When it comes to wedding invitations, you have an infinite number of choices to browse and pick from. It can be totally overwhelming, even for a paper and stationary lover! Your wedding invitation will give your guests a hint of what your wedding will be like when they arrive, reflecting the theme or colors you have selected. Keep this in mind while shopping around!

If you’ve decided to purchase yours online (a very popular option in this day and age), make sure you know what you’re doing! Read on for a few tips to help you get started.

Look in shops to get an idea of your favorite style and printing method. Some shops can certainly offer you a good deal, but often they have to factor in additional costs to their products (it takes lots of moolah to run a brick-and-mortar store!), which can sometimes result in higher price tags. That being said, even if you have chosen to purchase invitations online, it’s a good idea to shop around in physical stores to see the vast number of styles available. Look and feel around to get an idea of what you like – this will help you narrow down what to search for when you’re online.

Shop around for the best price. This is definitely a perk of buying online! Shopping around for the best price is super simple and can take as much time as you want it to. Make sure you keep track of your favorite finds (company name, URL, price range) so you can easily go back whenever you need.

Pick a company with great customer service and friendly people. I can’t say how important this is! Of course, as with any business, every company is focused on their bottom line. However, some companies go above and beyond to provide the best possible customer service (which in the end affects the bottom line away), and those are the people you should buy from. Why? You’ll have a better experience overall, of course, but if something goes wrong, you want happy, friendly people working with you who will go out of their way to make things right, even if the fault isn’t theirs. Ask your friends, read reviews, or even reach out with questions to find the company that meets your customer service expectations! Just because you’re buying online doesn’t mean people are taken out of the equation!

Double check the turnaround time and make sure it fits in the timeline you have. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way!! Make sure you check and double check the turn around time it will take for you to receive your wedding cards and invitations. Count back from the day you want all the RSVPs returned to determine the best send date, and give yourself a few extra weeks for addressing everything! Then make sure everything can be made and shipped by the date you need. If not, consider paying a little extra for express service, or opt for a different company.

Make sure you see and feel a printed proof before placing your final order. Or, if a company you’re considering doesn’t offer printed proofs, opt for seeing samples so you can get an idea of what your finished invitations will feel like. We’ve all been there before – we order something online only to be disappointed when we get it! Take steps to prevent this and you’ll save yourself a few tears.

That’s a start! Have another tip? Share them below in the comments!

I think David’s Bridal is pretty much a household name by now. If you’re a bride, there is no doubt in my mind that you have heard of the company! They have completely changed the process of shopping for and purchasing wedding dresses in more ways than one. Not only are David’s dresses affordable, but they are available all over the United States (and abroad).

But today, they are almost a one-stop shop for brides that don’t want to run around dealing with [sometimes] unnecessary details. In fact, recently they launched their own line of wedding invitations and I have to say, I’m pretty impressed. They have quite a few to look though and a range of styles. Best of all? They stay true to their reasonable price mentality and keep things simple by offering a good, but not overwhelming, number of customizable options.

Check out a few of my faves!

Of course, they have more traditional selections too, and even earth friendly options for all the green brides out there. Sort by price, color, and designs and themes. Prices start at $60 for 100, perfect for brides on a (tight) budget. That’s definitely worth looking into, right?!

I have such a soft spot for stationary. And, as luck would have it, weddings happen to require quite a great deal of it. Whether you buy online or at a local stationer, the process of designing and purchasing wedding stationary really is quite fun.

For those of you that like to keep things simple without sacrificing style, I must recommend Storkie.com Invitations. A new WeddingFanatic sponsor, Storkie carries full lines of wedding save the date cards, bridal shower invitations, and wedding invitations, (not to mention things like baby shower invitations and announcements, graduation invitations, and holidays cards). Ranging from traditional to modern, they have a little something for everyone.

The best part of Storkie HAS to be their iDesign studio that you can use to edit any design to change fonts, layouts, colors, and more. Let that inner creative genius out as you design the invitations for your special event! I’ve already spent hours creating my own designs and I’m not even shopping for invitations!

Check out a few of my favorite designs from the site –

Save the Dates

Bridal Shower Invitations

Wedding Invitations

Want to know more about Storkie.com? Here are some good to know tidbits. Most orders print and ship in 1-2 days (amazing, right?!). They have high quality cardstock (100-120 lb) and offer a variety of printing options – thermography, digital, and foil. Digital proofs are free, and are seen by multiple pairs of eyes before they are printed to ensure everything is perfect. The company has been around for over 20 years and prides itself on fresh designs and awesome customer service!

