Wedding Invitation Stationary – Many Styles For Your Budget

Choosing your wedding invitations can be one of the most fulfilling and most frustrating experiences during the entire wedding planning process. Hundreds of stationers offer thousands of choices and dozens of invitation books to peruse. In addition to that, if you are planning a wedding that blends two cultures, the sheer breadth of the selection can be overwhelming.

Call them traditional or contemporary or beautiful, they come in all shapes and sizes - in the form of a coconut, betel leaf, banana leaf or a royal scroll. And these creative cards come at a price - from $1 to $20 each.

Not just the designs, innovation extends to the material used - from handmade paper, jute, parchment paper and even wool. What you pick will depends on the effect you want to create and your budget.

Before starting your invitation search, here are three aspects of the invitation selection process to take into consideration. Also known as 'The Three P's,' it will enable you to find the perfect wedding invitation while alleviating the anxiety of your search.

Preparation:

The venue, setting and theme of your wedding can have an enormous impact on the type of invitation you choose.

For example, if you are planning an Indian/Catholic wedding, you may want to look for a formal design that can be enhanced with a subtle Indian border or an Indian wedding symbol. A descriptive program explaining the two ceremonies you are planning will most likely be appreciated by your guests.

In addition to the setting, the type of wedding and the ceremonies you're planning will also impact the style of your invitation. A large formal wedding may require a traditional engraved invitation with custom detailing.

Personalization:

Your wedding invitation should be a true reflection of your personal style and identity. While the setting, the colors and the type of wedding you're hosting will help you narrow your invitation search to several dozen choices, it will be your personal style that helps you identify the top contenders.

For the highest level of personalization, you can turn to a custom invitation designer. Using a designer enables you to personalize EVERY aspect of your wedding invitation.

Not only can you select colors and fonts, you can request the use of fine papers and unique embellishments like matching the border of your invitation to the border on your trousseau. The added benefit of using a designer is that you will save yourself a lot of time and aggravation.

Perfection:

The invitation sets the tone for your entire wedding so it's important to find a design that is ideally suited to the setting and your personal style.

The invitation will help set the direction for the rest of your wedding correspondence including your programs, place cards, menus and thank you notes. Therefore, it's important to work through the details before launching into invitation land.

Here are some tips:

Prepare a guest list. The general rule of thumb is that 20 percent to 25 percent of your guest list will decline. If you are planning a 300-person wedding and 70 percent are couples or families, you will need about 280 cards.
Order extra to allow for errors in labeling, last minute inclusions and as souvenirs for yourself.
Identify all the parts of the invitation package that you are interested in such as the invitation card, cover, address on back, RSVP, thank you card, programs and place cards. Tell the printer up front how many of each cards you will need to get the best price and volume discounts.
Start the hunt for the invitation cards as soon as you know your venue. Allow plenty of time for proofing the text and layout before printing. Allow plenty of time for RSVP's to be returned.

About The Author:

Mira Flashka is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.wedding-invitations-n-online.com. Find all types of wedding invitations such as printable, unique, discount, winter, theme, traditional plus more.