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Simply write us a note requesting a copy of our fall newsletter, and we will make a donation to charity.

And, you will get lots of definitive information about making a purchase of wedding invitations from our newsletter, THE WEDDING VOW.

Please feel free to ask any questions you desire as well.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve YOU and others in need.

Once we receive a request from you, we will email you with a selection of charities designated by our staff from which to select to have the gift made.

Thank you so much.



Judy Lilley

P.S. One donation per newsletter per client. Thank you.

Frequently, a bride asks us: How much for pocketfolds? And, letterpress printing. This can vary depending on the card stock, the kind of paper we use, the number of layers of paper we use, the size and style of the pocketfold, and even the type of printing.

This is WHY when we must make a price dependent on the number of insert cards required, and the qty purchased.

On an order for 100, we price them for a bride on a per item basis.

Pocketfolds have increased the cost of invitations because there is more paper involved, and much, much assembly, or labor.

This is why without a plan on what you actually need, price can be all over the road.

Hope this helps to clarify why it is not easy for us to price right on the money for you.

What you are receiving is a "unique" invitation, and it must be individually priced.

Judy Laughton Lilley
Lilley Printing Co.
314-752-7092

Invitations that are bi-lingual are best created in foldover cards, z-folds, or tri-folds, two sided printing and vellum overlays.

If you need to prepare a bilingual invitation, see an expert wedding invitation provider for these services to insure you maintain the cultural aspects of your wedding you wish to include.

Judy Lilley

(1) Begin early so you do NOT incur rush charges.

(2) Complete your guest list early and thoroughly so you don't have to reorder.

(3) Ask for and pay for proofs so you KNOW that you KNOW you are going to be happy.

(4) Provide directions and a map for guests on the reception card that is oversized and pocket handy. (Three cards in one.)This also shows your guests you care about their ease in finding the locations of the ceremony and reception.

(5) Print maiden thank you's for shower gifts and early wedding gifts when ordering thank you stationery and you will usually get a discount with a printer who is doing your work.

(6) Use one printer/designer/creative who saves you money because he or she is planning your stationery. Spending money a la carte is going to add up regardless of where you spread it out. One individual will be responsible to and accountable to you and will work with larger sheets of stock to save you hundreds of dollars and give you more for your money.

(7)Do your homework on what you like so that when you are given a good price, you will know it is a good price. You cannot compare apples oranges, and have a good comparison.

(8) Look at additional services provided by the same supplier....e.g. computer calligraphy addressing, and the price, and see if all else is equal, you are getting more service with a slightly higher package than buying this service a la carte.

(9) Having table number cards and seating cards that match will save money in the long run. (If you want table or individual menus, ditto.)

(10) Using seating cards in slightly different colors or different shades of ribbon to denote: beef, chicken, fish, or vegan menus will help your caterer and help your guests to be more comfortable.

Judy Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

While we print lovely invitations of high quality, we never recommend that a bride overspend on her wedding invitations, and work together to give her all the pieces she requires to give her guests what they need to receive an invitation, response card, and any other details required in the most efficient cost effective way possible, regardless of how much she wishes to spend on her wedding invitations.

Smart Money published an article with 5 things to save money on wedding invitations, and this infant of the Journal is telling you to cut out an inner envelope (yes, it is ok to do this, and is a nominal amount of money, in most situations, and some suppliers won't allow any discount for it. (We don't get to make all the rules)......And, to NOT use a reception card, or a response card, but a free wedding website...Yes, this can be done. We often put the reception information, a map, accommodations and directions on a two sided card, eliminating up to 3 additional cards, and demonstrate the efficiency of ONE card in addition to the invitation, saving our clients MONEY and showing guests our clients care about their comfort in receiving adequate information for attending a wedding.

While we do publish a newsletter, and are working on a book about wedding stationery, we are not giving advice on personal investments or budgets, and we would like for these folks to understand the message one sends when sending out an invitation with no response card or other information. A poorly done invitation communicates no excitement about attending an event. It gives the impression that no one cares about the event or the guests enough to appropriately give out enough information and assistance to get people from in-town or out of town to the event easily.

While we frequently use a response line for an email address to send out maps, events, and other information on where to stay, we think it is prudent to make guests feel comfortable about responding.

And, yes, computer calligraphy can be done at home, but I can tell you that it is not as easy as it looks, and when we offer a substantial discount to purchasers of invitations from us, and save you time and tons of envelopes you may lose without some experience in doing this, I would think twice before taking Smart Money's advice to heart.

They mean well, and they are not brides with 150 to 200 invitations to get out. And, get this, they even stated you could save up to $50 to 100 an invitation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, we can assume they meant on your invitation total bill. And, is it worth saving such a small amount of money when helping guests feel delighted about accepting, and setting aside the time to be with you is the primary focus of sending the invitation? The decision is all yours.

Maybe, they sell magazines with this. I just hope they don't decide to become wedding invitation consultants and printers and designers, too....LOL.

Seriously, look at all advice you receive and decide what works best for you.

