Marriages by State

Marriages by State

At Engravables Plus, we’re a little bit obsessed with weddings. 

We have so much fun helping couples pick out the right glassware design for their wedding party.  We also engrave sweet silver boxes for flower girls, and personalized photo frames to thank Mom and Dad for their love and support as well as countless silver frames for wedding gifts for the new couple.   

As we send these thoughtful personalized gifts out to brides and grooms and their families across the country, we started wondering about who’s getting married, and where.  Nestled as we are in central Vermont, we see plenty of white tents outside quaint country inns for destination weddings and locals throwing country weddings in their back yards. 

We took a peek at The US Census Bureau data and found that Las Vegas is the jackpot for weddings!  The census compares the number of weddings to the population of each state and apparently those drive-through chapels are a big hit.  Hawaii comes in a strong second, which makes sense for those who want an exotic location for a destination wedding.  Interestingly, Arkansas is third.  We’ve never been there, but we’ve heard it’s beautiful also.

Here’s a map of the Marriages by state:

Here are some highlights (numbers represent marriages per 1000 residents):

Top 5
Nevada -  40.9 
Hawaii - 17.9 
Arkansas - 10.7
Idaho - 8.9
Vermont - 8.7

Bottom 5
District of Columbia - 4.7
Mississippi - 4.8
New Mexico - 5.0
New York - 5.1
Wisconsin - 5.3

We think that means that people work in D.C. and New York, and then travel to Las Vegas or Hawaii to get married.   We have no actual knowledge of whether that's true - just a thought.

As we dig deeper into the data, we'll post more soon.

12 of our Favorite Personalized Mason Jars

So, you’ve decided to order some personalized Mason jar mugs.  Next you need to decide what to have engraved on the mugs, raising a few questions:  Should they all be the same, or each one different?  Which font, or fonts, to select?  Add some clip art or another favorite image? Lots of words, or just a monogram…

At Engravables Plus, we’re happy to work with you to develop your own unique design.  We can put together a few options and e-mail them to you quickly and then fine-tune as needed based on your input. Order your Personalized Mason Jar Here

Sometimes it’s nice to see what other people have done to get ideas for your design.  Below are some of our favorites:

12 Favorite Personalized Mason Jar Mugs

Etching and Engraving: Two Historical Art Forms

When buying someone a gift, whether you are celebrating a particular occasion or just showing your appreciation and love, personalization adds an extra level of care, detail, and distinctiveness. Many of us are guilty of asking to have products “etched” or “engraved” and use the words interchangeably. Both are methods of cutting shapes, lines, and words into a hard surface, such as a silver or metal gift or glassware, one by using sharp tools to cut directly into a surface and the other by burning lines into the surface with acid. However, the true difference between the two art forms lies in their deep histories.

Engraving

You may be surprised to learn that engraving is one of the oldest art forms we know. In fact, early humans who scraped primitive drawings into cave walls were essentially using the same techniques that we use today. Ancient gemstones, family seals, and sculptures also used engraving methods. While we have many modern technologies that make engraving a rapid and highly customizable possibility, hand engravers formerly used a hammer and chisel, creating some remarkably complex designs and images into metal. Prior to the invention of photography, etching was a tried and true way to reproduce artwork and images to distribute around the world.

Today, engraving is most popular for gifts and keepsakes, such as engraving your ceremony date or initials into a wedding band or to customize items like awards and picture frames. Many engraving projects are done with the aid of computer automation, whereby the operator can easily design text or images, which the computer will translate into digital signals. This allows for an item to be engraved in a matter of minutes! Because engraving allows for more defined lines, it is the preferred art form for more precise objects that are smaller in size or require a more detailed touch.

Etching

A newer art form, etching is a more complicated process than engraving, but with the potential for equally stunning results. Etching uses a strong acid to cut into metal or glass. In its simplest form, an artist covers the object being etched with a layer of wax, and then scratching the desired design through the wax with sharp tools. When finished, the object is dipped into an acid bath, which eats away at any exposed metal, and leaves behind the beautiful detail. Because the acid is burning under the wax, a wider and rougher line than the artist originally drew is produced, causing etching to leave behind slightly fuzzier lines and shapes than engraving. Fortunately, although etching is estimated to be traced back to the year 1515, more modern developments have yielded nontoxic acids and solvents.

Etching is typically preferred when items are being customized in bulk, for it can achieve a lower cost for longer production runs. It is also the more popular option for glassware, especially for novice etchers wanting to work on their own projects at home.

So, the next time you hunt for the perfect engraved or etched gift, remember that you are not just buying a gift or token, but continuing the evolving history of an art form that is as old as mankind.

A Gift-Giving Guide to Engravable Drinkware

Engravable drinkware is extremely versatile. It can be used by a company to promote business, or it can be a unique gift idea for acquaintances and loved ones alike. Since various fonts and images can be applied, each item presents a completely custom appearance. As such, you’ll be able to find the perfect type of drinkware to fit your recipient’s personality! Below is a quick guide to four of our most popular types of engravable drinkware, and the sort of person who would be the perfect recipient.

