Search results (tags) for: "invitations"

Tech Updates: Bringing Favorites to the Forefront

2008-11-04T17:04:00Z

You may have noticed some small changes to Etsy's header (also known as the global navigation) at the top of every page. As mentioned in CEO Maria Thomas's article yesterday, we've been making some adjustments:

The link for Alchemy, the space on Etsy where buyers can post requests for custom items, has been changed to 'Custom' to make it clearer to potential buyers that they can request custom items. The feature is still named Alchemy; we've just changed the word on the navigation link to more clearly describe the function of the feature.
Links for 'Login' and 'Logout' have been changed to 'Sign In' and 'Sign Out.'
The link for Invite a Friend, formerly on the upper right, has been removed. You can still get there through the Referrals page inside Your Etsy.
And most importantly, when you're signed in to Etsy, a link to your Favorites appears next to your Cart on the upper left.

The Favorites function on Etsy is an important one. It enables buyers and sellers to keep track of the stuff they like and discover what others like, too. By keeping track of your friends' Favorites or your favorite sellers' Favorites (look for the RSS feed on your friend's Favorite Sellers page), you can make some amazing discoveries. We're working on new ways to harness the power of members' Favorites and all the hearting and curating that takes place across the Etsy community every day. In the meantime, we wanted to make it easier for you to get to your Favorites.

Happy hunting!

-Sean, aka sean11, Etsy admin on the Product Team

Etsy Find that features Favorites of Favorites | TechUpdates

Commenting has been closed on this post because we'd like to follow your comments and feedback in this forum thread.

Tech Updates: Invite a Friend

2008-07-14T15:36:00Z

We are pleased to announce the addition of an Invite a Friend feature to Etsy. Registered Etsy members can now send an email to a friend or contact, inviting them to check out Etsy. Eventually, this new feature will tie into a referral program. For now, please help us by telling all your friends about Etsy in a quick and easy way and watch the number of referrals that have become registered Etsy members because of you grow straight from Your Etsy!

You may have noticed a few changes to the look of the top right of your Etsy screen! We have added an additional text link between Help and Logout called Invite.

Once you select the Invite text link, you will directed to the main Invite a Friend feature where you can enter in up to 3 unique email address at one time. It should look similar to this:

You might also notice some changes to the Your Etsy page on the left hand side bar. You now have an addtional heading in Your Etsy called Promote which houses the following shop administrative features:

When you select the referrals text link, you will be directed to a page that looks like this where you can see how many registered users you've helped bring to Etsy since the launch of this new feature:

FAQ:

Q. What if I enter in the Wrong email address?
A. You will receive a confirmation screen alerting you to the exact email addresses you typed in so you can resend the invite if you typed in the wrong address.

Q. Can I invite more than 3 friends?
A. Sure! Invite as many friends as you like; however, you will only be able to enter in 3 unique addresses at one time.

Q. What if I forgot if I sent an invite to an email address and type it in again?
A. No worries, Etsy will remember which email addresses you have already sent invites for and will remind you that an invite has already been sent if you type in a duplicate at any point.

Q. Can I enter in my own message to my friends?
A. No. But we will look into adding this feature.

Q. Will my referrals be kept track of?
A. Yes! We will be keeping track of all the new registered members that sign up for Etsy from your invites starting from the launch of this feature. You can even watch the number grow from the new referrals section of Your Etsy.

Q. What happened to all of my previous referrals; weren't you keeping track of those?
A. All referrals will start fresh with the implementation of this new feature. Unfortunately, we were not able to recover and transfer previous referrals into this new system. We appreciate all the help you have sent our way thus far and hope you will continue to refer your friends to Etsy moving forward.

We hope you enjoy this new addition and that is makes spreading the word about Etsy a little easier. Please direct all comments and questions to this related forum thread.

Quit Your Day Job: MewPaperArts

2008-06-09T13:58:00Z

I was recently contacted by Alissa, the designer extraordinaire behind MewPaperArts, who wanted to share the story behind her successful business after reading some of our previous Quit Your Day Job articles. Alissa had signed up to sell on Etsy just over a year ago in February of 2007. Within the span of a year, Alissa not only set up shop, but she was able to quit her cubicle day job. She is now her own boss and living her dream of running her own stationery business. Keep reading to learn how she did it.

