Inviting Thoughts

Christmas is Coming!

2011-09-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

It may sound too early to be thinking about Christmas cards, but may I remind you that Christmas is less than 15 weeks away? Most cards start hitting mailboxes by December 1st, so delete about 2-1/2 weeks from the 15 week window and you've actually got about 12 weeks to get these annual puppies designed (or bought) and sent out!

In the age of e-mailing, texting, Facebooking, Skyping, etc. you may think, "Are Christmas (or insert your holiday of choice) cards really necessary or meaningful anymore?" In my opinion, the answer is yes, and even more meaningful and personal these days in the age of digital communication.

To provide some inspiration, check out Envelopments' holiday release: Making Spirits Bright.

Waltograph - Don't Do It!

2011-07-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

For this edition of "FONT FRIDAY" instead of featuring an inspiring font today that one might envision for a wedding invitation, I'm going on a rant instead. I'm requesting that you DO NOT use a particular font, unless you're the Walt Disney company.

"Waltograph" is a free downloadable font that is stylized from Walt Disney's signature. The telltale letters are the w's, the t's and especially the loopy o's and the i's, with the same loop for the dot. I have seen many, many companies (usually small moms and pops) use this font for their logo. The most baffling to me being a local Mexican restaurant. I actually refuse to eat there just because they use Waltograph in the tag line of the restaurant sign. Although their food is good (been there once), as a graphic designer, I just can't bring myself to eat at a "Gourmet Mexican Restaurant" written in the Disney font.

Even if you are the mouse's biggest fan, just DON'T DO IT. Don't use it. The font is really a corporate logo – not a font. One exception being if you are having a Disney-themed private kids party, then fine, Waltograph-away. In fact, that's the only appropriate place – and in official Disney marketing – where we should be seeing this font!

To read the entire scoop behind Waltograph, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltograph http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltograph

Having Fun with Table Names!

2011-05-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

There are a myriad of ways to identify your tables at your wedding reception or event. The best ideas are those that ditch the basic numbers and instead continue the wedding's theme or sheds light on the couple's personalities or the journey of their relationship. This can include naming tables after the places where the bride and groom had their first dates or tying into the wedding motif, such as "butterflies" – naming the tables after the different types (Monarch, Painted Lady, Brimstone, etc.). Here's a unique idea from the wedding blog Every Last Detail: a photo of the bride and groom at the age of the table number. For example, a photo of them when they were four at Table 4! How adorable is that???

{from Every Last Detail blog}

Whatever you decide to name your table, have fun with it! And think of it as the ultimate ice breaker as well – your guests will enjoy finding their table and talking about the meaning behind the name with other guests seated at the table.

Here's a list of more ideas for your table names:

Pear varieties for "Perfect Pair" theme
Birds
Butterflies
Flowers (especially for a garden wedding)
Love Songs
Famous Couples
Romantic Films
Ice Cream Flavors
Candy Bars/different types of Candy
Wines, Beers or Liquors (especially for a wedding/reception at a winery or brewery)
Coffee Drinks (for the couple who met at Starbucks!)
Board Games, Casino Games, or Wii Games (for the fun-loving couple!)
National Parks, Lakes, Campgrounds, Trail Names (for the outdoorsy couple)
Dog or Cat Breeds (for the pet lover couple)
Couple's favorite hobbies, sports, interests, etc.
"Love" in different languages (amore, die Liebe, 喜爱, rakkaus, zamiłowanie)
Honeymoon destination (for example: Hawaii, Palm Tree, Dolphin, Seashell, Black Sand Beach, etc.)

Feel free to add your unique Table Name ideas in the Comments section below!

Envelopments® is Tickled Pink!

2011-05-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

Envelopments has added three new pink matte colors to their product line. Now say hello to Ballet, Peony and Camellia.

Envelopments describes Ballet as a delicate pink that can be used to replace Tutu.

Peony has a unique tone that coordinates beautifully with their pink patterned stocks (i.e. White Linen-KIT96, White Linen-MEH9 and Classic Ecru-SUT96).

Camellia carries the most pigment of the new pinks.

