Monograms 101
Personalization is our business. We can put your desired marking on pretty much anything your heart desires. Our most popular form of personalization is the classic monogram.
Monograms make nice things nicer. Most anyone can appreciate that little “extra something” a well-chosen personalization gives. To answer some of our most asked questions reguarding etiquette and monogram style, we've created a short illustrated guide and a short Q&A.
FORMAL OR INFORMAL?
The style of your monogram depends mostly on the personality of the person recieving the finished product. 1) If its for yourself - well, thats easy. Choose what you like and what suits you. 2) If you're personalizing a gift for someone else, consider what it is you're personalizing. ex. an expensive silver tray does not need to be monogramed with the equivallent of a comic sans cutesy font.
WHICH INITIALS AND IN WHAT ORDER?
The actual arrangement of initials within a monogram is something we are happy to help you with.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Theres a few things to keep in mind when deciding on your Monogram layout. (I know we said we'd keep things simple, but hear us out.)
Unfortunately, certain combinations of initials are not well-suited to some monogram layouts. For instance, Don and Gabrielle O'Leary, probably would rather not have a "DOG" monogram for their wedding gift. In this case, it is acceptable to stray from traditional monogram formats and opt for another format.
Our best advice is to Keep it simple. More initials are not always better. Don’t be imprisoned by monogramming “rules” or conventions. If consideration for the recipient is your guide, you can’t go wrong.
ONE LETTER
Single-initial monograms typically use the last name. Children/Teens typically prefer the initial of their first name over their last name.
TWO LETTERS
The Two-Initial Monogram usually combines the first and last initials of one person.
THREE LETTERS
The Three-Letter Monogram is probably the most classic of traditional monograms. The ordering of the initials can be a bit confusing, though. Don't panic. Its relatively simple. Here are a few basic guidelines for the most common examples.
Single Adult Monogram
For a single person, a monogram is the same regardless of gender or age. However, the order usually depends upon the format of the monogram. First, for a format that uses a larger size for the last name initial, the last initial should be positioned in the center. Alternatively, when the monogram format uses the same size letters for all initials, the last initial should be last. The monograms should appear as follows:
Married Couple Monogram
When a couple weds, there are several options for appropriate monograms. The most obvious choice is a joint monogram including the initials of both the Bride and the Groom.
Traditionally, the Groom’s first initial would be first, followed by the joint last initial, then the Bride’s first initial. Though "ladies first" is a more modern approach to this style of monogram.
Married Woman Monogram
A married woman’s monogram depends not only on the adoption of her husband’s last name but the fate of her middle initial. Traditionally, many women chose to use their maiden name in place of their middle name after marriage in monograms. Other women may elect to keep their middle name intact and forgo their maiden name.
POPULAR FONTS/FORMATS
Any random search on Google will lend you an endless, overwhelming list of monogram images, fonts, formats and designs. We can usualy engrave/print/create anything you like, provided we have a high enough quality file. We've engraved so many designs over the years that we have a good idea of the most popular ones that people come back to time and time again.
The Script font - Vine Monogram
A Classic- Circle Monogram
The classic Masculine - Copperplate
The Big and Bold - Impact
Reliable Classic - Times New Roman
A little more casual - Lambo
An Engraved look - Niagra
Hopefully this helps you narrow down the list of questions you have reguarding monograms. If you have any further questions, we're always available to help you with your personalization needs.
