How to handle no plus 1s is similar to how you handle having a no kid wedding.  There are many reasons why a couple decides to not include plus 1s (or kids).  Every guest you invite is going to have a cost associated with them.  Maybe for you it is that you only want those that you know attending your wedding.  Maybe you are wanting to cut costs.  Maybe your current guest list is close to the venue maximum. Whatever your reason for limiting plus 1s there are 2 questions that arise.

1. Who gets a +1? There is a phrase in the wedding industry that can help you, “no ring, no bring.”  Traditionally that meant if a couple was not engaged or married to the person you are inviting, they didn’t get invited.  This has evolved to mean if they have been together a while then they should be invited.  So if it is a new relationship it is ok not to invite the new significant other.  “A while” can be open to interpretation so a nice gauge of time is if they were together when you got engaged then they should be invited.
2. How do I let people know they don’t get a +1? There are a few steps you can take to make it clear.  Unfortunately, many people don’t get it if you imply subtly so you must be clear.  The first step is to address the envelope to the invited wedding guest only.  If you add “and guest” on the envelope they will assume they get a guest.  The second step is you can add a line on your RSVP stating “____ seats reserved in your honor” or something similar and then put a “1” on the line before you mail the invitation.  A statement on your wedding website for why people aren’t getting +1s is a good idea well.  Something like “due to limitations at our venue we must limit our guests to only those invited.”  This can mitigate people getting upset knowing there is a specific reason why you are limiting the guest number.
   

Whatever your reason for not allowing +1s (or no kids) be confident in it.  Not everyone will be supportive but if you feel strongly about it, stick to it.  Most importantly, be consistent.  Be all or nothing. Exceptions can be made for the wedding party but there shouldn’t be exceptions for anyone else. Don’t bend the rules for anyone or before you know it the rules won’t exist anymore. 

Keywords: wedding, wedding guests, wedding budget, wedding tradition, who gets invited

There are a lot of terms that you will encounter in wedding stationery once you become engaged.  Some of the terms you have probably heard of but there are probably some you haven’t.  Read through this list for all the terms you need to know.

Invitation: The invitation contains all the information necessary for your guests to actually attend your wedding including the couple’s names, who is hosting, date, time, and location. The invitation is a single card that is part of an invitation suite.  By etiquette it should not include RSVP info, registry info, or wedding website on the actual invitation itself.  All of that information should go on an insert card in the invitation suite.

Invitation suite: An invitation suite includes all the pieces that will be mailed together to each guest household.  The invitation suite can include the invitation, RSVP, directions card, reception card, wedding website card.

Save the date: A save the date tells your guests the date of your wedding to get on their calendars.  Traditionally save the dates only include the couple’s names, the wedding date, the location (usually city and state only), and the wording “invitation to follow.”  About half of the couples I work with include pictures but that is not required.  Only those that will definitely be invited to the wedding should get a save the date.

Wedding announcement: After your wedding, if you have people you would like to inform that you got married (like if you eloped, had a small wedding, or a destination wedding) you could send a wedding announcement.  Using a picture from the wedding is usually included.  You will want to include the date and location of your wedding including your names.  You can decide if you want to use your maiden name or your married name.

RSVP: An abbreviation of a French phrase for “respond please.”  An RSVP is your way of asking your guests to let you know if they will be attending the wedding.  If you are having a plated dinner this is also where your guests will inform you of their dinner choice.  Traditionally this is a separate card included in the invitation suite but as technology as advanced many couple utilize online RSVPs.

Insert: Any additional cards included in the invitation suite.  Examples of inserts are reception cards, direction cards, wedding website card, and accommodations.

Mat: A mat is a piece of card stock that is added to the back of an invitation to give a layered look.  Typically the mat is ¼” to ½” bigger than the invitation that is being mounted.

Pocket: A pocket has 3 panels: a tab/flap for folding, a panel for mounting the invitation to, and a pocket for holding insert cards, the RSVP card and envelope.  When folded it will look like an envelope but it will still need to be put into an envelope for mailing.

Belly band: A piece of paper or card stock normally 1-2” thick that is wrapped around a pocket or invitation suite to hold it all together.  Can be plain card stock, custom printed, or laser cut.

Envelope liner: A piece of paper mounted inside an envelope flap to make the envelope more unique.  It can be a solid color, patterned, custom designed, or foiled.

Inner Envelope: Traditionally wedding invitation suites included two envelopes- one for mailing and one to keep the invitation nice and neat.  An inner envelope can also help make sure guests know who is invited by printing the names of the invited guests on that again (in addition to the outer envelope).

Outer Envelope: This is the mailing envelope that you will write the guests’ names and addresses on.  Over time, this has become the only envelope used in wedding suites as the traditional inner envelope has fallen off in popularity. 

