Every special occasion describes great stationery, and your birthday party is no exception! From the fold of the card to its color, the right kind of birthday party invitations can make or break your party.
When announcing the big day, a person has to ask themselves, "Should I print the birthday invitations or should I opt to write out all the information by hand?" The answer will vary depending upon your personal style, party size, and available printer specs. Indeed, there are some distinct differences between fill-in-the-blank and printable stationery.
Opting for Printable Birthday Invitations
Printable birthday invitations are a popular option, especially for those who want a professional look, but do not want to pay the high costs of a professional printer. With the wide array of appealing styles and themes, even the most fashion-forward party planner can find the perfect printable birthday invitations.
Because they can be printed from home, printable birthday invitations typically include easy-to-follow directions. Limitless in the number of birthday announcements that can be printed, people who have large guests list often enjoy sending this type of invitation.
Precautions to Take with Printable Birthday Invitations
With this in mind, there are several precautions you should take with printable invitations. To accommodate for potential printing mistakes and jams, it is recommended that you purchase 10% or 20% more extra invitations than your guest list needs. This will ensure that you will have sufficient birthday invitations, even if you make a mistake with the wording.
In addition, you can take action to prevent printer jams when creating your birthday invitations. Printer jams cost both time and money, but feeding a few sheets of paper at a time will help avoid a catastrophe from happening.
Notice whether you have the right type of printer to do the job is also essential before starting the task. For example, if you have an ink-jet printer, make sure that the printable invitation is compatible and not only designed for laser printers. You should also pay attention to the size of the invitation because printing programs are usually only set to print on standard sized paper measuring 8.5 'x 11'.
The Convenience of Fill-In-The-Blank Birthday Invitations
Fill-in-the-blank cards are convenient, and they are ideal for parties that have small guest lists. Without worrying about printer jams and formatting, you can simply write out the details for your birthday bash. In addition, in today's modern digital world, your handwriting can be a nice personal touch. However, for larger parties with guest lists greater than 10, it may be more time-efficient to simply use printable birthday invitations.
Comparing the Text between Fill-In and Printable Birthday Invitations
Because there is a limited amount of space on the front of a fill-in-the-blank card, party details should be short and to the point. You may also need to browse through a variety of options before finding the fill-in-the-blank birthday invitation that has the right tone and style for your party. However, from formal and elegant words to casual and witty templates, there are a wide variety of fill-in birthday invitations.
On the other hand, printable stationery may allow for more information to be added to the invitation. Printable invitations look professional and eliminate confusion where messy handwriting is concerned. If your penmanship resembles that of a doctor's, consider spending extra time printing your birthday invitations so that your guests will be able to read the invitation without any hassle. Or, if your heart is set on fill-in birthday invitations, enlist the help of a friend with the writing process.
Although both types of stationery have their advantages, only you can choose the right kind of birthday invitation for your big celebration. Whether you write in the information yourself or print it from home, remember this-no one throws a party like you do!
Your wedding invitations are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding, but if you're not careful, they can they quickly cut into your budget. Luckily there are many options available that convey your sense of style and set the tone for your wedding – and are also very affordable.
INVITATIONS
Your invitations reflect the tone of your wedding, whether it's black tie or casual chic. More formal weddings may require more formal invitations, which are traditionally white or ecru and engraved with black or charcoal ink. A square of tissue paper is also inserted to protect the type. While classic and understated, the cost of these invitations can quickly add up to the purchase price of a small car, but with slightly better gas mileage. What's a budget-minded bride to do?
More and more couples are veering from standard invitations and choosing papers in unusual sizes and colors, incorporating interesting textures and using graphics, motifs and monograms. Many couples are also doing away with the traditional unsealed inner envelope, which not only reduces costs, but also reduces waste. And besides, how many of your guests are going to remember how many components were included in their invitation? (Hint: if you DO have guests who will notice, seat them all together so they can drive each other crazy)
Another option is to purchase materials to create your own invitations. Thanks to the popularity of scrapbooking and paper stores, it's never been easier to create unique and memorable wedding invitations. Do you and your guy have a favorite color, song, vacation destination or hobby? Do not be afraid to incorporate it into your invitations. Your guests would rather see a heartfelt invitation than have to discard the tissue paper that protects a random printer's work. (Not that there's anything wrong with using a printer. But hey … the cost of those little sheets really adds up!)
