Letterpress wedding invitations | FAQ's

I need ideas on how to customize my invitations. Help!

We want our invitations to reflect you and your celebration, so all of our designs are totally customizable. You can change a vertical design to horizontal, a square design to a vertical, move or resize illustrations, or base your invitation on that design's save the date or thank you card. You can change the fonts, the size of the fonts, or the ink colors. You can make a 1 color design to 2 color, or a 2 color design to 1 color. The cost of these customizations is included in our pricing. If you're looking for inspiration and want to chat about your options, give us a call or email us and we'd love to talk. For more inspiration:

• check out our blog, where we feature our favorite customizations. See how other clients have made our designs their own.
• check out the detail pages of your favorite invitation designs. Many of our designs now feature a “view our favorite variations” button, which showcases the latest customizations of that design.
• (Know that it's okay to fall in love with a design as-is and want your invitations to look just like the sample too! Our clients do this all the time.)

Can I change the wording on your wedding invitation designs? Can I add additional wording?

Of course please use whatever wording you'd like! Additional text can be added to any piece at no extra cost. We're happy to add meal choices to response cards, reception information to the invitation, and so on. It's rare that we'll have difficulty fitting your text on a particular piece, but this does happen on occasion with programs, menus, and direction/hotel cards. If we're having difficulty fitting your text, we'll certainly work through options with you—editing the text down, adding an additional piece, or printing that piece double-sided, with text on both the front and the back. We're always happy to assist with wording as well! (Check out our etiquette section of this site for wording suggestions)

Can I change the font of a design? And can I increase the font size in an invitation?

Yes! That's part of the design customizations that we love to do for you, and there is no charge for this sort of design work. All of our designs allow you to choose a different font from our Bella Font Library, increase or decrease the size of the fonts, and even change the size and positioning of illustrations too. Our font library contains 30 of our favorite letterpress typefaces, and we're certain that you'll find one or two that you'll love. If you're looking for something truly unique, we offer hand- calligraphy accents for certain lines of text that deserve additional attention (like the names of the bride and groom!). (There is an additional cost for these calligraphy accents). You'll have several different calligraphy styles to choose from. If you'd like to increase the size of a font from the sample design, let us know what percentage larger you'd like the font if you can, or feel free to send over sketches as well.

Can I use a different ink color for a design?

Yes! You can choose any of our 40+ Bella signature inks for no additional charge. For an additional cost, we do offer custom ink colors that can match anything: Pantone numbers, fabric samples, ribbons, paint chips.

Can you print with no ink?

We can! Blind debossing (printing artwork without ink, or with trans white ink) is one of the cool things about letterpress printing. A blind deboss is subtle and sophisticated and just plain special. Check out our Kathryn or Sylvan designs for great blind deboss examples.

I'm on a budget. What can I do to keep the price down?

We're happy to talk over creative suggestions to keep down the price of your letterpress invitations without sacrificing style. Just call or email us to discuss! In brief: change a 2 color design to 1 color; use a reply postcard instead of a reply card + envelope; use a 2 color invitation but 1 color accessory pieces; downsize and use a sweet smaller card (such as a reply card size for your save the date, for instance); put your rsvp information in the lower right hand corner of the invitation (no rsvp cards or reply envelopes are necessary then!); and use a website card (the size of an escort card or reply card) to replace your accommodation & direction cards.

How far ahead of time should I order my invitations? And when should I mail my invitations out?

Invitations are generally sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. Our standard turnaround totals about 4-5 weeks (3 days for the design, and once the design is approved, it takes us four weeks to do the printing). We recommend ordering your invitations from us as soon as all your information (time, date, location, etc.) is firm and complete. In an ideal world, you would place your order with us 3-6 months before your wedding date, but we always do our best to work with our clients' turnaround needs.

Do you offer rush turnarounds?

