* Finalize your guest list. Most of the time, the prices for wedding invitations will be based on the total number of guests you plan to invite. Sit down with your fiancé and finalize the guest list. At the same time, prepare the wordings, RSVP, and the other information that you will want for your wedding invitation. This will make it easier for the stationer you hire to put all these into print.
* Start searching for stationer options. The search for a stationer should start as early as 6 months prior to your wedding date. This will give you time to hire the stationer, get the invites printed, and make any necessary adjustments. This will help you avoid rushing in the final weeks before the big day.
* Search for local stationers. The best place to search for a stationer is around your area. There will be many printers and stationers all around your area. Visit each one and inquire about their services. Remember to shop around to get the best deal. Bring the information with you including the guest list and sit down with a particular stationer to get a quote based on your needs. Once you get the quote from one, move on to the next store and repeat the same process. Some stationers may be more helpful and accommodating than others so take note of all these little quirks.
* Search online. If you don’t find any stationer suitable in your locality, then you can turn to the Internet and hire a virtual stationer. A virtual stationer is a regular stationer that accepts orders online and ships the completed invitations to you.
* Request samples. Choose a few stationers that you find appealing and have them create a few samples for you to choose from. Go with the stationer that can provide you the best sample. The sample you choose will be used as the primary template for all the others.
* Finalize the terms. Once you have chosen the stationer, negotiate the terms. You can negotiate a small down payment to start the work and pay the rest upon delivery. You may negotiate a lower rate depending on the volume of invitations you will have printed. In any case, sign a contract if necessary and pay the initial payments required.
Consider having additional invitations printed to ensure that you have enough should you need to add more people to your guest list later on. The wedding invitations should be delivered at and sent to the guests at least one month before the wedding. So make sure that stationer can deliver what he promised on time.
Wedding invitations have changed drastically over time. Long gone are the days of strict, rigid, plain stationery, as today brings about vibrant color schemes, one-of-a-kind fonts, abstract layouts, photographs and special touches from the bride and groom. This freedom allows every bride to let her personality and style shine through every element of her wedding day. This style is often carried through the details, decorations, attire, flowers, music and even food, allowing the wedding couple to showcase their creativity and personality.
An easy and stylized way to make all the pieces come together is to organize all printed wedding materials into one seamless package. There are a number of online resources for custom wedding invitations that allow brides to create save-the-date cards, invites, response cards, reception cards, bridal shower invitations, bachelorette party invitations, Thank You cards, address labels and other wedding essentials all to the bride’s personal liking. By ordering through the same source, brides are able to match everything by color scheme, theme and overall style. And best of all, they’re personalized exactly the way the bride wants them.
Focus on the Guests
Before any of the custom wedding invitations planning, brides must put together a complete guest list to ensure they’re ordering the right number of wedding stationery pieces. It’s not only important to have a correct head count of guests, but also make sure the guests’ traditions, cultures and expectations are recognized so that the wedding experience can be a guaranteed memorable event.
Save-the-Date Cards
As most people can attest, schedules fill fast, whether it’s with weddings, family gatherings, summer vacations or work events. To help ensure guests are given enough notice of a wedding date to put it on their calendars, save-the-date cards are mailed about six to twelve months in advance, allowing for guests to request time off work, make arrangements for kids or pets, or any other type of accommodations that may need to be met. And since save-the-date cards don’t require the extensive list of details that custom wedding invitations hold, the ordering and distribution is easy and efficient. They can be sent as a card or even a magnet for a practical reminder. If brides are looking to save money with save-the-date cards, they can be sent to just long-distance family and friends rather than the entire wedding invitation list.
Custom Wedding Invitations Elements
When it comes to the custom wedding invitations, there are a few key pieces that are included, each with a special purpose and opportunity to customize.
Response Cards – these provide an accurate count for seating purposes, caterers and other event elements that rely on a number of guests attending. They typically include a line for the guests’ names and a checkbox area for accepts or regrets. Leaving a little extra room on the bottom also allows for guests to leave a personal message, which can be a nice keepsake.
Reception Cards – with space and budget restrictions, it’s common for some guests to only be invited to the reception. Wedding reception cards communicate what time those guests can arrive to partake in the celebration. They can also be used for giving directions, helping ease any confusion for out of town guests.
Wedding Thank You Cards – as many guests help celebrate and give wedding gifts, wedding Thank You cards are a necessity when it comes to wedding stationery. In the greeting to guests who gave a gift, it is proper etiquette to include a personal message that mentions how the gift is being used or how much it is appreciated. It’s also a nice touch to give wedding Thank You cards to those involved in the special day, from the florist to the minister and especially the bride and groom’s parents.
Wedding Address Labels – though it may seem like a minor detail, wedding return address labels are a big time saver when it comes to distributing custom wedding invitations. Not only do they save precious time, they can also incorporate the overall style of the wedding when they’re created with the same color scheme and design.
Keeping the Etiquette
When putting together custom wedding invitations and other stationery pieces, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by using proper wording and etiquette. Thankfully there are a number of online references and resources that provide wording options and tips. And due to the increasingly less strict style of today’s invites, more unique and meaningful phrases tend to trump rigid traditions. It’s primarily important not to forget any of the essential elements, including the name of the bride and groom; date, location and time of the wedding ceremony; location and time of reception; and response information. There are a number of unique instances that can alter wording, and for each case custom wording can be used.
Wedding planning can be stressful, but one area brides can feel at ease about is ordering the custom wedding invitations. By ordering and creating them from one source, brides can not only make it convenient but also keep their style consistent. Use the delivery of the wedding invitations as an opportunity to express a unique and special style that reflects the importance of the big day ahead.
When was the last time you sat down to make invites for a party? Need time to think? If the answer to that question is ‘yes’ then I think we will be safe in assuming that you’ve never been faced with the daunting task of having to create invitations for any occasion let alone a wedding. A wedding is the single, most important day in any woman’s life and everything has to be perfect!