan
Gina
Jason posted on August 6th, 2008 at 8:59 am |
Hi Gina,
Elseje wouldn’t be where she is today if she didn’t have tons of happy clients, but that’s not to say she doesn’t have unhappy clients – like us.
If you had a bad experience at a restaurant, or a bad consultation at a web design company, would you go back a 2nd time? 1st impressions count in business!
I do know Elsje does couture and unique cards, but I felt that after ticking the wrong price box, she wrote us off. I could’ve easily paid R50 an invitation if it came down to that, but I had no idea what her “custom” designs cost, so I just guessed. BAD mistake.
Regarding the R200, I would’ve easily paid the R200 if I was told about it before our appointment. I now know its an industry norm, but being newly weds, everything we come across we have to learn about, and this was one of them. Once again, I would’ve paid it, if I was told about it.
Thanks for commenting Gina, and as long as both you and I are happy with our cards – from our different designers, isn’t that what matters?
Elsje posted on September 1st, 2008 at 5:40 pm |
Hi Jason
A client has brought your comments about Elsje Designs as expressed on your site to my attention. I always regard any feedback as valuable for our growth, for the improvement of our service and for understanding our clients. The pattern of comments over many years support my impression that we at Elsje Designs do most things right but, I have to admit, now and then things go awry for whatever reason. I cannot recall that I slighted you.
I regret your negative experience – we normally don’t see clients after 5 pm but wanted to be accommodating.
It is a pity that you did not bring your views directly to my attention and especially that you used my logo on your site in a negative manner. I would appreciate it if you would kindly remove our logo from your site.
Lastly, be assured we are gladly giving attention to all the points raised by you as we wish to provide the best service and stationery in the wedding industry!
Sincerely
Elsje
Jason posted on September 1st, 2008 at 6:01 pm |
Hi Elsje,
Regarding seeing clients after 5pm, we weren’t the only clients that you saw that evening. There was a couple before us, and then as we left, another couple arrived. Also, does the time of day affect the type of service a client should receive?
Thanks for getting back to us here on our blog – and maybe I should of contacted you directly about the service we received, but I thought I’d share my experience with others too. As a blogger, I enjoy writing about my experiences, and this is exactly one of them!
I’ll remove your logo, but not this blog post!
Henk Kleynhans posted on September 1st, 2008 at 6:49 pm |
Thanks for posting this Jason.
We didn’t use anyone “professional” to do our wedding, and it turned out to be much more personal and intimate. Everything turned out beautifully, though it did take 5 bridesmaids many many hours of preparation. I personally helped to make the wedding invites (Photoshop + Printer…)
I laughed at Elsje’s amusing response. I an see that your experience really wasn’t isolated, but that it’s more a problem of attitude on Elsje’s part. Reminding you that you were specially accommodated after 5pm is unprofessional.
It is clear that your concerns aren’t really taken to heart.
Regarding the logo: You have every right to use the logo in the manner you are doing. Refer to the cases brought by Telkom against Hellkom.co.za and by SAB against Laugh it Off.
Jason posted on September 1st, 2008 at 9:23 pm |
Hey Henk, very true what you say about the “amusing” response.
I’ve also asked Paul Jacobson about using the logo here. It isn’t really an issue for me to remove it, but it does make for an interesting follow up post about using company’s logos in blogs!
Alwijn posted on September 15th, 2008 at 2:03 am |
Jason, have you compared the two websites (Elsje Designs & Paper Garden)? Was it a good experience or a good invite you were after?
I find it amusing – the way South Africans rather go to the Spur ’cause the waiters are friendly. As the Afrikaans jingle goes: ‘Spur-mense – mense wat die lewe smaak’…
In your case it is clearly a matter of taste (smaak).
Have a super wedding!
Alwijn
Jason posted on September 15th, 2008 at 8:37 pm |
@Alwijn – thanks for commenting! I’m not sure by the first line of your comment if your saying that by looking at their websites, one invitation designer is better than the other… they both could do with a slightly better website – especially Elsje’s flash site, but lets leave the web design argument for another day?
Invitations are definitely about taste, and both Elsje and Paper Garden have some really great designs, we just chose service, personal experience and design over just “design”.
Michelle posted on December 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm |
Hi Karina & Jason
I must tell you that I am so glad I ran across your blog page. My sister is getting married next year and was wanting to book with Elsje Designs and after showing her your story she has decided not to. It is quite funny and clearly meant to be that I was helping her with her wedding as she probably would have freaked if the same happened to her. I have spoken to two of my colleagues and they both have heard of Elsje’s bad reputation so thank you, thank you. I believe a brides day and her planning should be a happy one and I feel for you having to have gone through that BAD experience.
