Are Photos On Wedding Invites Lame?

Is it lame to put a couple picture on your wedding invitation? I am searching the Internet for low cost wedding invitations and come across a few websites that give you the option of uploading a picture. I googled "low cost wedding invitations" and Vista Print came up near the top. You can order everything in increments of 10 which is nice and customize your order online. I only saw one fold over design. The envelopes are not included but they are so inexpensive that even after you add on a matching envelope you can still get 100 for as low as $80 with the sale they have going. I don't know how long the sale is going to last or if they are always that low. I also heard about Double Trouble Designs from another blogger. Their lowest price is: $150 for 100 plus a $40 design fee. Their designs are really cute and modern. 1st Class Wedding Invitations offers quality outer and inner envelopes and have a wide range of prices from $.86 cents to $4.50 each (based on a 100 order) with some great designs that can be ordered in increments of 25. The less you order the higher the price-gets which in some cases makes it not such a good deal. In all cases the RSVP portion is an additional cost.

People keep asking me what my colors are and as I started looking at invitations I started to feel like I should know my colors before I select the invites so that they can match. On the other hand, "Who really cares?" It is such a minor detail that it probably won't matter too much one way or another although I know that some brides will go to great lengths to coordinate every single little detail.

Just last week we received a beautifully embossed wedding invitation that opened up into 3 different panels that were artfully closed together by a pretty satin ribbon. "There will be no ribbons on our invitations." I immediately thought. Namely because those ribbons probably aren't cheap. On the other hand I don't want my invitations to be tacky. It should not look like I went to Cheap Invitations R Us. It doesn't need to be formal but I still want it to convey the elegance of our event.

I really want to get the wording on the RSVP just right too. I want it to be clear without sounding rude that the invite is extended to invited guests only. If your name is not on the invitation then you were not invited and you can't bring so and so if the plus one we have named on the invitation can't come. This means I should probably get an inner envelope aside from the outer one that will be addressed, mailed and probably thrown away, so that I can write the guest name on the outside of something they might hang onto. I also want names indicated on the RSVP so that not only do I know numbers but I will also have the name of each attending guest to write on name cards for the reception.

I can't believe that people pay into the $400's for 100 invitations. OK, I take that back. I can believe it but it's not something I plan on doing. Invitation Consultants has some really pretty invitations and some designs are as low as $104 for $100 that include outer envelopes only but most of them are way too pricey for me. What I did find useful is their nice selection of unique and classic wording idea's for invitations and RSVP's.

I'll keep searching for now and hopefully come up with something soon. I did not do save the dates because I have only started planning 6 months in advance. I am just going to spread the word right now by word of mouth and e mail.

According to About.com

Question: How far in advance should I address and send wedding invitations?

Answer: You should probably start to address your wedding invitations three months before the wedding. (If you have a calligrapher, check with them four months before the wedding as to when they need your guest list and invitations.) Ideally, wedding invitations are sent 8 weeks before the wedding – allowing guests several weeks to make travel arrangements and arrange time off from work if necessary, before sending them back to you.

Remember, you'll need to get them back in advance so you can start labeling place cards, make final head counts, etc. Ask for an RSVP date 3 weeks before your wedding, if you sent them on time. At a minimum, send them out six weeks in advance, and set an RSVP date of 2 weeks before the wedding.

My wedding date is July 10. I absolutely do not have a calligrapher!! People do that?!? Since I didn't do save the dates and a lot of guests will have to travel in order to come I am going to send the invitations out March 1st and request RSVP by June 1st to try to accommodate the inevitable stragglers that won't reply by the date I've asked.

I've got some time to make a final decision. If I decide to go with Vista Print I HOPE that they still have those low prices when I am ready to order. If they don't this frugal bride is gonna be mad.