Monica Longest Horsley had no idea that shopping for stationery for her wedding would become a career-changing event.

In 2002, Horsley, a fourth-grade teacher at the time, and her mom, Carrol Longest, spent countless hours in the By Invitation Only shop, choosing stationery for Horsley's wedding, bridal luncheon and rehearsal dinner.

When it came time to tally the total, Longest jokingly asked the owners if she and her daughter had spent enough money for a down payment on the store.

"I had no idea I was spending a lot of money," Horsley said. "We probably spent about $7,000. Now that I own the store, I know that is exorbitant."

A couple of weeks after Longest joked about buying the store, the owners called her to see if her daughter would be interested. Horsley took four weeks to make her decision. She bought the business in January 2003.

"I loved being in the classroom and I had a good rapport with the kids, but I knew that teaching was something that I didn't want to do for 25 years," she said. "I was really excited about the idea of owning the store."

By Invitation Only opened in the Shoppes at Innsbrook in 1991 by sisters Cissy Gersham and Marcia Silverman.

"I had a hard time finding an invitation that I liked, and they guided me to the perfect one for my wedding," Horsley said.

Now she is committed to providing the same level of service as owner that she received as a customer.

"The sisters' customer service is one thing that motivated me to buy the business," Horsley said. "I wanted to be as kind and helpful to customers as they were to me."

Cindy Conte and her daughter, who was married a year ago this month, worked with Horsley and her staff when they were buying wedding invitations, save-the-date notices and bridal luncheon invitations. In addition, By Invitation Only printed a memory booklet filled with messages from the wedding guests.

"They also did the wedding programs, which were labor-intensive," Conte said.

The staff made the process fun, she said. "They were very patient and very willing to work with you. They are passionate about the products they sell. They share my appreciation for beautiful paper."

After buying the business in 2003, Horsley decided to adjust the store's inventory and services. She added in-store personalized printing and phased out tuxedo rental last summer.

"The store didn't have the largest selection of stationery in town, so I went to the stationery show in New York and brought in lots of new lines," Horsley said.

Last fall, Horsley moved the store to its new location in The Shoppes at Westgate across from the Short Pump Town Center.

"I wanted to stay in the same vicinity," she said. "I felt this was a good location."

Lisa Benusa, owner of The Mill at Fine Creek, a special-events facility in Powhatan County, often refers brides to Horsley's shop.

"Monica is great," Benusa said. "Everything she does is top-notch. Brides have a true level of confidence in her."

Ninety percent of Horsley's business focuses on invitations, paper and stationery-related items. She also carries wedding gifts and accessories including ring-bearer pillows and flower-girl baskets.

The shop carries more than 3,000 designs of stationery that can be personalized for parties and showers. By Invitation Only can print the informal invitations, or customers can buy the paper, take it home and print the invitations themselves.

"We started by adding 20 lines, then another 20 and so on," Horsley said. "We invested in a professional printing program, and now in-house printing is one of the major parts of our business."

Horsley carries more than 200 books displaying invitations and stationery for formal events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs. Stationery companies include William Arthur, Sweet Pea, Boatman Geller and Crane & Co.

"The former owners didn't have Crane & Co., and I really wanted to carry that company," Horsley said, noting it took two years to land the account. "Now we carry a full line of Crane & Co. books and boxed stationery."

Mary Fisk-Taylor, co-owner of Hayes & Fisk The Art of Photography, shops at By Invitation Only.

"I'm a stationery snob," she said. "I appreciate Monica's store. It's unique and different, which is huge for me."

Sales have doubled since Horsley bought the store.

"Every month we have done better than the year before," she said. "We just had a phenomenal May."

Horsley believes she is carrying on the legacy of the sisters who opened the store. The two women still come by to shop.

"That means a lot to me," Horsley said.