Unless where stated, items are payable in-full, up-front, to secure the production of an item or items.

For handmade wedding invitations and stationery all listings are for samples only. Full orders are placed via an official quotation to secure a production slot in our schedule.

Pricing quoted by Elle Bee is in GBP - Etsy will convert this to your local currency at checkout. Pricing also excludes and localised sales tax, which is calculated automatically by Etsy. All international orders are sent with customs documentation - if necessary - however we are not responsible for end customers requiring to pay fees at customs in their country

Elle Bee is based in the UK. All listings state a lead time which is for how long the items could take to prepare prior to shipping. This processing time is variable, dependent upon how many orders we currently have - rather than stick to a default, we recommend that all clients familiarise themselves with the current processing and estimated dispatch timescales on each relevant listing. Elle Bee does not offer any rush orders; we work on a first-come, first-served basis only.

Our shipping methods depend on the item being ordered and to which location.

Please note: We use an automated shipping system that pulls addresses from order directly to our postage centre. We therefore ask all clients to make sure their addresses are corrected and updated.

We will not be responsible for parcels that are not delivered if the address on your order is incorrect. Please note we don't accept address changes via message. If you have ordered and the address on the order is wrong, you must request a cancellation, update your address and then re-order.

We also do not send items directly to recipients.

UK Shipping
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We use Royal Mail and Parcelforce services exclusively for each of our items. On each listing you will be presented with a default shipping method which can then be upgraded to quicker or tracked services. Please check each relevant listing for the options available.

Please see below for the delivery aim from date of dispatch as suggested by Royal Mail:

2nd Class: 3 working days
1st Class: 1 working day
Special Delivery: Guaranteed by 1pm next day
Tracked48: 2-3 working days
Parcelforce48: 2 working days

Please note that Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays are not classified as working days.

International Shipping
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We use Royal Mail International Standard Airmail for all items when shipping internationally, with the option to upgrade to Tracked & Signed shipping.

International Standard / Tracked & Signed: 5 to 7 working days delivery aim to delivery port and customs. Delivery within country is expected to take longer but is a timescale outside of our control or ability to monitor.

For order that are purchased non-tracked please allow at least a minimum of 25 days from the date of dispatch before contacting us regarding a missing item.

Customs
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When shipping outside of the UK - and primarily the USA - the US Customs Service stipulate that mail received from outside USA can take up to 45 days to be processed and released to USPS.

It can take a further 45 days for the US Customs Service to contact the sender - ie, ourselves - if there is an issue with your item(s).

You must take this into consideration when ordering items from outside the United States.

Customers outside of the UK are responsible for any custom charges, VAT or fees that their purchases are subject to upon arrival in their country. Etsy states this in their policies also and this is clearly mentioned in checkout. It is the clients responsibility to be aware of their customs charges threshold. We will under no circumstances amend a CN22 to help a client avoid customs fees.

Delivery Charges
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Due to how Etsy calculates shipping you may be overcharged for shipping when ordering multiple items. In cases such as this we will arrange for a refund of the difference to be sent to you.

Alternatively, if you're concerned about delivery charges in advance we can create a custom order for you.

Lost / Non-Delivered Items (UK Orders)
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On all items we offer a tracked shipping option; for important items and for those with a sentimental value we would strongly suggest this option is chosen when checking out.

We do not classify an item as lost in the post until 10 working days after the expected date of delivery (please see above for the UK and International expected delivery timescales).

All items are sent with a return address label so in the event of any issues when delivering, we hope to receive the item back from the postal service - this is stipulated by Royal Mail as 18 calendar days from the date of expected delivery.

If an item has been lost and in the event that the item has not been returned to us, we will issue the client with a refund providing there are no issues with the address provided to us at the point of order.

