Know everything about various formats and structures for your invitations!

Wedding Invitations

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for all your never-ending love & support!
It means a lot to all of us here, at the Customizing Creativity family, to have you here week-by-week reading, loving & enjoying all our blog posts!

We sincerely thank you!

Today, what we are going to talk about are the various structures & formats for your wedding invitations – this totally is the first look of your card, & it is with this, that your guest will get the first glimpse of what is inside.

The format / structure of the invitation also determines how much paper & printing goes into the card, thus finally determining your final costs as well.

For all you lovely people, we have put together a handy guide on some of the most popular & loved formats that not only look great but also make every card unique.

We totally understand that this is not what you do daily!
But is what we do each & every day & with all our heart & passion!

Hence, to make this easy-peasy for you, we have collated below a glossary of some technical words you should know before you read on!

Main Envelope / Outer envelope :
This is the first look of your invitation, as it is the outer most cover of your card. This is where your guest name & address will be written.

Folder / Jacket :
This is normally the second layer in your card – this is what you are pulling out of the main envelope. This acts as a holder for your inserts.
Not all invite formats have the folder, you’ll see more details on this as you read on.

Inserts / Leaves :
Your inserts are the different inlets of printed paper, that give information like date, time, venues, dress codes & family names. For most Indian / South – Asian weddings where there are multiple functions, having inserts / leaves makes it easier for you to create combinations for different events

We hope this helps, to make the forthcoming data easier to understand 🙂

Lets dive straight in!

1) The main envelope + folder + inserts (conventional & classic)

What this essentially includes is an envelope, then what comes next is the folder (which normally opens from the left, like a greeting card, or from the top).

When you further open the folder, you will see a pocket / holder for all the inserts for the functions!

This structure is one that has been used over the years, making it one of the most popular formats. It works really well for weddings or events, where the information needs to be split up in various date wise functions, specifically more than five, as this type of a folder can hold the inserts very well.

2) The Plain Jane (simple & timeless)

In this style, we have the envelope opening directly into the insert(s).
What this means is that, there is no separate folder / jacket for the inserts, thus reducing the amount of paper used & printing done.
Incase you’d like to cut costs or reduce usage of paper & printing, this proves to be a good alternative to the previous format.

This format works really well for Save the dates / Engagement invitations / single events as this is great for cards that do not have too much information.

3) The pocket style (a twist to the classic envelope)

This is pretty much like an old school envelope, but with an expandable pocket, more like a clutch pouch.

It is great when you have multiple events, as it can hold the inserts well, but also does not look empty when your guest may be receiving only one insert.

4) The envelope-cum-folder (convenient & compact)

This structure has been one of the most trending formats over the past 2-3 years!

This is actually a tri-fold envelope, which also acts as a holder for the inserts – as when this opens up, it has a pocket to keep them in place.

This uses lesser paper than the first format & is a compact version of the same!

5) The 4 fold opening (all about the drama)

This opening style, as the name suggests, opens from all 4 sides.

This structure does not have a separate folder to it, as the four fold itself acts as an envelope-cum-folder, thus minimizing use of paper!

6) The gate fold (royalty at it’s best)

This style, essentially opens up from the centre, resembling a gate.
The gate fold is normally used as a replacement to the traditional folder that holds the inserts & hence it does need to go in an envelope.

The reason for this is that, incase you do not put it in an envelope, the inserts may fall out from the top end of the gate fold.

7) The origami folding (experimental & fun)

This is one of our favourites! As the name suggests, it has a quirky folded origami folder.

Though the folding can be a little cumbersome at times, it does make for an interesting & off-beat shape, making the card look really out-of-the-box.

We can create a host of shapes & folding types so make it look unique to your style!

8) The book style (dreamy & vintage)

In this format, all your inserts are bound together in a book like structure, almost like a story book.
This is one of the most royal formats we use!

The only downside of the book style, is that, it does not give you the flexibility to make combinations of inserts, incase all your guests are not invited to each event / function.

And because of this, it is very popular with destination weddings, as every guest gets invited to every event, thus doing away with the management of multiple inserts.

All of the above can have a spine to make it look like a box, a magnet, a wax seal, a monogram sticker, etc.

These variations make the card look interesting as well as fun.
But we are always looking to create new concepts & creative adaptions of the humble envelope!

Stay tuned for lots of new things coming up this wedding season!

#Protips :-

– The heavier the card, the more it will cost to courier or ship. So do keep that in mind while deciding on your format & paper thickness

– Make sure there is enough space to write your guest name & address on every envelope.

Should you have any feedback or want us to cover any particular topic, feel free to let us know!
We lovingly invite you to subscribe to our blog for upcoming articles & future blog posts.

For any further questions, we’re just an email away & we will try to help you resolve any queries you may have!

We can be reached on info@customizingcreativity.in

You can take a look at some of our latest work via these links :-
Website : www.customizingcreativity.in
Instagram handle : instagram.com/customizing_creativity
(don’t miss out on our IGTV series for further insight into this topic)
Facebook page : Facebook.com/dishamehtadesign

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

5 factors that determine the cost of your wedding invitations and stationery!

Wedding Invitations

Hey there!
Thank you so very much for being here with us today!
We’re so glad to see you reading this blog post which we have so lovingly put together for you! 🙂

You can go through our blog posts on various topics that will help you through the process of understanding every small detail that will make the entire process so much more easier for you.

