Opinions Sought

[KGidget]

I'm working on some wedding invitations for a client whose colours are burgundy and silver. Thanks to some cards I've been inspired by on this site, I've got some options. Anything I should do differently? Any other suggestions?

To see them please go here and read the November 5th entry for the links.

Thanks!

KGidget

[musicmarth]

The first card you have posted, Wedding Borders (?) is just beautiful. I mean, all of them are beautiful, but this one just appealed to me more. I would have loved to have these as my wedding invitations!

As for what to charge, I can't help you there.

Good luck!

Martha

[emilymomto3boys]

Those are all gorgeous! I have no idea what to charge though. They are pretty detailed so don't gip yourself!

[pinefeather]

I love the border you did with the wrought iron punch on the second one.. its gorgeous!!

Heather

[srogers5]

I liked the first one as well, but will it still look as nice when the words to the invitation are showing through the gap? Just something to think about. Only one way to know for sure...

I like the second one a lot and that's probably my pick. I would make sure you don't undercharge yourself. It'll take lots of punching with the wrought iron punch!

[StampAddict]

Ohhhhh boy....That's a HARD choice!!

I like the embossed & edged one alot. Is the heart embossed also? The winter roses one is beautiful also, just a little more "casual", so it depends on how fancy the wedding is. They are ALL beautiful and I am sure they will like any of them!

I personally like the second one the best but they are all beautiful!

[Kymbers_Stampin]

Okay ~ I posted a comment on the actual site on the one I liked the best. Was that what I was supposed to do?

[Jovi]

Jennifer they are all beautiful, you did an excellant job and wouldn't change a thing! My picks are Embossed Edge and then Wedding Borders.

Jennifer thanks for sharing your wonderful cards with us.

[KGidget]

The heart is embossed on the first one, but not on the punched edge one. I know these will be time consuming to make, so I'm trying to figure out how to charge for my time without making the price prohibitive. Would a dollar a layer be too much? (and I'm counting the embossing as one layer, the punching as one layer). The price would then be $5, $5 and $3 (in the order that I have them displayed). What do you think?

KGidget

[KGidget]

Kymbers, it's fine if you posted on my site. Thanks to everyone for your encouragements.

KGidget

[Inkalicious]

I am drawn to card #1, since it is my fave style in the Anna Griffin book I have!!!! Its beautiful! #2 is next choice, and #3 is also beautiful, just a little more casual(right wording??? ) than the other 2!!! The first 2 are formal looking, #3 looks like an outdoor garden wedding!!!
Awesome job you've done!!
Tandra

[Crysta]

All three are absolutely gorgeous, but I really like the seconde one.

[witty5]

I love that stamp set & must say the Embossed card stood out to me the most.

A few years back I stamped some cards for my boss's daughters 3rd wedding. She didn't want anything real detailed & personally I thought they were rather plain, but it was what she wanted. It was 2 simple stamps on each card - no embossing, but a little coloring-in. I also ran them through my printer for the wording. Anyway, I had no idea what to charge her either & she ended up giving me $125, which I thought was good for how easy the cards were to reproduce. I did 75 of them.

Your designs are MUCH more detailed and I would expect much more than that. Plus I'm assuming that is all your own cardstock & ribbon, etc. which will obviously need to be included. Did you mention how many invites you are doing?

[KGidget]

She hasn't told me how many she needs exactly. Probably somewhere around 100 (yikes!).

KG

[tanya]

Your cards are so beautiful! I like the best in the order you had them listed. 1 first, 2 second, 3 third. Could you mock up all three with the information and let the customer choose? Then you could have three prices also. I have heard the formula for how to charge for stuff you make is the cost of the materials plus 100% for labor. Example: $100.00 in materials- charge $200.00. Another way to do it would be to go look at weddind cards yourself and charge accordingly. Good Luck! I wish I had more people paying me to make cards, then I could tell my DH that I was WORKING, when he says I am playing with my stamps!

[KGidget]

I was planning to show her the mock ups, just was needing to figure out how to price them. Cost of materials X 2 sounds pretty good too.

This would be my first big order, so I don't want to screw it up (my hubby is doing her wedding photos as well).

KGidget

[kastampin]

Love Number 2! They are all beatiful!

