Summer is here and wedding season is in full bloom. Did you know that June is the most popular month for weddings? $72 billion per year is spent on weddings and the average wedding budget is $20,000. How much of that budget is spent on invitations and printing?
Some experts say that between 5-10% of the overall wedding budget is to be spent on invitations and related stationary expenses. The Bridal Association of America estimates that couples on average spend$659 on wedding invitations and reply cards for the big day. Of course many bride and grooms spend much more and also many spend less.
From thermography and letterpress to digital printing and DIY kits, wedding invitation design and production can run the gamut. Custom calligraphy for the envelopes, foil lined enclosure envelopes, ribbons, sparkly metallic paper and wax embossed stamps all can up the ante too. Letterpress printing has been a trend right now but it can be pricey. Digital printing has really opened up the doors for invitations to bring in full color printing on high-end colored papers. No more 1-color printing on the basic house stock anymore!
With all these choices, how does one pick a design direction? The most important factor in designing a wedding invitation is to make sure the invitations set the stage for the type of event it is going to be. If the affair is going to be a formal sit-down dinner then the invite should reflect that versus an informal outside barbeque. An invitation for a cocktail reception at an art museum should have a different feel than a church wedding and traditional country club reception would. The invitation is the guests’ first glimpse into the event and sets the tone through the look and feel.
Secondly, the invitations should reflect the personality of the couple. I’ve seen lovely formal invitations that don’t fit a couple’s fun-spirited and down-to-earth vibe at all. Some of the best wedding invitations are the ones that are “out-of-the-box” and have a little bit of spunk to them. Forget simply matching the color of the bridesmaids dresses and calling that the ‘theme’ of the invite.
On our recent project, ‘Jill & Julian’, a simple color palette of blue brings a sophistication to the invitation but adds a twist by using variety of patterns and shades of blues. Navy blue wouldn’t automatically come to mind for a wedding invite but mixed with the lighter blue and teal shades, the piece really came together. From stripes to decorative ornaments, the patterns really add depth and interest. Incorporating multiple fonts and varying the typesetting also adds a whimsical touch and a glimpse into the couple’s personality. Digitally printed on a HP Indigo, the cream stock adds another layer of elegance to the whole package.
How long did this wedding package take to design from concept to production? A typical bride needs months to determine the event’s details, including her style for the big day. But once all the details are figured out, it still takes time to nail down specifics for the invitation including how to handle the RSVPs and dinner selections to the driving directions on the map. From the initial ‘Save the Date’ to the final product, ‘Jill & Julian’ took about 4 months. Considering that the average length of a couple’s engagement is 17 months, there should be plenty of time to really dive into all the paper and design options out there. But add in the time necessary to get RSVPs back – after the engagement ring is on the finger, the invitation design should begin. You never know, a bride just might change her mind a couple times along the way too.
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