Also do visit our ‘Etsy Shop‘ for DIY Save the dates, Invitations & Stationery Templates that are available for quick edits and instant downloads:

Please click here : https://www.etsy.com/in-en/shop/CustomizingDIY

We have listed them all down for you! 🙂

1) OUR TOP 5 FAQS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SETTING OUT TO DECIDING ON YOUR WEDDING MONOGRAM OR YOUR WEDDING LOGO

2) THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE SENDING OUT YOUR SAVE THE DATE

3) THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE APPROACHING YOUR INVITATION DESIGNER

4) HOW TO CREATE YOUR DESIGN BRIEF?

5) HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT INVITATION DESIGNER FOR YOU?

6) ALL ABOUT WEDDING INVITATION AND STATIONERY TIMELINES

7) EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INVITATION PRINTING TECHNIQUES AND PROCESSES

So you may know exactly what you want in terms of design for your invitations, overall look & feel is clear & you may have even shortlisted your dream invitation designer!

Eventually, a lot of things boil down to the moolah!
It may be your “dream invitation” but you may still need to work around a realistic budget to make something beautiful just for you!

And today that is exactly what we’re going to be talking about!

All brides & grooms want everything! And why not?
But that doesn’t mean that we need to get into debt for our invitations!

There are a lot of factors that determine how much your invitation or stationery can cost.

Hence, we have put together a few insights that can help you get something you absolutely love, without breaking the bank!

Let’s begin!

Factor 1 : Your quantities

This one is super important for quoting.
Remember! For your Save the Dates or your invitations, you need to calculate your quantities based on the number of households you will be sending these, not as per your guest count.

For most Indian weddings, where we may have more than one event / function, we may also have a varying guest list – so even the number of inserts one may require for each event / function may vary & hence that may bring down or bring up your cost.

You may want to read through our blog post on what answers to have ready before meeting your invitation designer.

Factor 2 : Format of the invitation card

By this, what we mean is – the size, the layout, the opening style, the number of pieces in each set, etc.
A belly band, a four-fold envelope, a gate-fold jacket, an envelope-cum-folder, etc. – all of these are considered to be the formats of your invitation.
Also, a card with a box or a bag will surely cost more than one without – this is also considered as a format.

These above details determine the amount of paper (or any other material) to be used & the amount of printing to be done.

Hence it is a very very important part of the quote.

You can read through our blog post on how to create your design brief.

Factor 3 : Printing processes & techniques

Once your designs are ready, the printing processes you choose or the techniques that are required for that particular design have a big role to play in your costing!

Printing details like, the amount of foiling, embossing, letterpress, laminations, laser cutting, etc. are some of the most popular & widely used printing & post printing processes.

For example : An invitation with foiling is likely to cost much lesser than one which has a detailed laser cut design.

Read our blog post about various printing techniques used for invitations.

Factor 4 : Material of printing & its thickness

The base of your invitation could be paper, cardboard, fabric, wood, acrylic or any other material that forms the base of your printing.
This is again one of the main factors that the quote depends upon.

For example : An invitation printed on paper is likely to be more cost effective than one printed on wood or acrylic.

Not only the material, but also the thickness of the material affects the cost.

For example : A card that is 300 gsm stock paper versus a card which is 600 gsm stock paper will surely cost a lot lesser, without compromising your design on the front.

Factor 5 : Double side or Front & Back printing

This decision is mostly based on how much content you have and if it will fit best on one or two sides for each event.
Or it may not be the text, but you may want to have a design or artwork printed on the both sides of the card, which means double the printing – hence again, that could jump up your cost.

#Protips :-

– Decide on where to save & where to splurge on the printing, only once you have the design ready, so you have more clarity on which process will work best for it.

– Even if it is a little over your budget, printing techniques can make anything breathtakingly beautiful – it’s a really special touch. If it’s something you can swing, you definitely should.

You may have your heart set on something, and maybe you can’t get the same look or feel unless you’re going with foil, and while that is definitely pricier, we can find other things to cut down on.

Sometimes you have to make tough choices when it comes to your invitations & stationery, and it’s hard to know where to splurge and where to save.

Our goal is that, no matter what your budget, you should have beautiful invitations that perfectly reflect the mood of your event & your personal style!

Feel free to pick & choose what works best for you & your pocket – that’s always the bottom line!

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

Everything you need to know about invitation printing techniques and processes

Wedding Invitations

Hey!
We’re so glad to see you here again!
We love putting these posts together for all you lovely people & we’d like to thank you so very much for reading, enjoying & loving every bit of it! 🙂

Our goal is to educate and help you make decisions for your invitations (even if it’s not right then and there) with as little stress as possible & we sincerely hope that we’re being of service to you guys!

So, our topic for today is one of the most interesting & fun parts for your invitation design, and we’re really excited to give you all this information, that can help you!

The quality & types of printing details can totally make or break your look!
And in this post, we are going to go over the most commonly desired printing types for wedding stationery.

Hell yeah!! Printing processes can be pretty confusing.

We get a lot of questions about these differences, so we thought we would put together this handy guide for your reference.

So, what is REALLY the difference between digital, letterpress, offset, foil, or any of the other options presented before you?

Let us help break it down for you in the most lay-man language, that is easy to understand.
Let’s get straight into it!

Screen Printing / Raise printing

Screen printing is a base printing technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto the material, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.

One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multicoloured image or design.
If the same artwork is printed over & over again multiple times, it gives a raised look & hence we would refer to it as raise printing, which is just a variation of screen printing.

Traditionally the process was called screen printing or silkscreen printing because silk was used in the process.

We normally would not recommend more than 3-4 colours for this process!
Screen printing, works really well for textured papers as well.

It is one of the most economical processes & works well for small as well as large quantities.

Works really well for : a matte look, keeping the texture of the paper intact, 2 tone patterns.

What you see in the below images is a solid colour along with gold printed on top of it.

