Wedding Invitations Style Word-of-the-Day: Thermography

Thermography. If you're shopping for wedding invitations, odds are you've already heard this term. Are you wondering what it means?

Thermography is a less costly alternative to engraving for custom wedding invitations. A special powder is added to the ink used to print the invitations, that, when heated, creates an elegant, raised appearance to the final, printed lettering.

Many of the best-known custom wedding invitations companies, including Carlson Craft and Regency Thermographers, use thermography to create elegant and traditional customized invitations while keeping costs within reach.

Wedding Invitations: Special Offer

The American Stationery Company -- a great place to shop online for wedding invitations at great prices, because you're buying direct -- is currently offering a cool promo for brides.

Every wedding invitations order comes with a free, handy tote. It looks like the perfect thing not just for storing all your wedding paraphernalia, but for taking to bridal shows to carry all that great stuff!

Click here for more info at The American Wedding: Wedding Invitations - Direct from the Manufacturer.

Wedding Invitations Style: Tracking Thank You Notes

Wedding thank you notes can become a challenging chore, especially if you wait until after your honeymoon to get started. ("Honey, who gave us the food processor?")

Save yourself hassle, plus impress your wedding guests with your promptness, by tracking wedding gifts as you receive them in a spreadsheet. Then, note when you send the thank you note.

You may, of course, receive a large number of gifts at the wedding itself, and, if you're leaving for your honeymoon the next day, then those will have to wait until you get back. But, if you take care of sending thank you notes for all the gifts you receive before your wedding before you leave for your honeymoon, you'll come back to a much less stressful task.

Here's a sample spreadsheet (which you can download for free) to help you out -- simple!

Sample Thank You Note Tracking Spreadsheet

Wedding Invitation Style: Traditional and Elegant

Crane Paper Company, a venerated Boston institution, has been making paper since 1775! They even provided paper for the American Colonies first currency.

Today, Crane's is regarded as a standard bearer of traditional taste and style. Which is not to say they are boring in the slightest! Crane's offers beautiful colors, peerless engraving, and a huge variety of styles. They are now even offering papers and invitations by Kate Spade (yes, that Kate Spade - the fabulous bag designer).

Best of all, their invitation design center walks you through the process painlessly. Check it out here:


Crane & Co. Wedding Invitation Design Center

Wedding Invitations Style: Check the Postage!

Important wedding invitations tip: be sure to check that you've applied the right postage for both your invitation packet and your return envelope.

Postage amounts are determined not just by weight, but by envelope shape (unusual sizes and shapes - square, small or large - are subject to additional postage).

Some of the most modern and chic wedding invitations shapes may be subject to an extra charge. To be sure you've got it right, check the handy postage calculator offered by the postal service:

USPS Postage Calculator

Wedding Save the Dates -- When to Send

Send your 'save the date' announcements out about six months before your wedding date. This will give long distance wedding guests plenty of time to find good airfares and make travel arrangements.

Looking for a fun, whimsical save-the-date option? Carlson Craft has cute ideas like magnets, scratch off cards (kind of like custom lottery tickets!), and unique shapes. Plus, if you shop for your wedding via this link, you'll get 20% off everything you purchase at Carlson Craft!

Wedding Invitations Style ... on a Budget

Fretting over the high cost of wedding invitations (or your wedding budget as a whole)?

Good news: you'll be surprised at the high quality of today's print-it-yourself invitations! High end vendors like eInvite (Checkerboard's site) are now offering do-it-yourself invitations that are barely distinguishable from their much more expensive cousins.

Click here to check out eInvite's fabulous selection of print-at-home invitations, plus beautiful religious themed invitations, truly unique papers, sophisticated designs (recommended by Martha Stewart!), and more.