Wedding Layers

I would like to help take some of the stress of decision-making off of you by offering some hints and tips that will help you in choosing your wedding invitations.

1. Proofs:
Find out if there is a charge for proofs. If there is a charge, pay it! It is better to pay a small fee for proofs than to have to pay to reprint all of your invitations because of an error on your part. E-proof, online proof or printed proof? A printed proof is best.

But if you have already purchased a sample in the same colors and confirmed that you are satisfied with the colors, a proof sent via email will do.

Even when you are offered an online proof after you personalize your invitation online, it is still best to get a proof e-mailed, faxed or mailed to you. Some companies only offer a black and white faxed proof, which does not allow you to make sure you are satisfied with the colors. Find out how many revisions you are allowed and what the charge is for additional revisions and/or proofs.

2. Colored inks and printing in more than 1 color:
Most wedding invitation companies charge an extra fee for colored inks instead of black only. They might also charge you an extra fee to print a second color. For a more contemporary style invitation, look for invitations that are printed in full-color.

3. Raised lettering or thermography:
There is usually an extra charge to have your invitations printed with raised lettering. There is also usually a very limited color palette to choose from with this option. That’s why more and more brides are choosing invitations that are printed in full color so that they can match their wedding color scheme, no matter what their colors are.

4. Adding extra lines of text:
It is not uncommon for traditional wedding invitation companies to charge an extra fee for adding extra lines of text. (Some companies do not even offer the option of adding extra lines of text.) Custom invitation boutiques usually do not charge extra for this.

5. Layout changes:
If it is even offered at all, many companies require an additional charge for any invitation or card you would like set up differently than shown in their sample or catalog. For instance, if you want your text to be right-aligned instead of centered, or if want your names to be in a larger font, etc. The exception to this is custom invitation boutiques that will create your invitation for you exactly to your specifications. The problem is custom invitations can be quite expensive. A more affordable option that would give you more options for customization that traditional invitations are customizable invitations. Customizable invitations are based on a particular design, but can be made to look like a custom invitation by changing the color scheme, layout, fonts, wording and even adding a photo.

6. Changing paper colors:
Be aware that some papers cost more than others and may be offered in limited colors. For instance, metallic papers, textured papers and vellum typically cost more than smooth papers.

7. Changing colors of the design:
You will have to look pretty hard to find a company that will allow you to change the colors of their design. If they offer that option at all, do not be surprised if they charge you an additional fee for doing so, or if they only have 2 or 3 different color schemes to choose from. Again, if you want to customize your invitation to match your wedding colors scheme, your best bet is to look for customizable wedding invitations.

8. Adding a photo and photo touch-up:
There are some companies that offer to print your photo on your wedding invitation, but, (except for high-priced custom invitations)they usually have predetermined layouts that your photo must fit into. If you photo needs some correcting, adjusting or cropping, be sure to find out if you will be charged an extra fee for that.

9. Turnaround time and rush fees:
Make sure you find out the estimated turnaround time so you can order your invitations far enough in advance to leave yourself time to address the envelopes, assemble the invitations, stuff and stamp the envelopes, etc. You’ll need to find out how long it will be before you receive a proof, and then how long the printing will take once the proof is approved. Add on several days to the estimated turnaround time to allow for revisions and additional proofs. It is important to start the ordering process early because rush fees can be quite hefty. Your wedding invitations should be mailed out to your guests six to eight weeks prior to your wedding date.

10. Extra envelopes:
You should always get extra envelopes in case of addressing mistakes or invitations that get returned because of wrong addresses. They will cost a lot more if you don’t order them with your initial order.

Just like buying a car, a home, or a new refrigerator, you can get stuck with some surprise fees if you don’t read the fine print.

Your wedding is one of the most special days of your life and you deserve to have everything exactly the way you want it – including your wedding invitation. You don’t have to settle for less than “perfect.” But you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get your “perfect” invitation, either. As you just read, expenses can add up very quickly, but knowing what questions to ask and what to look for in wedding invitations can save you a lot of heartache, expense and rushing around. Visit my website to learn about 17 more hidden costs to watch out for.

JoDitt Williams, known as “Your Custom Card Lady,” is an invitation designer and the owner of Joyful Heart Design, an online custom wedding invitation boutique. JoDitt welcomes you to visit her website to view the most up-to-date customizable invitations on the market. Please visit http://www.oohandaahweddinginvites.com

Author: JoDitt Williams
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When your guests come into the reception hall they will all be really concerned about talking to one another and may not be wondering where their seats are because they really aren’t paying attention. So, you need some great place card holders to be sitting on the tables at every single seat so that they can capture the attention of your guests and draw them to their seats that they will have during your wedding celebration. It is important to keep your theme and color scheme in mind when choosing place card holders because these can really become functional pieces of décor on the tables because you can use them to enhance your theme or add some much needed color.