Please note that assistance with regards to deliveries is only to be expected when the timescales as stipulated above are met. In the interim period we suggest the following are checked:

- Order confirmation email for accuracy of address provided
- Delivery to a neighbour
- Previously used "safe places"
- Card left from postal service
- Local delivery / sorting office

If the above have been checked by yourself and the number of days passed classifies the item as "lost", then please contact us to discuss potential options. Until this point Elle Bee cannot be held responsible for any potential delay or loss.

Lost / Non-Delivered Items (International Orders)
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Please refer to the section above for the majority of terms that apply.

However in addition, we do not classify an item missing until 50 days after date of dispatch. This is primarily due to the delay that can occur with the local customs service and advise all international customers to familiarise themselves with the local customs service and means of contacting them.

We do recommend that customers choose tracked shipping options for international orders for the above reason(s).

Delays
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Shipping delays are not something we can control. Therefore we expect our clients to order in enough time, allowing for the potential of delays in the postal system (such as crisis, customs etc).

We will NOT refund for items that are delayed and have not reached you by the time required. It is noted in our descriptions, our policies and on our shipping email that you MUST order in plenty of time and if you are not sure, to contact us. You also have the option to upgrade shipping to a faster 1st class service, or a tracked service. It is the clients responsibility to choose the best shipping method for their item.

If you have a deadline, make sure you read all the information available on our shop BEFORE placing an order, and contact us prior to this as well to ask if your expectation is feasible.

RUSH ORDERS
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Please note that Elle Bee operates purely on a first-come, first-served basis and therefore - paid for or otherwise - does not offer rush orders.

PROOFING
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All invitation and stationery orders use a proofing process, where customers are sent digital mockups for review and correction.

Following the placing of a full order we will send a request via Etsy messaging or email, asking for relevant customisation and personalisation information to prepare proofs.

Following the initial proofing round there are a further two rounds of review and corrections included. Subsequent proofing rounds are chargeable at £5 each.

Please note that proofing is not provided for handmade cards.


CARD ORDERS
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All our cards are made solely by hand, or by using old fashioned techniques such as pressure plate cutting etc. Given the 100% handmade nature of these items clients must accept that each item made will be made within acceptable margins. All items are placed in situ by eye, all items are cut by hand and every pressure cut item sent through our cutter individually. There will be minor discrepancies on item placement and cutting, which are to be expected given the nature of our designs. Our card are not mass produced factory and therefore all our card are produced within an industry standard acceptable margin of 5% and are not 100% perfect.

All our photographs are taken using real-life examples. Our photographs are marginally enhanced only to increase visibility, vividness and composition in low-lit environments (we use natural light only so sometimes this makes photos dark, so we are required to brighten them). Due to this slight variations between what is seen on one screen to another, and from screen to physical item are to be expected.

We use the same manufacturers for our handmade card materials as we do our wedding stationery. Therefore the same principles regarding manufacturer differences, batch differences and shade differences apply. We are NOT responsible for manufacture batch discrepancies and therefore some differences between a photographed physical sample, the received physical sample and the samples seen on different monitors is to be expected. This is the nature of handmade; if perfection is your number 1 concern regarding your card, handmade is not for you.

Card sizing is stipulated in every listing. We are not responsible for clients receiving items to be disappointed because they are "not the size expected". Our listings are very detailed; we expect every client to read them.

MATERIALS, ARTWORK AND FONTS
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We do not disclose or share font names, suppler details and material details with clients. We purchase commercial licenses for all our fonts and artwork which does not permit us to share or disclose the name of. Therefore any request to disclose these details will be declined.


Sadly, even wedding invitations and stationery are subject to “the legal bit”. We would therefore recommend that you take time to read through the following Terms & Conditions – payment for an order is acceptance of these terms and orders are provided on the basis that a customer has read, understood and accepted them. Elle Bee Design accepts not liability if any of these Terms are not met and/or understood that results in delayed/missing etc. orders

If any of the following require clarification, please contact us by email at hello [!at] ellebeedesign.co.uk, or by using the contact form on our website.

