The pleasure of your company is requested — at the printer’s shop, to order the invitations and paper products for the wedding festivities.
Brenda Harris, manager at Graphic Printing in downtown Petoskey, said brides today want more unique, custom-designed invitations that reflect their special relationship.
“Usually the brides have an idea of what they want,” said Harris, “so we start from there.”
Questions about wedding color scheme, whether the event is formal or informal, and if save-the-date cards are needed, for example, are a few conversation points brides and grooms should discuss with their printer of choice.
Harris said various colors of vellum (the thin translucent paper found in wedding invitations) and ribbons are prevalent with invitations, as brides look to dress them up.
As found in many current fashion trends, the popular wedding invitation colors are chocolate paired with pink, sky blue or sage.
Harris, who was to wed Aug. 25, said her own invitation’s design is chocolate and sage with vellum overlay. She tied them with satin camouflage ribbon to follow the outdoor, informal ceremony on her father’s farm.
She used her own example to illustrate how the printed materials can coordinate with the feel, theme and colors of the wedding itself. Another example would be gold embossed background leaves for a fall event, and ivy on the invites for winter nuptials.
Homemade-looking pressed flowers are also an idea for fall wedding invites, she offered.
“I really don’t have many people doing the traditional this year,” she said. “There’s a lot more color.”
And there are not just the invitations to consider when planning paper products. Also consider you’ll need the RSVP and reception cards, thank-you notes, program for the ceremony, place cards for the reception tables and napkins for the cake.
Harris said when it comes to ordering the materials, advanced planning just makes the bride’s job easier with addressing; she can turn around orders in just a week if needed.
When considering prices, the more colors, ribbons and fancy additions, the higher the cost, of course. As a starting point, expect to spend about $210 for 100 basic white panel cards and another 58 cents approximately per card for mailing. More decorative or layered cards can start around $400 per 100 invites, Harris said.

 

 Seal-and-send
Another trend making life easier for brides during their busy planning stages are seal-and-send cards. Staff at the Print Shop in Petoskey said it’s been a popular advent for their brides, because the invitation and RSVP card fold up  into one piece that just needs a stamp. The RSVP card has a perforated edge which can easily be torn off by the recipient and mailed back, requiring a less-expensive postcard stamp to boot. Any other items — such as a map, list of accommodations, etc. — can be tucked inside as well.
Seal-and-sends are less costly as well; it’ll run about $110 per 100 cards. (The price goes up for thank-you notes, maps, save-the-date cards, programs and other items.)
For brides who aren’t sure what they want on their invitations, don’t have the colors chosen or need some creative ideas, area print shops carry numerous books showing a variety of styles, word choices, papers, fonts, response cards, programs, place cards, napkins and any other printed needs.
The Internet, too, is a vast resource for finding ideas and ordering. Online, couples can design their own unique invites, use pre-designed mix and match color schemes and wording, or order their materials and have them printed locally at their printer of choice (www.mygatsby.com).

 

Brides need to order the invites with enough time for them to be printed, picked up, addressed, mailed out and received back in time to let the caterer and reception location know how many people will be attending.
The pros say sending out invites six weeks prior to the wedding is standard, and printers often need about two weeks to complete the invitation order. That means the invites and printed materials should be ordered at least eight weeks before the event.
Save-the-date cards are another way to let guests know of the impending party and allow guests to block off vacation time if needed — especially important for summer weddings when vacation time is at a premium. 

… about $800 on standard invitations, announcements and thank-you notes.
Source: www.theweddingreport.com

How to best word the invitation? Some common examples of phrases:
… would like you to help celebrate the marriage of …
… invite you to celebrate with them at the marriage of …
… would consider it a blessing if you could be present at the marriage of …
… request the pleasure of your company …
… request the pleasure of your presence at …
More at www.mygatsby.com. Source: www.beau-coup.com