Working With The Invitation Maven
When I am first introduced to new clients, the first questions many ask is “what books do you work out of?” and “how do you work?” I understand where the first question comes from: many people don’t think that custom invitations are an option, perhaps because of a preconceived notion that custom invitations are always expensive. That is not necessarily the case. In fact, when you work with me, you get more than just invitations. Here are a few reasons why hiring the Invitation Maven will be one of the best decisions you can make.
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
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 ...
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 ...
Working With The Invitation Maven
When I am first introduced to new clients, the first questions many ask is “what books do you work out of?” and “how do you work?” I understand where the first question comes from: many people don’t think that custom invitations are an option, perhaps because of a preconceived notion that custom invitations are always expensive.
That is not necessarily the case.
In fact, when you work with me, you get more than just invitations. Here are a few reasons why hiring the Invitation Maven will be one of the best decisions you can make. Read the rest of this entry »
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.”
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 »
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 »
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 »
