What is your belly band made of?

When you use a belly band on your wedding invitation, your recipients will feel like they’re opening a present. You can also use belly bands as an accent within your invitation design. Belly bands can be made in many sizes, from a variety of materials:

Ribbon

Send Me My Free Samples of Stephanie

Patterned Paper

Send Me My Free Samples of Fleur

Natural Fibers

Send Me My Free Samples of Aspen

What will you use as a belly band for your letterpress wedding invitation?

“Thanks Trish for your help in making our invitations, and your prompt replies to all our queries. The invitations are lovely. ~Trang Le”

***

Written by Katie

Go to the Invitation Gallery

Check out our special on letterpress invitations and save!

Add Handmade Touches to Your Letterpress Wedding Invitation

Budgeting has become a huge part of the wedding planning process in the new year, but wise brides are quickly learning that 2011 is less about penny pinching and more about making the most of their dollar.

I’m big on splurging on items like letterpress wedding invitations, and using my own DIY-savvy to spruce them up! You probably have a ton of stuff lying around the house waiting to decorate your new invites.

Here are just a  few I can think of:

Ribbon

Ribbon can be used for anything. I love thick, smooth ribbon in place of belly bands.

Send Me My Free Samples of Stephanie

Colored Paper

A second paper layer behind your letterpress wedding invitation adds a pop of color and a touch of charm. Guests might actually feel bad about throwing your custom invitation away after the affair!

Send Me My Free Samples of Devi

Your Printer

Your printer might be your best friend in your DIY endeavors. Making your own envelope liners seriously completes an invitation suite, and is one of the simplest things in the world to do.

Send Me My Free Samples of Ellen

***

Written by Katie

Go to the Invitation Gallery

Check out our special on letterpress invitations and save!

Brides to be, I know the economy is rough right now. While the talking heads on the television seem to indicate things are improving, for most people the penny pinching is long from over. While letterpress printing can be a little expensive, there are all kinds of different ways to save money and still have the invitation set of your dreams. To help you decide how to have your wedding invitations printed, I would like to give you a couple simple suggestions:

Printing the RSVP information on the Envelope

This saves the added cost of printing an extra piece of paper, and is particularly useful for those tech savvy brides that are coordinating RSVP information through a website. While this is not traditional etiquette, these are not traditional times. This is a great way to save money on postage  and actually looks quite beautiful!

Combine Enclosure Cards

Instead of printing two separate pieces for your insert cards, consider combining two cards into one. Not only is this eye catching and chic in all the right ways, but it also saves you money.

Mix Offset or Digital with Letterpress

While the impression, texture and emotional response that a letterpress wedding invitation evokes is unbeatable, if you are on a budget you might consider printing the RSVP, directions or envelopes on an offset press or digitally. Production costs are reduced and the printers will pass that savings on to you.

This bride saved by printing a digital rsvp so she could splurge on ribbon and a second paper layer for her invitation:

Click here for free samples

But also remember this is your special day. While costs should be a consideration, do not excessively cut back on the quality of the invitation you have been dreaming about just so you can save a little extra money. There are several different options that make it possible to have a beautiful letterpress invitation set that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (or your firstborn).

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

New seasons bring new ideas, new ideas turn into new designs. One of our favorites for the coming season is the Milian style letterpress wedding invitation set.

Featuring a personalized monogram, this unique invitation set combines a Victorian floral motif with simple, yet elegant colors. The soft aqua script pairs perfectly with the classic dusty peach floral motif.

The vertically oriented ribbon incorporated into the invitation highlights and accents the green layer to create a more dramatic effect. This is a unique style that compliments the overall invitation set.

This design is so exquisite it serves as a perfect invitation for any event formal or otherwise. Weddings, graduations, anniversaries or birthdays, a guest receiving this invitation will certainly be delighted.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.

Coming up next: Letterpress in Literature <br/ > Dead Man’s Cell Phone

Some brides like to spice up their wedding invitations with a unique style or idea, which is a perfect excuse to use a belly band. When you put a belly band on your invitation, your recipients will feel like they’re opening a present.

Belly bands can be made from a variety of materials: ribbon, patterned paper, handmade paper or raffia and come in all shapes and sizes. The options are limitless.

When you have several different pieces in your invitation set, a pocket folder is an ideal way to keep them organized. The best way to keep that folder closed? Obviously a beautiful ribbon or paper band!

Think outside the “band,” try something non-traditional. Some couples are using a vertical ribbon to contrast colors and add to the overall appeal of their invitation.

Written by Nick

Invitations by Ajalon
View our letterpress wedding invitation gallery.