It’s the day you have dreamed about for years. It’s your wedding day.
You’ve carefully considered all of your options for your dress, flowers, food, décor, music and all of the other details to create the celebration that will unite you and your loved one for years to come. You’ve carefully pared a guest list to invite family members and friends to join you in the momentous occasion.
Now, it’s time to select your invitations. The wedding invitation is probably one of the most important aspects of the wedding day. The invitation conveys the time, place, direction and a process to respond attendance. It also creates mood, sets expectation and makes the first impression of your event to your guests.
As brides begin to browse through oversized albums and invitations web sites with hundreds of designs, they are faced with the reality that their budget often limits what they ultimately select. Many brides are faced with the question: Should I make my own wedding invitations or work with a professional to design and print them?
The wedding invitation makes the first impression of your big day to your guests. It should look clean, professional, and, well, inviting. Sometimes you can achieve this with a do-it-yourself kit, when combined with the talent of someone very crafty and creative. These kits range from boxed sets purchased at any craft store to individual paper, cardstock and envelopes that can be mixed and matched to create your desired look. Invitations of the do-it-yourself, or DIY, variety require the creator to set their own type on the computer and then print them out using their own printer. DIY wedding invitations are designed to save brides money and create a unique announcement all their own.
As with any do-it-yourself (DIY) project, brides should have a lot of patience. When creating wedding invitations, patience is a virtue. Brides and their well-meaning helpers can run into many challenges to create the invitations of their dreams. Computer programs may pose a challenge to create and print from the document template. Limited paper stock may be sacrificed to line up the printing exactly where you want it. When it’s time to print the invitation, the paper can be caught in the printer, or the printer runs out of ink. Then, the invitations need to be assembled. While the DIY wedding invitation solution promise to save a bride some cash, it doesn’t really save her time or her sanity.
Now consider working with a professional invitation coordinator. These invitation providers usually have lots of experience with managing events and work with many brides and event planners to create the right piece envisioned by the bride-to-be. They may have many albums with ready-made samples to view and touch, so you can see exactly what to expect. The albums, from nationally known manufacturers, are packed with hundreds of designs, many more options than the DIY invitation kits on store shelves. The designs can be amended to create a unique look with type, ink, and sometimes color of the design itself. Brides can order samples of the designs they like and take them home for further review and consideration.
Professional invitation providers give counsel on what designs will work and are popular for the season. They ask the bride specific questions to help her choose the design she wants while staying within her budget. They can also make sure that the bride has all of the pieces of the invitation such as the reply card and a reception card. For out of town guests, the bride may include hotel information and tourist attractions. Professional invitation providers give advice on the quantity to order, ideas on how to present text, and the types of printing methods available. They typically manage all communication with the company designing the invitation, providing a proof the bride can approve or change. This leaves the bride with more time to focus on other aspects of the big day.
For brides who still have the DIY instinct, there is a hybrid approach to selecting wedding invitations. Visiting invitations web sites and placing your order is a great way to satisfy the urge to DIY and choose and receive a professionally printed piece. Invitation web sites can have thousands of designs, more than any one stationer or card shop. The bride can type in her desired text and see a proof of what it will look like on the screen, as well as pay for it directly with a credit or debit card. Samples can be ordered directly from the web site, for a nominal fee, and sent directly to her mailing address. That way, the bride can be absolutely sure that the design is exactly what she wants.
Often, wedding invitation web sites also give hefty discounts on orders, anywhere from 10 to 25 percent. The invitations often come from national vendors like Carlson Craft or Stylart, and can be tweaked to create a one-of-a-kind design. The invitations often arrive unassembled, which gives the bride another opportunity to engage her DIY aspirations.
There are local invitation providers who can meet with a bride in-person at their store or by appointment and have an online venue for brides to order their invitations. This is often the best model for the DIY bride, as she can speak with a professional to understand their needs and see designs in person, and if they are confident enough, they can make an online purchase.
Weddings are one of the few occasions where all of the people that matter to you will be in the same room. Whatever route you choose to select your invitation, be sure that you make a positive first impression with your invitation.
Denise Scatena is the owner of BLUE RIBBON INVITATIONS, in San Diego, California. A seasoned public relations and event professional, Denise started BLUE RIBBON INVITATIONS as a natural extension of what she loves to do — help people promote their businesses and celebrate milestones. She was bit by the event planning bug early, in high school she planned dances. In college, she planned sorority events. One guiding principal guides her work: It doesnt matter how great your event is or will be, its important to do what it takes to tell people about it and motivate them to attend.
BLUE RIBBON INVITATIONS provides invitations and announcements for all of life’s occasions. Visit http://www.blueribbonsandiego.com to view hundreds of invitation designs from national suppliers such as Regency Thermo and Carlson Craft. Order online and proof your order in minutes. In-person meetings available by appointment to discuss your needs and make sure you select a design that will excite your guests.
Author: Denise Scatena
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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