{Etiquette Thursday} Are mailed RSVPs still necessary?

I'm working on this lovely custom design for an upcoming bride who has chosen not to use mailed RSVPs.  Instead, she's asking her gusts to RSVP on her wedding website.  I must admit, this is the first bride that's asked for this so I had to do a little research myself.  Are RSVPs a thing of the past?

It seems with rise of wedding websites, RSVPing online is fairly common.  It's easier, it's cheaper and in a lot of ways makes much more sense.  Do people really take the time to send back RSVPs anyway? 

Any marketing person would tell you to consider your audience.  Are most of your guests older without online access?  Or are your guests techie-nerds obsessed with all things online?  If you consider who the majority of your invitations will be sent to, the answer will be clear. 

Are you a modern bride?  Did you use online RSVP?  How did it work for you?

{Etiquette Thursday} How much does it cost to send an invitation?

This week's question is one that isn't easily answered.  How much does it cost to send an invitation?

That depends completely on what's included in the invitation.

Small invitations with no additional enclosures generally fall into the 1-stamp category.  Unless the invitation is square.  Square invites always require additional postage. 

If your invitation has additional enclosures (Pocketfold, Layers, RSVP, Directions, etc.), more than likely you will be requred to pay extra postage.  How much?  That's a question only a mail-person can answer for sure. Your best bet is to take a completed invitation to the post office and ask them to weigh it for postage.  They will be able to tell you exactly the cost to mail each invitation.

It's very important to make sure you use the correct postage.  After all that you've spent on invitations and more importantly the wedding, you want to make sure the invitations actually arrive to your guests promptly and without error. =)

Happy Mailing!

{Friday Freebie} Weekly To-Do List

Better late than never!  Friday's Freebie is here just in time for Monday morning and for you to get ready for your week!  We're working hard to get the L&S office organized and with that in mind, this week's printable was born.  

Be a STAR: just print this lovely little To-Do list and stay on top of your chores for the week! =)

Try it out, it's free! Just click the image above to download! =)

{Etiquette Thursday} When should I send invitations?

When planning your invitation set, one of the very first things I'll ask is "When is the event?" This determines when we should get to work on your design and most importantly, the completion date.

According to The Knot, formal invitations for events such as weddings should be sent 8 weeks (and no later than 6 weeks) prior.  If you are sending RSVP's, invitations should reach your guests with ample time to respond. RSVP's should be returned no less than 3 weeks before the event to allow ample planning and preparation.  


For parties, showers and other informal events, 3-4 before the event should suffice.  Just be sure you've left enough time for your guests to clear their calendar and prepare for a gift.

If you are planning to use one or our invitations or custom designs it's best to let us know so as soon as possible.  We can then get you on our calendar and plan your design in plenty of time before your invites should hit the mailbox!

Is it time for a Royal Wedding Invitation makeover?

courtesy of jezebel.com

1,800 of these fancy pants invites hit the mail last week...and ohhh what I wouldn't give to see one!  I don't want to actually go to the wedding...but I'd love to feel the paper, inspect the envelope and see how the real Royals roll!

The folks over at The Wire weren't so impressed.  And from the looks of the photos, I  can't say I disagree.  The design is simple and traditional, but with all of the amazing designs available today...these just seem boring.

It wouldn't take much to bring the design up to date.  Adding a shimmering golden pouch or pocket to the design with the Royal emblem on the front would be beautiful, and still keep the traditional design intact.

What do you think?  Is it time for a Royal Wedding Invitation makeover? Or does traditional always win?

{Friday Freebie} Sunny Days Cupcake Toppers

It's been beautiful this week in Atlanta, and it's killed my winter blues!  Thank goodness! In honor of that lovely sunshine, I created a new Sunny Days set!  It's the first in my Party Printables series and will be available in .pdf and print format.  The set's not quite finished yet, but I couldn't resist sharing the Cupcake Toppers for this Friday's Freebie! =)

Just print, and print or punch as needed!  (There were set up for use with any 2" craft punch). 

Just click the image to download!

Ettiquette Thursday: Are Thank You Notes from Children Necessary??

One of my favorite little girls recently turned one and had one of the most precious birthday parties I've ever been to.  She was showered with adorable cupcakes by Sugar Baker's, all the candy she could ever want, and presents for days.

Afterwards, her mother and I started discussing the need for Thank You notes.  Is it really necessary to send Thank You notes these days? From a 1 year old?

I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching your child good manners, even at an early age.  Of course, the child can't write the notes herself but lots of Mom's choose to write in the child's voice. Others simply write from the family as whole.  Personally, it doesn't matter...any gesture of appreciation is acceptable.

Thank You notes are a great way to show your creativity!  Use photos from the party to personalize your notes and be sure to include any cute stories mentioning their attendance or gift.  Once the child is old enough to 'help' let them draw pictures or even use fill-in-the-blank Thank You notes so they can add their own details. 

What do you think?  Do you send Thank You notes for birthday gifts?  What about at Christmas? Are Thank You notes still necessary?