So you’ve done all of your planning for your big day, and all you have left to choose are your wedding invitations. You’re excited, but the only problem is… you’ve spent most of your budget, you don’t have much left, and all the invitation designer you’ve visited are quoting you $8-10 per set! If you’re finding yourself stuck in this position, read on for a few tips you can use to bring your cost down:

1. Paper Choices – There are lots of beautiful papers out there, and if you’ve got a paper fetish like we do, it’s difficult to choose just one or two! But if you inform your invitation designer of your budget, she’ll steer you in the right direction of papers that are in your price range. Stick to the non-metallics. If you want something that has a little something extra, a matte (non-metallic) paper with a bit of texture to it often does the trick.

2. Size – if you just can’t find a matte paper that suits your style, the other option is to put together a set that’s a little smaller than the standard 5″ x 7″ size! Some brides like how concise and neat a 4 x 5 invitation looks, and you can get more pieces out of a sheet which requires less paper cost!

3. Printing Method – Letterpress invitations are absolutely stunning, and everyone would love to be able to use this printing method for their invitations, but … you guessed it… it’s out of your budget. Letterpress invitations are individually hand-printed, and each piece is unique, so your invitation is basically a work of art. But a good invitation designer can come up with something equally unique and beautiful by incorporating unique and beautiful design elements into the physical pieces. Maybe a pattern printed on your cards? Maybe adding a few rhinestones would give it a little sparkle? For budget-conscious brides, digital printing is the way to go.

4. Amount of Paper – Eco-friendly doesn’t necessarily always have to be expensive. Ditch your response card in favour of an online RSVP, and you’ve also ditched the expense of the extra 2 pieces (card & envelope to match). Or, if you must have a response card of some sort, what about a postcard? No extra cost of an extra envelope, and you’ve just saved yourself around $0.50 per set!

Ladies, shop around! You don’t need to sign with the first invitation designer you meet, especially if they don’t fall within your budget. You do realize that you get what you pay for in some regard, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the DIY kits from your local craft store (which often amount to more stress that it’s worth)! A good invitation designer will be able to understand your budget and be able to offer an attractive and unique solution to fit in your ideal price range.

Your wedding invitations are usually sent out between six and eight weeks before your wedding to give your guests enough time to plan and respond. However, if you have decided to plan your wedding on a popular or holiday weekend, that may not be enough time to give them to ensure they do not already have other plans. In these cases, save the date cards are a wonderful option. Save the date cards can be sent out as much as six months in advance of the wedding, and can be a thoughtful way to alert all of those guests that you would most like at your wedding, that you have set the date and hope that they will be able to attend.

Save the date cards are a relatively new development in the world of wedding invitations. Even though they are new, there are a few etiquette guidelines that many follow when sending out save the date cards. These thoughtful guidelines can help you decide whether or not they are appropriate, and how you can effectively use them. These tips can help you choose gorgeous save the date cards, and send them out to the appropriate people.

What are save the date cards?



Save the date cards are announcement cards that give friends and family a heads up that you have finally set the date for your wedding, and that they should save the date if they would like to attend. Save the date cards are usually the first formal notice that any of your guests receive about your wedding. Most wedding stationers now include save the date cards that are themed to fit your wedding, so that all your wedding components will match. However, if you choose, you can certainly mix and match your save the date cards, invitations, and thank you cards.

When should we send out save the date cards?



Typically, you should send out save the date cards between three and five months before the wedding, to provide your guests with ample time to make travel arrangements and hotel accommodations. Again, if you are planning your wedding during a popular holiday weekend, you may want to give even more notice than that. Some couples send out save the date cards as soon as they have confirmed their date and venue reservation.

Who should get save the date cards for my wedding?

Usually, save the date cards are sent primarily to family and friends who may have to travel to attend your wedding. If you have planned your wedding around a popular holiday such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Memorial Day weekend, you should send out save the date cards to all of your intended guests so that they can avoid making other plans.

What type of save the date cards should we choose?

There are several different styles of save the date cards available. The most common choice is a save the date card that coordinates with the rest of your wedding theme and colors. Most wedding stationery suites include a save the date card, or a card that is appropriate for use as a save the date card. A popular modern option is the magnetic save the date card, which is designed to be tacked up on a refrigerator so that it is in plain view, and an easy daily reminder of your upcoming wedding.

What should be included on the save the date card?

Save the date cards are meant to convey a minimum amount of information needed for your guests. Generally, your save the date cards should include the names of the bride and groom, the date of your wedding, and the city or general location where it will be held. At the bottom of the save the date card, many couples add the note that “invitations will follow.”

Do save the date cards have to match our wedding stationery?



