Interested about the different Gmund paper brands that we carry?

All Gmund papers are produced at a small, but world-renowned paper mill in the village of Gmund. The mill is located in the south of Germany at the edge of Lake Tegernsee, in the Bavarian Alps. In operation since 1829, Gmund is dedicated to producing quality paper and protecting their environment.

Gmund Color System – 15 Colors

With more than a dozen colors in text and heavy cover weights, the Gmund Color System is the heart of the brand. And within the Gmund Color System you’ll find Contact, a line of translucent vellum paper with color tones to complement your creativity.

Vice Versa – Vibrant Textures

Vice Versa is a heavy cover stock highlighted by a ribbed, vergé texture that feels great to the touch. Choose from more than 15 colors that also work in conjunction with the Gmund Color System.

Savanna – Woodgrain Cardstock

Another uniquely textured paper is Savanna which features an embossed wood grain pattern in colors inspired by the African continent. The perfect compliment for your natural design or a natural color palette, our Savanna Woodgrain Cardstock is incredibly life-like, this paper is a must see!

Reaction – Metallic Iridescent Finish

As you’re learning, Gmund produces amazing and unique papers that we’re proud to offer. Another must see line is Reaction where the shimmering, metallic paper surface changes depending on the way the light falls. One side of the paper features the metallic, mica-infused surface while the other is complemented with a certain matte finish color.

Owned by the Kohler family for a century and counting, many of the Gmund papers carried at LCI are produced in the “Old Lady,” Europe’s oldest in service paper machine.

Now let’s talk about environmental considerations. Not only has Gmund achieved FSC certification, but they follow their own self imposed 100% Eco-Sustainability charter. Here are some specifics:

70% of the mill’s energy comes from water-power, solar-power, and heat cogeneration.

As you may know, water is one of the key ingredients used in paper making. Gmund’s one-of-a-kind ozone purification system processes the water they use and purifies it without the use of chemicals. The water is tested to make sure it is drinking quality and then returned to the river which is a water source for Munich City.

Gmund makes quality paper while protecting and treasuring their environment, and all of these papers are in stock and ready to ship. If you have any question about Gmund papers, get in touch. We’d love to provide you with an answer.

Add a splash of color with Japanese Paper!

Whether you’re just discovering the world of Japanese paper or you’re here for a specific sheet, our selection of over 125 different styles, patterns, and colors means that beautiful, decorative Japanese paper is just around the corner, in-stock, ready to ship.

Gilded patterns inspired by Japanese Kimonos.

On first visit to our Japanese paper section, many people are drawn to our Chiyogami paper with vibrant patterns based on traditional symbols representing beauty, good fortune and long life. You might use Chiyogami to add a decorative element to your invitation, to make a custom envelope liner, or even as Origami paper. Each variety of Chiyogami paper is silk screened by hand, a labor intensive process requiring a separate screen for each color pattern.

There’s much more to our premium washi paper selection!

But Chiyogami is just one type of Japanese paper that we offer. Modern Classics are machine-versions of traditional and delicate papers with all the beauty without the limitations; meaning you can print at home and fold paper that, for example, looks like brittle wood veneer.

We also carry other versions of Japanese paper including delicate looking tissue that is deceptively strong, card stock with a distinctly Japanese linen finish, and smooth, floral-patterned vellum, to name a few more.

All of our Japanese paper is made in Japanese studios—small, family-run businesses utilizing renewable plant fibers, respecting water sources, and making sure nothing goes to waste throughout the paper making process.

For the full effect, this is a paper you have to see and feel!

We invite you to order samples. See the paper with your own eyes. Run your fingers over the surface. We think that once you experience Japanese paper, you’re going to go out of your way to use it. And if you have any questions, please get in touch with us. We’d be happy to answer them.

Many people do not realize you can print these small 3 x 5 RSVP envelopes in your home printer. But you can! Read our short tutorial and master the techniques needed to print these envelopes at home.

This Tutorial Will Show You

• How To Set Up A Template In Microsoft Word
• How To Format & Center Your Address Copy
• How To Access & Change Your Printer Settings For A Perfect Envelope

Step 1: How To Load RSVP – Response Card Envelopes in Printer

• Load envelopes, front side up & short edge first into printer’s paper input tray
  Envelope’s right edge should rest flush against right edge of paper tray
• Move sliding paper guide from left to right until it rests flush against the envelope’s left edge

For testing purposes you may want to try & print a single RSVP envelope first!

Check your printer manual for proper envelope loading in your particular printer.

Step 2: Create An Address Template for Your RSVP Envelopes

LCI’s RSVP Envelopes are all one standard size, 3 5/8 x 5 1/8. As you set up your print template document, you will enter these dimensions (as decimals) in Microsoft Word.

• In Word, create a new document

Enter Envelope Addresses

• Type name & address where guests’ RSVPs will be sent
• Customize text using your choice of font & font size
• Center text horizontally using paragraph center alignment button
• Center text vertically by placing cursor in front of text and repeatedly hitting Enter key until text is centered. If text is too low, use Backspace key.

Step 3: Access Printer Driver – Enter Width, Height & Alignment

Your printer is programmed to print 8 1/2 x 11 size paper so you need to communicate the Response Envelope’s size in the printer’s software or “driver.” Otherwise your address will not print correctly on the envelope.

Since you loaded your envelope on its side (short edge first), the short side is referred to as the width measurement and the long side is the height measurement in the print driver.

You will also need to select Landscape printing as opposed to Portrait.

