invites your way - Invitation Consultants

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invites your way
The ABCs of invitation styles, from paperless to letterpress
By erika hueneke • photos by carrie garcia
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etterpress or digital printing? Plantable or framable? Technicolor or simple black-andwhite? These days, there are a million different options for wedding invitations, the
first impression your guests will get of your wedding away. To save you time, we got the
skinny on eight different invitation styles (from least expensive to most costly) and highlighted the latest trends so you can make a beeline for the one that’s right for you.
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Paperless $
Print-at-Home $
Digital $$
Eco-Friendly $$
Printing Book $$$
Bilingual $$$$
What it is Interactive online stationery that
simulates the experience of paper, complete with
digital envelopes. The best companies go way beyond simple evites, focusing on elegant, personalized presentations.
Who it’s for Those with a short planning period
and/or a younger or more tech-savvy guest list.
“We’re seeing a really big shift toward users opting
for a paperless save-the-date because of the immediacy and efficiency, even if they’re sending paper
invitations,” says James Hirschfeld of Paperless
Post, the industry leader.
Process Paperless Post offers hundreds of preformatted cards that allow couples to simply drop in
their names and details. A design tool allows you to
choose from 65 different fonts.
Time frame As little as minutes.
Inserts “Hosts can add up to six additional cards
in each envelope, including maps, photo inserts, and
travel and accommodation options, along with any
additional information they might want to include.”
Price Each card typically costs less than $1 per
guest, and often less than 50 cents each.
What it is A 100 percent biodegradable invitation
made entirely of recycled material. “Our plantable
invitations are as eco-friendly as it gets — they
reproduce life, which is really unique,” says Tim
Heredia of ForeverFiances.
Who it’s for The environmentally conscious couple who wants something with a natural aesthetic.
“We have a variety of designers and designs, many
of which feature trees, flowers and nature scenes.
But that doesn’t account for everybody’s tastes, so
we do accept the couple’s original design as well.”
Process “Couples select an invitation online; they
provide their text; and we provide them with a proof
via email. Brides can then receive free samples of
the design they like by liking us on Facebook.”
Time frame Generally an eight- to 10-day turnaround for the entire process.
Inserts “We offer menus, place cards and other
enclosures. My favorite way of showing that off is
with the all-in-one invitation that’s very long and
folds up into a self-mailer with four panels, a flap
and a detachable RSVP card.”
Price From $1.69 to $6.99 per invitation.
18 destination weddings & honeymoons
What it is A DIY kit that comes with a printable
invitation, invitation envelope, response card and
response-card envelope. “Ribbons, embellishments
and invitation pockets are also included in many of
our kits,” says Jenny Kunz of Gartner Studios. Plus,
at-home kits aren’t just plain white cards anymore.
“We offer more than 100 styles, including bold trendforward colors and patterns.”
Who it’s for Couples on a budget and/or who
enjoy being hands-on.
Process “Purchase your invitation kit at a variety
of retail stores nationwide or at gartnerstudios.com,
find your invitation template on our website, enter
your copy and print with your home computer.”
Time frame A few hours.
Inserts “Many of our deluxe kits come with an
extra all-purpose card that can be used for reception information, directions, maps or other important details. We also carry additional packages of
all-purpose cards, as well as ceremony programs,
place cards, table-number cards, decor, favor boxes
and thank-you cards, within our wedding line.”
Price $29.99 to $39.99 per 25- to 50-count kit.
What it is Print consultants at businesses like
Sam Flax provide a book of invitation samples
from stationers such as Crane and William Arthur.
“These days, there is no hard and fast rule as far
as types of invitations offered; most stationers
carry everything from traditional ecru stock with
engraving to funky, modern digital printing,” says
Sophia Bowman-Albirt, paperie manager at Sam
Flax in Atlanta.
Who it’s for Those who prefer face-to-face
interaction and the chance to see and feel paper
sizes and textures in person.
Process Couples set an appointment and come
prepared with information such as hotel websites
and event times, as well as any ideas regarding
color and layout. The print consultant advises on
options and etiquette and shows couples appropriate suites, paper colors and fonts.
Time frame Expect two to four weeks from when
the order is placed to when it’s ready for pickup.
Inserts “The sky is the limit.”
Price Between $6 and $25 per suite with multiple
inserts and a pocket enclosure.
What it is A ready-to-order invitation with a set
design whose type style, photos, and ink and design
colors can be customized using online tools.
Who it’s for The couple more focused on planning experiences and activities for their guests and
less on invitation decisions.
Process “Our ordering process is very visual,"
says Allison De Meulder of Invitation Consultants.