We totally sympathize with your need to receive your invitations as soon as possible! Our rush service allows us to ship five business days from final proof approval for a 50% upcharge. Please call to confirm availability of rush turnaround before placing your rush order, but know that we do our darndest to accommodate our clients' turnaround needs.

I'm inviting 98 couples/families. How many invitations and envelopes should I order?

Keep in mind guest lists have a way of mysteriously expanding. So the decision of how many extras to order really depends, in part, on you and how certain you are of your guest list! If you're pretty certain that your guest list is set, we recommend ordering an extra 15 invitations. If you're inviting 98 couples/families/individuals, you should order 98+15 = 113! Unlike other invitation companies, we don't force you to order in quantities of 10 or 25, so you can order whatever odd number that you need. Remember that ordering additional quantities now is much less expensive than having us reprint 10 more invitation sets closer to the wedding date. And remember to order based on the number of families or couples that you're inviting - not the number of actual people invited to your wedding!
Also, keep in mind calligraphers often need additional envelopes. Even if you're hand-addressing your invitations yourself, you may want extra envelopes for your own peace of mind. With your order, we include an extra 10% addressable envelopes (and inner envelopes if you order them). You can order extra envelopes on top of this if you need them.

Do I need to send out Save the Dates for my wedding? And when do I send them out?

Save the dates are sent out 6-12 months before the wedding. They're especially useful if you're planning a destination wedding; if you're inviting many out of town guests who will need to travel; or if your guests are simply very busy people whose weekends get booked up months in advance. Save the dates can look just like your wedding invitation; they can hint at the wedding invitation style to come; or you can choose a totally different design. They are often less formal too, meaning you can be as adventurous and playful as you want on the color and design--whatever reflects you and your excitement for your wedding. We've designed save the dates as postcards; as panel invitations; or as more elaborate sets with pocketfolds and additional pieces, such as a welcome letter from the bride and groom, a schedule of events, and hotel/travel information.

Am I charged sales tax?

We charge 9% sales tax only on orders shipped to a New York state address. Shipments to addresses outside of New York state are not charged sales tax.

Do you ship internationally?

We do! Wherever you live in the world, and whatever language you speak--we would love to create your letterpress wedding invitations. We've designed and letterpressed invitations in an endless array of languages, including Hebrew, Vietnamese, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, French, and German (in calligraphy!). If living outside the U.S., we can take care of all details via email, though you're welcome to call us as well of course. You'll receive our attentive care and enthusiastic love throughout the invitation design process. We offer free ground shipping of invitations to Canada. We keep shipping everywhere else in the world affordably priced. See our international letterpress page for more information and for photographs of our favorite international wedding invitations.

Do you print business cards?

We can! We can base your business cards on the place card design of any of our wedding invitations. You'll have the same options as you would with your wedding invitations: 1-ply or 2-ply paper; any font from our font library; and any of our Bella inks. Pricing will be the same as place cards as well. Also, we can do double-sided printing with business cards—please contact us with questions or if you need an additional quote or help of any kind!

Can I see a letterpress printed proof of my design?

While we don't offer letterpress proofs of your order, we will email you a color PDF to review, which contains all the pieces in your set. You'll also receive three free rounds of changes to the proofs, to make sure your design is absolutely to your liking before we go to press. All of our clients have found our electronic proofs to be totally adequate in showing what their design would look like on press. We do suggest, however, that you purchase samples of the design that you love—so you can see our paper, see the design in print, and also see what our inks look letterpress printed (with your samples, you'll receive ink books that showcase all of our Bella inks, letterpress printed). If you have specific concerns about the design and letterpress process, give us a call or email us and we would love to talk.

(see more wedding etiquette and wording ideas here)

How do I word my invitation?

We've been coordinating and printing wedding invitations for years and years now, and we love to offer our wording expertise to our clients. If you're stumped on how to handle a delicate situation with parent names on the invitation, or if you're wondering do you really need to include your middle name on the invite, we can help. Also check out the etiquette section of our web site for wording suggestions that covers all sorts of situations and all sorts of pieces, including invitation wording, reply card wording, reception card wording, and more.

