Wedding Invitation FAQs
Your invitation makes the first impression, and it sets the tone of your wedding in seconds. Since it’s the first glimpse your guests have of your most special day, you want it to be as unique as you are as a couple, and to be a timeless reminder of your very special celebration.
Wedding invitations should be a reflection of your own “brand of perfect.” Your invitation should be tailored to your tastes and unique to you both. The choices are endless! And sometimes that can be overwhelming. I’m here to guide, help and advise you from beginning to end. I’ll show you as many possibilities as you’d like to see, providing the personal attention you need to make your ultimate choice. Then we’ll work together on design, materials, printing process, fonts, graphics – anything and everything that goes into creating your entire wedding invitation suite.
I’m excited to work with you! And I want your experience to be as fun and stress-free as possible. Here are some guidelines, advice, and tips to consider before we begin working together.
What’s The Timing For Ordering Invitations?
Although it’s never too early, I recommend you order your invitations 16 weeks prior to your wedding, and mail them 8 weeks prior (for instance, if your wedding date is May 15th, you should place the order around January 15th, and mail them around March 15th). This allows us 8 weeks for the ordering process, and the comfort of not having to rush anything. It also avoids your having to pay rush fees. Rush fees can be as high as 40% of the total order, and some companies do not "rush" their orders, as they are queued and printed one after the other, no matter the wedding date.
If you would like to mail your invitation on a certain date, please be aware that the order must be approved for printing at least 5-6 weeks before that date.
How Many Invitations Should I Order And What’s The Payment Process?
Always keep in mind that a couple or household needs only one invitation, as does a family if you are inviting the entire family. For example, if you are inviting 250 people, you will likely need 150 invitations. We will help you decide on your quantity, but you will need to finalize your list before finalizing your order.
It's imperative that you order enough invitations. You NEVER want to be in a position of needing more, as most companies require that you order in batches of 25 (some companies require a 50-invite minimum). If you do need more, you may have to order a minimum of 25 invitations, even if you don't need that many, and this small quantity is the most expensive. This reorder will take just as long to print as your original order.
If the company that is printing your invitations is not printing your guest names and addresses, I ask that you make sure you have at least 10% extra envelopes for calligraphy errors. For example, if you are ordering 150 invitations, and you need 147, we ask that you order 175 envelopes.
I do not charge for consultation time. It’s my pleasure to work with you! To get your order started, I ask for 1/2 of the estimated total as your deposit, and then I will order your proof. I accept all forms of payment; personal checks are preferred. Your balance is paid when you pick up your order.
What’s The Turnaround For My Proof And My Order?
Your online proof will be emailed to you approximately 3 to 4 business days after placing your order. You may choose to make changes to your proof, which will require another proof, and perhaps more proofs. We often suggest changes, but the ultimate decision is yours. It's not unusual to have 2 or 3 (or even more) proofs until your invitation is perfect to print. The first proof is typically free (depending on the printing company), and each additional proof is $15 each. I require a perfect proof to approve for printing.
My printing companies send digital proofs; they do not make an "actual" proof of your invitation. They consider their album samples actual proofs.
I ask that you review your proofs carefully. I, of course, will do the same! I am not responsible for any errors found after proofs are approved. If you find errors after your project has been printed, I cannot offer a refund and I do have to charge for reprinting. I certainly do not want this to happen so I encourage you to proofread and proofread again.
Obviously, I hope that this will not happen, but if you cancel your order after proofs have been ordered, a cancellation fee will be applied. Besides the flat cancellation fee, this will include proof, plate, and any custom art charges. If you choose to order another item, your deposit minus the above charges (for the old order) will be applied to the new order.
Once you approve your proof, most orders will take about 3 weeks for printing. Some more involved orders will take longer. Ground shipping will take about 2-3 business days unless the company is located on the west coast (5-6 business days). You can always choose to upgrade the shipping method.
How Will My Envelopes Be Addressed?
Guest addressing is always a separate charge.
If one of my calligraphers is addressing your envelopes, please allow at least 2 weeks for this process. Your perfect list should be emailed to me before your order comes in. I will let you know whether a spreadsheet or Word list is preferred.
Most of my printing companies can print your addresses. The advantage to this is that the fonts and colors match exactly, and it’s less expensive than hand calligraphy. I will instruct you as to how to email your list to us, then I will prepare it (if need be) and send it to the company. Your envelopes will come addressed with your order.
If I am printing your envelopes on my printer, I will likely be unable to exactly match your font and ink color, but I will try my best to come close. Please allow about a week for this process. Your perfect list should be emailed to me before your order comes in.
What Should I Do When My Order Comes?
Your order will be delivered to me so I can check and count it. Then I’ll let you know it’s ready for pickup.
For a $2 per envelope fee, I can have your invitation weighed, purchase your postage (at your cost), apply the stamps, stuff the envelopes, and have them hand-stamped at the post office.
If you choose not to use this service, when you receive your order, you will take one stuffed invitation to the post office to be weighed so that you buy the correct postage. Don't forget to buy forever stamps for the reply envelope, and don't buy postage before weighing (very important!). Also, seal your envelopes with a glue stick or envelope sealer with adhesive. This one is my favorite!
The Paperia is not responsible for any errors made when stuffing and stamping customer orders. While I anticipate and pride myself on my “no-errors” work ethic, mistakes do very occasionally happen.
Most importantly, please remember that I derive as much pleasure in working with you as I hope you will have in selecting your invitation. I can’t wait to hear you say, “I love it!” when you hold your invitation in your hands. I look forward to working with you!