At this point, you might be saying, "But traditional IS my style! How can I afford it?" Put those fears to rest, girl! Make some "test" invitations on plain paper, playing with font size and type, then purchase blank cards and matching envelopes (which are available at scrapbooking and hobby stores and mass retailers nationwide) to print the real deal.
No matter what kind of invitation you choose, be sure to mail them 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding so your guests have time to plan … and to shop for really awesome gift!
WAIT … THERE'S MORE
Remember when you were a little girl and you dreamed about your perfect wedding, right down to the invitations? Why did not anyone tell us about the reply cards? Or the reception cards? Why are there so many cards?
Response Cards Response cards are typically sent with your invitations and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. These are used to help determine how many people will be attending and usually include menu options for your guests to choose from. But I'm going to tell you a secret: you can create your own reply cards. Just purchase small cards with matching envelopes, print them yourself and then insert them into the invitations when you are addressing them. Best of all, you can do this whether you're making your own invitations or having them professionally printed.
Reception Cards Reception cards are included inside wedding invitations to let guests know when and where the post-wedding festivals will begin. Traditionally, this is a small card that asks guests to join the newlyweds and their families for a celebratory reception, and gives the date, place, and time. But remember the "Response Cards" secret I disclosed above? It works here, too! Print them yourself or even (gasp) print the reception information inside the invitation itself. It will give your guests one less thing to keep track of and save you lots of money.
AND EVEN MORE …
Believe it or not, there are still other paper-related items to think about.
Wedding Programs Sure, wedding programs provide useful information and make charming mementos, but there's no need to break the bank. While some couples choose to do a booklet type program, budget-minded couples are using simple card stock with a vellum overlay, tied together with a ribbon that matches your color scheme. Others are simply printing them at home (or a friend's home) on a unique paper that plays up the wedding colors or motif. After all, how many people (near your closest friends and family) are going to keep it as a memento? They'd rather use the money you saved on programs to help with your honeymoon expenses, make a car payment or buy a lottery ticket.
Menu Cards The idea behind menu cards is that no one likes to sit down to a meal when they have no idea what they're about to be served (think school cafeterias). However, this can easily be combined with the Reply Card (see above). And of course if the meal is buffet-style, menu cards are not really necessary, since there is usually something to please everyone.
If you feel that menu cards are necessary, it's simple to print them yourself … just pick up some good old card stock. If there's a good story behind why you chose a certain dish (you're serving New York Style cheesecake because you met in New York or hot dogs because you met at a ball game), including this story adds a unique element to your menu cards .
One thing that may be very helpful to all involved (you, the caterer, the bartender and your guests) is to create a drink card or two. If you're limiting the open bar to a certain amount or type of drink, a drink card is the perfect place to spell that out. Just get an easel or frame so the card can be posted at the bar.
Place Cards Are you having a buffet-type meal at your reception? If so, skip this section, since place cards are not necessary. For the rest of you, place cards are tent-shaped cards that are placed at each place setting to show people where they should sit. You can easily print them from your home computer, but why not make the place cards for your reception a little unique? Make your wedding favors do double-duty by attaching a name tag to each one and using them as place cards. If you're making your own favors, it only adds one simple step, but saves you money in the long run. You can also use stones with hand-painted names or tie name tags around wrapped silverware. Use your imagination! Place cards do not needlessly have to be one more job for the printer.
Thank You Cards Ok, brides. You all know what these are, and there's really no need to have them printed. Simple thank you cards are readily available almost anywhere, and as a bonus, most of them even say "thank you." Your handwritten message inside is what's important, so invest most of your time there. As a reminder, these should be sent out no later than one month after your honeymoon. If you receive gifts prior to the wedding, those thank you cards should be sent out immediately.