1. Ordering & Payments
All pricing is shown inclusive of VAT. Elle Bee Design is VAT registered (GB355573281).
Orders are placed using one of two methods; either directly via our website, or through the request of a quote which we can then created to be transacted through the website. Quotes are valid for 30 days and we reserve the right to change pricing at any point, at which stage the website will be updated to reflect changes in costs.
Our wedding collections are split into two types; handmade collections that require the allocation of a production slot and digitally-printed, that are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
All orders are payable in full and up-front. For handmade collections this will include the allocation of a defined production slot for items to be made.

Commencement of your order will not begin until your order has been paid for in full. We reserve the right to refuse to use discount codes found externally to our website and will not be applied if deemed invalid for use.
We do not currently offer payment plans or work on a deposit basis.

2. Overages
It is important that couples build overages into their requirements to cover for changing circumstances (our suggestion is typically 10%-15%). All orders are fulfilled on a made-to-order basis, where materials are ordered in bulk to ensure that individual orders can be fulfilled.

Where additional quantities are required after the initial requirement is fulfilled, Elle Bee Design will charge at the current minimum order rate.
3. Minimum Order
Both our printed and Handmade range have a minimum order quantity of 20 on Save the Dates and Invitations. Smaller quantities can be ordered by you will be charged the total cost for 20.

4. Short Notice Orders
Several of our collections are fully-handmade from scratch and therefore cannot be accommodated on a short notice basis. We would always recommend contacting us before committing to an order and, if your request is for a date that we cannot accommodate, we will not accept the order.

For those of our collections that are digitally-printed the above constraints do not apply.

5. Cancellations
If your proofing process has not begun and we have not ordered your materials, then we are happy to cancel and refund in full.
If either of the above has taken place then only 50% of the order will be refunded to cover the costs incurred by us for materials, or to cover the cost of our time spent on proofing,admin, emailing and general communication.
If both have taken place to any degree then only 25% of the cost will be refunded to cover materials and proofing time.
In the event that numbers are reduced after an order is placed and materials have been already ordered, a refund is not guaranteed as all materials are ordered and cut to specification on a client by client basis. Therefore any refund is strictly at our discretion.
In cases of Force Majeure, the above details stand as these are, by law, classified as "reasonable business costs". Material costs need to be covered, and also time spent on proofing, admin, ordering and general contact.


We reserve the right to cancel or refuse an order at any time, for any reason. In these instances, all monies paid to date will be refunded.
All files remain the property of Elle Bee Design in cases of cancellation. No files will be shared or sent after your order has been refunded, and files will be deleted in accordance with GDPR.

6. Samples
Samples are offered for each of our collections in formats listed on our website. Colour-customised and text-personalised samples are not offered, and Elle Bee Design reserves the right to provide samples in colour schemes and / or materials that are available at that time.Samples will not be sent as per the listing picture in terms of colours etc if we do not have these in stock.
Samples are provided to asses the quality of the cardstock we use and printing and to obtain a general idea of size and composition of our invitation styles. Your completed order however will be different depending on colours chosen, finishing options selected and collection opted for. We offer the option of a swatch book and we strongly urge client to order this with their samples. For a detailed list of all finishing options available please refer to our infographics and product pages.
Please note; for wax seals these are hand mixed and hand made, therefore do not ask for "the same as the sample" because sample wax seals are made months in advance using very different batches and will be different from a sample.

7. Proofing
Before work can being on your order you will be sent a request for your information by email to begin the electronic proofing process; this proofing process includes both content and ink colour for printing. The entire proofing process must be completed via email and must be completed on-time to ensure that the production of your order can be fulfilled to a schedule. Deadline dates will be given if timescales are tight and these must be adhered to; deadlines dates are given to ensure production of your items can be completed in a timely manner. Elle Bee Design takes no responsibility for delays in proofing rounds due to poor organisation and missed deadlines.