Offset printing :

Offset printing is again a base printing technique where your inked image is transferred from a plate, to a rubber blanket, and then to your paper.
It allows for unlimited colours, and is perfect for when you want large sections of solid colour.

It does not disturb the surface of your paper, meaning your invitation will be flat and smooth. If you want a lot of colours in your design, and want the printing quality to be as high as possible, this is the option for you!

This process works well for a high quantity to avoid colour variations & also makes it cost effective.

Works really well for : layers of gradation, watercolours, ombre looks, florals , etc.

Digital printing :

Digital printing is the best option for those with lower quantities & again acts as a great base.

Digitally printed invitations are often printed using a colour laser printer, or an inkjet. The quality of the printer will be higher than what you can get at home, but the cost per piece is slightly more than offset printing, but it allows you the same level of flexibility that offset printing does.

That being said, you’d be surprised at what could be accomplished with choosing the right paper stocks, and we think it’s a great option for secondary cards – you can get all the bells and whistles on your invitation, and round out the suite with digitally printed cards.

Works really well for : layers of gradation, watercolours, ombre looks, florals, etc. but for a smaller quantity

Foiling :

Foil stamping is perfect for those who want to add a little bling to their invitations!
A heated die is stamped onto the metallic foil, making it adhere to your paper, leaving a shiny, solid impression.

Foil can be added over & above any of the printing methods discussed above – whether it is screen, offset or digital – foiling sits really well on all.

There are some beautiful metallic foil colours, for e.g. – rose gold, silver, bronze, pinks, blues!

It is one of the most popular process for invitations as it adds all the lovely festive vibe to the prints.
We are absolutely obsessed with foils & we use it in almost every card.

Works really well for : adding glitter / bling, to highlight details, festive look

Letterpress :

Letterpress is a printing technique dating back to the 1400s.
A print is made by ‘pressing’ an inked plate into paper, creating a deep impression in the paper, and providing a textured and classic feel for your wedding invitations.

We believe that letterpress adds a level and quality of craftsmanship that is hard to replicate, and once you hold a letterpress invitation in your hand, you’ll see what we’re talking about.

If you want your invitations to include gradients, photos, or designs with more than three colors, letterpress is not for you.

If you love texture & want something that feels very special, and have a limited color palette, you should consider letterpress printing.

Works really well for : textured papers, 3-dimensional feel, clean fonts

Embossing or de-bossing :

Have you ever run your hand over a print that has bumps and it almost pushed into or over the paper?

You almost can’t help but touch them; the raised relief is as appealing to your eye as it is to your fingertips.
Embossing has a similar effect. Embossing (and its opposite, debossing) are two techniques used to either impress or depress the design into paper.

These popular print effects are ideal for giving your print piece a fresh, contemporary look — and when combined with other base print techniques & effects like foil stamping, embossed designs can transform a great piece to a luxury one.

Works really well for : seamless patterns, highlighting motifs, 3-dimensional look

#Protips :

– Get an idea of all the kinds of printing your designer can offer, & try to mix & match them to add your personal style.

– Some designs do not need to much of printing detail. If so, try to keep it simple.

– Handmade papers / Seed papers do not make for great printing bases for all printing types. If you are using those papers, be sure to stick to 1-2 colour printing as the inks may blotch due to the nature of those papers.

There are many more printing methods like laser cutting, electro-plating, UV printing, etc., but the ones discussed above are most popular with our brides & grooms!

Hopefully this helps you get a better understanding of the various printing types out there.
You can mix & match printing types or keep it cohesive throughout all your functions & events.

If you need help choosing, the designer should be able to guide your decision and pick the best fit for your style & vision.

We know you don’t live in the same printing world as we do & it’s our job to help you figure out what you’re looking for with as little stress as possible.

The best part of hiring a custom stationer is that they are able to talk through it with you – so use them! 😃
We love it and will never steer you wrong. ❤️

Do you have any questions about other printing methodologies?
If so, leave us a comment, and we’ll do our best to answer your question!

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

All about Wedding Invitation and Stationery timelines

Wedding Invitations

Hey, thank you so much for being here with us today!

We couldn’t be happier to see you here with us each time, soaking up all this information & the details we delve in always!

We would sincerely like to thank you for your constant love & support!

So,
Are you unsure about when to order your wedding invitations & stationery?
or
When should your wedding invitations be mailed out?
or perhaps
Are you wondering on the ideal time to send out your thank you cards?

Worry not, as we have got all these questions covered for you here today!

We are always questioned on how many “months” in advance should the process begin, or how many “weeks” post the wedding shall we send out the thank you cards?

But we completely know & understand that these “ideal months” or “ideal weeks” may not work for every couple, especially with Indian weddings, where dates are sometimes fixed as close to 2 months prior to the actual wedding day! Yes guys, this does happen very often!

So today we’re going to take you through a stepwise flow where we have included for you a 11 steps sequential outline on what to begin with first & what to end with.

So let’s begin!

Step 1 : Get basic clarity on what you want to achieve for the overall look & feel

Having a bit of a vision or a mood board will save you the hassle of the back & forth, especially if you don’t have much time on hand.
Even if you do have the time, having a design brief makes things a lot easier for you as well as for the designer.

For further information on this, read our blog post on how to create your design brief.

Step 2 : Meet your designer & get going with ideas & designs

Now that you know what you want to achieve in terms of overall look & feel, meeting the designer can get the ball rolling for you in terms of ideation & getting to know the designer’s thoughts as per your brief.

For further information on this, you may want to go through our blog posts on what answers to have ready before you meet your invitation designer & how to meet your dream invitation designer.

Step 3 : Get cracking with the Save the Date & Wedding Monogram / Logo

As soon as you have decided the right invitation designer for you, begin working on the Save the Date or the Wedding monogram / logo if you need it.

