Skip to Main Content
Winnetka Invitations + Paper Goods

Dear Emily

Invitations that match your vision.
5 out of 5 stars and 9 reviews
·
Winnetka, IL
Illinois and nationwide
Service area
5.0
Verified reviews from real couples
We are absolutely in LOVE with the invitations Melissa at Dear Emily helped us create. With her help and guidance, they came to life exactly as we imagined from the inspiration we shared with her. We have received endless compliments on them as guests have received them. We would love to recommend to anyone looking to get custom invites or stationary done. Melissa had a great attention to detail with not just design, but reviewing and ensuring the nitty gritty details towards the end (names/addresses) were perfect. The process was so seamless, thoughtful and fun - and we felt like we were in great hands the entire time!
Brooke G.
5.0
We got in touch with Dear Emily, and the same day we were able to make an appointment and with Melissa's guidance pick out beautiful invitations for a wedding celebration. She has an amazing collection of samples, great taste and useful guidance, and was incredibly detail-oriented and professional throughout production. Melissa has deep familiarity with all of her vendors so came up with solutions we wouldn't have independently. I would recommend her for anyone looking for a top-quality invitation package!
Ellie S.
5.0

About this vendor

Vendor
Melissa
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
Located in Winnetka, Illinois, Dear Emily offers beautiful, custom wedding invitations for your wedding day. With a variety of stunning, memorable designs, this studio can help heighten guests' anticipation from the moment they open the envelope. Owner Melissa Mizel embraced the persona of "Dear Emily" in 1994, after she launched a hotline for couples getting married. Soon after, she was a nationally published wedding advice columnist. She has seen and heard it all! For over 30 years, she has brought her visual art training, typographic experience and love of words to the task of creating invitations that set the stage for a memorable event. Dear Emily offers a tremendous variety of wedding invitations and related paper pieces for your special day. At her by-appointment studio, she will pay close attention to your vision for your wedding, then guide you patiently through all the choices that will lead to a suite that expresses your style as a couple. Get in touch to learn more.
Woman-owned Business
31+ years in business
Speaks English, French, Italian, Spanish
1 team members
Details
Invitations & Paper Goods
Calligraphy
Custom Invitations
Paper Goods
Coasters
Escort & Place Cards
Guest Books
Menus
Programs
Seating Charts
Table Numbers
Thank You Cards
Printing
Embossing
Engraving
Letterpress
Save-The-Dates
Shower & Party Invitations
Wedding Invitations
Circle Message
Any questions?
Meet the team
Vendor
Melissa
Owner
My background includes typography, visual art and a whole bunch of things--writing, editing, publishing--connected to words. I love being part of the milestone in a couple's life that is a wedding, and I love helping them design something that will thrill the friends and family who receive it in the mail. I also like hearing about their desired feeling for the event (Do they want to create elegance? Sophistication? Smiles?) and then turning that feeling into pieces that fit in an envelope. It's magic, and it excites me every time.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
9 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
AvatarB
Highlighted review.
2/14/2026
We are absolutely in LOVE with the invitations Melissa at Dear Emily helped us create. With her help and guidance, they came to life exactly as we imagined from the inspiration we ...
shared with her. We have received endless compliments on them as guests have received them. We would love to recommend to anyone looking to get custom invites or stationary done. Melissa had a great attention to detail with not just design, but reviewing and ensuring the nitty gritty details towards the end (names/addresses) were perfect. The process was so seamless, thoughtful and fun - and we felt like we were in great hands the entire time!
Response from Dear Emily on 02/15/2026
Thank you for these kind words. The pleasure was mine. And I LOVE your invitations, too....
You were looking for understated elegance, and I think the wedding suite achieved it at an exquisite level.
AvatarE
9/21/2024
We got in touch with Dear Emily, and the same day we were able to make an appointment and with Melissa's guidance pick out beautiful invitations for a wedding celebration. She has ...
an amazing collection of samples, great taste and useful guidance, and was incredibly detail-oriented and professional throughout production. Melissa has deep familiarity with all of her vendors so came up with solutions we wouldn't have independently. I would recommend her for anyone looking for a top-quality invitation package!
Circle Message
Any questions?
AvatarJ
6/04/2024
Melissa took my vision and put it into real life! She was so helpful, knowledgeable and detail oriented. Very communicative throughout the process and facilitated a quick turnaroun...
