Every bride wants to put her personal touch on her special day, and many of them are doing so with monogramming.
Brides are monogramming everything, says Stephanie Finkelstein, owner of The Elegant Setting, a Southampton shop that specializes in the craft. "You might do the towels in the guest bathroom, the thank-you cards, the ice bucket, wine glasses, of course, on your dishes."
Some brides monogram their gowns, veils and trains, while some couples hire a lighting crew to project their monograms on the wall or dance floor during their reception, wedding planners say.
Georgina Meier remembers growing up admiring the monogramming in her family's home in the Hamptons. Many items in her home bear her and her fiance's initials. So it only makes sense that monograms be incorporated into her August wedding.
"Monogramming makes things so much more personal and special," said Meier, who is registered with The Elegant Setting.
The range of styles for monograms is enormous. Finkelstein said much of the fun is the personalization. "You get to pick the font, the colors, the size, the style," she said.
Monogramming, as with everything else, has changed over time.
"Brides aren't limited to the classic, traditional three-letter monogram," says Valerie Smith, who co-owns the Monogram Shop in East Hampton. "What we do is interpret monograms in more casual and whimsical ways than traditionally has been done. We respect tradition, but we're not an old granny place at all."
Traditional monogramming, however, never goes out of style, she added. Ideally, a great use for monogramming is to personalize bridal party gifts such as cuff links, handkerchiefs, the ribbons on the bridesmaids' bouquets, etc.
"White on white looks fabulous," Smith said.
Monogramming can be done by machine or laser. Hand engraving allows for more variety but is more expensive, costing hundreds to thousands of dollars. Some pieces can run well into four- or five figures and take a minimum of six months to produce, says Lauren Kulchinsky, whose family owns Mayfair Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Southhampton, Woodbury and Commack.
The work of hand engraver J.C. Randell, exclusive engraver for Jaeger-LeCoultre, can run as high as $100,000, says Kulchinsky, adding, "There's a six-month waiting list for his work."
The wait for most work is about eight weeks, Kulchinsky says, but brides should order as early as possible, especially for intricate patterns.
