Much of my daily customer service time is spent answering questions of potential clients and customers. I get a lot of really great questions about pricing, the process for wedding invitations and about all the add-ons and upgrades. Today I wanted to share some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to semi-custom and custom wedding invitations to help you navigate this fun (and sometimes intimidating) process.
Here at RC there are actually three different routes you can take though most customers fall into one of just two. You can order straight from the shop as-is with just your wording changes made, you can do a semi-custom order which is personalizing one of our pre-designed collections and adding upgrades and add-ons to make your suite more personalized or you can do a fully custom package where we do a design that no one else has ever had before, from scratch.
If you fall into the semi-custom or custom category, then I hope that some of the questions and answers below help you as you begin your own wedding stationery journey.
How long does the process take or how soon do I need to make my order so I have my invitations in time to mail out to my guests?
This is a question almost everyone asks and it is maybe the most important question to ask BEFORE booking with any stationer. It’s important to ask this question early because you must ensure that both you and your stationer have ample time to complete your order before they need to be mailed.
As a general rule, wedding invitations should be mailed out about 8 weeks before the wedding. That gives guests about 4 weeks usually to RSVP and gives you time to compile all your responses, track down any late responders and provide a final head count to your other wedding vendors.
Your stationery will tell you how long the process takes and should give you a timeline on when you need to get the process started. (This is actually something I provide potential customers and clients very early on in the communication just so they have all the key dates in front of them before they decide to move forward.) In most cases, custom wedding stationers provide a timeline that falls in the 4-8 month rage.
Most semi-custom clients of mine can expect the process to take 2-4 months whereas- my full custom clients can expect a timeline of about 6-8 months. This may seem like a long time but this gives us plenty of time for the design and production process (production on many orders can take 6-8 weeks) and then give you plenty of time for post production and mailing.
What is included in the price?
Almost every potential client and customer starts the conversation by asking about price. While it’s not always possible to answer immediately, it is very important for you to get a price breakdown from your stationer to know what to expect. You’ll want to know what the suite itself is going to cost and then the additional fees associated with add-ons and printing upgrades, embellishments like wax seals, ribbon, etc. These all add on to the base price so getting clear on those costs early on will save you from overspending or being surprised later.
A few other things to ask in terms of price. You’ll want to make sure you know what level of assembly is included in the price. Do you receive all the individual pieces and then you’ll need to attach backers, envelope liners, etc yourself, do your invitations come fully assembled and stuffed into envelopes or somewhere in between. Most wedding stationers fall somewhere in the middle or offer upgrades for full assembly and mailing but always know what to expect when the pretty paper arrives at your door.
In most cases, stationers can take care of all or most of the assembly for you which saves you time and honestly will turn out better because they know which adhesives to use, the best method for assembling, etc. They know all the tricks and secrets for beautifully assembled invitations.
Just be sure to ask and be clear about what is all included so you know what to expect so you are prepared.
How do you know how much postage will be required for your wedding invitations and what is the best way to mail them?
This is a question I don’t think enough clients ask early on and yet it’s so important! When it comes to the amount of postage, most stationers (including here at Raspberry Creative) should be able to give you a general idea of the postage BUT the best thing to do (and what I always recommend) is to take one fully complete invitation suite to your local post office to have them tell you how much postage you will need.
There are several different factors that go into the final cost, not just the weight. The rigidity, thickness and size can also add to the cost. For example, square envelopes are considered irregular and are approximately $0.20 more to mail before factoring weight, thickness, etc.
When it comes to mailing your invitations, we always recommend taking your invitations to your post office window and ask them to hand-cancel them. Depending on your location, you may need to call ahead to make an appointment. I recommend calling your local post office to ask how they prefer to handle it.
Simple dumping your invitations in the mail slot will put them through the automated machine which can significantly damage them before arriving to your guests. Please don’t do this after making such a big investment in your beautiful stationery!
Can I use the designs from my wedding invitations on other pieces for my wedding?
If you wish to carry design elements used on your wedding stationery purchased from Raspberry Creative, we will be more than happy to work with you to design matching pieces (menus, programs, etc.). Because Raspberry Creative retains all copyrights to our designs, you may not “lift” or copy elements to make your own or to have someone else (outside of Raspberry Creative) create for you.
These wedding day stationery pieces are simple and perfect ways to enhance the décor and style of your wedding through consistent design of all stationery pieces. We absolutely love creating beautiful day-of stationery for our clients that perfectly coordinate with their wedding invitations and save the dates.
I hope these questions help answer some of your own questions about the wedding stationery process. If you have others or want to start the conversation on your own wedding stationery journey, fill out the form on our contact page and we’ll be excited to see how we can help you create the perfect wedding stationery for your big day!
