Hand cancel those invitations!

Here are some basic pointers for postage on your wedding invitations. We already discussed how to stuff your wedding invitations here but you definitely want to give yourself plenty of time to assemble, stuff and address your invitations. Try not to rush it because that is where the mistakes are likely to happen.

1. When you send the invitations try to have them hand cancelled. This is getting more and more difficult to do apparently as the postal workers don’t necessarily want to do it and in some cases they will actually let you do it. Unfortunately, some refuse the service altogether. Check ahead via phone to find a location that does.

2. Don’t forget to stamp the rsvp envelopes before stuffing your invitations. This will help response rates and guests forgetting to return the rsvp card.

3. Get the facts on what your wedding invitation postage will be before you send them. Take a completed set down to the USPS and have them weigh it to see exactly what the postage will be. You don’t want any returns!

4. Mail yourself an invitation set through the post office without hand cancelling. You want to make sure that everything stays together and flaps don’t open under a worst case scenario and see how it looks.

5. Customize your stamp to make it so it matches the wedding theme and invitation. Then mail them and your done with that!

frugal wedding tips

In today’s economy every dollar counts and the importance of saving money is paramount. The good news for couples is that you can still still save money on your wedding without sacrificing quality and style. Here are 10 ways to save money on your wedding.

1. Keep the wedding smaller. Instead of inviting 200 guests cut the list down to the most important 100 that way you save half without sacrificing anything.
2. Keep the wedding less formal. Less formal typically means less expensive.
3. Instead of a limousine get the less expensive town car to transport guests back and forth. Town cars can be $70 versus a limo at $350.
4. Consider a naturally beautiful location for the wedding ceremony. Botanical gardens  and parks can make a great ceremony location because there is no need for costly floral decorations.
5. Perhaps the best way to save money with a photographer is to reduce the amount of time for the photographer 3-4 hours instead of 8 hours of time. You may also be able to find a discount if you make a referral. You may have a situation were a friend or family member is good enough or actually a real photographer and can do the video/photo of the wedding but be sure to see their work first.
6. Book your honeymoon well in advance and use any packages or discounts that may be available. Free upgrades may be available if you let them know you are honeymooning. Friends or family may have and offer free lodging at their beach house or time-share so you only pay for for travel.
7. Opt for a DJ vs a real band they are usually less expensive.
8. Wedding invitations: if you lowered you guest list this cost will decrease also. Additionally, don’t get a square invitation, there is additional postage required. For letterpress printing, refrain from printing two colors or more which adds cost. Try to minimize your set to just an invitation and rsvp and eliminate the reception card. Opt for digital wedding invitations which are considerably less.
9. Be sure there are no clean up fees and double check gratuities and makes sure they are included and won’t be any tacked on fees..
10. Negotiate, negotiate negotiate! You can save thousands!

After the wedding have fun!

Enjoy your special day and have fun with all the money you saved!

Beach Weddings are relaxing

Weddings are suppose to be fun so if you plan on having a beach theme for your wedding it should be really fun not only to attend but to plan as well. It gives you the opportunity to create something completely unique and help set the mood and tone for the wedding.

Sunset wedding provides romantic backdrop

Having the wedding and reception at either dawn or dusk can really add to the ambiance and create a very memorable wedding. A mid afternoon wedding with an evening reception is popular and makes for a great atmosphere as guests are having cocktails and great conversation. There will certainly be some decorations that will need to be considered but the beach and ocean certainly provide the best background you could have. Beach weddings also give your guests a chance to unwind and enjoy the surroundings as well.

Floral hibiscus pattern

Some essential ingredients for a beach wedding would be the proper attire and surroundings. I would suggest bright colored floral patten shirts or dresses, shorts and flip flops for dress. I think tropical flowers, tropical drinks, bamboo torches, reggae, Jimmy Buffet and calypso music would also be in order. The great thing about beach weddings is they are informal and you can keep the wedding planning simple and stress free, creative and fun. For the bride and groom it is especially romantic because you just stay where you are for the honeymoon.

Here are some beached themed wedding favor ideas as well:

Stationery store wedding album

Deciding how to buy your wedding invitations is a complex process but should remain an enjoyable experience. Don’t let it add stress to your day. To do this, it is important to find a stationery store that is very trustworthy and knowledgeable about the invitation selection process, designs, printing and etiquette. Many stores carry the same lines of invitations, so talk to a few stores and see which one meets your criteria and seems to really be knowledgeable. You can choose from the selections they show in the wedding albums or you can customize designs to your liking.

rebecca and hill wedding invitation

There is also the option of ordering wedding invitations online but if you go this route, make sure you find someone as knowledgeable that can help with the process. The web is a great place to look at designs and get some good ideas. Sites like pinterest are great for seeing images of invitations but I would recommend using a store to place your order, it’s their area of expertise!