When you first started selling on Etsy did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Are you kidding? When I first started working at my day job I had dreams of eventually quitting it! It's always been a part of the plan — as things started to progress on Etsy, I began to realize that I would never be able to make a real go of things just as a side-gig...I would really need to give it more time and attention to see it through to its full potential. Coming home at 5:30 after having my brain and creative spirit chewed on by corporate trolls all day did nothing for my productivity!

How long were you selling on Etsy and working your day job before deciding you were ready to switch over to Etsy full time?
I opened my Etsy shop in February of 2007 and had a personal website built in October 2007. My first holiday season here was promising, and that's kind of the jolt I needed. So in January of 2008, after months of lamenting to my very supportive and patient husband, I took the leap and haven't regretted it for a day!

What made you decide to quit your day job?
Lots of things besides the obvious — the four foot tall cubicle the color of an ace-bandage, mundane work routines and repetitive schedules. I spent a lot of time surfing the Etsy forums (from that cubicle!) where I was really inspired by some of the other full time shops. The dream of success was really what fueled the move — and kind of knowing that I would never be able to tell if it would work out if I didn't try it. I literally told myself many times during the decision period, "You can talk about this, or you can DO this." And here I am!

How did you know you were ready to take the plunge?
In addition to the points mentioned above...I guess I didn't really know for sure that I was ready. But I knew that my business would stagnate, and never grow if I didn't nurture it, so it was a matter of hope and chance of real fierce determination — and an undying love for what I do, most importantly.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time before taking the plunge
Big time — and this is an important one. Like I said, it was about a year before I really went for it. Thankfully, I had the financial support of my now husband. I may be down a different path if not for that. I wasn't interested in being a starving artist, so I did a lot of reading and seeking advice from other small business owners. The creative part is easy — but all of these sneaky administrative bits are vital organs to the body of a business. I meet with an accountant quarterly (well, I've just started this part) to make sure I'm on the straight-and-narrow with our friends at the IRS, and also to make sure I'm getting all the benefits and resources out of my own small business.

What goals have you set for your Etsy business in the next few months and year?
Grow, grow grow! In the simplest terms, that's all there is to it. I want to grow while still maintaining the integrity of handmade design.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business?
Well, Etsy sort of promotes itself, which is a bonus — all of this built-in traffic. But the recent Storque series on Handmade Weddings has shown me a big boost in sales. I advertise on some indie blogs and websites as well. I'm a bit shameless about the self-promotion as well — for my recent wedding, I made my own invitations, favors, place cards, etc. I ALWAYS give my handmade stationery as gifts for every occasion. Once I saw a woman at Starbucks writing out a pile of "big box" Christmas cards — I handed her my business card and asked her to think of me next holiday season! Can't hurt, right?

How's it going so far? Are you getting by?
I'm living my dream! I'm not a millionaire, no. But I am growing at a rate that surprises me every day. I've projected my first quarter profits through to the end of '08 and if I stay on track I will have surpassed the salary I was making at my day job! People often ask me how I manage working for myself, alone, from home all the time — I LOVE it. I don't miss the drama of co-workers, I certainly don't miss the lame dress code, and the commute can't be beat!

Can you walk us through what a typical workday might entail?
Believe it or not, I set my alarm every day for 7:30 am and get dressed. Seems so obvious — but I find it really important not to work in my pajamas. And I never turn the T.V. on while I'm working. I'm surprisingly more focused than when I was in an office. My work involves a lot of back and forth correspondence with each client via e-mail. I try to multitask, so while the printer is humming away, I'm cutting paper for another job or working on the computer on design. My husband usually comes home around 8:30 pm to find me STILL in the studio and lately there's not been dinner on the table — the day gets away from me!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job?
This is an easy one — being my own boss. Hands down.

