Pocketfolds from PDA
Insert cards from PDA
Translucent envelopes from PDA
Other translucent envelopes from Ideal Envelopes
RSVP envelopes from Ideal Envelopes
Printer ink - ordered via the work stationery order, discount!
Printing drama 1
Even though the website clearly states that the cards are not suitable for an inkjet printer I still hoped that they might work - guess what they didn't. I hoped that they would print on my parent's printer so we sent them a sample of the card - their laserjet printer wouldn't take the card so small it kept going squint. O brought home a spare laserjet printer from his work it printed on the glossy paper sample we had but the card was too thick. O returned that printer and brought another one home (no idea why they have so many spare printers but very handy for us). This time it both printed without smudging and fed through the card. Only there were ink dot marks on the card after they came through. I spent a day cleaning the printer trying to shift these marks. It turned out all it needed was a new ink cartridge. Twas very stressful at the time but doesn't look like such a big deal written down.
Spillage
Once we knew that we could print the cards we went ahead and bought enough for the invitations - and then some. All the card was in a shoe box next to the table. Unfortunately O managed to spill a pint full of squash straight into the box. Argh wet card, argh all of our invitation card! Thankfully we moved fast and managed to separate the card and laid them out to dry and enough were saved to make all the invitations, hopefully we will have enough for the other bits and pieces. PHEW! The box above shows the cards separated into; could be stuck down, could have an edge cut off, to be used for test printing only and perfect (of which there is not a lot left).
Wording
Once I got going, with dry card, the printing was easy. Finalising all the wording was a struggle but we got there in the end. We had a different information card for those members of the family staying at the venue. O drew a map to the venue on MS Paint - I love it, he isn't so keen.
We used different wording for our parent's invitations. I knew that my parent's would want an invite but they couldn't really invite themselves (we went the traditional route). It also felt a bit strange to have my parent's invite O's parents to their son's wedding - apparently I'm the only one who thought it was weird but meh!
We used different wording for our parent's invitations. I knew that my parent's would want an invite but they couldn't really invite themselves (we went the traditional route). It also felt a bit strange to have my parent's invite O's parents to their son's wedding - apparently I'm the only one who thought it was weird but meh!
Things we didn't remember
Our venue need us to preorder the food so we printed the menu on the back of the RSVP card. But we forgot to add any note about special dietary requirements (this woke me up in the middle of the night we posted them). O is a vegetarian so they are covered and we're hoping that anyone else will just speak up.
Please Turn Over (PTO) - two of the cards have information on the back. The information card has O's map on the back of it and the RSVP card has the menu options on the back. A couple of the people we saw opening their invites failed to turn the information card over. We have had one RSVP returned without any food selection, my friend states she didn't see the menu on the back and I'm inclined to believe her rather than think she just forgot to fill it in. Oh well PTO would have spoilt them and people will need to figure stuff out for themselves!
Printing drama 2
O decided that he wanted translucent envelopes (he thinks they are cool, which they are) - we had managed to print them before, however when it came to printing time the envelopes wouldn't go through the printer. We quickly bought another variety of envelopes which didn't work either. We brought back the inkjet printer and it worked ok other than chewing up several of the envelopes for no apparent reason. (We lost about 15 envelopes to the printer).
Bright colours
When we bought the first lot of translucent envelopes to make the delivery charge worth it we also bought a box of 500 random coloured envelopes (we won't need to buy envelopes for a really.long.time). It so happened that some of the envelopes were the perfect size for the RSVP cards - before they arrived we weren't going to include RSVP envelopes but it seemed silly not to. Also I love the fact that my parent's are getting lots of different brightly coloured envelopes. Their post-man has even commented on it.
So that is it, they are in the post. People are actually coming to our wedding!
*shocking quality pictures by me
Goodness, that does sound stressful! the squash! but they look lovely.
ReplyDeleteLove the invites {and the translucent envelopes are cool; all the best people use them!!!}
ReplyDeleteIm sure most people will turn the sheets over too; they would be silly not to check if anything is there.
Glad you got them all out after your printing issues.
OMG tho, just 50 days to go!
sorry less than 50 to go! yay!
ReplyDeleteI love the colorful envelopes too! Your invitations look great! I think the hardest parts of the wedding have been narrowing down the invitations and the guest list!
ReplyDeleteSOOOOO close. It is so fun when the cards come back in the mail. I was on the phone with my parents daily with an update!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting. What a triumph against adversity. I have no idea why printers dislike people so much!!
ReplyDeletethese invites do seem to cause a little stress to say the least!
ReplyDeletemust be such a relief that they're out and done.. I can't wait till that day comes for us. got the invite designed but need to build a website before we send them out..
x x
Well done doing your own! They look lovely! And my word, I remember the stresses.
ReplyDeleteheh, reading this post is like a summary of my inbox :) they are lovely my dear, .love the navy pocketfolds.
ReplyDelete@Gaynor - you are right the best people have translucent envelopes.
ReplyDelete@Chocolate Lover - we had a reserve, could be bumped up to day guest, list until we realised that other friends might be talking to them about having received our invites and those people might think they weren't getting invited at all. Urgh DRAMA
@Meghan - I'm getting a daily email from my Dad with an update. Feel sadly disappointed when it is a nil return day.
@Anna - printers are evil.
@Wellies - HUGE relief it is an amazing feeling. You two could build a website in your sleep surely.
@Rebecca - What you saying? Did I bug you constantly with all my dramas? Ok yes I did but hey what are friends for other than to deal with my neuroses? Ta muchly. x
Thank you all, glad you like them.
Gorgeous invites - well done you! (Even thinking about how to print inserts is giving me headache). Love the envelopes too, I bet it's exciting when one of those pops through your parents letterbox.
ReplyDeleteWell done! It never goes smoothly does it?! I totally get why people just chuck money at the problem now I really do lol... People will have the sense to write on the food choices thingy if they're gluten intolerant or whatever, they are adults.
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh the joy of printing your own wedding invites - won't be doing that again!
ReplyDeleteThey look good all enveloped up! We left EVERYTHING until the last minute. You guys will be no worries.
Brightly coloured envelopes = fab. See, the simple ideas really are the best sometimes.
ReplyDelete