Help needed - wedding invitation how to's????

[slasley475]

Hi everyone!! I'm hoping someone out there can help guide me in the right direction and give me plenty of advice I've made birthday cards, and general all-occasion cards, but I've never made Wedding invitations. Well, I've been asked to come up with several different examples for an order of 400 cards! PLUS they want "save-the-date cards" on top of the wedding invitations. I'm a little beside myself because I dont know where to start.... I keep thinking about cost, and how do you figure it, do you use a regular home printer for the wording, where do you get the paper, the envelopes for that many etc, etc, etc. HELP!!!!
I would love any advice or help anyone can give...... I'm trying not to panic! I really want to do this, so I hope someone can tell me where they get their supplies,etc...

Thanks so much in advance and sorry if I rambled!!

Shaunna

[Elissa Rene]

Shaunna,
I've done several sets of wedding invitations and I recommend you start with the envelopes first. The hardest part of wedding invitations is finding nice envelopes that match and are professional looking. You have to design the size of your invitation to the size of your envelopes. Different brands can be different sizes.......don't quote a price to your client until you know where you are going to order your envelopes from and how much they cost.
These are the cheapest and best sources I have found for wedding envelopes:
Paperdirect.com (has paper to match)
LCI Paper.com (good source of lined envelopes)
Envelopemall.com
Paper-Source.com
You also want to be sure that whatever paper you are using for the invitation matches the envelopes. For example if you are using ivory paper, you don't want to order white envelopes etc. There are MANY shades of white and ivory!
You can also check locally (try a company called XpedX) to see if you can get announcement style envelopes so you don't have to pay shipping. Do you need a response card? You will want to order response envelopes and regular envelopes from the same company. Also finding inner/outer envelopes can be a pain if you are designing a very formal invitation. Check LCI they have a good selection.

I have always used a professional printer in my area for wedding invites....if you have a good quality laser printer you could probably do it yourself, but with wedding invites, you want it to be professional looking and you don't want the ink to run. Try to find a printer in your area who will give you wholesale prices so you can still make money on your invites. The printer I use charges the same for thermography and flat printing so I can generate very professional invites for my clients at a reasonable price. Don't quote your price until you've figured out the printing....it can run more than you think.....especially if you use colored ink or more than one color.

If you have any other questions, I'll be glad to help you if I can, just send me a PM.....
good luck!
Elissa

[slasley475]

Thank you so much Elissa. I didn't even think about the wedding invitations matching the envelope..... I will look at each co. and go from there. I really need to do some research first, then design 2nd I guess. She asked for examples - but I dont even own the first wedding stamps!! I could always use florals too.... What to do??? She said the main colors are black and white with pastel pink, blue, green, yellow, and lilac. I'm having ideas, but too many crazy thoughts at once. I need to BREATHE!!:-D

I do have a local printer... I'll check with them on Tuesday. WOW - I cant thank you enough - you have helped me tremendously. I think I'll go make a to-do list and start 1 step at a time. It's hard not to get over-anxious! I'm hoping this will help me with advertising also.... And I really want to do a beautiful job for her but without completely stressing out. If I stress out too bad it's not worth it!!! I'll just keep praying!!

I will keep in touch with you if you dont mind - I would like the extra support!!!

Thanks again and I'll be talking with you soon,

Shaunna

[Dyu]

Elissa gave you excellent advise! I have made wedding invites a few times myself & let me tell you, it's ALOT of work! Whatever you do, do not short change yourself! I sat down & figured everything I used, the amount I used per invite & allowed for extra. If you happen to find your ribbon on sale, (more power to you!!) just make sure you charge retail. I really had a hard time with pricing because I knew they could go to a professional printer & get them cheaper, but I had to remind myself they were going to pay for "Handmade"! I haven't gotten all the ones I have bidded on, but that's ok. As far as ideas go, try to keep it simple & elegant. Makes it alot earier to reproduce :mrgreen: Goodluck to you!

[I-Am-Serendipity]

I did my mother-in-law's wedding invitations, and by the 50th one you will be SICK of them! I did 100, so I can't imagine doing 400!! Yowza!

Along the envelope conversation line, watch what size envelope you get - certain sizes may need more postage, and watch your embellishments too. It has to be able to go thru the mail without the envelope ripping because it got caught on a machine at the post office. Embellishments will add weight to your card, which again, may increase postage. You will also need rsvp cards - again, watch the size!