What piece of advice would you give someone thinking about taking the plunge to sell full time on Etsy?
Plan carefully. Run numbers so you can be sure to be paying the mortgage and feeding the pets! Be committed — 100% and nothing less. That's important — I think your client or customer will sense your drive and be drawn to you for this. Be patient — the first year I think really has to serve as a barometer for the future. I think it's going to be hard to make big decisions and plans before knowing how a full year will pan out.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A big thank you for the team at Etsy who've created this platform for daydreamers like me!

Thanks to MewPaperArts for sharing her story of success with us! Check out the gallery below to see some of Alissa's items. Check out some of our previous Quit Your Day Job posts.

Handmade Weddings: Stitch Lounge

2008-04-02T13:47:00Z

The Handmade Wedding Series is proud to introduce the co-founders of Stitch Lounge (www.stitchlounge.com) in San Francisco, the country’s first urban sewing lounge (on Etsy they are at stitchlounge.etsy.com), and authors of Subversive Seamster: Transform Thrift Store Threads into Street Couture (Taunton, 2007) and Sew Subversive: Down n' Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista (Taunton, 2006).

Whether you see a wedding as a ceremony bonding your life to another's, a big party with all your friends and family, or just a way to get in on your partner’s health insurance, it is surely a reflection of you and your soon-to-be partner's personalities and values. Luckily, living a handmade lifestyle means throwing handmade parties, too! Whether you do-it-yourself (DIY) to make a individual statement, to reduce waste and consumption, for economic/budget reasons, or for the simple joy of making things by hand, you can definitely add handmade items to your wedding celebration.

Over the past 4 years, we’ve been delighted to connect with an ever-growing community of people that have let the DIY spirit infuse every aspect of their lives, especially weddings! (And the three of us have planned or are in the process of planning our own DIY infused weddings!) In this article, we’re going to feature a few of our favorite DIY wedding projects from in and around Stitch Lounge. On with the show!

The Big Ticket Item: The Dress
A huge undertaking, but one that we see many requests for at Stitch Lounge, involves brides making their own wedding dress or hiring a designer to sew their dream dress. One of the founders of Stitch, Hope aka hopemeng, designed and made her wedding dress (and blogged about the process here). It was a ton of work, but she got exactly what she wanted and looked stunning to boot!


[photos by Felix Chu: www.chuphotography.com]

The lovely Lucid Dawn, one of our peeps at Stitch, went one step further and not only made her wedding dress and corset, but her husband’s suit and their daughter’s dress. Amazing!!!

[photos by Hilary Nichols: www.hilarynichols.com]

You can also use any extra fabric from your dress to make fabric flowers for the moms and grandmas like Melissa R. aka melicob did.

If you aren't a sewer (or don't want the challenge of making your own attire), we've seen our craftastic community get creative with their weddings in non-sewing ways!

Paper
An easy way to DIY (and cut costs) on a wedding is to make your own invitations, Save-the-Date cards, and thank you notes.

Melissa R's wedding reception was held in a log cabin in San Francisco’s Presidio, centered around a huge, beautiful fireplace and her first dance was to a song entitled “I’ve got a fire in my heart for you.” For her invitations, her awesome graphic designer friend cut a linoleum block with this design and handprinted each of her invitations.

If block printing is out of your range (or your bff isn't a graphic designer), consider designing your invites and printing on your home printer like Vanessa aka tckldpink or printing them with your Print Gocco.

Get creative with your Save-the-Dates, too! Hope also riffed on those Chinese tissue-paper wall calendars for her Save the Date, but changed the details so they were about her wedding. They were screenprinted on chipboard, but could easily be done with a Gocco or home printer.

For Hope’s wedding invitations, she designed this two-color silkscreen poster and hand-printed them with her (now) husband. The final product was a 14” x 24” poster, rolled up and mailed in a poster tube.

[photo on left by Jennifer Kloss Heffner: www.jenniferklossphotography.com]

And our friend, Kara, took photos in a photo booth, printed them on her home printer and glued them onto magnets for a fridge reminder of the fun to come.

If you’re not quite up for make your own wedding dress or designing mailed paper items, there are still plenty of other projects for the crafty-minded.

