Catalog Invitation Pick of the Week

(Each week I pick one of my favorites and share it with you!)

This week's pick: Vellum Overlay Invitation w/ Monogram in Jacket Slide

This ensemble is just darling! The bright white outer jacket is embossed with a flirty floral design. The invitation, featuring a monogram, slides out of the jacket by pulling on the ribbon. Change the feel by choosing from a selection of ribbon colors and 27 ink colors! Make it more classic with black , or more autumn-inspired with brown!

Catalog: Wedding Invitations by Stylart
Price Points:
75 Ensembles: $4.24
100 Ensembles: $3.42
150 Ensembles: $3.06
200 Ensembles: $2.70
(Approximate price per ensemble including proofing, shipping, and tax) Ensembles include invitation, slide, ribbon, response card with printed envelope, reception card, and return address printed on back flap of mailing envelope.
Paper Persuasions is proud to support Domestic Violence Project, inc. Help us help them! Donate 5 different items from their list of needed items and receive an additional 5% discount off your invitation order!

New Wedding Stamps

So we were at the post office today and *finally* got to see the offical catalog of new stamps reflective of the May 11, 2009 increase. I have to say, I am slightly disappointed with the 'gold rings' wedding stamp - but I guess it beats a big ole Liberty Bell. My personal favorites are the Simpson's stamps....and the King and Queen of hearts stamps. Oh - and as per the usual - they are relasing a nice $.44 flag stamp (not pictured).



Seriously! I'm in love with these stamps.


But more in love with these!! This image is of poor quality - but these totally rock. The king and queen are each their own $.44 stamp. I think these will work great for people with 'in between' postage quotes of $.79 - $.84. How cute would it be to use one of each to total $.84 rather than using the $.79 mountain stamp?







These are the new wedding combination stamps. Use the $.44 for your reply envelopes (the rings) and the $.61 for the ensemble (the cake) if it weighs in at over 1 oz.

Etiquette Question of the Week 4/20/09

Q:I am working on my guest list and I have 120 addresses total. How many extra invitations should I order?

A: Well, that depends. How firm is your list? And are you ordering Custom invitations or Catalog invitations?

If you are ordering Catalog invitations, you can only order them in quantities of 25. Since you have 120 addresses already, only ordering 125 invitations may be cutting it too close...so I would suggest ordering 150. That should give you plenty of extras. If you are worried about making mistakes on the envelopes - do not order extra ensembles - just request 25 extra envelopes. The cost is MINIMAL compared to ordering 25 extra sets.

If you are ordering Custom invitations, you can order them in any quantity you need. If your list is firm at 120, then 135 should take care of any last minute guest additions and keepsakes. Same rules apply for extra envelopes - if you are worried about making mistakes when addressing them, simply order additional envelopes.

Submit your very own etiquette question on our website - you will receive an email response with the answer within 48 hours - plus your question could be featured in an upcoming blog or newsletter!

Bi-Weekly Recap 4/5-4/18/09

Hi there! These last two weeks have been insane around here. Now that the weather is breaking, we seem to be meeting an increase of brides who are in panic mode as their invitations have not yet been ordered for June/July weddings. We experienced the busiest days EVER on Easter Weekend. Thanks to everyone who came in and who were patient as Stacy and I worked the crowds! And please be patient if you are planning to stop in between the 23rd and 28th. Stacy will be on vacation and those days are treated as 'walk-in' only days. I won't be taking appointments because there is no guarantee that I won't be pulled in three other directions at any given moment.... and we like to give our appointments our undivided attention!

Here are some pictures of things we have been working on:


Catalog Invitation: Save the Date
This Save the Date card was actually meant to be used as an invitation but the bride got creative! Instead of the B&G names being printed within the 'window' they had their wedding date. The card slides out via ribbon to reveal the preliminary information about their wedding day. Great idea!



Catalog Invitation: Black and White Pocketfold
We've had this one on the blog before. It's a pocket from the Blue Album and it comes in at a GREAT price. You can drastically change the look of this invite by simply changing the ink color.


Catalog Invitation: Cala Lily Seal-n-Send
One of the downfalls of a Seal-n-Send invitation is having to write the address on the backside of the invitation. If you are having an adult only reception, or want to be very specific with who is invited, it can be difficult to do with just one writing surface. Many Seal-n-Sends fit perfectly into Envelopments envelopes (available in over 70 colors)...and this one was printed in ginger ink and placed in a sunstone envelope. Since the return address was no longer needed on the back flap of the Seal-n-Send, the bride replaced it with a quote from their first dance song.


