The wait is finally over!  A few months ago, we had the opportunity to collaborate with some very talented wedding professionals in the Charlotte area.  We took the Style Me Pretty Inspiration to Reality challenge and set out to make an amazing inspiration board designed by Portugal-based Brancoprata come to life . . . and boy did we ever!

Ceci New York custom-designed the invitation suite for the occasion and it is available exclusively at Salutations!

The Inspiration to Reality project was led by the amazingly talented Drea & Casey Cunningham of Cunningham Photo Artists and Ivy Robinson of Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events.  We were thrilled to also work with the really fun and fabulously gifted group of Heather Batt of Hayden Olivia Bridal, Amy Craparo of The Wow Factor Cakes, and stylist Melissa Lamkin ~ all from Charlotte.

We are thrilled to introduce our brides to the luxurious White Label Collection from Ceci New York.  High fashion and exquisite craftsmanship are now available at a ready-to-order price.  Ceci New York is a design studio with an eye for detail and exceptional quality, expertly integrating trendsetting style, luxury, and innovation within every piece.

As the only North Carolina stationer to carry this collection, we invite you to call or email us today for a preview that includes: Save-The-Dates, Invitations, Thank you Notes, Menus, Programs and so much more!  Take a sneak peek at some of the designs on our Ceci New York Photo Gallery.

Each invitation suite is fully customizable by changing elements such as ink colors, typestyles and layout. The options are endless, with the line organized into four collections: Ornate, Destination, Botanical, and Classic.  Items are available in both letterpress and offset printing.

Lisa Hoffman, the founder and creative director of Ceci New York, is a world-renowned graphic designer whose work is synonymous with style and luxury among celebrities and design-savvy couples. The highly respected, custom stationer has received many awards for her trendsetting work and was most recently named one of the Top 25 Trendsetters by Modern Bride Magazine and Expert Stationer by New York Magazine.

For any of you brides or soon-to-be brides . . .  Your wedding invitation is (usually) something you create once in a lifetime and you want to get it right. But, where to start? Once you know the rules of etiquette and the major details of your day, the wording comes fairly easily. This article will help you to write a wedding invitation from start to finish in a way that properly meets etiquette guidelines.

As the saying goes, “You only get one shot at a first impression.” Your wedding invitation is often your guests’ first impression of the event that awaits them and you want to get it right.  Since ordering wedding invitations is not something you do everyday, the process can feel daunting.  Here are some tips that should help make it a pleasant experience and not an ordeal to be endured.

1.       Start the process early

“The early bird gets the worm” . . . and the most beautiful wedding invitations.  Allow yourself enough time to define your tastes, learn about proper etiquette, and design the perfect invitation that will set the tone for your special day.  By ordering early, you will also avoid being forced to settle for an invitation just because it can be delivered in a short amount of time.  You will also save on rush fees and expedited shipping rates.

2.       Find a good stationer

The importance of this cannot be stressed enough.  A quality stationer will play an important role in creating your perfect wedding stationery.  Such a stationer will educate you, save you from errors, help you to create a truly unique invitation that is reflective of your personality, show you ways to save time and money, and become one of your biggest allies throughout the wedding planning process.

3.       Define your style

Review wedding magazines and wedding blogs to get a feel for the huge array of invitation styles available.  {Style Me Pretty is one of our favorite resources!}  Pay attention to the designs you are repeatedly drawn to and tear out those magazine pages.  Decide whether your tastes tend more toward classic and traditional or more contemporary or design-oriented.  Decide the tone you’d like to set for your day ~ is it one of classic elegance or one of fun and whimsy?  Bring this information with you to give your stationer a feel for your tastes.