Other Accoutrements
Hope created a wish tree and asked that all the guests at her wedding participate by writing a wish for their marriage on a card and placing it in the red envelope (numbered by anniversary on which it would be opened). The bridespeople and groomspeople walked down the aisle with baskets and collected all the wishes from the guests, then placed these baskets at the altar. Hope and her Man were then married surrounded by everyone's good wishes for their marriage.


[photos by Jennifer Kloss Heffner: www.jenniferklossphotography.com]

You aren't limited by a wish tree, either! You can simply make time capsules cards for everyone to fill out to be opened on a future anniversary. (See the melicob Knot profile page for more details.)

You can also get creative and a little silly! Melissa R. made these whiskey boutonnières for the groomsmen to wear at the rehearsal and champagne bouquets for her lovely ladies to carry for practice.


[photo by Melissa Rannels]

And Hope decided that in lieu of a cake, she and her man wanted a donut tower…topped with custom bobbleheads. They ordered the bobbleheads online and her husband built the tower using pre-cut plastic sheets and acrylic glue at Tap Plastics in San Francisco.

[photo by Brad Greenlee]

In lieu of flower centerpieces, Hope also borrowed an idea she saw on Design*Sponge (www.designspongeonline.com) and had vases with live goldfish!

[Photo by Jennifer Kloss Heffner: www.jenniferklossphotography.com]

In addition to the fun stuff we've seen and done, Vanessa Lane, a DIY focused Bay Area wedding planner with Tickled Pink Events (www.tickledpinkevents.com), also gave us her take on the growing DIY wedding trend. "At Tickled Pink, I am seeing a large number of DIY brides using their handmade projects as a way for guests to get to know them and their significant others just a little better. It gives guests a more intimate connection to the day and the wonderful union that is about to occur!"

Aren’t a DIY-er?
Don't have time to DIY? You can still have a handmade wedding!
If DIY isn't in the cards for your event, you can still support it by buying handmade wherever possible. Be like Hope and give everyone in your wedding party art prints by independent designers off of Etsy!

[photo by Jennifer Kloss Heffner: www.jenniferklossphotography.com]

Or be like Melissa A. aka malvarado and have your bridesmaid's carry handmade fans instead of flowers. Or buy your jewelry from your favorite Etsy pal! There are all kinds of one-of-a-kind wedding items out there (stamps, cards, etched champagne flutes, garters, hair clips... we could go on for hours!), just look around and see what inspires you.

Further Resources
For more ideas and inspiration, check out these books for DIY brides:
The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-Kind Wedding by Khris Cochran (see her post in the Handmade Wedding series)
The DIY Wedding: Celebrate Your Day Your Way by Kelly Bare
Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides by Ariel Meadow Stallings
Anti-Bride Guide: Tying the Knot Outside of the Box by Carolyn Gerin and Stephanie Rosenbaum

And a simple web search on "DIY Bride" will get you loads of ideas about the possibilities! Good luck and happy planning!

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Etsy Finds: You're Invited

2008-03-30T14:27:00Z

I must be living in synch with Etsy seller, twoguitars, because it seems like every time I type in a search term one of his beautiful cards pops up! As a fan of eating, dinner parties, and Gocco printing, I am definitely a fan of these lovely invitations. These cards make we want to get out my finest linens, dust of the china cabinet fineries, and uncork that vintage bottle of French wine that I've been saving for the occasion! (That is, if I owned any of the above. Maybe one day....)

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox on the daily!

Be sure to check out the other hand-selected invitations featured in the gallery below.

Handmade Weddings: Creating Custom Letterpress Wedding Invitations with Pistachio Press

2008-03-24T09:30:00Z

Letterpress printer pistachiopress walks us through the process of getting your invites custom made. In previous posts in the Handmade Wedding Series, you can see more invite-related items: Invitation Options with Moontreepress, Pushing the Envelope with Calligraphy, Invitations and Papergoods by Poppytalk.

