help! invites!

[EarlyBird]

a little bit of a panic today guys... fh and i need desperatly to pick invitations. they are supposed to go out around feb 20-march 10 and i have no idea what im doing yet for invites. first we were going to just order plain ole invites, then fh decided he didnt like them that plain, so we looked at pocket invites but they are very expensive... now my thought is to buy pockets and buy premade cards at acmoore or something and put them inside the pockets and put some nice thick ribbon around them.

heres my question: where did you guys order your pocket fold from and about how much were they?

im desperate here. with everything going on in the next couple months (bridal showers, bach parties, holidays, other weddings etc ) it looks like i might be starting on my own invites now!!!!!!

[candars]

I ordered my pocketfold invitations from MyGatsby.com. Here is my price brokedown:
50 – 5 x 7 invitations - $60
Printed Invitation Layer - $79.00
Double Backing Layer - (5 1/8 x 7 1/8): Bubblegum and (4 1/4 x 6 1/4): Espresso - $27
Small Enclosure Card 4 1/4" x 4 1/2" - $40.00
Large Enclosure Card - 4 1/4" x 6 1/2" 50 $40.00
Invitation Envelopes: Inner (5 1/2 x 7 1/2, All Colors): Classic Ecru; Outer (5 3/4 x 7 3/4): Classic Ecru - $24.50
Assembly of Invitation Layers: Printed layer, bubblegum layer, and espresso layer - $52.50
Subtotal - $323.00
Shipping - $15.00
Total Charge - $338.00
This is for 50 invitations, but you don't have to get all of the extras I did. I paid extra for the double backing layer, the enclosure cards, the inner envelopes (you don't have to have inner and outer envelopes), and for them to assemble the invitations. I was thrilled with my invitations when I got them in! They have a ton of colors of cardstock, tons of colors of envelopes, tons of colors fonts, and a ton of different fonts to choose from. The invitations were a very nice, sturdy cardstock. Great quality! Plus, right now, they have a 10% off deal until December 1st...just type in 120108 as the code. Just to get an idea, you could go to mygatsby.com and you can create your invitations. You don't have to buy them, you can even save you work on there if you have an account. I had a lot of fun creating my invitations and I was able to figure out how much the invitations I wanted were going to cost me.

[EarlyBird]

yah, i found my gatsby to be quite pricey actually. I had looked around. thank you so much for your breakdown. what does the extra back actually do?
How did you attach all the papers? Im so scared of using a glue that seeps through or that doesnt stick for lengthy periods of time.
Is there a specific glue?

another question for those you that made them, how time consuming was this? i am making about 100-125 !!!!!

im all for a challenge, and i have plenty of help ! (what are 9 bridesmaids for?!?!?!) so im not too worried about time, but super worried about getting the right stuff. basically i need:

pocket folders- backing? (is this optional?)
Reception card
RSVP card
Glue??
Embellishments possibly
ribbon, possibly

[sweetvenus]

I bought my pocketfolds from Paper Presentation (www.paperpresentation.com (http://www.paperpresentation.com)) because they were the only place I found (last winter) that had black linen paper. I believe www.cardsandpockets.com may be cheaper (I think they are like $1 per pocketfold there).

I used Tombow Mono Adhesive (it's a glue that you roll on and kind of looks like double-sided tape) to secure everything together.

It hasn't been too terribly time consuming, but I've been slowly working on them since April. But, you could do them in less than a week if you had to. I've been embossing all of mine, so that really takes more time than anything else. Assembling is pretty quick.

[candars]

yah, i found my gatsby to be quite pricey actually. I had looked around. thank you so much for your breakdown. what does the extra back actually do?
How did you attach all the papers? Im so scared of using a glue that seeps through or that doesnt stick for lengthy periods of time.
Is there a specific glue?

another question for those you that made them, how time consuming was this? i am making about 100-125 !!!!!

im all for a challenge, and i have plenty of help ! (what are 9 bridesmaids for?!?!?!) so im not too worried about time, but super worried about getting the right stuff. basically i need:

pocket folders- backing? (is this optional?)
Reception card
RSVP card
Glue??
Embellishments possibly
ribbon, possibly
The extra backing was optional. I don't even think you have to have a first backing. This picture should help you a little. For my invitations, I had the folio espresso, the printed layer ecru, backing layer one was bubblegum, backing layer 2 was espresso. The backing really just adds more color to the invitation. About putting/glueing the layers together? I was worried about that, too. I knew there was no way I would be able to glue them on straight. I decided it was worth the extra $52.50 for them to put them together for me. The enclosure cards are optional, too. Almost everything is optional. I admit, it did add up very quickly, but if you want something more simple, but still very classy, you could probably get them for quite a bit cheaper than I did. As for your other question, I would just look at different websites and invitations. Get an idea of what you want. Do you want something really fancy? Or more simple?
http://www.mygatsby.com/images/client/Custom/408997b.gif