[jhattery]

LOVE THEM ALL!

I recently did some invites and I ended up charging them $85 for 50, it was dble the price of supplies or the 100%markup mentioned before. If I were you I would ask for 50% down so at least you are covered there in case things were to go awry...weddings do strange things to women!

[KGidget]

Quote:

If I were you I would ask for 50% down so at least you are covered there in case things were to go awry...weddings do strange things to women!

That's something I wouldn't have thought of doing. Good idea. Thank you.

KGidget

[Shirleyone]

They each have beautiful qualities. I like number 1 "Wedding Boarders. I wonder if the borders could be brought closer together maybe. It is basically outstanding and gorgeous so maybe do nothing. I just really like it. keep the others and maybe you can use them for something diffrerent.

Hope I helped. :oops:

Shirley

[Sereikastamper]

This is sooo funny that you are ACTUALLY doing a wedding invite that is those colors. I just made a faux wedding invite for a girl who is a senior in High School and had to plan a wedding start to finish for her Phsyc class!
The entire time I was making them all I could think was what a neat color scheme and then when I was done it was actually very eyecatching!

[lesarapp]

I love the second one! They are all really pretty. Good luck with whatever the choice it is. I just did 500 invites last year at this time for my daughters wedding. Lots of work, but worth it.

[KGidget]

Quote:

keep the others and maybe you can use them for something diffrerent.

I have another client who is getting married next year also, and I think it's going to be more casual. I was keeping that in mind as I was doing these. Will have to create some new colour schemes. The next one is a purple and ...something... kind of gal.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks.

KG

[ndeelou]

Number two is lovely but all that punching!! I agree you will need to try number one to see how it looks with the writing showing through the opening, because it is also a fabulous layout.
I am guessing number three is too casual BUT I would take it with THANK YOU done on the vellum and offer it as available *If you want) for thank you notes or for shower invitations if you are open for more business
Or some other design that would use the off cuts from one of the other cards . Offer this only if you are interested in more business.

Five dollars seems about right for handmade one of a kind invitations for their special day, with a fifty percent non refundable deposit

Go to the invitation store and check out the prices to see how they word things and to show yourself you are in the ball park. We just got the run of the mill generic card today 2.49 from american greetings. no glitter, no embossing. no insert , no nothing.
Do not sell yourself short!!

[KGidget]

I was thinking that the I could cut the flaps on the first one to actually meet, and then the writing coming through from the back wouldn't matter. I had thought about offering thank you cards, I just haven't had a chance to get to that. A certain 3yr old I gave birth too seems to want my attention now and then also.

KGidget

[scrappin'stamper]

My vote would be for Vellum Roses
It's elegant and beautiful!

[jdmeeks]

They are all very beautiful. I checked out your entire gallery - GREAT!!! Thanks for sharing!

[Cat]

I liked all the cards. The Vellum Roses is similar to an invite I just received - the bride used a photo of her and her fiance as the base (as you mentioned in your blog).

Suggestions on pricing: anyone recently purchase wedding invites? What's the going rate?

I did a search on the net and found plenty of sites that offered wedding invites -- nothing as nice as a handstamped invitation, but it could give you ideas of what to charge. While you want to make sure you charge what you're worth, I would think it would be helpful to know what the 'competition' charges - if you're too out of line, the bride may not see the value. Just a thought.

[Jovi]

Jennifer you'll have to keep us posted on which one the bride picks!

[KGidget]

I'll certainly keep you posted. I haven't had a chance to take a good look at what other places are charging. I'll have to get out and get that done soon. This particular client seems to be way too organized for her wedding (she's already got her table centerpieces done...and the wedding isn't until next July!). Oh well, that means I can't procrastinate on this.

KGidget

[rmnett]

My friend is getting married and wants me to do her invites. She is going to buy me the stuff and I am going to make them-- for her gift. She is having $250. I needed ideas so I went to check out the Anna Griffin books. Ironically, she picked Gentler Times too-- now I am making samples.

I liked the first card them best and the third. On the third, have you considered printing the info on the front of the vellum? I was thinking of doing that and seeing how it turns out--

Good Luck!

[KGidget]

Yes, the info will be printed on the vellum for all three, actually (the other 2 have the vellum on the inside of the cards.

KGidget