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Let’s not dwell on niceties and instead jump right into wedding things, shall we? Researching stationery was one of the ways I found Weddingbee, so it’s a good place to start.
Invitations and Save the Dates are the first glimpse that guests have of your wedding, and therefore take on a certain importance–you want it to say something about the couple’s style, as well as convey the feel and tone of the wedding. In my search for invitations to purchase, I continually came across brides who had made their own invitations. Make my own invitations? I hadn’t even considered it, didn’t know it was possible (beyond writing with magic marker on posterboard).
When I saw the variety of homemade yet professional-looking invitations, I also saw a lot of the word “Gocco” flying around. This is old hat for some of you, but for those of you new to Gocco (and may have missed Miss Pretzel’s cool tutorial), here’s a short intro: Gocco is a screen printing process that allows you to create your own design for a variety of media, including stationery. You create an image on paper, make a carbon photocopy, burn the carbon photocopy image onto a screen with the bulbs provided by Gocco, and then ink the screen with whatever colors and press it down onto your media.
There are already a lot of posts regarding Gocco and the basics of using a Gocco, like Mrs. Pretzel’s posts and these videos:
One of the many helpful YouTube videos (they explain the process)
Source (this video is more about showing the process, with no chatter)
And let’s not forget:
Mrs. Cookie on Gocco
Weddingbee wiki on Gocco
The Gocco allows you to print images and colors on papers that you may not be able to get away with on a regular home printer, because of a few issues:
Size
I’m going to print my invitations on 5×5 square paper. I could conceivably run a whole lotta 8.5×11s through my printer and then painstakingly cut each one out, but that’s a pain in the ass (for me, because I’m lazy).
Thickness
I want to use 110lb or heavier paper. Many printers cannot handle this thickness. But with the Gocco, you’re pressing down an inked image onto the paper so the thickness is not a problem (unless you are printing on something ridiculously thick, like your pet).
Quality of Print
Lastly, the pressed ink from the Gocco screen gives a bit more “3D” quality to the printed image compared to an inkjet or laser printer. We’re probably only talking fractions of a millimeter here, something you can’t feel with your finger and to be honest might be completely imaginary on my part, but the Gocco process gives a slightly more professional quality (but really, this is a minor point—for me it’s more about the paper size and thickness).
So, Gocco: worth it or not? Discuss.
I don’t know - I am kind of confused when people buy Goccos since they are clearly on their way out (no new supplies, etc.) It seems like a waste of money with a clear expiration date. It seems that products like the Yudu are a better buy.
i hear you snapdragon–i actually started this all before the yudu came out, and i figured i would make do with gocco because there still seems to be a thriving secondhand market for gocco! but yes, eventually, yudu will dominate the universe.
When I first found (/got addicted to) Weddingbee, I had myself convinced I needed a Gocco. But as Snappy said, supplies seem to be dwindling, and they’re rather expensive! I still drool over the idea, but decided I’ll just have to befriend someone who has one instead of buying my own 
I’m fairly sad that Goccos are on their way out because I’d love to try one but don’t want to make the investment and then have to hoard supplies. Maybe I’ll look into a Yudu after wedding.
I felt like an idiot for quite some time after starting to read WB and not knowing what the heck a gocco was…I felt like a bad bride 
I think even if I had one, though, I’m not nearly crafty enough to use it well!
I asked for a Gocco for Christmas, but now I think I’m not because the fact that it will no longer exist! Do you think a Yudu does the same thing or is just as good?!
If I already had one, I’d use it to death for wedding stuff. But to buy just for the wedding with a definite eventual expiration date didn’t seem worth it to me.
Have you heard of the L Letterpress? I think it’s probably easier to use and less expensive, and they’re going to start making custom plates for it!
I love my Gocco! It took some getting used to, but I feel good with it now. I don’t want to have to sell it after my wedding.
Because the light bulbs and screens are becoming harder and harder to find, I think the Gocco will become more for the die-hard fans. However, I don’t think you have to give up on the Gocco because of the lack of supplies. Gocco is really just a mechanism for screen printing, and those supplies are in abundance and not likely to become discontinued any time soon. I think it’s time to get creative and repurpose the machine. Viva la Gocco!
Is anyone else bothered with the obviously not eco-friendly vibe this Gocco apparatus has ? I mean : single use bulbs coated in toxic chemicals ?? That can’t be good for the environment…
I think if I were having a much larger wedding I’d have to consider it for the economic benefits (though I’m ignoring the opportunity cost of the labor involved). Since my wedding is small, I could afford to have my design letter pressed.
I say worth it if you luuurve using it.
I want a Gocco! I just don’t think I’d use it much after the wedding so it seems like a silly expense, lol
pengy and lemon had me convinced that i needed a gocco because i loved what they were able to create but i balked at the price. and now that they’re not making any more supplies for this awesome system, i never felt the urge to finally get one.
yes, i think the decision whether to gocco can go either way, based on the good points you all raise. if you do like it, it’s kind of like having an affinity for polaroid cameras.
@Mrs. Cookie: way to keep the spirit alive!
for those of you concerned about the supplies and environmental implications of the gocco, try this link for DIY gocco screens:
http://unlesssomeonelikeyou.blogspot.com/2009/03/finally-how-to-keep-using-your-gocco.html
@chicagobride092010: see the link i posted above in my comment–you don’t have to sell it because you can DIY screens! nice to find another fellow gocco fan. sounds like we are a dying breed.
@diorable: haha, yes, me and the gocco will be makin’ out later because we lluuuurrrv each other!
I’m an admitted Gocco lover- no secret there. When doing my research I learned that there are a fair number of ways of using the Gocco without the supplies. i.e. making your own screens and even some recommendations for how to get the right ink consistency with other inks. Granted it’s not the easiest- but i feel pretty confident I’ll be able to use my Gocco for years to come. For now, I’m stocking up on supplies. In the end the size of the Gocco and the Press vs squeegee process is what sold me.
“Unless you are printing on something ridiculously thick, like your pet”
HAHAHHAHAHA - that sounds like a Gocco project I could get on board with
I bought a gocco machine for my 2008 wedding, but because of the scarce resources and not knowing what I was doing I was too scared to use it! I bought the big sized one, but maybe I’ll get brave and use it soon. I’ve been trying to find a class on it so I can get more familiar with it.
For me, it probably wasn’t worth it. Not because the Gocco isn’t awesome, but because I never really got good at using it. For those craftier peeps, though, the Gocco rules. The Yudu, as far as I know, doesn’t compare–it’s bigger and not really intended for small paper goods like invites. Correct me if I’m wrong!
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Mrs. Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CA Age and Occupation: 33, Lawyer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 32, ditto Engagement Date: July 2008 Wedding Date: March 2010 Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay About Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
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