September 4th, 2008

Is summer really over?  Kids are back in school and the routines are back in place, and the days are getting shorter.  I just finished reading a post on a great blog about Seasonal Nesting Tips.  My favorite tip is #3: Create family rituals tied to the seasons. Pick a few special traditions for each season to enjoy with your family.  As cliche as it may be, I do love our annual trip to the corn maze and pumpkin patch at Sauvie Island Farms in Oregon.

Before we know it, we will be in holiday mode once again.  At Invitation Lane, we are busy getting ready for holiday card season.   I’ve noticed a trend this year that more Thanksgiving cards are being offered than ever before.  If you have a business that typically sends out holiday cards, why not start a new tradition for your business this year.    Send your holiday cards a few weeks earlier than the rest of the crowd to wish your best customers a Happy Thanksgiving.  It’s a great way to say thanks for your business, and to remind your customers about you just before they do their holiday shopping.  Here are my two favorite picks this year:

Give Thanks Wreath from Chase
Give Thanks Wreath from Chase

Harvest Gold from Checkerboard
Harvest Gold by Checkerboard

Enjoy the change of seasons and do a little nesting of your own.

August 31st, 2008

We have received many questions about writing Thank You Notes over the years, so I’ll use today’s post to answer a few of them.

Pas de Deux Informal
Q: Who writes the thank you note?

A: Traditionally, the bride writes the note and signs it.  The body of the message may include the fiance/husband:

Dear Bob and Jeanne,
Thank you for the lovely crystal vase.   Grant and I already have it on display in our foyer, full of lovely Summer flowers.  It is the perfect addition to our home.  We would also like to thank you for traveling so far to be with us on our wedding day.   You have been very special to us for many years, and it meant a lot to us to have you attend.
Sincerely,
Heather Mitchell

It is becoming more socially acceptable to write the note as a couple.  The front of the informal note would have both of your names, i.e. “Grant and Heather Mitchell” or “Mr. and Mrs. Grant Mitchell”.  The note itself can be written as stated above, or like this:

Dear Bob and Jeanne,
Thank you for the lovely crystal vase.   We already have it on display in our foyer, full of lovely Summer flowers.  It is the perfect addition to our home.  We would also like to thank you for traveling so far to be with us on our wedding day.   You have been very special to us for many years, and it meant a lot to us to have you attend.
Sincerely,
Heather and Grant Mitchell

Thank You Notes
Q: What is the difference between a thank you note and an informal note?

A: A Thank You Note is not pre-printed with your name and is typically printed with the words “Thank You”.  These are used for small, informal weddings or showers.  Ironically, an Informal Note is more formal than a standard Thank You Note.  It is part of your wedding stationery and is pre-printed with your name(s). These are used for formal weddings and should not have a pre-printed message inside.  Proper etiquette dictates that you write a personal note to each person who gave you a gift or  helped you with your wedding.

Sophisticated Thank You Notes
Q: How do you write a thank you note for a monetary gift?

A:  Do not mention the dollar amount received.  Instead, express your gratitude for their generosity.  Here is an example of how to word it:

Aunt Belle,

Thank you so much for your generous gift!  Grant and I used it to purchase a chaise lounge for our back patio.  It has become my favorite place to unwind and read after work each evening.  We are so glad you were able to share our wedding day with us.  Who knew you were such a fantastic dancer? Thanks again for your thoughtful gift and we hope to see you again very soon.

Sincerely,
Heather

Central Park Thank You Notes
Q: Do I send a thank you note to the Officiant of the wedding?

A: Yes, it is proper etiquette to send a thank you to the officiant.  Here is an example:

Dear Reverend Phillips,
We would like to thank you for making our wedding day so special.  The service and prayers were beautiful and heartfelt, and exactly what we hoped for.  Thank you for your time and blessings as we begin our married life together.

Sincerely,
Heather and Grant Mitchell

Chase
Q: When do I send thank you notes?

