Choose the Right Fonts to Set the Tone

Fonts are more than just words on a page. Every font conveys a different mood or feeling. They add personality to the invitation, and they make a subconscious impression and create an emotional connection to the event.

Because the party starts when the invitation arrives, I tell my clients to make that first impression a good one. By using fonts creatively and finding the perfect font for each invitation, I aim to Read the rest of this entry »

Designing Custom Postage for Your Invitation

When I design custom invitations, I offer to design custom postage for my clients to complete the look of their invitation package. The party starts when the guests open their invitations, so setting the tone of the party with the invitation is important. But even before the envelope is opened, the first impression the guest has of the invitation is what’s on the outside.

The use of a custom stamp completes the look of the invitation package, and is a fun and inexpensive way to let the recipient know that every detail counts. The guest will think “If the invitation packing is this beautiful, I can only imagine how beautiful the event will be.” And that’s exactly the anticipation you want to create!

In my previous post, I discussed how to determine the correct postage for your invitation package, taking into account the size, weight and shape of the envelope. Now that you’ve figured that out, it’s time to design a custom stamp!

There are two Internet sites where you can order custom postage. One is Zazzle and the other is PhotoStamps. They both permit you to upload your artwork to the site and allow you to purchase stamps in a variety of denominations. This is important because Read the rest of this entry »

Invitation Postage

When I design custom invitations, planning your invitation postage is an important part of the process, and something I can help with. As if designing an invitation package isn’t hard enough for some of my clients, many of them are stumped when it comes time to figure out the postage. There are several things you should keep in mind: the size, weight and even the shape of the envelope all have to be considered, not to mention remembering that postage has to be included on the response envelope.

Several of these items can be determined ahead of time. The U.S. Postal Service publishes its envelope guidelines on the Internet. These guidelines are determined based on what size envelopes can go through their automated machines.

Below is a screenshot from the USPS website of the dimensions the post office considers “machinable.”

Click to enlarge

Assuming your envelope fits within these dimensions and weighs one ounce or less, you only need one stamp.

But sometimes the weight of the inserts inside your invitation package will push the total weight over one ounce. Or one of the dimensions of your outer mailing envelope will exceed the machinable size. When this happens, you’ll need to add more postage. And if you use a square envelope, you’ll have to remember to add a square envelope surcharge even if the total weight is less than one ounce.

The USPS posts all of its rates and mailing parameters online. This is good resource for a quick reference or to get a basic idea of what your postage charges will be for budgeting purposes. But the best way to know for sure is to Read the rest of this entry »

Bat Mitzvah Invitation — Repeat Customer On A Budget

It’s rewarding when a family is so happy with the invitations I’ve made for them in the past that they include me on the planning of a new, upcoming event.

I’m working with a repeat customer for her daughter’s upcoming bat mitzvah invitations. I created her son’s bar mitzvah invitations 5 years ago and I’m looking forward to working with this lovely family again. But the original estimate I worked out for her for the upcoming Bat Mitzvah is a bit out of her budget. That makes sense, though, because of the expensive papers and the intricate design she and her daughter chose, and the changes in the economy that has parents thinking more about their budget than they had in the past.

I want to work with her, though, so I’m going to see how I can rework the design to fit within her budget. Here’s what I’m thinking…

In the original design parameters, my client and her daughter asked for Read the rest of this entry »

Why order custom invitations?

Invitations you order online and from invitation books are mass-produced, which is why they can sometimes cost less than custom, hand-crafted invitations. But you get what you see…there is little ability to customize them. You can’t pick and choose the elements you like from different invitations and put them together into “the perfect” design. Yes, you can personalize the details or change the fonts, but you’re stuck with the papers and design elements you see in the sample.

By comparison, when you order invitations from the Invitation Maven, you will get EXACTLY what you want. If you see a graphic element from one invitation but want to change the color scheme, I can do that. If you like the ribbon treatment from one invitation but the shape and papers from another, I can create an invitation that incorporates both elements. My job is to create “the perfect” invitation for your event.

I can work within any budget to design a unique and one-of-a-kind invitation that expresses your personality and sets the tone for your event. So “custom” does not have to be more expensive. To me it means giving my clients exactly what they want at the best price possible.

Addressing the Invitations: Formal or Casual?

One of the things my clients struggle with is how to address the invitations we’ve so painstakingly created together. I provide an easy-to-use spreadsheet to assist in the process, but as you enter the names in whatever program you use, think about how you want the envelopes addressed. The primary question you need to answer is: Is your event formal or casual? The answer to this question will determine how you should address the invitations.

Here are some examples: Read the rest of this entry »

Something different is exactly what you get

March 12, 2010

 

I had a meeting with a new client yesterday. We are designing her son’s bar mitzvah invitation. We spent a lot of time looking at different paper and cardstock options in a myriad of colors, as well as different fonts and invitation styles. But she kept gravitating toward two styles because, as she put it, “they are different.” And different they are! That’s what you get when you order a custom invitation from The Invitation Maven! Something different. Even if the invitation you like is based on one I’ve done before, each one is truly different because most clients change the paper and ink colors, fonts and sometimes even the graphic. But the end result is always the exact invitation my client wants. And that is always something different than what came before.

Custom Wedding Invitations Across the World

I am currently working on a custom wedding invitation for a beautiful couple in Ontario…Canada. I live in Los Angeles. One might think that making invitations for people who live on the other side of the country, not to mention in a different country, can pose some logistical issues, but with the internet and websites, those issues are minimized.

In order to demonstrate the quality of my invitations as well as the range of papers and fonts I use and the styles I design, I sent this couple samples of invitations I’ve made for other clients. We then began a dialogue via email. My client sent me photos of invitation styles they liked and Read the rest of this entry »

Custom Invitation Designer at Bell Canyon Showcase of the Hall

So I was at the Showcase of the Hall event at Bell Canyon, California last Thursday. It’s a vendor showcase for people involved in all aspects of planning a party. There were decorations specialists, lots of caterers, DJs and entertainment vendors, photographers, and party planners, but I was the only custom invitation designer there. I received many compliments on my creativity, style and quality.

What was really amazing was that a few people came up to me because they noticed invitations they had received as guests. They commented on how beautiful they were. It feels good to make an impression that lasts over time. Not just for me, but more importantly for my clients. When people recall my invitation, they also Read the rest of this entry »