4.       Have a good idea of your guest list

While you by no means need to have a final guest list before ordering your wedding invitations, you should have a very good idea of the number of guests you would like to invite and the number of invitations you will need to order.  {Remember that 200 guests does not equal 200 invitations, as most of these guests will not be single individuals.}  Be sure to get input from all parents as to the guests they would like invited.  Always order more than you think you’ll need so you’ll be prepared for the inevitable guest list creep.  The cost to order 25 or so additional invitations at the outset will be far less than the expense of ordering a small number of invitations later, plus the shipping and rush fees that would be required.  {Trust us on this ~ we’ve seen it happen far more than you’d think.}

5.       Be realistic about your budget

The bridal magazines are filled with multi-page layouts featuring the most incredibly gorgeous wedding invitations, usually in multiple colors that are engraved or letterpressed on high-quality card stock.  Brides fall in love with these invitations and then flip to the wedding budget worksheet in the back of the magazine, which all too often suggests ridiculously low amounts for wedding stationery that would not even cover the reply cards for those featured wedding ensembles.  Remember that you get what you pay for.  A good stationer will help identify ways that you can save money and still achieve a look and feel that you are going for, but they cannot create “a champagne invitation on a beer budget.”

6.     Understand printing methods

Your stationer should be able to explain to you the differences between flat or offset printing, thermography, engraving, and letterpress printing ~ and show you samples of each.  {If they cannot, run the other way and reread #2 above!}  The method of printing can dramatically change the look, feel and color of an invitation, not to mention the cost.

7.     Understand wedding wording etiquette

Etiquette guidelines often dictate the way that a wedding invitation should be worded ~ and the way that it should not be worded.  {Believe it or not,  whether you request the honor of someone’s presence or the pleasure of their company is not based on your personal preference as to which sounds better.}  Again, your stationer should be able to help you compose the wording of your invitation, based on your individual circumstances.  While it may seem like you’re sharing a lot of personal information, you should be prepared to share with your stationer the details of who is paying for the wedding and whether there are any sticky family issues that may need special handling.

8.     Decide how envelopes will be addressed

It is best to know before ordering whether you will be hand-addressing the envelopes, having them addressed by a calligrapher, or having them printed by your stationer.  Calligraphers may charge more for certain envelope papers or ink colors, or a stationer who is printing your addresses may need to request heat-resistant thermography inks, for example.  In any event, always order at least 15%  extra envelopes to allow for the inevitable mistakes in addressing.

9.       Understand the etiquette of addressing

Rules of etiquette dictate the way in which wedding invitations are addressed.  For example, did you know that an invitation to an unmarried couple who is living together should feature each of their names stacked without being separated by the word “and”?  Again, your stationer should be able to advise you as to the proper way to address your invitations.

10. Consider ordering accessories at the same time

The best wedding stationery ensembles are those that carry the same look and feel, color scheme, and theme throughout.  While your menu cards do not need to exactly match the typestyle and ink color of your wedding invitations, it is best to have a cohesive set of paper accessories that help create the tone you intend for your day.  For instance, if you have a custom monogram or duogram, or a seashell motif, these elements should be carried through your accessories such as the wedding programs, menu cards, escort cards, table cards, place cards, welcome booklets, and favor tags.  For this reason, you may want to at least identify your choices for these wedding accessories when ordering your invitations.  Often, stationery manufacturers will offer a discount for coordinating items ordered at the same time as the invitations.

{Tip: While you will likely not be prepared to order your wedding programs at the same time as your invitations, you can order a coordinating program cover and then have the inserts printed by your stationer as you get closer to your wedding when more details are finalized.}

One year after the last increase, the United States Postal Service is increasing postage rates again ~ effective May 11, 2009. The rate for the first ounce is increasing from $0.42 to $0.44; the one-to-two ounce rate is going from $0.59 to $0.61; and the postcard rate is going from $0.27 to $0.28. The Forever (Liberty Bell) stamps will remain effective, so you may want to stock up prior to May 11th.

Brides especially will need to take note. Wedding invitations typically take the two-ounce stamp {although you should always have your local post office weigh a complete invitation set to be sure}. Reply cards will also need to be stamped with the new postage. The good news? The USPS is about to release a new set of wedding stamps, based on the photography of Washington, DC photographer Renee Comet (pictured above). These photo-based stamps are so much better than the current horror of a wedding set. {Seriously, is there anyone out there who actually liked these stamps?}

Of course, if you want to one-up the USPS, you can customize your own wedding stamps at Zazzle.com. Choose from their stock images or upload your own photo or graphic design. The other good news? For 100 wedding invitations and reply cards, we’re only talking an increase of $4. In the grand scheme of things, this one is not worth stressing over.