Save the Date Cards What? No really … I did not know what these were. Here's the scoop: save the date cards are sent to guests pretty much the second after the groom pops the question, so that guests can plan ahead. If you send out your announcements 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding, there is probably no need for save the date cards. However, if you have friends or relatives who will be traveling great distances (especially from other countries), a little heads-up would be nice. However, this can be done by greeting card, letter or phone call. That should be sufficient to "save the date." If you do feel that you need to send save the date cards, you can easily make them yourself.
IN A NUTSHELL
Creating your own invitations and other stationery items can save you lots of money, freeing up your wedding budget for other things. Just keep a couple of things in mind:
- If you are printing pieces yourself, try to use a consistent or complementary font on all of the pieces you create.
- Before addressing invitations, be sure to have complete addresses available. This will help reduce the number of mistakes made during the addressing process. (The less mistakes you make, the fewer invitations you have to use. This saves money!)
- You do not have to do it all yourself. Your family and friends will be more than willing to help create, print and assemble your invitations and other items. After all, is not that what you keep them around for?
With a little imagination and a lot of determination, your budget-friendly wedding invitations will be just as beautiful as big-budget invitations, but at a fraction of the cost.
Photo wedding invitations are usually very unique. This is because you will put a picture of you on the card. As a result, it will be a unique one. In fact, it will also be a personalized one. However, you will need to spend some time to choose the photos.
When you are considering photo wedding invitations, you will have two choices in terms of printing. Some couples will go for the idea of a black and white printing while there are brides and grooms who may want to have a colorful one. Of course the costs associated with these options are different. However, you should consider your preferences and the styles of the cards before you think about the prices.
As discussed, your photo wedding invitations will be personalized and unique. This is because no one will use your photos to print the cards except you yourself. It will be totally meaningless for others to use your photo. As a result, no one will copy your design and you can be sure that you invitation will be a totally unique.
The next question will be how you will choose the photos. It will be extremely perfect if you will take some pre-wedding photos. It is very common for people in China to do this. You can just put these pictures on your photo wedding invitations and they will just be perfect. However, if you are not going to take these pictures, you can also choose a picture that depicts both you and your fiance. The advantage here is that you guests will know that it is your big day and your invitation when once they see it!
You can also create the photo wedding invitations yourself. Yet you will need to learn a bit of the software. You can use Adobe Photoshop to compose your invitation card. You can even print them yourself with your printer at home. It can be an excellent choice when you only need 15 to 20 cards!
There are many ways to save money on your big day! But there can be several other reasons that you want to print your own wedding invitations.
Here are some reasons why it makes good sense.
1. You can set the mood of the wedding. After all this is the first thing a lot of your guests will see that will let them know you are going through with it.
2. The word can be customized to fit any situation. You may decide to have a theme wedding. You may want to have fun with the terms used to state the ceremony. For example gettin 'hitch, shot gun wedding, tying the knot or some of those terms can be used
3. When time is short you can get busy and make them quickly. It may be that you are having a fast wedding. Perhaps you eloped and just want to have a party to celebrate. You can get those invites out fast if you print your own wedding invitations.
4. You can always make more if you need them at any time. Wow, the family has grown, you almost forgot Uncle Ralph and Aunt Bessie. Thank goodness you can print out another invite!
5. You will save a lot of money. This might be the original idea, but once you now that almost looks like just an added bonus.
So you can see that it makes good sense to print your own wedding invitations. You will have more control over what is on them. Setting the mood, can be achieved as the recipient gets their envelope in the mail.
Money savings does not have to be the largest reason behind this. You may have an idea that you do not see anywhere else. If you kick it around a little you may come up with just the perfect announcement.
There is no reason that you can not take a theme wedding idea and really start it with your invitations. Send out something that will make people want to come just to see what will take place. I think that you have so many options with fonts, clip art and papers that your choices are endless.
If you decide to have a theme from your hobby, sport or location you can easily start it with your invitations.
I am surprised at how casual some weddings are becoming. I know a lot of girls want the traditional weddings but even those are not the same. So regardless of what you decide, you can print your own wedding invitations for many reasons. Saving money, will help but it goes way beyond that.