Sincerely,

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com

We love letterpress printing. And, with the increases in costs of production for digital and thermography, it honestly does not cost that much more money for letterpress invitations depending on the cardstock you select.

Letterpress is often called the new engraved, and unlike engraved, letterpress is not exactly like each other invitation. Depending on how the rivulets of ink are pressed into the stock, there is the slighest variation in each one, therefore making letterpress ART.

Write us today with your questions about your first appointment with us.

Judy Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

One of the neatest things we have done over the years, and before it became popular to use monograms on everything was to offer our clients envelopes that are lined in a matching paper with beautiful typography using their first names or a distinct monogram.

When you request a consult with us, you may ask how this would like with your ensemble.

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com
314-752-7092

You may select from the design center, or you are free to co-create your invitation design with us.

Write to us to set up an appointment, and begin the process of putting together the perfect presentation of the invitations that invite your family and friends to be part of your wedding day.

Judy Lilley

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Recently, I had a client who came to me who said, "I don't know what I want, but I know the colors I want my invitations to be. And, I know I want a one of a kind look". So, I asked her to NOT look at anything before she came in. I asked her to wait to see our samples. And, when she arrived, and brought her samples, I had her draw for us. I had her draw scribble with her eyes closed and her opposite hand on paper, and then, to color it in in whatever colors would soothe her anxiety about what was going on. She agreed to do this. Then, I asked her to tell me about the picture she had drawn, and how she felt now that it was drawn. My purpose since I am also a licensed therapist was to set aside her anxiety about what she thinks she knows, and doesn't and hopefully, to give her some time to adjust to being with me. Then, I asked her to draw a scribble with her dominant hand or her opposite, and to color it in in her wedding colors, any she is using...dresses, sashes, flowers, etc. and make it look gorgeous....use the paper anyway you wish to color it.....and after, tell me about your picture. And, guess what, she had just told me about her dreams for her invitations. And, then, I get to say, "you see, you do know what you want." This discovery process took only a few minutes, and we accomplished two things...some trust in herself, and also a focus for what we are going to do. Our process is a creative one. We are here to take the stress out of the process for you too, and show you that you do know what you want. Then, we begin the process of doing this just for you. Judy Lilley

On May 14th, the one ounce postage cost of a letter went up 2 cents.

What many brides did NOT realize is that he 2nd ounce went down in cost. An average weighted invitation is more than 1 ounce and less than 2 ounces. So, for a while, brides have been spending $.63 to mail a single invitation.

NOW, that cost is $.58 for an invitation that is 2 ounces or less.

However, the post office changed some OTHER THINGS. For instance, oversized letters would go for their weight alone. Now, depending on the dimensions, the cost could be higher than $.58 or $.41 even if the weight is 2 ounces or 1 ounce or less.

Please take one of every single item, and put it together ready to mail to your post office BEFORE you mail out a single item.

And, remember while postcards went up fro 24 cents to 26 cents, a larger card for a postcard response may cost you more but this card is NOT LIKELY to be misplaced due to its size.

The largest size post card can be 4.25 by 6 and still be mailed for 26 cents.

These are just a tiny part of the type of services we provide to our brides.

Judy Laughton Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

Write us today and ask to see our new designs by email.

And, look for a newly redesigned website soon.

We do NOT offer a shopping cart for custom made products.

Sincerely,

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com

There are endless possibilities with our designers.

We not only carry the Envelopments lines seen in Martha Stewart, we carry
our own designer's line of UNIQUE pocketfolds/

Take a look at our new pocketfolds here...and decide what colors you prefer.

We NEVER reprint the same design exactly the same way again. EVER!

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com
314-752-7092

Artists' works are portrayed on it. Peace treaties are signed on it. Our Declaration of Independence was penned on it.

And, Declarations of Love are written it. Paper as a medium for design, for writing, and for personal expression reflects its own poetry, as an opportunity for pure innovation and unlimited creativity.

Through the years, a melding of an ancient craft and enlightened technology has occurred, creating new practices and opening new horizons for expression in paper. When we trace the history of paper, we find insight into man's tireless imagination and creativity. Today, this convergence of ancient and modern continues and paper emerges with greater variety and renewed appreciation of quality.

For one individual, paper is the space that translates what is conceived in the mind to what is authentic. To others, having access to the right paper represents abundant possibility. The very selection of paper now becomes an adventure, realizing that the end result will be based upon choice.

Today, as we always have, we stay in contact with those resources to source the finest papermakers around the globe, respecting the skill of the artisan and the unique attributes of the finished product. As we head into the future, heralding our 80th anniversary here in 2007, we remain steadfast in our commitment to diversity, quality, custom service, and an unparalleled level of professionalism.

We are sure you will want to touch and feel some of the thousands of papers we use for our work. We encourage you to inquire about our resources for paper by inquiring by email or phone, and look forward to sharing new possibilities, new directions and continued creative solution to your paper needs. You may learn more about what we have done with paper in print in our store on ebay, lilley printing, and on our website with the same name. www.lilleyprinting.com

Until next time, I remain, here, with lovely printed products and possibilities for new ones.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Before entering first grade, I taught myself to read and then, to write on volumes of paper that seemed to be everywhere I showed up. Now, many years later, nothing has changed. If you find me, you will find paper....from legal pads to fine artisan papers with beautiful letterpress printing to books and letters I have kept for years.