Gold is a really elegant color that has an air of sophistication. So, if you are having a kind of classic style wedding or a wedding with rich colors that gold will accent very nicely then there are a few great examples of place card holders for you. Gold will really impress your guests and I bet that it can help to bring all of your decorations together into a single idea that will really make you look like an amazing interior designer who planned all the greatest wedding decorations possible. Another amazing feature of these is that they are not only decorations and practical pieces in your wedding reception but they can also serve as favors for each and every guest to take home with them, especially if you make the cards really personal or with a specific message for each and every individual guest to show them all how much they mean to you and how happy you are that they could share your special day with you and support all your decisions.

Gold Heart Cardholder:

This place card holder has the base of a heart and the stem goes up towards a spiral that holds the place card. The golden color of the heart really shows the value of love and how you wanted to incorporate that important theme into your wedding and the decorations that you planned to impress all your guests and make your party one of the most unique and memorable ones ever.

Golden Angel Card Holder:

The base of this place card holder is in the form of a cute little cherub. This place card holder really has an air of innocence that will make everyone at your wedding appreciate it a lot when they see it sitting on the wedding table looking adorable and still elegant because of its divine color.

Joe Palladino is the owner of Her Wedding Favors and offers fine wedding favors and unique bridal shower favors. All of his products are discounted, high-quality cheap wedding favors. You can find these wonderful wedding place card holders online for affordable prices.

Author: Joe Palladino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

Planning a dream wedding could be an extremely stressful affair. As the bride, you have to make decisions about your wedding theme, the ceremony and reception decorations, the catering, your wedding dress and even the dresses of your bridesmaids.

You may be wondering why bridesmaid dresses are so important; after all, they’re not the ones getting married. Well, whether you like it or not, you have to invest quite some time figuring out how your bridesmaid dresses can fit in with your wedding’s overall theme.

A great bridesmaid dress should complement or provide a great contrast between your wedding dress, the invitations and even the flowers you’re using to decorate your chosen venue. In short, bridesmaid dresses should match or, at the very least, complement your wedding’s color scheme.

Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses

The following are some tips on how you can pick out your bridesmaid dresses:

Tip 1: Pick something simple that will make your bridesmaids look chic, feminine and sophisticated.

You’re the bride, so it’s only fitting that you be the center of attention on your big day, but it’s equally important that your bridesmaids look their best as well. Simple but elegant bridesmaid dresses will keep eyes on you without making your closest female friends and family members look like complete eyesores.

Tip 2: Choose bridesmaid dresses that flatter everyone’s figure.

Bridesmaids, just like bridesmaid dresses come in different shapes and sizes. Though you want uniformity, it is possible that your chosen bridesmaid dress design won’t flatter everyone. If you really want uniformity between the bridesmaid dresses, then choose universally flattering dress shapes and styles for your bridesmaid gowns.

Empire waists, princess skirts and A-Line dresses all flatter different figures; pick the style that will suit all the female members of your wedding entourage.

Tip 3: If you’re after diversity, then you can ask your bridesmaids for their desired dress styles and colors.

Some brides prefer a little variety when it comes to bridesmaid dresses. If you’re okay with having bridesmaids dressed in different colors or styles, then save yourself from the headache of having to choose dress designs for each of your bridesmaids. Ask your bridesmaids to pick out their preferred dress styles themselves.

Tip 4: Work with a budget.

Let’s face it: weddings are expensive affairs. Unless you have a massive bank account, you have to work with a wedding budget. It’s unfair for your bridesmaids to pick out extremely pricey designer bridesmaid dresses. If you have a budget to follow, inform your bridesmaids. You have to do what you can to make sure all the other aspects of your wedding are financially taken cared of.

Tip 5: Choose between one-piece dresses and separates.

Although traditionally, all bridesmaid dresses consists of one-piece gowns, choosing separates over gowns may make it easier for you to find a style that suits each of your bridesmaids.

Tip 6: Consider the season when picking out your bridesmaid dresses.

The weather and the time of the year are helpful factors when it comes to determining gown styles and fabrics. For summer or spring weddings, go for lighter fabrics, short hems and even strapless styles. For winter weddings, you may want to go for floor-length dresses, sleeved gowns and shawls for the bridesmaid dresses.

Tip 7: Keep things simple when it comes to accessorizing.

Less is more when it comes to bridesmaid jewelry. Since it’s customary for the bride to give her bridesmaids gifts, why not give your bridesmaids matching jewelry pieces to wear to your wedding?

A lovely pair of earrings, a necklace or a brooch is enough to make your bridesmaids appear chic, sleek and fashion-fabulous.

If you’re going for an ultra-formal look, then nice gloves and shawls are always great bridesmaid accessories.

Tip 8: Keep things comfortable when choosing footwear. To keep your bridesmaids looking and feeling their absolute best, keep their comfort in mind when you pick out their shoes. Think about it: they’ll be standing for long periods of time and will probably dance the night away during the reception; you wouldn’t want them tripping and feeling uncomfortable in impossibly high heels, right? Low-heeled, strappy sandals are always comfortable and stylish options for your bridesmaids’ footwear.

