Lilykiss Top 10 Tips When Ordering Wedding Invitations!

1 - Get a sample! Eliminate your stress and know the product you are getting before you hand over the money.

 

There is no better way of ensuring you know exactly what you are getting than by ordering a sample of your wedding stationery design before purchase. To feel and hold your wedding invitation before you have outlaid you money will take the stress out of the process, you'll be assured you are getting a quality product. Remember that colours vary on all computer monitors...  so choosing by eye might see you disappointed with the final outcome. Also you will see exactly the quality of the stock and the envelope as well as the print production quality. If you are choosing between a few designs seeing a few options then seeing them in the flesh will help you decide. Any company that does not offer you the option of seeing a sample of your design before purchasing might have something to hide.  

 

2 - Decide if there will be a colour theme for your wedding

If you have decided on a colour theme for your wedding - it makes it easier to have this cemented before you hit wedding invitation stage. Some colours will automatically lend themselves to certain styles - and you can chat to your designers about their opinion. For instance we don't charge any extra for colour changing - this allows you to have any design you wish, customised to your personal palette, so keep this in mind when looking at each invitation. The invitation can become the perfect starting point as a way of introducing your colour scheme. Also remember that all montior differ - as do photo's etc.. if you are after a certain colour, ie to exactly match the shade of the bridesmaids dresses - physically send your designer a swatch - this is the most accurate way of making sure it's a 100 % match. Lilykiss colour change for no extra fee :)

 

3 - Order blanks

This sounds like such a basic thing, but so many people think they wont need extras but then end up realising they do. I always recommend clients get at least 5-10 blank wedding invitations - cousins you've forgotten about pop out of the woodwork! And getting a wedding invitation reprints done later is very expensive - short runs are costly so prepare in advance...  

4 - Purchase packages at once

If you are thinking of getting various pieces of wedding stationery as well as your invitation, ie rsvp/placecards/thank you cards/maps/menu etc, look at package options, or ask about rates for full packages. Try to be organised and order it all at the same time, it will save you money this way.

5 - Triple check your proofs

This sounds so obvious - but you'd be surprised how details get overlooked - I once had a client who got their wedding a date wrong! When you have looked at information for so long you tend to be blind to the obvious. So double check spelling / details then get a fresh pair of eyes to go over it. Printers don't refund so getting the job printed again won't be cheap! 

6 - Pick a style that reflects your day and personal style rather than a design you think may be on trend 

As we all know trends come and  go - rather than getting flustered by what the magazines are telling you, I'd choose a wedding invitation design that you feel really reflects the atmosphere of you both as a couple, and your day. What will always shine through and win is a wedding invitation that guests receive and think 'augh thats so them!'. Plus then you start a theme you feel comfortable with for your day rather than setting the tone for something which doesn't quite fit with vision or style. 

 

7 - Chase addresses early / have your info ready

 

Again, another basic one but it's one thing all my clients say... chasing the addresses can be more of a chore than it should be. Start early so you don't have to delay at the other end. Also start thinking about how you want to phrase your wedding invitation wording, the sooner you have all this info ready the sooner you'll get your invites! 

8 - Allow enough time

Always factor turn around time into your wedding stationery schedule. Here at lilykiss we say allow a month, so make sure you are organised with your info and have it planned in advance. Ordering invites 4 months before your day is a stressless way of making sure your invite will get out in good time. It's always a great idea to send save the dates, these are obviously especially useful for international guests, these are usually sent out at least 5-9 months in advance.

9 - Work out how many invitations you need before you start browsing

Another basic tip, but it's good to know roughly how many people will be coming to your wedding before you look at wedding invitations. Most people seem to go way over the number they initially thought. Also remember that people aren't invites - usually the amount of invitations needed are a bit over half the guests (mostly couples). Once your numbers are loosely worked out you will also be able to work out early on which companies are aligned to your budget to save time in the long run. Some companies like Lilykiss stagger their prices, so the higher the number the better your price per unit will be. 

 

10 - Choose a company whose service and style immediately impresses you

 

Ordering from the internet can be stressful - make sure you choose someone who quickly answers all your queries and impresses you with their attention to detail, customer service and overall design style. It's your big day and there are a lot of things to think about. You want to know that your wedding invitations are in the hands of someone who cares, and will deliver you your dream invitation with a smile. Ordering you invites should be an exciting and fun experience! It shouldn't be stressful, there's nothing like getting that special package arrive in the mail and opening it up to find the invitations were even better than you imagined, sending them out waiting on the admiring feedback is part of the fun! 

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