Invitations

So, you are taking the plunge and you now need to announce your plans to the world. You probably have all sorts of thoughts swirling around in your head. You may even be considering trying to design and print your wedding invitations on your own. After all, you are thinking that surely the advance of technology has reached the place where a layperson can handle a simple task like designing and printing some wedding invitations. And as an added bonus you figure that by going DIY with your invitations you will save a boatload of money. Let us strongly urge you not to go the direction of trying to create and print your own invitations. The cost of having a professional handle the design, printing, paper, cutting, and prep is well worth the investment. Your invitations will be the first inkling that most people will have of your wedding plans. Many people have tried to go it alone and realized that gaining that very professional appearance is much harder than they thought. Leave it in the hands of a professional invitation designer. The San Francisco area is not lacking in the area of graphic designers so you will have plenty to pick from. What we have provided to you here is a brief guide that will help you weed through all of the potential designers in order to find “the one.”

Experience, experience, experience. Enough said. There are many newbies out there that just graduated from a graphic design school that you will probably run across when you are doing your search. For now, pass them on by. There is more to creating awesome invitations that just knowing Adobe Illustrator. Someone who has been in business for years making a living by actually providing design services for clients has honed their skills and talents over time. They know the ins and outs of the business including how to work with printers which is something that most design schools do not teach very well. But at the same time, they understand the pitfalls that can befall a project like yours. So, find out how many clients they have had and take a look at invitation designs that they have done for past clients. Do you like their style and their creativity? Does their designs tell you anything about what they might be able to do for you?

Do they print in-house or do they outsource the printing? Outsourced printing will usually cost you less money, but in-house printing provides a quicker turnaround. Neither of these issues may be relevant to you or your situation but they are good facts to know. Do you want a custom design or is it alright with you if you choose a template. A customized design will cost more but some brides insist on that one of a kind look. Don't let your head spin too much as you discuss issues like color, paper type, ink, and fonts. Slow them down if you need to for clarification on anything.

Have the same designer handle all of your printing needs. This way, all of your pieces will have a consistent look. Tell them if you want anything special in your design. How does the candidate react when you bring up your ideas? Do they treat your ideas with respect and suggest design concepts that incorporate what you bring up? You want to make sure that they are a very good listener and that they are interested in what is best for you. Weigh price against quality. Maybe you will pay a bit more but it might be a great value. It is at this point that you should be able to make choice on a designer who will make you happy.