Should I Buy Invitations Online?

Colin Jensen — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:51:07 +0000

By all means, buy your invitations online if you prefer that method. However, never make a stationery purchase without touching and seeing an actual sample of the paper it will be printed on. Photographs of samples may help you narrow your choices, but you won’t know the weight, texture, or true color of the paper unless you actually see it in person. What looks white on your screen may look ecru in person, and what looks smooth may be textured. Always order a sample or go to a store and look at actual samples of the invitation you’re planning to buy before you make a purchase. It will save you lots of (possibly expensive) disappointment and time.

Picking an Ink Color

Colin Jensen — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:31:51 +0000

Most brides walk in the door assuming they’ll get black ink. Most at some point in the process change their mind. Every bride debates the same questions, and every bride comes to the same conclusions. So let me save you some time taking you on their journey:

First, colored ink isn’t really more expensive. It generally works out to be $6.50 per item on the whole order–that means your order will go from $450.00 to $456.50. That’s it. So don’t let the term “more expensive” scare you off.
Second, balancing colors is a big part of the invitation. You’ll find very few invitations in the demonstration binders with black ink, unless it’s specifically an artistic choice. But it’s not just a default. When you pick an invitation, consider first the ink color that is shown in the demo. Those fonts and colors obviously work well with that invitation.
You can match your wedding colors, etc. using colored cards, but also with colored inks. Never use more than one color of ink–I’ve seen that advertized and promoted, but I’ve never seen someone pull it off.
Stay away from all light colors. Colors means dark colors. Nothing red, no pink, no yellow. You just can’t read those.
Most of the time the swatches of the ink color you’re considering are 1″ x 1.5″ blocks. The problem there is that the colors look different on different colors of paper and with different thicknesses of fonts. Rarely do I see a bride who wants black ink that isn’t more pleased with a thin font with navy blue ink, or something similar. If you get a thin font, it will look black with a nuance of color; however if you get a thick font, it’ll look blue and ruin everything. Generally stay with the thin fonts.
One minor factor with colored inks, with some people, is that you have to professionally print every aspect if you’re using a font that doesn’t come with your home PC, and with an ink color other than black. If your invitation is in Lucida Sans with black ink, then you can print your own envelopes; but if it’s in navy CPG-CIT, you can’t make your own accessories. I don’t think it’s ever wise, even mathematically/financially, to make your own invitations or accessories, but if you want to, this is a factor.

The Invitations Expert » Color

Should I Buy Invitations Online?

Picking an Ink Color