This would ideally be your first step into putting ideas to paper & getting visuals & artworks on what the whole idea is shaping up like!

Read more about Save the Dates & Wedding monograms in our blog posts

Step 4 : Make your guest list

While your Save the Date & Wedding logo designs are underway, the best thing for you to do is to simultaneously work on your function-wise invitation guest-list.

This will not only prep you up on the number of invitations you need to print, but will guide you how many guests you need to courier or ship or e-mail invites to.

Once you have sent out your Save the Dates, your guests are likely to RSVP you & your list can further get crystallised.

Step 5 : Conceptualise your invitation cards

This is no doubt, the most stressful part for you & the families, but surely the most satisfying exercise at the end of the process!

Out of the box ideas, detailed sketches, going through various design options, paper textures, learning about all the printing techniques – it is all maybe overwhelming but also super exciting!

In tandem with your invitation designer begin working on designs & concepts and leave the creative thinking to the designer!

But in the process, make sure to work backwards on the timelines & as per when would you like to begin sending the cards out.

Step 6 : Start collecting addresses for emailing & mailing

While your cards are in process, you can make use of the time to collect e-mail addresses for the e-invitations & postal addresses for those cards that you are going to be shipping or couriering out – you are eventually going to need them for calligraphy or the address labels.

You may also need to make a separate calligraphy list, as you may choose not to get calligraphy done on every envelope! And that’s ok!

Also ensure, that you have address labels sorted along with the cards so you don’t have to waste time once the cards arrive.

Step 7: Wedding Card delivery!

Yayyy!! Ofcourse you’re totally excited!

There is absolutely no doubt that this is the most exciting & fun part of the whole process!
But soak it & then calm down!

Once your cards arrive there maybe some work you got to do.
For example, assembling of the cards, the calligraphy, revisiting your guest list, etc.- this is the best time to rope in some help from your family or friends & adds an even more of a personal touch to the whole process!

Step 8 : Get set go!
It’s time for the cards to go out!

Whatever your mode of sending maybe (mailing / shipping / hand delivery) – begin doing so as per your set timeline.
This is normally when the chunk of your work gets done & you can relax for a bit once you have sent out the cards.

Oh and wait! Get ready to receive some amazing compliments on your beautiful cards!

Step 9 : Reminders before your BIG DAY

Now that your cards have gone out, you should ideally get going with the rest of the stationery!

We highly recommend, that closer to your functions you should send out a reminder of sorts ( the same look & feel of the overall design should continue) or a brief letter about some vital information on the weather, to-do’s, accommodation, etc. that may not have been included in the main invitation card.

This can be done about 2 – 3 weeks prior to your events beginning.

It will not only serve as a recall, but will also get your guests looking forward to your functions!

Step 10 : Wedding Stationery

By wedding stationery we mean all the items that you may need at your events – welcome letters, itineraries, menu cards, gift bags, etc.

Just because this is required just before the wedding starts, do not wait till the end minute. The stationery requires you to be relaxed as it needs proof reading, to ensure that there are no errors.

Plan this in advance, as closer to your dates, you’re going to be super busy with last minute errands & may not leave you with enough time to look into the details of the stationery.

Step 11 : Sending out your thank you cards

Sending a cute thank you note post the wedding, is a beautiful gesture you can do for all your guests to truly thank them & let them know how much you loved having them on your big day – but there is absolutely no rush for this!

All your guests do understand that after one of the biggest events of your life, you are going to take time to get back to routine.

Once you are back from your honeymoon & are settling in, you can begin sending out your thank you cards.

#Protips :

– Be sure to include physical or digital RSVP cards/information in the main invitation set if you require them.

– Do not forget to add salutations to each name while making your guest list, as that will determine how their names will be printed on your address label or calligraphed on the envelope.

– Get your Thank you cards printed along with your main wedding cards, so you don’t have to worry about that post the wedding.

Our constant endeavour is to ensure that we’re easing out the whole wedding invitations & stationery process, so that it is all a breeze for YOU – we sincerely hope we’re being of help & are being able to guide you’ll in a way that you can enjoy every bit of it!

There is no right or wrong way of doing this, just do what you feel is right & don’t become a bridezilla over these things 🙂
Don’t rush it , take it easy & enjoy the process!

Should you have any feedback or want us to cover any particular topic, feel free to leave your comments below.
We lovingly invite you to subscribe to our blog for upcoming articles & future blog posts.

For any further questions, we’re just an email away & we will try to help you resolve any queries you may have!

We can be reached on info@customizingcreativity.in

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

How to choose the right invitation designer for you?

Wedding Invitations

Hey!

We’re so delighted that you are here with us today & we sincerely hope that we are being of help!

We have been getting a wonderful response to the blog as well as the videos & we cannot thank you’ll enough!

The topic we are going to elaborate on today is something of major importance when you get to choosing the right invitation designer for you!

Once you have an idea of what you like, you can shortlist designers who have worked in that space as you may want to meet a few people before picking the right one for you!

Choosing who to work with, is a decision you need to make after you put some thought into it, as your designer is the one who will be visualising the aesthetics – the overall designing will solely depend upon that!

To make this easier for you, take a look at the points below to see which designer fits the bill for you.

1) Someone who has worked on a variety of styles / cultures

Before you close on “the” one, you may want to see the various cultures & nationalities they have worked with.

Are they mainly working with brides & grooms only from a particular community, geography or region? If yes, then is their work is too repetitive for your guests?

A varied portfolio allows you to understand their scope of design amongst different thought processes.

It shows the creativity, their willingness to adapt to various requirements & their approach towards their work in general, without being stuck to their comfort zone.