Proofs with mock-up print files are sent by email and we arrange two further rounds of proofs included within the cost of your order. Any subsequent proofs required due to customer requirements are charged at £25 per round, which must be paid before any additional proofs are created and sent.
We ask clients to provide us with the information to create the proofs. As we primarily copy and paste this information it is the customer's responsibility to check spelling, grammar and details of the initial details sent to us, and the proofs created following this. We do not amend any inaccuracies. Furthermore, any information where we have not copied directly is open to human error. Therefore we advise clients not to presume information is always copied accurately, and to check every round of proofs against the original details sent, to ensure accuracy. We expect clients to do this on every round sent.

It is the customer's responsibility to check all proofs received for errors, layout, spacing, grammar and that all elements (inserts, belly bands etc) are included in every set of proofs we send. Elle Bee Design cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or missing elements once proofs are signed off, even if these elements have been included previously. Clients are responsible for checking ALL their details are included and correct on every round of proofs sent. It is down to the client to read and action any email sent from Elle Bee design in a timely manner, especially when timescales are tight. Due to limited resources, Elle Bee Design will not chase couples for information if emails have not been replied to and take no responsibility if deadlines are missed as a result of clients not actioning emails sent to them.We are a very busy team and continued chasing causes delay in production to other clients and backlog; therefore please read every email carefully and thoroughly to ensure that you are not missing any action points, and action any point appropriately and in a timely manner.

The signing off process takes place via a website link and form; this is a mandatory requirement of the proofing process and no production or printing will commence until this process has been followed. Failure to do so in due time can result in your order not being completed and subsequent monies paid will not be refunded. Elle Bee Design is not responsible if deadlines are missed due to sign off not occurring. Due to limited resources, Elle Bee Design will not chase couples for their sign off as this can delay other clients' order production and create a backlog. It is the responsibility of the client to read and sign off their proofs in a timely manner, and to contact Elle Bee Design if they cannot sign off for any reason. Do not assume that work will begin in this instance; sign off is mandatory and no work will begin until sign off is complete.

We strongly advise clients check their items and report any errors before sending them to guests or displaying them at a venue. You need to check your items and report errors within 24 hours of receipt. If, in unfortunate circumstances your stationery is found to have errors on them once received, please contact us in this instance as we offer discounted reprints for customer approved errors.

Under no circumstances will Elle Bee Design provide replacements for free if errors are found once proofs have been agreed to and signed-off.

Upon completion of the proofing phase, items are immediately committed to print. It is therefore recommended that proofs are only signed off when details are no longer subject to change. Once printed, proofs cannot be changed and any subsequent changes requiring a reprint will result in an order being payable in full.

If a client wishes to change from one design to another following the issuance of an initial digital draft, this will require a fee of £50.

8. Typography
All designs presented use a standard set of typography. We do not swap fonts out to other designs as this is classified as "Bespoke" work which we do not offer

All fonts used by Elle Bee Design are due to the ownership of a commercial license to do so. Given this, Elle Bee Design will not send, nor disclose, the details of any fonts used for its designs.

9. Digital Designs
At present Elle Bee Design does not offer designs in a digital form. Whilst digital proofs are sent as part of our standard proofing process, these remain the property of Elle Bee Design d can not be manipulated or changed in any way by clients. Elle Bee Design retains the right to cancel an order in these circumstances, as per Clause 4 (Cancellations).

10. Third Party Content
Elle Bee Design reserves the right to not use any third-party content for which it doesn’t hold the commercial license. This includes, but is not limited to: artwork, typography, graphics and logos.

11. Bespoke Work
Elle Bee Design does not currently work on a bespoke basis and only works on adjusting existing designs through the use of, but not limited to, the following: personalised wording, colouring, layout, use of components, cardstock, envelopes, wax seals, stickers, ribbon, silk, embellishments, addressing and typography.

Bespoke work is defined as being designed from scratch based on client concepts, or any item that is requested to be changed or swapped that is directly linked to the design or the items, finishes and upgrades that we offer

12. Invitation Assembly (Printed only)
All of our Printed designs come with each individual part ready to use. We do not send invitation fully assembled which include but are not limited to belly bands, wax seals, vellum jackets, envelope liners. Pocketfolds and handmade envelopes are the exceptions to this. You have the option on every order to request a tape pen to adhere belly bands, liners etc. We strongly recommend this offer is taken up or you are bale to source your own after the event.
This does not apply to our Handmade ranges.


