After moving from Dallas to Little Rock, Gerritt’s husband’s hometown, she stumbled upon the cutest invitation boutique while shopping for her wedding invitations. After casually mentioning that she would love to own a shop like this…weeks later she was the new owner of By Invitation Only! After being in the ‘retail invitation bizz’ for only six months she had so many requests for ‘custom’ invitations, she decided ‘I can do this!”

Gerritt spent the next 18 months doing ‘research’ to start her own wholesale business dubbed Polka Dot Papers, nonchalantly named by her father one night over dinner. As time passed by luck would have it a bride shopping for her wedding invitations mentioned she would love to own a store. Weeks later she was the new owner of the shop and Polka Dot Papers was born. Polka Dot Papers was launched at the 2004 National Stationery Show in New York and has been growing by leaps and bounds ever since!

Gerritt enlists her trusty assistants, most prominently her mother and numerous friends that help her with everything from packing orders and assembling albums to product development. Because of everyone’s help Gerritt is able to spend time with her daughter Abby, who was born in July 2006 and travel (when work allows) with her husband who is a Professional Golfer. Here at Polka Dot Papers it’s easy to keep smiles on our faces when you remember the company’s favorite quote they live and work by ‘ too much of a good thing is wonderful’!