What I did was make up a couple of sample invitations for them to look at, plus I brought along some swaps that had ideas on them. They picked the colors, the font for the printing, the design and embellishments they liked the best. I made up a completed one, so they could see it before I started working on it, to make sure it was what they wanted. They tweaked it one more time, and I brought them the final card, which they approved. I had 30 days to make them, so I planned on doing at least 4 every day for the next 30 days. That included the rsvp card and little map. Complete from start to finish. I also did the address labels on everything and I also did a small embossed circle stamp on the back flap.

I didn't have to worry about giving them a cost, because it was part of our present to them, so I can't help there. Also allow for screw ups - out of every 10 cards I did, at least one ended in the trash. But I'm kind of a perfectionist when it comes to stuff like that.

The most important thing I can suggest is make sure it's not too difficult - you don't want to have to measure out where you are putting a stamp or an embellishment on 400 invitations. Also, make sure you have enough TIME! 400 invitations is a LOT and there will be days were you are unable to work on them.

HAVE FUN!! Post what is the final creation! ;)

[NancyK.]

I agree with getting the envelopes first, as well as doing something more along the lines of clean and classic. You may want to do a search in the SCS gallery of "wedding invitations" to come up with ideas.

[Elissa Rene]

Definitely keep them simple...and flat......the other posters are correct they need to be able to go thru the mail..........also print extras.....I found that I messed up on quite a lot when trying to get things aligned on layers....so make sure you allow for messups! I would mess up about 1 or 2 for every 10 I did...and 400 is a LOT! The most I've ever done is 120 and I thought I was going to die! Make sure you allow yourself enough time for assembly. I priced mine from 4.00 to 8.00 a set......including invitation, envelopes, respond card and in some cases reception card and map as well.
I'll be glad to answer any other questions you might have.....just drop me a line!
Elissa

[Brianya]

You know, 400 is a lot! How many people are they inviting, like 600-700? I invited 160 people to my wedding in Septmeber and used 87 invites. I was not brave enough, or have enough patience to make my own. I had someone else make them for me. They used Bazzill CS and ivory paper. They were fairly simple pocketfold invites. I loved them and recieved many compliments on them.
I would consider it an honor if someone thought my work was good enough to make their wedding invites, so congratulations!

[Brianya]

I forgot to add in my previous post, the company that made my invites, charged $5.50 per invite. That included the envelopes, and I paid an additional $20 flat fee to have my return address printed on them.

[slasley475]

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all of your help...... I know - 400 is ALOT of people.. I have no idea who they are inviting, but it must be half of our county! I'm afraid of what I might be getting into, but it is an honor they asked and if I don't do it now, I'm afraid I might not be asked again -hate to pass of the opportunity. The wedding is in October, so if I get my act together and get moving, I believe I can do this. They want the invitations by the 1st part of September and the save the date cards soon though. I'd never heard of "save the date" cards until today. When my husband and I married 18 years ago, we had a simple, but pretty wedding with invitations and rsvp cards only. (and yes, I ordered mine..... that was WAY before my card and scrapping days!!!)

WOW!! Looks like I've come to the right place for moral support.... Please, keep any ideas, etc., coming and I will keep you posted!! I'll show you my examples I come up with too and you can be my judges:mrgreen: I have to wait on a few stamps though - I havn't had the need so dont have many that I thought would work perfectly for weddings - oh - I probably do, but why not use this as an excuse to get another???!!

I feel better now - You have all been WONDERFUL!!!!!!

Many, many thanks and blessings to each of you,

Shaunna

[jeaniebean55]

Here are a few links to other threads about wedding invites. About a year ago I was asked by a dear friend to do about 100 -- I was thrilled and terrified and posted a thread. Couldn't find it, but did find these (BTW, We went with Anchor Paper for both CS and envies -- used pearlescent, it was wonderful!). HTH

Forums at Splitcoaststampers

Forums at Splitcoaststampers

Forums at Splitcoaststampers

[hardhunter]

For the "Save the date cards" here is a very nice and easy one posted by someone here on.
Bridal Shower Invite by starofmay at Splitcoaststampers
You can always change it up a bit.

