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TPD’s presence was seen throughout Engage NOLA, including the swag bags! Can you spot the custom MY DRAP roll?
TPD Design House has become a household name in the events and design industries. From out-of-this-world stationery to creative and captivating displays (which may include a White House Christmas Party), this award-winning, fully-integrated design agency offers branding, website design and development, custom invitations, event branding, and so much more!
Founder and Creative Director Vanessa Kreckel was working a full-time graphic design gig at the University of Pennsylvania when she started Two Paper Dolls back in 2001. A wedding stationery design-focused passion project at her dining room table quickly blossomed into a staple design agency in the luxury events industry.
We sat down with two of TPD’s superstars, who gave us some insight into its brand ethos; its foray into the events space; and finally, its strong and collaborative relationship with MY DRAP.
Liz Schaeffer is the Associate Creative Director at TPD, and heads the creative portion of the company along with Vanessa. With a strong background in graphic design, Liz got involved with Two Paper Dolls through an internship 9 years ago- half the lifespan of TPD! She hasn’t looked back since.
Liz: It’s been really cool to see the company evolve into what it is today. You have to understand that back in 2001, custom invitations weren’t a common thing; people would just choose from a handful of traditional designs. She (Vanessa) wanted to fill that niche early on; now almost 20 years later, everyone wants something completely different and unique. Vanessa really looked into the future of design. I think TPD really evolved with that mentality in mind: constantly innovating and providing something new and fresh for the client.
Now we are at the forefront of event design, wedding design, and stationery/invitations! It’s been really cool to witness this evolution.
Kelliann Haugh has been recently promoted to Director of Client Services at TPD, formerly working in the Senior Project Manager role for a little over two years. Having gone to school for Communications and Studio Art, Kelli spent the first part of her career working in the alcohol world, which was very adjacent to the events space. Therefore, working at TPD was a natural transition for her.
Kelli: It’s been really great to see the events space from all these different vantage points throughout my career; I think that what TPD brings to the table is super unique. It pushes the boundaries of design and really brings the client’s vision to life!
TPD divides their business demographics into three sections: weddings, corporate events, and production (yes, TPD produces each item as they’re designing it!). This full-fledged operation includes 35-40 full-time employees, and 5 freelancers when outsourcing is needed. With their extensive foray into the events industry, we asked Liz and Kelli what industry trends they are currently seeing.
What are some trends in the events space that you’re predicting for 2023?
Liz: These days, clients really understand their branding and identity. I feel like a big thing now is seeing an individual event as a brand within itself. This means being super strategic about every single detail, and how those details work together to create a cohesive brand. Clients come to us now really knowing what they want every single element to look like, so we really have to come correct and deliver beyond their expectations.
Kelli: We’ve also been doing a lot of PR boxes for various shows and brands. The customization has become super granular and individualistic. The branding we do is more customized to a specific attendee of an event, or an individual representing the brand. It’s really become about telling their own story through design.
Clients have been much more cognizant of taking that extra step to help a guest or attendee feel special. To help them experience an event as the main character rather than an extra; as Kelli rather than “guest”.
Anything specific customers have been asking for lately?
Liz: Cocktail kits – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic have been super popular! People really love the idea of creating a custom kit or gift box guests can take away with them.
Your branding seems to have become a permanent fixture at industry summits like Engage!. How far back does your partnership with Engage! go?
<Engage! is an immersive, luxury events summit that is hosted in various places throughout the world, and is an opportunity for event vendors to network, showcase their skills, and have an amazing time! Visit the Engage Summits website for more info.>
Kelli: This coming April will be Vanessa’s 37th time at Engage!!! We actually started off as just the printers; we didn’t get involved in any design work until about 8 years ago. We’ve gradually taken on more of an active role in filling in certain voids, such as designing the brand collateral, doing stationary, expanding the gifting program, etc.
Did we mention that for every Engage! Summit, TPD turns around all of the brand collateral in just 10 days!? This includes everything, from inception and design, to printing and production. Just to give you an idea of how granular the branding was at the latest Engage! Summit in Dove Mountain, Arizona, the sandwich wrappers and drink cups throughout the event were all branded by TPD, along with the MY DRAP custom turndown mats at the hotel, which bore the name of every attendee! Talk about attention to detail.
I feel like a big thing now is seeing an individual event as a brand within itself. This means being super strategic about every single detail, and how those details work together to create a cohesive brand.
Liz Schaeffer, TPD
How did you guys discover MY DRAP?
Liz: We became familiar with MY DRAP as a permanent fixture at the various luxury hotels we’ve visited. But it wasn’t until the Engage! Summit in New Orleans this past June, where we first met the team at MY DRAP. Your team printed our designs on your custom cocktail napkins for the summit, and a partnership blossomed from there. We fell in love with the luxe quality of the napkins, along with how customizable they can be. We love the fact that we don’t have to be limited to only one color per design.
What benefit does MY DRAP pose for your clientele? What feedback do they give you?
Liz: Both TPD and our clients have high standards and are super discerning; with other napkin companies in the past, we’ve always encountered a host of issues, such as missing delivery dates, and poor print quality. MY DRAP is our preferred vendor simply because it aligns with our top clients’ expectations. Plus, it’s such a pleasure to get to work with people equally as creative and open-minded! It gives us the space to do what we do best. They understand and accommodate our limitless creativity, which is super cool!
Kelli: It’s been SO nice working with MY DRAP- mainly because their ethos so closely aligns with ours. The focus on those small photographable moments, ensuring every detail is to perfection – it’s all there. And that’s exactly how we like it. MY DRAP also reflects the way TPD looks at the event itself- a brand like MY DRAP is a perfect example of taking in those micro moments, honing in on the details that elevate the overall experience.
There’s a reason why well-established design agencies like TPD rely on MY DRAP to elevate their clients’ events. As our slogan proudly proclaims: “it’s the detail that makes the difference”. Partnering with brands that care about all of the small details that make an event special is why we do what we do. If you want to get on the same page, explore our selection of colored, patterned, and custom napkins today!