13. Word & Character Limits
All stationery items have been created using standardised sizing. With this in mind, please be aware that it may not always be possible to include all the information that you want to provide on your item(s). We will inform you if this is the case upon receipt of your information; it is the client's responsibility to then pick the most appropriate information to be kept.

14. Delivery
To protect stationery in transit, all items are very carefully packaged and leave us in excellent condition. In the highly unlikely event that items are damaged in transit, you must report any damaged items to us within 24 hours of receiving your order.
Any damage reported to us after this period will be classified as damaged after arrival (not due to courier) and will not be replaced. Once reported to us, we will send a shipping label to you by email to attach to the box for it to be shipped back to us. The label is valid for 7 days only. Failure to take the damaged order to the courier service within these 7 days will result in this label being null and void and the items will not be collected. In this instance it is the responsibility of the client to then arrange for the items to be sent back at their own expense. Elle Bee Design will not pay for a second consignment if the client fails to return the item to the courier within 7 days.
We also strongly advise that once you are in receipt of your items that you check them thoroughly before assembly/display/posting. Elle Bee Design cannot be held responsible for client approved errors and once items have been received any approved errors need to be reported. Please see section 6.

Dependent upon size and quantities, stationery orders are sent by Royal Mail, or courier. Where applicable a tracking code will be provided.

For digitally-printed table plans and wedding signs only, and where there is a short notice requirement, there may be occasions where orders are sent directly from our printing partners. Delivery timescales will be communicated to you when preparing your initial quotation or preparing your order for shipment.

Once within the delivery network Elle Bee Design is not responsible for delivery timescales. Customers will need to contact the relevant shipping party with their tracking code for further information.

Elle Bee Design is committed to doing its bit for the environment - it is standard practice to re-use delivery boxes obtained from supply orders and use them for client orders.

You will confirm your final delivery address when signing off your proofs. Please note, that due to the delivery method you may be required to sign for your delivery. We cannot take responsibility for any lost items and if an incorrect address is found to be used, no refunds will be issued. Also note, commercial addresses are NOT to be used for shipping addresses due to frequent loss of item. You house address is the only shipping address we will accept.

Elle Bee Design are not responsible for any damage sustained to invitations during transport to guests.
When ordering from overseas you may be subject to a form of customs or "import tax". This will vary upon country, locality and the value of the goods we send. It is the clients responsibility to ensure they are aware and understand these taxes, and that Elle Bee Design does not collect them on behalf of the client for their country. Taxes are solely the responsibility of the buyer. Elle Bee Design will not amend or fraudulently declare a lesser value of product so these taxes can be avoided. Please take these taxes into consideration when ordering.

15. Collection
Any orders that wish to be collected must be placed using the "collection" option on checkout. This is a free service and once an "order complete" confirmation is sent via the website it is up to the client to contact us and inform us of a suitable date and time to collect. Please note, collections do not occur on Sunday's or Bank Holidays when we are shut. We are open from 8.30am - 6pm for collections Monday -Friday, and 9am - 12pm Saturdays only.

16. Discrepancies
Including, but not limited to: cardstock, ribbon, silk, embellishments, paper, pocketfolds, wax seals and envelopes Elle Bee Design is not a manufacturer of these items and are therefore not responsible for any manufacturing or batch differences between individual components, either for items completed in the past for samples, between items of the same type, or pictured for promotional means. Discrepancies within acceptable margins are to be expected. Wax seals in particular are hand mixed so every order will be different. Wax seal colour will be different on samples to those received in a full order due to the length of time between each order and also the variance that can be seen in batches. Batches can vary by 5-10 shades within a colour - this is not a fault with the item, but batch variance. Wax seals are not replaced or re-done if colour discrepancies are noted between samples and full orders. Colour variance needs to be considered by the client

Promotional images used for any or all the items listed above have been presented as close to the finished and physical item(s) as possible. This includes coloured "accents" on certain designs that use coloured ink. Whilst shown for example purposes;we do not recommend using colour ink for text due to legibility issues this may present with some coloured. Elle Bee is not responsible for poor print on coloured text if this advice has been ignored.

