Behind the Scenes: Creating the Mocktail Card Deck

The Mocktail Card Deck started as an unexpected idea. During an interview with Erica Lugo, one of the fitness instructors and personal trainers for The Biggest Loser, for my upcoming documentary Fit for Life, I mentioned the Mocktail Monday book I was working on. Erica, being the creative powerhouse she is, suggested I create a card deck featuring 52 mocktails to match the book’s theme. The idea was brilliant—thank you, Erica! You can find Erica on her Instagram and website.

With the concept in place, the next step was figuring out how to turn the idea into reality. Finding a reliable card printer had always been a challenge for me, but thankfully, I stumbled upon a solution through the “University of YouTube.” A video led me to carddeckprinting.com, which made the process seamless. The site allowed me to choose the parameters for my cards—2.75 inches by 4.75 inches, shrink-wrapped, with an optional box—and their straightforward system helped me move forward with ease.

But before I could even think about printing, I needed photos. Photographing 52 mocktails was the real challenge. Quotes I received for the project ranged from $10,000 to multiple days of shooting—neither of which worked for my timeline or budget. Enter the heroes of this story: Anahya and Alisa @shaken.bartending, two talented mixologists from Columbus, Ohio. I found them through Instagram after sifting through countless profiles. They were confident they could prepare all 52 mocktails in a single day, and they delivered!

We shot the entire series at Apartment B, a speakeasy on High Street, which generously let us rent their space for $500. Not only did they provide a beautiful setting, but they also had all the glassware and garnishes we needed, saving me a significant amount of time and money.

A huge shoutout to my wife, Savanna, for helping throughout the day, and Gracie, who captured stunning behind-the-scenes footage. Barry Harley Photography, stepped in to edit the images, and after a few touch-ups on my end, the photos were ready to go.

The design process was straightforward—I used Canva to lay out the cards and ensure they matched the parameters provided by carddeckprinting.com. Once the file was ready, I sent it over as a PDF and received proofs within just two days.

And that’s how the Mocktail Monday Card Deck came to life! It was a whirlwind of collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving, but we knocked it out of the park.

To Be Continued: In the next post, I’ll dive into how we got the card decks listed on Amazon. Stay tuned…

Steps to Create Your Own Card Deck

1. Conceptualize the Idea

Start with a clear concept and plan.
Decide how many cards you want, brainstorm ideas, and solidify your vision.
For me, this step included planning 52 mocktails and tying them to a card deck format inspired by Erica Lugo.

2. Find a Printer

Research and choose a reliable printer.
I used carddeckprinting.com, which made the process seamless by providing parameters and options like shrink wrap and custom boxes.

3. Plan the Photoshoot

Map out how you’ll create the imagery for your cards—this could be photos, graphics, or artwork.
For my mocktail deck, I planned to photograph all 52 mocktails in one day.

4. Secure a Location

Find a space that fits your project’s needs.
I used Apartment B, a speakeasy on High Street, which provided a photogenic setting, glassware, and garnishes for $500.

5. Photograph the Cards

Execute your plan and capture the visuals.
My team, including Anaya, Alyssa, Gracie, and Barry Harley Photography, helped photograph 52 mocktails in one day.

6. Finalize the Design

Create the card layout, incorporating visuals, text, and any other details.
I used Canva to design the cards, featuring photos on the front and recipes on the back.

7. Print the Deck

Upload the final designs to your chosen printer.
I submitted my PDF to carddeckprinting.com, received proofs in two days, and finalized the printing.

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Behind the Scenes: Creating the Mocktail Card Deck

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Steps to Create Your Own Card Deck

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