Wedding Day Stationery: All of the paper items that are used on the wedding day itself, during the ceremony or reception.  Examples of wedding day stationery include menus, programs, and signs.

Menu: A menu includes what is being served during the reception.  Normally each course is listed separately. 

Program: This is used during the wedding ceremony.  Traditionally, this includes the order of service of the ceremony as well as names of the parents of the couple, the wedding party, and the officiant.

Escort card: This is a card that tells the guest what table they are to sit at.  This will tell them the table to sit out but nto what seat to sit at once they get to the table.   The same information can be conveyed by using a Seating Chart sign.

Place card:  This card is placed at the seat at the table that they guest is to sit at.

Keywords: wedding, wedding budget, wedding theme, invitations, save the dates

Pinterest is my best friend and my worst enemy!  I love when couples go on there and find stationery they like and can show me what they like.  I am a visual person so to see what they like really helps me create their design.  I especially love it when they send me multiple ones they like and want to pull elements from different designs and make a truly unique new design.

Erin and Austin are a very sweet couple who live nowhere near me!  Lol.  The beauty of Facebook.  And they had a very clear idea of what they were looking for in their invitation.  So much so that they planned their engagement pictures to be able to pull it off.  Erin thought since she found the design on Pinterest it would be easy to find a designer to order it from.  That was not the case unfortunately.  Enter me!

Erin and I were in a common Facebook group and I had posted about my services.  Erin responded, and we started talking over IM.  I learned quickly that there was quite a bit of distance between us (they were in Missouri and I am in Oregon) but that is not an obstacle in my line of work.  My items ship well!  Erin sent me a picture of what she was looking for and my first reaction was “Whoa!”  I was excited to do this interesting design.

So, time to jump in.  I asked her to send over the pictures and I would get started.  I needed to figure out the flat size and then where the folds would be plus adding for the bleed (a bleed is required when the design goes all the way to the edge).  My first attempt was an epic fail.  The folds were in the wrong spots and the pictures weren’t centered.  Bonus was I now had a hard copy to measure the old-fashioned way (you know… with a ruler).  Double bonus: now I have a template for anytime someone wants something similar in the future.  I had already used the template since.
Next came the text.  There needed to be a subtle layer between the picture and the text to make it more legible.  Because at the end of the day if no one can read it, it doesn’t matter how cute it is.  First go around I had the day of the week wrong and flipped 2 letters in the groom’s last name (note: an example of the importance of reading your proofs with a magnifying glass).  I had gotten so focused on the design that I had lost focus on the text.  A lesson for me.  Once I got those corrected and got the thumbs up, off to print it went.

This design took quite a bit of time but I enjoyed every minute of it and was very happy with the result.  Stepping out of the box will always serve me well.  Success and failures are both learning opportunities.  This invitation always gets a lot of attention anytime I show it off (which is a lot!).  Thank you, Erin and Austin, for trusting me with your vision.

Keywords: wedding, wedding invitation, gate fold invitation, custom wedding invitation design, photo wedding invitation, Pinterest

Photos by Marina Goktas Photography. www.marinagoktas.com

Starting a business is a huge decision.  It takes time and money and a lot of both.  I always wanted to be my own boss but was too afraid to jump in and do it.  I went back to school and earned my MBA.  That made me want to start my own business even more.

I began to soul search and see where my passion was.  In order to know that I would keep myself motivated it needed to be something I could give all of myself to.  I had done wedding invitations for friends and family after doing my own and loved it.  I love weddings and really loved the design process of wedding invitations and knew that was the business for me.  But I still was too scared to jump in.

Then on June 21, 2016 it all changed.  My normal 40-50-minute commute home from work turned into over 3 hours.  That gave me the time to finally come to the conclusion that I had had enough of the 9-5 life and the commute that went along with it.  My husband had already put our kids to bed by the time I got home which meant I didn’t see them at all that day because I left before they had woken up that morning.  I walked in and said to my husband “we need to talk.”  I explained to him that I had been thinking about it and was so frustrated with my commute that day.  My awesome husband said “I love you.  I support you.  Do it.”  So I was going to start my custom wedding stationery business.

Luckily, I had a friend that had been a wedding photographer for 7 years.  The next day I texted her and told her I needed to pick her brain.  We got together a few days later and she passed on some wonderful information about starting a business, how to determine pricing, networking, marketing and how it won’t be easy.  I was lucky to have my own Obi-Wan to help get me started.

So I was on my way!  I had what I wanted to do, why I wanted to do it, but I needed to know who I was going to be?  My business needed a name.  I knew I wanted “Printing” in the name so people would have a better idea of what I did.  I decided I wanted to use a tree in the name because paper comes from trees.  Apparently, a lot of people had the same idea!  I had the hardest time finding a name that wasn’t already in use. I have always been intrigued by bonsai tree pruning so I thought it would be cool to use that.  My favorite color is blue.  So Blue Bonsai Printing LLC it was!

Now that the major decisions had been made it was time to get on the roller coaster of business ownership.  While it has had its ups and downs I have been loving every minute of it.  I am happy to say that on June 14, 2018 (less than 2 years from when I started my business) I moved to being full time self-employed!  It was super scary but it is what I had been working towards.  So excited to say I made it.  Now I am a year into doing my business as my full time job and I am loving every minute of it.

Keywords: wedding, wedding business, invitations, invitations designs, my wedding

When addressing your wedding invitations there are some etiquette rules one should follow.  Addressing your envelopes will be a time-consuming venture.  It is a necessary evil and you will want to get started sooner rather than later.  Instead of sitting down and doing them all in one sitting plan on doing 10-20 per day to avoid hand cramps.  Here are a few things to remember when addressing your envelopes.

1. Address the envelopes to only those invited- this may seem obvious but it can lead to confusion.  If you are having an adult only wedding you won’t want to address the invitation to “The Smith Family” but instead to “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”  If you have a single friend and you don’t want to address it to “Mr. Friend and guest” if you don’t want them to bring a plus 1.  You want to be sure to be diligent in addressing to avoid confusion.
2. Return address- We are all used to seeing the return address on the upper left corner of mail.  For wedding stationery, the return address traditionally goes on the back flap and centered.  Some people still choose to put the return address on the front and that is ok if you are having a more casual wedding.  When I do address printing for my clients I always put it on the back flap.
3. Stick to mailing rules- You may want to make artistic decisions in addressing your envelopes (which is a wonderful way to make them stand out) but make sure you follow postal guidelines for address formatting.  If you don’t follow guidelines your invitations and save the dates will not get to your guests and will be returned to you.
4. Name formatting- Etiquette dictates that nicknames should not be used when addressing your wedding invitations.  Even if you have never heard your Uncle Jim called “James” your invitations should be addressed using his legal name.  Proper titles should also be used including military rank, doctor, honorable (for judges), as well as the proper female title (Ms., Miss, or Mrs.).

Keywords: wedding, wedding invitations, save the dates, wedding etiquette, invitation addressing
Photo by Marina Goktas Photography https://marinagoktas.com/

There is a lot of talk about card stocks when discussing wedding invitation design.  A heavier card stock is always recommended but there are also double thick card stocks available.  Here are some of the most common card stock weights.  All weights mentioned are cover weight, not text (it makes a big difference).

1. 80lb- this is the card stock that you get standard at Vistaprint.  It is about the weight and sturdiness of a cheap greeting card.  I personally HATE this card stock.  It is very thin and feels very cheap to me.  The only redeeming quality of this card stock is if you are layering (i.e. putting the invitation on a mat or a pocket) but I still prefer to use a 100lb card stock for that.
2. 100lb- slightly better than the 80lb but still not ideal.  Invitations at this weight will be thicker than 80lb and this is a good weight for layering and will make for a lighter invitation when mailing but still a little thin in my opinion for a stand-alone invitation.
3. 110lb- this is the standard base card stock you get with big online retailers like Shutterfly or Minted.  By industry standard this is typically the lowest card stock weight a wedding stationery designer will use.  There are also options for card stock textures at this weight.
4. 120lb- This is the standard card stock I use for many of my designs.  The thickness makes the invitations very sturdy and adds to the quality feeling when you hold it.  Many textures are also available in this weight.
5. 130lb- Usually a textured card stock.  Because of the texture it may feel very similar to the 120lb and depending on the texture it may be more flexible than the 120lb without a texture.
6. Double thick card stocks (200lb, 220lb, 240lb)- these are made by pressing together 2 of the 100lb, 110lb, or 120lb during the milling process.  These are very thick and therefore can be difficult to print on.  It takes a special machine to print on these or to use letterpress.  All of these will have a textured appearance because of the milling process.  These are the preferred stocks for letterpress.  These will be significantly more expensive than the other card stocks and may cost more to mail depending on your specific suite.

When choosing the paperweight for your stationery know that the heavier the weight the sturdier the card stock will be.  I always use a minimum of 120lb card stock for my clients because of the high quality feel you get with it.  Let's discuss the card stock weight that is best for your wedding stationery!

Keywords: wedding, wedding budget, wedding invitations, invitation design, invitation, save the date, card stock

I will be honest… whenever I hear someone is going to use Vistaprint for their wedding invitations or save the dates I cringe.  Don’t get me wrong, Vistaprint is a good company and creates some good products.  I have ordered business items from them. But wedding items are not some of the things they do well.  There are a few reasons for that.

Before I go all Debbie Downer let’s acknowledge the good qualities of Vistaprint. 
1) Their customer service is impeccable.  If there is a problem with your order they will reprint or offer you a refund, no questions asked. 
2) Generally their quality is good on business printing products other than business cards.  I have used them when I ordered a banner and I was satisfied.
3) They run sales all the time, so you can get their already cheap items even cheaper.  But doesn’t that make you wonder how they can offer things so cheap?

Now for the reasons why you shouldn’t use Vistaprint for your wedding items.  It is not just about “they are my competition and you should use me.” (I do think that but there is more to it… Lol).

1. Cardstock quality: In a word… Terrible.  As a standard they use 80lb card stock for invitations.  You can pay more to “upgrade” the card stock to 100lb card stock but “upgrade” is a stretch.  Wedding invitation industry standard is 110lb, minimum.  The 80lb card stock is just very thin and cheap feeling.  Even the "double thick" is subpar as far as double thick goes.
   
2. Print quality: Questionable.  Like I said, I have ordered products and been satisfied.  When I started my business I joined Vistaprint as a reseller to print some of my business items.  I started ordering items quite regularly and I quickly learned that every time I opened a box from them 50% of the time the printing was fine.  The other 50% of the time it was horrible and obvious it had never been looked at by a person before the items were put in the box to be mailed.  I could always call and get a reprint but sometimes time did not allow for that.  It was always an inconvenience to call and have it reprinted.  I have since let my reseller account expire and use other avenues when needed.  Paying more for value and consistency is worth it.
3. Limited templates: They have about 250 5x7 invitations (standard wedding invitation size).  You can get 6x9 but that is an awkward size for wedding invitations.  That is it.  No square. No pockets. No mats.  Very limited on fonts.  You are also limited on wordings and you must stick with the basic wording set up they have on the design.
4. Envelope quality: Like the card stock… Terrible.  The envelopes are very thin and you can read everything right through them.  They do not protect the invitations at all and can rip very easily during the mailing process.  And white is the only color offered.

Your invitations are the first impression your guests get of your wedding.  You want it to be a good one.  You get what you pay for.  “Cheap” is not a good word to describe anything.  “Cheap” is a bad word. There is no good use of the word.  It is also not a word you want associated with your wedding.  Spending more elsewhere (whether that be from me or from another invitation specialist) is going to make a HUGE difference in the overall quality of your wedding stationery.

Keywords: wedding, wedding invitations, save the dates, wedding budget, invitation design, card stock, cheap wedding invitations

There are a few different types of printing available to use on wedding stationery.  You will see them all over wedding invitation websites and Pinterest.  All the printing types give a different look and feel.  The same design will look very different depending on the type of printing used.  Take a look at different printing types:

1. Digital printing- this is the most common form of printing.  When you print on a laser printer or an inkjet you are digital printing.  This is also the most cost-effective method of printing.  The design possibilities are endless.
   
2. Offset printing: this requires a special machine and the design is put on a plate and then a rubber sheet and then transferred to paper.  This is typically how newspapers are printed (on long rolls of paper and then cut after printing).  It is ideal for large runs (like newspapers or books) because there is a high level of consistency among the prints.
   
3. Thermography: this process uses powder and ink laid onto card stock and then heated to harden the ink mixture onto the paper.  This makes for a raised ink feel on the paper.  You can feel the ink mixture when you rub your hand over the text on the card stock.  This is a multistep process and is very particular and there is a cost associated with that.
   
4. Letterpress: this is a very labor-intensive process, so it is an expensive type of stationery printing.  A plate is created and ink is rolled on to the plate.  The card stock is laid on the plate and pressure is applied which makes an imprint on the card stock and presses the ink into the paper as well.  It creates the opposite feel of thermography.  Letterpress is limited on design and fonts because of the ink as well as the thickness of the lines required in the fonts and designs.  If the lines are too thin the impression will not take and the design won’t print properly
   
5. Foil stamping: this process involves pressing a thin foil into the card stock just like letterpress except with heat added to get the foil to stay in the card stock.  The cost is similar to letterpress.
   
6. Hand lettering/calligraphy: this is done by a person.  Usually a very talented person (not me!) writing each item by hand.  This is highly labor intensive and due to that it is very costly.  Using glitter pens or paint pens gives a look that you cannot get with any other type of printing done by a machine.
   

Each type of printing has its pros and cons and it is up to each couple to decide what fits their wedding design and budget.  Between all the different printing types the options are limitless.  Pinterest has a ton of examples of each type of printing.  Take a look around there and see what jumps out at you.  Then look for a stationery designer to help you with your design (like me!).
Keywords: wedding, wedding invitations, thermography, letterpress, hand lettering, digital printing, foil wedding invitations, wedding budget, invitation design, Pinterest

The 2019 Portland Bridal Show is in the books!  This year was the 40th year of the show.  Amazing!  It was also the first year with new owners.  Al, the creator of The Portland Bridal Show and did invitations as well, has earned his retirement and Tom and Barbie Howard have taken the reigns and will continue to bring a wonderful show every year.  The show is the largest in the Portland Metro Area.  Over 150 vendors and over 7000 people attend every year.  Every vendor you could need for your wedding is all in one place.  Including wedding stationery!

The show started with a bang for me.  I was one of only 3 vendors asked to represent the Portland Bridal Show on Fox12 Good Day Oregon in the "On the Go with Joe" segment of the show.  Me?!  On TV?!  This was going to go really well or epicly bad.  There was no middle of the road on this one.  Check out the link below and decide for yourself which one!  Lol

Not too shabby!  If I do say so myself.  I was super nervous but the show must go on and I did my best.  High five for me!  It helps that Joe and Daryl (his cameraman) were super nice to work with.

Each day (the show ran Saturday 10-8:30 and Sunday 10-5) was a long day but it didn't feel long because there were so many wonderful brides and grooms to talk to about wedding invitations and save the dates.  The vow booklets Joe mentions in the piece were a huge conversation starter too.  Like the saying goes... "Time flies when you are having fun!"  I was able to see the fashion show from my booth (there were 3 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday) so that was a nice bonus.  Wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and tuxedos.... oh my!  (Excuse my Wizard of Oz reference...)  So many engaged couples were surprised to learn there was a local option for getting their invitations. 

Some of the common questions I got were (and the answers I gave)...
"Can you change the color on this?"    Absolutely!!
"Did you do all of these?"   Yup!  Love 'em or leave 'em but they are all designed and printed by me.
"Do you do the designing only or you do the printing too?"  Both!  I make the design perfect for you and then print them.
"Can you do bilingual invitations?"  Sure thing!  I don't speak any other languages but I can copy and paste like a beast!
"Can we meet in person to go over everything? The websites stress me out."  Definitely!  No stress allowed.  Let me take care of everything for you.  You just say "I love it!"

Some of my best friends in the wedding industry were at the show as well as some new faces.  Here is a link to all the vendors (https://portlandbridalshow.com/exhibitor-list/) and be sure to check out:

Photos by Orion
Ambient Sky Studios
McLoud Photography
The Mobile Scoop Shop
Silver Falls Lodge & Conference Center
PDX Ice
NW Mobile DJ Service
Laurelhurst Florist
Lady and a Harp
The Little Photo Bus
Next Dimension Bakery
Photography by Cambrae

Overall the show was exhausting, fun, great for engaged couples, and great for my business.  I had over 170 people say they wanted to follow up and hear more!  That is a great number!  I am excited to get to work with so many wonderful couples.  Thank you Portland Bridal Show for making these connections possible!

Until next year.... happy wedding planning!

Many people decide to DIY their wedding invitations thinking they are going to be cheaper than ordering them.  That can be the case but very rarely is that the case.  There are many factors to consider when DIYing.  Read this list to help you decide if DIY is really for you.

1. Design:  You can design your own if you want or a lot of people buy the digital file on Etsy.  If you design your own, you are quite limited unless you have experience in designing.  Most people don’t have software for designing.  There are websites (like Canva) that you can use but these are very time consuming to learn how to use.  If you buy a font to use they will cost you anywhere from $15-$100 for one font.  Most digital files on Etsy are $10-$30.  Unless you have experience in graphic design I would suggest buying a digital design off Etsy if you don’t use a stationer and have your heart set on DIY.
   
2. Printing:  People severely underestimate the cost of printing, whether they are printing at home or using a print shop.  It also can be a frustrating aspect of the process.  So many things to consider and so many things can go wrong.
   1. Home printing: If you bought a kit at hobby store or bought card stock to print your design on you will need to change the paper size settings on your printer.  Some printers don’t allow this.  Also, not every printer can print card stock.  Can yours?  If it is a laser the answer is probably no unless you have a higher end printer that can handle card stock.  If you have an inkjet the answer is probably yes but it needs to be an inkjet that has a straight path instead of pulling from a tray and rolling the paper.  Card stock does not roll and will jam in the printer.  If it manages to work it will crinkle the card stock.
   2. Print shop:  Many of the large printing places (i.e. FedEx, Office Depot, Staples, etc.) cannot print on heavy card stock.  Most of those places can only print on 65lb or 80lb card stock which is super lightweight as far as invitations go.
3. Ink: If you have a laser the toner is cheaper than inkjet ink but odds are your laser will not work for invitations.  Inkjet ink is the second most expensive liquid on the planet that you can buy at a store, second only to perfume/cologne.  Depending on your printer and design you could end up spending a lot of money on ink.  A detailed design or a flood filled design (where the background is printed) will take a lot of ink.  Here is an example:  You need to print 100 flood filled invitations on high quality setting (which uses more ink on every printer) it could easily cost you over $200 (you will use probably 3 full ink sets at $70 per set is $210) and you haven’t even printed any RSVPs or insert cards if you are going to have those.
4. Card stock and envelopes:  There are a few options here.  You can buy a kit or you can buy plain card stock and envelopes.  Most card stock you buy in stores in either a kit or blank is 65lb card stock.  This is a very thin card stock.  For comparison, most greeting cards are 80lb card stock.  This is because most home printers can do 65lb but nothing heavier.  For cost for 100 invitations a kit could run you over $100 (most kits come in boxes of 40 so you will need to buy 3 at an average price of $35 is a total of $105).  If you decide to do blank card stock and envelopes it could cost you almost as much.  For example, if you bought card stock and envelopes at Paper Source it would cost you $71.50 (4 packs of 25 cards for $5.50 each and 10 packs of 10 envelopes for $4.95 each).  And you would most definitely need more for the errors and for printer problems.
5. Time: As the old saying goes “time is money.”  If you are a novice and learning all the aspects of design, printing, cutting (if necessary), etiquette, and wording it can call add up to 10-12 hours.  This is commonly underestimated.  Think of your salary at your job and multiply it by 10 hours.  Adding 10 hours to wedding planning plus the guaranteed frustration is not worth all the extra stress.

So DIYing your invitations could still cost you upwards of $250 for 100 invitations (not including any other pieces of your suite).  Not a savings when I offer 100 invitations for $189 and it will be much less of a headache.

I know I am writing this as an invitation designer, but I know first hand how frustrating DIYing your invitations can be because I DIYed my own wedding invitations (10 years before I started my business).  It was such a headache.  Had I to do it all over again it would have been much less stressful and actually cheaper to just order them from a stationer.

Keywords: wedding, cheap wedding invitations, wedding budget, invitation design

One unavoidable cost of your wedding is postage for your wedding invitations, save the dates, and thank you notes.  It is important to know the rules of postage so you can budget correctly and make sure you put the correct postage on the stationery so they don’t end up getting returned and end up costing you more.  So while it can be inconvenient to get it right the first time it will be much cheaper and less stressful to get it right the first time.

Here are some things to be aware of when it comes to postage rates and requirements (disclaimer: postage rates mentioned in this blog are current as of the date of posting and are subject to change.  Postage rates typically are updated the third Sunday in January each year):

1. Postcards- the postcard postage rate is $0.35 but there are some limitations that you need to be aware of to use this postage rate.  The maximum size for postcard postage is 4.25x6 inches and no thicker than 16pt (or 130lb) card stock.  If the postcard is over either of these criteria, then the standard first-class postage rate will apply.
2. First class postage- the first-class postage rate is $0.50.  If you are mailing an envelope that is rectangular and less than 1 ounce this postage rate applies.  The envelope cannot be rigid or have anything in it that makes the envelope uneven (like a ribbon or a knot) or additional postage will be required.
3. Additional postage will be required if any of the following apply:
   1. Square- if your invitations or save the date are square it cannot be machined and will cost you an extra $0.21 each.
   2. Rigid- same problem as square, they cannot be machined so it will also cost and additional $0.21 each. Rigid can be if the whole thing is rigid or if there is a rigid item in the envelope (i.e. a knot, a pencil).  Either of those will result in the extra charge.
   3. Heavy- a first class stamp only covers up to 1 ounce.  Each additional ounce over the 1-ounce weight will result in an additional $0.21 each.

Are you seeing a theme here?  Lol.  Anything that isn’t your run of the mill couple sheets of paper in a rectangular envelope it is going to cost more than $0.50.  Normally an invitation, RSVP with an envelope and one insert will be right at the 1-ounce mark but depending on the cardstock used it could be over 1 ounce. 

I suggest putting together your invitations and taking a few of them to the post office to have them evaluate them and tell you the cost of the postage for them.  If there is any question it is safer to add some extra postage to cover every possibility.  And remember, these variables in postage rates are compounded so if you have a square, rigid, 3-ounce envelope they will cost $1.34 ($0.50+$0.21+$0.21+$0.21+$0.21) to mail each envelope.

Keywords: wedding, wedding invitation, wedding budget, postage, postage rate, stamp price, postage costs, invitation design, wedding invitation mailing

There are so many decisions to be made when planning a wedding.  One thing you must figure out early in the wedding planning process is how many guests you are going to have.  This is essential for venue searching and budget planning since catering and cake will require a close idea of guest count.  You will need to decide if you are going to have kids at your wedding.  If you choose not to, don’t feel guilty!  There are many reasons why a couple chooses to not invite kids to their wedding.  No matter the reason you choose to have a no kid wedding it is essential to let your guests know of your decision. 

There are several ways to do that and I suggest doing all of them, so no one can say they hadn’t heard!

1. Your save the dates- if you have decided to have a no kid wedding at this point you could mention it on your save the dates.  Something simple like “invitation to adult only event to follow” is subtle but gets the point across.  It also lets your guests with kids know to plan on a sitter.
2. Your wedding website- this will be a constant resource for your guests, so this is a great place to put this information.  To help with those that get upset by your decision it is also nice to explain why you chose a no kid wedding.  Whether it is due to capacity at the venues, budget constraints, or you don’t want them there you can write a tasteful explanation to help your guests to understand your side of it.
3. Your wedding party and family- tell your wedding party and your family why you chose to have a no kid wedding and let them answer for you.  Odds are people may be uncomfortable talking to you or your fiancé about it but may ask others closely involved in the wedding.
4. Your invitations- you will want to include this information in your invitations but don’t put the information on the invitation itself.  It is best to put this information on a details card that can be added to your invitation suite.  Whatever tasteful explanation you put on your wedding website should be what you send in the invitations.
5. RSVPs- you can subtly remind guests by including a line about how many guests are invited.  This also works well for no +1s.  “___ seats reserved in your honor” is a good example of how to print on your RSVPs.  Before you put the RSVP in the invitation envelope you fill in the number for those guests.
6. Addressing- when addressing your envelopes make sure only the invited guests are listed on the envelope.  You don’t want to say “The Smith Family” when only the parents are invited.  You would want to address the envelope to “Mr. & Mrs. John Smith.”  This is another subtle way to let your guests know but this alone will not convey the message.
   

Now for the brutal truth- not everyone will be happy with your decision.  News Flash:  They don’t have to be.  The only ones who must be happy are you and your fiancé.  But you do need to be prepared to respond to those that aren’t happy.  It is also important to have a united front- both of you as well as your wedding party and families should all be giving the same response. 

Also, be understanding to those that cannot attend the wedding if their children cannot attend.  This happened to me so I completely understand it.  My husband’s cousin and his wife decided on a no kid wedding and our oldest son was only a few months old.  The wedding was a four-hour drive away and we were not comfortable leaving our son overnight at that age.  The option of getting a babysitter closer to the wedding was not possible because all the family we knew in the area were going to be attending the wedding.  So unfortunately we had to make the decision to not attend.  We explained to my husband’s cousin the predicament we were in.  We understood their side and they understood ours.  We did not ask for an exception and they did not offer one.  We respected each other and each other’s viewpoints.  So I highly recommend having an open mind if someone says they cannot attend and respect their decision.

Most importantly- enjoy your wedding!  It will go so fast so make sure you enjoy every minute.
Keywords: wedding, no kid wedding, kid free wedding, wedding invitations, wedding planning, wedding budget

The royal wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle was full of wedding traditions both old and new.  One element of their wedding steeped in royal tradition was their wedding invitations.  Royal wedding invitations have been the same basic design, with some very minor changes, since Queen Victoria's son was married in the mid 19th century.  While picking out your invitation involves picking colors, fonts, and design elements royal couples have it quite easy.  The decision is made for them.

The invitation is printed on a white card stock with black writing.  The only element of color is the royal crest printed at the top which is gold foil.  The foil was not added to royal invitations (wedding or otherwise) until the 1950's.  Who's crest is to be printed on the invitation depends on who is hosting the wedding.  They are always printed landscape.

The first line of the invitation is where the host is revealed.  If the Queen is hosting the invitation will state "The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by the Queen to invite" while if another member of the royal family is hosting the line reads more traditionally as "requests the pleasure of the company."  The hosting royal family member's name will be their full royal title while if the Queen is hosting it will read only "The Queen" or "Her Majesty." 

The next two lines will be blank lines that the names of the invited guests will be written in before the invitations are mailed.  The names will be written formally and will include all titles the guests may have.  Traditionally there are no "plus 1s."  Royal protocol follows the "no ring, no bring" mantra.  That means that if you are not engaged or married it is expected that you will attend alone.

The names of the couple getting married will be listed based on aristocratic ranking.  This means that the name of the royal getting married will be listed first and then the name of their fiance, regardless of gender.  In non-royal tradition the bride's name is written first.  So in this case the names were listed "His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales with Ms. Meghan Markle" indicating Prince Harry's formal name including the location since his father is the Prince of Wales.

As not customary by wedding etiquette but customary in royal etiquette the RSVP information is listed on the wedding invitation itself.  This is more to do with the royal wedding following RSVP tradition customary for all royal events.  Guests also don't RSVP to the couple but instead to the royal household secretary.

It is amazing to me that royal invitations have had the same design for well over a century.  It shows that every detail in wedding planning is important and steeped in tradition.

Congrats to the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex!!!

keywords: wedding. royal wedding, wedding invitations, wedding traditions

In January 2017 I was asked to be involved in the 98.7 The Bull Piece of Cake  Wedding contest.  The contest was put on by 98.7 The Bull (a local radio station here in Portland) and the Oregon Wedding Showcase (a local wedding show producer).  I sponsored the wedding stationery for the contest.  

The contest involved listeners voting for which couple they wanted to win the wedding.  The top 3 couples competed to find a ring in a piece of cake at the Oregon Wedding Showcase in Salem.  Damon was very fast and made a wonderful mess to find the ring.  Congrats!  Chelsea and Damon won!!!

The wedding was to take place at the Skype Live Studio.  Chelsea and Damon picked March 18, 2017 for their wedding.  We did not have much time to get the invitations done!  But I was up for the challenge.  I spoke to Chelsea and her mom about what she wanted in her invitation design.  Chelsea and Damon had decided on a camo theme for their wedding and wanted something with tree leaves and orange.  I had never done a camo theme invitation before but I loved the idea.

Chelsea and Damon were limited on the number of guests in the Skype Live Studio so they decided to have a reception for those unable to attend the ceremony.  They were going to need 2 invitation suites.  While they were 2 different invitations we decided to use the same basic design for both so they coordinated since some guests were going to be getting invitations to both events.  But they also needed to be different enough that people who received both realized they were different.  I decided to do one vertical and one horizontal so it was easy to see they were different.  This also made it easier for Chelsea and Damon when they were putting the invitations together.

Along with 2 invitation designs Chelsea and Damon were going to need 2 different RSVPs- 1 for those invited to the ceremony and the reception and 1 for those invited to the reception only.  Chelsea and Damon decided to go very simple for the RSVPs to allow the invitations to stand out.  There was also an information card with the website for people to be able to watch the ceremony live streaming along with registry information which was also a simple design similar to the RSVPs.

Chelsea and Damon chose to take advantage of guest addressing as well.  Since their wedding was happening so close to the time they won the contest (about 7 weeks) they opted for the time saver of guest addressing so that they could get their invitations out ASAP.

I was surprised when I was asked to be involved with the contest but I was very excited to be involved.  Chelsea and Damon were such a nice couple and I was honored to do their invitations.

Your complete wedding invitation timeline.  

There are so many pieces to planning a wedding.  One part of your wedding that has many pieces is your wedding stationery.  Here is a guide to what should be done and when.

9-12 months before the wedding:  The most important (and most difficult) of the wedding stationery timeline involves your guests- collecting addresses.  Make your guest list as soon as you get engaged and start getting the addresses.  This will be tedious and it is best to start as soon as possible.

If you are having a destination wedding, a lot of your guests will be travelling to come to your wedding, your wedding is in June or on a holiday weekend now is the time to send your save the dates.  Make sure your venue is booked and then send save the dates to all invited guests.

6-9 months before the wedding:  If you haven't already, now is the time to send save the dates.  If you are unsure if someone will make the final invite list, take them off your save the date list.  Only those guests that are for certain going ot be invited to the wedding should get a save the date.

4-6 months before the wedding:  Start looking for ideas for invitations that match your theme and colors.  Your invitations are the first impression your guests get of your wedding.  You want them to match your theme to avoid confusion.  For a custom design you will want to allow 4-8 weeks for design and production for your invitation suite.  If you are picking a premade template (from me or from another online site) you will want to allow 2-4 weeks to get your invitations.

3 months before the wedding:  If you didn't choose to add on guest addressing when ordering your wedding invitations you will want to get them over to a calligrapher to start addressing them or you will want to sit down and get started.  Word of advise:  don't try and do them all in one night.  Your hand will cramp.  Make a plan to do it over a few nights.  Your hand will thank me!  Once they are all addressed take one (completed- all pieces in the envelope and the envelope is sealed) to the post office and have it weighed to find out the postage.  The last thing you want is to have them all returned due to a postage problem.  then buy the correct postage and get to stamping!

2 months before the wedding:  Mail your invitations.  If you didn't do save the dates you can send them a little earlier.  Once those are in the mail, take a deep breath (maybe with a glass of wine) and start thinking about your wedding day stationery.  Menus? Programs? Signs? Place cards? Escort cards? (yes, they are different) Table numbers?  Now is the time to get started on those.

1 month before the wedding:  Compile your RSVPs.  They should be due 1 month before the wedding.  Take note of those that have not responded and contact them to see if they are coming.  If you are doing a seating chart now is the time to get started on that.  Best to have the seating chart done 2 weeks before the wedding (save yourself some stress the closer it gets to the wedding).  Allow at least 2 weeks for your wedding day stationery to be completed.

Wedding day!!!!  Enjoy the day.  Take it all in.  Make sure you eat!

1-2 months after the wedding:  Thank you notes should go out in this time frame.  If you want to include a photo from the day be sure you get that back as soon as possible from you photographer (many will get you one picture ASAP for this purpose).  Thank you notes should definitely go out by your 2 month anniversary.

Whew!  That was a lot of info!  If I didn't answer all your questions feel free to comment below and I am happy to answer them.