Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Taryn Williams-Lefenfeld. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Taryn, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
Recently, I spent quite some time to learn hand-lettering styles for my own wedding in 2022. I had these ideas that I didn’t see many others offering. With our wedding theme of industrial garden, I thrifted an old iron door to string our escort cards for our loved ones. I also personally addressed every envelope. While looking at the wedding vendors in the Baltimore area for our own wedding, I realized the need for affordability and flexibility. Bringing these two pieces together, the art of writing to the need in wedding vendors, Flourish & Fonts was born. And boy, have I been OBSESSED with hand-lettering, design, and fonts since then. The creative process is the most fun for me and I look forward to creating something special and unique for all types of special days, not just weddings. I think all milestones in life should be celebrated. By combining my need for a creative outlet with the beauty of words, Flourish & Fonts fills the need for quality and flexible hand-lettering for weddings and all sorts of celebrations.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Born and raised in Maryland, currently living in Baltimore. I have been in love with creating since I can remember. From borrowing horse drawing books from the library as a child to painting large abstract pieces for my friends living rooms to creating my own word designs on pots for my numerous plants, I think there is inspiration to be found everywhere. As a creative, I have always doodled all sorts of lettering and words across every surface I could get my hands on. By combining my need for a creative outlet with the beauty of words, Flourish & Fonts fills the need for quality and flexible hand-lettering for weddings and all sorts of celebrations in life. I love to include the client in the creative process, as I want their vision to come through my hand. Hand-lettering and calligraphy also come with the personality of a person writing out each and every letter. The variation that comes with the human hand gives charm and uniqueness to each surface I put my pen to. That can’t be captured by printing services.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
In the beginning, I went a little old-school with cold emailing wedding planners. It felt very vulnerable to reach out to professionals I had never met, to explain the hand-lettering service my business provided, and to do it all with the confidence as if I had been doing it for years. For hand-lettering and calligraphy, many clients are using their wedding planners to share their long lists of preferred vendors instead of reaching out to vendors personally, especially for a service that is not as large as catering and florals, but still has important. I continue to work with those same wedding planners to this day.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, I love hearing the stories of the people I work with, their love for each other, their celebratory moment in life, their excitement. I get to hear all about their vision and ideas and put it into a cohesive idea. This ranges from creating a 70’s vibe envelope liner for a groovy invitation suite to writing table numbers on rocks excavated out of the family’s quarry. Every day, I get to be excited by all sorts of ideas, thoughts, and people. It is the most rewarding!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.flourishandfonts.com
- Instagram: @flourishandfontsmd
- Facebook: Flourish & Fonts
Image Credits
Margaret Wroblewski Nicole Simensky Brittany Dunbar Photography Dare Visuals Stanlo Photography