I know it's a bit early but yes, I have all 225 invitations and reception cards ready and waiting. They won't actually be sent out ‘til a month or two before the wedding but since The Groom and I are DIY-ing the extra inserts (map, possibly the entourage list, and gift registry cards), it's good to get a head start.
Thanks to the two bridal fairs I attended, I was able to get an idea of the relative prices of invitations as well as the different styles (traditional cards, digital prints, and even train tickets!). Most started at P90/piece and the price went up depending on the quality of the paper, printing, and number of inserts.
However, as with wedding rings, printing companies also give a 10%-15% discount if you book them on the spot at the fair. So if you already know what you want, it won't hurt to drop by the next bridal fair and take advantage of the discount.
To be honest, I'm not so fussed about the invitations simply because I know it's just going to end up being thrown. (Admit it. Have you ever kept someone else's wedding invite?)
Anyhow, different people had mentioned that they ordered their invitations from the States. Mum mentioned that the daughter of her friend bought stationary from Tiffany & Co. (and just had it printed on) while one of The Groom's cousins said she ordered hers from Cranes.
Since I was looking for something simple but different, I decided to try my luck at searching for wedding invitation ideas online. I came across Exclusively Weddings, an online print shop that seems to specialize in wedding invitations, favors, and giveaways. I was thrilled to find so many paper options and a number of the designs were even on sale!
The site is really easy to use and let's you preview your customized invitation as you fill in the blanks.
I decided on a design called "Cascading Roses," which had the blooms embossed on opposite corners of the rectangular card. It was clean and white and matched the flowers I planned to use. (More on that in the next entry!) The best part was that it came out to less than P90 per piece!
I loved how easy it was to use the site order and design my invitation. It let me choose the colors, fonts, and even the wording to be used. Again, I consulted past wedding invitations I'd received and looked online to find the right combination of words and proper etiquette before finalizing every line.
We did encounter a snag in terms of shipping and billing, the usual hurdles of ordering online. Luckily, The Groom's sister resides in New York and we are so thankful that she helped us out. She ordered it for us and even hand-carried it home! So sweet! It really was so nice of her.
I was really impressed by how everything was neatly packed. They seem to have thought of everything, sending an assembly guide and one pre-assembled invitation. A catalogue with all their other wedding products was included in the box. Haha! Well, there's still time; you never know!
If opening the box of invitations was this much fun, I can only imagine the feeling when it's time to unwrap my dress!
Now I need to get started on the little inserts. Can't wait to put it all together!
189 days ‘til the wedding and my invitations have arrived!
--Isha.
P.S.
Thank you so so much, Tish!