[Bad Bev]

I have also done wedding invitations and agree that getting the envelope sizes first will be the most important part of your design. The last ones I did, the bride chose a square design - 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 - and the envelopes were easy to find and square invitations are quite popular right now, but will require extra postage because of their shape, so make sure the bride is aware of that. Also, if the invitation will contain a response card and an envelope for that, that might also lead to extra postage. The first ones I ever did was 250 and all were tied with a sheer ribbon - after tying about 50 of those things I was going "what was I thinking when I showed her this design? Who's idea was this anyway?" But in the end they turned out beatifully and I was proud of the way they looked. 400 is a big number, but it's just a number - take your time and all will go well.

[pinkhedgehog]

We can be stamping twins! I am doing announcements for my sister and she called me yesterday during VSN to tell me she needs 400 of them. They will not have nearly that many at the reception, but they are from different areas of the country and both come from big families. He is from a small town and his Dad is a doctor, so I'm such much of the town will be invited to the open house in his area.

I'm not doing wedding stamps at all. I just put a photo of the prototype in my gallery. This is my 4th set of invitations and I've learned as I go. This time I'm doing them on Mellow Moss paper and they will put them in ivory envelopes. I'm doing only 3 images on the front of the card, two tulips from Terrific Tulips and a quote from Emily Dickinson. The most work will be the little border inside the window.

For this I'm using 2 square punches and I just bought a bunch of Sakura glue pens to glue them on. I may end up sending the ribbons and the paper squares to them and let them finish the gluing and tying. They're buying their own envelopes locally near them to get the printing started on those. These cards are 6 1/4" x 4 1/2", a pretty standard size to find envies for.

Here's the link to the pic: Tulip Wedding I just uploaded it. They didn't want anything to elegant, but they wanted classy and springy. They thought there colors were going to be sage and lavender until I showed them those two colors together. Once they saw the moss and eggplant, they were hooked.

[slasley475]

Hello everyone! I cant thank you enough for all of your help!! I'm getting excited - again. I've gone from excited - to worried, and thinking I can't do this - and now back to excited!!!!

I've contacted Anchor paper company and gotten price quotes and samples are on their way!! Now, I've got a call in to a local printing company.... we'll see!!! And, I made my first example - but I wont post it!! It's too much of a mess and I need different stamps!! But I'll keep trying. I just need some flower stamps so have posted an ISO message. My stamps are all geared towards my 2 kiddos and birthdays and Christmas and outdoors.... I thought I had a variety but when I looked I didn't have any flowers that I thought would work for a wedding invite. I guess that just wasn't my style??!! But I'm changing. I think flowers or other stamps would be more versatile instead of the "wedding" stamps!! I really like the new Baroque Motif in the new catty.... but I'm afraid to spend too much on just the examples and her not like any.... I guess I can always use them for something else??!!!!!:p

Thank you thank you thank you for all of your support, ideas, tips and EVERYTHING!!!

I'm supposed to be getting ready to play in the snow - YEAH - school was cancelled today - so I better get going. I will write more later and keep you posted!!

Blessings!!!
Shaunna

[pantala40]

Here are some pictures of my wedding invites that I made. They were a HUGE hit with all my guests. I designed them myself - but used professional printing service to get raised Ink. I purchased pocket folders from CardsandPockets.com PM me if you would like any more info or more photos!!

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IMG_5028.jpg
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[I-Am-Serendipity]

Those are GOOOORJUS!!! How much did you charge for those? The OP has no idea on how much to charge, and something like those will perhaps, give her a feel for what to charge. Excellent!!! ;)

[cindybstampin]

So much helpful information here. I have a friend new to stamping who decided to make her Save the Date cards and wedding invitations. She did an outstanding job and knew exactly what she wanted so that made it pretty easy to come up with designs using Pretty In Pink, Black and silver. I will post a photo on my blog in a few days after I get her permission. She did have the greatest difficulty with the envelopes. She ended up making them for the first batch and then found the envelopes first for the invites.
Good luck! I do believe you will have something far more special and save money too.

[skdeleeuw]

Remember, you don't have to stamp on them. You can just use ribbons as embellishments. I've done two wedding invite sets and one 50th anniversary. I just finished one yesterday. It was 150 invites plus RSVP, directions/accomodations & registration card. It was a 7x7 square. No stamping. Two layers of paper with a 7/8" ribbon wrapped around it. Very simple, yet beautiful. I only charged $3.50 per invite, but I did not use a professional printer. I printed them myself. I can't find a local printer who will use my cardstock. Have fun!