Personalized Travel Mugs

The gift: Most people travel to work or run errands with coffee in hand. Travel mugs are made to resist spills and keep a beverage at an optimum temperature, and they often slip seamlessly into the morning ritual of the average coffee drinker. When at travel mug is engraved with a person's name or a special message, it becomes a keepsake and a daily reminder of your appreciation.

Perfect for: Personal and warm without violating any boundaries, travel mugs make a wonderful “thank you” gift for someone you know and like but wouldn’t consider an intimate friend. A great teacher, an extra-helpful doctor or nurse, or a worthy employee or boss would love this gift. If you know for a fact that your recipient is a coffee addict (and let’s be honest, the odds are good that they are) then slip a Starbuck’s gift card into the mug as an extra surprise.

Stainless Travel Mug

 Stainless Travel Mug

Stainless Personalized Water Bottles

The gift: Remaining properly hydrated benefits overall health. This is why many people adopt the habit of carrying water bottles with them wherever they go. Although water bottles are available in numerous materials, stainless steel is one of the most durable, lasting options. Unlike plastic, stainless steel keeps inside liquids warm or cold without affecting the temperature outside of the bottle. Stainless steel is a substance that has no effect on the taste of the drink and contains no chemicals that leech into the beverage.

Perfect for: Stainless steel water bottles might just be the best “all-around” drinkware gift we offer, due to the universal usefulness and popularity of the water bottle. However, the personalized water bottle makes an extra thoughtful gift if your recipient is a cyclist, an outdoor enthusiast, or an environmentalist. Customize it further by filling it with trail mix or another hearty outdoor snack!

Personalized stainless water bottles also work well as business promotions. Place your company logo on the bottle and give them away for some smart, instant advertising.

Personalized Water Bottle

Personalized Water Bottle

Round Stem Wine Glasses

The gift: Stemmed wine glasses are an elegant way to serve drinks at home. When engraved with names, dates, or messages, they level up to become a refined, memorable gift.

Perfect for: Because of their association with wine and sophistication, engraved wine glasses aren’t as casual as a travel mug or water bottle. They function best as a gift for people you know well, like close friends, family members, or a romantic partner. Because you can engrave them with significant names and dates, personalized wine glasses also make a wonderful anniversary or wedding gift. Pair them with a bottle of fine wine to complete the unique, thoughtful gift.

Engraved Wine Glass

Engraved Round Stem Wine Glass

Engraved Stemless Wine Glasses

The gift: Stemless wine glasses are trendy spin-offs of traditional stemmed glasses. Besides holding alcohol, they can be used as everyday juice or water drinkware, and they even function as gorgeous candle-holders. Since they are easily stacked, they take up less space in cupboards than their stemmed counterparts. Think of them as the formal stemmed wine glasses’ cute, casual little sister.

Perfect for: Personalized stemless wine glasses make elegant house warming gifts, especially for people who tend to drink beverages other than wine. True wine purists may still prefer stems to prevent hand warmth from penetrating the wine and changing its taste. However, stemless glasses reflect today's casual entertaining style and are much more functional. They’re great for that person in your life who loves and appreciates beauty but prefers friendly gatherings to formal events.

Engravable drinkware provides limitless gift and promotional opportunities. For a complete selection of items, visit Engravables Plus. There is sure to be something for everyone!

Stemless Wine Glass

Engraved Stemless Wine Glasses

Gift Ideas for Your Employees

The holiday season is a great time to show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication throughout the year. However, in the frenzy of holiday shopping for friends and family, sometimes a well thought out employee gift is a lower priority item. This year, why not surprise your employees with something more inventive and personal than a gift card to Starbucks or iTunes? Engravables Plus has a wonderful assortment of personalized gifts that are appropriate for almost any employee and guaranteed to delight.

Personalized Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Personalized Stainless Steel Travel Mug: There is nothing that excites employees like receiving “company swag.” If you want a failsafe gift for any employee, our Personalized Stainless Steel Travel Mug is a great bet. This would be a great item to engrave with your company name or slogan.  If you want to make your travel mugs a little more festive, have them engraved with a wintery snowflake. You can also save between 10% and 20% on your purchase when you order in bulk!

Long Bookmark

Long Gold Plated Bookmark: If you have employees who are bookworms, our Gold Plated bookmark is the perfect gift for these avid readers. With a sleek gold stem and one-inch disk, it is a stylish choice for the holiday season. If you are in a small office or know your employees especially well, you might consider gifting them this bookmark inside a book that you think they would find particularly enjoyable or inspirational. Due to the limited space, we recommend engraving with a single initial or a monogram.

Brass Star Paperweight

Engraved Brass Star Paper Weight: Show your star employees how much you appreciate them with our Engraved Brass Star Paper Weight. To get really creative, invent fun end of year superlatives for each employee and announce them as you give out the paper weights at a company holiday party.

Personalized Wooden Pen & Pencil

Engraved Ballpoint Pen: For an appropriate gift for employees of all ages that will never disappoint, look no further than an Engraved Ballpoint Pen or Mechanical Pencil. Select from either high quality maple or rosewood construction, and engrave with a brief message or name. Your employees will be sure to go to their next client meetings feeling confident and professional when they pull out their pen.






