Date: Fri 05-Mar-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

brides-invitations

Full Text:

BRIDES : Setting The Tone For The Big Day: Your Invitations

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Although they may be only ink on paper, wedding invitations serve a symbolic

purpose, setting the tone and tenor for the day of the nuptials.

The color of the stationery, its weight, finish and texture, plus the

sharpness of the printing, its depth, gloss and color, will create a sensory

experience for the recipient on opening and reading the invitation, providing

an impression of the ceremonies to come.

All wedding invitations carry the same basic information -- the names of the

couple to be wed, the date, the time and place of the ceremony and reception,

plus an RSVP request. But there are many ways to portray that information.

Richard Mehlman, the proprietor of Everything But the Stamp, said he has more

than 40 sample albums containing hundreds of examples of custom-printed

invitations available for manufacture.

"There are all kinds of designs," Mr Mehlman said. His store, located in

Mystic, features personalized gifts, stationery, business cards, letterheads

and invitations.

To give couples a good idea of what they can expect in the way of a finished

product, the store is linked to the computer network of a major fine paper

manufacturer and custom printer, Mr Mehlman explained.

Seated at a computer monitor, Mr Mehlman types the text the couple wants to

appear on their wedding invitation. The information is then fed to a computer

printer to create an approximation of what a printed invitation in that style

and format would look like.

Several versions of an invitation can be designed and printed to help the

wedding couple in selecting just the right combination of elements for their

mailings.

A Range of Options

"Certainly, price is a consideration," Mr Mehlman said, noting there's a broad

price range available for wedding invitations. For a wedding of 100, for

example, a simple set of invitations might cost $100, while an elaborate set

might cost many multiples of that, possibly $700 or $800.

"There are certain discernible differences in paper quality... There are

clearly [varying] qualities of printing," he noted.

Everything But the Stamp carries a line of fine hand-made papers for couples

seeking the highest quality invitations, he said.

Because press runs for personalized invitations are small, the per-unit costs

are relatively high. But a relatively small increase in price can make a major

difference in printing quality, Mr Mehlman said.

Many people come into Everything But the Stamp wanting the best quality

invitations, Mr Mehlman said. But to others, top quality is not an issue and

they seek simpler, less expensive stationery-and-printing solutions, he added.

The invitation design that a couple ultimately chooses depends on their taste,

the mood they want to set for their wedding, and their budget.

Mr Mehlman said he learns what a couple is willing to spend for invitations in

directing them toward the various products he offers.

The level of formality in wedding invitations varies, Mr Mehlman explains, and

unfortunately, he says, that level of formality has been decreasing in recent

years. Mr Mehlman says he regrets the informality which has crept into wedding

invitations, a circumstance, he says, that has become more and more common.

"We're changing as we go," he observed.

In the past, the wording of wedding invitations was precise and predetermined,

with no room left for variation in the language. But with changing times, the

traditional text elements of a wedding invitation can be worded and arranged

in various ways to reflect the style of the wedding.

Getting Ready

"I get many people coming in a year ahead to check things out," Mr Mehlman

said of couples who start their wedding planning well in advance of the event.

Many couples also visit his shop about six to eight months before the wedding

to review his invitation samples.

After invitations are prepared, they typically are mailed to guests about six

to eight weeks before the wedding. It may be a month before the recipients

respond to the bridal couple about whether they will attend the wedding with

enclosed RSVP cards. Those responses help the couple plan the wedding

reception.

In most cases, planning for wedding invitations is done well in advance of the

event. But in some cases, couples come into his shop and provide little notice

of their weddings, asking for invitations to be prepared rapidly, Mr Mehlman

said.

To the relief of those procrastinating couples, "We can do things very quickly

for some people," he added.