Simon posted on January 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 pm |
Thank you so very much on your post about Elsje Designs. My soon to be wife was impressed with the elsje design’s work which she saw from one of the wedding blogs and contacted them to do our stuff. They told us that we need to purchase a catalogue, she made payment immediately. It took 4 days, many phone calls and emails for us to receive the catalogue which was sent in bits and pieces. BAD SERVICE!!!!!!!
We opted not to use Elsje Designs when my fiancee saw the same stuff that is on the catalogue on the Martha Stewart website and magazine. We discovered that Elsje is not so creative afterall!!!! She copies stuff from US/UK websites and magazines.
We found a great couture invites studio in JHB which gave us the best service ever and we have great invites that are really unique. We are looking forward to our wedding in February 2008.
It is time that Couples find out the truth about Elsje Designs!!!!
PG posted on January 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm |
Ek is verstom oor die wyse waarop mense hulle menings lug. Spesifiek keuse van woorde en invalshoeke. Simon laat die deur wyd oop vir ‘n lastersaak teen hom, met sy klaarblyklike ongegronde stellings oor plagiaat.
Ek moet egter noem dat ek nog net tevrede was met die diens van Elsje designs, veral ook gesien vanuit ‘n korporatiewe oogpunt. Uiters professioneel met ‘n ongelooflike mate van kreatiwiteit.
Die mense wat soveel negatiewe kommentaar lewer is definitief Spur-mense – bravo Alwijn. Laat hulle dus maar hulle copy-en-paste metodes (en diensverskaffers) gebruik.
Elsje is briljant. Punt.
Jason posted on January 7th, 2009 at 12:51 pm |
PG, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and just because you say “Punt.” does not mean that statement is fact.
“Ek het die beste webwerf in Suid Afrika. Punt.”
Carryn posted on January 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm |
To Jason & Karina,
Your Blog has inspired us. My fiance has been helping me with our wedding planning and came across your blog. I love the way PG calls us “Spur People”,
the clients who have opinions, and freedom to choose & express who we use to do our invites, cakes , flowers etc.
All we can say is thank you for making us aware of there bad service we will be sure not to use them & spread the word to our friends & brides.
Later C
Michelle posted on January 20th, 2009 at 5:35 pm |
I myself am a bride who recently went to Elsje Designs for my wedding invitations, and what I’ve experienced is completely different! They gave me excellent service from the consultation right through to picking up my invites. I would recommend them to anyone.
Michelle
G&W posted on January 25th, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
Jason & Katrina,
Thanks for bringing this to everyone’s attention. We are an engaged couple who initially considered using Elsje but wil defenitely not after reading this. In my experience I find that the wedding industry (especially the bigger names) is fraught with snotty attitudes, bad service and an absolute comtempt for potential customers. They know most of us are doing this (getting married) for the first time, so they use our inexperience for their gain. Blog’s such as these are very helpful – keep up the good work.
G&W
Sam posted on January 28th, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
J&K,
Recently getting engaged my fiance & I started looking at wedding suppliers.
After chatting to friends and even some wedding suppliers in Cape Town we were warned of Elsje Designs extreme bad attitude and shocking service. We got told to STAY AWAY. They may have some happy brides but the impression we got from people who know them told us most brides regret using them. When I saw your blog I thought this is a Blessing in disguise.
Sam & Jarrod
Gina posted on January 29th, 2009 at 4:08 pm |
Katrina & Jason,
I have read your blog & think it is fantastic, myself being a new bride have been searching for a supplier to do my invites. I was so impressed by Elsje Designs website but it seems a website with pretty pictures and designs which I see are not unique but just copied doesnt make up for there bad reputation of poor service. I was considering using them but realised that would be a terrible mistake. Im so very glad I came across your blog and will definately be using someone else without an attitude & reputation.
Thank You
Gina
Carey posted on February 5th, 2009 at 2:10 pm |
YIP YOU GOT IT RIGHT ELSJE SUCKS. MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE USED THEM & HAD ONLY BAD THINGS TO SAY. SOUNDS LIKE THE PAPER GARDEN OR ANOTHER SUPPLIER WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER CHOICE FOR THEM.
