Please Join Us: Invitations
The pleasure of your company is requested — at the printer’s shop, to
order the invitations and paper products for the wedding festivities.
Brenda Harris, manager at Graphic Printing in downtown Petoskey, said
brides today want more unique, custom-designed invitations that reflect
their special relationship.
“Usually the brides have an idea of what they want,” said Harris, “so we
start from there.”
Questions about wedding color scheme, whether the event is formal or
informal, and if save-the-date cards are needed, for example, are a few
conversation points brides and grooms should discuss with their printer
of choice.
Harris said various colors of vellum (the thin translucent paper found
in wedding invitations) and ribbons are prevalent with invitations, as
brides look to dress them up.
As found in many current fashion trends, the popular wedding invitation
colors are chocolate paired with pink, sky blue or sage.
Harris, who was to wed Aug. 25, said her own invitation’s design is
chocolate and sage with vellum overlay. She tied them with satin
camouflage ribbon to follow the outdoor, informal ceremony on her
father’s farm.
She used her own example to illustrate how the printed materials can
coordinate with the feel, theme and colors of the wedding itself.
Another example would be gold embossed background leaves for a fall
event, and ivy on the invites for winter nuptials.
Homemade-looking pressed flowers are also an idea for fall wedding
invites, she offered.
“I really don’t have many people doing the traditional this year,” she
said. “There’s a lot more color.”
And there are not just the invitations to consider when planning paper
products. Also consider you’ll need the RSVP and reception cards,
thank-you notes, program for the ceremony, place cards for the reception
tables and napkins for the cake.
Harris said when it comes to ordering the materials, advanced planning
just makes the bride’s job easier with addressing; she can turn around
orders in just a week if needed.
When considering prices, the more colors, ribbons and fancy additions,
the higher the cost, of course. As a starting point, expect to spend
about $210 for 100 basic white panel cards and another 58 cents
approximately per card for mailing. More decorative or layered cards can
start around $400 per 100 invites, Harris said.
Brenda Harris at Graphic Printing in Petoskey displays a selection of invitation styles. Photo: Jeremy Kuhn/Wedding Guide
Seal-and-send
Another trend making life easier for brides during their busy planning
stages are seal-and-send cards. Staff at the Print Shop in Petoskey said
it’s been a popular advent for their brides, because the invitation and
RSVP card fold up into one piece that just needs a stamp. The RSVP
card has a perforated edge which can easily be torn off by the recipient
and mailed back, requiring a less-expensive postcard stamp to boot. Any
other items — such as a map, list of accommodations, etc. — can be
tucked inside as well.
Seal-and-sends are less costly as well; it’ll run about $110 per 100
cards. (The price goes up for thank-you notes, maps, save-the-date
cards, programs and other items.)
For brides who aren’t sure what they want on their invitations, don’t
have the colors chosen or need some creative ideas, area print shops
carry numerous books showing a variety of styles, word choices, papers,
fonts, response cards, programs, place cards, napkins and any other
printed needs.
The Internet, too, is a vast resource for finding ideas and ordering.
Online, couples can design their own unique invites, use pre-designed
mix and match color schemes and wording, or order their materials and
have them printed locally at their printer of choice (www.mygatsby.com).
Brides need to order the invites with enough time for them to be
printed, picked up, addressed, mailed out and received back in time to
let the caterer and reception location know how many people will be
attending.
The pros say sending out invites six weeks prior to the wedding is
standard, and printers often need about two weeks to complete the
invitation order. That means the invites and printed materials should be
ordered at least eight weeks before the event.
Save-the-date cards are another way to let guests know of the impending
party and allow guests to block off vacation time if needed — especially
important for summer weddings when vacation time is at a premium.
… about $800 on standard invitations, announcements and thank-you notes.
Source: www.theweddingreport.com
How to best word the invitation? Some common examples of phrases:
… would like you to help celebrate the marriage of …
… invite you to celebrate with them at the marriage of …
… would consider it a blessing if you could be present at the marriage
of …
… request the pleasure of your company …
… request the pleasure of your presence at …
More at www.mygatsby.com. Source: www.beau-coup.com
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