how to reduce waste and add a special touch to wedding invitations
By on September 30th, 2008
Wedding invitations can create a mountain of waste and the costs for this seemingly simple process can really add up when you factor in the “traditional†elements of the wedding invite–invitation, invitation envelope, response card, response envelope and postage.
Below are some tips that you can use to reduce waste, save money and add a unique, personal touch to your wedding invites!
•   Create your own design – This can easily be done on your home computer. You can scan your favorite picture of you and your fiancée, or download any other stock photo of your choice. I created the design for my own wedding invitations using Microsoft Powerpoint. I took a stock photo (www.istockphoto.com) added text and created two slides (one for the cover of the invitation and one for the inside of the invitation). I then saved both as a JPEG file, saved it on a jump drive and took it to a local paper company. I recommend Paper Zone (www.paperzone.com) who has a large selection of paper stocks and envelopes, will help you choose the right one and then will send your file to a preferred local printer to be placed on the card stock of your choice.
•   Use recycled paper stock and envelopes- If you decide to pursue this option, make sure that the paper and envelopes that you choose for your wedding invites are made from at least 30% post consumer fibers. To take it even one step further, you may want to choose a matte finish rather than gloss as the printing process, (matte finish is more environmentally friendly).
•   Skip the response cards- Response cards can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of your wedding invitations (depending on the number of attendees). Also, when you factor in the required response envelopes and additional postage, you are looking at added expenses and unnecessary paper waste. One simple, cost effective solution is to purchase a toll free 800 number (you can purchase these numbers and create your own personal message for about $10 a month), add the 800 number to your wedding invitations and ask people to phone in their RSVP. This saves money, reduces waste and will add a personal and fun touch as you get to listen to messages from friends and family members calling to RSVP in their own voice. The line can very easily be canceled after the wedding.
Look to these websites to get you started: www.ringcentral.com, www.phonepeople.com, www.onebox.com
•   Electronic thank-you notes- In an effort to further eliminate waste related to your special day you may want to consider forgoing paper thank-you notes and instead collecting email addresses and sending out electronic thank-you cards
Check out these electronic greeting card sites: www.greeting-cards.com www.bluemountain.com or www.yahooamericangreetings.com. For members of your family that might not have access to email or a home computer, you will want to send a personal thank-you note via snail mail. One of the joys of widespread technology is the reduction of unnecessary paper products.
The above examples are just a few quick and easy steps that you can take to help you save time and money in planning your special day!
Yours,
The Green Bride
October 1st, 2008 at 9:29 am
May I initially say that many of these suggestions are quite valid. Perhaps what is not known is almost all of the papers used now are recycled papers. Cranes of course uses cotton for their papers,but all other vendors are well aware of the ramifications of not being responsible and have acted accordingly.
It is correct that it would be more advantageous to eliminate the rsvp (I have owned a stationery store for 23 years so I speak from extensive experience) but often these invitations,except for the higher end vendors,are sold as suites,which effectively cancel out the suggestion that rsvp’s should be eliminated.I often include a rsvp at the bottom of the invitation which solves that problem and keeps within etiquette guidelines. In addition,etiquette indicates that a rsvp should be sent and most brides want to adhere to the standard etiquette, and won’t deviate-maybe for someone else’s wedding but not theirs of course. If the bride goes with an electronic style rsvp etc. the older guest must be considered as well. They may not have the expertise or even a computer to pick up what has been sent. Etiquette for invitations has changed over the years for wedding invitations but still is somewhat draconian and a retailer will not necessarily go against tradition-it is always about making money for retailers,particularly in these dire economic times. It is an intregal part of our business to guide the bride according to the rules of etiquette and we fear that we will lose the order if we push a customer to an other greener alternative. Someone has to go first,that is a given,but where that should come from is the etiquette gurus who to date have not done so.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:32 am
I agree with invitation diva on the electronic rsvp and thank you notes.
For my wedding I made a small card for the rsvp that gave both a phone number (not 800 number but just a house phone of a person who agreed to keep track of this for me) and also an email address. This way people had a choice between the two. The crards were inexpensive to make. I printed the wording onto decorative paper, 4 cards to a page, so that after printing I just had to cut the paper into quarters and slip them into the invitations.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Hello InvitationDiva,
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comments. Great name by the way!
I wanted to first reply to and address your comments about brides wanting to adhere to standard etiquette when deciding to send out RSVP Cards. I agree that this is probably the case for most brides and I am in no way casting judgement upon or trying to change the decision of any bride, i simply want to use this forum to present alternatives to brides, like myself that ARE seeking alternatives to standard etiquette but may not be aware of what resources are available to them or where to begin in locating these resources. For my own wedding, I am thinking utside the box on several aspects and I want to let other brides know that it is OK (and quite possible) to do the same. I completely agree with your suggestions regarding guests that may not have access to a home computer and I did mention this when touching on alternatives to Thank you notes. I also fully agree with you on retailers fearing breaking from traditional etiquette and pushing brides to go with greener options. I don’t think that it is necessary to push a bride into these options, I believe that if a bride was presented with standard as well as alternative invitation options at the time of purchase, retailers might actually be pleasantly surprised at how many brides would choose to go the alternative route and the additional business that this could bring them. I think that any break from tradition is a scary venture but it is in taking the biggest risks that people often see the highest rate of return. Thank you again for your comments. They are insightful and valuable and it is great to see that this is a subject that people are passionate about.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
Hello Delilah,
Thank you for your comment! I love your suggestion on creating your own RSVP cards and including additional information (such as RSVP phone number and email address on those). I like to consider myself a crafty, hands on individual and I am all for saving money (and excessive waste) by making things yourself. Thank you again for your comment!