We’re all about supporting up-and-coming entrepreneurs, especially those with interests in the wedding world, which is why I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to Ryan LaMere, creator of Out Loud Greetings, an LGBT stationery company hoping to get his newly minted collection of thoughtfully designed cards in front of major retailers at the National Stationery Show. But he’ll need your help. He’s launched a campaign on indiegogo to realize his dream.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. entrepreneur is an energetic 23-year-old who is surprised at his own journey. “I actually come from an illustration background, but never thought I’d be applying it in this way,” he told me in a recent interview. “In fact, I had always seen the cards as something separate from the editorial work I was doing. It was only this year I realized that what I was doing with Out Loud Greetings had from the very beginning been the perfect exploration of the art I love and the passion for service that I have.”
That passion shows in his delicate and lovely designs that showcase touching and real images that matter to the LGBT community and our straight allies, such as two brides with the message “For the newlyweds” and two men kissing under umbrellas, and cards for two moms and two dads, and even the adorable portrait of two bears rocking in chairs with the message: “Happy anniversary.”
LaMere is understandably proud of what he’s accomplished thus far, and his goals are within reach. “I love this work,” he says. “I’m so inspired by the diversity our generation has embraced and the ways in which we are rethinking gender, sexuality, and relationships. I’m inspired yet greatly challenged by this—how do you represent that visually? What does it look like in a way that might warm someone’s heart?”
To contribute to LaMere’s campaign, visit indiegogo. Shop Out Loud Greetings at outloudgreetings.com.