2) Do some research to find out their past experience in the industry

There is no substitute for experience! They have seen various seasons, ups & downs & are aware of the know-how of the industry, at the back of their hand.

Not only will they have enough knowledge on the subject, but they will also be able to guide you well throughout the process.

3) How technically sound are they?

By this we mean, their diverse technical knowledge in printing, what works for your occasion, detailed design processes, do they know their papers well?

This also only comes with experience & dealing with numerous families on a daily basis.

4) Be sure to check the quality of the work

In photos things can look great – but the colours, the printing, the papers can look different in person as compared to the images

Fix up a meeting or call for samples to understand the touch & feel.

Scheduling an appointment will give you a chance to catch a glimpse of their work & you can also browse through the variety of their designs!

5) What budget are we talking about?

You may love the work of a designer, but are they fitting within the range of the budget you are looking at? We’re sure that every designer does their best they can in terms of pricing, but sometimes it may not work out even after all the effort.

So do ensure to do your research on that – give them a phone call or shoot them an email before you meet them so as not to waste your time & neither theirs.

6) Willing to work on newer ideas & concepts even if they haven’t done it before?

If the designer shows the initiative to make something new – it is their ability to go out of their way & convince you that it can be achieved.

How confident are they about creating what you like, even if it is new for them?
This will help you understand whether they can pull off something they haven’t executed before.

7) Go through their testimonials

Take a little bit of effort to go through their track record on timelines, promptness & responsiveness.

Client feedback & reviews will give you an idea on the promptness to your enquiry & it will show how responsive they will be in the future.

Testimonials show their goodwill, their way of working, their flexibility, ease of payments, etc.

They may have done things for friends & family, but the real testimonial is by talking to some of their previous clients who can vouch for them – this is another way of doing this.

8) Last but not the least, when you meet them, are you able to connect with them?

All of the above can be ticked off, but what you can gauge from the meeting or your conversation?

How is the overall vibe? Can you feel their passion?

Have they understood what you’re looking for? Some one who just “gets” you?

Sometimes your gut & instinct can tell you more than your mind can!

Sometimes it just clicks at the first go & it is their appeal & their approach is what will make you want to work with them

If it feels right, & you’ll have struck a cord, it will work out.

#Protip:

– If you love the work & it does not fit in the budget – try and pursue it, sometimes it may work out

– Do a Save the Date / Logo design as a test project with the designer

– While comparing work, ensure you are comparing apple to apple – not only budget, but everything in terms of experience, designs, scope of work, promptness & most importantly your willingness to work with them

If you feel, that a particular designer is the right one for you – go for it!
It’s not always about the budget, it is about you working with THAT person who you can totally trust!

When we did our first invitation, we had no work to showcase whatsoever!
But our very first wedding card came to us through someone who had worked us before & created some stationery with us! They were extremely happy with that & they gave us the chance to pull of their daughter’s wedding card – and that is a very big deal!

We’re ever so grateful & indebted towards them for having the faith, the trust and the confidence in us that we could do it – we cannot thank them enough! 🙂

So these are our guidelines, that we feel, most brides & grooms consider before taking their pick! Hopefully it will help you too 🙂

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

How to create your design brief?

Wedding Invitations

With over a decade of experience in creating bespoke invitations, we have worked with over a 1000 families across the globe – with various cultures, backgrounds & age groups.

With this ocean of experience with us, every week, we curate for you, valuable information you may need to help you create your dream invitation!

We have always aimed at bringing you’ll insights to make your invitation process simpler & easier only for you!

Like always, we’d like to thank you’ll from the bottom of our hearts for being here with us today!

What we’re going to talk about in this blog post, is a very important part before you begin the designing process – & that is how to create your design brief?
What we mean by this, is essentially the look & feel, the vision, the mood board & the aesthetics you’d like to reflect in the overall design.

Having a little bit of clarity on the above helps you as well as the invitation designer to channelise the process, especially if your card needs customisation from scratch!

Once you’ve figured out the technical bit – your numbers, your quantities, your guest list, etc. – it is at this stage we feel, where a lot of families, brides & grooms tend to get a bit stuck.

So today we’re going to take you through some steps / guidelines that can help you create an outline design brief.

1) What is the overall look & feel you’d like to achieve for your invitation & wedding stationery?

Visualise the vibe! You may want to reflect a casual / formal / fun / quirky / royal feel.
This would also depend on the overall mood of the wedding.

While concluding on this, you may want to keep your destination / venue in mind too as that too could be used as a design inspiration.

See some examples below :-

This invitation is royally themed around the destination of the wedding, Udaipur, Rajasthan, which took place at a palace and that is where the design inspiration came from.
This tropical vibe was for a wedding in Cancun, Mexico.

2) Do you have a specific colour palette for your functions?

The colour palette you choose for each event (or it can be a common one that can be carried throughout the wedding), will set the mood for your invitation.

You can brain storm with your wedding planner or decor consultant to work around it & you can give this input as a part of your brief to tie it in with your wedding card.

See an example below :-

This is an example of a pastel colour palette

3) What are the things that are absolutely YOU?

Look around you!

What are the things that inspire you?
Things that tell your story as a couple?
What reflects your personalities?

It could be an experience, your favourite cafe, the city you’ll met in, your favourite travels, etc. Try using these elements that define you for an extremely customised look.

By doing this, you’ll not only tell your story to your guests, but also create something really close to your heart that you can admire for the rest of your life!

4) What are the things you don’t want at all?

At times, it maybe be difficult for you to spell out what you exactly want, as you may like a lot of things & it can get confusing!
But you can use the elimination process & figure things that you don’t particularly love – it could be a colour, a font, an element you don’t like very much!