THis led to a deep love of learning followed by years of seeking excellence in my education to college, and a career in teaching, and then a change of careers in my twenties to my advertising sales career with The Wall Street Journal. While there, I created and printed more paper while pursuing a master's in counseling and professional psychology, and after graduation, I married Bob Lilley, the owner of a Mom and Pop printing company begun by his own father. This has given me the opportunity to use my ability to use all the skills of these careers in one.....to teach, to create, to listen, to care, to meet the needs of someone uniquely, and to use my liberal arts education and my skills in listening to co-create with clients and capture their vision for their wedding invitations, whether in person, or over the net.

Brides get that we care, and when they do, they feel that their needs are heard, and this level of one on one client oriented work results in creating their vision for their weddings. Lilley Printing is celebrating it's 80th year as a family business. I personally invite you here to learn, to laugh, to enjoy and to walk beside me as I share with you moments of joy, moments of learning, helpful tips, and what I love about what we do when we put a work of joy in print. Look over my shoulder while we write about paper, about design, about printing, about wedding lists, about ways we have solved problems. and more inside tips, ideas, clues, and joys of printing.

Judy Lilley

Ask us for a quote today. Begin a dialogue about your paper needs....

Take a look around our gallery, and here, send us an email with some information re: your wedding:

(1) date of your wedding.
(2) date you would like to mail your invitations out.
(3) date you would like to receive them
(4) qty required
(5) colors you would prefer using: this invitation has 3
(6) insert cards required: reception, response, directions and/or map
(7) metallic shimmering envelopes or regular white or cream
(8) let us know if you would like a quote for invitations that are assembled or if you would prefer to have us assemble one, and to save the money by doing it yourself.
(9) if you have your wording completed, send that along so we may better advise you.
(10) Unless, otherwise requested, we will use the metallic shimmering stock and/or strathmore white or soft white cardstock

The cost of designing a two location map is $60.00. Each additional location is $10 to $20.00

A two sided map with directions on the back has an extra fee.

Ask for thermography or flat printing.

We look forward to serving you.

Judy Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

Please note that when mailing out your invitations that you will need use a 41 cent stamp for your response envelope beginning May 14th.

Oversize square response envelopes will require more postage than this. Please check with your local post office for the appropriate amount for this card if it is square.

Additionally, mail that weighs two ounces for an invitation will now be 58 cents, a reduction of five cents.


Postcards that have been 24 cents, will be 26 cents.

This is a good time to think about designing your own stamps or having us do them with your order so that you have pretty stamps for your wedding invitations.

Judy Lilley

A pocketfold invitation is like your very own puzzle....

We create it with you with your wording, your colors, your special size preferences and requirements, and then, help you select the various colors to be part of that puzzle.

Puzzle pieces needed from you:

invitation text, response date and to whom it is returned to, reception information, directions, your hand drawn map in black ink or a smaller map from your reception location and or church from which to make your map.......

Colors of your wedding, snips of fabric, etc....and we will guide you through the process.....

Come to us for your designer needs.

We have pocketfolds, cardstocks and envelopes and map designs and sizes and the ability to co-create your puzzle.....the pieces that will make your invitation come together for you.

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Here at Lilley Printing, we value the printed word. Words handcrafted into deep rivulets of ink on heavy cotton archival cardstock by a press that weighs over hundreds of pounds. Our fine letterpress is exceptionally beautiful. Today, letterpress is the "new engraved"....something old....something new.....something blue....." in blue ink.....

Write to us about your interest in fine letterpress.

letterpress@lilleyprinting.com

On Saturday, one of the brides I met with, was very happy that she had waited until she chose flowers to purchase her invitations. The colors she was using to accent the bridesmaids dresses were brought to the mix we are going to use for her design.

We went with elegant paper(s) and beautiful graphics.....understated elegance, and simplicity. Always in good taste...yes, we are using the newer elegant shimmering metallics, and we are using a traditional font and traditional wording.....with beautiful motifs and a monogram.

Incorporating color is a great way to excite your guests about your wedding day.

The end result of her research and my sense of what she wanted worked well. I listened well online to her notes, and before we met, I had successfully captured the essence of the themes of the samples she brought to our meeting...She wanted color and graphics, and beauty and simple elegance.

It is wonderful to be in a needs meeting business.

Judy Lilley

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Sooner rather than later. Weeks and days cannot be added to the calendar.

Putting your vendor and their suppliers in a time crunch is not going to help if there is a shortage on stock, or something happens that is beyond anyone's fault.

The decision process on the text and design takes some time. It means you will need to do some work on this with reviewing preliminary text, and then, the proofs.

And, you may need to supply us with a hand drawn map from which to create your wedding/reception map.

