Planning your Invitations

Plan to mail your invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding date, particularly if you have a large number of out-of-town guests who will need to make travel arrangements.

If you choose to order from the typographic styles shown in the printer's catalog, a style of calligraphy may be chosen to complement the typeface used on the invitation. If you choose to have a "camera-ready" invitation done in calligraphy, the printer uses the camera-ready copy to print the invitations, and the lettering on the envelopes will can be matched to the invitation itself. The printer may charge an additional fee for camera-ready copy; my prices for a camera-ready invitation are shown on my price list.

Here are a few more issues to consider when ordering your invitations:

• Will you have double envelopes or single envelopes? Double envelopes are the formal solution, although single envelopes are now an option. The double envelope allows the host to specify on the inner envelope each person who is invited, minimizing confusion for all parties.
• Lined envelopes and dark-colored envelopes will require extra time and effort to address, and so calligraphy on these envelopes will cost more.
• Will you require colored ink for the addresses? There may be additional charge for colored ink.
• Square envelopes require a postal surcharge of at least 13¢ each. See the postal charges at the USPS site.

You may now pay for this service through PayPal on this website.