All this is communicated in the print driver. Access it from within Word to make adjustments.

Step 4: Print Test Envelope, Then Print Entire Run

• Click OK to save your print driver settings and close the driver
• Click OK to complete the print job
  If you are pleased with your printed envelope, then you are ready to print the entire batch:
• Load 10 envelopes at a time into your printer’s paper input tray in the same way you loaded the single envelope in Step 1
• When each set of 10 envelopes have printed, your printer will pause so that you can load another 10.

If We Can Help, We Will

We hope these instructions have given you the confidence to print your Response Envelopes at home, but if you have any questions, get in touch with us so we can help.

Ready to shop for Response Card Envelopes or matching Response Cards? We have dozens of colors from which to choose, in stock and ready to ship!

What Type of Envelope Is Best for Me?

When buying envelopes, the 4 most important areas to consider are Printability, Weight, Cost, and Postage. Which types of envelopes are easy to print? What weight should I be looking for? Which will provide me with the best value? I don’t want to be surprised at the Post Office. Which types require only standard postage and which require extra?

1. Envelope Printability

If you’re planning to print your envelopes at home to save money and time, we have good news for you! The majority of envelopes offered at LCI can be printed in home printers. If you have access to both an inkjet printer and a laser printer, your envelope options are wide open. If you only have access to one type of printer, you may need to narrow your choices.

The envelope’s finish dictates which printer type–Laser or Inkjet–will yield the best result.

Inkjet and laser printers are equally adept at printing envelopes made with porous, matte finish paper, opening up most of our envelope types to your choice of home printer.

But these particular non-matte finish envelope types are best printed with one printer type as opposed to another:

• Metallic Envelopes – Impermeable finish best suited to the dry toner of laser printing
• Translucent Envelopes – Best results achieved with inkjet printing

Dark envelope colors are not conducive to home printing.

Often, home printing on dark colored envelopes results in text that is not clearly visible. If printing your envelopes at home, stay away from black envelopes and other dark colors. Otherwise, plan to hand address.

We recommend using a Gelly Roll Pen if hand-addressing envelopes. Choose a light color that will provide enough contrast to the dark envelope color.

2. Weight & Feel

You don’t want your envelopes to look and feel cheap or common. Obviously you want them to feel substantial—a cut above ordinary.

For every envelope offered at LCI, a paper weight specification is displayed showing you exactly what weight of paper is used to make the envelope. Our Double Envelopes, Lined Envelopes, and Linen Envelopes are all made with 70 lb text (105.35 gsm), and as you’ll see, even heavier weights are available.

This is not to say that paper weight is the only factor that determines envelope quality, but it is a tangible specification you can use to compare different envelopes.

Premium Heavyweight Envelopes

If you’re looking for envelopes made with even heavier paper, look no further than Metallic Envelopes and our exclusive Old World brand with the unique European Flap style.

Added Benefits of Lined Envelopes

The actual lining of our Lined Envelopes adds a bit of weight and thickness. And if you’re concerned about not being able to see through the envelope to the contents inside, the lining offers some additional protection. Keep in mind that our envelopes are partially lined, not fully lined to the bottom of the envelope.

Ultimately, your hands-on experience–the way the envelope looks and feels in your hand–may be the most influential factor in your decision.

3. Envelope Cost

Obviously, cost is major factor when shopping for envelopes. But quality envelopes don’t have to be expensive.

You may be surprised to learn, for example, just how affordable are LCI’s Double Wedding Envelopes, especially when you factor that each 50 pack includes 50 outer envelopes and 50 inner envelopes.

All of our envelopes are priced with value in mind and the difference in price is usually only a few dollars per pack, a small price to pay for wedding quality envelopes that truly meet your expectations.

4. Postage

Don’t overlook postage when calculating your envelope costs, as certain types may require additional postage based on envelope shape and the weight of your entire invitation ensemble.

Square Envelopes require additional postage.

Other envelope types are considered standard letters and require only standard postage. However, additional postage will be required if the envelope and its contents weigh more than 3.5 ounces. Remember that Double Envelopes are two separate envelopes, adding weight to your invitation. Lined Envelopes also add weight.

Policy Flap Envelopes, if addressed with the envelope vertically aligned rather than horizontally aligned, will require extra postage. For further explanation, see article, Do policy envelopes require additional postage?

The best way to make absolutely sure of additional postage is to take your finished invitation ensemble to your local Post Office and ask.

Compare Type Comparison

Use the following chart to quickly determine envelope printability, postage, weight, and cost.

Cost:
$ – Least
$$ – Moderate
$$$ – Most

* Envelope Type	Inkjet	Laser	Standard Postage	Extra Postage	Light Weight Options	Medium Weight Options	Heavy Weight Options	Cost
Double Envelopes								$$-$$$
Lined Envelopes								$$
Square Envelopes								$ – $$
Metallic Envelopes								$$
Linen Envelopes								$-$$
Translucent Envelopes								$-$$
European Flap Envelopes								$$
** Policy Flap Envelopes								$$

* All envelopes, regardless of style, if square require extra postage
** Require extra postage if addressed with envelope vertically aligned

Spend a Few Minutes to Learn

Printability, weight, cost, and postage are all factors you should consider when researching and ultimately purchasing the envelopes you will use as part of your important invitation. By spending just a few minutes learning about the differences and similarities, you’ll be in a much better position to make a wise decision. Let us know if you have any questions about which envelope type is right for you.

How To Print An Address On Envelopes

Printing envelopes at home can be a real time saver over hand addressing, but more setup is involved than printing standard 8 ½ x 11 copy paper.

