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Invitations Printing Company
Invitations
Invitations are used to announce an event that is occurring and invite the recipients to attend. You might send an invitation for a wedding, bar/bat-mitzvah, engagement party or a birthday party. Contrary to what many people think, your invitations may serve a lot broader of a purpose than simply inviting guests to attend. They are in effect your guests' first impression of your function. The style and lavishness of the invitation will affect your guests' expectations, attire and choice of gifts.
Relevant topics:
Invitation Design Tips Checklist Creating an Effective Invitation
Design Tips for Invitations
As invitations set the tone for your event, it might be worth taking the time to make sure they are designed, worded and sent out exactly the way you envisioned them. Here are a few tips that will hopefully simplify your design process:
- Make sure your invitations are sent out with plenty of notice. This might seem obvious, but if the designing process and deciding on the invitees takes longer than you expected you might run into some issues. So make sure you leave ample time for the whole invitation process.
- There are so many invitations out there these days making it extremely hard for a couple to narrow down the field. If you look long and hard enough you can probably find one that elicits the emotional response you were hoping for. Also, keep in mind that the invitation sets the mood for the entire event so choose carefully!
- If appropriate, you might want to consider putting a picture in your invitations. Pictures can say a lot more than words sometimes.
- Work with your designer to make sure all the details from the wording to the sealing are to your liking. This is a one time event (hopefully) so make sure you start it off with a bang!
Checklist for Invitations
Here is a checklist according to usabride.com ( http://www.usabride.com/wedplan/a_invitations_tips.html ) of some things to keep in mind while designing your wedding invitations:
• Expect to pay up to $4-5 dollars a piece for invitations depending on how formal or fancy your invitations will be.
• Order invitations at least four months before the wedding to allow plenty of time for their preparation, addressing and mailing. For engraved invitations order them even five months ahead.
• Invitations set the theme and the mood for your wedding. So, keep that in mind when you make your selections.
• Invitations need to be sent out four (4) to six (6) weeks prior to your wedding date!
• Yes, you must put the appropriate postage on your return envelopes. This is not a place to try and save money!
• Be sure to ask for some samples of recently performed work or created invitations when shopping for your invitations.
• Order 15 to 20 more invitations than you think you need. It can be very expensive to order additional invitations at the last minute - and you may not get them in time! You'll need extra invitations for any mistakes made in addressing the envelopes, any "last minute" additions to the guest list, and a few for keepsakes.
• Thermography looks very much like engraved invitations. The biggest difference is that it costs a lot less!
• Have a friend or family member check the "draft" or pre-press copy before giving the final "OK".
• Review your guest list to make sure that all the names are spelled correctly and addresses are up to date.
• Count your invitations and proof them before leaving the place that prepared them for you.
• It's likely, and appropriate, that a deposit will be requested by the printer/preparer.
• Take a typical invitation "package" - what you will be sending to your guests - to the post office and have it weighed. Be sure to apply the appropriate amount of postage stamps so that your invitations are delivered on time and with no postage due!
• All Children over the age of 16 should receive their own invitation.
• Usually, the bride's family sends out the invitations. However, if the groom's parents are sharing in the expenses, then they can be on the invitation as well.
Creating an Effective Invitation
As previously mentioned, the invitation is the guests' first perception of your function. Everything from the style of the invitation to the wording can take on an underlying meaning. Here are some additional tips for creating an effective invitation:
- Pay careful attention to details from the style to the wording. They should accurately reflect the mood of the event. Your guests will appreciate the effort you put into the invitation and how much you desire their presence at your event.
- When addressing the envelopes (particularly for wedding invitations), the outer envelope should be addressed formally. Write out entire names and cities and don't use abbreviations except for Mr., Mrs. And Dr. of course.
- Place the invitation in the inner envelope with the folded edge down and the front of the invitation facing the back of the envelope. The inner envelope is then placed in the outer envelope with the front of the inner envelope facing the back of the outer envelope.
- Make sure to place a response card, response envelope and directions (preferably a map) inside the envelope. Response cards usually go under the flap of the response envelope and then over the invitation or inside the fold.