Sometime it is simpler to point out things that you are not fond instead of things you are fond of!

This makes it easier for you & the designer to stay away from these things & use other ideas that you may like.

5) Create a moodboard

By this, we don’t necessarily mean having images of other cards – it could be an inspiration of decor ideas, a home ware store you love, a fashion designer you like, a piece of art that inspires you, a print you spotted on your travel, a scene from your favourite movie – it could be just about ANYTHING that you can add in as your design brief.

It’s just enough so that the designer can gauge what you like – it is the designer’s job to see what best can be used from that as a design inspiration for your stationery.

See examples below :-

The more you see, the more you’ll know what you like & what you don’t.
Pinterest serves as a great inspiration tool.
You can take cues to help you create your mood board & understand how other brides & grooms have themed their wedding decor & colours.

So this should be pretty much the information you should have for your design brief – it is really a great spot for you to visualise the overall look & feel.

But yes, we definitely recommend not to be too fixated with what you have in mind, as it may curb & restrict the vision of the creator.

#Protips

– Don’t get into too much detail of the brief, it will hamper the freshness & surprise element from the designer.

– Sometimes, having no clue on what you want, may also be a great approach – the final outcome will pleasantly surprise you.

We sincerely hope we are being of service & of enough help so that you can have a wonderful experience during the whole process!

We can be reached on info@customizingcreativity.in

You can take a look at some of our latest work via these links :-
Website : www.customizingcreativity.in
Instagram handle : instagram.com/customizing_creativity
(don’t miss out on our IGTV series for further insight into this topic)
Facebook page : Facebook.com/dishamehtadesign

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

Things to keep in mind before approaching your invitation designer

Wedding Invitations

We’re so delighted that you are here with us today!

We’re so passionate about what we do & we love every bit of it – we sincerely hope you’ll are enjoying these insights & finding them helpful enough! 🙂

Today, we are going to talk about some basics you should try to have clarity on, ideally, before you get started on the design process or even meet your invitation designer!

These few tips & tricks will help you to speeden the process up, because your designer will eventually need this information from you before guiding you with a rough timeline on the turn around, an approximate quote or even a delivery date.

Let’s take each point one by one..

Approximate date & venue of your wedding

As basic as this may sound, a lot of couples inquire with us without having these two in place. Although that’s ok, and you maybe just doing your homework, but having clarity on this will set the groundwork of your overall timeline.

You need not have the exact date or the venue finalised, so long as you have an approximate idea, it should be fine to get the ball rolling!

Do you need to design a Save the Date & Wedding monogram / Wedding logo?

Most likely you’d like to work with the same designer for everything – right from creating the Save the Date, the monogram & to creating the main invitation suite.

This helps in maintaining the overall aesthetics well in place – which also means you need to approach them a little more in advance so you can get enough time to do all of it and at your pace.

Incase you have already sent out your Save the Date or already have the wedding monogram done before meeting the designer, you can cut back on that time!

You can also read our blog post on Save the dates & Wedding Logos / Monograms

Is this going to be a common invitation from both sides, the bride’s as well as the groom’s?

Many a times, couples choose to go with the same design for their individual wedding cards (the text may vary) or they may go for something entirely different!

While there is no right or wrong way of doing this, we always recommend having the same overall design, as it helps to cut cost on design & printing.
Since you will be clubbing the printing quantities from both sides, it can also overall bring down the “per card” price as well – the higher the quantities, the better the pricing.

Another thing you may want to figure before hand, is that, if you need any wedding stationery to be made later on. This includes items like luggage tags, menu cards, thank you notes, gift boxes, signages, so on & so forth.
If so, then be sure to decide whose design will take the lead incase both the cards are different in design / colour palette?

See an example below :

How many cards will you require?

This is super important, but a lot of us tend to go extremely off the mark on this one!

The quantity of cards you need to print will determine your final quote.
Giving an approximate number before you begin & close on the quote & later on increase or decrease the quantities, tend to have a major impact on the costing!

Over the years we’ve seen, that it is in this area where some couples / families have not a clue! There have been numerous times when the family estimates the print quantity to be of a certain number, & when they actually get to finalising the guest-list or during distribution of cards, they realise how much have they gone astray!

It is highly highly recommended to have at least a rough number in mind (with a pre-prepared outline guest-list), so there are no surprises at the end of it – neither for the designer, nor for you!

Another thing we’d like to draw your attention to is that, number of guests is NOT EQUAL TO number of print cards.
You are going to have families of 3 or more, couples as well as singles – so while working on your print count, you should assign only 1 invitation set per family / per couple / per individual.

Also, if you are having multiple functions (like most Indian weddings do) then, are you going to require an insert for each of them? If yes, are the print quantities going to be equal for each function?

By doing this exercise before hand, you will be able to determine how many cards you actually require – for the main set as well as for each function!

While tabulating your list, do ensure to count enough print buffer – you don’t want to have too many extras left & you definitely do not want to fall short. So be wise!

By when would you like to send out the invitations / By when would you like your guests to receive the invitation?

Having the answer for the above, will help the designer determine your execution timeline.

Incase it is a very last minute project, the designer may not be able to incorporate it in within the stipulated time & hence it’s always better to be clear from both sides!

On the other hand if you have enough time, you can look into minor details!

You don’t want to have the cards ready too much in advance – they may look lack-lustre before you actually get to sending them! Nor would you like for it to be a rushed process!

Are you planning on giving any gift along with the cards?

We’ve had families who’d like to gift something with the card, but are not being able to make up their minds on what it is they’d like to give. In this case, if your card is entirely revolving around the gift, then you may want to rethink either the card or the gift.