In this video, using easy to follow steps, we’ll show you how to print a name and address on the front of an envelope using a computer with Microsoft Word and an inkjet or laser printer. But don’t overlook the article, as we’ll also point out some important considerations to think about before and during the process.

Step 1: Load Envelope in Printer

• With the envelope aligned on its side (short edge first), the flap closed and pointing right, load a single envelope into your printer’s paper input tray. The envelope’s right edge should rest flush against the right edge of the paper tray.

• Move the sliding paper guide from left to right, resting flush against the envelope’s left edge.

Check your printer manual to learn how envelopes are to be loaded in your printer. If your printer has more than one paper input try, the manufacturer may designate that envelopes be loaded into one particular tray over another.

Check to see how envelopes should be positioned in the tray. Often, envelopes are loaded short edge first (tall rather than wide), but your manual will have the specifics.

If you can’t find your printer manual, your manufacturer may have a downloadable manual online.

For printers with 2 paper guides that move dependently in the paper input tray, the envelope should be placed in the middle of the tray and the guides adjusted inward so they rest flush against both envelope edges.

Step 2: In Word, Set Up Your Document

Create a new document sized to the exact dimensions of your envelope. For example, if your envelope is 5 ¼ inches high by 7 ¼ inches wide, your document should be the same measurements but in decimals–5.25 inches high by 7.25 inches wide.

• Type name(s) & address
• Customize text using your choice of font & font size
• Center text horizontally using paragraph center alignment button
• Center text vertically by placing cursor in front of text and repeatedly hitting Enter key until text is centered. If text is too low, use Backspace key.

Step 3: Access Printer Driver – Enter Width, Height & Alignment

When you power on your printer, it is programmed to print 8 1/2 x 11 size paper. Even though you loaded your envelope correctly in Step 1, you still need to communicate the envelope’s size in the printer’s software or “driver.” Otherwise your address will not print correctly on the envelope.

Since you loaded your envelope on its side (short edge first), the short side is referred to as the width measurement and the long side is the height measurement in the print driver.

You will also need to select Landscape printing as opposed to Portrait.

All this is communicated in the print driver. Here’s how to access it from within Word and make adjustments:

In Windows, the print driver interface is dependent on your printer manufacturer’s software, so specific instructions may vary.

If you cannot enter custom dimensions that reflect your envelope size, you may try installing an updated printer driver from your manufacturer’s web site.

Since envelopes are folded paper, they are thicker than a sheet of standard paper. Check to see if your print driver has an envelopes setting that will allow the envelopes to more easily travel through the printer. If your printer is older, there may be a physical lever to switch to the envelopes setting.

Adjusting the print quality to the highest setting may give you better printing results.

Turn off all scaling and resizing options. You will not need to stretch or squeeze your printed text.

Step 4: Print One Envelope To Test

• Click OK to save your print driver settings and close the driver
• Click OK to complete the print job
  Your envelope will start printing.

What To Look For

In Step 1, the reason we instructed you to load just one envelope into your printer is because we wanted to make sure you’d print a test. Why do we so strongly suggest that you test print? Because you want to be sure the printed envelope meets your expectations.

After running through your printer, is the envelope still in excellent condition?

How is the quality of the printing itself? Depending on the type of paper used to make your envelopes–matte finish, metallic finish, vellum finish, textured finish–your particular printer may or may not be the best choice.

Only by test printing on the actual envelope in your particular printer can you confirm the result.

A printer with a paper path that makes a tight turn is more likely to bend envelopes (especially longer envelopes) than one with a straighter path.

Step 5: Print Your Envelopes

There are 2 ways to print envelopes that are going to different addresses:

1. Change the name(s) and address in your software and print 1 envelope, Repeat
2. Use Word’s Mail Merge feature to print your envelopes all at once. For help with this advanced envelope printing technique, watch our video, Print Envelope Addresses with Microsoft Word Mail Merge.

We recommend loading 10 envelopes into your printer’s input tray at a time, but check your printer manual for the definitive recommendation.

Do you have any other tips for printing envelopes? Let us know! And if you need envelope printing advice, get in touch with us. We’d be glad to help.

Are you ready to try envelope printing at home? Shop our extensive collection of specialty envelopes.

Kayla in Texas writes:

I have a laser printer. Are any papers for laser? I see lots of reference to inkjet but no laser papers.

This is a great question so we’re answering it on video.

We List Our Best Recommendations For Each Paper

As Kayla noticed looking through our papers, for each item that we offer, we make a printing recommendation. Our recommendations are based on printing specifications provided by the mills that make the paper and our own in-house printing tests.

Lots Of Paper For Laser Printing

A large percentage of our paper is designated as laser compatible. Some of the more popular brands include:

• Stardream
• Aspire Petallics
• LCI
• Cambric Linen

Different Printing Recommendations: Lighter Paper vs. Heavy Card Stock

Within a brand of paper, if you were to browse the different paper weights, you might see different printing recommendations. For example, a lighter text weight sheet within a certain brand might carry both inkjet and laser recommendations, but its heavier cover stock counterpart might only carry an inkjet recommendation. And the reason for that might be that we tested the sheet in a laser printer and experienced less-than-desirable results like roller marks on the sheet.

Review Your Laser Printer Specifications On Paper Thickness

We strongly recommend checking your printer’s specifications on paper thickness/weight. You should only buy paper that falls within the range of allowable weights for your printer.

Test a Sample Sheet in Your Printer

We want to be very clear about this; even with the best information we have from the mills, and even after our own printing tests, we cannot guarantee that our recommendation is absolutely accurate for your printer. You must test a sample in your printer to see if the outcome meets your expectations.

Now that you understand our printer recommendations, are you ready to shop Specialty Paper At LCI?

Is one printer type generally better than another?

With so many printers on the market, the choices can seem overwhelming. But if you knew that you wanted a certain type, be it laser, inkjet, or an all-in-one inkjet, you could eliminate the other categories and be left with a less complicated decision. We have extensive experience printing metallic papers and card stock and we’re ready to share our findings and test results. Our goal is to help you make a wise decision based on your printing habits.

Laser Printers

Toner-based laser printers apply sharp, crisp, dark, well-saturated text on metallic paper. However, the toner may be prone to very subtle flaking and breaking from the non-porous paper surface. After the metallic sheet has printed, there’s virtually no drying time to consider. You can handle the paper right away.

Inkjet Printers

While inkjet printers excel in their versatility, especially if photo printing is something that interests you, in general, printed text is not as sharp as that of laser printers. Challenge inkjet printers with the task of printing on metallic paper and results are hit and miss, depending on the particular printer and the composition of the sheet’s metallic finish. More printing limitations arise from wet ink sprayed onto the metallic paper surface. Because the ink cannot bond to the metallic finish as quickly as toner, the printed result is not as precise or as dark as laser printing. And inkjet printed metallic paper always needs extra drying time–sometimes up to 24 or 48 hours–where the paper cannot be handled.

All-in-One Printers

Essentially inkjet printers with extra functionality, all-in-ones are limited to the same issues as detailed in the Inkjet Printers section: bleeding and less-precise text, lighter, less-saturated black ink, and a mandatory period of drying time. The added scanning and faxing features don’t excuse the fact that wet ink is being sprayed onto a metallic finish paper surface.

Although inkjet printers are at a disadvantage, don’t rule them out!

Extra drying time is unavoidable, but we have heard from customers who’ve achieved great results from their inkjet printers. Jennifer of Red Monkey Press in Minneapolis, MN shares her experiences printing on Stardream metallic paper:

I inkjet print on Stardream paper a lot. I have found that certain Stardream colors take the ink better than others. For example, Opal prints like a dream, but Crystal takes a bit longer to dry. You can usually tell the problem colors by the way the cardstock feels; rougher-textured paper doesn’t absorb the ink as quickly as one that feels smoother.

Read more about inkjet printing on Stardream Metallic Paper

Paper thickness can be a factor.

Whether you go with laser or inkjet, research the printer’s paper specifications to find the heaviest paper weight the printer can accept. You wouldn’t want to invest in a printer and then find out it can’t handle the metallic card stock that you want to print.

For example, 2 of the 5 printers that we tested for this article could not handle the weight of our metallic card stock so we had to use lighter text weight sheets for testing.

Need help with cover vs. text weight and paper weights in general? Watch our video, Learn About Card Stock Paper Weight & Paper Density.

Metallic Print Test Results from 5 Different Printers

Our Testing Methods:

We printed wedding program wording onto 8 1/2 x 11, 81 lb, metallic text weight paper–Aspire Petallics Spearmint to be exact. Our program wording was printed with Microsoft Word software and used the Edwardian Script ITC font which is more challenging for our printers than a non-script font.

After printing, we scanned the metallic sheets at 600 dpi using the Canon CanoScan 9000F scanner. Images were cropped close to show detail, but not no further editing was performed.

Ready to see the printing results and read our analysis?

Open our LCI Paper In-House Test Printing Results PDF file to see comparative printing results from each printer.

Printing Results Summary:

HP LaserJet P4015tn laser printer

• Robust, black & white laser printer, networked for an office setting
• $800 – $1,200
• HP does not recommend printing cover heavier than 74 lb

Conclusion: Text is sharp, crisp, and true black, making for almost perfect printing on text weight metallic paper. Unfortunately, since the printer can only print up to 74 cover, it cannot handle the heavyweight metallic card stock brands like Stardream and Aspire Petallics.

Canon iX7000 inkjet printer

• 13 x 20 wide format business inkjet printer with networking
• $190 – $380

Conclusion: Although not as sharp as laser printing, delivers great printing performance from an inkjet printer, especially on text weight sheets. With three paper trays, you’ll be consulting the manual on which papers, based on weight & size, load into which trays. We noticed slightly less black ink saturation the heavier the paper we printed.

Full Review: Canon Pixma iX7000 Large Format Ink Jet Printer

HP Envy 100 inkjet printer

• Stylish, wireless, web-connected printer/copier/scanner
• $190 – $250
• Cannot print cover over 75 lb

Conclusion: Strong printing performance on text paper, comparable to the Canon iX7000. Not quite as sharp as laser printing. Cannot print cover over 75 lb which eliminates the ability to print heavy card stock like Stardream & Aspire Petallics cover.

Full Review: HP Envy 100 e-All-in-One Inkjet Printer

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 inkjet printer

• Wide format 13 x 44 inkjet printer
• $300 – $540

Conclusion: The ink is certainly not as black as the others and the bleeding is also a bit worse. But it can print heavy card stock and was able to print the metallic 105 cover we tested.

Full Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Ink Jet Printer

Note: R2000 replaces this model. Worth considering

Epson Artisan 50 inkjet printer

• Compact, basic inkjet printer
• $120 – $150

Conclusion: Although the black text is more saturated than the Epson R1900, the bleeding is a bit worse. Overall, the printing quality falls short of the higher rated Canon Pixma iX7000 and HP Envy 100. A plus is that it can print heavy metallic card stock.

Full Review: Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet Printer

Editor’s Pick

We’ve barely scratched the surface in testing just 5 of the hundreds of current home printer models so we certainly hope you’ll get out there and research on your own, testing whenever possible. But, based on this test, with a focus on which is the best printer to print metallic paper, we can offer our opinion. At only $190, the Canon Pixma iX7000 inkjet printer is a great value. Not only does it print on metallic paper with exceptional quality considering it’s an inkjet, it has the ability to print metallic sheets up to 11 x 17. With three different paper input trays, there is a bit of a learning curve, but we think the savings is worth the extra effort.

Need more help? We’re here for you.

We hope we’ve made you more aware of some important areas to consider when choosing a printer for metallic paper. If you have any further questions, let us know. We are happy to help.

Do you want to print metallic envelopes in your printer?

Although most home printers are designed to print envelopes, not all consumer printers print with the same quality. To complicate matters more, the unique composition of the metallic envelope surface like those we offer at LCI makes them more challenging than printing matte finish envelopes. Here are some tips for printing metallic envelopes at home:

Should you laser print or ink jet print?

Through our own in house tests we find that laser printers generally produce the best, sharpest, and most well saturated text on metallic envelopes. Drying time is almost immediate when using the toner-based technology of a laser printer.

Conversely, ink jet printers spray wet ink onto the paper making extra drying time a necessity. In fact, up to 24 hours may be needed before the ink thoroughly dries to the surface of the paper. To prevent smudging it is important to refrain from handling the paper until it completely dries.

Answer questions first by ordering samples.

By ordering samples you will find answers to a few common questions. For example, will your printer print sharp text on the metallic envelope surface? After the envelope runs through your printer, is it unscathed? If inkjet printing, how long does the ink take to dry?

If you’re happy with the print quality and the state of the envelope after testing, then your printer is an excellent candidate for printing metallic envelopes.

Metallic envelopes are thicker than everyday envelopes.

Since the metallic finish paper used to make our metallic envelopes is thicker than common matte finish envelopes, it’s important to set the paper type in the print driver to Envelopes. The Envelope Setting will make it easier for your envelopes to travel through the printer. If your printer model is older, there may be a physical lever to switch to the Envelopes Setting.

We are here to answer your questions.

We hope these tips help to make printing metallic envelopes easier. Let us know if you have other questions or more helpful tips about printing metallic envelopes, at home in your printer; we would love to hear from you.

When ordering you must Log into your Account for LCI Paper keep a record of your shipping and billing information, as well as your complete order history, allowing for quick and convenient reordering. However, customers sometimes find that their previous orders have not been recorded in their history. This is the question Judy in Nevada recently wrote in with:

I wanted to use my account to quickly place a reorder of a previous order, but I found that my order history did not appear in my account. Please advise.

- Judy, Nevada

This question is common, and there are multiple reasons why previous orders may not appear within an account. Watch our video response to learn more.

Customer Question: Attaching Card Stock Layers

Linda in Schenectady, New York asks,

How do you attach the menu to the backing card? Do you glue it?

This is a great question that can be applied to any DIY layered invitation, program or menu project, whether the items are sold in kits or ordered individually.

Why don’t these layered items come glued together?

The answer is simple. You’ll first want to print your custom wording on the printable layer, and you wouldn’t want to run two or more layers together through your printer at once. It just wouldn’t work. That is why the layers are packaged separately, to be adhered in a Do It Yourself manner with your choice of adhesive.

What adhesive should you use?

Chances are, you’ve had experience gluing paper so you might even have a favorite adhesive in mind. LCI sells a selection of Tape & Glue adhesives that may perform even better. Below we quickly outline some of the features of each.

Glue Marker

This non-toxic, acid free product provides a marker type tip to apply glue in a more consistent, even manner than can be achieved with an ordinary bottle of glue.

The Glue Marker directions are simple:

• To get glue flowing, press down on nib.
• Apply glue to paper.

G-S Hypo Fabric Cement

With its precision metal applicator, we find G-S Hypo Fabric Cement most useful for securing our Decorative Metal Brads without posts to paper. It’s also suitable for fine detail work.

The cement has a strong smell and should not be used around children. It reminds us of modeling glue. It may not be the best choice for your adhering paper layers, especially if you will be working on the project with your kids.

Zip Dry

A popular choice in our office, Zip Dry is a liquid adhesive that works great on paper. We found that Zip Dry dries quickly, clear, and wrinkle free. Speaking of free, the product is also acid free and lignin free.

Since the liquid dispenses through a small, round opening on the bottle top, we find that it isn’t as easy to apply as our Glue Marker or even the next item.

For a closer look, you may be interested in reading our full Zip Dry Product Review.

Glue Stick

Common school glue stick provides an alternative to working with liquid adhesive. It is often a fine choice for adhering paper layers because it has a wide, fairly flat tip for more even glue distribution.

Generally, it is non-toxic and acid free.

Double Sided Tape

Our popular Double Sided Tape is clear and virtually flat on paper. It is super strong and will not ripple. Each tab is a small & circular with a tab for gripping with your thumb and index finger. Here’s how it works:

• Remove dot from film carrier by lifting the tab.
• Apply tab to desired area of paper.
• Rub the dot evenly to assure proper adhesion.
• Lift tab to remove protective coating.
• Place next paper layer in desired position.
• Gently apply pressure to paper to assure proper adhesion.

Still have questions?

Have you found a great solution to adhering your paper layers? We’d love to hear about it. And if you have any questions that weren’t answered in this video, ask us! We might even respond to your question on video.

A Popular Question Answered

We love customer questions. Julia in Colorado asks,

How do you handle exchanges?

An e-commerce site’s return policy differs from the exchange process of a brick & mortar store.

Unlike a brick and mortar store where the customer walks in with the item to be returned and walks out with the new item, an e-commerce business like LCI handles the process as two separate transactions:

First, we ask that you contact us for a Return Authorization number.

After we receive your return, we will issue a credit for the item you’re returning.

Instead of waiting for the credit, then placing the new order, most opt to place a new order immediately.

As most of our items are in stock and ready to ship, the new order can usually be received within a short period of time.

Shop With Confidence

Contact us if you need more clarification, otherwise go ahead and shop the LCIPaper online paper store with confidence!

For a more complete overview of our return policy, see our video that answers the questions, What is the LCI Paper return policy? How do I return an item?

When “Finished Size” Differs from Overall Paper Size

We received a great question from Lucille who wants clarification on our Finished Size specification. She asks,

When you say “Finished Size” 5/1/2 x 8 1/2, it means that it’s folded to that size but it’s actually 8 1/2 x 11, right?

She’s absolutely right. In the case of a folding item like a Program, Pocket Fold, or other blank folding card, the finished size is the final size of the item which it is folded closed. Watch our video to learn about why both the finished size and the overall paper size can be important specifications.

Do you have a question we can answer for you?

While you’re shopping at LCI Paper, do you ever have questions? Get in touch with us! We’d love to have the opportunity to answer you, perhaps even on video.

In this video, we answer a great question from Angela in Maine. Angela asks:

I’m interested in making my own wedding invitations, but I don’t want to spend a lot on postage. What size invitation do you recommend I make?

This is a great question, because when it comes to making your own invitations, you should be concerned about mailing and postage first, last, and throughout the entire design process, whether you are concerned with the price of postage or not.

Here are the three reasons why:

When Deciding on Invitation Dimensions, Choose Mailing Envelopes First!

Before even starting your design, it is recommended you choose mailing envelopes first. Although it may seem odd to choose envelopes before you have invitations to put inside of them, it is critical that you do. Keep in mind that an invitation can be altered to fit into an envelope, but an envelope can not be altered to accommodate an invitation. Envelopes are typically made to popular, standard industry sizes, and for this reason, envelopes of odd dimensions may be difficult, if not impossible, to find.

After finishing your ideal invitations, you don’t want to spend hour after frustrating hour searching for envelopes to accommodate them; or worse, learn that envelopes to accommodate your invitations don’t exist.

And Speaking of Envelopes. . .
Note that “Unusually” Shaped Envelopes Require Extra Postage

When choosing envelope and invitation dimensions, remember that oddly shaped envelopes require additional postage. If you are on a tight budget, this is probably a factor you want to consider.

So what is considered an “unusually shaped envelope”?

According to the United States Postal Service guidelines, any envelope that falls outside of the standard width and height parameters, or that weighs over 1 ounce, will require additional postage.

Common examples include square envelopes, and vertically addressed policy envelopes.

If you are watching the price of your postage, you may want to design an invitation that fits inside of a standard, rectangular envelope.

Watching Postage?
Design with Weight in Mind

As mentioned above, anything weighing over 1 ounce will require additional postage. By the time you include all of the components – invitation, reception, direction, response items – a typical invitation ensemble usually does weigh more than 1 ounce.

Although a bit of additional postage is hard to avoid, you can design your invitation with reduced weight, and reduced postage in mind. Here are a few tips for doing so:

• Opt for lighter weight paper: For example, can you use an 80lb cardstock, instead of a 111lb?
• Limit the number of insert cards: Do you need a direction card? Can your reception information fit on the invitation card? Might you use just one “additional information” card?
• Use single envelopes, not double: Double envelopes are a wedding tradition, but are merely preference. Are they worth the extra weight, and possibly extra postage?

If you’re in wedding planning mode, the thought of making your own invitations has probably crossed your mind. After all, DIY wedding invitations are quite popular these days. It seems we’ve all heard the perks, we’ve all heard the success stories, and we all have at least one crafty friend or family member who makes us think, “She did it; so can I!”

With all these encouraging stories floating around, DIY invitations are certainly enticing; and when done successfully, they are all they’re cracked up to be. DIY success means you’ll probably save considerable money, your invitations will reflect your personal style, and you’ll be able to grin and say, “Why thank you; I did make these myself!”

But when it comes to deciding whether to make your own invitations, there is a lot more to think about than the perks. As great as they are, DIY invitations are not for everyone. To determine if they’re right for you, read on, and consider the whole picture. It may save you a lot of frustration down the road!

DIY Invitations 101.
Starting with the Big Perk, Savings!

The most commonly cited reason for couples making their own wedding invitations is savings, and understandably so. Wedding budgets can get tight, and who wouldn’t want to save hundreds on invitations and splurge elsewhere – like on the honeymoon, perhaps?

But if your decision to DIY is based solely on saving money, it is important to recognize that DIY does not always save.

Why Does DIY Usually Save?

Homemade invitations are typically more affordable than the ready made variety because when you design, print, and assemble invitations on your own, you are eliminating the fees charged by professionals, leaving you to purchase just the materials needed for your design.

When Does DIY Not Save?

If you are making your own invitations, you are going to need the appropriate tools for the job – all the tools, not just the paper and envelopes. If your design requires you to purchase these tools – for example a higher quality printer, or special cutting, scoring, and embossing tools – costs can add up, and you may find your savings won’t be considerable after all.

Are Savings Significant?
Fully Evaluate Cost & Savings of DIY Design.

To determine if, and how much, DIY will save you, you must fully evaluate the total cost of your invitation designs. To do this, estimate the price of your DIY invitation design (be sure to include all of the tools you’ll need!), and compare it to the cost of a similar ready-made invitation style.

Is the money you are saving significant, and worth the time and effort you will be putting into making your own invitations?

Ask Yourself, Can My Schedule Handle This?
Time is Money Too, So They Say.

Time is money too, so the saying goes. Keep in mind that DIY invitations are a large time commitment; so before committing, ask yourself;

“Do I have the time to balance work, wedding planning, friends, family, and DIY invitations?”

If you’re already a busy person, adding another project to your agenda may not be ideal. After all, you don’t want to complete your invitations in haste, or under a great deal of stress. DIY is supposed to be fun!

Into the Nitty Gritty.
What Exactly Does DIY Entail?

So what is it about making your own invitations that takes so much time and effort, you ask?

Here’s the answer, into the nitty gritty of DIY design – From gathering initial design ideas to the final trip to the post office 6-8 weeks before the big day, you’ll need time to go through the following list:

• Gather Design Ideas:
  Even if you have a design in mind, it is still a good idea to browse through various forums, blogs, and DIY invitation tutorials for inspiration, helpful tips, and creative ideas to spruce up your design.

• Experiment: After browsing for ideas, order samples and experiment with various specialty papers, envelopes, and embellishments to find just the right look.

• Test Print: Not all stocks of paper are compatible with all printers. It is recommended you order samples of paper you like so that you can determine if your printer is capable of printing crisply on it.

• Print: Although the actual printing process should not take much time, it is important to leave room for error. Mistakes may happen – printers run out of ink, words smudge, paper misfeeds – so it is best to be prepared by keeping extra supplies, and extra time, on hand.

• Assemble: Invitation assembly is perhaps the longest part of the process. Depending on your design, you may need time to layer, wrap, embellish, etc. You will also need to arrange and stuff each individual ensemble into an envelope. Without help, you are unlikely to do this all in one sitting, so be sure to leave adequate time for this step.

• Prepare for Mailing: After your invitations are complete, take one complete ensemble to the post office to determine what the proper postage will be. You certainly do not want to risk your invitations coming back to you due to inadequate postage! After purchasing stamps, then it’s time to adhere each one – being very careful to stick them on straight!

Ask Yourself, Am I Able to Create the Look I Imagine?

A major advantage of designing your own invitations is having complete creative control over your final product. Unlike ready-made invitations which limit you to a pre-select variety, DIY invitations limit you only to your imagination and the materials you find within your budget – Well that, and your time and creative ability.

Everyone has varying levels of time, ability, and money to put towards their invitations, and it is important to be realistic about your resources from the beginning.

Chances are, if you are putting a solid effort into your invitations, they’ll turn out great. However, if you’re striving to create a design that is out of your price or talent range, the invitation you imagine and the invitation that results may highly differ. This is the “champagne taste on a beer budget” phenomenon, and it typically leads to frustration.

Have you Answered “Yes” to the Questions Above?
Then DIY is for You!

If you answered “yes” to the questions above, then do it yourself invitations are a good choice for you. So long as you have the time and motivation to create your own unique, affordable wedding invitations, they will be great, and you will have a great time making them!

Let’s Get You Started!

Here are a few DIY Design Tutorials to inspire you!

How to Turn Blank Specialty Paper into a Unique Layered Invitation
How to Custom Line Your Own Wedding Envelopes
How to Make a Modern Layered Pocket Fold Wedding Invitation
How to Make a Simple, Stylish Booklet Wedding Invitation

Debbie in Oregon asks:

If I choose Economy Shipping, how will you prevent damage in the delivery of my card stock?

This is a great question so we recorded a video response.

When you place an order, you may have the opportunity to select Flat Rate Economy Shipping.

This flat rate is often less expensive than the other shipping options that we offer. However, the lower cost does not mean less attention to detail in packing and shipping your order.

When packing a Flat Rate Economy order, we use the same care as we would had the customer chosen another shipping method.

Flat Rate Economy packages ship via a reliable carrier and as you’ll see in the video, the items are carefully packed to avoid any damages along the way.

Now that you’re confident in the way we handle Economy orders, you can shop now at LCI Paper.

If you have any other questions about Flat Rate Economy Shipping, we’d like the opportunity to answer them. Post your questions here!

I am looking to purchase some paper for my wedding programs. I am looking at the pink lemonade color and I am wondering if it makes sense to use the 65Ib card stock for the cover and then the 70Ib text paper for the insert? Is the 65Ib card stock going to be heavier than 70Ib text paper?

- by Rebecca

This is a great question. The short answer is that using 65 lb card stock as a program cover and 70 lb text weight paper as a program insert is correct. The card stock is heavier than the text paper. If you want to become an expert in North American paper density, please please view the following video:

Text Weight Paper, Card Stock Paper – Paper Density Explained

If you have any questions on paper for making your own programs, post a comment below.

I need sixty self-adhesive bows. I am happy to buy two packages of fifty, but is there any way I can buy sixty?

