It's no secret that weddings are expensive, so anyway that a couple
can cut down on the final bill is always ideal. One of the easiest ways
that couples can cut the cost includes watching their spending on
wedding stationary. It's easy to get carried away when shopping for the
perfect Save the Dates or Wedding Invitations, but here are a couple
tips that will help you watch what you are spending on your wedding
invites:
1. Know your complete guest list before you purchase.
This is an important factor that couples often forget. The problem is
when you guess or estimate how many guests you're inviting, then you'll
probably end up with a ton of extra invites or need to order more,
often at a higher price. Vanessa Alce, the CEO and Event Planner of I
Love My Planner -- Event Planning and Design, said that you should have a
complete head-and-couple count before you order your invitations.
"Divide your guest list by couples, families and individuals to help you
determine how many total invitations to order," she said. "Remember
that your invitations become keepsakes for your parents -- yes, they get
an invitation, too."
2. Order samples to avoid mistakes.
Have you ever sent a note or invitation with a spelling or grammar
mistake? It's definitely embarrassing, and not something you want
associated with your wedding invitations. Alce said one of the major
ways to avoid these mistakes is to order samples or proofs prior to
purchasing. "Although it's often an additional $15, order a proof prior
to finalizing your stationery order," she said. "Having a second pair of
eyes to review the proof will make sure you haven't missed any
mistakes."
Ordering samples or proofs can also prevent you from having to
re-order your stationery because of design flaws you didn't expect.
Often colors can look different on paper than they do on the computer
screen, so this is a good way to see exactly what your invites will look
like beforehand.
3. Order rectangular cards and envelopes.
When choosing your invitations, you might want to consider the shape
and size of the paper and envelopes. Although it is fun to pick square,
circle or oval-shaped stationery, it will be cheaper for you to mail
standard-sized envelopes.
Jamie Chang, owner and wedding consultant at Mango Muse Events, said
you save the most money when you avoid certain shapes and choose
rectangle envelopes instead. "Square envelopes require more postage to
send, which can add up easily," she said. "Some square invitations have
the option of coming with a rectangle envelope, which would work fine,
but most don't."
4. Don't get too fancy.
Bows, ribbons, seals or any other embellishment can make your
stationery look cute, but they can also add an unwanted amount to your
stationery tab. Alce said if you opt to not include these
embellishments, then you can save money on purchasing and mailing. "The
United States Post Office measures and determines your postage by the
weight and size of the envelope," she said. "There are simple yet
elegant wedding invitations that won't hurt your wedding budget and will
complement your wedding nicely."
Also, Chang says, watch your 'print.' "There are lots of printing
options out there for invites and while it's easy to fall in love with
letterpress or embossed styles, the most economical is flat printing,"
she said. "It can still look beautiful because of the design, but the
printing will be more cost effective."
5. Ask yourself if you really need all that paper.
Wedding stationery shopping can be fun and exciting, however it's
also very easy to get carried away. Before you order your invitations,
ask yourself if you really need each piece of stationery that you have
chosen. Will it ruin your wedding if you opt to not use directions or
accommodations cards? Choosing not to include them can save you money on
printing and mailing.
Caitlin Boshnack, owner of Bridal Mentor.com, said that a lot of
brides are opting -- or forgetting in the last-minute planning -- to not
have a ceremony program. "Yes, there is a lot of paper needed for your
wedding, but some of it is optional," she said. "Depending on the
formality of your wedding, you may not need the whole gamut."
Chang said that there are other ways to get information -- such as
directions and accommodations information -- to your guests. "While
these are great things to provide guests, if you want to save some
money, consider just providing the invite and RSVP," she said. "Then
direct your guests to your free website for all the other information.
Or better yet, have your guests RSVP online instead so no additional
paper and postage needs to be used."
6. Purchase the stationery in one large order.
Once you have finalized your invitations and have a complete
head-and-couple count, you should order all your invitations at once.
Alce said that it can cost you less money when you purchase all your
invitations in one large order. "Special pricing applies to increments
of 100, 200, 300, etc," she said. "Additions are very costly and mostly
come in increments of 25 for the invitations, response cards, RSVP
cards, inner and outer envelopes."
Alce warns not to cut it too close. "It's a good rule of thumb to
order 5-10 extra invitations, and extra inner and outer envelopes just
in case you make a mistake while addressing each one," she said.
7. Be realistic and know how your choices will affect the price.
This is the most important thing to remember when shopping for
stationery or your wedding, in general. Just because it's cute doesn't
necessarily mean that it will add anything to your big day. Boshnack
said that your guests will keep certain pieces of stationery as a
souvenir, but some will also be thrown away, so it's important that
couples are aware of what affects the price.
In the end, pick what's important for your most important of days -- but nothing more.
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