Getting Paid for Your Calligraphy: How Commissions Work
A hand-lettered wedding invitation suite can sell for $500 to $2,000 depending on piece count and design complexity, and skilled calligraphers often book their calendars eight months to a year in advance during wedding season. Turning a calligraphy hobby into commissioned work means learning to price your time, communicate with clients, and manage deadlines just as carefully as you practice your letterforms.
What You'll Learn
How to price a calligraphy commission fairly for both you and the client What should go into a client agreement before you start any paid project How a typical commission timeline runs from inquiry to delivery Common mistakes that cause new calligraphers to lose money on commissions
Pricing Your Work
Most professional calligraphers price commissions using a base project fee plus a per-piece rate. For example, a place-card set might be priced at $3 to $6 per card, with a $25 to $50 minimum order fee to cover setup time regardless of quantity. Many beginners underprice their work by only accounting for materials, forgetting to charge for the hours spent on layout drafts, ink mixing, and revisions, which can easily double the total project time.
The Client Agreement
Before starting any paid piece, professional calligraphers use a written agreement covering: the exact wording and quantity to be lettered, the deadline, the number of revision rounds included (usually one or two), the deposit amount (commonly 50% upfront), and what happens if the client cancels. This protects both sides: the calligrapher gets paid for time already invested, and the client knows exactly what they are receiving.
New calligraphers often start lettering before confirming final wording with the client, then have to redo the entire piece when the client changes a name or date. Always get wording confirmed and signed off in writing before you pick up a pen.
A Typical Commission Timeline
A wedding invitation commission usually follows this order: inquiry and quote, deposit and contract, a rough layout sent for approval, final lettering, photographing or scanning the finished piece, and delivery. For a full invitation suite, this process typically takes three to six weeks from deposit to delivery.
Why do many beginner calligraphers underprice their commissions?
What is the main purpose of collecting a deposit before starting a commission?
Draft a Commission Quote
Pick an imaginary client project, for example 75 wedding place cards. Write a one-page quote that includes: your per-piece rate, your minimum order fee, total estimated price, deposit amount, timeline, and number of revision rounds included. Present it as you would to a real client.
Before your first paid commission, offer to letter pieces for friends or family at a discount in exchange for permission to photograph and post the finished work. A strong portfolio is what convinces new clients to book you.
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