C
No Name posted on February 19th, 2009 at 2:20 pm |
Dear Jason & Karina
To put you in the loop of things I worked at Elsje Designs as a GDesigner for a while, and let me tell you it was a nightmare. She is SOOO mean to all your staff and can bearly run her own business. She is so two faced and all she does is hand all her work to us to do. Oh and to let you know GINA who commented on this blog as Elsjes fan she would as she worked here for several years managing Elsje. All I can say is good riddens to BAD RUBBISH. I am so happy in my new job and my boss treats me well.
anonymous posted on March 10th, 2009 at 12:10 am |
are there any good designers out there?
Happiness Is... posted on October 15th, 2009 at 2:44 pm |
I’m a wedding planner that recently came across a bride & groom to-be who needed stationery to be done. I did a bit of research as I needed someone who could deliver fast as there was only 8 week till the wedding and the 150 invites still needed to go out. I came across a WONDERFUL lady by the name of Sarah from Golda Publishing. To say WOW just does not do it justice…so @anonymous yes there are some really fantastic stationery providers.
anonymous posted on November 27th, 2009 at 5:41 pm |
I am a Wedding Coordinator and have my own business and have no problem to go a 1000 extra miles for my clients,but at Elsje designs you do not get that service.There is always an excuse for every mistake they make and never ever they even say WE ARE SORRY.I had the worst experience ever1111 I am in the prosess of writing a letter to Elsje of all my complains and do not want to say anything bad on the blog,but it did cause alot of stess and unhappiness in coordinating this wedding and I would not want any Bride to go through the same expereince we did.
anonymous posted on November 29th, 2009 at 11:59 pm |
I got married in April and had my invitations done at Cards By Nadia. When I met the owner, I was not so confident as she looked so young and inexperienced. After the consultation, I felt a bit better as she new exactly what I wanted. When I received my invitations, I was so ecstatic. I felt that it was the most beautiful invitations that anyone could wish for. I soon realised that I want her to do the rest of my stationery. Once again, she surprised me with her creative ideas. I would definitely recommend any bride to do their wedding stationery by her.
Aguther Adams posted on January 19th, 2010 at 9:56 am |
If anyone needs a professional wedding planner, but you have a budget please give us a call on
011-673-1119. or email us at: nextstep@telkomsa.net.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH ELSJE DESIGNS posted on January 19th, 2010 at 1:35 pm |
I completely agree with Jason on every aspect he said about Elsje Designs! This company comes accross in all the bridal magazines and the tv show Top Billing as the greatest place to have your stationery made! But the only thing they are good at is “advertising”… They advertise this and that… but when you eventually meet them… you realise all the false advertising that they have done! We had wedding stationery done with them beginning of 2009, and Elsje was just as cold and unfriendly as you described…. I spoke to a famous dress designer recently and he describes her as “someone with a tough skin”… when something goes wrong with your work, she shrugs it off…. leaving it to her assistants to try to mend… which they take there own sweet time doing… … We had the most terrible experience with Elsje Designs, everything went wrong!!!!! After confirming our physical mock-ups – which we confirmed – they completely gave us a different end result, the colours were different and what I originally approved was nowhere to be seen… We thought we were the ONLY people to have this terrible experience, but after reading this, we realise we arent the only ones…. They also delayed our work and did not meet our deadline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Something that they should’ve taken much more seriously!!!!! Oh and our stationery was in a terribly condition…. they didnt even care about that!!!!!!! After all the money we spent, they gave us a poor and disappointing product!!!!!! Elsje designs you better up your game and realise if you dont clean up your act and put your clients needs first…. then you will fall as any business does if they do not care about their clients….
I can spell my name posted on January 30th, 2010 at 9:46 pm |
To: Ivan & Iwan
For a “high profile client” of Elsje Design you can’t even spell your own name! I hope you check your wording and dates before you deliver the product to your clients. The way your “post” reads it sounds like you not very high profile or professional.
Just compliment Elsje Design on the service you received, why do you have to badmouth the couple by calling them losers?
Jason and Karina – I don’t know you but I applause you for having the guts to say your say.
I wonder .... posted on March 5th, 2010 at 8:52 pm |
I have noticed a company called – Secret Diary Creative Concepts & Designs in the Northern Suburbs are doing the EXACT same invitations as Elsje Design, does anyone perhaps know if these two are the same company???
I saw them at the Canal Walk Bridal Expo and the items on display and the wording in the business card and the invites on display matches exactly the wording/photo’s on Elsje Design website.
Shame I hope it is not someone copycatting Elsje!
Mariaan posted on March 18th, 2010 at 9:44 pm |
I have recently had my invitations and menu’s done by Secret Diary and was met with a friendly atmostphere,professionlism and they accomodated my budget at a time when I least thought I could afford the kind of stationery they create!
