Frequently Asked Questions

I have created this frequently asked questions section of my site because I know some of the terminology used in the print and design industry can be baffling. Add to that the fact that this is probably the first wedding you've organised, possibly even the first party/event you've organised so it's natural you might be feeling a little overwhelmed!

I have tried to make this frequently asked questions section clear for each part of my service and the types of stationery I provide. I have also included a section below to help out with some of the meanings. If you’re unsure about anything at all please just ask and remember the mantra "there's no such thing as a silly question".

How long will my invitations take to create?

This really depends on the specifics of what you need but on average it is usually around 4 or 5 weeks. Once you have placed an order and sent over the relevant information/photos I will request a non-refundable deposit of GBP £45 before I make a start on your first proof.

This process usually takes around 6 working days and I will send back a PDF for you to view. We can then go back and forth with amendments until you are happy with the design. The first 5 PDF proofs are included in the cost of your invitations with any further changes being charged at GBP £15 per proof.

When you are ready for your invites to be printed I will request the balance of your order to be paid, less the deposit, before sending the file off to my printers. They usually require around 2 weeks for production but I will keep you updated with an estimated date for delivery.

Shipping time will vary depending on your location. UK orders will be sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery Pre 1pm with overseas orders usually taking a further 5 or 6 working days.

I am frequently asked questions about rush orders and will always try to accommodate your request for delivery dates so contact me with details of what you need and when if you're in a hurry!

Is there a minimum quantity I can order?

The minimum order for all types of Invitations is 50. Occasionally I can work on orders for less than this if you are also ordering another item at the same time e.g invites plus additional stationery items as long as they are of the same type and printed at the same time. Please contact me with details of your order and I will let you know if I can accommodate your request.

Do I get to see a printed proof of my order?

Due to the costs and also time involved in producing printed proofs I prefer to work via PDF approvals. I will always send out printed copies of previous designs to show you the finished quality instead.

If you feel you would prefer to see a printed copy of your actual invitation before proceeding there is an additional fee of £15.

There is an invitation on your site I like, but can I change the colours?

I am more than happy to amend any of my existing designs to suit your particular theme, this includes changing the colours. There is a small fee of £20 to cover the time involved in making the change. Other amendments are available too, such as changing the typeface, wording or changes to the layout. Please contact me directly for the additional costs for making these types of changes.

I have an idea in mind for my invitations, can you create it for me?

I have specifically added this to my frequently asked questions page as I am getting more and more enquiries relating to this subject, which is great. I love designing wedding stationery and if you're looking for something unique, out of the ordinary or a design to perfectly reflect your personalities as a couple I'd love to create it for you.

Along with the existing examples on my site I can also create unique, bespoke wedding stationery just for you. If you already have an idea in mind or would like me to come up with something special just for you, let me know.

There is an initial deposit of £45 payable before I start work on your design and I usually try to arrange a chat on the Phone/Skype/Messenger to go over possible ideas before we start.

Offering this service means, together we can create the perfect wedding stationery for your big day. I often get frequently asked questions about designing specific types of invitations or recreating ideas people have seen elsewhere so please feel free to contact me for further details of the bespoke design service.

Prices for this service will vary for each invitation depending on the complexity of what's required. It usually falls between £20 and £100 but contact me with your ideas and I can give you a personal quote.

Can I see a printed sample of your invitations before I place an order?

I am frequently asked questions about my previous designs and I am more than happy to send out samples so you can see the quality of the finished article. The first two samples will be sent free of charge but there may be a small fee incurred if further samples are requested.

Can I make as many changes as I like to my invitations once I place my order?

I want you to be 100% happy with the design of your invitations before they are printed. This is why I include the first 5 PDF proofs within your design fee. This should be enough time to make any tweaks to layout, wording etc. If any further corrections are needed there will be an additional charge of £15 per proof added to your order.

Will you proof read/check my invitation before printing?

This is an important point I wanted to highlight in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

I will certainly do my best to ensure all information is exactly as supplied to me during the proofing process and will always run a basic spell check. If I do spot any errors I will let you know but it is the customers responsibility to give final approval to the proof and I cannot be held responsible for any errors found after printing (sorry I have to say that bit).

I would always recommend you ask someone else to read over the final proof for you (ideally someone who hasn't seen it before) as it is very easy for your eye to miss things if you have looked at it numerous times.

Particular places to check would be the wedding date (I know it sounds obvious but it does happen), any RSVP details including your contact details, phones numbers, email addresses etc. Also, with regards to Passport Invitations, please double check all details within the personalised stamps such as spellings of names, places, dates etc. as these won't be picked up by the spell check.

Can I have any size invitation?