Hello faithful readers! I know it’s been a while – things have been crazy! But, when I saw this article about FONTS (something which I’m majorly obsessed with), from Melinda with Lion in the Sun, I wanted to share the font love with all of you! Read on to read up on what the fonts you use say about you!

What does your invitation font say about you? Whether your wedding vision is contemporary, traditional or vintage, there’s a font that can say it for you!

More and more, stationers are seeing brides and grooms who are interested in font driven design – meaning the entire design statement is based on your font choices.

The most important design element of the invitation is the font. While graphic elements set a tone, your words and how they are presented on the invite convey the biggest statement of all.

Navigate the vast sea of font choices with these suggestions!

Mixed (Most Popular) – Combine a print and script font for a vintage or playful feel. Serif is more formal, while san serif tends to be more contemporary. Be sure to choose two fonts that are very different from each other and no more than three. Use script fonts to highlight names and the date.

Big & Bold – Using fonts as your graphical element will give you a contemporary feel and make a big statement. It’s a clean look and frees you from committing to a graphical theme.

Handwritten – This is a huge trend right now in invitations! Actual hand written text can be converted to artwork on your invitation and presents a formal, elegant or colonial feel. You could also use a font that looks like handwriting or written with a quill pen complete with splatter.

For an extra splurge, use hand calligraphy to truly create a one of a kind unique handmade invitation.

Traditional & Elegant – Use a simple script, such as Bickham or Rook, for all the text. Usually, you will see the bride and groom’s names slightly larger and occasionally a more embellished font is use for the names.

There is just something about chandeliers that fascinates me. Today, you can find them out there in almost any style from classic to glamorous, to shabby chic to just plain chic and modern.

So, looking for ways to incorporate chandeliers into your wedding? They don’t just need to be hung above the dance floor and tables (though we love that too)! First check out this FABULOUS event by artfool. I love the chic black and white and the event space, exposed pipes and all. The added chandeliers top everything off with a touch of modern elegance.

Or how about on your invitations? Check out this sample from Pomp & Circumstance’s Greenvites.

If you’ve already got your lighting figured out and your list of lights doesn’t include chandeliers but still want to work them into your decor, what about using this paper chandeliers as centerpieces or as other decor accents? We found this on Palindrome Press’s Esty Shop, but is sadly no longer in stock. Perhaps they would make a great DIY project; just grab some really heavy, large sheets of card stock and get creative!

And if you want to drape yourself in sparkly things just like a chandelier, you could always go the chandelier earring route. But! I think these are a bit more unique…and well, look more like they are an actual part of a chandelier. I saw this in a inspiration board from Snippit & Ink (which I posted about two posts ago!). The Neiman Marcus earrings come at a pretty high price, but they are oh so lovely! And surely you can find some other similar ones out there, with a much prettier price tag.

Who says you can’t carry the chandelier theme into your new life together?! I adore these pillow cases from modcloth.com. Fabulous! And while your there, check out the chandelier wall art. Why not?!

Anyone making their own invitations? Here is a perfect opportunity to show off your creative genius! Submit your invitations to Do-It-Yourself-Invitations.com with the chance to win 1st prize – a $100 gift certificate for jewelry, 2nd prize – a custom wedding poster, or the 3rd prize – a garter. There will be 2 other random drawings with chances to win prizes. The contest ends May 31st and you can submit and read more about it HERE.

Have fun kids! xoxo Siena

Have you ever thought of having a not so formal RSVP card for your wedding, but didn’t know exactly the right words to use?

Below are a few options of fun and funny RSVP wording for a casual / informal celebration from Verseit. They have a huge collection of verse choices for many different occasions.

Hope you enjoy it!

Please join us for the celebration. Respond by DATE

M___________________

____ Yes, we’re looking forward to the party.

____ Sorry, can’t make it, but are sending good wishes!

Please respond on or before DATE

M ___________________

can / cannot accept your kind invitation to the wedding

Please come, rain or shine!

Let us know by DATE

M ________________

___ I’ll have my umbrella on hand!

___ I’ll have to take a rain check!

Please respond tu us by DATE

M_____________________

____Tu fun tu resist!

____Tu bad we have plans.

The daisies will wilt without you!

