There is a lot that goes into wedding planning. It is an exciting, but also incredibly stressful, time, and because of that, it is so easy for things to get lost or overlooked. Don’t let that happen with your wedding stationery! While every wedding and event is unique to that couple or client, as a wedding invitation and special event stationery designer I have seen (and dealt with) the same mistakes over and over again, but I’m here to help!
Most Common Mistake #1: Not Allowing Enough Time
I absolutely hate having to say no to working with a potential couple. I love what I do and am always honored to be asked to be a part of such a momentous occasion. But when a couple reaches out to me, hoping to have their invitations in the mail within a month or so, I don’t really have a choice…It simply is not enough time to create and produce a custom design.
Custom design is a multi-step process. Even if the design requires no revisions, you still have to factor in time for printing and assembly, as well as materials from other vendors to be produced and shipping (such as wax seals, ribbons, specialty paper, etc.). By starting your design process at the last minute, you may find yourself having to deal with extra rush fees, increased expedited shipping costs, and limited options due to stock availability.
If you are hoping to work with a designer to create custom wedding invitations, start early. For most of my couples, we often start working together 8-10 months before their wedding day (sometimes even a year or more before!). To ensure that we are not rushed through the process (which makes it decidedly less fun for everyone, and increases the risk for errors), I typically do not accept orders with less than 6 months before The Big Day.
Most Common Mistake #2: Not Ordering Enough
“It is better to have too many than not enough” absolutely applies when it comes to your wedding stationery. Often, couples order the exact amount of invitations they think they need. But what happens if you realize you forget to include Dear Aunt Sally in the guest list? Or you accidentally knock over a glass of wine while stuffing envelopes? What if your college roommate texts saying that they received your Save The Date, but never got the formal invitation, even though you know you sent it? These things happen all. the. time.
I always recommend that my couples order at least 5-10 full invitation suites as extras. This will ensure that you have: one for you and your spouse to have as a keepsake; 1 for each of your sets of parents; 1 or 2 for your photographer to use for detail photos; and at least a couple extras in case things get lost in the mail, your guest list changes, or the invitations get damaged/marked/bent/etc. before they’re mailed out.
Not ordering enough can be a costly mistake. Re-prints, especially for small quantities, might not be possible. Designers often have minimum quantity requirements, so even if you need just one or two extra, you may have to pay for a higher quantity, plus any potential re-print or rush fees.
Most Common Mistake #3: Incorrect Information and Spelling Errors
Speaking of costly mistakes…this one can be brutal. Nobody is perfect, even when it comes to your wedding stationery. Check, double-check, triple-check, have someone else check, and then check again. Misspellings, grammatical errors, incorrect information, or a combination of those, are the cause the majority of expensive reprints. These errors cost you not only money, but time as well.
Mistakes happen, but it is ultimately your responsibility as the client to carefully and thoroughly proofread your invitations before approving them for print. Our proofing and review process is multi-step, and requires sign-off on all aspects of the design before the printing and production begins, but I still absolutely recommend printing a hard copy of the final proof to review, reading every line out loud, and having a second set (or two, or three) of eyes look over everything.
Working with an experienced custom wedding invitation designer can help you avoid these common mistakes. If you’re planning a wedding and wanting to create the perfect design that matches your style and really impresses your guests with their first glimpse of your big day, let’s chat! With custom designs, unlimited revisions, and personalized, one-on-one service, Beach City Creative is here to help ease your stress and put some fun back into your wedding planning!
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