Of course you can choose to have your design created in any size you like, though in reality this may not be practical. It is usually the size of the envelope available that dictates the size of the invitation. Envelopes can be custom made to most sizes and shapes but this can work out to be very expensive. I would rather design your bespoke wedding stationery to wow your quests with its uniqueness rather than for you incur extra costs because you have chosen a slightly irregular size.

I often get frequently asked questions about creating invitations in different sizes so if you already have a design in mind that doesn’t conform to a standard size please feel free to discuss it with me. I can often source unusual stock that might mean we can still create the exact stationery you are imagining.

Can I have my design printed on any type of paper?

There are lots of weird and wonderful types of paper on the market. Most high street art and craft shops stock a variety of sorts from hand made paper with rough edges to fine tissue papers in a spectrum of colours. While these are all beautiful and may offer you inspiration for your wedding stationery most of them are not suitable for printing onto.

I can offer various papers that range from completely smooth Gloss or Silk surfaces (silk has a semi matt surface) to completely Matt finishes. Please feel free to contact me to discuss your ideas. Unless another type of paper is specifically requested your order will be printed on Matt card like the majority of samples I send out.

I often get frequently asked questions about another type of printing called Lithographic printing or Litho for short. This is the traditional form of printing using ink, plates and pressure to transfer an image into paper. The litho printing process does open up a larger range of papers available as the technology is different to Indigo printing. This is not the place to go into the details of Litho printing but I wanted to point out it is available and I can discuss this in more detail at the enquiry stage.

What colours can I have in my invitations

The type of printing I use means that you can choose to have any colours you like. The exception to this is metallic ink, unfortunately I can't offer shiny or metallic colours.

I often get frequently asked questions about changing the colours of my existing designs to suit your particular theme. This is not a problem and will just incur a small fee (depending on the nature of your order this may be done free of charge, please contact me for details) If you do have a particular colour swatch you want me to match to there shouldn’t be a problem.

Are envelopes supplied and can I choose any colour?

Yes high quality white envelopes are supplied for all types of invitations. If you would prefer another colour, cream for example, is available but an additional cost will apply which is dependent on the quantity ordered. Please contact me directly for details.

Are envelopes supplied for RSVP cards?

RSVP cards are usually designed as postcards, meaning that your guests just add a stamp and mail it back to you. This is not the case with the RSVP section of boarding passes/Airline Ticket invitations as these are designed to be torn off and sent back in an envelope by your guests due to the small size of the RSVP section.

If you would prefer I can supply additional envelopes for these or any type of RSVP for a small fee but bear in mind it might increase your postage costs when sending out your invitations.

Are the envelopes pre-printed with my guests/my return address?

Unfortunately I don’t have the facilities to do this although I can create matching self adhesive address labels if required.

Are my guests names printed inside the invitations?

I am frequently asked questions about this so have tried to answer as simply as possible. There are three options you can choose for your invitations with regards to having your guests names printed. Firstly, I can design the invitation in such a way as to not include a section for guests names meaning that you would simply address the envelope to your guests instead.

Secondly, I can create a space within the design for you to hand write your guests names in once you receive the finished invitations.

Thirdly, I can print your guests names directly into each individual invitation from your supplied list. This option is the only one that incurs an additional charge. Please contact me directly with the details of your order for a specific price.

Your prices are listed in GBP (Great British Pounds), where are you based?

I live in Hertfordshire which is a county to the north of London in the UK. I have found it more straightforward to list prices on my website in Sterling but can of course accept payment in any currency. I'm lucky enough to work with customers from all over the world and will always supply quotes in any currency you request.

I've heard the term OSO what does it stand for?

I would usually design something OSO or One Side Only when there is only a small amount of information needed. For example a Save the Date Card might be designed as a 2pp (this means 2 page - see explanation below) one side only card as there is no need to have anything printed on the other side. All the information you wish to convey to your guests will fit on one side thus reducing the cost of printing it.

DS is the shorthand I use for Double Sided. This means I will be printing on both sides of the card, whether that’s a 2pp or 4pp card. Printing on both sides’ costs more because you are using more ink but it is also going through the machine twice meaning the process takes longer and is therefore more expensive.

What do the letters pp mean?

This refers to the number of pages. Therefore 2pp means two pages and refers to a postcard style invitation which has a front and a back.

4pp means four pages and is a greetings card style invitation. A 2pp folded in half becomes a 4pp.

More Frequently Asked Questions coming soon!

I'm adding to this site all the time so please call back soon to see the answers to more frequently asked questions.

Have a frequently asked question you'd like to ask? Simply complete the frequently asked questions form below and I will get straight back to you.