A: As soon as possible after the gift is received.  The proper timing is to send a personalized note within four weeks after receipt of the gift.  Keep a list of gifts and the people who gave the gifts.  Have a system in place where you notate when the gift was received and when the note was sent.  This will help you keep track of which have been written and sent, because it’s easy to lose track when you are receiving lots of gifts for showers and the wedding.  If you have a very large wedding and feel it will be impossible to send all your thank you notes out within four weeks, it is appropriate to send a gift acknowledgment card.  These may say something like:  “Paige and Charles Beck wish to acknowledge the receipt of your thoughtful wedding gift. A personal note of thanks will be sent at a later date.” Do not be tempted to send thank you notes with a few lines of thanks already printed, though.  It does not convey your appreciation for their generosity in the same way as a hand written note.  Somebody has taken the time and gone to the expense of selecting a gift for you, which should be properly acknowledged.

Don’t feel overwhelmed if you have many thank you notes to write.  Take them one at a time and you’ll be done before you know it.  Please feel free to post your thank you note questions here and we will answer them for you!

August 11th, 2008

I wanted to share some very cool examples of how you can carry the theme of your invitations to a cake!

Invitation (Fuchsia and Black Pocket from Pockets):
Fuchsia and Black Pocket

Cake (Just Fabulous Pastries):
Black and Pink cake from Just Fabulous Pastries

According to the bakery, “This cake was based on the couple’s wedding invitation and was done using the digital imagery technique.” So it was meant to match exactly.

Here are a couple other close matches for inspiration..

Invitations (Seaside and Opus from Checkerboard):
Seaside Invitation Opus from Checkerboard's Blue Moon

and a seaside cake (Just Fabulous Pastries):
Just Fabulous Patries

And a nice fall theme…

Invitation (In The Orchard from Something Different):
In the Orchard

Cake(The Bakery Bar, Portland, Oregon):
Bakery Bar Cake

I’m feeling hungry for something sweet now!

August 6th, 2008

My family is adopting a Basset Hound in two weeks and we’ve had dog on the brain lately. I can’t stop thinking about puppies, dogs and all things dog related, when I should be focusing on running an invitation and stationery business! So, why not combine work with my latest distraction, and use today’s blog entry to recommend some cute dog related invitations!

Here are three adorable doggy inspired birth announcements that can also be worded as birthday party invitations as well as a coordinating puppy theme thank you note:
Puppy Announcements
Clockwise from top left: Floppy Eared Puppy Announcement, Floppy Eared Puppy Thank You Notes, Puppy, and Cute Puppy (all from Checkerboard).

For the holidays, don’t forget to let your dog sign your custom holiday cards. Checkerboard offers an adorable paw print motif that you can add to your signature line:

They also offer these printable dog motifs which can be added to a return address, invitation or thank you note.

Dog Motifs from Checkerboard
Dog Motifs from Checkerboard
Dog Motifs from Checkerboard

These dog motifs are a great way to personalize any item with your pup personality! They are available on just about any printed item from Checkerboard, so ask for one the next time you are ordering. I can’t wait to bring our puppy home!

July 31st, 2008

NEW! Just added to our line of products on InvitationLane.com is the Three Designing Women line of custom stamps and embossers. Personalize anything and everything with a personalized stamp. So many choices! Here are just a few of my personal favorite stamp designs:

Embossers are also available for that added touch of class and elegance:

There are also some very cool inSTAMPable items, which can be personalized with your stamp or embosser. Calling cards, note cards, note pads, wine tags, gift tags, notepapers and announcements. Look at these examples:

And to kick off the introduction of these products, we are offering a $5 off coupon towards the purchase of any single custom stamp or embosser (one coupon per customer, expires August 31, 2008). Just use coupon code “stamp” during checkout for your $5 off. I hope you are as excited about these products as we are!

Click here to start shopping for Three Designing Women products!

July 22nd, 2008

So, you want to add some personalized napkins to your event, but you have no idea what size or how many napkins to buy? Let’s see if we can offer some tips for you!

Beverage or Cocktail Napkins:
Cocktail Napkins
SIZE: Typically these are 4 3/4″ x 4 3/4″
USE: Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and cake service.
HOW MANY? The most common guideline for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres is 2 - 3 per guest. For cake service, 1 - 1.5 per guest.

Luncheon Napkins:
Luncheon Napkins
SIZE: Typically these are 8″ x 8″
USE: Meal service
HOW MANY? The most common guideline for a sit down meal is 1-2 per guest. For a buffet service, 2.5 per guest.

