Your wedding invitations are an opportunity to impress your guests with the fonts, designs and paper. All the details of your engagement announcements, save the dates, wedding invitations, reply cards, enclosures, place settings, menus and thank you cards should encompass the thematic elements of your wedding. We are sharing some tips to help you navigate the timeline and design for your wedding invitations and paper details.
Following a Timeline
Following a timeline for wedding planning is necessary. Wait to long to order your invitations, and they will arrive after your honeymoon. Send them out too early, and your guests will forget. It is a good idea to send out engagement announcements as soon as you get engaged. This gives everyone a heads up that a wedding is in the plan. When you have a wedding date, send out your save-the-dates to prevent guests from making other plans on your special day. About six months before your wedding, order the wedding invitations and enclosures. Six to eight weeks before your wedding day, send out the wedding invitations. It is recommended that you send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner, bridal shower and other wedding related celebrations about one month prior to each event. Once you have a final headcount, and not less than three weeks prior to your big day, you should complete place cards. If you are hiring a calligrapher, you might want to allow more time for the completion.
Designing Wedding invitations
Why are wedding invitations such a big decision? All the important decisions are made for the design and the impact. Invitations have an important function to invite guests. Beyond purpose, they create impressions and become a keepsake in a photo album. Your wedding theme should influence your wedding invitations and other paper materials. Choose the color palette, fonts, style and embellishments with your theme in mind. You will have the paper, envelops, fonts, graphics and inserts to consider. Beyond the paper and font, think about the patterns of your wedding designs and incorporate the small details into your wedding invitations for a textured look. Shape and size are other thoughts to consider. Get to know the paper lingo before shopping. Digital invitations are becoming a popular alternative to print. They are more affordable and easier to deliver. Explore options and choose an invitation type and style that fits your event.
Get to Know the Paper Lingo
Get to know the paper lingo before you shop for wedding invitations. It is easy to understand when something is referenced as handmade or natural materials, but cotton, rag or hemp can get a little confusing. If you envision a vintage theme, familiarize yourself with a deckle edge to create that irregular and torn look. Corrugated refers to folded stock with wrinkles and ridges. Industrial is created from chipboard or newsprint. Matte is nonreflective and opaque. Mylar is a shiny foil-like finish. Parchment is cloudy and translucent. Rice paper is thin and soft. Linen is grainier than cotton and has a textured appearance for a classic look. Jacquard is screen-printed paper that creates the illusion of layering, such as with lace. Vellum is a delicate, thin and opaque cotton blend with a matte finish. It can be layered on a card stock or used alone. Explore all your paper options before making a decision.
Printing Techniques
You should also get familiar with printing techniques. Letterpress involves inking an image to produce an impression. Thermography creates raised lettering with a heat-based process that has an appearance similar to engraving. Engraving is created with a metal plate and creates textured and raised font. Embossing crimps the paper to create raised letters. Printing is a significant part of the design. Explore printing techniques and find the design you love.
The RSVP
Répondez s'il vous plaît or RSVP is important to finalize the headcount for seating charts, place cards, favors and the catering. Your RSVP should have a deadline of no less than two to three weeks prior to your wedding. The decorative insert should be placed in the fold of the invitation, and match the design.
Crystal Ballroom Ocala
Plan with Crystal Ballroom Ocala, and invite your guests to a fairy tale wedding venue. Plan your magical moments with wedding professionals inside of the Crystal Ballroom design studio, and choose your colors, theme, linens, décor and floral arrangements. This all-inclusive wedding venue bundles the venue, furnishings, staff services and décor into an affordable wedding package to make your fairy tale possible. Walk the red carpet to a ballroom designed for your magical moments.