Catalog Invitation: Save the Date - Fall leaves



Catalog Invitation: Peacock Blue Pocketfold
This was another catalog invitation that we added custom touches to. The bride was looking for a specific shade of blue...but rather than facing the expense of custom design, she wanted to stick with a catalog option. We searched high and low and couldn't find the right shade of blue so we ordered the catalog invitation without the middle layer (Carlson Craft gave us a nice discount) then we ordered in cardstock from Envelopments and cut it to the right size. Although it ended up being a slightly higher cost than straight catalog, it was well worth it to get the right color!


Custom Invitation: Chocolate Brown, Blue and Red Pocketfold
This is a pocketfold that we designed for a bride - and even made matching envelope seals which have their return address printed on them! This is actually for a DIY project - we did the printing and they will be doing all the cutting and assembly. We loved the design so much, we wanted to make one for ourselves...and of course we wanted to show off the custom seal...we are excited to be offering these now!


Custom Wedding Invitation: Pink, Silver and White Pocketfold
This bride and groom and her mom have been absolutely wonderful to work with. I am so happy that we are doing all of their accessories too so that we don't have to say goodbye just yet. We have been working on finalizing their invitation order...and we finally got their custom postage stamps in from Zazzle so I was able to take a shot of the ensemble. The custom monogram (actually designed by the groom!!!) was used on the front flap of their pocketfold, on the envelope seal and on the custom postage stamps. This order is a true piece of art!


Custom Wedding Invitation: Pyrite, Persimmon, White Shimmer
Again - another bride that I'll be sad to say goodbye to! We are also doing custom accessories for this order...and Contessa Polina has made cookies to match the front tag of the invite. You will definitely be seeing more of this design on the blog soon!

Custom Accessories: Ecru Shimmer, Pyrite and Starfish theme

As I type this the bride and groom are probably sitting in the airport waiting for their flight to Jamaica! We made custom invitations for them a few months back and these accessories carried the starfish theme through to the reception. From top to bottom: Menus, Table Cards (with island names), Escort Cards (with envelopes!), Stick-on tags for the favor boxes & Welcome tags for the guests gift bags, and finally Ceremony Programs. Can't wait to see the photos...and to work on their custom thank you cards! Congrats you two!

Here We Grow Again!

Usually on Wednesdays, I share a catalog invitation pick of the week with you. This week I'd like to introduce 3 new catalogs we added to our selection last week! We are always looking to increase our selection of low to moderate budget invitations, and these three do just that!

Bride & Groom by McPhersons
Offering a broad range of styles from Cinderella romantic to contemporary patterns. Here's a peek:







Flower by Carlson Craft
Yes, there a some invitations featured with a floral theme, but this catalog also includes some nice non-floral selections. Here's a peek:






Save the Date by Carlson Craft
An entire catalog of Save the Date choices! From photo magnets to scratch off tickets to detailed itineraries, this book has it all! It's an updated catalog offering extensive color choices and more themes. Here's a peek:







We are proud to be adding these three catalogs to our collection, bringing the total to 31! Stop by soon and we'll help you find the best invitation for you and your event.

Etiquette Question of the Week 4/13/2009

Q: I didn't order my invitations through you (wished I would have, long story) but I am wondering if you could tell me if I should be ordering invitation tissues to go with my invitations? The place I did order them from said that they aren't used any more and they can't get them for me but my mom is pretty upset that they were not included in the order. I'm just wondering if it is proper etiquette to include them? Thanks, Anne (from Cleveland)

A: Hi Anne! All of the catalog companies that we represent have discontinued including tissues in their orders - however, they are available by request. Tissues were used to help keep the printed portion of the invitations from smearing - but due to modern printing methods, the tissue is no longer needed for this purpose so most people were not using them. It is not considered improper etiquette to not include them but if you still want to use them for your invitations, let me know the finished size of your invitation panel and I'll be happy to get some for you.

Submit your very own etiquette question on our website - you will receive an email response with the answer within 48 hours - plus your question could be featured in an upcoming blog or newsletter!

Catalog Invitation Pick of the Week

(Each week I pick one of my favorites and share it with you!)

This week's pick: Chocolate Brown Folded Card with Flourish Pattern and Ivory Inserts



This invitation is a new addition to one of my most favorite catalogs - Candlelight by Carlson Craft. It is a rich chocolate brown folded card with the invitation and reception details printed inside on an Ivory insert - all tied together with a chocolate brown satin ribbon. The beautiful flourish/damask design embossed in the card is carried through to the response insert and the custom printed inner envelope. This ensemble is perfect for a fall wedding!