As a printmaker, I have always loved the tactility of prints on good cotton papers. Naturally, this led me to letterpress printing and eventually to working with brides and grooms on custom wedding invitations. I know that the idea of working with a printer on custom invitations can be a bit overwhelming, but I hope this piece will clarify the process and make the experience a bit less daunting.

[Left: save-the-date booklets, Right: wedding stationery designed by Alexander Cheek and printed by Pistachio Press]

For custom letterpress wedding invitations, I think it’s best to start with a printer whose work you love, even if that work isn’t exclusively wedding stationery. There are a lot of great letterpress printers on Etsy who also make and design wedding invitations. Etsy’s new Alchemy feature is a great way to find a printer who will work with you on custom designs. My favorite part about Alchemy is the option to send a private request to a seller whose work you already love. I suggest purchasing a sample of the printer’s work to get an idea about the quality of the papers and printing offered.

For most of the history of letterpress printing, the inked type just lightly kissed the page and didn’t create an impression. In contemporary letterpress printing, the tactility of a deep impression on cotton paper is often desired to set the piece apart from other forms of printing. Many printers now use photopolymer plates instead of lead type, which allow more options for typefaces and illustration elements. It’s a good idea to talk to the printer if you would like a very specific impression.

[Left: photopolymer plates, Right: detail of machine stitched invitation]

Letterpress printing is generally a bit more expensive than other forms of printing because the labor involved is often much greater. The paper must be fed through the press separately for every color printed, which will be a large factor in your pricing quote. To keep costs down many couples opt to go with a two-color invitation and one-color response cards, thank you notes, and menus.

[Left: eyelet lace cards, Right: recent invitation and response card]

Depending on the complexity of the illustration you want and how many pieces are being designed, complete custom design work can range from $300-$800 in addition to the cost for printing, which can range from $500-$2000. This generally includes one design direction and about three rounds of revisions. For custom work, it’s especially helpful to have a clear idea of what you would like the finished product to look like because additional revisions can increase your overall price.

Having a solid idea about the kind of wedding you’re planning is key when you start looking for invitations. Are you going to have a large, traditional wedding or a smaller wedding at a park? Your invitations are the first indication your guests will have about the wedding and they help to set the tone. The more information you can give to your designer, the better! I love knowing where a client is getting married or what colors the bridesmaid dresses will be and incorporating these details into the invitations.

[Left: hand-drawn invitation, Right: detail of a response card]

Many letterpress printers have several options available for customizing handmade invitations without having a complete custom design created from scratch. For all of my pre-designed pieces, the couple always has the option of changing ink colors, paper stock, wording, and typefaces. I have a list of available typefaces that I provide to my clients and I often custom-mix the ink colors for the invitations to match a swatch of fabric from a tie or a dress. If the designer already has a card with a design you like, you may want to ask if that specific element can be incorporated into your wedding invitations. This may also cut down on the cost of custom design because the illustration has already been created.

[Left: mixing the perfect shade of green ink, Right: green swirl cards]

The timeframe for custom invitations is generally 4-6 weeks for design work and 4-6 weeks for the printing. The process may be shorter if you know exactly what you want, or longer if you make a lot of changes to the design. I would suggest building in a bit of a cushion in your timeline for addressing the invitations. Many printers will mail you the envelopes early so that you can start the process of addressing or give them to a calligrapher.

[Both images: custom design by Tara Hogan (tarahogan.etsy.com) and printed by Pistachio Press]

If you’re in love with the work of a designer who isn’t also a letterpress printer, you may want to ask the designer and the printer if they would be willing to work with you on the invitations. I have printed for a few clients who either designed their invitations on their own or worked with another designer and the process was a lot of fun.

Further Resources:
Pistachio Press (www.pistachiopress.com)

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Handmade Weddings: Invitation Options with Moontreepress

2008-03-20T17:11:00Z

We invited Rebecca from Moontreepress to contribute a piece to this Handmade Wedding Series. Last year Rebecca guest-blogged for the design*sponge wedding series (see Grace from design*sponge's post on the Storque) and we were very impressed. Rebecca runs a custom letterpress shop in DUMBO, Brooklyn, and couples often come to her for their wedding invitations. Recently, she listed a custom invitations sample pack in her Etsy shop, which seems like a good idea for purveyors of fine letterpress who are trying to get the word out. Below, she highlights some great work by other Etsy sellers, organized by medium.