All three colors are available as a 100# cover cardstock (C1), 70# text paper (P1), and envelope liner (L1). Ballet and Peony are also available as envelopes (E1).

A previous C1 pink, Tutu, was discontinued. In the pink category, Envelopments still offers these solids: Blush Pink (C1) and Azalea (C1), Valentin e(C1), Boa (C2), Fashionista (C3), Tourmaline (C2). And these patterned: White Linen-KIT96 (C4), White Linen-MEH9 (C4), Dove-SWI96 (C4) and Classic Ecru-SUT96 (C4).

Who wouldn't love a color called Honeysuckle?

2011-02-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

No need to put on your rose-colored glasses this year because if you haven't already heard, Pantone's color for 2011 is Honeysuckle.

What is Honeysuckle? Not quite a rose...not quite a fuchsia...not quite a pink...but a subtle combination of all three. Tips for showcasing this fabulous color into your wedding or event:

• This oh-so-romantic color would look great paired with whites, creams, crystals, champagnes and golds. Elegant, feminine, graceful, royal.

• Going for a more festive feel? Add daisy yellow to the mix to make it a really fresh and fun soiree. Visions of paper lanterns strung overhead...a colorful candy station...and the bold bride wearing honeysuckle pumps under her bridal gown!

• Honeysuckle paired with turquoise or teal as well as purple shades, from plum to violet, would add depth and mystique. Think 'A Midsummer's Night Dream.' Serene...magical...ethereal...enchanting.

To incorporate this versatile color into your invitations and printed reception items select Envelopments® "Azalea" (C1), a matte cardstock, or go for the metallic "Boa" (C2).

Stamps: The Designs

2011-02-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

The time has come to purchase the postage for your wedding stationary. So what designs are available? You may chose from the standard-issue designs from the post office or make your own custom stamps available from various sites such as zazzle.com or photostamps.com. USPS now even has a custom postage page.

For all you "Envelopment-er" brides out there, check out Envelopments stamps on zazzle.com for a perfect match to your Envelopments® wedding stationary.

Postal Rate Increase!

2010-07-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

UPDATE TO THIS POST!
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On Jan 2nd, 2011, the U.S. Postal Service® implemented a postage rate increase for some Priority Mail® and Express Mail® services, while leaving First-Class Mail® rates unchanged.
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2011 Brides: it's always good to be ahead of the game when planning your wedding. What a relief to cross things off your never-ending TO DO list sooner than later. But there's one thing you don't want to do—at least not now. Don't buy the stamps for your invitation.

First, you'll need to pull up your wedding budget and change a few things in the "postage" column. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has just announced another stamp price increase from $0.44 to $0.46 effective January 2, 2011. Not that most invites actually mail at the one ounce rate of $0.44; most of these puppies are in the two ounce range qualifying for the $0.61 stamp. But this stamp will most likely also increase two cents to $0.63.

Let's do some quick math: for qty. 100 invitations weighing over an ounce (but not more than 3 ounces) that includes a response envelope (pre-stamped at $0.46 each—unless using the "Forever" stamps), add $109 for postage into your wedding budget.

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2010/pr10_064.htm

As most brides know, every penny counts when budgeting for a wedding. No bride wants to be surprised to find that the postage is more than she expected when she takes her invitations to the post office.

2009 Color of the Year: It's Edible!

2009-01-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

Pantone 14-0848 "Mimosa"

According to Pantone, "The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance...Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."

Hmmm...when I think of yellow, I usually think, "They're not finding out if they're having a boy or a girl" (or not telling!).

But seriously, yellow is a happy color...if not hard to read in print over a white background. Think of all the good things that come in yellow: Post-It notes (how did we live without them?!), school buses, bananas, rubber duckies, cheese (yum!) and finally to my 3-year-old son's absolute delight, construction trucks! (although he would call it "yeh-woh")

Used in design, yellow has not been exactly "groovy" since the 60's Happy Faces, but we'll see how it fares in 2009. Yellow looks striking and graphic with black (think taxi cabs), sophisticated with charcoal gray, French with blue, energetic and loud with fuschia or orange, feminine with hues of pink and crisp when paired with white.

Here's looking at you, Yellow!