This question is a common one. Since many of our products are sold in packages of fifty, customers very often wonder if they can purchase smaller amounts to fit their needs.

The short answer is yes. Watch this quick video to learn more.

If you have any questions about ordering in less than pack counts, please post a comment below.

Do you make lined envelopes to order?

Lined Envelopes In Stock & Ready to Ship

• Wedding Envelopes – Double Envelope Sets in 7 different sizes and over 30 different color combinations
• Single Lined Envelope 4 sizes including 6 1/2 Square

Will LCI Custom Line Envelopes To Order?

From time to time customers do request certain envelope sizes, finishes, and color combinations that we do not offer, and want to know if we can or would produce them custom. The short answer is no, we do not make custom runs of envelopes that we don’t normally carry. Our lined envelope combinations are manufactured in volume based upon pre-set specifications from LCI Paper Company.

Tutorials, Tools & Inspiration

If there’s a specialty paper that you love, you can use it to transform an envelope into something original. Many of our creative customers have been inspired to line their own envelopes to achieve the look they envision.

• Tutorial Video: Line Your Envelopes Using Our Acrylic Envelope Liner Template
• Tools: Envelope Liner Templates
• Inspiration Article: Using Japanese Tissue To Line Envelopes
• Inspiration Tutorial: Making Your Own Envelope Liner Template

Are You Inspired?

Have you created a special lined envelope? If so we would love to hear from you. Post a comment or submit your design

Let us help you.

All of our Metallic Blank Cards from Aspire Petallics and Stardream are laser printable, however on some paper stocks, the dark colored ink printed on the dark card doesn’t provide enough contrast to make it readily visible.

Dont worry, We’ve Got Some Great Suggestions

Have You Thought of screen printing or other conventional printing methods?.

Screen Printing allows light colored opaque ink to achieve a desirable level of contrast in order to make your text visible. For added elegance, consider having your local professional printer foil stamp or emboss your text.

For Invitations Twice as Nice, Consider Layering

By layering your invitations, you still get to use your favorite dark metallic card stock as a backing card, while allowing you to introduce a new accent color into your event’s theme.

Once you have found a product you want to print on:

• Right click the blue link that says download. Located below the product image under the specifications tab.
• Press save link as. This will save a ZIP file to your downloads folder, or wherever you have selected to save it.
• In order to open the template you just downloaded you must uncompress the ZIP file.

How do you print on the wood grain paper?

Watch our video response to Blair’s very common question. We’ll tell you more about the texture of Savanna wood grain paper, as well as give us our home printing recommendations.

Do you have a specific question about printing on wood grain paper, or on any of our specialty papers? Please post a comment.

Our Blank Metallic Place Cards are laser printable, look great handwritten and can be layered. We have recently added four new papers from Aspire Petallics that are inkjet printable; Snow Willow, Spearmint, Wine Cup and Black Ore.

We provide you with a wide tonal range of paper stocks so that you can match your invitations and other stationery components.

If you choose to print on our Blank Metallic Place Cards, here are some brief instructions:

1. Visit the page for your product.
2. Download the print template.
3. Open the template in Microsoft Word.
4. Enter guest’s information.

When you are ready to print a sample:

5. Set custom document dimensions.
6. Click print.

For complete print instructions for our Blank Place Cards check out our tutorial: Print Your Own Personalized Place Cards in 6 Easy Steps.

If you would like to learn how to create your own layered place cards, visit our tutorial in the designer place card section.

If your place cards are too dark to print, consider using one of our lightly colored or metallic Gelly Roll Pens to hand write your guests information.

We love receiving creative questions from customers. Miranda in California is making a program & writes:

I was wondering if card stock or text paper was more appropriate. I plan on printing out a picture and attaching it to the card. Is the card stock able to fold nicely and will it be able to hold the weight of one picture?

Watch our video in response to questions concerning card stock vs. text weight paper (another great video). In regards to folding, our best suggestion is to order our pre-cut blank folding cards, available in many sizes and colors. They ship flat for easy printing and are scored for easy folding. We also touch on photo printing and adhering the photo using our famous Zip Dry adhesive to the program.

I want to order translucent paper to fit inside the Pochettes. Do you sell these in that size? Also do you give advise on how to print in order to fit for this size?

Watch the following video to see how we used pre-cut and printable translucent vellum paper to layer in our Pochette invitations. You’ll also get printing tips–useful if you decide to print directly onto the vellum.

Have more questions about specialty papers? Then submit a question.

Choose From a Dozen Vibrant, Metallic Finish Colors

Made with 105 lb card stock (285.95 gsm) and finished with flecks of real mica mineral, our Pocket Cards shimmer in different lights and are available in select Stardream and Aspire Petallics colors. They’re perfect for dressing up an important invitation card.

See Two Different Ways to Present Pocket Card Invitations

Design 1 (Left) Pocket Card Shown with Invitation Card in Pocket – Response Card & Response Envelope can be placed in the pocket, behind the invitation card, or behind the Pocket Card inside the mailing envelope.

Design 2 (Right) Pocket Card Shown with Invitation Affixed – Response items are in the pocket on the reverse side.

Looking for Cards & Envelopes to Complete Your Pocket Card Invitation Ensemble?

It’s easy to order matching 5 1/4 x 7 1/4 (A7) Envelopes and 4 7/8 x 6 7/8 Blank Insert Cards that are a perfect fit and color.

You may also be interested in watching another video called How To Make an Ornate Layered Pocket Card Invitation where you’ll see an advanced Pocket Card design with layers and embellishments.