I'm really excited to be writing this piece on handmade wedding invitations: thanks so much to Etsy for having me. As someone who enjoys being crafty, I love the idea of choosing to make something over buying it. However, there are times when the scale of a project might be too much to take on — like making your own wedding invitations. In this cases, you still have the option of hiring an independent "maker" to help you out instead of going to one of the big "industry" type places of business. First off, I want to stress that the invitations I'm featuring here are just a random sampling of pieces I thought were nice. Luckily, Etsy has made it very easy to search various sellers, so I encourage you to search for your own favorites by doing a 'wedding invitation' tag search. Also there is so much content on Etsy — and it is constantly changing — so it's probably a good idea to check in periodically to see what new sellers and items have appeared.

The most important consideration for most buyers is usually the budget. For this reason I thought it would be helpful to break down the categories by process. Even though prices tend to vary within each category, it's safe to assume that a letterpress printed invitation is going to be more expensive than a laser printed invitation. Somewhere in between there falls screen printing (ie. silkscreen or gocco). On the other end of the spectrum, you can have your invitations designed and delivered via email as an electronic file, which you can then print yourself or take to a local offset shop, or you can go paperless for a more eco-friendly option.

Here is some lovely work that caught my eye. In addition to invitations, I also included some extra links to custom rubber stamp makers and calligraphers, because those are helpful to keep in mind for the envelopes.

Screen Printed:

MWilson

Vreelanddesign

Uglykitty

Silkscreen Laser / Inkjet Printer:

Dearestemma

Pinklilypress

fubabee

Charmingpaper

Letterpress:

Vertalee

Invited Ink

Blackbird press

Design Only:

Evapaul

Bluedogprints

Absolutecreations

OfficialInitial

Calligraphy:

2Inspire

As a letterpress printer, I'm pretty stuck in my own process when it comes to invitations, so it was fun for me to look around at what other sellers are making. I hope readers will leave comments and include their favorites too, as it's always better to get a variety of opinions when the field is so wide-open as it is with Etsy. Thanks again, happy invitation hunting!

For more letterpress and wedding invitation ideas, see Invitations and Papergoods by Poppytalk and Pushing the Envelope with Calligraphy by KisforCalligraphy.

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Handmade Weddings: Pushing the Envelope with Calligraphy

2008-03-19T15:53:00Z

When she was not working with "RUSH ORDER BRIDES," Katy of KisforCalligraphy.etsy.com found the time to write this piece for the Handmade Wedding Series so that couples attempting calligraphy on their invites are well-informed! And for those who want to leave the pen and ink to the experts, her piece will help you target the type of calligrapher you want and how to get on track with a custom calligraphy order through Alchemy. The art of Calligraphy is ancient and unique — and what could be more handmade than hand lettering?

It always brings a smile to my face when I think about all the times I have been asked about what I do for a living and I say, '" am a Calligrapher," and the look of puzzlement and confusion follows. So I explain that I am a lettering artist. You know, handwriting. The next questions are equally amusing, "What do you do, I mean, who do you work for? Can you make money?" I usually answer, "I work for anyone who desires a calligrapher…Mainly I work with many wonderful brides (and grooms too!). And yes, calligraphers can make money; I just have yet to figure out how!"

I have been a professional calligrapher since March 2002. I definitely have my own style of calligraphy — partly due to the fact I only use one style and brand of pointed pen nib (trade secret!), gouache and acrylic. And I have created at least 8 fonts I can call my own. But I truly feel that my calligraphy attempts to capture the spirit of my client; it is imperfectly, genuinely handmade!

Your wedding invitation is the first glimpse of your big day that your guests will see. Your invitation allows them to be part of your events, all the more reason to personalize your invitations with handmade elements that speak from your heart. Don't be afraid to push the envelope and make your invitation your own! A custom monogram, a favorite pattern (a fabric remnant), a theme or your favorite color(s) are a few ideas to get you started. I advocate incorporating a personal element through the entire event.

