Vendors I Love: THE VOW COLLECTIVE
I met Stacie at a Tuesday Together NYC meeting a few months ago. There was an immediate connection as we talked about the power of words and just how meaningful promises are. Usually I say farewell to my couples at their weddings. That’s when she says hello! I love her outlook on love and commitment, on partnership and longevity. Without further ado, here’s STACIE STINE of THE VOW COLLECTIVE.
What was the path that led you to become a calligrapher? Yes, yes, I know you do so much more, but let’s start with that!
Two things have lead me to become a calligrapher: 1) My love for words and how powerful they can be to move, inspire, and challenge us, and 2) I am obsessed with handwriting. I had trouble focusing in school, but every page of notes I wrote, looked very pretty.
I’m not sure I ever knew my handwriting would lead me to create a business, but I always knew I would do something creative with my life. After my own wedding, I realized how special a wedding day is, so I began to design wedding invitations for friends.
But relationships have always been my thing. Keeping my own marriage meaningful and magical has been important to me the past eight years. Writing out our vows and encountering them every day in our bedroom— that’s important to me. It was so important, I began writing out vows for other couples who also really wanted to remember what they said on their wedding days.
What excites you about working with couples?
There is SO much work that goes into a wedding day celebration— however, there is so much MORE work that goes into a marriage every day after. I’m BEYOND THRILLED when clients commission their vows to be hand-lettered by me, because I truly believe it’s significant to have their promises to one another framed on their walls, a daily reminder of why their marriage is important, worth celebrating, and fighting for.
What do you look for in a client?
I look for clients who can trust me with their words. I’ve read SO many wedding vows that are very personal, vulnerable, and romantic. I get a small glimpse into each couples’ love story. I’m trusted to make art out of some of the most important words they’ve ever spoken to another human being. It’s an incredible honor, and I love when my clients trust me with the design process.
I typically look for couples who have a classic, minimalistic, mid-century modern taste. You know who you are.
What is the greatest compliment you’ve ever received?Lindsay and Parker are one of the first couples who trusted me with their vows. And, after a few months of having them in their home, this is what Lindsay told me it feels like to see them every day. It still gives me goosebumps:
“[OUR VOWS ARE] A HUMBLING REMINDER, SWEET CHALLENGE, AND MAJOR ENCOURAGEMENT. I was looking for a wedding gift to give my fiancé, Parker, and I couldn’t think of anything more personal or romantic than vows. Parker and I spent a lot of time on our personalized vows… I’m so glad I have a hint of it to keep in my home forever.”
What do you desire for your business?
I mainly work with couples celebrating their Anniversary, but I would love for couples to value remembering their vows after their wedding day SO MUCH SO, that they set aside part of their wedding budget to have their vows hand-lettered after their big day. My hope for my business is that The Vow Collective will be the number one gift couples invest in when it’s time to celebrate their love.
What are you grateful for?
As you can imagine, being a calligrapher for only wedding related items is pretty niche. Couples find The Vow Collective, and totally fall in love with my products, but my products are not necessarily ones that couples have heard of before. I’m grateful for every couple who has found my shop and immediately told me they love what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. Because I’m over here thinking the exact same thing— I love what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. That immediately makes my day and means I’m on the same team as my couples. I am SO grateful for that.
Any recent cause for celebration?
I recently launched a new custom line of vows and first dance lyrics written out on pillows and mugs. I also recently celebrated lettering over 60 couples’ wedding words, whether that be their vows, first dance lyrics, ceremony highlights, or recaps of their love stories! Making THIS MANY couples’ words come to life through calligraphy is absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to give more couples their own words back to them in a beautiful art piece.
CHECK OUT STACIE STINE & THE VOW COLLECTIVE ONLINE: