Choosing Wedding Invitations,how?!

Why is careful consideration of wedding invitations important?

Wedding invitations set the tone for the rest of the wedding and establish a motif or theme that can be carried throughout the rest of the wedding décor, from place cards to table numbers to programs, favors, and food packaging. Some of the best weddings we've been involved in designing are full of these personal details, and it often all starts with the invitation.

Why not just use plain invitations?

While it can be more economical to purchase off-the-shelf invitations from a stationery or office supply store, there are several things to keep in mind. First, the quality from some vendors can be poor, as many print-at-home invitations are made to be both extremely affordable, and printable on any (read: the bottom-of-the-line) home printer, which means that the paper can be quite thin, and you might end up with slight perforation marks where, say, an RSVP card is punched out of the template provided.
In addition, it's important to keep in mind the time, expense, and design limitations that can result from printing invitations at home. You'll need to factor in layout time, as well as the cost of ink cartridges and custom fonts, if desired; and note that a typical word processing program has less flexibility in terms of typesetting than professional design program.
Given that digital printing and online ordering have recently made custom invitations more affordable than ever before, it's important be aware of the pros and cons before making a decision.

Can custom invitations be affordable?

Absolutely. Recent developments in digital printing technology mean that you can now get a high quality, full-color print on nice, thick paper in very little time at all (standard turnaround times for custom digital printing range from three to seven business days from proof approval).
Many wedding invitation retailers (particularly those on-line) offer a huge range of designs to choose from, so even if you're not getting something designed especially for you, you can typically find a design that matches the color scheme, look and feel of your wedding. What's more, since most invitation designers offer so many customization options (colors, fonts, etc.), it's unlikely that your wedding invitation will look the same as someone else's, even if you start with the same template.

What else should be ordered with the invitations?

It is often a good idea to order thank you notes with invitations, as you may receive gifts as soon as the invitations are mailed, if not before.If you are working with a boutique stationer that is able to provide hands-on service, it is a good idea to get a quote upfront for the rest of your wedding day paper needs, such as programs, menus, and place cards, so you can budget and plan accordingly. Have the stationer keep the quote on file, and initiate the actual ordering of these items one to two months before the wedding. Remember to always confirm final quantities, as these may change as the wedding day approaches. Many stationers offer discounts to wedding invitation customers who return for their day-of wedding stationery.

What are some rules of thumb for choosing wedding invitations?

• Choose one or two fonts, and stick with them throughout all your wedding paper.
• Be careful to choose fonts and ink colors that are legible. Make the words big enough for elderly relatives to read, and always print text in a dark ink color.
• Inner and outer envelopes, while once the norm with wedding invitations, are no longer necessary. Save paper and money by sending your invitations in single envelopes.
• Never use office labels to address your invitations. Hand address them (setting aside time to do so), hire a calligrapher, or find a stationer that can print custom designed labels for you.
• Remember to weigh your invitations. Keep in mind that square invitations and invitations with a hard element (e.g. button closure, charm, etc.) are subject to additional postage charges.
• Be sure to leave yourself enough time to order your invitations, particularly if you are ordering a custom design or artisan form of printing. Mistakes happen when you (or your printer) are in a rush.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Remember that your invitation sets the tone for the rest of your wedding, so think ahead to how your invitation's motifs and colors will flow through the rest of your wedding's design. Choose a palette of three to five colors (a couple of dominant colors, and a couple of accent colors) to bring cohesion to the event, and use consistent typefaces and designs.