Should you DIY print your invites?

I've got a really quick post for you this week based on the age old question of it's really worth paying extra for printing.


I have just recently added DIY printing options to my template based wedding stationery and as I'm offering both options can see the merit in both. So I've put together a little pro's and cons list for each.


Printed Invites:
Pros:

• You give me the information, I send you a package with everything printed, cut to size and ready for you to pop in an envelope and send out. Easy.
• You know that it is going to be printed on high quality stock at a professional printer … not at office works where you have no choice of paper.

Cons:

• It costs more than the file only option.
• You need to pay for shipping

DIY Print option:
Pros:

• It is a smaller up front investment
• It gives you the option of emailing out your invites.
• Much faster delivery (within a week of ordering).

Cons:

• You either have to print them all at home and cut them to size or find a printer and go through the whole process with them.
• It can be time consuming and stressful if you are already feeling a bit crazy from the other 3025 things you need to get done.

Really there is no right or wrong option, so just keep in mind wether you have the time and patience to take on a DIY print.  Either way is fun

The man friendly wedding

For some women a wedding is all pink frills & cotton candy clouds in a feminine extravaganza. For others the thought of their future groom running for the hills at the sight of a "traditional" wedding is enough to make them start looking at other options. 

If you are after a man safe wedding below are a few basic tips so that you don't end up with a muscle car and hulk themed kegger.

• Stick with neutral colors. Nature has been speaking to the inner caveman for years, so embrace all the foresty (yeah it's an invented word) colours that nature has provided and go to town.
• The average 'bloke' doesn't want to eat rhubarb foam on twice smoked organic tempeh. Look at mini versions of classics meals like mini burgers and fries, fish and chips & lamb shanks then fancy them up with classic packaging that pokes some fun at the simplicity.
• Give them something to do with fun events planned during the reception. Nothing brings a group of people together better than some good ol fashioned welly wanging (or gumboot tossing for all those non New Zealanders) 
• For your wedding invites you don't need to have an abundance of calligraphy. Take the chance to come up with something original that will set the mood for the rest of the wedding & give your guests a hint at how much fun your big day will be. This can then be incorporated with quirky signage and packaging at the reception and ceremony bringing everything together and giving people something special to take home.
• Don't release butterflies to a Celine Dion song. Nuff said don't you think?

Image links:

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The pinterest problem and how it can effect your wedding photos

This a simple mistake that might stop your wedding photos being picked up by wedding blogs and magazines. It’s about that awful word.... plagiarism.... ever since the humble pinterest board has weaved it’s addictive self into the hearts of many brides there has been a massive rise in direct copying of wedding stationery.

You know how it is, you stumble upon the most amazing stationery that mankind has ever seen and you just know it would go so well with your taffeta llama farm theme. So you download the picture, gaze longingly at it for 72 hours imagining how your cousin will be so jealous when she opens the envelope before eventually picking a designer who can replicate this beautiful piece of work just for you. There is just one small problem... you aren’t actually allowed to do that.

As a designer it’s a big no-no to copy other peoples work, it’s a rotten thing to do (kind of like stealing a big boned kids cake) and it’s actually somewhat illegal and you don’t want to be involved in something like that do you? No... thats what I thought. It also means that it takes the styling of your wedding from being original to copied and if you saw it on the internet it means that the bridal blog you were going to submit your super amazing photos too has as well.

So if you find something you love, show your designer but make sure you know what the elements about the design you like are and then you can come up with a brand new design together that isn't ripping off someone elses work. So go forth and find a theme that is all you.

The winter wedding

I know a lot of my readers are brides from Perth and the majority of those brides will probably be waiting for the sunshine and heat to return before they say I do. But for those of you who are so desperately in love that you can't wait that long and are planning on getting married during the cooler months here are a few images for your inspiration via Pinterest.

Remember that winter is the perfect time to bring out the big guns when it comes to stationery. Think thick lush paper, deep warm colors mixed with crisp whites and ice like intricate details.

Contact me by clicking HERE to set up an appointment for your very own wedding stationery.

Images are not my own but you can find them all here:

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three  - SIBO designs Etsy

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INTO THE WOODS - WEDDING THEME INSPIRATION

A few ideas via Pinterest for ways to tie a camping / forest theme together with your stationery designs.
All you need to pull of the forest theme is plenty of textured fabrics and papers in neutral colours. Add in wild flowers and berries, a few feathers and an abundance of green with natural lighting and you've just become you're photographers dream.
With this theme, rough is better so it's a great chance to have a relaxed style with high impact.

Images links via pinterest:
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Three - my own work
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Five - my own photography
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How to talk the talk when working with printers

Last week I gave you the reasons why it’s worth the extra moolah to go to the high grade printers. Now I’ll give you some easy tips for making sure you get what you want when work with your printer. By explaining some of the techy terms that can send people cross eyed, you'll know the terms to use to get what you want so you don't end up with something unexpected.

Offset: Perfect for high volume printing and large sizes. It involves ‘plates’ of your image being made and inked before the image is transferred ( "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then on to the paper. This is when you need to know your pantone colours.

Digital: CMYK printing through a machine, great for shorter runs and photo heavy designs. Digital printing has come a long way and you can now print with white and clear varnish inks at some printers.

Letterpress: A type of relief printing where type or image is arranged and then inked before being pressed onto the paper. This can be a lot more crisp than offset as it presses into the paper. This uses spot colour not CMYK.

Screen printing / silk screen: Mesh screens go through chemical and light treatment to create a single colour ‘stencil’. This is then used to press ink through onto the print surface, you can only print on colour at a time with this but has great effects for posters and fabric.

Foiling: Where a foil colour of your choice is stamped onto your image from a heated plate and leaves a slight embossed texture.

Embossing: A raised or relief texture to your design created by using a ‘female’ & ‘male’ roller with your design on them. As the paper rolls through it pushes the paper into the shape of the pattern on the rollers.

Stock: A fancy name for paper or card.

GSM: The weight of paper. For example 80gsm is very thin 320gsm is thicker.

Pixels Per Inch: When you print you need a minimum of 300 pixels per inch. This means if you print an image that is grabbed from a website it is usually about 72 pixels per inch and will not print well.

Diecut: When a shape is cut from the print surface. A series of sharp blades are bent to create the desired shape and is then stamped into the paper cutting away the desired pattern.