What we always recommend is – keep the card & the gift as separate identities.
It is a lot easier to do it this way! Trust us!

You can begin with work of the card design & print, in the meanwhile you can try to source the gift simultaneously. Once the gift is finalised, you can always make a box / bag / tray to match the card & to overall enhance the value of the main suite.

What is the most convenient way for you to send out the cards, once they are delivered to you?

What we mean by this is – are you planning on hand delivering the cards? Or shipping them out, mailing them or couriering it all?

If you are going to hand deliver the cards then, in most cases, the size, the shape & the weight may not matter, as you may be individually handing them out to your closest circle.

But what if most of your cards are going to be sent via mail / courier / shipping? That’s when the size, the shape & the weight are of utmost importance, as all that adds to cost of sending the invitations out.

If it is a high value gift, edible goodies or big sized boxes, it might end up being very inconvenient & it may not reach the guest in its perfect condition – all the effort you have put into the beautiful card may go in vain!
It is best to avoid cumbersome packaging in such a situation.

At times, it could also be a mix of all of the above, depending on your guest locations. If so, then you surely would want to keep all of the above in mind, so as not to incur high costs on mail / courier / shipping / duty.

Do you have an approximate vision / mood board of what you’d like the cards & stationery to look like?

Having a bit of an idea always helps – it can cut down on the back & forth!
You can choose to tie it in with your decor, your colour palette, outfits, etc.
Pinterest all the way!

What if you have no clue? That’s even better!

You can leave the creativity entirely upto the designer & let them do what they do best!
And the end result? A super design! Yayy!!
Oh & believe you us – we have absolutely loved doing this in the past & those cards have turned out to be the best! Always!

Are you going to be sending out any E-invitations?

Knowing whether you are going to be sending any E-cards at all, will help you decide if you are going to the need the artwork from your designer in a format that you can send via a messaging app or on e-mail.

You may need to tweak some content / designs / colours for the E-version as artworks tend to look different on screen, as compared to the printed versions.

Would you require other wedding collaterals (itineraries, menu cards, thank you tags, signages, etc.) that you may need during the functions?

OK this is one very important point!

Post the wedding cards are delivered, if you need any of the above wedding stationery (or more), you should try & aim at keeping all the overall design look & feel cohesive – it looks well thought-after & your guests will immediately make the connect when they see that everything around them as a certain aesthetic flow to it.

So if the designer is aware that this has to be done eventually, then he / she may want to design an element or an identity that can be easily carried forward on all formats & in all sizes.

See an example below :-

Do you have an overall budget in mind?

OK last but not the least! Everyone normally, does tend to have a faint idea of what they’d like to spend on the wedding stationery in total.

While deciding who to work with, you will be looking at this as one of the main factors!

If you have an idea of how much you’d like to put in – based on that, you can decide what you’d like to put your money on! The design, the paper, the customisation, the printing details, the paper stock, the gift, the packaging, so on & so forth…

#Protips :

– Getting your guests name calligraphed on the envelopes adds that personal touch – if you’d like to do so, keep your designer informed, so as to keep that time in mind.

– The addressing & the salutations on the envelope makes all the difference to your lovely card. Ask your designer to guide you on it.

– Get your cards assembled by your designer! That professional touch keeps the card tidy & neat!

We know & totally understand that the whole invitation process can be very overwhelming! But at the same time, we’d love for you to know that it is all going to be OK & it is going to turn out even better than what you’d ever imagined it to be!

Over the past decade, we have tried more than our level best to make such dreams come true & we’re look forward for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

We hope we have been of service to you & helped you solve any queries you may have had!
If you’d like to get in touch with us for any further details, we’re always available for you!

We hope we have been helpful & informative!

Should you have any feedback or want us to cover any particular topic, feel free to leave your comments below.
We lovingly invite you to subscribe to our blog for upcoming articles & future blog posts.

For any further questions, we’re just an email away & we will try to help you resolve any queries you may have!

We’d love for you to #startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

Things to keep in mind before sending out your Save the Date

Save the date

Hello dear!

We’re so grateful for all your love & likes! We couldn’t be happier that you’re here with us today! 🙂

Every bride & groom these days, do send out a Save the Date for their wedding!
It’s almost like a “MUST DO” given today’s social commitments!

But you may wonder – Where do I begin?

You may have loads of questions / doubts! We too, very often get asked some of these!

– How early should I send them out?
– What information do I need to put on them?
– Do I need to have my wedding logo on it?

So on & so forth…

If you’re in a similar fix, then this blog post is here to answer all those questions… & not only that – we also draw your attention to some areas, where brides & grooms tend to miss out on!

Nonetheless, because there is a so-called ‘etiquette’ expected, it does NOT mean that you need to do things in that same way.

So, please take the below as a guide for NOT the only way to do things.

Ok, here we go…

1) Sending them too early or too late

Most of the times, once the dates or venues are confirmed, couples are always in a rush to send their Save the Date. And this is very natural!

Whether you’re sending printed copies or E-versions, it is of crucial importance to get the timing right – especially if your wedding date is a very auspicious / popular one, with too many weddings taking place in and around the same day.

8-10 months prior to the wedding date is perfect for a home city wedding.

10-12 months in prior is ideal for destination weddings.

If you send it way too much in advance, your guests may tend to forget your dates.

Sending out your Save the Date way too late, will lose its charm – there are high chances that some of your guests may have already committed to other travels or weddings.

Our top 5 FAQs to consider before setting out to deciding on your wedding monogram or your wedding logo

Wedding Monograms & Logos

First & foremost, we would like to extend a big big THANK YOU for always being with us – this is our very first blog post & we couldn’t be happier that you are here as we embark on this journey! We’re super excited!

