May is
here and those of you who have summer weddings planned are
beginning to go into "overload." Take a deep breath,
relax and take a few minutes to gather your thoughts, tell
your fiancé you love him and press on. Remember the
closer the wedding gets the faster the time goes and it will
be over before you know it.
The last two months I have been giving you some cost-saving
ideas for your wedding and I hope they are helping you as
you work to stay within your budget.
Invitations
can be costly and there are ways to keep the cost down. If
you are ordering invitations as opposed to making them yourself,
order all your stationery items (invitations, reply cards,
thank-your notes) at the same time for better rates. Keep
the weight down so that only one stamp is required. Offset
printing and thermography are the least expensive printing
techniques to use. There are several internet sites that offer
discounts and you may want to check these out. However, if
you wish to see samples of invitations before you order, they
can be viewed at various stationery outlets, wedding consultants,
and bridal shops. If you really want to save money and have
the time, you may look into making them yourself. Check out
the card-making softwares available or if there are time constraints,
local artists in your area whom will customize and make your
invitations at a reduced price. If you are thinking of making
them yourself, remember to verify that this will save you
money by comparing price of paper, printing and any extras
you may be having. It may turn out to be just as costly as
ordering from books.
Be sure
to check the etiquette guidelines in wording and addressing
your invitations. There are rules to follow and you can commit
a faux pas very easily. Most invitation books will give you
guidelines for wording and check with your wedding consultant
or professional if you have questions regarding addressing.
If you are having a professional calligrapher address your
envelopes, they should know the proper way. Send your invitations
six weeks to one month before the wedding date. It may be
necessary to send Save-The-Date cards as soon as the wedding
date is set so that out-of-town guests can begin making arrangements
to attend.
Invitation
selection can be a tedious chore, but have fun with it and
before you know it, you will be receiving RSVP cards and you
will be that much closer to the day!
Cheers!
Janet
