When it comes to a wedding, there are a lot of details and decisions that have to be made. If you're getting married for the first time these decisions can become overwhelming super quickly, and they sometimes leave brides saying "at this point I don't care just pick something." More times than not, this is due to brides not knowing what to expect from their invitation meeting. I mean what even is the difference in a 120 pound matte style paper and a 160 linen? Well I am here to help guide you through the process of choosing an invitation suite to make the process easy.
BUDGET
The first thing to consider before meeting with a stationery expert is to consider your budget. This might not be the fun part of this process, but it certainly can make your decisions easier in the long run.
Your budget should include cost of invitation, rsvp card, detail card (optional), envelope printing (optional), programs and thank you cards (optional). Keep in mind, even though this is a small part of your big day, invitations suites can range from $1.55 to $7.77 a piece. Once you have decided on how much you'd like to spend on all of these items, move on to the next step.
STYLE
Do you have a certain style you're wanting at your wedding? Some wedding styles include rustic, boho and elegant just to name a few. If you don't have a certain style, is there a certain color palette you are wanting to stick to?
Your invitation is your guest's first glimpse at what to expect from your wedding day, so make sure to set the right tone from the moment they open the envelope. Once you have made this decision move on to the next step.
PAPER
Once your theme and budget is set, you next must decide what kind of paper you would like to use for your invitations. Your budget will play an important role here since most printers prices differ with paper type.
At Dilly Dally Paper Co. we offer a 110 Lb matte, 120 Lb woven and a 160 Lb matte. If you are not a paper geek like us just think of it this way, the smaller the number the thinner the paper. This also means the smaller the number the less expensive the invitations will be. Once you have decided on what paper style you like move to the next step.
SAMPLES
No matter how many times you see the paper or express your style, it's always hard to picture the actual invitation before it's done. We would always suggest ordering a sample of your invitation on the selected paper style you've chosen before going through with the printing order. This will ensure your invitations are exactly what you're wanting.
EXTRAS
Once you have completed all the steps listed above, your decision making is pretty much done. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back because that really is a lot of decisions all at once.
You will most likely be offered any extras the printer has such as envelope liners, colored envelopes, printing styles, or even wax seals. If you reference the budgeting section above, you will notice none of these things were included in your list to budget for, so if you would like any of the extras being offered just keep in mind your budget and how these items will fit in.
So finally, you have one huge decision out of the way. If you're feeling stuck please reach out to us here at Dilly Dally Paper Co. We are always happy to answer any questions you might have about your wedding stationery. Best wishes Dilly Dallyers!