A lot of people have the misconception that because an invitation commonly gets thrown away after an event takes place, that is not worth the thought, time, money or effort. However, invitations are one of the most important pieces of your event ensemble. Why? Because they set the tone for your event. You only get one chance to make a first impression, right? Well think of your invitation as your first impression. Your invitation deserves just as much, if not more attention than any other piece of your event. It is your first chance to give your guests a peak into the excitement they will be enjoying at your birthday party, wedding, anniversary party or shower. It allows you to introduce your color scheme, clue your guests in to whether the event will be formal or a little more laid back and most importantly gives them an idea of what they should expect from the event. I, along with most people I know judge an event based on the invitation. If I receive an invitation that is well crafted, with hand detail, beautiful paper and gorgeous ribbon I know that the sender has paid attention to detail and that the event will most likely have the same meticulous elegance. If your invitation makes a good impression, it will build anticipation leading up to your event. Consequently, if you do not put much thought into it, it will most likely have the opposite effect. Think back to when invitations were hand delivered. It was an honor to receive one; guests were elated to be included in someones special day. You want your guests to have this same feeling when they open YOUR invitation, that it was made especially for them. In addition, your invitation traditionally becomes the centerpiece for your entire event ensemble. Because it is usually one of the first pieces you select, it is always the piece that determines the style for the other creative pieces that are carried through to the day of your event. So the next time you are getting ready for a special day, skip the fill in the blank invitations from the party store or the internet template and go for something custom or handcrafted; it will make all the difference for both you and your guests.
I have been working on an upcoming event and will post photos from that in my next blog, which will also include some very delicate invitations from the event!
