Invite help!

[katrina_33]

OK, I''ve been positively TORTURED about invitations since the second I got engaged (I want to send out save the dates at least 9 months in advance since most guests are coming from OOT and hotel rooms in Santa Barbara book up so early), and I want my save the dates to match my invites, so I feel like I have to make the whole decision right away.

At this point, I have a font picked out, little graphic design elements picked out (all of these are on my computer ready to go) and paper picked out that I could buy myself if I wanted to. An example of the little wing ding is attached, and the paper I want is Arturo handmade paper with all deckled edges.

I could conceivably DIY these, but I have no real desire to. I''d have to buy graphic design software to lay it out (it''s impossible to do in photoshop) and then figure out how to get them all aligned and printed to be professional looking.

I''d much rather find somewhere where I can send them the font and wording / color selections along with the wingding and paper (or tell them what paper i wanted)and have them all printed plus get return addys printed on the envelopes, etc, but I''m not sure what kind of place this would be?

I''ve searched for printing and graphic design in LA online and just get a bunch of really commercial results for people who design brochures and business cards, etc and print the same - doesn''t seem to be precisely what I''m after...

There''s got to be an easy solution here, what I want is pretty simple and specific, and I don''t want to pay a high end custom wedding invitation designer when I know exactly what I want and have access to all of the components...

Any suggestions for where to turn?

 

[jcrow]

i have designed mine and they are at the printer now. before i picked a printer, i did find several places that allowed you to provide the artwork and they would print them. i was strickly looking at letterpress though. don''t know if that''s where you are going. what i suggest is looking outside of your area. you can communicate via email and send the artwork that way.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Wow jcrow you are starting early!!! I LOVE letterpress (anything) so I am sure they will be stunning.

I am designing and printing most of mine (minus the envelope and perf), but like jcrow we are in the field. I would suggest going to a paper store. Most the time they have designers on staff that will lay it out for you. I am not sure what you do for a living but if you own a business you can buy your paper directly from the vender and save lots of $$$. Also we use a smaller, local print shop. I am getting our address printed on the back flap in silver ink and 200 pages perfed (so it rips into a postcard) and it is under $100. Well worth it.

 

[jcrow]

tacori- are we doing the same invites? teehee- mine have a perf for the RSVP too.

well i am not doing save the dates so i will be sending my invites extra early. all of the save the date info (hotels) will be included in the actual invites since almost all of my guests will be out of towners.

yeh - i LOVE letterpress too! i was dead set on having letterpress for my invites! i researched forever for a printer that would print someone's design, do a fab. job doing it and that was reasonably priced. will see how they turn out...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

oh I can''t wait to see them! I need to print out my rsvp page early this week so I can take it to the printers before I leave for Vegas for my b. party on Thursday (can''t wait!)

I don''t know why I am putting it off. All the paper came in and I am printing them on my work laser. Maybe this thread will help motivate me.

 

[flopkins]

katrina -
if the design you want is simple enough, I can probably throw it together on adobe illustrator for you, if you have all the elements like you say. Or if you can get access to illustrator I did all my invite/paper design with it and it turned out great. Anyway, shoot me an email at fands2006 at gmail dot com if you''re interested


jcrow - if you are still looking for a letterpress printer mine was fabulous, and pretty cheap. he does just printing, no design, but he''s happy to discuss details with you. www.dependableletterpress.com