Customizing Creativity is in it’s 10th year & this definitely would not have happened without your endless love & rock-solid support!
We truly & humbly appreciate each & every bit of it!

Coming to the point – We know you are reading this to make your wedding monogram & logo one that you are going to love & live with for the rest of your life!

So let’s dive right in!

To begin with, let us give you an idea on what is the basic difference between
a wedding monogram v/s a wedding logo!

Yes! There is a difference!

Read on further to know what we mean so you can ace your lingo even before you get to it!

Also do visit our ‘Etsy Shop‘ for DIY Invitations & Stationery Templates that are available for quick edits and instant downloads:

Please click here : https://www.etsy.com/in-en/shop/CustomizingDIY

WEDDING MONOGRAM

When we say monogram, it is essentially the initials of the couple in a stylised, intertwined, cursive, classic or simplistic manner.

You can go through the examples below :

WEDDING LOGO

When we say wedding logo, it means the entire look or “the brand” or “the identity” created for the couple along with all the paraphernalia i.e. the couple’s name, a design element around it, a crest, maybe the date / month / year of the wedding or sometimes even the destination. Your hashtag could be a fun thing to add in too. Ofcourse, your monogram can very much be a part of it as well!

You can go through the examples below :

Sometimes a couple may not choose to have a monogram at all as a part of their wedding logo, but can still choose to go ahead with the other elements & it still looks complete.

You can go through the examples below :

Whereas at times, just the initials along with a bit of a design element around it, could just do the trick!

You can go through the examples below :

You need not have something really elaborate or ornate – a simple one can be just right, as long as you love it!

There have been times when couples just cannot make up their minds on what they want or are simply very confused!

Fret not! It’s absolutely normal – you are not the only one!

Hence, we’re here to help 🙂

You may ask – Why do we need to have a monogram or a logo at all?

This is a very basic question we come across each time & a very valid one too!

It’s really simple!

Creating an identity along with all or any of the above elements makes it really seamless & extremely easy for your guests to identify with your wedding festivities – all the more when they will see it being repeated in each & every correspondence starting from the save the date, the wedding cards, the emails, the reminders & even the rest of the stationery!

We get asked so many questions on this topic every now & then & so we have shortlisted our top 5 for you!

Before deciding on what you like, you may want to consider asking yourself these FAQs to make things easier for you!

1) Do I like the idea of having initials?

Some couples love the idea of their initials designed in an artistic manner & one that will be with them for the rest of their lives, while there are some who absolutely abhor the whole concept of it & are very anti-monogram!

For starters, identify which category you fall in.

2) If I do, do our initials go well together or sound funny together?

At times, even after looking at n-number of options, the initials aesthetically just don’t seem to gel well together! And that’s ok! You don’t have to force yourself to like something!

Sometimes, even if you may want a monogram, it can just look or sound odd.

For example : S & U, P & O, I & T

3) What if I don’t want initials at all?

If you totally detest the idea of a monogram, that’s absolutely fine!

Sometimes a couple may not choose to have a monogram at all as a part of their wedding logo, but can still choose to have ornate elements around & it looks equally beautiful & complete. You can take a look at the images above to get a better idea.

4) Will I be making any wedding stationery that will require the monogram / logo to be continued?

The whole idea of putting time & effort in creating a monogram or a logo is so that you can try and use it as much as possible in the rest of your stationery as well – luggage tags, menu cards, seating chart, gift bags, thank you tags, itineraries, key cards, ribbons, tissues, coasters, etc. – it can be never ending!

If you are eventually going to need some of these collaterals, you should definitely create an identity so that it makes life a lot easier logistically & is also helpful identification for all your guests, venues & vendors.

In this case, make sure your logo is readable in all sizes & one that can be smoothly adapted in all printable versions!

If the bride & the groom choose to have different logos, (yes, that also happens quite often) come to a consensus amongst yourselves as to whose logo will be used on the stationery.

5) Where else am I going to use the monogram / logo in my wedding?

This is the best part of having a monogram / logo – it is one of the most versatile elements that can be carried forward!

You can use it pretty much everywhere – in your décor, gifting, florals, backdrops, cutouts, stage setups, laser lights, the list can go on!

If you intend to do so, please see to it that the logo is bold enough (not too curvy or delicate) so that it is easy to read from afar.

#ProTip : Please! Please! Please make sure to get the open file of the monogram / logo artwork as well as the font files from your designer in formats (Cdr / Ai / PDF / PSD / PNG) that are easy to use & easy to edit in size & colour so that none of your vendors complain about it being too pixelated / too small / too thin. A distorted / blurred logo or a mismatched font is the last thing you want to use!

We hope we’ve been informative enough, helpful enough & insightful enough!

For any further questions, we’re just an email away & we will try to help you resolve any queries you may have!

We can be reached on info@customizingcreativity.in

You can take a look at some of our latest work via these links :-
Website : www.customizingcreativity.in
Instagram handle : instagram.com/customizing_creativity (don’t miss out on our IGTV series for further insight into this topic)
Facebook page : Facebook.com/dishamehtadesign

#startyournewbeginningwithus

Until next time,
Disha & Harsh Munshaw
Customizing Creativity

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Customizing Creativity Blog

Wedding Invitations and Stationery

Wedding monogram

Know everything about various formats and structures for your invitations!

5 factors that determine the cost of your wedding invitations and stationery!

Everything you need to know about invitation printing techniques and processes

All about Wedding Invitation and Stationery timelines

How to choose the right invitation designer for you?

How to create your design brief?

Things to keep in mind before approaching your invitation designer

Things to keep in mind before sending out your Save the Date

Our top 5 FAQs to consider before setting out to deciding on your wedding monogram or your wedding logo