SAVE THE DATES
Why send Save the Dates?
Save the Dates are more of an announcement than anything else - a way of letting your friends and family know that you are engaged and have a date picked out, but have not yet worked out all the details of the actual event. They usually include names, date, city/town, and sometimes a link to a wedding website if applicable. It is an opportunity to give your guests, especially out-of-towners, an opportunity to plan ahead in order to make sure they are able to attend your wedding. A formal Invitation will usually follow the Save the Date with further information.
Design Options
There are so many options! Save the Dates are usually less formal (and smaller) than the actual Invitations, tending to be more fun and playful. It can be a great opportunity to incorporate your favourite engagement photo or an image of a beloved pet or vacation snap. The postcard format is very popular, as is the single card inside an envelope. A digital design is also an option that can be sent out to your guests electronically. Design elements such as fonts, colours etc. can be carried through into your invitations to keep things consistent.
When to Send
From start to finish, Save the Dates usually take 4 weeks or less to design and produce. Timelines may vary if specialty printing techniques and/or paper is requested. We usually recommend sending them out to your guests 6-8 months before your wedding date or 8-10 months if you're having a destination wedding to give guests time to make travel arrangements.
INVITATIONS
Set the Tone for Your Day
Every set of invitations is unique and special. We strive to create custom invitations and details that achieve the overall vision of our clients, and also reflect their personalities and love for each other. It is also the first taste guests will have of the style and feel of their wedding, whether it is timeless and elegant, fun and whimsical, the invitation suite should be unique to the couple. Although many will say that paper is passé, this opportunity to send out formal invitations to guests is a lovely tradition to accompany the many other wedding traditions to be shared, and a special keepsake to cherish.
Design Options
The process of coming up with design ideas for your wedding stationery should not be stressful; it should be a fun and memorable part of your planning. There are SO many options out there and it can feel overwhelming, but we are here to help guide you towards your vision, share with you our experience and creative input, and help you determine exactly what items you need to include in your suite. We encourage you to bring in reference images of things you’ve seen and liked for inspiration at your consultation. In addition to the main keepsake piece and envelope, items such as inserts, reply cards, wraps, embellishments, liners can also be included your suite. In short, we can create anything and everything your heart could desire.
Timeline / When to send
The process, from the first consultation right through until final pick-up/shipping, can take approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Clients work initially with the stationery consultant to develop ideas and explore options. Custom quotes are then created and a 50% deposit is taken. Wording is then formalized and sent on to the designer who starts work on the first proof. The opportunity to make 2 rounds of changes is available to the client. Once the final design is approved, we go into production. This of course depends on the complexity of the suite and whether specialty papers or printing have been requested. If you need your invitations in a jiffy let us know and we can make arrangements to rush them. We usually recommend they be sent to your guests 6-8 weeks before your wedding date. If you're having a destination wedding sending them 6-4 months before your wedding is sufficient especially if a Save the Date was sent.
Envelope Addressing + Postage Options
Paper Chain offers digital Envelope Addressing and Return Address printing. This may not seem like a big task to DIY at first however it can become quite stressful and time-consuming. Let us take care of it for you! All fonts, colours, and graphics can be printed on the envelopes to match the rest of your invitation suite perfectly. You can pretty much pick them up and go straight to the post office. We provide an easy template for you to fill in and send back to us. Canada Post offers a custom stamp option as well for those who are interested in adding that extra special detail. We also offer stuffing and stamping services at the client’s request.
DAY OF STATIONERY
Form and function, but pretty!
Many of the Day Of items couples request for their actual wedding day are stationery items that are necessary to help direct guests to their table assignments, list the schedule of events for the evening, communicate the dinner menu etc., but there is NO reason for these items not be beautiful! Stationery items can help dress your tables and partner with other décor items to create a magical and special space for your celebration.
Design Options
We like to carry through the design elements from the couple's invitation into their Day Of stationery – it’s kind of like branding for your wedding. When guests see the same fonts, colours, graphics and style it reminds them of when they received the invitation so many months before. Paper Chain can create anything you may need for your special day – anything you dream of, we can make it happen.
When to get started
It’s a good idea to get started on the designs for Day Of items at least two months ahead of the wedding date. Designs can be started in advance of having all of your replies back. Paper Chain provides easy to fill in templates for Place Card / Escort Card Lists, and Seating Charts can be organized by table or alphabetically. Keep in mind that Day Of stationery can be as much of a cost or more than the invitations, depending on your needs.
Paper Chain Stationery orders from some of the best suppliers available to provide clients with a wide selection of papers we consider to be of good quality and visually appealing. We adore combining different colours and textures together, and strive for a more elevated, fine art style where the materials speak loudly and the invitation suite is not only seen, but also felt. Physical samples will be available to view at the consultation appointment.
PRINTING TECHNIQUES
Digital
Digital printing is a fast and effective way of printing. Using our professional-grade laser printer in-house we can print on a wide variety of paper and cardstock options, including hand-made papers and vellum. This type of printing produces a flat result where the toner lays perfectly even onto the paper leaving no texture behind. It is very quick and requires no drying time. If you're looking for stationery in a short timeline digital printing is the way to go. Using the CMYK toner combinations allows us to print vibrant colours and well as light barely there details. This option is definitely the most cost effective. Click the ‘book a consultation’ button to chat with us about digitally printed stationery.
Letterpress
A relief -printing method, letterpress has evolved into a medium that bonds digital technology with historic techniques to produce the amazing pieces you see today. Digital files are used to create plates. These plates are then loaded into the letterpress, inked and stamped directly into thick cotton paper to transfer the ink and plate impression. This approach gives letterpress its unique look and tactility. Options for ink colours include, foils, pantones and blind debossing, which is the absence of ink only leaving behind an impression in the paper. This printing option is a higher end method and lends itself well to wedding invitation suites because of its luxurious feel. The value for this type of printing may increase the total cost by 30 – 40 % and is currently produced out-of-house. Click the ‘book a consultation’ button to chat with us about letterpress stationery.
Calligraphy
Modern calligraphy is about creating something uniquely beautiful and one-of-a-kind. It elevates the elegance and style of stationery to another level. A delightful way to have your invitation envelopes addressed, as well as being incorporated into Day Of items such as place cards, table numbers, seating charts and signs. Definitely not a font, custom calligraphy can be incorporated into digital designs as well and printed by creating a vector of the original. This is called spot calligraphy. Paper Chain partners with Scribble and Script to encourage clients to have one of a kind personalized items that are hand-lettered with a pointed pen. Seeing ones name written in delicate inked lettering on an envelope in the mail would make anyone’s heart flutter. Click the 'book a consultation' button to chat with us about custom calligraphy.
Original Artwork
We are able to offer custom digital artwork and illustration, such as maps, venue image etc. to be incorporated into digital designs. These are original components and will be priced according to the complexity of the subject. Click the 'book a consultation' button to chat with us about custom artwork and illustration.
PRICING
Pricing for our custom stationery begins at $4.45 per single-layered invitation, however will vary significantly and is dependent on size and paper choice, inclusions and embellishments, printing style and more details that will be discussed during your consultation.