[MrsDM]

I bought my pockets from www.paperandmore.com (http://www.paperandmore.com) along with most paper. I got some different paper from www.cardsandpockets.com (http://www.cardsandpockets.com) because it was one clearance. I also got my vellum paper from Joann's as I am printing on that, and embossing the invite for that more "professional" look. I am putting together about 100 invites and I got all the supplies for around $150-175.

What is nice about Paper and More, for an extra $5, they will pre-cut packs of paper for you to the size you want. After the first one, its only $2 per pack.

[EarlyBird]

I bought my pocketfolds from Paper Presentation (www.paperpresentation.com (http://www.paperpresentation.com)) because they were the only place I found (last winter) that had black linen paper. I believe www.cardsandpockets.com (http://www.cardsandpockets.com) may be cheaper (I think they are like $1 per pocketfold there).

I used Tombow Mono Adhesive (it's a glue that you roll on and kind of looks like double-sided tape) to secure everything together.

It hasn't been too terribly time consuming, but I've been slowly working on them since April. But, you could do them in less than a week if you had to. I've been embossing all of mine, so that really takes more time than anything else. Assembling is pretty quick.


fh looked at your invites and loved them.. he said he really wants to do the embossing. would you mind helping me out on a how to with that ??? like how you did it? any tricks?

[EarlyBird]

I bought my pockets from www.paperandmore.com (http://www.paperandmore.com) along with most paper. I got some different paper from www.cardsandpockets.com (http://www.cardsandpockets.com) because it was one clearance. I also got my vellum paper from Joann's as I am printing on that, and embossing the invite for that more "professional" look. I am putting together about 100 invites and I got all the supplies for around $150-175.

What is nice about Paper and More, for an extra $5, they will pre-cut packs of paper for you to the size you want. After the first one, its only $2 per pack.


they precut it, but then, how did you print it?

Also, do you have pictures of yous??


sorry for being such a pain guys. this is just terribly stressing for me!!

[MrsDM]

they precut it, but then, how did you print it?

Also, do you have pictures of yous??


sorry for being such a pain guys. this is just terribly stressing for me!!

I personally, didn't get it pre-cut. I have a paper trimmer, like this - http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vp-QoADmL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
I just measured everything and started cutting. Like, I'm using a punch for the corners to hold the invite in, that measured a little less than 5x7", so it was just easier to do it myself. We are actually in the middle of putting them together right now, I can try and take some pictures of what they look like tonight for you.

I saw in the pictures that Candars posted, the RSVP had envelopes. I'm making mine into postcards to save money.

[EarlyBird]

we are looking for a more elgnat look for the wedding- its black tie etc.
looking to see what kind of thickness i should be looking for in the paper

[sweetvenus]

fh looked at your invites and loved them.. he said he really wants to do the embossing. would you mind helping me out on a how to with that ??? like how you did it? any tricks?

Here is my embossing tutorial: http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/10/21/how-to-emboss-2/

[MrsDM]

The other question was how time consuming. Honestly, if you have the help of FH or somebody else, it isn't that bad. Like, I started cutting the mats for hte invites during a one hour t.v. program. Then, he is going to print out the invites, I'm going to emboss them. Then, this weeking for Thanksigiving (we are headed by my parents) my mom and I are going to start punching the corners, cutting out the invites and adhering the invites and mats to the pockets. So, if you have help, it really isn't that bad. The most frustrating part for me is printing out the invites.

For the inserts, I did RSVP, Accomodations, Directions and Gift Opening Invites (the day after). I have templates saved on my computer at home, so if this is the route you go, I can send them to you. It would definitely save you some time! You would just have to cut them out once printed on the paper, like I said, i used the paper trimmer that I pictured above.

[MrsDM]

looking to see what kind of thickness i should be looking for in the paper

For me personally, I am using 80# paper which is a little thicker than regular computer paper. For the RSVP, since it is going through the mail, its a heavy cardstock. I don't want to use cardstock for too much because it weighs down the pocket when it goes through the mail.

[MrsDM]

Alright my dear, I quickly put together a sample of my invites. I still have to print up the inserts (I'm not quite there yet, but this is what they are going to look like, just not as sloppy! For 100 invites, it took FH and I about one hour to print them out, and emboss them. Not too bad, I don't think!! So, for what you see there, I am at about 4 hours of work, fo 100.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll63/FutureMrsDM/763e07df.jpg?t=1227580310

Edit: The champange colored piece where the inserts will be is the color of the inserts.

