It's All About the Invites

We've talked venues, guests lists, wedding dates and more! Now it's time to invite your family and friends to take part in this celebration! We sat down with Dirty Helen Paper Company to get all the details on save-the-dates and wedding invitations. Check out what they had to say!

The Center: Tell us a little bit about Dirty Helen Paper Company.

DHP: DHP is a custom stationery house that specializes in wedding. We create invitations, programs, thank yous, etc. all to fit your personality and your day. Imagination is the only limit! Every custom piece is designed and produced in-house using digital printing, foil, letterpress, or embossing, so the budget is customizable as well.

The Center: As more and more wedding planning is taking place online, have you seen an increase in brides asking for electronic versions of their save-the-dates or invitations to send out via email?

DHP: So far this has been uncommon in our experience. There is still something celebratory, formal, and exciting about sending paper goods through the mail. (Think about the emotion of receiving a card or invite in the mailbox - it's fun, pleasant, and heartwarming!) We do see lots of other parties or events, like showers or rehearsal dinners, with digital invitations, but brides are still choosing to invest in paper goods to welcome guests to their wedding day.

The Center: What should a bride include with her save-the-dates and invitations?

DHP: Save-the-Dates have very few standardized requirements. They are a great opportunity for expressing the personality of the couple in a fun or meaningful way. The purpose of a Save-the-Date is to give guests advanced awareness of your upcoming event so that they can plan vacation, travel, and general availability, so be sure to include the wedding date and location. Often brides include the URL to their wedding website for more information. For wedding invitations, there are formal etiquette traditions, but the rigidity has relaxed significantly over the last 10 years. It is now totally appropriate to be casual, goofy, witty, or formal and traditional in the invitation wording and style, but the basic information remains the same. Include who is inviting guests to the celebration, the date, time, and location, and instructions for how guests are asked to RSVP. Some brides include parking, accommodations, wedding website, and reception information. It still is not considered polite to include information about registries or gifts in the invitation, but that information can be placed on the wedding website.

The Center: What advice do you have for brides when creating/sending out their save-the-dates and invitations?

DHP: Before you meet with your vendor, take some time to research what you love. Check Pinterest or your favorite blogs to get an idea of what attracts you, and be sure to share that inspiration with your vendor. At your vendor meetings, bring only the people with you who will either contribute to your decision or support what you want - don't bring the whole wedding party. Also, proofread very carefully. At DHP we provide final proofs before production and use that time to be sure everything is perfect!



The Center: You briefly touched on etiquette for wedding invitations and save-the-dates, but do you have further invitation etiquette to share with brides?

DHP: Yes! No zip codes, spell out times and numbers, attire suggestions...and many more. We most often see brides get tripped up with the etiquette of addressing the envelopes. Don't be overwhelmed; we'll help you with that!

What is the most popular font type/paper choice brides are choosing these days?

DHP: Handwritten or calligraphy-style fonts are very popular. We see a lot of brides utilizing letterpress and sticking with a very simple, elegant, typography based design. Theme weddings are also on the rise, which we love! This year we've designed for a steampunk wedding, a katamari wedding, an Alice in Wonderland wedding, and more. A theme is a great way to express yourself and give inspiration to all the wedding choices you make (from décor to food, venue, and of course, printed goods!)

The Center: Thanks! Any final tips you'd like our readers to know about Dirty Helen Paper Co. or save-the-dates/invitations?

DHP: Stay as relaxed as possible during your planning season - it's a special and unique time! If you can identify specific stressors, cut them out. At DHP we want you to receive an excellent product as well as a happy experience!

Learn more about Dirty Helen Paper Company by contacting them at info@dirtyhelenpaper.com or (513) 330-6481.

Pictures provided by Dirty Helen Paper Company.