Another option is to ask your bridesmaids to provide their own shoes for the event. Simply specify your desired shoe color, and you’re good to go.

Keep your bridesmaid dress-hunt hassle-free by following these simple tips.

All women have been waiting for this memorable day, and to have the grandest wedding you need the best Wedding Tips To help you with this, please visit fancyweddingattire.com

Author: Dennis Paguio
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty

Wedding invitations are one of the most important wedding decisions. Not only do they notify your guests of your impending wedding, if chosen carefully they can also inform your guests about:

• The style of you wedding (formal or casual),
• Your wedding locale (destination-wedding, local wedding, church, park, etc.),
• Your personal style (contemporary or traditional)
• Color scheme, and
• The theme of your wedding, if you have one.

Wedding invitations also vary in price point from very expensive to quite reasonable. You’ll want to choose them with care, so that you get the best invitation possible at your price point. The pricepoint of your wedding invitations will depend on quite a few things including:

• Paper selected,
• Print used,
• How many sheets of paper are used,
• How the paper is folded, and
• How many inserts are included in the invitation.

Fortunately, with the help of the Internet, you can investigate price points, paper quality, printing styles and gather other pertinent invitation information without actual footwork. Use these steps to help make your wedding invitation selection easier: 

Take a count. Though you may not have an exact number of guests that you’d like to invite to your wedding, you should have a ballpark range. This way, it will be easier to come up with a realistic budget for your wedding invitations.

Create that budget. A good estimate for wedding invitations is about three percent of your total wedding budget. If your wedding budget is $20,000, you’ll want to limit your spending on invitations to no more than $600.

Start now. It’s good to give yourself plenty of time to see what’s out there. You’ll not only save money, you’ll have time to order samples.

Take six. You should allow for a six-month window when it comes to ordering your wedding invitations. This way you’ll have enough time to allow for printing, AND the correction of any errors in your invitations. You’ll also need time to assemble your wedding invitations and prepare them for mailing.

Pick it out. There are literally thousands of styles and designs of wedding invitations available, there are only a handful of basic types of invitations. You’ll find invitations that are:

• Engraved
• Thermographed
• Offset Printed
• Calligraphic
• Embossed
• Handmade
• Boxed

Engraved. Engraved invitations are classic wedding invitations. They are generally used to announce a very traditional-style wedding. For very formal weddings, engraved invitations are an absolute must. Engraved wedding invitations are also very expensive and time consuming because it takes an engraver several steps to complete the invitation. Note: You should order your engraved invitations no less than eight weeks from the date of your wedding–preferably further in advance. 

Thermography. Thermographed wedding invitations are an affordable alternative to an engraved invitation. Thermography creates the illusion of raised text (like engraving) through a printing process that heats the ink and resin chemical in a combination causing the printed text to appear raised while the paper beneath it looks smooth. The end result has a very elegant look and works very well for semi-formal weddings. Note: Plan on ordering these invitations at least six weeks in advance.

Offset Printing. Most printing today is offset printing (also known as lithography). Offset printing has become one of the most popular choices on the market today because they are very cost efficient, they are available through most stationary vendors and printers (both online and off), and the invitations can be purchased “blank” allowing you the option of printing your own information on them. Printed invitations are appropriate for semi-formal and casual weddings. The quality of offset printing can vary greatly, so be sure to look for a printer who can deliver crisp quality and true colors. Note: While the turnaround time for printed invitations is typically short, you should still plan on ordering your printed invitations at least 4-6 weeks in advance.

Embossed. Similar to engraved invitations, the raised print on an embossed wedding invitation looks impressive and classy, but might be hard on the budget. Since it is rarely seen, though, embossed wedding invitations stand out among the many pieces of mail your guests receive. Note: Buy a small embosser with your monogram or return address on the plate. This will allow you to create custom stationery in a more affordable way.

Calligraphy. Calligraphed invitations are very elegant. They work well for weddings with an old fashioned theme, but can be very expensive due to the amount of time and effort involved in producing them. Because of the expense, you might also look for a printer who creates the look of calligraphy on printed invitations. Note: When deciding on whether to choose calligraphy invitations, remember that you need to allow extra time for preparation. Keep in mind, too, that this type of invitation may smudge if it comes in contact with moisture.

Handmade. Wedding invitations that are handmade are gaining popularity because they are cost efficient and they add a nice personal touch to your very special day. You may want to consider using a desktop publishing program, too, and attractive stationary to make the process a little easier. Note: Remember to plan on making additional invitations in case of mistakes and allow plenty of time to prepare them.

Boxed. Boxed wedding invitations are available at most retailers and provide a quick and easy alternative to other types of invitations. Also, they can be easily dressed up for a unique and personal touch. Note: Buy extras to ensure that you have enough in case of mistakes or you need to invite additional guests.

Lisa Bakewell writes wedding-related articles for Best Little Wedding Shop where you can find green wedding invitations and affordable wedding invitations.

Author: Lisa Bakewell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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