One of the most important aspects of your wedding is your color scheme.  The flowers, dresses and tuxedos all reflect a carefully chosen palette.  Many of today's brides are choosing hot fashion colors for their weddings (check out a recent lime green and black centerpiece), so why not choose some hot colors for your invitations?  Birchcraft has added seven new ink colors as choices on invitations.  They are:

While you're at it, check out the three new lettering styles, also new at Birchcraft.  These are perfect if you want a sleeker, more youthful look to your invitations:

As always, Birchcraft invitations are 30% off every day, including their new pockets invitations and slide invitations.  For full selection, visit http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/Default.aspx?WebName=bloomeryweddings.

Birchcraft's Handcrafted Invitations are now available from Bloomery Weddings!  You can find them at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/Catalog.aspx?Theme=Handcrafted&WebName=bloomeryweddings.  As usual, we offer these wedding invitations with a 30% discount everyday!  You'll receive the discount whether you order online, or in person.  If you want to see your wedding invitation before you buy, Birchcraft offers a free online proof on their website.

The Handcrafted line is a limited edition collection featuring elegantly handcrafted invitations and layered invitations.  Handcrafted invitations will appeal to brides who are looking for originality, style and elegance.  Shown below is one of the elegant invitations from the Handcrafted Invitations collection.

Last year, we covered WeddingMapper.com, a free service where you can create online wedding maps for your guests.

If printed maps are more your style, idoweddingmaps.com might be more what you're looking for.  idoweddingmaps.com offers four styles of maps, which you create online by filling out some information about you and your event.  You can choose to have a PDF e-mailed to you, or have your maps printed and sent to you to include in the invitation.

We recently attended a wedding where the map was created on idoweddingmaps.com, and it was very clear and attractive, and printed on good quality paper.

The elegant Chloe B wedding invitation ensembles are now available online from Bloomery Weddings!  Chloe B invitations are a beautiful line produced exclusively for Crane & Co, known for their fine papers and stationery.  Chloe B ensembles are designed to be distinctive and to impress your guests when they open your invitation.

As with our other invitations, we offer a 20% discount for the Chloe B invitations every day.  Samples are available by request from Carlson Craft--just find the one you want and request a sample through the website.

Birchcraft's Hearts and Flowers wedding invitations album has just arrived.  When you place your order with The Bloomery, you'll receive a 30% discount off the prices you see in the book.  You can also order online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings, and still receive the 30% discount.

Pocket invitations are the latest trend in wedding invitations, and Carlson Craft has sent us their Pockets wedding invitations book.  The Bloomery is pleased to announce you can now order Carlson Craft's pocket invitations online!  We offer a 30% discount on wedding invitations every day, so you can have chic invitations at a great price.

Carlson Craft's Pocket Invitations book has arrived, and it is cool.  The book itself is a stylish brown and blue-a trendy color combination we alerted you to two years ago.  Pocket Invitations is filled with the latest trendy styles of folding wedding invitations.  Over the past several years, brides have moved to more chic invitations, to reflect their weddings better.  This selection won't disappoint.

The Pocket Invitations are not yet available online at http://bloomery.cceasy.com/, but should be soon--stay tuned and we'll post when they are.  In the meantime, please stop by our shop and check them out.  As always, you'll receive a 30% discount whether you order through us at the shop or online.

KwikSeal Self-Sealing Envelopes are now available for most Birchcraft Wedding Invitations from any Birchcraft Wedding Album!   We're sure you will want KwikSeal Self-Sealing Envelopes to make it easy to seal and mail your invitations!  Optional KwikSeal Envelopes save time and effort when mailing Birchcraft wedding invitations.  They make sealing the envelopes so easy--simply peeling off the protective strip and press closed.  Even the groom can handle this.

It's easy to check on the availability of optional KwikSeal Self-Sealing Envelopes.  When ordering your invitations online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings, the KwikSeal option will be listed if available.  If you found your invitation in one of our books, log on to www.mykwikseal.com and enter the invitation number in the search box to the right.

The extra charge for KwikSeal Envelopes is $2.50 per 25 envelopes when ordered at the same time as the invitation. They are also available Printed with a Return Address. Please refer to your website or an album for the extra charge to print the return address. (This charge is in addition to the KwikSeal charge.)

What is the proper etiquette when writing wedding invitations when the father of the bride is deceased and the mother of the bride has not remarried? Would it be Mrs. John Doe or Mrs. Jane Doe or Ms. Jane Doe?

