FAQ
Process
HOW DOES THE CUSTOM DESIGN PROCESS WORK?
It all starts with a virtual design meeting. We’ll take some time to learn more about your event and the type of stationery you’re looking for. Following the design meeting, we’ll put together an initial proposal. This will include pricing and a client service agreement. If you’re ready to move forward after reviewing your proposal, we collect a 50% non-refundable retainer which secures your spot on our production calendar. We know things are bound to change throughout the process (quantities, paper selections, desired pieces, etc.) so our invoices are fluid and updated as we go.
From there we’ll email over a wording worksheet which includes etiquette suggestions. Once we have your completed wording worksheet back, we get to work on your first digital proof. After finalizing the design, you’ll digitally sign off on the proof and place the remaining 50% of your payment which allows us to move your order into production.
WHAT IF I’M OUT OF STATE?
No problem! Roughly 60% of our clients are located out of state. We utilize technology to ensure you have just as seamless of an experience as you would if you were sitting in our design studio. We happily ship samples, email photos of options or FaceTime with client throughout the process.
HOW DOES PROOFING WORK?
We include four rounds of digital proofs with each order. This includes a digital flat-lay overview where you can see all of your invitation pieces side-by-side, and also individual proofs of each piece for easy proof reading. You’ll send your edits back to us via email after you’ve reviewed each new proof and compiled a list of any revisions. We typically turn around a new proof in 2-3 business days.
CAN I ORDER A PRINT PROOF?
Our standard proofing process is all digital, however, if you would like to see a hardcopy (printed version) of your invitation suite, we offer print proofs for $25 each. Please note, our print proofs do not include any sort of specialty printing (letterpress, foil, etc.), so if you’ve opted for one of these printing techniques, just know your print proof will be digitally printed.
Timeline
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET MY INVITATIONS?
The custom stationery process takes roughly 6-8 weeks. This is includes your design meeting, the proofing process & production.
Timelines may vary depending on the time of year and scope of your project.
WHAT IF I NEED MY ORDER FASTER THAN THE SPECIFIED TIMELINE?
We offer expedited options for a fee. Please send your inquiry to info@westwoodcreativeco.com
WHEN SHOULD I ORDER & SEND MY INVITATIONS?
We typically recommend ordering your invitations no later than 3-4 months before your wedding, however, if you have all the information you need sooner…why wait!? Better to have them in-hand and sitting in the corner of your living room for a month than paying rush fees to get everything completed in time.
You’ll want to get your invitations in the mail about 6-8 weeks before the big day.
We always recommend building in some buffer time if you have a lot of out-of-town guests so they can plan accordingly.
Products + Services
WHAT WEDDING PRODUCTS DO YOU OFFER?
Wedding Stationery
Engagement party invitations, Save the dates, Invitation suites, Thank you cards
Reception Stationery
Welcome signs, Ceremony programs, Escort cards, Seating charts, Menus, Place cards, Table numbers, Table signage
Food/bar signage, Favor bags, Favor tags, Custom napkins
These are our most commonly ordered pieces, but if you have something else in mind, we would love to help!
DO YOU ONLY DO WEDDINGS?
No! While the majority of our clients are engaged couples, we work with a wide array of clients with different project scopes. We regularly work with clients who’s projects include: Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, birthday parties, baby showers, retirement parties, holiday cards, business cards, marketing materials, corporate events, graphic design services & more!
Investment
HOW MUCH DO WEDDING INVITATIONS COST?
The cost of wedding invitations varies greatly depending on quantity, paper selection, printing techniques, embellishments, number of inserts, etc. We offer custom & semi-custom options, so we’re able to guide couples in the right direction to fit their budget.
HOW ARE YOUR INVITATIONS PRICED?
Our custom invitations include a design fee + cost of goods and production/assembly.
CAN I PAY ONLINE?
Yes! We use a secure online invoicing system that allows our clients to easily pay via credit card.
Ordering
HOW DO I PLACE MY ORDER?
The first step is to set up a complimentary design meeting so we can learn more about your stationery needs. This can be done via phone or Zoom. Once we have a better idea of what you need, we’ll put together a custom proposal. If you like what you see, you can sign our client service agreement and place your 50% non-refundable retainer, and we’ll get to work on your order!
WHAT IF I NEED MY ORDER FASTER THAN THE SPECIFIED TIMELINE?
We offer expedited options for a fee. Please send your inquiry to info@westwoodcreativeco.com
Printing
WHAT PRINTING TECHNIQUES DO YOU OFFER?
The most commonly used method is digital (or flat) printing, however, if you want to kick your stationery up a notch, we also offer letterpress and foil printing OR a combination of specialty printing techniques.
CAN I PRINT EXTRA INVITATIONS LATER IF I NEED MORE?
Yes, however a smaller order at a later date will be more costly than adding a few extra to your initial order. We recommend ordering 1-3% extra with your initial order to cover any last-minute additions, return to senders and to have a few keepsakes.
Assembly + Shipping
WILL MY INVITATIONS ARRIVE ASSEMBLED?
Some pieces will arrive assembled. Assembly is included for any pieces that need to be adhered to another piece (i.e. invitations to backers, invitations to pocketfolds/pocketcards or envelope liners). Any enclosure cards will need to be stuffed by the client upon arrival. Some embellishments also arrive assembled such as ribbon ties and belly bands.
CAN YOU ADDRESS MY ENVELOPES FOR ME?
Yes! We know how time consuming this can be, and we’d love to help. We send our clients who reserve this service a simple Excel template to complete with their guest addresses and we do the rest. We’ll also match any fonts and/or graphics from your invitations on your envelopes, so your guests get pretty mail!
HOW MUCH POSTAGE WILL MY INVITATIONS NEED?
Postage will depend on the pieces, paper weights and embellishments you’ve chosen for your suite. These all affect the overall weight of each mailing, and therefore how much postage is needed. We always recommend clients take their completely assembled invitation suite to the post office for weighing and accurate postage recommendations from the pros.
CAN YOU MAIL MY INVITATIONS?
Sorry, we do not offer postage or mailing services at this time.
IS SHIPPING INCLUDED?
No, shipping the invitations from us to you is the clients responsibility. We will include a shipping estimate on your invoice which will be updated if needed once your invitations are complete and ready to ship.
Wedding Invitation Etiquette + Education
CAN YOU HELP ME WITH WORDING ETIQUETTE ON MY INVITATIONS?
Absolutely! All of our clients receive a wording worksheet which gathers the text we need for your invites, and also offers wording suggestions based on various common scenarios (i.e. invitation from divorced parents, invitation from both sets of parents, invitation from couple, etc.).
WHAT PIECES ARE IN A STANDARD INVITATION SUITE?
This is completely up to the couple, but a standard wedding invitation suite typically includes the following pieces at a minimum:
Invitation & outer envelop / RSVP card & envelope / Enclosure card
Contact Us
HOW DO I BOOK A DESIGN MEETING WITH YOU?
We’re excited to hear you’re interested in getting the ball rolling! You can access our online calendar here to schedule a design meeting, or by clicking the “book a design meeting” button anywhere on our site.
CAN WE MEET IN PERSON?
We are currently only taking virtual meetings. We have all the necessary technology to host an equally productive design meeting via Zoom as in person!
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH QUESTIONS?
Please drop us an email – we’re happy to chat! Send all questions to info@westwoodcreative.com