Photo Invitations are the easy way to make custom wedding invitations. They are simple and deliver a quick, easy to interpret message. But sometimes they are just plain boring and say nothing about the people behind the invitation. Here are ten ways to really make your photo invitations not work for you:
10. A photo of an abstract object. Okay, we know you are trying to be artistic and what not, but sending people photo invitations of any nature with some abstract photo that says nothing about anything is not very personalized and does not really deliver the message.
9. Cheesy Photoshopped invitations. This may be the other extreme. Too much customization can become cheesy, especially when people first learn how to use Photoshop. For instance, overuse of a "green screen" effect to place people in different locations or using text to create dialogue boxes for those photographed can greatly reduce the quality of photo invitations.
8. Pixilated photos. This usually occurs when printing photo invitations at home. Photos should always have a resolution of 300 pixels per square inch. If printing a photo from a camera phone or other low-quality imaging device this is sure to happen. No one wants pixilated photo invitations. It may be funny when your eyes are represented by two black squares, but those invited may not decide to show up when they see that.
7. Stock photos. The first time I received one of these I was bluffed. It came in the form of a baby birthday party photo invitation. I thought, "Wow, what a perfect baby looking baby … and what a great photo." The photo turned out to be a stock photo – exactly what it looked like. The baby was no where nearly as cute as the one on the invitation.
6. Extremely Photoshopped photo invitations. It is okay to cover up a few blemishes and touch up the color on some photos, get rid of some red eye, etc., but do so in moderation. Do not smooth things out to so much that your photo invite looks like you are coming out from the mist under some heavenly glow. That says "cheesy" all over it and is annoying to people who know what you really look like. Be real, be yourself in your photo invitations
5. Red eye photos. This is worse than doing too much Photoshopping because it shows that not only did you pick a bad photo where you look like your eyes are glowing, but also you did not even take a minute to fix it up.
4. Photo invitations printed out while you were running out of ink on your printer. So you are going to do the printing job yourself, but then your ink jet runs out of juice. Either get new cartridges or stop printing. It is shameful to send out photo invitations that either discolored, or have lines down them, clear signs of lack of printer ink.
3. Text-covering-your-face invitations. It's fine to put text in your photo invitations, just make sure it is not covering up someone's face. That will just make for a great joke photo invitation.
2. Invitations printed out on bad paper. If you are printing your own photo invitations, pick high-quality photo invitations paper. There is almost nothing worse than getting a flimsy photo invitation with ink bleeding all over the place and see through effects that cause eye trouble.
1. Headshot photo invitations. This may seem like a freak incident, but these do exist. I do not mean professional headshots, I mean like those that you take for your driver's license. I was invited to a couple's engagement party with a photo invitation that had their two photos, that both looked like they may have been mug shots taken in jail. If these are really the only two photos that exist of these people that you wish you feature on your photo invitation then simply revert to the 10th worst option on this list, which is to use an abstract photo for the invitations. At least then, people might show up to your event.
Since your guests may not know too much about you – think Mildred and the in-laws – it's helpful for them if you personalize your wedding invitations. There's no such thing as getting too personal. Include ribbons, streamers, glitter, photographs, handwriting, stickers, knick-knacks, save-the-date magnets, pop-out 3D characters, homemade textures, and much more. Your guests will crave cards in the future from you because they're so darn fun! Follow these steps for personalizing your invitations. I guarantee you that you will not regret it.
First of all, include a whimsical map that evokes images of Fairy Land or an imaginary place. It's always a necessity to include a map with directions to the wedding, reception, and other wedding events. Make it more personal, imaginary, and whimsical by spicing up your map with special destinations that make you and your spouse's life great. Include a pin sticker on each of your favorite restaurants, ice cream joints, clubs, movie theaters, and night clubs. You will show your spouse the best part of your lives with this superb addition to the map.
Second of all, use a website like Photo Stamps to imprint you and your spouse's faces on the stamp because this will allow you to mass-market envelopes with your personal touch and appearance on each one.