I dont know if the statement above is very accurate as I found their stationery to be a breathe of fresh air and very vogue in comparison to other SA stationery companies, I was looking for something alot like the overseas type wedding stationery & I didnt find what I was looking for until I made contact with the girls from Secret Diary.
Have a look for yourself http://www.secretdiary.co.za
Thanks
A happy client
Mariaan
PS: Thanks Jason & Karina for a very informative blog!
Confused posted on April 30th, 2010 at 9:06 pm |
Hi, I am also just as confused as “I wonder”. Does Secret Diary belong to Elsje or did the ladies from S.D.
work for her and now they are copying all her work? I
also noticed that everything is the same even the wording! How on earth can they just blatently copy all
Elsje’s ideas, invites, gifts etc.? If it is not her business then I would like to know what Elsje thinks!
Annon posted on May 7th, 2010 at 1:25 pm |
I find it interesting how everyone assumes that people are copying Elsje. She does great work but she herself copies ideas from other sites. When I was planning my wedding I searched international and local sites and I saw images of ideas from international sites blatantly copied onto Elsje’s website. She may have been ONE of the first companies to do designer invitations in SA but I think it is great that there are more companies popping up that also offer this upmarket stationery. However if she has opened up a side company and called it ‘Secret Diary’ I can understand why, with all the bad press she is obviously receiving (see 90% of the above posts) due to bad service I think I might start afresh too!
Ilke posted on May 10th, 2010 at 10:36 am |
I had a consultation at Secret Diary recently and they def arent the same company.
Thanks for the blog guys, it made my decision regarding my wedding stationery rather easy!
xxxx
Claire posted on August 27th, 2010 at 4:30 pm |
I have to totally agree with anonoymous regarding Golda Publishing, we were totally blown away by our beautiful invites. They are small and accomodated us by meeting us half way and definately went the extra mile. Thank you Sarah for making our day so special. xx
Christo posted on September 15th, 2010 at 12:01 pm |
In response to anonymous, there are great designers out there. I do not have experience of the other ones mentioned above, but it sounds like they are decent. I had the pleasure of working with Creatus Design, and their prices were really great and I we very satisfied with our invitations etc. Their website is:
http://www.creatus.co.za
Thanks for this blog – gives some good direction to look at for people getting married
Siniopnesebok posted on February 24th, 2011 at 8:16 pm |
hi, new to the site, thanks.
Melanie posted on April 5th, 2011 at 8:20 pm |
Hi there
Thanks for a great blog in regards to helping newly engaged couples making a decision as to what stationer to use. I must add that we recently used Secret Diary Designs and were very impressed! They were super professional and we found their prices to be a great deal more affordable than one or two other stationers that we got quotes from. I was at first going to do my stationery myself, but decided due to time constraints that I would outsource the job and boy was I super glad that I did. My fiance and I are VERY happy with the invites that they did for us and the designer that we dealt with at their offices was extremely helpful and friendly. It was an all round good experience. Anyway, this is just my 2 cents worth. Hope It helped some other brides out there make up their minds as to who to use. For those of you who don’t know who im referring to they are called Secret Diary Designs and their web address is as follows: http://www.secretdiary.co.za
Regards
Melanie
Lizelle posted on June 10th, 2011 at 5:21 pm |
When we were looking for invitations we tried a few of the stationers mentioned above (including Elsje). We ended up going with a lady by the name of Lara Friday from Lara’s Designs. Her work really stood out and were very impressed overall. She is going to do our stationery for the day as well. She has some great ideas.
I am sorry to read about some of your bad experiences. Everything has gone really smoothly for us so far (touch wood!). I am going for my first dress fitting next week!! so excited!!
Melony posted on October 13th, 2011 at 6:59 pm |
I am an international (based in USA) wedding planner and have been following the stationery industry as anything beautiful is my passion. I find it very sad to see how people in the Cape Town stationery business copy Elsje Designs, to such extremes that I often wonder what happened to their creativity.
Sure, anyone can get inspiration from Martha Stewart or any magazine, but copying someone on your doorstep, I would say speak of little integrity or creativity.
Futhermore I have made use of Elsje Designs several times and find them extremely affordable and accomodating and always ahead of the pack.
Well done on this blog, I hope to read many comments. And will also get my clients to comment – hopefully we can get some honest reflections and not just a one sided mud slinging affair.
Would be curious to see if you, Jason and Karina, would actually publish this message.
Melony posted on October 13th, 2011 at 7:00 pm |
Secret Diary is a complete hoax! The only talent they have is to copy others on their doorstep. Not much creativity there.
Leave your thoughts below!