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Has anyone made wedding invitations and all that goes with them?
I have been commissioned to do invitations, meal cards etc. for my aunts upcoming wedding and I don't know where to start! I have an idea on what I want to do for the invitation, but I also need the meal cards, envelopes, etc.
I'd like to use as much SU! stuff as possible and I know that I will be using my computer to print them out.
Any advice from anyone who has made these would be VERY MUCH appreciated!
Thanks!
If it's any help at all, I did all of my own Wedding Invitations (which included a Return/Acceptance Card and brochure of the town we were getting married in so people could arrange accommodation etc), Place Cards, Order of Service Cards, Bomboneires. I even made my own train, head gear and the Groomsmen's waistcoats (thankfully there were only two to make). I also did my flowers and my bridesmaid's flowers. Yes, I pretty much did it all - so what would you like to know - LOL!!!!
Seriously, you can make the project as easy or as hard as you like. At the time (we've been married for 3 years now) I'd never even heard of Stampin' Up and used some lovely cardstock I got from a local Scrapbook supplier. Printed everything out on from my PC using a coloured printer. I still have the original documents saved somewhere.
I think the most important STARTING point is making a plan - of what you're making, what each item has to SAY (ie: what needs to be printed on each item - best to make sure the future bride and groom have a say on that part of it and agree with it before you start printing). And here's some important things to consider and get right before you start:
1. Make sure you have the day, date, place & time correct for the invites
2. Make sure you have the correct spelling of names for the bridal party
3. Get the bride and groom to give you the list of invitees and ensure that all their names and addresses are correct and spelled correctly.
4. Discuss with the bride and groom their colour and/or theme to the wedding and try and carry that over to your stationery - you don't want to have super dooper fancy invites if the wedding is going to be a casual affair, for example, and vice versa
Basically, they're the important things to get right. Once you decide what it is you're making and what each thing needs to say, you can play around with your PC and normal printer paper to ensure it all looks right and will "work" with whatever cardstock you eventually end up using.
I think that's all I can suggest now. But please, from someone who's done this already, if you'd like to PM me with any specific questions about anything you're doing on this project, please do so - I'd be happy to help in any way I can!!!
Having done several weddings now I can tell you that you need to make sure to estimate the amount of time to make one invite and remember how many you will be making! Don't make a very elaborate...multi layer type if you will be making 300! Trust me on this LOL!!! I let the bride tell me a little about what she wants...ie roses, butterflies, momograms etc...the theme. Then I have her pick a font...I offer about 20 or so that I have found appealing..then try to use this font for everything (had one bride insist on several different fonts but that was her choice) plus check all the things listed in Cav's post once these things are established it gets easier. i make about three or four sample invites and let the bride choose what she wants....generally it is a combo of what I have offered...ie this stamp, that font, and add this flourish or change the colors around...then it is off to stamp the old fingers to the bone! Good luck and PM if you need other ideas
I've done a few sets as well. I usually design the invitation first and then create all of the other pieces to coordinate. I always ask the couple if there is a particular style that they like first. From there I will create 1 - 3 samples keeping in mind the color scheme, quantity needed, budget & time frame. I usually only show my favorite design at first, but have the other two as back ups (some people get overwhelmed with too many options).
Best advice: buy more supplies than you think you need. I much rather return overages than run out in the middle of the night.
Oh yes, yes, yes to Angela and Mochalatte's comments!!!!! So very important to make sure you can do everything in a timely fashion. I found with mine, once I'd decided on what I wanted, that I did mine a little at a time. I figured out how many invites I wanted (and they definitely have to be the first thing you do - place names, order of services, bombonieres (sp?) etc are all dependent on how many guests "accept") then worked out when I wanted to send them and how much time I had to make them. As I was working full time and doing all the other sorts of things that one does in life, I simply made a commitment to complete a certain number of invitations per day/per week etc. This was much more manageable and of course, I got them done on time and wasn't stressed at all about the process. So Angela's suggestion is spot on!!!
And absolutely give the bride choices on fonts and themes etc then come up with a couple of samples. If you're meeting with her soon then try and have some font samples ready and even stamp some of your stamps you want to use, or design a couple of invites for her to look at. She might not like exactly what you've done, but it's a starting point for both of you to work out what can be done and what you CAN do!!!! Again, I agree, once the invite's done, the rest just sort of falls into place.
I think as long as you have fun doing it and you don't see it as a chore, you'll be fine and try not to let it overwhelm you - just stick to a plan!!!!
Wedding invitations...
