When looking for wedding stationery, which is the better choice....a totally custom invitation, created from scratch just for you or should you select an existing design?

It is truly a matter of your personal preference and, practically speaking, your budget!  There are so many places out there to find wedding invitations. And you will find all price ranges from very inexpensive to "the sky's the limit".  I can't speak for other stationery companies, but I can tell you a bit about our invitation process and pricing at El's Cards.

We offer many selections that will appeal to many couple's tastes, and have good and competitive price ranges available.  Any questions that you may have about pricing can be answered on our website. We have nothing to hide and truly encourage our clients to shop around at other websites for invitation pricing!  We know you will find us to be a great alternative to the mainstream.

Succulents Invitation Suite- Photo by Geneve Hoffman and flowers by Minka Flowers.

One thing that our couples really like about our invitations is that even our collections invitations have a custom feel. Each design features an original design that was painted by my own hand in watercolor and then created as an invitation. All of our fonts are also original from my signature calligraphy styles, so each aspect of your invitation will be 100% unique compared to everything else that is out there in the vast world of paper goods.

Sometimes, our clients will mix and match designs from different suites within the design collection.  For example, last spring I worked with a couple who wanted the anchor invitation with the oyster shell incorporated somewhere in the invitation suite.  We did this by adding it to the reply card and the outer envelope.  This allowed the couple to customize without a huge additional price tag. 

Depending on what design is desired, sometimes we have an existing design that can be used without putting paintbrush to paper. In the invitation below, Allison and Aaron selected the Sunset Sky Invitation and the Salty Air to blend together and make it their own!

 If the couple decides that they would like a custom invitation, we first take a look at the invitations in our collections to see what they like.  This helps me understand the direction to take.  Full color design, a small piece of artwork at the top, some type of border...the possibilities are endless.  This just helps us narrow it down a bit.  All custom work is done at an hourly rate, and I will always give an estimate of how long it should take to create your own custom design. 

Photo by Melissa Mullen.

Sometimes people find an invitation they like in the collections, but decide to later have a custom piece of artwork created for their reception tables, programs, etc.  This is a great way to have something special created just for you, but to keep it within the budget.  (Something to note...this Charlestown Harbor design was so popular, we now have it for sale in our prints collection!)

Whatever you decide-to select from one of our collections or purchase a custom invitation-our invitations have a lovely, personal feel that your guests will LOVE!  Email El at ellen@elscards.com to book an appointment to talk about your own wedding stationery!

Cover photo by Julia Jane Studios.