Wedding Layers

When planning a bridal shower for a close friend or relative, coming up with ideas for invitations can seem daunting at first. However, if you follow a simple set of guidelines when approaching your invitations, the process can be easy and you will end up with a high quality and memorable invitation.

Handmade Bridal Shower Invitations vs. Off The Shelf

Not all bridal shower invitations are created equal. Depending on which approach you choose, you can wind up with invitations that vary greatly in terms of quality. Off the shelf invitations are usually created with standard card stock while handmade invitations allow you choose your paper and allow you to use high quality blends that are much nicer to the touch. With off the shelf bridal shower invitations you also run the risk of using invitations that perhaps some of your friends have used in the past. Because your guests may keep the invitation well into the future as a keepsake, it is a good choice to go for quality when choosing your bridal shower invitations.

Including All The Necessary Information

Bridal shower invitations should not only invite your guests to the event, they should contain clear instructions on the location of the shower, any theme that is being used for the shower and an RSVP card that can help you determine the amount of guests you can expect. Including a self addressed stamped envelope inside the invitation so that your guests can return the RSVP easily is also recommended.

Bridal Shower Invitation Styles

There are many different approaches to style you can take when designing an putting together your invitations. A great designer will work with you to achieve the overall look and feel of your invitations and may suggest things such as: multi-layered design, color schemes, envelope and seal options as well as wording and layout. Depending on your budget you can go very basic with a one card invitation all the way up to elaborate bridal shower invitations that have many layers and materials.

Making Sure You Match

Bridal shower invitations should, if possible, be approached as a set which includes the invitation, RSVP card and return envelope and a letter seal for the main invitation envelope. You can go a long way in showing your attention to detail and style by making sure these items match both in design and color but also in paper stock. Again, a knowledgeable designer will always have these things in mind when you engage them to create your invitations.

Getting Your Bridal Shower Invitations Out on Time

You want to make sure that your bridal shower invitations are put in the mail with plenty of time for your guests to respond and for you to get a clear count on your guest list. A good time frame for mailing is 2-3 months prior to the bridal shower.

If you have out of town guests, this will also allow you some time to arrange accommodations at a local hotel. With group booking you can usually get a discount on the room rate for your out of town guests. This information can also be included in your invitations.

Following the simple steps above can help keep you on track for the bridal shower that you’re planning and help you approach your invitations with quality in mind. Paying attention to the little details when it comes to your invitations can make a memorable impression with your guests and provide them with an elegant keepsake of your event.

Searching for the perfect bridal shower invitations? Let Bumpercards help you create unique bridal shower invitations that will always make the right impression. Visit us today for Bridal Shower Invitations and custom personalized stationery.

Author: Michelle Burry
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The wedding invitation is one of the most important items in a wedding. It is, after all, the first thing your guests will see. It will give them an impression about your event and an idea about the clothes they should wear or the gifts they should bring. It is important therefore to first come up with a wedding invitation sample before ordering a particular design.

Having a wedding invitation sample will help you pick the right formal or informal design and the right words that will speak about your unique event. Here are things that you should ask about your wedding invitation sample before you order the real thing.

Referrals

Your first question should be directed to friends and family who have already recently gotten married. Ask them who did their invitations and ask to see their wedding invitation sample. You should also inquire about the price per piece and the quality of service given by their invitation maker. Did the invitations arrive early? Were they happy and contented with the results?

Research

Ask internet search engines to display results for a wedding invitation sample. Many wedding websites display samples, prices and descriptions of materials. Most of these sites however will ask you to pay a fee if you want to have an actual physical wedding invitation sample. The solution is to jot down the online descriptions of materials and look for actual samples at a stationary store. This will give you a good idea of what an invitation will look like without having to spend for a wedding invitation sample.

You should also study wedding invitation sample style types so that you can choose the right one. Invitation styles may include embossed, personalized and thermographed.

Customization

A very important question to ask while you are still studying a wedding invitation sample is if the invitation company will allow you to customize. We all want to have wedding invitations that will speak about our own unique wedding event and not just an invitation that is the same as everyone else’s. Ask them how far you will be allowed to customize. Will you be allowed to choose your own materials and the words that should go into the invitation? Will they consider special invitation requests such as special cut shapes or calligraphy on some invitation text?

