Sage & Chocolate Border Save The Date

Smudging on invitation card stock can usually be contributed to the type of paper card stock, the type of ink and the printing process.

• Some common printing processes are inkjet, laser printing, offset, and letterpress. Some card stocks and papers perform better when inkjet printed while others do better with laser technology. On each of our product pages we do indicate our recommendations. The more conventional print methods such as offset or thermograpy should not have smudging issues.
• Different Inks and toners are made differently from manufacturer to manufacturer therefore some may require more drying time than others. We do suggest using the ink brands recommended by your printer manufacturer.

Some people might benefit from the Perfect Printing Pouch and suggest reading Is the Perfect Printing Pouch for inkjet only?

If you don't have Microsoft Word installed on your PC, you can use OpenOffice.org, a free, open-source office suite that includes Writer, a program that can open our Word templates. Here is some more information on alternative programs to print invitations

After you spend time creating your own invitations, you want to ensure they arrive at your guests homes looking as great as they did leaving yours. So how do you guarantee your invitations will arrive in great condition? Next to hand delivery, your best bet for protecting your invitations against the potential rigors of mailing - marking, bending, and tearing - is to request that your invitations are hand canceled.

What does "hand cancel" mean?

Cancellation refers to the markings that the postal service puts on stamped mail to prevent the stamps from being re-used; in current times, this marking is typically created by automated high speed machinery, and most often is a large, red, rectangular stamp. While these machines are quick and convenient, mail that goes through them run the risk of being bent, marked up, and even torn - risks you do not want to take with formal invitations.

Hand canceling, as the names implies, means that each invitation will be post marked by hand, not machinery, thus eliminating the aforementioned risk factors - and the aforementioned unattractive red stamp.

How do I get my invitations hand canceled?

After completing your invitations, bring your finished ensemble into your local post office and simply request that they are hand canceled. Most (not all) post offices will have no problem with this, as it is common practice with formal mail. Depending on your local branch, be prepared to be asked to stamp your own invitations, or told that they can be hand canceled on another day.

Additional tips for safe invitation arrival

Always check with your local post office about the cost of postage prior to mailing. Keep in mind that square invitation envelopes will cost more to send, and mail that weighs over one ounce will also have a surcharge. So check fist and eliminate the Return to Sender stamped across your invitation envelopes.

Consider sending a test invitation to yourself and/or a friend or relative who lives far away. Simply bring a finished ensemble to the post office, determine the appropriate postage, request that it is hand canceled, and see how it arrives. Of course if it arrives safely and free or markings, bends, or tears, you can feel more confident in sending the rest out to your guests.

A common save the date mistake is not including enough information on your card. In the scheme of things, save the dates are a fairly new trend, and not every guest that receives one will be familiar with the practice. For this reason, the purpose should be clear. Include the following information

• Names and Event Description: Jane and Joe are Getting Married or Susan’s Bat Mitzvah
• Event Date
• Event Location
• Invitation to Follow: To ensure that no guest will mistake it for an actual invitation

You want to give your guests adequate notice, but you do not want to mail your save the date so far in advance that they have time to misplace and forget it. It is customary to send save the date cards four to six months prior to your event. However, if you are planning a destination or major holiday wedding, it is recommended that you send them nine to twelve months in advance. Also be weary about sending save the dates during the holidays, because you run the risk of it being lost in the holiday shuffle.

You want to give your guests adequate notice of your special event so that they can plan on attending, but you may be wondering if save the date cards are really necessary, especially if you are on a tight budget. Although save the date cards are not necessary for every event, they are highly recommended in the following instances

Holiday Weekend Events

People tend to plan far in advance for long holiday weekends. Typically, invitations are mailed six weeks prior to an event, where as save the dates are mailed four to six months prior to your event. Without alerting guests far enough in advance, you run the risk of your event conflicting with their scheduled holiday plans.

Traveling Guests

If more than a handful of your guests will be traveling to your event, bear in mind, they will need to plan ahead for flights, hotels, and perhaps time off from work. Advance notice is always helpful for guests in these situations.

Destination Events

Likewise, if you are planning a destination wedding, guests will need to book flights, hotels, and arrange for vacation time as far in advance as possible.

Seasonally Popular Tourist Locations

If your event is taking place in a popular tourist location, keep in mind that hotels may book up fast, so prior notice is helpful.

Weekday Events

Though most big events take place on Saturdays and Sundays, this is not always the case. Due to venue reservation and cost, many events take place on Friday evenings. In addition, some choose to hold their event on a sentimental date, such as Valentine’s Day. In these cases, it may be helpful to inform your guests far in advance, as they may need to take time off from work. If none of these situations apply to your event, simply mailing your invitations approximately six weeks in advance should be sufficient.

It is recommended that a sample of a completed invitation with all of its enclosures be brought to the post office for a clerk to actually weigh. Please note: The weight of an invitation is not the only variable that determines the postage due on your invitations. The overall dimensions of the outer envelope, although within standard weight requirements, may require additional postage. For example all square invitation envelopes mailed in the USA, regardless of weight, will require extra postage. So, it is always suggested to let the post office see the invitation ensemble before affixing postage.