Gates Paper Co designs wedding invitations for the unconventional couple

She planted her company’s roots by working with friends on their wedding invitations. Little efforts proved to reap fruitful rewards as she started gaining traction online, eventually gaining enough clout to capture the attention of British Vogue. She shares, “When that happened, I remembered thinking: ‘Okay, this is something that I can do’. And I just kept going with that.”

Gates is primarily attracted to the artistic side of these large, celebratory gatherings. She muses, “Weddings are where you’re probably going to hire the most artists in your entire life. You kind of allow yourself to be a little frivolous with all these creative aspects.

Soon, she pursued a lifelong dream of moving to New York City.  “I think it went hand in hand with creating this business and, in general, creating the life I wanted,” she admits. “In the end, the business is me.”

As for her process, Gates takes note of the wedding’s specific details, from floral arrangements to the colour scheme. “I always call it the branding of the wedding,” she explains. Gates sits down with the couple as they exchange ideas, taking it upon herself to ask as many questions as possible to find out what exactly sets this wedding apart. “I ask them ‘What are the moments you’re most looking forward to?’”

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The results of her art speak for themselves. A Gates Paper Co creation can be recognised by its bespoke invitations, with original, hand-drawn illustrations often rife with stamps, elaborate borders, calligraphy, and references to the couple’s wedding theme and their hobbies and interests. She also derives design inspiration from several creative sources like antique artwork and old book covers.

“Everything from Gates Paper Co is something you’ll never see in the mail again. I guess that’s what makes it fun for me, too.”

As for her company's future, she aspires to open her own studio in New York and lead her creative team. “I’d like to have a space where couples can come in and feel the paper, see things being made, and where I can do a lot more things in-house with all more advanced printing methods.”

She admits to having a tenuous relationship with the wedding industry, considering some of its more old-fashioned, patriarchal aspects and the fact that it caters to a predominantly white community. However, Gates relays her commitment to the vision of Gates Paper Co as one of the more alternative wedding invitation companies, catering to a market that values the celebration of love over mere tradition. 

“I see weddings a little differently,” she states. “I like that I’m able to appeal to a younger clientele who are simply in love and want to celebrate it.”

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