 Important Tip: Order more invitations than you think need.

wedding invitee list

One of the first things to do is begin compiling a list of all the attendees that you plan on inviting. Each family or couple should be considered one invitation set. If you sent save the dates then you already have good start on the list. Most importantly you want to order extra sets of invitations. Most of the time the quantities are in increments of 25 starting at 50. So if you order 100 invitations then I would suggest 125 as the final order size. Why order more? The primary reason is that to reorder the invitations is extremely expensive vs adding an additional quantity 25 to the original order. Often you have some people who are forgotten or friends of you parents etc… that were overlooked.

Important Tip: Proofread your invitations more than once and by more than one person. 

Printing Wedding Invitations

Allocate enough time to have your invitations printed, especially if you are having them letterpress printed or engraved. Ten business days is average turn around and then allow for shipping and I would add an additional week to address the envelopes which need to be personally hand written. Get the proper spelling for parents names and place names like the church etc… Unless your an expert in design let the invitation designer recommend type styles. After all you chose them for their capabilities right? Just point them in the direction you like for color, motifs and styles and let them get to work.

Wedding accessories: place cards, table numbers, programs and wedding signs

Depending on your budget and the options you want, you may want to consider these other wedding stationery pieces when placing the original order. Thank you notes, programs, table cards, save the date cards, reception card, map, wedding coasters, napkins and gift cards. The more of these you can get done early you may have the benefit of having them paid for in advance rather than paying for them yourself later. You want to include a stamp on the rsvp envelope to make it easy for people to respond. It is also advisable to number your list and then lightly write that number for each guest on the back of the rsvp card, in case they forget to write their name. You can easily look at the number and refer to the list to see who the guest is.

Hand cancel those invitations!

A good rule of thumb is to send your invitations 6- 8 weeks prior to the wedding. Have your invitations hand cancelled if available at your post office and double check the seal on the flap of the wedding invitation to make sure they won’t open under simulated mailing conditions. If you want to use a wax seal, seal the envelope normally and then come back and glue the wax seals onto the envelopes. To do this, lay out a piece of wax paper and do all the wax seals on that first in case of drips or doesn’t imperfections. Peel the cooled wax seals and glue onto the sealed invitations. Be aware that square invitations of any size will cost more in postage.

Important Tip: Do wax seals on a separate piece of wax paper. Peel them and then glue them onto the wedding invitation envelopes after sealing it normally.

Important Tip: Don’t forget to double the rsvp postage for the return stamp in your budget

Don’t get confused get free help! Plan your wedding today!

A few days ago I posted a detailed traditional wedding timeline to serve as a sample template for the 12 months leading up to the day of your wedding. I thought I would include a few more resources I found that would help plan and budget during this period including a pdf of the post. As I mentioned in my first post, the budget really is one of the key ingredients and everyone should try to use one.

“Right click save as” to download your copy here

Find wedding resources like budgets and free wedding pages here from google.

Vintage Wedding Invitations

What could be better than receiving a set of unique vintage wedding invitations created by artisan printers? The answer is a set of letterpress wedding invitations vintage inspired to set the tone of your wedding. For a vintage purist, I would think that letterpress printing would be a must have simply because it is one of the oldest methods available. It also has a vintage look and feel that work for many periods.

Vintage Invites

These sophisticated invitations are suitable to set the tone for your vintage inspired wedding and can be customized to your liking. We can print coordinating program covers, menus, and have an assortment of vintage motifs to make your invitation blend in with this unique theme. Give us a call and ask us how we can help customize and invitation for your wedding. See more vintage wedding invitations at Page Stationery

Vintage save the date cards

Engraved Invitations Engraving is one of the oldest printing techniques and also one of the more traditional. This is the type of printing your mom might be pushing for because she had her invitations done this way. It is considered more formal by many( incorrectly). The look and feel of engraving is raised text on soft thicker paper. This is accomplished with a two part plate that causes the paper to push up into the plate and  pick up the ink that is inside the etching. True engraving leaves a mark or bruise on the back of the paper.

