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“I hate naming companies,” says Lorien Gabel, Co-Founder and CEO of a company that’s 5-letter name is a quirky euphemism of digital communication. “A name is eventually going to be representative of a brand, “ he cites Nike and Starbucks, without the brand association, they’re just weird words.

This is the third successful internet-based company Gabel has shared with Matt Harrop, his half brother. The two were looking for a new venture when they starting hearing complaints about Evite, the web-based invitation and RSVP service. They figured something that was more visually appealing, offered a greater level of customizable elements and cut way back on the ads the original online invitation companies were infamous for, would be a success.

From the get go, Gabel wanted to provide designs that were good enough for weddings, even though he thought it would be years, if ever, before brides would be using his service.

At three years old, the company can now boast Martha Stewart as an investor and Gabel can only guess where his bridal clientele has come from. Depending on the time of year, 10 to 25% of business wedding related – from save the dates, showers and engagement parties to an increasing number of wedding invitations. Beyond providing clients with Martha Stewart and artist’s designs for their invitations, Gabel thinks three external reasons have impacted the increase of online invitation use: ecological concerns, economic concerns and an overall acceptance that all things are going digital.

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