Many companies see an increase in workloads during the holiday season, and expectations often run very high. Whether or not you decide to purchase gifts for your employees this winter, be sure you find your own special way to show your gratitude for another year of hard work. Still not sure which gift is best for your crew? Feel free to contact us at Engravables Plus and we will be happy to help you select a gift.

Product Spotlight: Personalized Groomsmen Gifts

A groomsman may be your brother, college roommate, cousin, or coworker. No matter the official title, they are important relationships in your life. They threw you that raucous bachelor party, went with you to your tuxedo fitting, and offered support on your big day. How will you show your appreciation in return? We have different personalized groomsmen gifts to fit all of the personalities of the men who you chose to stand beside you on your big day.

Mini Mug Shot Glass

Everyone has a friend that is the life of the party and is typically the mastermind behind some of your most memorable stories. For this friend, our 1.25 oz Personalized Glass Mug Shooter is the perfect gift. Its fun and unique shape makes it different than other shot glasses that may be in his cabinet, and with the option to engrave it with his name, initials, or a fun image, we promise that it will become his favorite.

Do you have an avid outdoorsman in your wedding party? Consider getting him a personalized hunting knife. The Rosewood handle enhances the appeal of this useful tool. You can choose to have it engraved with a special message commemorating a wedding event.

For the more refined groomsman, the one that binge watches Mad Men and teaches all of the other groomsmen how to properly tie their bow tie, a shot glass may not be the most appropriate gift. If that is the case, one of our low ball glasses. Available in both 11 oz and 13.5 oz sizes, engrave it with his initials and favorite Don Draper quote. A classic and sleek style with straight sides and a heavy

flat base, it is perfect for any beverage. Then, every time he is muddling a cherry for his old fashioned or sipping whiskey on the rocks, you know he will be thinking of you.

Monogrammed Golf Tee Set

A golf trip is a great way to spend a bachelor weekend. Or, if your groomsmen are golfing enthusiasts, they will love our Personalized Golf Tee and Marker Set. With three tees, a divot tool, and two pop off ball markers, anyone would be proud to carry this set in their golf bag. We recommend engraving with a monogram or initials for the small area, but could also engrave a small inscription upon request!

Stumped for which glassware is right for your groomsmen? Not sure if you want to order different styles for every guy? The Personalized Beer Sport Mug is a gift that everyone will love equally. Thick and sturdy with a strong pedestal base and handle, it holds a generous 16 oz of your favorite microbrew. As the largest item on our groomsmen gift list, you have even more room to engrave a personal message to each friend. Open them together at your bachelor party and cheers to the future ahead, and then they can be enjoyed for years to come during any Sunday football game.

No matter what gift you give, it makes your big day all the more special to know that you have your groomsmen there with you. Show your gratitude for their years of support and friendship with one of our creative groomsmen gift ideas that shows them that you really know their likes and tastes. Any purchase comes with free engraving, and orders of $99 or more will ship for free!

Fonts and What They Communicate

Visit DesignMantic to see to full-size Infographic

Much like the clothes you wear or the expression on your face, the font you choose for a particular invitation, logo, or engraved gift can communicate as much emotion as the words on their own. Or, conversely, fonts have the power to alter the impression of words completely. Have you ever received an email in all capital letters and felt yelled at? Use our guide to the emotions associated with typography when choosing your font design.

Fonts

Times New Roman
Times New Roman has long been engrained in the public mind as a classic, default choice. It is thought of as being straight forward and clear, and is an appropriate choice for a wide range of printed documents. Times New Roman works great for business purposes, such as a nameplate or business card holder.

Calibri
While serif fonts had for many years been used for printed text, the growth of digital consumption called for new fonts to be designed that would improve readability on the screen. While still a conservative choice, Calibri is respected for its simplicity and universality.

Courier
Designed specifically for the film industry, one typed page of Courier is approximately equal to one minute of screen time. Because it also closely resembles the fonts used on typewriters, many who use it are those who long for the older days of journalism. However, Courier is best when used for its intended purpose- screenplays.

Franklin Gothic
Franklin Gothic is another classic choice of font. It is steady, reliable, and trustworthy.

Font Styles

At Engravables Plus, we are pleased to offer many different font styles on your favorite items. While any gift looks great with personalized engraving, there are some styles that are especially appropriate for certain items or occasions.


Block
Block text gives off a clear, bold voice. This typically reads a little bit stronger than other styles and works great for a single letter or just a last name for example.

Italic
If you are looking to engrave a phrase or message, Italicized font looks particularly nice as it indicates your own speaking voice, similarly to how a quote may be italicized in written text.

Script
Scripted fonts instill a very nostalgic and romantic feeling to text. Harkening back to the days when penmanship was taught and prized, scripted text is a great way to make a message appear particularly personal.

If you are interested to learn more, take a look at this article from Smashing Magazine. Be sure that when you are choosing a font for your next engraved or monogrammed gift, be it a beer stein, wine glass, or picture frame, you are selecting one that sends the right message to the recipient.