Thermography machine

Thermography This was originally developed as an alternative to expensive engraving. Essentially ink is laid on the paper and a powder is distributed over the ink. The paper  is then run through a vacuum to remove the powder and then is fused with heat which melts the powder and leaves the raised hardened ink. It is often referred to as the poor man’s engraving and the quality is often not as clean as engraving.

Letterpress

Letterpress This perhaps now the most popular method of printing today. Thee letterpress revival began in 1999 and continues to thrive. Letterpress dates back to the the 1440′s and is perhaps the oldest form of printing. It is relief printing where the letters are raised and inked and then pressed into the paper leaving an impression, indenting the surface. Whereas with engraving, it raised the surface. Letterpress provides a dimensional look and tactile quality. It makes you want to rub your fingers across the paper. The recent revival and popularity focus on getting the deepest impression without sacrificing quality. If the pressman puts to much pressure, the paper may crack so there is an art to getting all aspects to work together to capture the best look and feel for a client. Letterpress can be used for more vintage wedding invitations as well as modern and traditional wedding invitations.

Offset printing press

Offset Printing One of the more modern printing techniques, offset printing is used primarily for jobs like magazines, mailings and catalogs. It is also termed “flat printing” because the ink is placed directly onto the paper. The ink is transferred from the inked surface or plate to a rubber blanket and then transferred to the paper. Not ideal for short runs.

Digital Printing Press

Digital Printing The newest printing technique that provides vibrant colors combined with digital artwork to go straight to press without the need for plates. A typical digital press would utilize a large format or high volume laser or inkjet printers. It makes it easy to print short runs though it might have a slightly higher cost than offset. At the same time there are no plate cost and can typically jobs can go directly to press with approved artwork.

Who pays for the flowers in a wedding? Bride or groom?

Who pays for the rings in a wedding? Bride or groom?

Weddings today have changed in some ways from more traditional weddings. There is more latitude in who pays for what in a wedding and this is not by any means etched in stone. Generally, this topic is discussed with the bride and groom an the parents. Typically a budget would be developed and then delegation of payment responsibilities to make sure all parties know where they stand. It is typical these days for the bride and groom to share in the wedding expenses.

For the Bride:
The bride pays for the the wedding invitations and stationery
She pays for the wedding ring and wedding gift of the groom
She pays for the bridal party gifts which include flower girls.
She pays for the lodging and accommodations of out of town bridal party
She pays for the bridesmaid luncheon

Who pays for the wedding cake in a wedding? Bride or groom?

For the Groom:
The groom pays for the marriage license
The groom pays for the wedding ring and wedding gift for the bride
The groom pays for the groomsman gifts and ring bearers ushers etc…
The groom pays for his wedding attire
The groom pays for the groomsman accomodations
The groom pays for the flowers: bridal bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages for moms/grandparents
The groom pays for any wedding accessories for the groomsman
The groom pays for the clergy fees
The groom pays for the honeymoon and travel expenses
The groom pays for the and groomsman get togethers

For the Brides Family
The Brides family is responsible for the following:
the wedding dress and attire
The cost of the ceremony/reception and all of the various expenses like bartenders, waitresses, decorations, food, wedding cake etc…
The wedding consultant (if used)
Any transportation to and from wedding to reception, parking and transport cost
Wedding favors, guestbook, flowers for attendees
Rental of the facility, music and decorations
All wedding photography/videography at the events
Any wedding gift for the newlywed party

For the Grooms family
The Grooms family is responsible for the rehearsal dinner, invitations and any other cost surrounding it.
The Grooms family is responsible for a wedding present for the bride and groom
The Grooms family is responsible for travel and lodging cost
The Grooms family is responsible for their own attire

Patterned wedding invitations grace+walter

As stationery aficionados we love the fact that our new digital wedding invitations and stationery has so much color which makes them great patterned wedding invitations for any occasion. In fact, we go crazy for patterns and love to put them on everything! Who wouldn’t like to receive one of our vibrant colored invitations or personal stationery in the mail! We love receiving them and giving them. After all, it makes your whole day feel bright and cheery!

Patterned wedding invitations erica+seth

What can patterns do for you? In the same way they can your day brighter, they can set the tone and aesthetic for your wedding. There are so many patterns that can reflect your intention from art deco, chevron, tiles to floral, there is something along the same lines as your theme.

Visit our gallery of pattern wedding stationery here and see which one works for you!

Patterned wedding invitations jane+cabell