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I'm not sure what I would charge but the first thing you need to do to get a ballpark is find out what it would actually cost you. How much vellum, how much ribbon, how much card stock. The ep is hard to gauge, so figure on at least one jar. You'd be surprised sometimes what the actual cost comes out to be.
When doing hand crafted things, the rule of thumb is cost x 3 but you need to get cost first, then you can decide if it's too much or not enough for your customer. 200 invitations is quiet a lot so keep that in mind too.
Thanks, i'll try to work something up to ballpark it for her. Since I don't even know the girl and haven't talked to her yet, I have absolutely no clue what she wants but it is either for her wedding, or some other party involved with the celebration, so I just assumed the vellum or embossing.
Before getting too far ahead, meet with the person and show her some samples that you've made. A computer printed invite on patterned paper with a vellum overlay, and ribbon would be easiest. No stamping involved!! Will you use eyelets for the ribbon hole? Adds a nice touch but more expensive and time consuming. Embossing would take forever and I'd avoid it. Also, it tends to buckle the paper a little and that's not good for a wedding invite, which should look perfect.
I've done stamped baby shower invites and baby announcements. It is more work and more expensive than you would think because you are buying your materials at retail, not wholesale and all that stamping is very timeconsuming. That said, I charged a total of 4$ per invite -- that included a matching envelope that was stamped also. I could have made more money per hour working at McDonald's!!
Think about pricing with options -- show her different papers and styles with different costs so the bride has some choices to make. It will be cheaper for the bride to buy commercially made invites so you have to convince her that you can provide something that the big guys can't. Don't forget the envelopes and the cost of those.
Also, when is the wedding? You need time to do all those invites! Good luck!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I agree with a number of replies. Absolutely figure your cost upfront. I am in the process of making my son's wedding invitations. The invitations alone have run approx. $100 in materials... that does not include the envelopes or response cards yet. I am not charging them for anything for their invitations. And I was surprised what they have totaled up to thus far.
I agree w/ Joan B about showing some samples first.
If they see something first then they can't say it wasn't what they wanted.
I'm doing some invites for a friend now. In the end it should only be 80+/- but the materials have run me about $100 also.
These are their gift so I can't help with figuring a cost for you. For me it would depend on how labor intensive they were.
As I'm finding out, everything is more work than I thought/expected.
I sat down with them and talked about color/theme, etc. They didn't know what they wanted - except that it be simple.
We talked color, shape and style for a while. Eventually we came up w/ a card.
THEN I did a few sample cards and sent pictures to them. We finally ended with a similar version of one I made.
Whatever you do...get a cash deposit to cover the cost of supplies.
I would even suggest a written order that she signs.
just don't want to see you get burned from someone you do not know!
__________________ Many Blessings & Much Joy! Michelle
Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12
Yes Heart - you're right about doing a written agreement - I hadn't really even thought of that.
I heard the girl has a picture of an invitation she sort of liked. That will be great if she does - I can certainly copy! :-) But I would still do up different versions that sort of incorporate what it is that she likes about the invite.
Basically, right now, I'm just waiting for her to contact me, she's supposed to email or call me this week. We shall see......
I just finished making my largest batch ever...total was over 175 invites, layered with vellum, ribbon and cording!!! HOLY SMOKE!!!! It was ALOT of work.... once you see what she is looking for take a look at some invites on line and see what an invite comparable would be...then see if it is worth your time to do it or not. I did my brothers invites as a gift....whew....am I glad they are now married and on the honeymoon!!!! LOL
I am currently making 300 wedding invites for a friend of mine and before anyone gasps at this....I am charging only $.60 an invitation. It has thus far taken me 1 1/2 hours to cut all the paper, 2 hours to layer engagement pictures onto two layers, and then probably another 3 hours to attach vellum, ribbon. So about $185.00 plus she paid for her supplies= $75.00 all SU!
how much $$ for doing 200 invites?
