Frequently Asked Questions
- How far ahead should I order my Wedding Invitations?
- How early you need to get your invitation design and printing rolling depends on three factors:
- Is your suite being custom-designed or are you choosing a design that is ready to print?
- Are you using a calligrapher (if so, what is their turnaround time)?
- How early do your invitations will need to be sent out?
- The setup and proofing, and printing of a ready-to-print design usually takes about four weeks. (Really in a crunch? I may be able to have them done in less time. Call me to get started right away. A rush fee will apply.) If you are having your invitation suite custom-designed, that can take from four to twelve weeks or longer, depending on how many elements are included and what sort of unusual materials or processes your designer is incorporating.
- Don't hesitate to initiate contact once you've decided on an invitation designer, even if you haven't decided on a design yet. Talk dates and quantities. This lets your designer block out the appropriate amount of time for you in their schedule, rather than having to squeeze you in (or worse, turn you away) later on. This is an especially good idea if your wedding date falls during the busy spring and summer season.
- Standard wedding invitations should be mailed four to eight weeks before the ceremony. If many of your guests will be travelling to attend, or if your date falls on a holiday weekend, a Save the Date card should be sent six months to a year in advance.
- So, add the number of weeks prior to the wedding you plan on sending invitations out (4-8 weeks), plus the calligrapher's time (2-4 weeks), plus the design and printing time (4-12 weeks), plus two to four extra weeks for your sanity, and you get a ballpark of 10 to 24 weeks. There is clearly no single correct answer to the question of when to order your invitations, but remember that it's hard to go wrong with extra time.
- What kind of things can be silkscreened?
- Just about any material that can be laid flat can be printed on: paper, fabric, metal, wood, plastic... Heavily textured items can be problematic if the texture is rigid and does not compress when the squeegee is passed over it. Also, different materials may have different thresholds with regard to how much detail they can hold. If you have an idea for a printing project involving an unusual material, let's talk and start experimenting.
- What forms of payment do you accept?
- I am able to accept debit and credit cards via Paypal. If you do not have an account, it is free to set one up. For payment, I can either invoice you, or you can use the Send Money tab and enter carly.bodnar@gmail.com as the recipient.
- I also accept checks, but be aware that if your final (or only) payment is made by check, I will have to wait for it to clear before I ship your order.
- Can I make multiple smaller payments instead of one large one?
- The custom design process is structured to require a 50% deposit prior to beginning the actual design process, and then the remaining 50% is paid prior to printing. If the printing date for your project is months away, we can easily split the total quote into equal monthly payments.
- For ready-to-print designs, the turnaround time is usually much shorter than custom projects. For this reason I generally ask for a single payment in full. If your order is unusually large or if you have additional lead time, we can probably split your payment into two. Please be aware, however, that all payments must be received, and checks cleared, in order for your order to ship.
- If there are specific circumstances or a particular payment structure you would like to discuss, please contact me directly.
- Hey, there's a mistake! Can I have a refund?
- First, be aware of the following:
- Spelling, addresses, dates -- in short, all written content -- are the responsibility of the client. By sending payment, you are accepting the design mock-up and all content therein.
- Silkscreen is a method of printing by hand. As such, small imperfections are par for the course. I print extra with each batch in order to pull out misprints, and I will never send you a print that I deem unacceptable. However, small variations between prints are part of the character of silkscreen and are to be expected.
- Inks are mixed by hand in small batches, so it is possible that the ink sample you were given and the final ink used in printing are not exactly the same.
- Lighting conditions and monitor calibration can have a large impact on the perception of a color. Keep this in mind when comparing your physical printed product to the digital mock-up.
- Having said all that, if there is an element of your order that arrives differently than the final mock-up and quote specified (wrong paper or ink, for example) notify me within 7 days of receiving them and I will be happy to reprint your order with the mistake rectified.