And write the directions for the back of the card.

It is a good idea to begin the process so that you have time to think about each component you will need, and the wording for it.

We do help you with the process as much as possible.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Choose a vendor with a broad base of experience or knowledge about printing methods, who has lots of design capabilities, and with the ability to handle everything from wording to the flexibility of the unusual circumstances surrounding your wedding.

Most wedding stationery consultants will carry albums or make suggestions for invitations that will meet your budget criteria or span.

If you have a large number of invitations to purchase, it is much more difficult to do on a small budget.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Many brides are using this as a means to know how many guests are coming to the wedding and reception.

However, not everyone pays attention to the response date in this way or with written response cards.

Personally, I think that a formal response card is the best way to go.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

When either the bride's parents or the groom's parents are divorced, the subject of including all the parents' names on the invitations can become a delicate situation to handle.

And, if one is to include all the parents as all have contributed to rearing the bride and groom, the invitation wording will call for some tall consideration. And, perhaps, a larger and longer invitation if all the names will be included.

Let your wedding stationery consultant help you make the right decision for you, and guide you to an appropriate invitation that will work to your liking.

In some instances, the parents are listed at the bottom of the invitation and the wording begins,

Together with our parents, we,
bride's full name

and

groom's full name

request the honour of your presence
as they are united in marriage
Saturday, the twenty-second of June
Two thousand and seven
two o'clock in the afternoon
Church of the Magdalen
Main Street
Alexandria, Virginia


list of parents,
bride's mother first with bride's stepdad
bride's father second with bride's stepmother
groom's mother and stepfather
groom's father and stepmother

Hope this helps you if you have this dilemma.

This is ONLY one of many ways this may be handled.


judy@lilleyprinting.com

Visit our site for the multitude of items you may choose from our fine collection.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

By planning on having your invitations, your wedding programs and reception items all match, you will create a co-ordinated effect, and be able to have all the components of your paper trail match.

We, then, order the materials in larger quantities and make best use of your resources.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

In your colors.

Write us for a quote:

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Tell us your ideas for color.

We will work with you to create what you want.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Make your center of your centerpiece glow with a beautiful number card in your theme colors.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Send us a scanned drawn in ink drawing of your map and we will quote it.

Include if you wish, backside printing for your directions.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

An invitation that is elegant and simple in your colors.

It looks like a package.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Visit our envelopments section as well as our own designs on our site.

Ask for a quote.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Write us and we will send you a pricing list to select from.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Recently, we created a reception card and map combination card in a coordinating stock with an album wedding invitation, and the result was smashing.

Reception cards are usually about 3.5 by 5. We made this one 4.25 by 7.
It was awesome. And, save the bride and groom money as well.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Add the total number of married couples, divide by two.
Add your single friends, add 1 person as a guest, and then divide by 2.
Add family members and their spouses.( Divide gy 2.
Add officiant(s), and other people...eg. people you work with, etc.
Add 20 to 25 once you have a grand total, add them all up, and you have a total for how many you need to order.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

You may send the Pope an invitation to your wedding and receive a lovely response from him.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

You may send the Pope an invitation to your wedding and receive a lovely response from him.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

For a couple of dollars total, add a request for an email address on your response card to send a map, directions, and accommodaton and events going on for guests.

judy@lilleyprinting.com

Review the programs on our site, or write to us about your specific colors and needs. Email us your text, and let us quote a price to the qty and amount of text you wish. We supply your ribbon with the quote. You will cut and tie the ribbon.

Judy Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

Please review our designs, and request a quote. We will describe in detail, the stock, the qty, the amount of assembly we provide, etc. for each item you prefer.

In this way, we will begin to establish a dialogue with you regarding your needs.

Judy Lilley
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Among the papers we use are those made from bushes and plants along with recycled environmentally correct stock.

We have several supplier of "treeless" papers we use for fine invitations and programs.

Write us about your colors, your wedding date, and order samples of stock in your colors.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Indian weddings with paper from Nepal...made from the Lotka bush or from sugarcane papers in bright colors. Silk threaded papers, and more can be yours with a custom order from Lilley Printing Co. Judy Laughton Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

What was the most conservative and highest end in invitations was engraved invitations on 100 per cent cotton for the norm of yester year, and even for many of us today.

However,with the comeback of fine letterpress brought about by the introduction of this old, and finest printing by Martha Stewart, letterpress with its deep impression into heavy water color like paper, has become the new "in" in fine traditional and classically contemporary designs with more of an art form.

You may select from any number of fonts, motifs, and inks, edgings, and fine liners for your wedding invitation needs.

Write to us and let us know your needs.

We work by appointment to better serve you.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Enjoy viewing our gallery here on bridesclub and on our site.

The most difficult part of wedding planning is making the guest list. For most brides and grooms, the task of deciding who is going to be asked, and who is not extends to family, friends, co-workers of the happy couple, and their parents.

We suggest making the list and then, when it is completed, to add twenty five more invitations at least to the final total before ordering.