We have seen invitations worded with all of the choices that you listed.  However, after consulting with Carlson Craft (a large invitation printer), they advised us that the correct etiquette is to use Mrs. John Doe.  The sample they gave is "Mrs. William Lewis Baker requests the honour of your presence at the marriage of her daughter Barbara Ann"

Weddings are always a little tough when parents have passed on, and our hearts go out to everyone who faces this.  Best wishes.

Here's one way to really set your wedding apart--you can make your own paper.  Your paper could be used for programs, or invitations, or even place cards.  This isn't something you would want to do on a very large scale, but the results would be very dramatic and unique.  It doesn't look that hard, but it will take some time to make enough for your purposes.  You can see the process at http://flickr.com/photos/bzedan/sets/967347/.

(Hat tip: Lifehacker)

If you ordered stickr seals with your wedding invitations, you traditionally place them on the back of the envelope, so the center of the seal is right at the point of the flap.  In the days before envelopes with the glue already applied, not to mention stickers, this is the location wax was dripped and stamped with some sort of monogram or motif to hold the envelope closed.  In many cases these days, stickers have replaced wax seals, but wax seals are sometimes still used on formal wedding invitations, just for that Victorian look.

Birchcraft has added 92 new invitations to our on-line store at http://yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings.  There are now 340 invitations on the site, which features on-line ordering with full preview before you order.  The website doesn’t feature every invitation Birchcraft offers, just a selection of the most popular ones.  We have 18 invitation books in the shop if you want to see them all, but that’s usually not necessary.

With our invitation website, you can shop for your invitations at your leisure, and preview exactly what your invitation will look like before you order it.  This includes typface and font color, with your wording!  Althouh we have a greater selection in the shop, we can’t offer the preview feature there, so online is a great way to shop for your invitations.

As always, invitations are 30% off every day (accessories such as napkins, matchbooks, etc. are 20% off everyday).

In addition to Birchcraft Wedding Invitations, you can order Regency Wedding Invitations and Carlson Craft Wedding Invitations online as well, with the same 30% discount every day!

Tags: Wedding Invitations | Birchcraft | Regency | Carlson Craft

We're pleased to announce our new on-line ordering for Regency wedding invitations, programs and other accessories.  You'll find our site at http://bloomeryweddings.regency.ac/, and as in the store, you'll receive a 30% discount off the retail price.  You can order your complete set of invitations and reply cards, and envelopes, with wording help from Verse It.

In addition to on-line ordering for Regency, you can also order Carlson Craft online at http://bloomery.cceasy.com, and Birchcraft at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/Default.aspx?WebName=bloomeryweddings.  These sites also offer our 30% discount.

When you order your invitations on-line, you'll be able to see your invitation, with your wording, in your ink color and type face before you place your order.

Birchcraft Studios' latest invitation book, "Romantic Hearts", has arrived in our store.  We now have 18 current books for you to view--that's hundreds of invitations, always 30% off (except for one book, which is 20% off).  We have books from Birchcraft Studios, Carlson Craft, Regency and Chase.

The following guide is courtesy of Birchcraft Studios.  You can view and order Birchcraft Studios invitations online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings.  Be sure to use this link to receive your 30% discount!