Etiquette

You may be allowed by some invitation companies to come up with your own design and invitation words. If this is the case, be sure to carefully read and listen to their advice about wedding invitation sample wording. Your chosen invitation company may have been around for quite some time already and they will know how to properly phrase your invitation. There are different word placements that should be followed depending on who is sponsoring the wedding. Different wordings should also be followed if one set of parents are divorced.

Homemade

You may be on the thrifty side so ask around about what it takes to make your own invitation. Do a lot of research on wedding invitation sample materials and wordings to come up with your own personal self-made invitation.

Lisa Carter is an expert in wedding planning. Get her Free Wedding Planning Guide here or visit her site at www.Your-Wedding-Plans.com for money-saving tips and other useful advise for your dream wedding.

Author: Lisa Carter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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“What am I supposed to have in my invitation?” This is one of the most common questions I get asked. The answer is quite simple: Anything! It’s true that convention doesn’t quite apply anymore with respect to what ‘goes’ for an invitation these days. That being said, there are a lot of components in the most common invitation styles. I should caution that there are literally thousands of options available – some a lot more unconventional and some are even bizarre. For the sake of brevity, I’ll keep my breakdown constrained to the more common components and options used in invitations today (as about 85-90% of invitation orders inevitably consist of these).

I’ve broken down my Invitation Anatomy 101 into two lessons: Typical Components and Optional (or Additional Components). The first I’ll describe here:

Typical Components

1) The Outer Envelope

• Anchors your ‘invitation package’. This is your guest’s first impression of your wedding or event at the mailbox!
• It is a good idea to have your return address printed on the back flap of the envelope in the same lettering as your invitation.
• Your guest’s address may be handwritten neatly or written using the services of a calligrapher.
• Outer Envelopes should be reasonably sturdy and presented to your post office (fully stuffed) to determine exact postage prior to stamping and mailing.

2) The Inner Envelope

• Historically, inner envelopes were created to provide added protection to the contents of letters. That is, the outer envelope often suffered quite a bit of wear and tear between destinations, so the inner envelope would preserve the contents while identifying the recipient if the original address information wore away.
• The need for an inner envelope no longer exists, but the romantic tradition remains. Nowadays, the inner envelope identifies only the invitees within the household (e.g. Mr. & Mrs. Wilhelm Schneider). No address is written on the inner envelope. All contents of your invitation package are placed inside the inner envelope. Usually the inner envelope back flap is left folded, but unsealed.
• On a side note, I’ve found that amongst my clients only a small handful a year actually end up ordering inner envelopes. The decline in the use of Inner Envelopes is primarily due to the durability and material quality of custom invitation outer envelopes. This makes Inner Envelopes both expensive and redundant.
• On a side note, I’ve found that amongst my clients only a small handful a year actually end up ordering inner envelopes. The decline in the use of Inner Envelopes is primarily due to the durability and material quality of custom invitation outer envelopes. This makes Inner Envelopes both expensive and redundant.

3) The Invitation

• Obviously, the most essential component of your invitation package. If your invitation is a folded card, all other components should be placed inside the invitation. If this is not possible, or your invitation consist of a one-sided card, place all other components on top of the invitation. The goal here is to make the invitation package as neat and tidy as possible.
• As mentioned, anything goes when it comes to invitations. However, some typical features of a custom or custom-inspired invitation may include the following:
• Outer Card – Heavier weighted stock that envelops or mattes the invitation contents. This is the foundation of your invitation. The outer card can be anything from a plain card backing, to a pocket-fold enclosure to a multi-panel pocketed fold-out!
• Outer Embellishments – Known as the finishing touches on the ‘exterior’ of the invitation. This can be a ribbon tie, wax seal, monogram, matted graphic, pictures, foil stamped image, name, slogan, clasp, etc.
• Inner Card(s) – Usually, an inner card contains your invitation wording. There are hundreds of inner card options including, vellums, vellum overlays, mounted card, bound card, embossed cards, imported stationeries, decorative papers, embellished card or paper, folded cards, loose cards, etc.

4) The RSVP, Response, or Reply Card

• Just as important as the invitation, the size and expense of your event is largely determined by the number of accepted/returned RSVP cards.
• RSVP cards usually contain a blank line where the guest fills in his/her name and indicates the number of persons attending from his/her party. Usually an addressed and pre-stamped envelope is included to encourage your guest to respond as soon as possible.
• RSVP cards can contain other information such as multiple dining options which must be chosen, or spaces for comments, requests, feedback etc.
TIP: Lightly number each RSVP card with a corresponding guest/invitation list. That way, if any RSVP card is returned blank without the sender’s information, you’ll know exactly which guest it is.
• RSVP sizes are usually much smaller than invitations and contain an appropriately-sized return envelope. However, there is a trend towards more oversized RSVP cards (though still smaller than the invitation size).