We offer a guest list setup in Excel, Works, or Word and wedding etiquette guidelines when ordering from us.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Write us today about your guest list or your vision for your wedding invitations. We are here to serve you.

Any color, inked edges, sunken panels, monograms, motifs and more....
are yours with the fine work of our craftsmen at Lilley Printing co. now for 80 years.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Write us today for the size and style you want, and color of ink, and let us quote letterpress for you.

For The Wedding Show, we spent a few days putting together theme colors and selecting designs to match color or ambience created with scenes from various bridal magazines.

Color it in your theme, or your ethnic background: Irish? Italian? or simply traditional, the look you want will be all yours and yours alone.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Make it yours with an email to discuss your needs with us.

We will allow you to create your own wedding invitation with our design center.

You may select from one of our pocketfolds or one of our Envelopment's pocketfold designs and use every single color you are using for your wedding in your invitation.

Write us today. There are new wedding colors for which paper colors are more difficult to select.

We have found ways to create the color you want on fine paper to give you what you want in every single way.

Tell us what you most want in an email, and we will do our best to provide you with the information you need to make it happen.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Create this design in pocketfold style in color or combination you desire.

We love meeting new brides. And, we love learning from them. The Wedding Show in Saint Louis was a wonderful opportunity for us to be up and close with a number of brides in a short period of time.

What did we learn?

That most brides have heard something about letterpress invitations, and enjoyed viewing and touching ours.

And, that most brides know of the pocketfolds we have in our Envelopments Design Center.

And, they learned about our "own individualized designs" that cannot be purchased anywhere but through us.

Write us today with your questions about wedding invitations.

We welcome learning and working with you.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Design your own letterpress or contemporary designs with us or select from one of our fine albums.

Set the tone for your wedding with fine letterpress printed locally by us NOT from an album elsewhere.

You may choose to print in the theme colors for your wedding or in pristine black or slate gray on cream or white moulded cotton.

Write us today about your dream invitations and let us create them with you for you.

Judy Laughton Lilley, 314-752-7092, judy@lilleyprinting.com

View our gallery here and on our site for more designs or visit Envelopments.com for contemporary designs we will Letterpress for you as well.

Lilley Printing Co. at 80 years of age has returned to the craft from which it began in 1927 in the past 6 years when Martha Stewart brought back into vogue the art of fine printing with letterpress wedding invitations in her wedding magazine. We offer you the finest in printing that goes back to when all books had to be hand written with calligraphers to the first printed work by John Gutenberg in 1450. And the paper we use for printing is also historic, from Europe, made originally by Monks...fine moulded 100 per cent cotton stock.

You may purchase a smaple of our letterpress and see for yourself. Sample purchases are applied to your order with us.

Judy Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Call today for a price quote on the qty, size, and types of enclosure cards you need for your invitations.

If fine letterpress with a deep impression on perfectly beautiful moulded cotton is what you desire, our historic card imported from Europe is exactly what you will love for a look that is even richer than most engraved invitations. This fine look hit the charts with the best of contemporary designs we also offered at The Wedding Show.

Fine letterpress and contemporary designs. View more here on our gallery here on bridesclub and on our site.

Brides who tend to like classic looks in style will more frequently choose a classic look in wedding invitations. Classic and traditional will fit their tastes. This DOES NOT rule out a contemporary look in graphic design that balances the old with the new more modern and interesting layouts. Older and even personalized fonts chosen by your printer can lend a unique look to a traditional or modern album selection if your provider has the ability to graphicaly typeset your invitations for you.

Simple touches mean all the difference in the outcome.

For brides who wish to take the theme colors of the wedding to the "paper trail" of invitations, ink, liners, wedding programs, table numbers and seating cards, a more contemporary look is given to the results with color. One may still choose classic printing techniques and classic fonts so that again, one has more "wow" power with color and yet, the look is balanced or toned down with exquisite font(s).

Either way, it is possible to personalize your invitations in the way you would most like them to present.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

The answer is "NO". You will need to know the final total when you sign off on your proofs. At that time, we remind you of the estimated number you indicated you thought you would need, and we are able "BEFORE" we give the approval to go to press, to increase the quantities of each item.

Our suggestion, however, is to have a starting point as this will help you discern a "selection" in terms any budgetary guidelines you will want to meet.

Since invitations will cost anywhere from several dollars or more per guest, it is a good idea to set a range based realistically on your tastes. This is difficult to do, however, with using lesser lines shown in mail order catalogues.

In Saint Louis, the average price is around a thousand dollars spent on wedding invitations according to research figures provided for an article in The Post Dispatch this summer.

So....list the guest names EVEN if you do not have a "concrete" number, and begin the process of discerning your preferences in design, color, and font that will meet your dreams.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

This is a sample of fine letterpress invitations. For more contemporary selections, view our gallery here and on our site. Happy Holidays. Judy

One of the questions we get asked often is "When should I order?" And, our answer is, "as soon as you know the wedding date". The quantity, the times, etc. are easy details to work out after (1) a style (2) color(s) and (3) fonts and (4) wording are completed. Each part of what is needed to be done to complete an order requires attention, and beginning early helps a bride feel that this work is not having to be done in a rush, which makes the process more enjoyable.