Catalog: Candlelight Collection by Carlson Craft
Price Points:
75 Ensembles: $5.47
100 Ensembles: $4.47
150 Ensembles: $4.05
200 Ensembles: $3.85
(Approximate price per ensemble including tax, shipping and proofing)
Ensembles include: Invitation, ribbon, response card with printed envelope, inner envelope with pattern printed, all copy and pattern printed in brown ink, and mailing envelope with return address printed in black ink.

We need your votes!

So anyways...the Akron/Canton Hot list is back...and we need your votes! Please take a minute to vote for us with as many valid email addresses as you have. We promise - they don't spam you if you do not request to receive email. I've voted in a few of these! If you have an extra minute or two, we'd love if you took the time to rate us and write a brief review about us.

Thanks for your support!

Steph
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Etiquette Question of the Week 4/6/09

Q: How do I address an invitation to a married couple where the woman kept her married name and is a doctor and the man is not a doctor. Do their names go on separate lines?

A: This is a great question. For the example, let's say that the name of the woman is Jane Jones and the name of the man is Dan Smith. The degreed individual is listed first and yes - their names are listed on separate lines:
Dr. Jane Jones
Mr. Dan Smith

Let's say that the woman was a doctor who took her husbands name it would be:
Dr. Jane and Mr. Dan Smith

Or both were doctors:
Drs. Jane and Dan Smith

Submit your very own etiquette question on our website - you will receive an email response with the answer within 48 hours - plus your question could be featured in an upcoming blog or newsletter!

Weekly Recap 3/22 - 4/4/09

I am officially changing the Weekly Recap blog to a Bi-Weekly Recap blog. I just can't seem to make enough time to photograph, upload, and blog about it on a weekly basis. Since our three appearances on Fox 8 news, we have been incredibly busy with new walk-in traffic. I can't believe that next weekend is Easter weekend already and I only noticed because we have multiple appointments each day next week. Brides are coming into town and they want to cross stuff off the wedding to-do list.




Custom Design: Purple and Silver Wedding Invitation
I think this one has been on the blog before but this week we put the finishing touches on the order. The bride is wrapping all pieces in a satin ribbon to 'tie' everything together!


Custom Design: Navy and Pink Pocketfold Invitation
Again - I'm pretty sure we put this up last month, but this month we finished it up and I was able to get some better shots showing the design we worked in to the interior cards.


Catalog Invitation: Slate and White Wedding Invitation
One of my absolute favorites - and I am so excited that someone ordered it. I love the details in the cards and the slate and white alternating fonts and papers.


Catalog Invitation: Gerber Daisy Wedding Invite
I love love love the petite nature of this invitation. The Invitation tucks into the daisy wrap and is folded like a z card. When taken out of the pocket, it unfolds to reveal plenty of space for all the wording an invitation requires. Even the RSVP card is adorable!


Catalog Invitation: Sep-n-Send Ecru/Sage/Purple Wedding Invitation
Proving that sep-n-sends don't have to look cheap, this invitation delivers! It is absolutely gorgeous and the pricing cannot be beat. If you are a bride on a budget...but still want style(and who doesn't?)...be sure to check out all the sep-n-sends we offer.


Catalog Invitation: Chocolate brown pocketfold with cocoa and latte shimmer inserts - Cherry Blossom Design
This is one of the new layouts available in the Paper Duvet Catalog. We were excited to see this one in print since they don't show a 'real life' sample in the album.


Catalog: Save the Date - Magnet with Backer Card
The best of both worlds - a magnet for the fridge PLUS a formal-ish card to contain additional wedding information.



Catalog Invitation: White flat panel with hot pink polka dot border
I love this simple, classy design! It's a great way to incorporate polka dots without being too 'playful'. The dotted border accents the top of the invitation and the bottom of the insert cards and thank yous.


Catalog Invitation: White Metallic Stock with embossed border design
We use alot of these metallic papers in our custom design, so it's nice to see some of the catalogs incorporating them into the mix.


Catalog Invitation: White Z-fold with Silver Hearts
Z-folds are great! Because of the extra space, you can incorporate your favorite quote, lyrics or even the reception information into the invitation itself....which can cut down on the number of inserts you need to include with the ensemble.


Custom Design: Save the Date Cards
This save the date was for an August wedding in Jamaica and it perfectly matches the invitation ensemble the bride has chosen. I can't wait to get pictures of her invites and accessories up on the blog!