Congratulations, now that you’ve completed the first lesson, you’re ready for the “Invitation Anatomy 101–Optional Components” articles now.

Laura Paladino’s work has been featured locally and nationally across print and television. Her public and commercial clients range from brides to wedding and event planners to celebrities in Canada and the United States. For additional articles and resources, information on Laura Paladino, her invitation design collections, or her select bridal boutique products and studio services, visit http://www.laurapaladino.com

Author: Laura Paladino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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After setting the wedding date and tentative location, the next important decision is choosing your wedding invitations. With a such a wide variety of wedding invitation styles and price ranges, this decision can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are a few ideas to help you choose the perfect wedding invitation for your big day.

How many people to invite.
You may not have specific numbers yet, but you should be able to set a number range of guests you expect to invite, such as fewer than 100 or between 200 to 300. The bride and groom each may have different ideas of how they picture their wedding day so it is very important to communicate your wishes and ideas regarding a large wedding (with many guests) or small wedding (family and a few close friends). With this guest estimate in mind, you will be able to decide on a budget for your wedding invitations.

Budget.
When estimating the cost of wedding invitations, setting aside about 3% of your total wedding budget would be an adequate amount. This means if you have budgeted $20,000 for your wedding, you are able to spend up to $600 for your wedding invitations. Costs for wedding invitations can range anywhere from $1,000 and up per 100 invitations on the high end or as little as $70 per 100 invitations on the low end.

Plan ahead, order early.
It’s good to start early when choosing wedding invitations. You and your partner will need time to research and discuss the various choices available for your invitations. If you look early enough, you may even have time to request samples from various companies. Ordering your wedding invitations at least 6 months in advance will give you a cushion of time to allow for printing of the invitations and correction of any errors that may occur in printing. You also need to account for the time it takes to assemble your invitations and mailing them out to give sufficient time for a response. Plan on ordering 20 to 25 extra invitations in case they are needed because of mistakes in addressing the invitations or if you find you need to add additional guests to the list.

Wedding invitation types.
There are three or four different types of stationery that are popular with most couples choosing wedding invitations. Prices for these various types of stationery vary widely because of the way the invitations are made. The following are some common types of stationery used for wedding invitations:

Thermography. This type of wedding invitation is relatively inexpensive, popular and easy to find. This type of invitation can be used for a casual wedding. Thermography creates the illusion of raised text through a printing process that heats the ink and resin chemical in a combination that causes the printed text to appear raised while the paper beneath it looks smooth. Because of the heating process involved in creating this type of invitation, the proper combination of paper and ink must be used.

Offset Printing. This type of wedding invitation uses normal, everyday print. Although the print may seem common, this type of invitation will still announce your wedding in an elegant manner.

Engraved. This type of wedding invitation is usually very expensive and reserved for very formal weddings. Engraved invitations are usually used to announce a very traditional style of wedding. This type of invitation is costly because an engraver must first carve the image or message into a copper plate, ink the plate, and then push the plate down onto the paper. This creates the raised lettering on the paper. Because of all the steps needed to create this type of wedding invitation, this method is time consuming and you will need to wait weeks for your invitations to be ready.

Embossed. Embossed invitations are very classy but also very expensive. Similar to engraved invitations, the raised print on this type of wedding invitation looks impressive but may be hard on your budget because of the technique used to create this type of invitation.

Calligraphy. This handcrafted invitation is elegant and refined but needs to be done by a skilled calligrapher who may be difficult to find. You can also look for a printer who creates the look of calligraphy on printed invitations. Obviously, the printed calligraphy is more affordable than the hand-written calligraphy but may not be as elegant as the hand-written one.

Once you have decided on your wedding invitations, make sure you order all the wedding stationery you will need, such as response cards and thank you cards, together for uniformity.

Choosing your wedding invitations should be an exciting and fun task in preparation for your big day. Keep in mind some of the ideas discussed above and choosing your invitations will be a bit easier.