WHAT YOU NEED	WHEN YOU NEED IT	WHY IT'S PROPER
Engagement Announcements	Because of school, military service or other plans, your wedding date may be far in the future. If you want people to know you are engaged, plan an Announcement using the Wedding Invitation format.	Either formal or informal copy is proper to let people know your exciting news.
Hold the Date Cards	Mail them three to four months in advance of the wedding.	It is a good idea to give family and friends as much notice as possible of the coming event. This is especially true if you have many out of town guests.
Wedding Invitations with Envelopes	Used for anyone you want to attend the ceremony (even if they are ill or too far away to actually come.) Always lists who is getting married, on what day, of what year (spelled out in full), at what time, and the location.	An occasion this important rates more than a casual invitation. Elegance is enhanced by coordinating with lined inner envelopes.
Reception Cards	Traditionally a Reception Card is only used when a select number of the guests invited to the ceremony are invited to the reception. Nowadays, a Reception Card is included with the invitation, even when everyone invited to the ceremony is invited to the reception.	This invitation says, "You are special." Mailed along with the invitation, this card announces the time and location of reception.
Response Cards with Printed Return Envelopes	A must in today's busy times, or you simply won't know who is planning on attending. Plus, you will end up chasing down guests who do not send a handwritten reply.	The Response Card has become an accepted part of wedding etiquette. Including one with invitation is a thoughtful way to ease the guest's responsibility to reply to formal invitations. As a courtesy to guests, enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with Response Card.
Wedding Announcements	If your circle of friends and relatives is larger than the list you intend to invite to the ceremony, or if you have a private wedding, you will want to send an announcement of your wedding.	Wedding Announcements include the wedding date, but never the time or location of ceremony. Mail the day of the wedding.
At Home Cards	If you are moving to a new home and want to inform family and friends of your new information.	Informs family and friends of your new address and lets them know whether you are keeping your maiden name. Usually mailed with the announcement or mailed separately after the wedding.
Thank-You Notes	A perfectly proper time-saver for those very busy days leading up to the wedding and immediately following the wedding.	It's a thoughtful way to let gift givers know their gift was received. Always write a personal thank-you note later. Send within two months of wedding.
Informals	With or without the name of the groom, this personalized stationery is needed to hand write thank-you notes to those who gave a wedding gift.	People who took the time to pick out a wedding gift deserve a personalized thank-you note. Also excellent for many other occasions where only brief correspondence is needed.
Wedding Programs	A great way for guests to follow the ceremony and learn who is in your wedding party. Enables you to share a special message or poem with your guests.	Provides guests with a nice memento of your special day.
Place Cards and Table Cards	Makes sit-down meals less chaotic if people have assigned seats, or at least assigned tables.	Place Cards list the guest's name and table and are often displayed in envelopes on a table outside the tent or reception room. Table Cards list a table number inside the folder and the guest's name appears on the outside of the folder.
Ceremony Cards	Used when everyone is invited to the wedding reception but only a limited number are invited to the ceremony.	This invitation says, "You are special." Mailed along with the invitation, this card announces the time and location of ceremony.

Whether you have a wedding to announce, a new baby in the family or a photogenic pet, PhotoStamps are a fun and easy way to add a personal touch to everything you send in the mail! You can also give them as unforgettably unique gifts, or keep them and frame them so you and your family can treasure your PhotoStamps for years to come!

"Perfect for weddings" is the claim, and how true.  What a cool way to personalize your invitations--the stamps can feature you and your fiancee'!  The USPS has authorized Stamps.com to offer PhotoStamps again.  After a trial last year, Stamps.com has been authorized to offer personalized stamps for your letters.  According to Stamps.com:

PhotoStamps are a new form of postage that allows customers to include their favorite digital photographs, designs or images on valid US Postal Service postage. Customers design state-of-the-art, professional-looking postage by simply uploading pictures from existing image files, digital photographs, and original graphics. An intuitive interface allows users to flip, rotate, and zoom in and out of their images, as well as add colored borders to create harmonized themes.

You set up your account, upload a digital photo, tweak it if you want to, and order your stamps in sheets of 20.  There is an additional charge for the personalization, which works out to cost about 75-cents for a 37-cent stamp (the stamps are available in other values as well).  The price goes down with each additional sheet of stamps you buy.  Remember that your invitations will probably require more than 37-cents to mail, so you may be buying a number of sheets.  It would be a good idea to weigh a complete invitation at the post office to figure the correct postage.  The average invitation costs around $1.00 each to mail, so your postage bill for 100 invitations would be approx. $150 for PhotoStamps, vs. around $100 for regular postage.

This is probably not for the couple on a tight budget, but if you have a little room to personalize your invitations, PhotoStamps are an idea to consider.  Get started today!

Your invitation order should include either a small guide, or a pre-assembled invitation for you to examine.  In case not, here's what to do:

1. Address the mailing envelopes with the invitees' full address and the return address, if necessary (on many invitations, you can order the return address pre-printed on the outer envelope).
2. Address the inner envelopes with the invitees' names only.
3. Place the invitation face-up on a table.
4. Place a piece of tissue over the imprint area.
5. Place the reception card (if any) face up, on top of the tissue.
6. Tuck the response card face up under the flap of the response envelope, and place on top of the reception card (or tissue) with the response card facing up. Don't forget to put a stamp on the response envelope.
7. Place the entire pile inside the inner envelope.  The back of the invitation should rest on the inside of the flap as you insert the pile.  Fold the flap, but do not seal the inner envelope.
8. Place the inner envelope inside the mailing envelope.  The names on the inner envelope should face the back of the mailing envelope, so that when the mailing envelope is opened, the invitees will see their names.  Seal and stamp the mailing envelope.  You should take one invitation to the Post Office and have it metered so you can apply proper postage.  Fully assembled invitations are relatively heavy, and odd shapes may also require extra postage.