Save the date cards definitely do not have to match the rest of your wedding stationery.  Many couples believe that since save the date cards go out well in advance of wedding invitations, they are the one piece of wedding stationery that can comfortably be completely different from the rest of the invitation suite. Many couples also choose a casual and even humorous save the date card. If you want to pay homage to your wedding theme, without being constricted by the invitations that you may or may not have chosen yet, you can easily choose a wedding themed save the date card that is suitable for a generic theme. For example, for a beach wedding you can choose a whimsical save the date card with seashells or shore scenes, or go with a love themed save the date card with twin hearts in red, silver, or white if you have not yet decided on a theme.



What if we want to do-it-ourselves?

You can create your own do-it-yourself save the date cards by first choosing wedding themed blank cards. You then set up your template with the wording that you wish to choose, adding in all of the necessary information without overcrowding the card. You can even add a photo of the two of you together, if you want to add an extra personalized touch before printing it out on a digital printer.

While save the date cards are not a necessary, or even traditional part of your wedding stationery ensemble, they are growing more and more popular as the years’ progress. A save the date card is a thoughtful way of letting your friends and family know that you have set the date and would sincerely like them attend and celebrate with you.

These days, it seems that everyone’s favorite color is green. Eco-friendly is the new black this season. Many couples choose to build their wedding in regards to an eco-friendly wedding guideline. From eco-friendly wedding invitations to eco-friendly wedding favors, there is a rapidly growing industry that caters to those who want to be kinder to the world they live in.

What is Eco-Friendly?

Progressively, we have moved long past the day when we just acknowledged words associating with “recycled.” Today’s eco-friendly products take their responsibility to the world far deeper than merely printing their brochures or invitations on recycled paper. To be eco-friendly is to participate with the goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on our environment. One maker of a very popular line of eco-friendly wedding invitations, for instance, uses one hundred percent certified post-consumer recycled paper, soy-based inks and a printing process powered entirely by wind-energy, so that no resources are used to add to the carbon footprint of your wedding day.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors

If you are determined to have an eco-friendly wedding, there are multiple ways you’re your wedding can be green from start to finish. You can even choose to send your guests home with wedding favors that help them to continue eco-friendly behavior well after your wedding is over. Below are some things to look for in an eco-friendly wedding favor, invitation and other wedding accessories.

If you are an eco-friendly person, you probably already know that you should not have your guests throw rice at your wedding because it is not healthy for the birds. Confetti is not much better because it has harmful dyes that can be detrimental to the environment. Wildflower seeds may seem like a good idea on the surface, but may not be appreciated by neighbors or the venue at which your ceremony is held. Instead, have your guests throw freeze-dried rose petals. These are all natural, biodegradable, and noting says romance quite like roses. You can also be eco-friendly by giving wedding favors that live on long past your wedding day. One of the most novel developments in wedding favors is what is known as “plant-able” paper. Created by using recycled rag and paper that is impregnated with wildflower seeds, this paper can be formed into hearts, doves, cones and even wedding invitations. Once the wedding is over, your guests can take their favor home and plant it in the ground. They can remember your wedding fondly as they grow a patch of wildflowers in their own yards. Other popular eco-friendly wedding favors include a little clay pot packaged with an ornament such as a dove, a cross, a heart or another wedding-themed motif. They are beautiful table decorations at your wedding, then they can go home with your guests to be planted in a half inch of soil so that they may bloom. If you decide to give candy favors to your guests, there are organic chocolates available with minimal packaging which will reduce the amount of waste that your wedding will generate. These chocolates are not only friendly to the environment, but they also taste great!

Other Tips for Making Your Wedding a Green Wedding

If you want a completely eco-friendly wedding, do not stop with the eco-friendly wedding favors. There are many other ways to make your wedding greener. Below are just a few tips for making your wedding a green and Earth-friendly.

Choose to serve an organic, vegetarian or vegan menu to your guests. Try to not use disposable serving ware or dinnerware at your wedding. The water saved by not washing the dishes does not offset the resources used in making disposable plates and dinnerware. Choose invitations printed on recycled, unbleached paper, or ones printed with non-petroleum based inks. You can find a number of beautiful eco-friendly wedding invitations online. Serve organic coffee at your wedding and all of your wedding events such as rehearsal dinner, engagement party and any others. Choose a wedding gown that is eco-friendly. You can either re-use your mother’s wedding gown, or buy one that is second-hand. You can also repurpose a gown that was bought at a vintage shop. Avoid clothing that needs to be dry-cleaned such as rental tuxes. Choose flowers that are grown locally to cut down on the carbon footprint of transporting the flowers cross-country or over the ocean. While you are thinking flowers, think about choosing live centerpieces that can go home with your guests and be replanted. Small trees are an ideal choice because they will grow up to help reduce the carbon emissions in the atmosphere and continue doing good things for our earth for decades. If possible, hold your wedding outdoors and use as little electricity as possible. An afternoon outdoor wedding is beautiful, romantic and uses very little in the way of generated energy. You will have the advantage of natural light and the beauty of the Earth as your backdrop.

Ask your photographer to use digital media and provide digital proofs of your wedding photographs. That will cut down on the amount of chemicals used in developing your photographs and the use of paper photos.