[EarlyBird]

did you emboss the whole thing? if so, how?

sorry!!!

[MrsDM]

did you emboss the whole thing? if so, how?

sorry!!!

Dont apologize, honestly, I didn't see invites the way I did it, so I did a lot of trial and error to get this and figure it out!

But yes, everything you see there is embossed. If you print on vellum from an ink-jet printer, it takes a little bit to dry. So, while the ink is wet, I sprinkled on the embossing powder and then embossed it. Like I said before, it gives the professional look, for a fraction of the cost.

I used super fine clear embossing powder. If this is something you want to do, I can give you the website of the place where I got the powder from.

[candars]

I saw in the pictures that Candars posted, the RSVP had envelopes. I'm making mine into postcards to save money.
I ended up just putting the RSVP information on one of the other enclosure cards (I had directions and RSVP info.-phone number and email address) to save money. I knew that most of the people who were invited wouldn't have returned them and it would have been a complete waste of money to buy them and put stamps on them all. I would definitely not pay the extra for RSVP's, envelopes, and stamps! Great idea to make postcards! :)

[f77g4]

Have you thought about buying a DIY kit from Michaels or something and using their coupons to save deals. I find that the Brides collection of them are fancier then a lot of other DIY kits.

These are what I am going with:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=wd0216&channelid=

The cardstock is of a good quality to go through the printer as well. Just a thought. I think at Michaels here in Canada they were $39.99 or $49.99 a box for 30 invites but with the coupons you could get them for a good price.

I found them on kijiji and I got 4 boxes plus a whole lot of other stuff for $80 so I got a definate savings there.

Good luck!

[EarlyBird]

Have you thought about buying a DIY kit from Michaels or something and using their coupons to save deals. I find that the Brides collection of them are fancier then a lot of other DIY kits.

These are what I am going with:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=wd0216&channelid=

The cardstock is of a good quality to go through the printer as well. Just a thought. I think at Michaels here in Canada they were $39.99 or $49.99 a box for 30 invites but with the coupons you could get them for a good price.

I found them on kijiji and I got 4 boxes plus a whole lot of other stuff for $80 so I got a definate savings there.

Good luck!


i sooo wish i could, but fh's main requirement was not "diying" them--- he wanted raised lettering and also didnt want me to stress over it.. its my dads requirement lately too.. they like the word 'assemble" better hwich means if i go ahead and try to print them, im in trouble :)

i doo love those kits though, it crossed my mind

[f77g4]

i sooo wish i could, but fh's main requirement was not "diying" them--- he wanted raised lettering and also didnt want me to stress over it.. its my dads requirement lately too.. they like the word 'assemble" better hwich means if i go ahead and try to print them, im in trouble :)

i doo love those kits though, it crossed my mind

Oh Ok. I guess I thought you were DIYing it since you are doing so much else. You could also take them and have them printed at a printers. But I guess then you don't have the raised but maybe the printer could do that?

[EarlyBird]

Oh Ok. I guess I thought you were DIYing it since you are doing so much else. You could also take them and have them printed at a printers. But I guess then you don't have the raised but maybe the printer could do that?


hehe you know i would LOOOOOVE to diy them.. :) im too much of a control freak to relinquesh all the control of my invites to someone else.. yah i have to call some printers.

[f77g4]

hehe you know i would LOOOOOVE to diy them.. :) im too much of a control freak to relinquesh all the control of my invites to someone else.. yah i have to call some printers.

I know there is a place here that you can take your own invites to and they will print them. I don't think its very much and I have to say that may still be an option here. My new printer doesn't seem to be working as great the last little bit and I don't want to chance them.

[EarlyBird]

I know there is a place here that you can take your own invites to and they will print them. I don't think its very much and I have to say that may still be an option here. My new printer doesn't seem to be working as great the last little bit and I don't want to chance them.

really? is it a private printer company or a chain? I know when i looked today alot of them had websites, hoping to visit some of those websites tonight

[f77g4]

really? is it a private printer company or a chain? I know when i looked today alot of them had websites, hoping to visit some of those websites tonight

It is a private company - no chain. It is just down the street from my work so it is convenient for me. Not sure if they could work with you from quite a distance but might be worth looking into if you can't find someone closer.

Here is their printing brochure and I think that their website is listed on that

http://www.sweetdelights.ca/brochures/Brochure_Printing.pdf