Calling jcrow

[happilyeverafter]

Hi jcrow! I saw your invitations for your wedding and thought they were beautiful. Could you tell me what paper you used for them? It looks quite stong and substantial, and I would like to use something similar for my invites (I have to glue something onto them so they need to be strong and not flop over!) I really don''t know anything about paper at all. Thanks a lot!

 

[luckystar112]

Okay....when is JCrow going to become a wedding planner? She sure has a large following! (Me included.

)

 

[happilyeverafter]

I know, she has excellent taste, as do so many other ladies on this site!

 

[sumbride]

I''m not JCrow but I remember she had them done by a letterpress company and the price was quite dear, but worth it for the results for her. I''m fairly certain she designed them herself but did not print them herself. There was a long thread about it on here back then.

 

[happilyeverafter]

thanks sum! I think i went thru that thread as well but didn''t see any information specific to the paper she used. Maybe I should reread it again. I would love to do letterpress but it''s too $ for my teeny budget.

I''m actually doing these...



If anyone else has recommendations for really sturdy (and nicely textured, not glossy) ivory paper that would hold up the roses on the invite I would be more than happy to hear them!

 

[jcrow]

thanks ladies for the bumps!
i have the specs in an email. when i get home, i'll post the paper info!
i did design them and had them letterpressed at http://www.peterkrutyeditions.com/. they did a PHENOMENAL job and were my favorite vendor to work with!

since i'm a graphic designer, i have TONS of paper samples in my office. i can certainly help you with paper choices!!! \

eta: would tomorrow be too late to help you with paper? i'll put it on my to-do list! i'm sure i can fine lots of nice options for you.
will you be printing them yourself? if so.... check out www.paper-source.com. their luxe line is what i printed our menus and programs on. fabulous texture. wonderful paper. i had no problems printing it on my home printer.


oh and, i'd suggest asking papersource for samples. i called them and they were very happy to mail me paper samples. i ordered several creams because i wanted to match the color of my invites.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Thank you so much jcrow! Tomorrow would definitely be fine! I would order from paper-source, but honestly I didn't know what to look for. I'm paper-illiterate

and don't know where to begin. I was wondering what weight would be strong enough to hold up the fabric roses in the picture - i've seen 65lb or as high as 92lb I think but I have no idea if that would work. I would probably have them done at a printshop or do them at work

hehe but I would have an insert to print on instead - i'm just looking for paper that would hold up the roses and i'll use a nice but much thinner insert for the printed information inside (attached with a ribbon).

I would prefer to buy the paper locally since i'm in Canada and shipping can really add up after a while. If you could offer some recommendations on the type of paper and also what weight to look for, i could probably find it locally (or at least a supplier in Canada to avoid shipping and duty). I hope to make them in the next couple weeks.

Thanks SOOO much for your help!!!

PS your invites were spectacular!!!!! I wish I had the budget for letterpress. And the booklet was such a neat idea.

 

[jcrow]

let me preface by saying that this is more info than you probably need to know, and i hope it''s not too overwhelming. but, i felt like i should explain a little more in detail.

ok, if you are going to print them yourself, i''d suggest going with paper-source or a similar paper warehouse. when dealing with a print shop, you usually don''t supply the paper, though, i guess you could. the print shop orders the paper MUCH larger than what you would print at home on. they print several invites (in this case) on large sheets and then cut them out. if you are planning to go with a print shop, i can recommend some papers. also, they should be able to suggest some as well, and might be able to show some examples to you.

Luxe white 210g Text (from paper source) is what i used for the program covers and the menu cards. i''ve also used that for invites - but not my wedding ones. this luxe paper has a wonderful texture to it and weight. the white is NOT a pure, bright white. it is a soft white. again, this is paper that i bought and printed on my home printer.

for my thank you cards i used 88# Teton Tiara Cover - this is another paper with texture. again, not bright white.
if you were printing at a print shop, you could request this paper and they would be able to print on this for you.

more info that maybe useful later: for my programs, for the interior page, i used Superfine Soft White Text (paper-source)

1) my letterpress invites were printed on letterpress paper (except for the envelopes - more info below)
2) letterpress paper and the luxe paper from paper source is measured in gsm (Grams per Square Metre). most other papers come in various text weights and cover weights.

my letterpress invites were printed on the following:

cover printed on Rives de Lin 300gsm paper
Inner sheets printed on Somerset Book Wove 175gsm paper in White
envelopes printed on Strathmore Pastelle in Fluorescent White

the reason that the invites were printed on all different types of paper was b/c of the paper weights and envelope availablity.
the cover of the booklet needed to be thicker (cover weight) so that the tear off rsvp could be mailed. the inner pages were a lighter white (more of a text weight) so that the booklet wasn''t too bulky as a unit. and the letterpress papers didn''t have envelopes. so, i went with a strathmore paper that mimiced the texture of the letterpress paper yet came as an envelope.

with all that said, if you don''t go with the luxe paper from paper-source and are faced with a weight decision, i would do 100# cover for the invite, provided that it''s just a one sheet (folded) invite.

also, remember about the envelopes. you either need to find a paper that also comes in envelopes or you can choose a contrasting color/texture/type of paper and therefore don''t have to worry about the invite paper being the same as the envelope paper.

