Wedding Wise: Words from Invitation Guru’s

Getting ready to order your Save the Dates or invitations but need some advice? Wedding Wise to the rescue! This week invitation guru’s, Elisabeth Barton from Life of Leo Designs and Danielle Klotz from Pink Poppy Ink are here to share their industry wisdom.

Life of Leo Designs

Elisabeth S Barton is the owner of Life of Leo Designs. Not only does she share creative designs with Indy, but she’s also sharing words of advice and knowledge with IGH.

1. 1. What are current invitation trends in 2011?

Pockets are still very much in style and a great way to include a lot of information in a cute little package. There are so many different pocket designs and you can embellish them to reflect your style with rhinestones, ribbons or anything else you can imagine. Letterpress is still HUGE for invitation suites. Now the design concepts are focusing on the modern, vintage and hand calligraphy. Eco-awareness is still very much a concern for many brides, so many companies are now offering even more environmentally friendly paper options. Even unique materials like wood veneer or plastic diecuts are becoming visible in invitation suite designs.

1. 2. In your opinion, how important is a Save the Date?

I would automatically say yes because it allows me to design something, but it really truly depends on your event and your guests. If you’re having a destination wedding, it would be best to send out a save the date to allow guests time to prepare for the big event. If every aunt and uncle already knows about your wedding, it might not be necessary to send out a save the date notice. However, save the dates are great reminder tool for those with busy lifestyles and they can allow you to show a bit of personality. So many couples use their save the date designs as a canvas for creativity, while their invitations might be more reserved and formal.

1. 3. How could a bride be eco-conscious with her invitations without using an e-vite format?

More and more companies are focusing on eco-friendly products. Paper is probably the most obvious choice in regards to recycled paper, but don’t worry about that stereotypical “recycled” look if that is a concern. Many companies offer a variety of beautiful papers that you wouldn’t even know were made from post consumer waste products unless you saw the information sticker! Another environmental concern would be printing inks. There are companies now that can work with your designer to utilize soy/plant-based inks or at least water-soluable inks in the printing process to lessen the environmental impact. If you want the embellishments and the glamour, you can look for Made in the USA or recycled ribbon to add to your invitation suites. This is just a starting point, but you can find a design professional that has experience regarding environmental awareness and they can provide you with more information. This area of stationery design is extremely important to me because I do have an environmental background, so I am constantly looking for new products that can allow consumers to leave a smaller footprint.

1. 4. When would you suggest a bride should order her invitations? When should she send them out?

If you are looking for a custom design invitation suite, I would recommend working with your designer as soon as you have your venue, date and color scheme. The revision process could take some time and you want to make sure you have enough time to mail out the invitations. If you choose to order an invitation suite that is pre-made for the most part, the ordering time would really depend on the retailers production date. It would be best to have them in hand a few weeks before you mail them so that you can have everything organized to make the mailing process easier. The general rule of thumb is to mail your invitations out six to eight weeks before your wedding date. Remember to keep in mind any assembly time, taking the invitations to the post office for hand cancelling, additional postage, etc. You want to allow guests enough time to send back their RSVP, but not enough time to forget about it. Also remember to think about your deadlines for any guest numbers regarding food.

1. 5. What is your biggest advice to a bride concerning etiquette in invitation wording?

Remember to include information that will reflect well with your family members and friends. While your wedding style should be all about the bride and groom, you also don’t want to offend poor Aunt Freda. For instance, if the bride’s parents are contributing financially, it is a standard courtesy to list them as invitees on the invitation. Include family members  on the invitation as it pertains to the peace of the family.

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Pink Poppy Ink

Danielle Koltz is the owner and graphic designer of Pink Poppy Ink. She has graced the pages of IGH in a Spotlight Indy and is here today to share some of her invitation Wedding Wise knowledge.

1. 1. What are current invitation trends in 2011?

-Letterpress: One of the most requested and classic forms of printing today is letterpress printing. This longtime admired style uses the art of indenting the text and design into the paper with the your choice of colors, creating a rich and luxurious feel. The letterpress invitation is sure to leave a lasting impression and set the mood for your big day.

-Pocketfold Invitations: Keep your guests organized by having your invitation, RSVP card, and any additional inserts all in one pocketfold. Introduce colors by layering paper under your invitation.

-To the Point: Simple text, design, and basic information keeps this invitation clean and modern. A monogram of you and your fiancé’s first initials are a great way to personalize and add a decorative touch. Add a note that directs your guests to your wedding web site for transportation, hotel and any other information.

-Coordinating thank you cards are a nice way to tell your guests know how much you appreciate them for making your big day special and memorable.

1. 2. In your opinion, how important is a Save the Date?

A Save the Date is a necessity. Your guests have busy schedules and a Save the Date tells them that you value their time, but really hope they can join in your celebration. The sooner you let them know the date the more likely they’ll be available to attend and begin their travel arrangements.

1. 3. How could a bride be eco-conscious with her invitations without using an e-vite format?

RSVP postcards are a great way to save paper and postage. Instead of putting the RSVP card in an envelope, all the information is on one side with the return address on the other. Just place a 28 cent stamp (soon to be 29 cents after April 17, 2011) on each postcard saving you time and money, all while being green-friendly!

1. 4. When would you suggest a bride should order her invitations? When should she send them out?

Production times can vary depending on the extensiveness of the custom design and hand-made assembly time required, based on the couple’s preferences. Plan to meet with your invitation specialist as soon as the location and time are set. That way you’re not rushed and ensure that you’ll end up with the invitation you both envisioned. Pink Poppy Ink’s average turnaround time is anywhere from 2-4 weeks after your final approval on the invitation design. Etiquette for sending out invitations is 6 to 8 weeks with a RSVP reply date of 2 to 3 weeks.

1. 5. What is your biggest advice to a bride concerning etiquette in invitation wording?

Wedding invitation wording doesn’t have to be stuffy. If you and your fiancé are funding your own wedding then the wording on the invitation is solely up to you two. If parents are contributing, it is best to ask if they would like to be included on the invitation. If both sets are divorced and re-married, and the lists of parent’s names is longer than the invitation itself, then it might be OK to say “Along with their parents”. When in doubt, ask your invitation specialist for advice and they can help you come up with something that pleases everyone.