Wedding invitations are not always as easy a selecting flowers or even a dress. Sometimes, it takes time for a bride to discern her vision for this important first peek at her wedding.

So, taking time with a professional wedding stationery consultant is essential to begin this process, and earlier not later is always best.

We suggest that brides mail invitations approximately 8 weeks in advance of the wedding......there are so many people with guests who need to make travel plans these days or even set up vacation days off to be with you and/or to travel that this makes planning the trip or time to be with you or part of your wedding easier for everyone.

And, it takes time to discern the total number of invitations needed. Recently, we met with a bride and groom and it has taken them 23 days since we met, or 3 weeks, to discern that they are going to need more invitationst than they thought. As they began completing the guest lists for us to address their envelopes, they realized it. Were they going through a supplier who did not address the invitations free of charge, they would NOT have known until they addressed them, that they were going to be running short of the total number required.

We suggest you catch us during this time of the year, when Saturday and weekday appointment times are more available. And, begin the process so that you know how far along in the process you will need to go to complete what you need on time, and with ease.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Call today to view these and more of our designs from our albums for your wedding day.

We offer both numerous album selections as well as custom...one of a kind invitations for your wedding.

When guests see their names beautifully addressed on fine cardstock, a message is sent that you honor their presence at your wedding.

Call us today for more information on how your seating cards and table numbers can add the right touch for your wedding reception.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

A pocket fold that is positioned landscape like this, or as portrait style may be created by you with our Envelopments product line for your wedding. Besides our own designs here in the photogallery, you may also create your own from this one supplier of ours by itself, not to mention the fact that we also offer letterpress invitations of our own and more, oh so much more.....

We love what we do. If designing your own invitation is what you wish to do,with some structure, then, this product will be one you will love to view and get acquainted with when you visit us.

Or if you wish to stay with the more traditional lines, we have a myriad of those as well as our own letterpress designs for you to select for purchase.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Yes. Some of the time the staff will be elsewhere in the bldg....production, design center, marketing, mailing, dark room, plate making, creating, typesetting....etc.....

And, we like to give you our very own personalized attention...the attention your order deserves when you work with us.

We take your emails and the notes from your phone call, and use them to pull cardstocks, and make selections to show you when you arrive.

We don't leave you on your own to figure it all out. We do it for you and with you to make it happen the way you need for us to serve you.

Yes, please make an appointment. On occasion, you "might" get us at a time when we are able to take you, and we hate to see you make a trip when we in fact, can't stop what we are doing, or interrupt other appointments to serve you.

Let us do what we do best, take good care of you with your own time slot set aside "just for you".

You and your wedding are worth it.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

You may choose a design from a supplier that has already been done and personalize it with us, without HAVING to purchase custom design from us or create your own.

We are all about what your needs are for your wedding.

Take the time to make an appointment for a consult to get a feel for what you need for your wedding.

Saturday appointments are easier to fit into your schedule NOW than as the months get closer to your wedding date, and this is ONE more thing you will get crossed off your list....

Let us know your needs when you schedule your time with us.

Warm regards,

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

If you really want to do your invitations, we will help you. You may even print them yourself with purchasing the already cut cardstock from our "design studio components" complete with pocketfolds, proper cuts and sizes, colors, quantities, envelopes to match or co-ordinate and more.

If you wish to match a color theme and an appropriate color is NOT available, we will find it, and cut it for you, and wrap it up for you to take home and print and do it yourself.

Many graphic designers wish to do this, and save money on printing, etc. but do not have access to the materials we have at our disposal.

We are happy to share our ability to purchase these for you. Just determine the total you require plus some extras for press time spoilage, and place and pay for your order.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

As I am coming down the home stretch of my writing early each morning, I am looking forward to providing brides with the information that they will need to plan their paper product needs in a format that will allow them to also keep enough information about family and friends for the wedding and the beginning of the rest of their lives.

No more notes here and there, and unfinished and numerous addressbooks. With completing the guest list and adding the address sheets to the handbook, a bride will be able to keep it all together for this large part of the plannign process and beyond. She may refer to it when planning her invitations, and programs, and reception information, and beyond.

And, use an overall planner for the mixture of other things that need to be done.

With a careful analysis with bridal consultants, we found that most bridal planners are NOT inclusive enough for brides' needs.

With the celebration of our 80th year, I am looking forward to offering it to you.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

One of the things I suggest to brides is replacing the proverbial "M_______________________________" line with the word

Name_______________________________________

Then,

Accepts _______ Regrets _____

Number of persons ________

Number of vegeterian dinner(s) needed _______

Your email address ___________________________________________

By receiving the email addresses of your guests, you may send out more information that a guest may need than you supplied on the map/accommodation and directions card.

If you are adding menu selections to the response card, we will help you make it fit.

A trend with the pocketfold invitations is to make the response card a postcard response that assimilates into the design.

