In an earlier post, I shared some information you should be aware of BEFORE you order your invitations.  Knowing this beforehand can help guide you towards making a decision you’re happy with.  Know that this information is pertinent, regardless of the type of event you are hosting.   So, grab your favorite beverage, adult or otherwise, pull up a chair and get comfortable.  As before, this list isn’t all encompassing and isn’t in any special order.

1.  There’s always a huge debate about the benefits of ordering online.   IMHO, that’s fine for somethings, such as a reorder of my favorite spices, ordering new socks or a new cover for my Kindle.  I’m AOK ordering online if I’m already familiar with the brand, its quality, and customer service.  However, I’m NOT okay with trusting someone I’ve never met, isn’t local, provides the bare minimum of contact information, and could close their online shop tomorrow, but wants me to spend a significant sum of money on something I can’t see or touch until I receive the sample  or completed order from them.  That’s just me!  I know me well enough to know that if I was getting married or having a special event, I would take the time to find someone local to handle my stationery, because I would want to see it, touch the paper, talk about printing methods and get a feel for the person I’m entrusting with this critical project.  I want to build a relationship with that person, (may not forever, but certainly for the duration of my project) not just give them my money.  I’m saying all of that to say, if you want to be involved in the process or have exacting standards, then maybe ordering invitations online isn’t for you, period!
2. Have an accurate head count, and then order more than you think you will need.  It’s easier on your budget.  Say you order 100 invitations, knowing you will mail 97 of them.  They’ve been mailed, and as you reexamine your guest list you find that you need 8 more AND you receive calls from friends whose invitations were lost in transit.  You order 25 more.  The cost of those 25 added to the cost of your initial order will cost you  much more than if you had originally ordered 125, so order more than you need.
3. Think about how you will address your envelopes.  If you order from a stationery book, the company may provide guest envelope addressing for an additional charge.  If not, your stationer may also be able to address them for you using information you provide in a spreadsheet format.  Many brides choose to have their guest envelopes hand written by a skilled calligrapher.  If you choose to use a calligrapher, he/she will need your invitation envelopes months in advance to ensure they have sufficient time to complete the order.
4. How big will your invitation be?  When you order custom, you can choose your size.  When you order from a book, you are constrained by the size determined by that company.  Be aware, size matters when it comes to the USPS.

I hope this short post have given you some additional food for thought BEFORE you order your invitations!

Lynne