There will be some variations depending on how traditional or non-traditional your invitations are.  The main point is that your guests should see their names on the inner envelope as the mailing envelope is opened, and should read the response card when the inner envelope is opened.  The image below is courtesy of Birchcraft Studios:

 

Birchcraft Studios provides us with a handy checklist of things to remember when ordering your invitations.  Whether you're shopping for invitations on-line or in our shop (it's OK to go somewhere else if you don't live near us ;) ), you might want to print this out and make sure you have everything.  We've added a little extra information based on our experiences.  If you're just flipping through books for the first time, remember to take notes, especially the book title, book color, and page number.

1. Order 25 extra invitations, just in case you forget someone, or goof one up.
2. Choose your ink color.  Most invitations are shown with a colored ink, but prices are usually given for black ink.  In many cases (but not all), your invitations will be more attractive with a colored ink, but there will probably a small extra charge.
3. Choose your font.  Typefaces are usually given code numbers.  Feel free to choose whatever font you want, but invitations are shown with a recommended typeface.
4. Do you want a colored lining for the inner envelopes?  Invitations are usually sent in two envelopes--a larger outside one for mailing the invitation, and an inner envelope.  This inner envelope can have a lining that matched your wedding's colors.  It's more formal and more common to have a lined inner envelope, but there is an extra charge.
5. Does the invitation copy contain the time, place and date of your ceremony?  Most of the standard verses you choose from the priner remind you to add this information.  If you're writing your own verses, remember to include this information.
6. Return address printed on the invitation envelopes?  This is a good idea.  You need to put a return address on every invitation you send out, and you can either hand write it, or have it printed on the envelope.  There is an extra charge, but it can save a lot of writing.
7. Envelope seals?  These are stickers or a melted wax stamp you use to formally close your invitations.  Like all envelopes, the outer envelope has a glue you moisten to seal.  The seal adds a little extra formality to your invitation.  These are available for an extra charge.
8. Check all the spelling!  Especially if you are ordering on-line and typed in your information.
9. Reception cards.  These tell people where and when your reception is, and are more common on formal invitations or when your reception is in a different location than your ceremony.  On some invitatations, you can add an extra couple lines of copy about your reception.  This is usually done when your reception is at the same location as your ceremony.
10. Response cards.  These are how your guests tell you they are coming, and how many will attend.  If you have meal choices, remember to include them on this card.  The response envelope will be pre-printed with the response address--usually the bride's parents.  Don't forget to put a stamp on these as a courtesy to your guests!
11. Address on response envelopes.  This is usually the brise'd parents, but doesn't have to be.  Most of the time, printing of the response address is included in the price of the response cards, but not always.  Be sure to check.
12. Informals ot thank you notes.  Informals are blank cards that coordinate with your invitations.  You can use them as thank you notes, as well as to send a message to someone who couldn't attend saying they were missed.  Thank you notes have "Thank You" pre-printed on them.
13. Return address on informal or thank you note envelopes.  Make sure you use your married name and new address!  This is available for an additional fee in most cases.
14. Wedding announcements.  These usually serve as a "save the date" card, and are sent to family and friends to announce your engagement.  These used to be very common, and still are in some parts of the country, but have fallen out of favor in other parts of the country.
15. Programs.  In a number of cases, you can have programs that match your invitations.  They are certainly attractive, and give your wedding a very "together" look, but can be expensive.  If you want to print your own programs, we have a great selection of Warner Press wedding program papers on our site.
16. Wedding scrolls or bookmarks.  Many couples have a small scroll or bookmark as a favor to their guests, with verses or special messages chosen by the couple.
17. Napkins.  You'll need these for the bar and cake servings.  These are available in many colors and a number of designs.
18. Favor note pads or matches.  Again, just a small memento your guests can take home, available in your favorite colors.
19. Place cards.  If you are planning on assigning tables to people, these are a necessity.
20. Cake boxes or favor boxes.  You can send your guests home with pieces of cake, or cookies, or small favors in these boxes that coordinate with the rest of your wedding.
21. Bridal, reception and ceremony accessories.  These are personalized gifts you give to your bridesmaids and groomsmen, ringbearer pillows, cake servers, toasting flutes, etc.  You can find a great selection on our site at http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/wedding_accessories.asp.
22. Re-check all spelling and dates!

[edit: April 9, 2005]

Feedback has asked what the bare minimum someone should plan to purchase.  You absolutely need the invitations and response cards.  If the invitation cannot accomodate reception information, then you will need reception cards also.

