Wedding invitations
Wedding invitations play a vital role in the smooth organisation of your big day. But it's not just a matter of sending out a card with the date on and asking people if they can make it - there is so much more to proper wedding invitations than that.
To help you understand how wedding invitations can help you we have enlisted the help of an expert. Helen Doyle of Gibson Doyle is the chosen guru this time round - Gibson Doyle are one of the top wedding stationery specialists in the UK, and they also created the wedding invitations for the marriage of Nicola and Michael Vaughan - the England Cricket Captain.
So Helen, let's talk money! In terms of wedding invitations, on average how much per head do people normally spend?
Well, if you assume people need one invite per couple or family and the average number of guests was 80, then the spend is anything from £1.25 up to £3.25 per head depending on the wedding invitations chosen.
How long does it normally take from the point of order to get the invites made and sent to the customer?
We ask for a 28 days lead-time but have just started an express service where you can upgrade your lead-time in an emergency to 7 days, however there is a 50% surcharge on this service. When you're starting to plan when to order your wedding invitations and when to send them out, it's safest to allow about a month in between.
How long in advance would you normally say people should send their wedding invitations out?
I recommend a minimum of six to eight weeks notice, but if you are having a summer wedding or getting married abroad then you have to take into account any holidays your guests will have to arrange around your chosen dates.
Have you ever had any unusual requests?
Not too many - I have been asked to design stationery for a naturist couple who were getting married in the nude. The brief was 'very simplistic'!
Hope they were getting married somewhere warm! To round us off then, do you have any particular pieces of advice for bride-to-be when they're starting to look at wedding invitations?
Once you have set your date, one of the first things you should turn your attention to is the selection of your wedding invitations. Due to the wide variety of designs and styles in wedding invitations available, you'll want to get started early in choosing the design.
Regardless of what type of invitation you choose, generally wedding invitations should include the invitation itself as well as a reply card, and evening invitation, separate printed envelope for the reply card, and if required also information on accommodation for guests driving directions and important telephone numbers.
While there are literally thousands of styles and designs of invitations available to choose from, there are only three basic types of wedding invitations. These are printed, hand-made and boxed-sets.
Printed styles
Printed wedding invitations are one of the most popular choices on the market today and are very cost efficient. While the turn around time for printed invitations is typically better than thermograph and hand made options, you should still plan on ordering your printed invitations at least 4-6 weeks in advance.
Thermo graphed wedding invitations provide an alternative to standard printed invitations. The end result is a very elegant look and while thermo graphed invitations might not be appropriate for a very formal wedding, they would work well for a semiformal wedding. Plan on ordering these invitations at least six weeks in advance.
Hand made designs
Hand made wedding invitations are gaining in popularity, not only because they are reasonably priced, but also because they add a nice personal touch to a very special occasion. Remember to plan on ordering additional wedding invitations in case of mistakes and allow plenty of time to post them out.
Boxed sets
Box set invitations are available at most stationary retailers and can provide a quick and easy alternative to other types of wedding invitations. They are cheap and this type of invitation can also be dressed up for a unique and personal touch if you have the time.
Regardless of which type of wedding invitations you choose, be sure to allow plenty of time for printing and an at least an additional two weeks for posting. And remember that they're your wedding invitations - you should have them exactly how you want them to be.
To find out more about Gibson Doyle's wedding invitations visit www.gibsondoyle.co.uk
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Images of wedding invitations from the Gibson Doyle collection
