Choosing my wedding invites was oh so fun – and oh so overwhelming. The amount of options is mindblowing – and a bit confusing. So you could say we’re pretty happy to have Karla from Written Word Calligraphy here to explain the factors to consider when choosing semi-custom or custom invites. She recently launched a line of semi-custom invitations (can we say gorgeoussss!?) and with years of experience, she knows the 101 on what to keep in mind when making this decision.
Define your wedding’s style. Would you like to have a modern feel, or a natural, organic look; is calligraphy your thing, or is it typography and clean text? Each invitation designer has their own style, and they tend to lean towards a certain look for their semi-custom invitation collection. Depending on the look and feel that you are going for, you will be able to select your invitation designer, and see if their semi-custom collection could be a good fit for you. Our suites, for example, play with a lot of neutral tones, with touches of metallic, and organic elegant calligraphy. If you’re looking for a floral watercolor invitation suite or bright colors, then these semi-custom suites wouldn’t be a good fit. But, we have designed our semi-custom suites in such a way that they have the potential to fit into a variety of wedding styles, and with the unique touch of our calligraphy will make each invitation stand out. Some parts of our semi-custom suites are completely custom, such as our map cards – each wedding will definitely have a different map!
Fully custom invitations can take anywhere from two to six months, from design to production to assemblies. Depending on the design, the process can take quite long with presenting new designs and revisions. How far are you from your wedding date? Semi-custom invitations have a shorter timeline because the design process is shorter. Typically, once the content for the invitation is confirmed, it takes about a week to develop the design proof, and once approved, the printing could take three to four weeks, plus one to two weeks for calligraphy addressing and assembly. The entire process could be done in four to six weeks total.
Custom invitations are absolutely beautiful. We’ve had the absolute pleasure of creating some incredibly unique pieces – from embroidered linen folio invitations, to wood engraved wine boxes for Save the dates, to metal etched menus, to linen seating charts, and more! On paper, it really gives you the flexibility to choose all kinds of options, the way you want them to be! But some of these options may come at a bigger price tag than you can afford. Custom invitations, if they’re printed with the same materials exactly as your semi-custom invitations, can go from 30-50% higher in price, or even more. But it’s almost important to note that semi-custom invitations can still be range from $1,000-$3,000 or even more, depending on the options that are selected.
At the end of day, it’s considering all these factors and your personal preference when deciding to go with custom or semi-custom. For some couples, having their invitation absolutely unique to them really matters, they want them to be unlike any other. The most important thing is that the invitations you end up selecting will be a beautiful reflection of your love as a couple and of the wedding to come.
ONGOING GIVEAWAYS + DISCOUNTS…
Minted
Zola
Casper
Bloomingdale’s Registry
THIS WEEK’S DISCOUNTS…
For our California Brides… Discounts from The Ranch at Laguna Beach and Weddings by Susan Dunne, Brideside, and giveaway from Magnolia Weddings!
For our Tri-state Brides… Discounts from Femina Photo + Design and Brideside!
For our Destination Brides… Discount from Hitch’d Weddings & Events and promotion from Round Hill!
For our Southeast Brides… Discount from Cassidy Carson Photography and don’t miss the upcoming Outer Banks Wedding Showcase at Sanderling Resort!
For our Midwest Brides… Giveaway for Jstyle Weddings Bridal Event
OUR WINNERS:
Congratulations to our Nambe winner Nicki Joseph!
Congratulations to our Allure Sweepstakes winners Bradley and Jennifer!
Invitation Advice: Written Word Calligraphy