"How many invitations do you think you need?"  The very first question to clients calling to place an order.  And interestingly enough ... most clients give me the number of guests they are estimating.  Ah ha!  But this is not how many invitations you need.  You'll need about 1/2 your guest list, plus some, plus a few extras.  My oh, so very sophisticated formula! 

Here's a sample - say 200 guests, figure 100 (this is the 1/2 - remember you'll have some couples and families), plus about 10% (this is the plus some - for those singles) and a minimum of 10 extra (I usually recommend 15-20 extra - guests (oops!) you may have forgotten, lost invites, and new friends).  That would be around 130-150 invitations.

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Being smart about how you're spending your wedding dinero - doesn't mean that you are being cheap.  It's definitely human nature to want the best.  Hello!  I design myself into a labor intensive nightmare with my son's birthday invitations every year (note: pics coming soon .. tee, hee, hee).  

Follow me through this scenario ... Take the above invitation, Megan and Peter's wedding ensemble was everything they wanted in design, style and presentation.  Being smart meant we looked at their budget FIRST and designed from there.  If you are looking to be smart about spending, you can and still end up with a fabulous custom invitation.  It's really about what you actually need vs. want - in a word flexibility.  (Wouldn't it be nice if all things in life were as simple as stationery??)  Ask yourself, do I really need printed directions?  Do I really need this or that or is it more a luxury I'm willing to compromise on?

Although the invitation above looks simple enough, there were still opportunities to pare it down.  By removing all the extra enclosures attached to the back and sticking simply with the invitation & reply (with envelopes).  That's were the flexibility comes in.  You can start a free -or- inexpensive wedding website and list all the accommodation, direction and any other details there.  You may need one extra little card at minimal cost to direct guest to the website - but it's certainly a lot less costly than a multitude of panels with your invite.  

A word of warning ... don't include home printed directions or scissor cut papers with extra info that do not directly coordinate with your professionally printed invitations ... it looks really tacky and they stick out like a sore thumb.  Not a great first impression to one of the biggest days of your life.  Remember, your invitation is a keepsake for you just as much as an announcement to your guests - the invitation is the only professionally printed stationery you'll have to remember the day - other than the lovely state documented marriage license.

Back to business ...today, the pared down version breaks down to the following:

Invitations (100):

5x7 -or- 5x5 Panel Design

Double Matte Invitation Panel

Mix & Match Metallic or Matte Papers

3.5x5 Reply with Envelope

Total = $625

With my ... Luxury at a DIY Price Special

Total = $525

Add-on's:

Return Addressed Reply Envelope $75

Return Addressed Outside Envelope $75

Crystal Embellishment (1 per invite) $37.50 (DIY Price $29.00)

Let me know what you think of this post ... is it helpful??

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OMG!  I love how Megan & Peter's table cards came out!  I can't wait to get the photos processed of their entire wedding suite to share.  I absolutely had to post this photo of the their table cards all stacked up and ready to go. 

They selected names of "things" (cities, places, dates, etc.) that were meaningful to them as their table numbers.  I love that idea and it's a great alternative to just numbering the tables.  You could even take the naming a step further and do a double sided table card with the "name" on one side and a description of why that name is significant to you and your beloved.  Giving your guests some great conversation material while they're waiting for the party to get started.

A few more tips ... keep table cards large enough to read but small enough not to compete with other table decor, decide whether you will need a stand/holder for your table cards or if you want them designed like a tent to stand on their own prior to ordering and have fun with them!

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Designing, stuffing, mailing ... oh, my.  The last thing you want to do when you start receiving replies back is worrying about who's reply is who's.  The ever faithful M____________ line is where your guests should write in their names ... or provide a return address on the back flap of the reply envelope.  But this is not always the case.  One quick step can save you hours worth of detective work.  

Set yourself up a spreadsheet or word-processing document numbering all of your addresses - then simply number (somewhere inconspicuous - like the back corner) all your reply cards - making sure to carefully match up the corresponding number to the corresponding address when it comes time to mail.  So that when Uncle Fred & Aunt Sally forget to write in their names and supply a return address on the reply envelope - you know to check them off the list.  Hello!  Genius. 

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