Does Smart Money KNOW How to Save Money on a Wedding? - LILLEY PRINTING CO. blog at BridesClub.com

Edit | Delete The Wall Street Journal's baby gives advice on Wedding Cost Savings?????

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