STD magnet vs STD postcard

[FLgirl41]

So I need some input from people. I am in the stage of trying to figure out what I want to do for STD’s. I would like to send them out in January (11 months before the wedding) because I have a lot of OOTers of which are college student, just out of college, or just don’t have a lot of money to travel. I would like to give them a good and informative heads up so they can find the best deals. I plan on doing a web site with up to date travel information, as in flight information and hotel information.

I have several options of what to do. First off I plan on doing my own invites. I found some great card stock paper at www.papermillstore.com and some great pocket folders at www.paperpresentation.com. My brother in law is a graphic designer and is really good at what he does. He is going to help me design an invite and has also offered to help with the STD. I have yet to decide of whether or not to pay for the invited to be professionally printed or just have him print them from his computer. I have attached a pic of what the invites will look like. Please note I made this in paint so it is not very good. I am hoping my BIL can make a neat design to use instead of the monogram.

So with that being said here are my options for STD:

1. Make a design in Photoshop and upload it to Vistaprint.com and have a postcard/card made for $18 for 100 (I’ll need about 150) and place them in envelopes.
2. Make a design in Photoshop and upload it to vistaprint.com and have magnets made for about $75. And then make a card at home to place the magnet on then place them in an envelope.
3. Create a design and do something similar as the invite on the same card stock paper as the invite.
4. Purchase printing magnet paper and make 2.75” x 4” magnets for about $45 not including ink for the printer.

I’d like to do something creative, but I am wandering how many people really want to put a magnet of FI and I on their fridge. I am just having a hard time to decide of what to do. I know I would like to involve a pic from engagement session somewhere on the STD.

Sorry for the ultra long post, I just can’t decide! Thank you in advance!

 

[Cleopatra]

The whole magnet STD issue is a weird one for me. My thoughts of "will people want a pic of FI and me on their fridge" are exactly the same as yours. And I''ve come to the conclusion that unless these people are mom, dad, grand-ma, or grand-pa - no, they will not want a pic of you on the fridge (I could be wrong, but it''s just MHO).

My issue with this is because I recently received a magnet STD of some friends getting married soon....And the magnet never made it to the refridgerator door....

 

[jfus]

Hey there...

I actually have used Vista for lots of stuff.. although they are great and cheap... I think that if you are stickler for quality I would not use them for save the date magets or cards...

I am actualy going to print my own save the dates at home on a color laser printer.. (maybe your brother in law has access to one??) I am also making my std more CARD like.. so that I can use very nice paper and I will add a piece of magnetic tape to the back.

As for keeping the designs of the save the date and invite similiar I am all about it.. although your mind could change on things within the next 8 months or so...

But maybe you will have an Element that you could keep the same?? Just a thought...


Anyway if you like I have a post a little further down about a mock up of my STD.. check it out if you like!

 

[misysu2]

I have a friend who did magnent STD''s. I did put it on the fridge, but the magnent was so cheap in quality, it lost it''s (magnent-isity?), or stickiness?, and fell off after the first month, then we lost it.

 

[FLgirl41]

Date: 12/3/2007 11:29:45 AM
Author: jfus
Hey there...

I actually have used Vista for lots of stuff.. although they are great and cheap... I think that if you are stickler for quality I would not use them for save the date magets or cards...

I am actualy going to print my own save the dates at home on a color laser printer.. (maybe your brother in law has access to one??) I am also making my std more CARD like.. so that I can use very nice paper and I will add a piece of magnetic tape to the back.

As for keeping the designs of the save the date and invite similiar I am all about it.. although your mind could change on things within the next 8 months or so...

But maybe you will have an Element that you could keep the same?? Just a thought...


Anyway if you like I have a post a little further down about a mock up of my STD.. check it out if you like!

Would vista be better if we didnt have a laser printer?

As for the magnet idea I think I am going to wipe that idea out and just make little magnets they can use that are not tied to the wedding at all and if they feel like putting us on the fridge they can

 

[jfus]

Vista is OK...

I think they print a little cheesy.. but keep in mind I am a graphic designer and I am picky with this stuff.

What I"d do is this.. They actually have GREAT customer service.

Call Vista.. ask for samples.. Explain you are looking for save the dates have them send samples of invitations, std''s, annoucments in both magnet form and not..

I have done magnets with them before.. I just hate that plasticy white stuff they print on.. You may be better off having them print a card with a custom design or a ready picked one... and then adding magnet tape on your own.. It''s a thought.

