From Start to Mail: The Custom Invitation Process

Curious about how the custom invitation process works? Here’s the steps!

1. Inquire

This is pretty easy, fill out the form here. After receiving your inquiry, I will email you a quote and schedule a call (if you clicked “yes” you want a phone call). We will talk about your vision for your wedding, the process, and answer any questions. We will also go over the quote to see if any adjustments need to be made.

2. Book

After our call, I’ll send a follow up email with the contract, amended quote, and a questionnaire for any additional information I need for your save the date or invitation. The questionnaire has fields where you can link your Pinterest and upload pdfs and inspiration images, if you have them. Once you have signed, paid (25% deposit for save the dates, 50% if we are starting with invitations), and filled out the questionnaire, I’ll email you to let you know I received everything and provide a date when you can expect your sketch.

3. Sketch

This is the most important part of the design process! I’ll create a sketch and lookbook before ever picking up a paintbrush. This will make sure you and I are on the same page before I start to paint (which is the most time consuming part of the process). Once the sketch is approved, the artwork being created is locked in order to stay on our timeline.

4. Proofing

Once I have painted all the needed items and created the calligraphy needed for the suite, I’ll put everything into my design software. I create a proof for you so that you can see each piece, front and back, as well as a mockup of the suite together. With your feedback, I’ll make the revisions until it’s print ready (usually about 3 proofs).

5. Print, Assembly, and Mail

Once the suite is approved for print, I’ll order everything needed for your suite and take care of all assembly. I’ll even mail them for you, if you like!

Once your suite is finished, it’s time to work on your day-of items. This follows a similar process. I’ll use artwork from your suite to give all your paper goods a cohesive look. You also have the option to add more custom artwork (like signature cocktail illustrations or pet portraits).

Ready to inquire? Click here.

5 Reasons to Choose Custom Wedding Invitation Design

Considering custom invitations? Here’s the top 5 reasons to go for it!

1. First Impressions

Your save the date and/or wedding invitation is the first glimpse your guests will get of your big day. It will give them an idea of what to expect and amp up the excitement for your wedding weekend. You’ll definitely be getting texts when your guests find that envelope in their mail box.

2. Guest Experience

Speaking of finding that envelope in their mailbox, what a fun mail day! Your friends and family will be thrilled to receive something that’s pretty with their name on it. Calligraphy addressing goes the extra mile here. People love seeing their name written out! As they open the envelope, they’ll take their time looking through the stack (your invite, details card, etc) and at the artwork on each piece.

3. One of a Kind

Custom invitations are designed for you with art created with your wedding weekend and your story as a couple in mind. Want a venue illustration? You got it! A sailboat to commemorate your favorite weekend activity together? Sure thing! Your dog holding up a banner reminding your guests to RSVP? Let’s do it!

4. Keepsake

Since the invitations are made just for you, they make a beautiful keepsake. Not only are the invitations themselves a keepsake, but the art created for them can be used for other special items. I’ve seen couples take their monograms, crests, pet portraits, etc., and use them for things like thank you notes, embroidered purses, hand painted Bibles, hats, shoes, and more.

5. Branding

The artwork created for your invitations can be used throughout the wedding weekend events for a cohesive look. For example, using the same florals from the details card on the rehearsal dinner menu, putting your monogram on cups or napkins, or even creating a dance floor from the invitation artwork are ways to make the event’s paper feel cohesive.

If you’re ready to inquire after custom invitations, click here. If you want to read about custom invitations vs semi-custom invitations, click here.

Semi-Custom vs. Custom Wedding Invitations: Which is right for you?

Not sure if you want to go the custom or semi-custom route for your wedding invitations? Here’s the biggest differences and some similarities.




Three Differences

1. Artwork

Custom invitations include unlimited artwork, (to a point, read all about the custom invitation process here). That means we can paint floral motifs to match your florist’s vision for the event, include your venues, dogs, weekend activity icons, disco balls, monograms, crests, roadrunners, or whatever else you want to include.

Semi-custom invitations include previously created artwork plus one new illustration. It’s up to you what that illustration is (many people choose a monogram or venue illustration). You do have the option to add illustrations a la carte. Even though semi-custom uses previously created artwork, we don’t exactly copy another suite - we want to make sure you have a unique look!

A custom save the date including a pet portrait.

2. Time

The custom invitation process can take about 3-4 months to complete depending on revisions, communications, and having the details available. Design takes about 3 months, then printing and assembly takes about 2-3 weeks depending on complexity.

Semi-custom invitation design usually take 1-2 months to complete since we are only creating one new piece of artwork. Printing and assembly still takes about 2-3 weeks depending on complexity. If you prefer to assemble yourself, just let me know!

A semi-custom save the date - we wanted these to mail out quickly.