Hand addressed envelopes are a necessity; I stand firm on this rule. Hand addressing separates your invitation from the hoards of junk mail people receive. At the very least, hand address your envelopes yourself or have your niece or nephew address them! If you budget permits, hiring a professional calligrapher will give any invitation the special handmade flair. Calligraphers on Etsy often have their own unique style, so take a look at the options and figure out the look you are going for. You could also peruse the flickr search results for photos of real wedding calligraphy and see what strikes you. MyFonts will give you some ideas. Ask yourself if you are responding to:

script
italic
handwriting
whimsical
formal
informal

This will help out a calligrapher or entice the right one to your Alchemy request.

As for pricing...there is no set price, much like any art form. The Graphic Arts Handbook for Pricing is the standard for pricing but it covers quite a span! I have seen ranges from $1.25 an envelope to $3 per address line. The types of mediums, quality, experience, font choice and colors all go into pricing. For buyers who want to make an Alchemy request, I would say on average between $1.75 and $3.00 per envelope and $150 to $200 per invitation design.

Some more tips:

Order your printed matter at least 16 to 20 weeks (4 to 5 months) in advance of your event.
IMPORTANT: order extra envelopes at least 15 to 20 extra per 100 envelopes!!!! Human error is inevitable!
Also, be sure to take into consideration that most invitations will be for couples and/or families. (A wedding of 200 guests often requires only 100-150 invitations)
Choose your reply by date on your RSVP accordingly. You want to give your guests enough time to respond but not too much time!
Hire your calligrapher as soon as possible. Most calligraphers require 2 weeks in advance to finish your envelope addressing depending on their style and their mediums.
An invitation to a formal event should be in the mail preferably 6 to 8 weeks before the event (8 to 12 weeks if you did not send 'save the dates').
Keep your guest list in order and updated! Remember to include a column for their proper titles (Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc) for each guest. I highly recommend including a column for preferred first names of all your guests so you will be in the know when it comes time to think about the seating chart.
Usually a calligrapher will automatically spell out abbreviations, but some require everything to be typed out exactly the way you want it! Guest lists are not easy and can be stressful so never hesitate to ask questions!
The Crane’s Blue Book of Stationery is a great reference book to answer all your social etiquette questions. It can usually be checked out at your local library.
One common etiquette mistake I see all the time is the separation of the man's first name from his surname when informally addressing a couple. For example, the correct address should read 'Jane and John Etsy' not 'John and Jane Etsy'!
If you are unsure of a zip code, an address (or lack there of), the United States Postal Service offers two free services for you to find the correct information. You can either call 1-800-275-8777 and use the automated zip code retrieval system or you can go to www.usps.com and click on "find a zipcode."
It is ABSOLUTELY critical to have your complete & assembled invitation weighed (preferably by a postal worker) to determine the exact postage needed for each invitation. Everything changed in 2007. The postage amount is now determined first by size then by weight! Remember postage goes up again on May 12, 2008.
If you are planning to have your invitations hand canceled be sure to check with your post office first. Some branches do not have time to hand cancel envelopes. Some postal branches have recently warned their employees not to hand cancel.

Take care with these important tips and reminders before you order your wedding invitation, your calligrapher and before you take that last and final step to mail your invitation! And in case you were wondering, K is for Calligraphy, well sort of. K is for Katy (that's me!) and for Kalligraphie!
Indelibly Yours, Katy

Further Resources:
Katy is available for custom calligraphy orders directly through her Alchemy page.

www.calligraphicarts.org/
www.usps.com/
www.zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
www.zipcodeworld.com/worldpostalcodeaddressing.htm
www.verseit.com/VerseIt_AddressingEnvelopes.cfm
www.zazzle.com/kjamison/product/172574293534092122
www.paper-source.com/

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Handmade Weddings: Invitations and Papergoods by Poppytalk

2008-03-19T09:34:00Z

For this installment of the Handmade Wedding Series, Jan — one half of the Poppytalk blog duo — shows us some of her favorite invitations and other wedding-related paper-goods. She's been a guest on the Storque as Featured Buyer, and she's got a great knack for "the hunt" — finding beautiful handmade items and emerging talent. Since doing the invitations is one of the first things couples have to nail down, let's get to it!