Third, do not go with standard, traditional, antiquated envelopes and invitations. The only use of tradition is to act as an illusion for immortality. The reason that people keep going back to traditional looks of wedding invitations is because white thick envelopes with black ink and engraved lettering are what everyone has always done. Modern day couples are breaking the boundaries of our culture and using their own unique colors, textures, and adornments to make their invitations more impactful. Do not send superfluous invitations that people toss into the trash can with the others. Create invitations that are art, personal art, that reflect you and your spouse's deepest beliefs and feelings. Some people may be initially offended or put off, but the majority of the recipients will be astounded and welcome such originality.
The fourth, awesome way you can make your wedding invitation stand out from the rest is by using a different printing technique than everyone else. Use wood, concrete, PVC, recycled paper, newspaper, thermography, construction paper, arts & crafts paper, letterpress, engraved, or more. Your guests will think they got a wedding invitation from another dimension. Show them the beauty of your creativity with special invitations like these.
In this digital world, anyone with a computer, an email address, or a friend has clearly received an "e-vite," the email version of an invitation. These are fun and certainly have their place in the modern world, but are not suitable for every occasion. Here are some tips to help you choose which invitation, e-vite or paper, works best for your event.
The electronic invitation is great for casual gatherings and for occasions with a short lead time. Super Bowl parties, pool parties, or a girls' night out would definitely fall into this category. Also, get-togheters where the purpose is to view items for sale like jewelry or kitchen products certainly make good use of the e-vite. With an e-vite it is easy to keep track of who can make it to your event and who can not. But you'll need to send a reminder a couple days prior as there is not a hard copy for your guest to stick to their refrigerator.
A more formal occasion calls for a paper invitation. Whether it is a wedding, anniversary, or baby shower, sending a paper invitation implications the event is special. The printed invitation provides a tangible reminder to the guest of the celebration's date and time. Printed invitations are frequently added to scrapbooks, along with pictures of the event, as keepsakes.
Once you decide that a printed invitation is what you want to use for your special occasion, choosing the right paper is easy. There are countless colorful and casual styles of printable invitations available to celebrate any occasion. Most allow you to complete the invitation on your laser or inkjet printer, saving on professional printing costs while still maintaining a professional appearance.
So, there you have it, a quick overview of when to send the e-vite and when to send a paper invitation. When it's all about fun, send the e-vite. But for a lasting impression, send paper. Each has its place in our fast paced society.
Unique wedding invitations are easy to create. The only thing that limits you is your imagination. Today's tech savvy couples use different types of multimedia to create one of a kind, memorable wedding invitations. They combine video footage with pictures and music and photos to tell their story and provide a personal invite to their wedding.
The piece of art is then burnt on CD or DVD and sent out along with everything found in the standard invitation.
Not being so technically savvy does not mean that you can not have unique wedding invitations. For example, you can pick a 5×7 digital picture of the couple, frame it in a distinct border, print your word inside, and have a unique wedding invitation without breaking the bank. If you feel artsy, you can also add a ribbon or dried flower along the border that frames the photo. I can guarantee you that it will make an impression. Sometimes people keep these types of wedding invitations as a keepsake, so it is worth it to put extra effort when creating it.
Another option to have a unique wedding invitation is to hire an artist to recreate from a photograph a portrait of the couple. This is something to be cherished by the couple for a lifetime. One can go even further in pursuit of unique wedding invitation. Recently I saw something that blew me away – wedding invitation of handmade paper, pressed flowers, and handmade silk ornaments boxed with rose petals and confetti. Or another one that was scrolled with cinnamon sticks attached to both ends and tied with a silk ribbon delivered in a paper wrapped tube.
Unique wedding invitations are easy to come up with as you see from the examples above. All you need is imagination. For inspiration you can go online, just make sure you have plenty of time because you will be blown away by the vast choice.
Originally sold as a toy in Japan, Gocco printers are fantastic little machines for doing screen printing at home. Unfortunately, Riso Corporation, the manufacturer of Gocco printers and supplies, decided in May of 2008 to stop making these wonderful devices, citing decline in sales due to home use of computers and printers. But you can still get your hands on one of these (and there are many companies that still sell the supplies) at eBay or through foreign online businesses. If you enjoy creative projects, I urge you to get one while you can. I have a B6 kit and can assure you that they are quite addictive and once you use it, you'll be hooked.