d! Would highly recommend and cannot wait to use her again!
AvatarM
5/27/2024
I had such a pleasant experience working with Melissa. I came to her with a clear idea of my wedding invitation, and she executed it flawlessly. I received countless compliments on...
the elegance of the invite!! Highly recommend
AvatarE
8/05/2023
Melissa was an absolute joy to work with. From the beautiful wedding invites, to the striking day of pieces to the thoughtful and creative seating chart, all these pieces helped ...
to set the tone for an elegant day. Melissa is wildly creative, the consummate professional with a keen eye for detail. She was the perfect creative partner and I LOVED working with her. Can’t wait for the next special event as it’ll give me an opportunity to work with Melissa again.
AvatarL
7/27/2023
Dear Emily’s professional invitations: When my youngest daughter was married, we wanted wedding invitations, and a complete wedding stationery suite that would be truly exceptional...
and unique. Through research, we came to use Dear Emily as our vendor and Melissa did a great job for us. She recommended quality of paper, colors, typeface, and unique design inclusions so that in the end we wound up with the most beautiful, professional, and outstanding wedding invitations I have ever seen. My daughter Colleen was extremely proud of every aspect of the wedding suite from the “save the date” all the way to thank you notes that showed a high-level of quality and exclusiveness. Melissa at dear Emily was always there for us in every way, and I would recommend her work to anyone who’s looking for outstanding, creative, quality stationery at a very fair price point.
Response from Dear Emily on 07/27/2023
Thanks so much, Lee. Your happy memories of working together mean a lot to me.
AvatarA
7/27/2023
Melissa was a great resource and guide in helping us design and execute our wedding invitations. She is extremely detailed and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to options, verbi...
age, timing and design. She helped us create a custom design for our invitations, and we loved them!
Response from Dear Emily on 07/27/2023
Thanks, Amanda! I loved your invitations, too. Sleek and sophisticated.
AvatarR
7/26/2023
Melissa was extremely helpful in the whole wedding invitation process. From beginning to end she was there to guide us. In fact, after telling her what we were looking for, the fir...
st invitation she showed us was exactly what we wanted. She spent endless hours to make sure everything was perfect! Truly 24/7! We feel the wedding invitations are the first glimpse into your special day. We love them so much that we are getting them framed. We love Melissa so much that she is doing the bridal shower invitations as well for my family!
Response from Dear Emily on 07/27/2023
Thanks so much, Renee! You and Anna are a great mother-daughter team. It's been my pleasu...
re to help you both.
AvatarD
7/26/2023
Melissa was so delightful in every interaction, from our very first meeting, to her almost instant replies to our many emails and telephone calls, relaying the proofs, and to final...
pickup of our order - she's just wonderful! As soon as we walked into her office, she put my partner and me at ease as we were feeling overwhelmed with all the wedding planning, she gently meditated whenever she sensed conflict in our differing opinions (for which we're immensely grateful), she'd prepared many samples before our arrival for us to consider, and we found the perfect invitation set. She helped us fine tune typefaces and other design elements, made sure we understood we'd need "non-machinable" postage, and so much more. I can't recommend her enough! Don't hesitate to choose Dear Emily, you won't be disappointed.
Response from Dear Emily on 07/26/2023
Dino, you and Mike were a a treat to work with. I love how your suite turned out, and I h...
ope your big day is filled with joy.

Service area & Contact info

874 Green Bay Rd, Suite 260, Winnetka, IL
874 Green Bay Rd, Suite 260, Winnetka, IL
Open map
Illinois and nationwide
Typically included in the starting cost
Circle Message
Want to book a visit?
Start the convo
*=Required
Use this secure form to reach out and share your wedding vision.
meet the owner
Dear Emily
Melissa
|
Owner
Typically responds within 24h
My wedding date is flexible

Wedding vendors in Winnetka

Winnetka Bridal Salons
Winnetka Beauty Salons
Winnetka Caterers
Winnetka DJs
Winnetka Florists
Winnetka Reception Venues
Winnetka Videographers
Winnetka Wedding Bands
Winnetka Wedding Photographers
Winnetka Wedding Planners
  1. Wedding Vendors
    /
  2. Invitations + Paper Goods
    /
  3. Illinois Invitations + Paper Goods
    /
  4. Winnetka Invitations + Paper Goods
    /
Dear Emily
Dear Emily's photos

Why use The Knot to message vendors?

  • Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure.
  • Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place.
  • Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go.
  • For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.