3. Price:

Custom invitations are more time-intensive, so the cost is higher. For 100 invitation suites that include a double-thick invitation, printed addressing, envelope liners, and a details card, expect to spend around 3,900.

Semi-custom invitations (for the same package as listed above) would cost around 2,200.

Three Similarities:

1. Calligraphy

Both custom and semi-custom suites include custom hand-drawn or hand-painted script paired with coordinating fonts.

2. Assembly:

I take care of all assembly so you don’t have to! I’ll even mail them for you if you like (anticipate 66 cents - $2.17 to mail your invitation suite). If you prefer to assemble, just let me know!

3. Paper:

Both custom and semi-custom have the same high quality paper options. Standard packages include a double-thick oversized invitation and envelope liners.

Custom invitation suite.

Hybrid Options

Some couples choose to have a semi-custom save the date and custom invitation (especially helpful if you are short on time). Some couples choose semi-custom but add on an illustration or two. My goal is to honor your timeline, your aesthetic, and your budget. Click here to inquire.

Semi-custom invitation design.

Regarding Hand-Cancelled and Non-Machinable Mail

Have you ever heard the term “hand-cancelled” or “non-machinable” and wonder what they mean and how to do it? My envelopes are often non-machinable, but neither that nor hand-cancelling means they are spared all the machines! Here’s what you need to know!

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has sorting machines that reads the address on your envelopes and determines where it needs to go. One of the machines also “cancels” the stamps (so the stamp cannot be reused). That is why most of the mail you receive in your mail box has those grey marks and peach barcodes on the envelopes. The machines do well with flat mail, but with anything non-standard, the machine can cause tearing and extra scuff marks. Other machines read the address and sort the letters according to their destination.

What counts as non-standard? While not a definitive list, here are the most common non-standard mail issues:

• Wax Seals inside the envelope or out (or anything lumpy like a thick knot in ribbon)

• Metallic ink or red ink (interferes with the machines ability to read the address)

• Square envelopes and addresses written perpendicular to the short side of the envelope rather than the long side.

If your envelope has any of these, affix the appropriate amount of postage, and tell your post person the envelope is non-machinable.When hand cancelling is needed (which saves the envelope from the first machine), they usually cancel the postage with a rubber stamp, but don’t be surprised if other they just scribble through them with an ugly ball point pen (this is especially befuddling when they do that to cool and unique vintage postage stamps)! If you are worried about that, ask them what they use to hand-cancel. Hand cancelling doesn’t cost any extra money, but some post offices say you have to pay for the non-machineblae surchrage (even though hand-cancelling and non-machinable aren’t the same thing. You won’t get anywhere arguing, so find a post office you like and stick with them. When I have to use a different post office than normal, I just apply extra postage if they ask -or- I wait until I find another post office.

I might add- this works in theory. Sometimes the envelope simply arrives both hand-cancelled and machine-cancelled, non-machinable mail is sometimes run through all the machines… be prepared for the possibility and risk. Continue reading below…

This envelope is non-machineable because of the sparkly “champagne” ink.

So what do you have to do if you have non-machinable mail? As of April 2023, a standard letter under 1 oz costs 63 cents to mail (one forever stamp). This amount is set to increase summer of 2024, so always check with your post office. You can buy 1.03 cent stamps (63 cents + 40 cents), or you can use a forever stamp with 40 cents worth of vintage stamps. Or all vintage stamps! It’s up to you, as long as it’s 1.03 cents. Whether your envelope is non-machinable, or whether you prefer to have it hand-cancelled, I recommend either taking your mail to the post office or handing it directly to the carrier (mentioning that it is non-machinable mail and / or that you’d like it hand-cancelled). You could also try putting the envelope in your mail box with a post it note asking for the mail carrier’s kind attention to put this in the non-machinable stack. If you put it in a mail slot, or if the carrier just chucks it into the “outgoing” bin, it will most likely go into a container that gets dumped into the sorting machine.

Some post offices will let you cancel the envelopes yourself, some will tell you they don’t hand cancel anything. Some will tell you that you that non-machinable costs extra (even though it doesn’t). Find a post office that you like and stick with them because they can be a huge help to you when weird postage questions arise. I find most postal workers I’ve met are very helpful (while some claim they can’t read and wont deliver anything written in cursive… yes, really).

I hope this cleared up any confusion you may have had about the terms “hand-cancelled” or “non-machinable.” Please remember, these guidelines are written by me, not the USPS. Service and results will vary greatly. Sometimes, despite following official guidelines, letters can be ripped, lost, or take a long time to get to the addressee. The USPS wants your mail to get to its destination, but they aren’t perfect. Try to laugh off any mishaps! Most of the time, my letters arrive safely and in pretty condition (one even arrived 6 months after being sent!). Good luck snail mailing!