Do not be fooled by the "toy" statement above – once you get the hang of it (and it's not difficult at all), you can create some really sophisticated prints / invitations / greeting cards or print on anything you can think of ( ceramics, T-shirts, curtains, etc.).
If you buy a kit, the printer comes with at a minimum a pack of light bulbs, mesh screens, ink, registration plate, artwork pen and a few clipart designs.
To make your invitations, do the layout on a computer, exactly the way you want it to look. Then print it out, in black and white, on a laser printer (inkjet does not work). If you do not have a laser printer, print it on your inkjet and then copy the design on a regular copy machine (in black & white). You can include anything in your design – symbols, decorations, borders, whatever you want (photos do not work all that well, but illustrations do).
Cut your design down a little bit, and the next thing you'll do is burn it onto one of the mesh screens with the help of the light bulbs (see instruction manual for the exact step-by-step guide). Once you have your screen all set, the fun begins! It's time to put ink on the screen, and you can either do the whole thing in one color, or put several colors on the same screen (do not put too much on, or they might bleed into each other). Once you're happy with the ink application, the screen goes in the top part of the printer, put a piece of cardstock (or whatever you want to do a test on) on the registration plate, and press down. When you lift the lid, there's your design, printed and ready!
Another way of doing the invites is to print the text portion on your printer and then add a design to each with the Gocco. Definitely get extra material so you have room for mishaps and to play around. And have fun! I guarantee that once you've made your first invitation, you'll want to use your Gocco printer for everything!
It does not matter if you're making your wedding invites yourself or through a vendor, there are a few mistakes you need to watch out for. From typos to design flops here are the top 7 wedding invite mistakes you do not want to make.
1. Typos
Like we said it does not matter if your making your own invites or having them professionally made you need to watch out for typos. Whoever is printing your invitations will print them just as you have everything spelled so make sure you look over them two and three times. Ask your most grammatically inclined friend to proof read your invitations; please do not just rely on spell check. Double check to make sure all names are spelled correctly, there's nothing worse than getting someones name wrong. A good idea is catch errors is to read over your material from right to left; instead of left to right.
2. Incorporating everything into the wedding invites
We all agree that your stationary should be personalized in some way, but expecting too many elements of you wedding on the invitations is just going to make it look kitschy. Remember, the more specific and detail oriented you are the more expensive your wedding invites are going to be. So try to keep them simple and choose stationary that your vendor has already available.
3. Be careful with the use of color
Make sure when choosing the color of your wedding invites you are not going completely off the wedding colors. Sometimes colors do not print well on one another so be sure to pair bright colors with neutral ones. This will ensure the text is readable, and does not hurt your eyes to look at it.
4. Do not over order
Well all know it's important to order extra of your wedding invites, but before you go ordering way too many sit down and look at your list. Keep in mind if you have a guest list of 100, your not going to need 100 invitations. Add up the number of guests from households and go from there. You will have a more accurate number of invites your going to send and how many extra you should accommodate for mistakes. This absolutely will ensure that you do not end up short and have to order more a couple days before your mail out your invitations.
5. Allow your guests too much time to reply
We know your anxious to get those wedding invites out, but do not 'send them out too early or their bound to get lost in your guests endless sea of mail on the coffee table. Plan for reply date to be no more than four weeks after they've received the invitation. Any longer than that and your guests are sure to have misplaced them.
6. Do not forget to add stamps to the reply card envelope
This obvious detail is many times overlooked; and even the most organized bride can make this wedding invite mistake. It's nearly impossible to get an already sealed envelope opened, so make sure you remember to put the stamps on the reply card envelopes before you seal the invite envelope itself.
7. Buying postage without weighing your invoices
No one wants to deal with invitations being returned to sender because of an insufficient amount of postage. So be sure to take a finished invoice to the post office to be weighed for proper amount of postage. This will save you from a possible head later.