Author: Sandi H.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker

This year the hottest wedding invitations styles take their cue from the world around us. Colors both bold and subtle, patterns that make an immediate impression and styles that combine tradition and innovation in a unique, contemporary look are all great styles. Your wedding invitations will set the tone for the wedding of your dreams when you choose from a variety of can’t miss wedding invitation styles taken from today’s hottest designers. Take a look at what the top designers are offering for your 2009 wedding invitation needs.

Vera Wang

Bold prints and delicate, subtle patterns combine in designer Vera Wang’s wedding invitation lines. Wang mixes contemporary and traditional in a style that is unabashedly joyful, un-self-consciously playful and inimitably modern. In the Vera Wang Retro Verso line, Wang turns tradition on its head to print on both sides of the invitation, pairing bold prints with delicate patterns to create wedding invitations that are memorable and unique.

o Vera Wang Retro Verso Dual Sided Gingko Wedding Invitations are simplicity embodied. One side features a bold imprint of the lovely fan-shaped gingko biloba leaf in reverse print, while the invitation appears on the other side, framed by a delicate spray of gingko leaves traced along the border. Lovely for the modern bride who still wants to offer a nod to tradition. It’s an especially apt choice for an Oriental themed wedding.

o Vera Wang’s William Arthur Black and Pink Paisley Letterpress Wedding Invitations are delightfully retro with a modern punch of color. Black and pink play against each other in a paisley-inspired flower print in bold black detailed with pretty-as-pink touches. The hand-lined pink envelope completes the ensemble that is both whimsical and very Art Deco at the same time.

Anna Griffin

The Retro Verso and Letterpress wedding invitation lines from Vera Wang are absolute can’t miss wedding invitation choices for today’s modern bride. Designer Anna Griffin focuses on the traditional, playing with touches of ribbon, satin embossing and layered panels to create a feeling of opulence and timeless elegance.

o Anna Griffin Celadon Repousse Wedding Invitations: Anna Griffin offers a subtle and elegant square invitation bordered with a pale green botanical print. The ivory center panel features an embossed border and is bound with satin ribbon at all four corners. The invitation is a statement of timeless elegance without being caught in the lock-step of engraved tradition. Pretty, subtle and definitely bridal, this is an ideal invitation choice for any formal wedding.

o Anna Griffin Platinum Toile Wedding Invitations: Beautiful invitations that save you money, is there anything better? The Platinum Toile Wedding Invitations from the Anna Griffin line is only available blank. Each invitation consists of a platinum-bordered ivory card that can be printed with your invitation wording, a vellum gatefold sleeve to wrap around it and a matching bow to create a truly romantic wedding invitation. Make a romantic statement with your wedding invitation or announcement by choosing this or one of Anna Griffin’s other floral printed lines of wedding invitations.

Custom Mix ‘n’ Match Wedding Invitations

Are you looking for wedding invitations that are completely and totally your own? Custom Mix ‘n’ Match Wedding Invitations fit the bill. You can choose your print colors, choose the color of your envelope linings and even choose the style of your enclosures. In fact, there are so many custom options that your wedding invitations are bound to be completely one of a kind.

Custom Mix ‘n’ Match 7 x 7 Pocket Fold Invitations

Classic elegance and contemporary styling combine in this unusual wedding invitation style. You have a choice of 90 different color papers, including a range of metallic colors from pearl white to lapis blue. Customizations available for the Mix ‘n’ Match wedding invitations include the color of the liner paper, color of the backing paper and color of the invitation panel. The pocket fold is contemporary and sleekly elegant, ideal for today’s bride with a sense of timeless style.

Reagan 3-Layer Wedding Invitations

Who said the only thing that comes in layers is the wedding cake? The Reagan 3-Layer Wedding invitation is part of the Custom Mix ‘n’ Match wedding invitation collection. The three layer panel invitation can be customized in literally hundreds of ink and paper colors, making your wedding invitations truly one-of-a kind creations. Choose two different backing colors, one panel color and ink color, customize with your chosen type style and pick out an envelope to accent or contrast with your invitations.

Your wedding is your day, a day when your personal style should hold sway. Invite your guests to your wedding in style, your own personal style, with a wedding invitation that catches the attention of your guests from the start.

Ryan Anderson is a writer and blogger who discusses topics such as event planning and event coordination, along with specific topics such as wedding invitations.

Author: Ryan Jam Anderson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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