Postcard response cards are not generally created by designers of album invitation to match the ensemble you select.

For more information on specific needs for response wording, always ask your wedding stationery consultant for details.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

One of the tips we handed out verbally at The Wedding Show was to have us make save the date bookmarks that you can insert in holiday cards.

It is not too late to do this inexpensive little way of having parents and you and your groom and his parents send them out to those invited to the wedding. Just make sure you get the list(s) of the people they are being sent to for the wedding list ahead of time so you know where you stand with regard to sending out the invitations.

It is a cost effective, easy way of saving the date, and, you may use either a holiday theme or any selection you wish for the bookmark. It does not have to include a ribbon to insure that it fits in the card.

Choose your holiday cards from us or from some other source, department store, etc. with your bookmark in mind. It need to be a longer card to accomplish this.

Look for more tips as the days take us deeper into fall and winter planning days.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

What's new in color is coming to you in our newsletter which our designer is laying out this morning. Black and white are big, and nautical is very strong. Along with the blues, you may be surprised that a denim look is also in. This just touches the surface...but just like those fashion runways, purple and grape and aubergine and plum are strong dominant colors for weddings!

Take this in and more in our newsletter...and look for more of these and the rest of the favorite color combinations on our site and in bridal magazine dresses for weddings.

Look back here, and write back for more information for your wedding papers.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

The owner's bias.....I love letterpress printing....just love it....Wonderful type set into deep archival papers....and ink....hmmmmmm ....beautiful, kinesthetic....a Luddite Luxury.....

Enjoy our wonderful letterpress...for a free sample, please write to me Judy Laughton Lilley, judy@lilleyprinting.com

That's right. Read more about our fonts, etc. on our website:
www.lilleyprinting.com

Judy Laughton Lilley
judy@sbcglobal.net

That's right. IT is free and always has been with purchase.

No one really seems to read the mail we send out in our newsletters...the best is yet to come with us.

Judy Laughton Lilley

Our newsletter....a new one being posted soon...

Judy Laughton Lilley

In celebrating our 80th year, I decided to publish a book on what we do....yes...a book...a complete guide to what brides and grooms and families need to know to execute the travels of fine stationery.....and we are coming down the home stretch.

In the meantime...read our new newsletter being posted this week.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Our designer has begun to organize your responses to our requests for more information you specifically need. We are looking forward to answering the guestions...so for a while, you are going to be viewing questions in the BLOG TITLE line. This helps you to know what to look for. Sometimes we will be doing a glossary of terms for you. In this way, you may even find us by looking up a term for a specific item on the net. Hope you are using this good weather to get in some important work for your wedding plans in the form of less tight schedules with designers. Judy Laughton Lilley

Write me a note: judy@lilleyprinting.com, and let me know what kinds of information you would like to see on our blog.

We would love to hear from you!

Feedback from our clients and friends is how we do what we do better.

Judy Laughton Lilley

Goodness! When I see the numbers climbing monthly, it makes me happy that so many of the readers of this site are viewing our photogallery, and our site, and coming back for more. This makes us happy because we know that paper planning is NOT easy, and we are here to make sure it becomes easy for you as you go about this journey into a world that involves much thought, planning, and insight.

Each day as we work on the details of our site, our new letterpress pricing schedule to go up soon on our site, and the book that is about to be released, we strive in every way to offer you the best in the industry for your needs...and this....

causes us to be able to sleep at night.

Judy Laughton Lilley

Visit our site and enjoy the newsletter that contains information about the latest in colors, and combinstions, a glossary of terms about printing and more for your wedding invitation planning.

You don't have to have all the information you need to begin the planning with us. We can fill in times, and reception sites as we go with our proofing department and pre-proof wedding text work.

The essentials of building the design must come ahead of most of this work unless the wording is very unusual or very long.

Look for the latest information in the newsletter, and more information on the book we have coming out soon to help you with everything.

I so look forward to serving our clients's very need with our full service company....printing, design, graphics, creative, as well as albums, and calligraphy services.

Judy Laughton Lilley

While recovering from surgery last winter, I began reading a copy of INC. magazine. As a wedding invitation consultant, and having married into the Lilley family while a Senior Advertising and Marketing Account Executive for The Wall Street Journal, and becoming a licensed counselor, I began to think in terms of what our clients need to know for their wedding(s)....from A to Z, and soon, my efforts will be rewarded in print.

Having done much research, we as a team here discerned that most bridal books carry some but not ALL the information needed to get the job done for any bride.

We have taken all of our writing back to the very first newsletters begun 7 years ago, and expounded on them, and everything we have ever written and more, and put it together so you can't miss a thing you will need to know for your wedding.

You can look forward to seeing excerpts of the book online before long, and a link you may use from here to view it from our website.

If you read this blog, let us know what you think of our idea(s). And, yes, we are putting it together in a way that is very user friendly.

You may email me your thoughts and needs anytime to:

judy@lilleyprinting.com

I welcome your questions.