 

[Pandora II]

I had magnets done and they came out really beautifully. I was more impressed with the quality than I expected to be (I''m another designer).

They didn''t feel at all plasticky, but more like quality card with a very slight sheen - I have a feeling the European ones may be different from the US.

My design doesn''t have photos of us at all, but is an adapted image from the Bayeaux Tapestry and so looks a bit like an arty postcard anyway, so no problem over people putting them on their fridges. I''m sending them out with my xmas cards.

I did spend hours printing laser copies to check the colours and adjust them properly as monitors can be a little out. The final product was perfect in terms of colour/design reproduction.

Basically I was happy!

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 12/3/2007 11:26:31 AM
Author: Cleopatra
The whole magnet STD issue is a weird one for me. My thoughts of 'will people want a pic of FI and me on their fridge' are exactly the same as yours. And I've come to the conclusion that unless these people are mom, dad, grand-ma, or grand-pa - no, they will not want a pic of you on the fridge (I could be wrong, but it's just MHO).

My issue with this is because I recently received a magnet STD of some friends getting married soon....And the magnet never made it to the refridgerator door....

That's one of the reasons why I didn't do magnets.

ETA: Oops, I forgot to mention this but I love the look you're going for!

 

[BlueKeet]

I did photo magnets and attached the magnet to a card with photo corners so if they didn't want to use the magnet (or didn't figure out it was a magnet) they could just leave it on the card and throw it in a drawer.

If I was getting a save the date magnet from someone I'd much rather have their picture on it than just the details. I want to see pictures of people I like. If someone doesn't want to look at us when they need something from the fridge or file cabinent then they probably don't need to be at the wedding. If looking at us is repulsive or tacky to them, better to have them find out now then wait until we are exchanging vows. I don't plan on providing custom monogrammed barf bags for guests to use during the ceremony. My sad attempt at humor, at least it makes me smile to think of coordinated baggies, napkins and escort cards.

 

[Sabine]

Date: 12/3/2007 4:04:50 PM
Author: BlueKeet
I did photo magnets and attached the magnet to a card with photo corners so if they didn''t want to use the magnet (or didn''t figure out it was a magnet) they could just leave it on the card and throw it in a drawer.

If I was getting a save the date magnet from someone I''d much rather have their picture on it than just the details. I want to see pictures of people I like. If someone doesn''t want to look at us when they need something from the fridge or file cabinent then they probably don''t need to be at the wedding. If looking at us is repulsive or tacky to them, better to have them find out now then wait until we are exchanging vows. I don''t plan on providing custom monogrammed barf bags for guests to use during the ceremony. My sad attempt at humor, at least it makes me smile to think of coordinated baggies, napkins and escort cards.

Sorry to threadjack, but I did photo magnets too, and haven''t sent them out yet. I''d love to attach them to a card so that I could add a personal note. BlueKeet, where did you get the paper with phoo corners???

 

[BlueKeet]

I ordered custom folding notecards. When you open the note card, the magnet is on the blank top half and the full names, city, date and website info were on the bottom half of the card. I got a box of clear photo corners from Michaels. You slip one on each corner or two corners of the magnet and stick the corners to the card. I really liked doing these for some reason and can''t wait to use the leftover photo corners for something. Weird I''m sure. Oh the corners were very cheap. I have also seen cards sold with slits cut in them to hold the magnet. I think some places give them to you when you buy magnets from them.

Hope that helps.

 

[Sabine]

Thanks BlueKeet! I was imagining the paper with the slots cut in them, although the platic corners sound cool!

 

[BlueKeet]

FLgirl, if you do use vistaprint you should be able to get the magnets for half off and 100 standard postcards for free at any given time. I ordered 100 custom folding cards and 100 photo magnets for $100. Plus I got some other stuff free with it. A free return address stamp for instance.

Note, the consumer affairs link that has made me decide not to use VistaPrint for RSVP postcards. I don''t feel comfortable recommending them after seeing the complaints. Plus, the color and quality of the photo on the magnet wasn''t even close to the original. Again, it was cheap and I didn''t have to bother doing them myself so I got over it quickly. The notecards were nice, but they did have vistaprint logo on the back. Again, I was fine with the logo until I saw complaints.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/vistaprint.html

 

[BlueKeet]

I don''t have pictures of mine, but see LabbieLove''s post for better visualization of photo corners. I dig clear, but there are tons of color options. Paper-Source had quite a few if I recall.