Guest Towels:
Guest Towels
SIZE: Typically these are 4 1/4″ x 8 1/4″ folded
USE: Powder Room or Restroom
HOW MANY? Approximately 2 per guest.

These are all just general guidelines, and every event will have different variations and needs. For example, an evening event with an open bar may require more napkins than an afternoon tea.  In our next post we’ll show you some great personalization ideas.

July 16th, 2008

Checkerboard recently gave their dealer website a makeover. Their new header includes a font they have recently introduced, called Zaner:

It’s has some of the loops that people love about Swash (Bickham Swash) but also has a nice angle to it. Checkerboard also added a nice block font called Garbo. I liked it so much I used it for my new business cards!

Here is an invitation mock up I created using Garbo as a main font and Zaner for emphasizing the bride and groom - aren’t these fonts fabulous?

Zaner and Garbo fonts

Shown: Sonata Invitations (MOA-VPD-Z ) by Checkerboard, from the new A Marry Occasion collection. Retail price is $359.00 for 100.

Do you like these new fonts as much as we do?

July 9th, 2008


Aren’t these a great favor idea? Miss Gingerbread Miss Gingerbread on Weddingbee.com did these cute little babies as a DIY favor project. Luggage tags make a great favor for destination weddings or just a fun DIY project for you creative people out there!

Martha's luggage tags
Above is a cute DIY project from Martha Stewart using luggage tags as placecards


These plastic pouches come in sets of 50 for $15.89 from business-supply.com. Get your creative juices flowing and come up with your own message, monogram, or photo(s) to insert and use as favors.

Luggage Tag Save the Date Cards
And if you want to send out some Luggage Tag theme Save the Date cards, this choice from Carlson Craft might be a good one! Or use this as inspiration to create your own at home.

July 4th, 2008

When sending invitations for weddings hosted by the bride and groom, many couples wonder how they should properly word their invitations. Since the wording will indicate who is paying for the wedding, the traditional wording with the bride’s parents as hosts is not appropriate.  Here are just a few suggestions to get you started…

1) No mention of families or children

Bride
and
Groom
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The pleasure of your company is requested
at the marriage of
Bride
and
Groom

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bride
and
Groom
invite you to join them
in celebrating their marriage

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bride
and
Groom
invite you to share
a special moment in their lives
at their marriage

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bride
and
Groom
invite you to witness
as they are joined in marriage

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sometimes couples want to include their parents or children, but aren’t sure how to do so. A few more suggestions…

2) Inclusion of parents names, but not as hosts

The pleasure of your company is requested
at the marriage of
Bride
daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Bride’s Parents
to
Groom
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Groom’s Parents

3) Inclusion of children

Bride
and
Groom
together with their children
invite you to share
a special moment in their lives
when their families are joined by marriage

4) More ideas, but more ambiguous regarding who is hosting (appears like all parties are sharing the costs)

Bride
and
Groom
together with their families

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Together with their parents
Bride
and
Groom
request the pleasure of your company


(Ginkgo Bough by Checkerboard)

July 3rd, 2008

Frond by Checkerboard

Who doesn’t love a tropical breeze and a cocktail under a palm tree? That truly describes my favorite place to be.

Tropical weddings are more popular than ever. Some of our favorite invitation printers offer excellent choices which will set the tone for your fabulous tropical paradise wedding or event. The gorgeous three layer invitation pictured above is perfect for an elegant event. Shimmering papers and a frond motif create a heavy invitation printed in thermography (raised ink). It’s called Frond and is from the Blue Moon collection by Checkerboard.

If whimsical is more suited to your style then how about this fun palm tree cake topper from Carlson Craft or Seaside Stick Figure invitation from Elite:

Cake Topper and Seaside Stick Figures

There are a multitude of casual palm themed invitations available, such as these examples from Checkerboard:


Palm Watercolor and Fun Palm

and these from Carlson Craft’s Something Different Album:

And we love these as a fun gifts along the same theme:

Frond Earrings
Frond Earrings on Etsy

Godinger Sets of 4 Palm Glasses
Godinger Sets of 4 Palm Glasses from Linens n Things

Palm Tree Memos
Palm Tree Memo Pads