 

[jcrow]

"65lb or as high as 92lb"

whew! ok, so, if you''ve found these weights, you need to find out if these are text or cover weights. 65lb. text is much different than 65lb. cover.
you need to go with a cover weight. if 92lb. is a cover weight, that''s what i''d choose.

sorry to be so overwhelming. let me know if i need to clarify anything.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Wow jcrow that was such excellent information, thanks for taking the time to explain it to me! I do think i'll do the printing myself, but it will be on a thinner paper attached on the inside. From what you've told me I believe I would want a cover stock for the outside. So far i've only found 65lb cover locally, but since I didn't know what I was looking for I haven't done much shopping yet. I did see a 95lb cover stock on paper-source (the stardream) so that might do the trick if i can't find anything locally, but there's gotta be something around here! (crosses fingers) I also saw that the luxe 210 is comparable to a 78lb cover, so that could be a consideration too. If I do go with them, i'll probably just order enough of both and keep whatever I don't use - I don't need much and it's not that expensive anyways.

I actually won't need envelopes at all. Since it's all immediate family and only two other couples I don't require rsvp cards, and given the size of the rosebuds I wouldn't be able to fit the invites into an envelope anyway. I'm going to find some boxes that will fit the cards (kind of like an "invite in a box" but without the extras) and tie it with ribbon and deliver it that way. Then i won't have to worry about the rosebuds getting crushed or falling off.

One question - is letterpress paper heavier than a heavy cover stock (such as the 95lb on paper-source)? I imagine letterpress paper would be hard to find unless you're having it done to your invites... I"m sure the cover stock should be plenty sturdy for my needs anyways.

Ugh, all this research for only 13 invites! I must be crazy!!

Thanks again jcrow, your GREAT!!!

 

[jcrow]

i definitely would go with HEAVIER than 65# for the outer cover. closer to 100# if not 100#. the stardream paper is a METALLIC paper and is much more slick than the texture you''re looking for. also, as far as the invite boxes, paper-source has those too.

letterpress paper may be hard to print on a home printer. i''m not too sure it would work. think of it like thick watercolor paper. in your case, i''d just go with a cardstock. (if you''re still going for texture, i''d go with the luxe) it will be cheaper and easier to find and work with.

 

[labbielove]

Not to butt in, but I wanted to say thanks jcrow for posting all of the paper info.
I heart paper-source and need to order paper for our menus, bar menus, guest book table signs,etc. so I found the info useful!

Also, happily, I love your idea of doing the box invites, and I wanted to add that if you don''t have a source for the boxes already, I know paper source carries some- I was toying with the idea of doing those for ours, and I couldn''t find them on their website, but when I called customer service they pointed them out- I can''t recall exactly, but I think they were under their mailers on the website. If not, their customer service is extremely helpful.

good luck!

 

[jcrow]

i''m glad labbie that all of that mumbo-jumbo

was useful. it''s so overwhelming. esp. looking for letterpress paper

.

the boxes at paper-source can be found here.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/24/2007 8:48:15 AM
Author: labbielove
Not to butt in, but I wanted to say thanks jcrow for posting all of the paper info.
I heart paper-source and need to order paper for our menus, bar menus, guest book table signs,etc. so I found the info useful!

Also, happily, I love your idea of doing the box invites, and I wanted to add that if you don''t have a source for the boxes already, I know paper source carries some- I was toying with the idea of doing those for ours, and I couldn''t find them on their website, but when I called customer service they pointed them out- I can''t recall exactly, but I think they were under their mailers on the website. If not, their customer service is extremely helpful.

good luck!

oh, and if it''s helpful, i also used the heavier luxe paper from paper-source for my RD menus, food item cards, guest book wish cards and program covers.

and labbie & happily & anyone else, i can provide pics if it''d be helpful, too.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Thanks jcrow and labbie! So i''ll scratch the 65lb (I didn''t think that would be heavy enough) and go with the 95lb or heavier if I find it. And that''s good to know about the stardream jc - i''ll scratch that off my list of contenders. Well it looks like i''ll prob end up ordering from paper-source since they have boxes too. I"m going out shopping for paper today but haven''t seen to many supply places in town. At least I have an online falback. Wish me luck!

 

[jcrow]

lots o luck!!

oh, and don''t go too much over 100# b/c then it starts to be too thick - think heavy cardboard.

ok, back to wishing you lots o luck!