Feature Friday: Calligraphy Girl

At Pear Tree we know that what makes an event truly unique and memorable are the details. The smallest things make the biggest impact. Today we are super excited to introduce you to Lara Kiniris, also known as The Calligraphy Girl. Lara is a fantastic example of someone who used her skills to find a niche in the market and found success-- we love these stories! From Lara:

I am a stay at home mother of two wonderful children, Peter 3 and 1/2 and Katie 1 and 1/2. I have been doing calligraphy for about 20 years, but just for fun. I would do it for friends and family for weddings, parties, etc. But then I was thinking of ways to make money while I continued to stay at home with my children. I really love doing it, it's so relaxing and a fun way to be creative and think. Once I thought of a good name for my business, I tried to think of some of ways to get my name out there.

First I called the wedding planner who did my wedding 5 years ago. She gave me ideas and sent some brides my way. Then I started calling other wedding planners, stopped by some stationary stores, called tons of wedding vendors to see who I could network with. I was pleasantly surprised to know that there weren't a lot of people who do what I do and hardly any that had approached the people I was approaching. I got a lot of positive feedback from the people I spoke to and tons of encouragement. I have been keeping busy these past few months, thankfully, and it has been so enjoyable meeting new people , making new friends and seeing the look on a client's face when they see the finished the product. Most of my business comes from brides, but I work with other people too. Many times I will start with addressing for
save-the-dates, and then move on to the wedding invitations, then onto the place cards, table numbers and menus if needed. I do certificates for awards, poetry, just about anything. I do calligraphy as well as any creative type of writing. I even do the writing on invitations for children's parties in child-like writing. I love what I do and am so thankful that my business continues to grow...

Lara, we want to see your business grow too. Below is a sample of The Calligraphy Girl's work. Traditionally calligraphy has been reserved for weddings, but why wouldn't you want to add that special touch to baby shower invitations, graduation announcements, or even your child's birthday invitations?
Head over to The Calligraphy Girl's website and admire all the gorgeous styles she offers. Then start thinking about the next event you want to host so you can hire her to address your invitations!