Please respond by DATE

M________________

___ Yes! We’ll bring our watering can!

___ No! But save the petals for us!

Your invite turns into a pumpkin after midnight of DATE

M ____________

___ We’ll be there with bells on!

___ The video version will have to do!

Reserve your good seats by DATE

__Touchdown! Will be there!

__ Time Out! Can’t make it.

Ready to celebrate?Let us know by this date: DATE

M_____________________

___ Sounds great…we won’t be late!

__ Just can’t make it…but congratulations!

Please be snappy and respond by DATE

M____________________

___ Yes, we’ll be in the picture!

___ Sorry, we’re not photogenic…best wishes!

M __________________

___Looking forward to the toasting,dining, dancing and reminiscing!Number attending __

___ Can’t attend, but we send NAME our best.

Image:magnetstreet

You must keep track of the people you invite to your wedding! Otherwise, things could be disastrous. So, here are a few fun things you can do with your response, or R.S.V.P, cards.

Keep it Traditional. Use small, pre-printed cards that ask guests to fill in their names and the number of people attending. Included with this small card is a similarly sized and shaped envelope, already marked with a stamp and addressed to the bride’s or her parent’s home. Below is a fabulous little number from Wedding Paper Divas.

Wish you were here! Save on postage and paper by sending postcard response cards. Generally the stamps cost less, and not needing envelopes will save you a bunch of money (and trees)! Below is an example (minus the stamp) from Custom Paper.

Blank looks. The way response cards are “supposed” to be – blank. Send with your invitations, along with corresponding stamped envelopes, and guests write their own little message to you. You may get something like “0 will attend”, or, you may get a nice note explaining why the whole family can’t come yet they wish you all the best. The image below is from Eclatante Event Design.

Tech Savvy. Inviting a small number of guests? Absolutely sure all of your guests use computers and could easily find their way to your wedding website? Some sites offer RSVP options that allow your guests to RSVP right on your wedding website. eWedding.com is a site that has this feature (along with many others).

And a few more things to keep in mind:

-It’s wise to keep track of guests in a spreadsheet, either in Excel or via Google Documents (I love Google Documents because it’s always online and can be updated from any computer that’s connected to the internet….and in case there is a crash, you won’t lose your stuff!).

-Keep the guest information all in one place; names, phone numbers, addresses, the number attending from each family, what they gave you as a gift and whether or not you’ve sent a Thank You note.

-Keep the response cards in one place. Either separate the Yes’s and No’s into separate boxes or separate areas of the same box so if a question ever arises, you don’t have to run around the house looking for one or the other.

-Always open the response cards and sort them right away. Don’t leave them sitting around or tuck them into you planner so that you can file them away later. They could get lost or forgotten! And that would be sad.

Sorry for the absence of “Blogs We Love”! No worries – we’re back! This week we are loving The Green Kangaroo’s blog (which can be found on the fabulous site of the unique wedding invitations and stationary company. They offer nothing but unique, original designs. Check out a few of our fave posts!

Top Ten Wedding Invitation Trends for 2008

We gotta know what’s up with invitations and stationary – so why not take a word of advice from the people who know what’s going on! They touch on color, themes, and pockets, oh my!

Chinese Lantern Wedding

SUCH an awesome way to see a bit of inspiration turn into reality. Also a great way to see what The Green Kangaroo is capable of!

Vineyard and Wine Inspired Wedding Invitations

A more recent post and great way to show how you really can incorporate a theme into your paper ensemble in a very, very classy way. A must read!

Check out The Green Kangaroo for more posts. They are relatively new, but I expect to see great things from them!

Sorry for posting so late in the day! I hope you enjoy. I LOVE this color combination and I think I always will! This color scheme also works well for bridal shower (and baby showers)!

Vida Wedding Dress by Monique Lhuillier, Frill Collar Tunic from Forever 21, Rodarte Pleat Chiffon Dress from Browns Fashion, Light Pink Ombre Beaded Dress and Light Pink Side Sash Dress from Debenhams, Ballet Pink Stretch Linen ‘Mikka’ Shift Dress from Bluefly,Sunset LA Pumps in Green from Raffaello Network, Green Patent Buckle Mary Jane Heel Pump from Ami Club Wear, Kiwi Green Satin ‘Wrap’ Ballet Flats from Bluefly, Topiary Banner from Martha Stewart, Mens’ Suits from Jaeger, Four Tiered Wedding Cake from Enchanted Wedding Cakes, Apple Green Flower Girl Dress from Pink Process, White Lilac, Green-and-White Parrot Tulip, and Ranunculus Arrangement from Better Homes and Gardens, Dandelion Dream Wedding Invitations from Wedding Paper Divas, Silver Glass Charger from Zara Home, Polished Iron Chair from Design Within Reach, Shades of Pink Rose, Lily, and Carnation Arrangement from TeleFlora, Glittra Set of Three Scented Candles from IKEA, Peonie, Fritillaria, Hyacinth, and Sweet Pea Arrangement from Belle Fleur for Vivre.