Ashley Flood's A. Flood of Paper in Wilton earned a Best of Gold Coast Award.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ashley Flood

Ashley Flood

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ashley Flood

WILTON, Conn. – Contrary to 21st-century conventional wisdom, an e-vite rarely passes for an acceptable invitation to most affairs.

"It's fairly consistent," said Ashley Flood, owner of A. Flood of Paper. "People might send an e-vite for a quick BBQ. But for parties and anything wedding-related or for a baby shower, you still have to send a real invitation."

And when Wilton residents are on the hunt for just-the-right invitation to their next big event, many of them find their way to Flood's Danbury Road store, which just earned a Best of the Gold Coast Award for Best Wedding Invitations.

The heavy stone façade of her cozy store belies the airy brightness inside. Bright robin's egg blue walls and clean white shelves create the ideal area to display Flood's one-of-a-kind invitations and stationery sets.

"People want more personalized and custom invitations," she said. "It's more special. And it's less costly for me to design and print than for them to buy some preprinted ones."

Personalized invitations can also set the tone for the party, said Flood. Someone planning a Hawaiian-themed luau can opt for a Polynesian design and sunny, tropical colors to match.

Clients can peruse hundreds of Flood's computer-generated designs or ask her to design something new. Sometimes customers bring in a drawing created by their child and Flood scans it, tweaks it and incorporates it into the card or stationery design. And customers can pick up their orders within one to two days, she said.

Flood, who opened her shop in April 2010, learned the card game behind the counter at the old Blue Tulip store in Wilton. She worked her way up to running that store's invitation department. After the shop shut down at the end of 2008, Flood decided to open her own at-home card and invitation design business in January 2009.

"I still felt like there was a market for these kinds of invitations in this area," she said. "The transition was so easy. Since I ran the department at Blue Tulip, I knew what I was getting into."

As Flood approaches her third year in business, she anticipates offering an expanded product line that includes more pre-made grab-and-go packs. She may also increase her staff, which currently includes her and her miniature poodle, Pierre.

What won't change is her commitment to creating one-of-a-kind invitations and cards for her clients.

"You feel like you really achieve something when you get it right," said Flood. "I love to hear people say, 'This is so great. This is just what I wanted.'"

A. Flood of Paper is located at 265 Danbury Road. For more information, call 203-529-3030.

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