One of us sort of bungled the pricing on an invitation order this weekend (the couple got a really good deal), so this entry is as much a cheat-sheet as anything else.

Carlson Craft, Birchcraft and Regency invitations are 30% off every day.  Tempo invitations are 20% off everyday.  All napkins, matchbooks, seals, etc. are 20% off every day.  Shipping averages $8-$12, and turnaround time is 10-14 days.

If you can't make it in to look through our books, you can browse and order invitations on-line.  If you order your wedding invitations on-line, you will still receive the discount.

You can order Carlson Craft invitations, napkins, etc. at http://bloomery.cceasy.com.  Birchcraft invitations can be ordered from http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings, and Regency invitations can be ordered online at http://bloomeryweddings.regency.ac/.  Make sure to click these links in order to receive your discount.

One of the questions we are asked frequently is whether it is considered acceptable etiquette to print invitation envelopes on the computer. My answer?  While it may be socially acceptable to print envelopes on the computer, it is not proper etiquette.  Whether you hire a calligrapher, or simply use a nice pen and address them yourself, you should address both the inner and outer envelopes by hand.  The outside envelope contains the full mailing address of the recipients, and the inner envelope contains the names of all the specific individuals invited.  Along the same lines, the outer envelope should have the sender's return address either professionally printed by the stationer, or be handwritten as well -- no computers and absolutely no labels!

If you have a burning question, please feel free to ask our experts using the e-mail link on the right.  Then, be sure to visit the Wedding Blog at BloomeryWeddings.com often for more great wedding advice and information.

If wedding planning is a production worthy of Hollywood--and it is--then consider invitations to be your guests' sneak preview of coming attractions.  It is their initial, tantalizing glimpse of what you have in store for them, conveying both the tone of the event and your personal vision.

In the not too distant past, invitations selections were limited to one "correct" choice, ecru card stock or paper with black ink.  Not so anymore.  Just as wedding styles have become more varied and unique, so too have the invitations that couples can now choose from.  Even when it comes to having a formal wedding, there's quite a variety available for classic, yet personal, invitations.  Consider an embossed design or edge, which gives dimension and texture to the paper, but no color to distract the eye.  Or if color is what you are looking for, add it in a clean, architectural, beveled edge with a touch of unexpected color.  Whatever you choose, couples can now select invitations as unique as they are.

Invitation Timeline

6-9 Months
Begin researching invitations anywhere from six to nine months in advance.

6 Months
By the sixth month, you should decide on your choice and firm up your guest list.  Begin compiling any information you'll need for the enclosures, such as maps, parking information, reception details, etc.  Get a firm, itemized quote and cost breakdown, then place your invitation order.

4-5 Months
Anywhere from four to five months before the wedding, is good for addressing the invitations and assembling them.

6-8 Weeks
Mail all the invitations at once, about six to eight weeks before the weddings.  This will give you time to mail additional invitations to guests on your stand-by list should any of the first batch of guests decline.

At The Bloomery, we offer wedding invitations at 30% off everyday!  You can even browse and order Birchcraft wedding invitations on-line.  Click this link to peruse our Birchcraft wedding invitations offerings (note: this will take you to another website).  Or, stop by our shop at any time and browse our 15 volumes of wedding invitations from Carlson Craft, Regency, Chase and Birchcraft Studios, all at 30% off every day!

This part of our series of planning advice and excerpts from Beverly Clark's "Planning a Wedding to Remember".  Visit frequently, subscribe to our RSS feed, or sign up for our e-mail alerts to make sure you don't miss a single one!

Reprinted by permission from Beverly Clark, "Planning a Wedding to Remember, 6th Edition", Wilshire Publications.  "Planning a Wedding to Remember" can be purchased by clicking this link.

You've planned a beautiful wedding, right down to every last detail...even the stamps you use on your invitations and response cards?  Ugly stamps have no place in your beautiful wedding.  The US Postal Service will unveil four new floral stamps at the Chicago Flower Show on March 15, and the stamps will be available nationwide on March 16.

You can see the new stamps, and place a preorder at http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/preOrder.jsp?OID=4849352&QTY=1&orderType=PRE.  On March 16, the stamps will be available from your local post office, or from the USPS store at http://shop.usps.com.

The USPS also offers another floral stamp in both $0.37 and $0.60 denominations, and sells this design in a "wedding pack" of 20 of each.  You can see and order this stamp at http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/productDetail.jsp?OID=4848953.

Remember to weigh one or two of your invitations before buying a lot of postage--you want to make sure you apply enough to send your invitations!