”Our website allows for an instant preview of the
invitation to be seen as the user is personalizing.
Couples can see the wording and colors change as
they build their suite piece by piece.”
Time frame The length of time varies based on the
printing methods used, but many items can be completed and shipped in just two to four business days.
Inserts “We offer a variety of insert cards on our
site to allow for more details, directions and maps.
We recommend that destination couples include an
insert detailing the accommodations and any other
activities planned for the trip.”
Price The most popular invitations, from the Red
Leaf Papers collection, range from $1 to $3 each
(when ordering 100).
What it is A layout that accommodates wording
in more than one language. “Some couples opt for
both languages on one card; others have separate
cards printed in each language,” says Trish Jackson
of Invitations by Ajalon.
Who it’s for Multicultural couples or ones with
bilingual guests.
Process “The typical process begins with an inperson or phone consultation to develop a rough
design direction and concept. Once the pricing and
contract are finalized, we prepare proofs. After the
proofs are approved, we move to production.”
Time frame “At a minimum, allow four to six
weeks from your initial consultation for your order
to be designed, produced and shipped. We generally
recommend that couples order their invitations four
or five months before their wedding date.”
Inserts “We love designing invitation sets for bilingual and destination celebrations. Hand-drawn
maps, accommodations cards and unique accents
really get guests excited about a wedding away.”
Price $1,147 per 100 for a single-color set including
invitation, RSVP card and printed envelopes.
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2012 invitation trends
maps
“We’ve been using vintage maps on
save-the-dates or as invite backers or
envelope liners.” — Valerie Carlson
back to basics
“A big trend is classic invitations with
just text or simple borders.”
— Trish Jackson
emphasis on locale
“People are playing up their destination versus playing up themselves.”
— Courtney Jentzen
branding
“Couples are branding their weddings
by using the same motif on all paper
pieces used.” — Sophia Bowman-Albirt
creative typefaces
watercolor
“We’re noticing that our users are having a lot of fun with artful typography.”
— James Hirschfeld
“One of our designers has been integrating watercolor more, and it’s been
received really warmly.” — Tim Heredia
for info on the invitation designs featured in this story, see the 411 on page 119.
We
It’s all
Custom Letterpress $$$$
What it is A printing method that creates a tactile impression on paper. “We’re known for custom
letterpress-printed envelope liners and pocket folds,
specialty die-cut shapes and embellishments,” says
Valerie Carlson of Spark Letterpress.
Who it’s for Paper and design enthusiasts.
“We love to meet with people in person because
often clients are inclined to simply look at the invitations. We encourage clients to touch our products because letterpress is about the feel of the
impression, the softness of the papers.”
Process “Visit letterpresslove.com or a local
Spark dealer to find a design style you like. A consultant will help you through the ordering process
by discussing your event details, artwork, colors,
papers, quantity and price. Once your order is
placed, we email a PDF design proof.”
Time frame Six to eight weeks from start to
finish, plus extra time for custom artwork. “The
more time you allow, the better you’ll feel — it’s
never fun to be rushed. Stationery for destination weddings should be planned well in advance,
as guests need time to make their reservations.
Most of the destination save-the-dates we print
are mailed at least six to 12 months in advance.”
Illustrated $$$$
What it is An invitation that incorporates
any sort of hand-drawn artwork — pen and ink,
watercolor, graphite pencil — or digital illustration.
“Everything we create is done from an original
sketch,” says Courtney Jentzen of Swiss Cottage
Designs. “We never use clip art.”
Who it’s for Couples looking for a very personalized, custom feel without being too crafty or
DIY. “The great thing about an illustrated invite is
that it lends itself to different clients and not just
one type of couple. You can make the illustration
feel formal or retro, rustic or whimsical — there
are many options.”
Process “We like to get to know everything we
can about the couple before we proceed with any
sort of design work. Every little detail helps us conceptualize the couple’s design. Once we go back
and forth, we come up with a solid design concept
to move forward with. The couple is very involved
in the creative process from the beginning.”
Time frame Roughly six to eight weeks from
the first consultation for design and production.
Inserts “We often create a wedding-weekend
details card for destination weddings, including
the schedule of events, travel information and suggested activities while guests are there.”
Inserts “Because we like to be as green as
possible, we find clever ways to incorporate
multiple cards into one piece so the guest isn’t
overwhelmed with inserts. Our custom maps have
been a huge hit, and a lot of clients like to include
a weekend schedule of events so their guests are
in the know.”
Price $1,400 per 100 for a four-piece one-color
letterpress invitation set with pocket fold.
Price $1,700 per 100 for a three-piece custom
suite (no map). ■
And we’re all about you.
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