These items may appear differently in person compared to on-screen and are also subject to discrepancies viewing on different devices at different levels of fidelity and brightness. We provide colour cards with all our samples; we strongly advise clients pick a colour from our colour chart that is included with each sample to ensure the closest possible match.

Elle Bee Design cannot be held responsible for any perceived colour discrepancies, or any material discrepancy that sits within acceptable margins on any of the basis' listed above.

Several products also involve a handmade element, including but not limited to the mounting of cardstock, adhering embellishments, paper, wax seals and stickers, tying of ribbon and assembly of invitations. Given the handmade nature of this process, discrepancies between each item, samples and the item(s) received and what's seen on screen are to be expected.
Envelope printing is performed in-house using a laser printer. Therefore minor creasing and indents will appear on envelopes due to the severe pressure and heat they are exposed to. This is normal and part of the printing process and is not classified as damaged or flawed. Therefore Elle Bee Design will not refund or replace any envelopes where this process is visible.

17. Receipt of Order
Included in your order will be an Order tick sheet. You order will be quality checked and counted through every stage of our process, and checked twice during packaging and shipping. Therefore we do not expect any missing items in an order. If items are considered to be missing we require to be informed within 24 hours of receipt. We expect clients to thoroughly check their order the day they receive it, and no later.

18. Advertising
We reserve the right to use pictures of your invitations / stationery for advertising and marketing purposes. Any photographs taken of your stationery will be used for promotional means once your order is completed unless a request is received in writing to not do so.

19. Privacy Policy
Elle Bee Design takes the privacy of its clients very seriously; we have a defined privacy policy which can be found on our website here: https://ellebeedesign.co.uk/pages/privacy-policy

20. Copyright
If opting for hymns, poems or readings for an Order of Service, clients are responsible for ensuring that permission is granted to use any material that will be included in your wedding stationery and indemnify Elle Bee Design against any breach of copyright.

Any clients / professional found to be using our designs or found to be copying them will be subject to legal action. Elle Bee Design will not tolerate illegal use / copying of designs and will use all means at our disposal, including the bringing of charges against those who breach copyright law.

"ELLE BEE DESIGN" is a trademark, registered in the UK (UK00003437061).

Who we are
At Elle Bee, we are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of visitors to our Etsy store and our customers. Of note, we want you to know that we will never sell, rent or trade email lists with other companies and business for marketing purposes.

In this short privacy policy we confirm the data that we collect and for what purpose.

Types of data we collect
When placing an order with Elle Bee for wedding stationery, a fundamental aspect is the collection of data to create items such as Save the Dates, Invitations and Reception Stationery – this information is requested and disclosed over either Etsy conversation or email and used solely for the proofing process.

Dependent upon the nature of your order and / or its size, we may well provide our courier partners with your information for the sole purpose of keeping you updated as to the progress of your consignment. In this case only an email address and phone number are provided and are there to support the delivery of your order from us.

Storing data
Any files containing personal data are stored in the form of digital files used to create and print wedding stationery items. We use cloud-based storage for these files which is fully-encrypted and password-protected.

These files are kept for as long as it is necessary for Elle Bee to fulfil contractual obligations with our clients – including the ability for the client to order more items after the initial order - and removed thereafter, typically three months after the wedding date.

Access to personal information
If you wish to view, amend or delete the personal data we hold please contact us using hello [!at] ellebeedesign.co.uk

Updates to this policy
This policy was last updated on 22nd May 2018. Further updates will be made if and when required to comply with regulation as needed.