I've always been a huge paper-goods fan, and if it were a perfect world, I would have letterpress machines installed in my home, so I could pop out something new on a whim. I was thrilled to be asked by the Etsy crew to participate in their Handmade Wedding Series and to contribute a guide on wedding invitations and paper-goods. There are so many options out there when it comes to wedding invitations and the quality of designers with shops at Etsy now just keeps getting better. I couldn't think of going any other way. With the launch of Alchemy, you can put out a request for custom invitations too.

If I may give a word of advice, I would definitely go with something less trendy and more classic in design. When it comes to wedding invites, keep in mind that they are something you pull out and look at over the years. Classic designs always stand the test of time. I also am a huge fan of letterpress, and letterpress and weddings just go together so well. With those ideas in mind, I bring you my guide to invitations and paper-goods on Etsy!

These hand calligraphy designed invitations by LHCalligraphy are stunning. The design fee includes the invitation, reply card, reception card and envelope address and return address for the outer envelope. They are then printed on a letterpress and would be so special to receive.

I love the idea of a custom map for wedding guests. This set, by LHCalligraphy, is not only useful, but also a great keepsake. Each map is drawn according to your specifications and then letterpressed. They can also be enlarged into a watercolor painting for a beautiful memento.

I like the idea of going green for a wedding. Earmark makes these simple and modern invites that are printed using soy inks on 100% recycled papers and envelopes in a wind powered facility!

Marijke Janssens of EnfinLaVoila is an amazing graphic designer. Luckily for us, she designs the most unique and beautiful wedding invitations from her studio just outside Brussels, Belgium. She has many designs to choose from and you can do a custom order through her Alchemy page. The cards are printed on professional ultra matt paper, 230 gr/m. The envelopes are French (Clairfontaine).

Inkylivie has designed a beautiful save the date set using black and red. She prints these on nice thick textured Luxe paper from Paper Source.

Another great idea that many paper-good designers do is offer sample packs of their invitations/announcements, etc. Like this letterpress sample pack from paperstories out of Chicago. They also offer eco-friendly choices, printed on 100% tree-free cotton paper using non-petroleum-based inks.

I really like this wedding poster by unlesssomeonelikeyou. This is such a fun idea and a great keepsake of the big day.

Rachael from pistachiopress has a great eye for design, as you can see from this sample invitation. All pieces are hand fed into an antique printing letterpress which gives them a very distinctive feel. She prints on Crane's lettra paper, which is 100% cotton, which leaves a beautiful impression.

There are so many great ideas for Save the Date mail-outs, but I thought this one from InvitaPaperStudio was rather clever using the calendar idea. They are printed on white luxe cardstock and layered over a rich color cardstock.

A custom wedding logo/motif by BellaBella is an idea that could take you in so many different directions. They have a collection of rare antique initials that could be used as a customized logo, which could then be used to add to your invites, thank-you notes, rubber stamps, etc. They send a black and white, hi-res file that you forward to your designer to incorporate into your creative ideas. They will also be happy to discuss with you making your new logo into an invite through their shop.

Other Wedding-related Paper Goods

everyjotandtittle's place cards

Cheerupcherup's programs

sarahridgley's coasters

paperedtogether's coasters

kellydesigns4u's gift tags

APunkinCardCompany's gift tags

For placecards, I thought these handwritten sand dollars by LHCalligraphy would be really special for a beach themed wedding.

IntoStationery's bridesmaid and bride holder/favors (which also double as a sachet afterwards) would be extra adorable for a brial shower.

I've only selected a few of the papergood designers I adore on Etsy for this piece, but I want to also mention others here that should also be considered for wedding invitations and papergoods.

ModernPrintedMatter (Anna Cote)

Who's your favorite paper artisan? Leave it in the comments!

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series