DIY BRIDES :: DON'T OVER DO-IT-YOURSELF IT :: INVITATIONS, PART I

Today's project is DIY Invitations. Most DIY projects are taken on to cut the wedding budget. I am all for that! However, what you do not want to do is sacrifice quality. Of course, a stationer is going to cost more, they are professionals at what they do. You expect to be paid what you are worth at your job and so do they.


Invitations. Sounds simple enough. I have seen brides take on this project and do a wonderful job at it. I have also seen brides take on this project and crash and burn. Overall, I would give a thumbs-up to doing your own invitations. As long as you start with the right tools, you can set yourself up for success.


TOOLS
A good printer
Brand, spanking new ink cartridges
A good quality scorer or cutter with a new blade
A sense of creativity and artistic style
Plenty of patience


Stationery is the first glimpse your guests have of your wedding. Do you really want it to be sloppy? Thin paper and streaked ink are not the way to go. Neither is a blurry uploaded photo of you and your beloved.


Let's start with design. Microsoft Publisher (MP), Adobe Photoshop (AP) and Adobe Illustrator (AI) are design tools that can be used for this type of project. Keep in mind that AP and AI are not inexpensive products. If you do not already own them, purchasing them to create your stationery will defeat the purpose of savings. If savings is not your purpose, if you simply want to see your own work product at your wedding, then perhaps these projects are for you. If you can navigate the user-friendly MP (that comes with most Microsoft suites) you can create a well-received invitation. There is a gadget called a Gocco that can be used to create invitations. I will do a separate post on it at a later time.


No matter the design tool you use, when using images, be sure to use uploaded images directly from the source. If you received images from your photographer from your bridal or engagement session, upload them as he sent them to you. If you do not have a way to upload them, ask him to email the image to you. Scanned images will never produce a good look. Most Microsoft suites come with both Publisher and a photo editing tool called Microsoft Office Picture Manager (PM). With PM, you can resize and crop your images as needed in a clean way so as not to end up with jagged edges and obvious pieces missing from the image.

With copy (that's industry talk for the wording you will use), you want to ensure that your readers can actually read it. Stationery in all-script is never a good idea. You must keep in mind that your readers are not all twenty-somethings with perfect eyesight. If you must present your copy with some script, keep it balanced. All script fonts do not match all block fonts. It may take some playing around with them to find the combination that matches your taste, but it can be done. Dafont is a great resource for additional fonts that do not come with your computer's software. There are wonderful new fonts that mirror calligraphy. A great choice when you want a formal look. I have given an example below of good font combination v. not-so-good font combination.

Good Combo                     Not-So-Good Combo