If you’ve ever been in charge of planning a special event, you know what a challenge it can be. There are hundreds of details to cover, and dozens of services to choose from. Depending on the occasion, you might need to choose a venue, catering company, entertainers, place settings, flowers, transportation, photography, and the list goes on.
But no matter how many details your special event entails, the experience always begins with invitations. This is your opportunity to make a bold first impression on your guests. When they receive a bright, crisp, beautifully designed invitation to your special event, they’ll keep it within view and keep your event in mind as it approaches.
By contrast, if your invitations are flat, plain or unremarkable, guests may think your event will be flat too. All the more reason to invest the proper time and energy into quality invitations that do justice to your special occasion, be it a wedding, engagement, birthday, retirement, or party.
So how do you make your invitations stand out? Is there a formula for designing great invitations that convey exactly what you want to convey?
The answer is not the same in all cases. The appearance of your invitations will depend on what you’re celebrating, how you’re celebrating, who you’re inviting. That said, here are a few pointers for making your invitations truly stand out from the crowd.
1. Triple check the details…then check again
First things first—no matter how beautiful your invitations, they’ll be way off the mark if the information is incorrect. Spellings, names, addresses, dates—every detail must be checked repeatedly to avoid those embarrassing mistakes.
2. Find what inspires you
The visual inspiration for your invitations should come from themes, colors, textures, and imagery that interests you and represents your event. Do you want a clean, contemporary look, or something more elegant and classic? Or perhaps you’re going for a funky, creative style that incorporates elements of pop culture? Whatever the case, your visual presentation should be unified and finished to a professional, eye-catching standard.
3. Hire the right printer
Let’s be honest—this is perhaps the most important step you can take. A reputable printing company that specializes in both design and printing can assist you through all stages of the invitation production process, from choosing the right stationary and design to the mailing process itself. Outsourcing these tasks to a single company who handles them all—and does it like a consummate professional—will make your life much easier.
Investing in first impressions
Having your wedding invitations done properly, with the help of a professional, is one more expense in a long list of expenses. But opting for DIY or store bought invitations, all to save a few dollars, may not leave the kind of impression you want. Investing in professional grade invitations that reflect the unique nature of your event—and working collaboratively with the printing company you choose—will set the stage for the special event you truly envision.