How should I establish my reply by date? What is traditional?

Typically the reply date is 2-4 weeks prior to the wedding, but this may vary depending on your caterers and venue. Check with your caterers/venue just to make sure!

Many of my guests have titles that do not start with "M," such as Dr. What are some alternatives that I can use on the reply card?

You can omit the "M" and just use a simple line, or you can leave the card blank in the hopes of receiving a personal message from your guests. Just for your own peace of mind: guests with titles that do not start with "M" can still work with a reply card that features an M line. It's perfectly appropriate etiquette-wise for them to simply draw a slash through the "M" and write out "Doctor" or whatever their title might be.

Can I include entree selections on my reply card?

Certainly! We're happy to help customize wording to your specific situation, so just ask us. Here's one example of entree selections on a reply card:

The favor of your reply is requested before the twentieth of August

M__________________________________

.......accepts with pleasure (please initial each guest's preference)
.......bacon-wrapped Iowa pork chop
.......mediterranean chicken
.......artichoke and cheese ravioli

.......declines with regret

Should I use an inner envelope?

More traditional and formal invitations tend to use an inner and outer envelope. On the inner envelope, you'd write the name of the person or persons invited, such as "Ms. Keats and guest." More modern invitations—or couples looking for something more streamlined—often forgo the inner envelope (though in some regions of the country (i.e. the South), an inner envelope still seems to be a "must"). In most cases, it really depends on what you and your family prefer. Our rectangular Bella envelopes, which we custom made just for us, have beautifully snug inner and outer envelopes. Our modern square sizes do not offer inner and outer envelopes yet.

If lining your envelopes, we do recommend using an inner and outer envelope combination. If you only use an outer envelope, and that envelope is lined, guests will tend to tear that envelope open and miss the perfect burst of color that an envelope lining gives a set.

How should I assemble my invitation set?

• First invite some friends over, put on some music, and have fun! This is a momentous occasion—an official milestone on your way to your actual wedding! Secondly—you can use this traditional way to put a wedding invitation set into an envelope.
• Invitation is on the bottom of the stack, text side up
• All other pieces should be arranged by size, smallest on top. Slip the reply card under the flap of the reply card envelope (which should have a postage stamp on it of course!).
• Insert everything into the envelope, text side up. The right-hand side of the invitation should be closest to the envelope flap.
• Slip the inner envelope (if using one) into the outer envelope. When guests open the outer envelope, they should see their name written on the inner envelope.

Is there anything I can do to make sure my invitations reach my guests in pristine shape?

Here are some tips on how to ensure that your guests receive your invitations in pristine shape.

• Request that your invitations be hand-canceled at your local post office. That will save a lot of wear and tear on your outer envelopes.
• Make sure to weigh your invitation to make sure you've put adequate postage on each envelope!
• Because our Bella envelopes are smooth and lightly textured, applying a light layer of moisture to the adhesive will be enough to seal them. But remember to check each invitation before you mail it to make sure the flap is securely sealed.

What does an average invitation set weigh?

Here are some average weights for wedding sets. (An A-7 size would be slightly less than the F-8 size quoted below)

• F-8 invitation, reply card, invitation envelope, reply envelope (1-ply): 1.375 ounces
• F-8 invitation, reply card, invitation envelope, reply envelope (2-ply): 2.375 ounces
• F-8 invitation, reply postcard, invitation envelope (1-ply): 1 ounce
• A lined, inner F-8 envelope: + .625
• An unlined, F-8 envelope: + .375 ounces

Of course, the exact weight of your invitation set will depend on what is included—inner envelopes, directions cards, envelope linings, etc. Once you finalize your order, we would be happy to weigh a mock-up of your invitation set so you can arrange for the appropriate postage. Please note that square sizes require additional postage—check with your local post office or www.usps.gov for specifics.