Judy Lilley

Using your wedding colors, any combination of colors you love, you can have what you want in print when you take the time to imagine what it is you wish to do with your wedding invitations.

Invitations are becoming a personal stamp for nuptials, and this one item is attracting more time and attention to set the right tone for the upcoming event.

Let yourself look, dream, and search for the right invitation....

Just for you!

Judy Laughton Lilley

Invitations: Under Construction!

When we build an invitation, we do it pretty much the same way a contractor creates a new building. We have to form the "blueprints", gather the list of materials and their costs, determine the labor hours, and....how long it is going to take on our schedule.

We simply substitute printing language.

Custom means new or a creation of ours,yours or one we build together that is not limited to one paper.

Then, there is semi custom with our albums that allow you to interchange cardstock and colors.

And, then, there is already built from our many wedding albums with little variation except font, paper liner for envelopes and ink color.

Judy Lilley

Creating a beautiful invitation is something we love to do. Most recently, I simply decided to "play" with the paper. This translates to mixing up colors to see what happens with layers and components, and, I managed withou selecting two specific a design to get a good grasp of color, and mixing it up.

This kind of thing prompts the creativity in each of us.

When I awaken in the morning, I think, "gee, what are we going to create today?"

And, so it goes. Look for our new information on our site: The many faces of our designers!

Currently, I am musing away at how to best serve our clients for the best pricing when it comes to letterpress printing. When I googled letterpress, I found that there are over 1700 listings for letterpress.

We have been letterpress printing since our company began. When it began, letterpress and engraving printing were the only options.

As John Nesbit said in the 80's, the more things change, the more things stay the same, or we are back to printing more letterpress every month as it becomes the tried and true tradtional form of fine printing right alongside engraving.

Because letterpress offers such a singularly distinctive look to each piece, it is more srtful than engraving, because with engraving, the goal is for each piece to be exactly alike.

Lettepress allows us to create little rivulets of ink into the paper with metal dies mounted to wood...ah the texture, the highly kinesthetic sense of touch and fine paper....something so lovely, you would not toss this invitation out....nor the thank you note it is written on.

Judy Laughton Lilley

No longer is the village or small town wedding the current norm for most weddings, and the need for more assistance for out of town guests prompts the need to provide information in the form of email(s) or mailings to guests with hotel accommodations as well as maps, etc. to the church and reception location an important part of taking care of the wedding guest list.

Some brides prefer to do this very personally rather than supply a map and direction card as an accompaniment piece to their wedding invitation ensemble.

One good idea when creating custom invitations is to make the reception card large enough to include the map or directions on the back of the card.

One our clients actually had us print the map to both locations on the back of the wedding invitation, another thought. Depending on the design of the invitation, this may or may not be possible.

Communication seems to be what is needed to assist guests with feeling comfortable about the travel to a possibly new location, or an unknown to the guest reception facility in your area.

By the way, we let clients know that printed maps and directions from home printers may rub off on invitations you have paid dearly for.

"getting people to the church on time" is often assisted with maps and/or direction cards either within the invitation packet or emailed or snail mailed to each guest.

Judy Laughton Lilley
314-752-7092
judy@lilleyprinting.com

Invitations are about capturing both the message you wish to convey and the essence of the wedding that is about to take place in beautiful typography, cardstock, and information.

How one uses the resources available is the most essential part of the planning after the wording is done!

Have you ever thought about the idea that getting the wording done first might make a difference in the size of the card and the font you may wish to select?

Smaller Marquis cards that are square leave very little room for wording that belies a sentiment to start it, or adding the groom's parents to the invitation.

From color of ink to color of paper, to type of printing, to fonts and layout, the way to capture this best with the detail you wish to imbue is to find the right staff to support your wishes.

THis is one area of a wedding where having your hand held through the process helps to assure good results.

Judy Laughton Lilley

We did not wish to be viewed as the stodgy old printing company because we are anything but. At the most recent Wedding Show, we took mostly traditional or traditional classic invitations to peruse.

What we found is that brides do love "tradition", and so we are going to accent our founding strengths in letterpress, engraved, and lovely thermography printing in the classic modalities of fine cardstock. If you want these printing methods in color, we are also providing custom printing in many colors and stocks.

You will soon see a price and size list and some samples of fine letterpress to choose from.

It is one of many of our goals with our new site that we redid and put up in early May.

Judy Laughton Lilley

Musing the needs and wants of our clients becomes second nature to what we are doing all the time. Ideas come to us when we are driving, showering, cleaning up, doing paperwork, and thinking about the next new designs.

What comes to mind is that we have managed to give our clients so much information that we often miss an obvious value added service.....the addressing of the outer and inner envelopes that almost every wedding order qualifies for receiving free of charge.

When our clients pick up their invitations, unless it is a client assembly model, everything is ready to be mailed except stuffing, and stamping.

And, we will do this for you as well for a nominal fee.

We always put one of each component of the ensemble together for our clients to view exactly the way it is supposed to be packaged.

We do our best to take as much stress out of the process so that the entire ensemble matches perfectly.

Judy Laughton Lilley