what's in your pocket

Everybody wants a pocket on their wedding invitation these days.  It's currently all the rage.  The pocket stores the response card & envelope, hotel info, directions and whatever other info accompanies the actual invite portion of the invitation.

What did we do before the evolution of the pocket?

Anyway, here's an example of a pocketfold invitation that we put together earlier this year.  It is a 5x7 horizontal layout with the pocket on the bottom.  We went with a modern template.  The script is right aligned and the complementary scroll image is on the left which we hand stamped.  The color scheme matches the colors of the wedding - navy, yellow & ivory.

-The perennial bridesmaid

escort service

Cocktail hour is winding down and you are trying to find your seat. You go over to a large table and pick up a little escort card with your name on it. You know the one. It’s folded in half and in calligraphy it says you and your husband’s name or you and your date’s name or maybe just you “and guest”. Next to said names, it lists your table number.

There are always so many questions around how to properly do the escort cards. I am here to finally regulate the right and wrong way to the escort cards/list/board.

Rule #1 – only ONE escort card per couple, married or unmarried.
The only time you would stray from this rule is when they are not sitting together. For example, you may have a head table where your bridesmaids are sitting and their dates are at another table. Then obviously the dates get another escort card with their table number.

Rule #2 – Fill in ALL guests’ names.
If they are married, it should read: Mr.& Mrs. John Smith OR John & Jane Smith. (How formal you are is really up to how formal you want your wedding to be.)
If they are not married, it should read: John Smith & Jane Doe BUT if Jane Doe was your invited guest and she’s bringing John Smith as a date, put Jane’s name first. Jane Doe & John Smith
When you receive the couple’s response card, you should fill in the names that they listed there. If they choose to put “Jane Doe and guest” on their response card, then and only then is it ok to put that on their escort card.  Obviously they didn't read the 4th bullet point in the post about how to properly RSVP.

Rule #3 – Alphabetize by last name.
So that guests can easily find their name and table, be sure to alphabetize with the invited guest’s last name. Mr.& Mrs. John Smith would be under S. If Jane Doe is bringing John Smith as a guest, then they are alphabetized under D. Jane Doe & John Smith

Feel free to replace “escort card” anywhere above with “line on a guest board” where ever necessary. Many couples are opting for these trendy lists. They’re cool and often less labor intensive for the couple to put together. Rock out with it. Just follow the rules above.

-The perennial bridesmaid

Escort Card by impressioninvitation on Etsy

Framed Seating Chart by CAMRYNJOLEE on Etsy

well rounded

Invitations come in all shapes, sizes, colors and umm, corners. The formal creamy wedding invitation with silver script seems to be going extinct. Everyone is opting for color! Custom monograms. Lace. Textured cardstock. Ribbon. You name it and I’ve probably seen it on one of our DIY assembly lines in the last year. Perhaps you've received one?

Today I am featuring one of these DIY gems because words alone just won’t do it justice!

Well let me try a few words anyway…This invitation is legal size. Tri-fold also known as gate fold. On the front “cover” is the couple’s custom logo that a phenom graphic designer friend put together for them. At first, that’s all you see until you remove the belly band. Oh you’ve never heard that term before as it applies to invitations? The belly band holds it all in the invitation, just like your spanx hold it all in for you.  This belly band is textured with polka dots.

Remove the dotted belly band and you've got yourself an invitation with details about the couple and wedding.  They opted for a totally casual phrase...no last names, no parents' names, just "together with their families".  That safely encompasses everyone that made this union possible!

Moving on to the inside...brace yourself for inserts, maps, details, pockets, response cards and tons of rounded corners!  Have you ever seen such a detailed map?  Since there are a lot of out-of-towners attending this wedding, a custom made map was a necessity.  Made by the groom himself.

There are a total of 3 pockets here.  The picture is not clearly showing that they are all indeed texturized with the polka dots.  The details here are remarkable! 

The response card evokes humor with the following response choices next to decreasingly smaller boxes:

Yes! Save us seats
No, sadly missing out
I'm going to forget to mail this

Overall, the invitation sets the tone of the wedding and party.  Casual yet detail oriented.  Humorous, fun and well rounded!

-The perennial bridesmaid

rsvp bloopers

My friend’s wedding invitations just dropped this week. There have already been several odd responses…

First, her groom received a call with someone requesting to bring their baby to the ‘adult only reception’. When her fiancé tried to talk his relative down gently from bringing the baby, the relative responded, “oh but she’s been to a loud wing eating contest. She’ll be fine!”

Looks like the baby won with the couple feeling slightly offended by the comparison of their formal wedding to a wing eating contest.

You should always assume a wedding reception is for adults only UNLESS the invitation envelope specifically lists the child’s name OR the invitation states that ‘children are welcome’ (OR your child is part of the bridal party, of course).

The following day she receives another call from an invitee noting that her invitation is addressed to her ‘and guest’. My friend replies, “That’s correct” and the woman goes on to say that there is only one response card with the invitation. “Where will I put my guest’s entrée choice?”

Seriously people? Get a clue! Fill in your name & your guest’s name in the blank space. Then select 2 entrees. Geez. It’s pretty simple.

That’s still not as funny as when I heard someone crossed out the typed M (meant to indicate Mr., Miss or Ms. on the response card line and started with their first name.   M__________________

-The perennial bridesmaid (off to a rehearsal!)

invitation appreciation

I am totally entrenched in invitations at the moment…weddings, showers, rehearsal dinners. You name it and we’re hand making invitations for it! I love paper crafting so I am happy to help out in this area. Multiple questions have come up around standard envelope sizes and postage. I’ve been learning so much and have decided to answer all of these questions at once with an easy reference guide detailing standard invitation envelope sizes & current USPS rates. I hope you find this helpful!

• Minimum envelope size you can mail is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2
• Square envelopes cost more to mail than rectangular
• If you address your envelope vertically instead of the normal horizontal way, you will be charged more
• If you're making your own invitations, you should always cut your cardstock about an 1/8” less than the envelope size
• If you choose postcards for the save the dates or response cards, they may take longer to get to the recipient than if put in an envelope. Postcards are considered 2nd class mail
• For standard envelopes, the maximum thickness that the envelope can be is 1/4" & weigh up to 1 oz. $.17 for each additional oz

Invitation        Postage       Response card      Postage      
envelope size                      envelope size
3 7/8 x 8 7/8      $.44             3 5/8 x 5 1/8            $.44        
4 1/8 x 9 1/2        .44             4 1/4 x 5 1/2              .44         
5 1/4 x 7 1/4        .44             4 3/4 x 6 1/2              .44                     
5 1/2 x 8 1/8        .44
6 x 9 1/2              .44
6x6                      .64
7x7                      .64

Postcard       Postage
3 1/2 x 5        $.28
4 1/4 x 6          .28


-The perennial bridesmaid