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How to save money on your wedding invitations

October 7, 2014

The first and most important way to save money on your invitations is to purchase them through me, Royalty Event Parties (in person or through my online storefronts). I am currently offering 10% off all printing orders (except Disney), which includes invitations (engagement, bachelorette, showers, wedding, birthdays, graduations, etc.), save the dates, programs, menu cards, place cards, stickers, note cards, napkins, coasters & more! If you use my coordinating services you will receive 15% off!

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Other Money Saving Tips

1. For a casual or semi-formal event you can put the reception information on the invitation instead of using a separate reception card. If it is a formal event then of course, you would want to purchase a separate reception card.

2. A popular and less expensive way of printing is thermography. Thermography will give you a raised look and feel for much less money. Carlson Craft offers raised printing as a standard option on most invitations.

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3. The paper, artwork, size of invitation, added pictures or monograms, type of printing (i.e. letterpress, foil, flat, thermography), & added embellishments all add to the cost of the invitation. The simpler your design, the cheaper it will be. Carlson Craft offers a fantastic all-in-one invitation/response card postcard that is their most affordable style. I have had many budget brides, who thought they couldn’t afford Carlson Craft, pleasantly surprised when I showed them this option!

4. Don’t over purchase! Be sure to count your A & B list carefully and instead of creating a separate B list response card have the RSVP date a little earlier so you have time to mail out to the B list as you receive regrets. Be sure to stay on top of this and send out to the B list right away. Also, don’t send out extra invitations to the same household (family members).

4. Something that you may forget to think about is the postage. If you have several layers to your invitation including double lined envelopes, the response card with envelope, tissue paper, reception card, hotel/website card, &/or map card, it can get pretty pricey. You need to think about the size too. Large square invitations cost more to mail out. Use non-lined envelopes since the weight of the lining can increase the price too. One tip I also recommend is sending out postcard response cards, you can save up to 12 cents each on the stamp.

101_5509 I am here to help with any kind of wedding, on a tight budget or not. I can show you a wide variety of styles and options. Please contact me today to schedule an in-person, one-on-one appointment. I’m an established wedding consulting company in San Antonio, Texas. You can also visit my online storefronts to get ideas there as well. 210-595-9263, info@royaltyeventparties.com.

Texas Hill Country Budget Ideas for Country Chic – Vintage Weddings

September 28, 2014

One of the hottest wedding trends for 2014 in San Antonio has been the country chic – vintage style weddings. The best thing about living in San Antonio is that the hill country is so close and more and more brides are choosing to move outside of the city and have their wedding in quaint, small hill country towns that really show the beauty of nature and the vintage feel in historical buildings.

Spinelli’s in Comfort, Texas, is the perfect example! Spinelli’s Hill Country Cathedral is over 100 years old. What’s great about this location is that there are both inside and outside reception options plus the church for the ceremony. Everything is right there so you don’t have to leave!

Here’s a inexpensive way to dress up your invitations to give that vintage feel…doillies wrapped with either ribbon or twine. I’m currently working with a bride that wants to do that for her invitations. I found doillies on clearance for .50 cents per 12, wow!

Last winter I was a consultant to a bride that was on a very tight budget and had her wedding at the Botanical Gardens. She had her ceremony in a beautiful area on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens and then moved to the Carriage House Bistro for the reception. They have a large tent available for renting and is very affordable.

Tree stumps are all the rage this year for decorating. Most brides use them for centerpieces on the guest’s tables or as a cake stand. But what about this idea…using it as a sign in for your guests. You can then hang it on a wall so you can always admire it later on!

Find old vintage pictures of family and frame them to use as a vocal point at the reception. Add lace fabric and an antique vase with flowers for the perfect vintage look!

Here are 2 ways of hanging flowers/centerpieces. The first is simple, you use wire and wrap it around small vases and then hang from trees, overhang or tent. All it takes is a few flowers in each, very economical! A little more upscale idea is to take a birdcage and glue faux flowers, use some moss and attach ribbon or crystals hanging from the bottom to give a beautiful and elegant look! A bride I consulted for a spring wedding made 4 of these to decorate a covered breezeway. It was gorgeous!

I have a large assortment of items that I let my couples who use my consulting services use for FREE! I offer a lot of country chic – vintage items that will add beauty to your wedding & save you money from renting or purchasing! Click here to go to my rentals page on my website to view much more. If you would like more information about my consulting or invitation services please call me at 210-595-9263 or info@royaltyeventparties.com.

Checklist and Timeline for Wedding Invitations

September 14, 2014

carlson_craft_invitations_san_antonio Here is a general invitation guideline to make sure you stay on schedule as you plan your wedding. The entire process from start to finish can take six to eight months so please don’t wait until the last minute to order your invitations. Use this guide while planning!

For a limited time I am offering 10% off all invitation orders!

1 Year – Your engaged! Set a wedding date and then start to gather your list of potential guests you would like to invite (the “A & B” list). This is important so you know the size of the venue you need to book. You would hate to book a venue for only 150 guests and then at the last minute you forgot to add guests and then the venue becomes too small. Plan ahead!
9 Months – Start searching websites, Pinterest and magazines for invitation style ideas and start narrowing down the style/look/feel you are wanting. Depending on the formality of the wedding you will want to start thinking about all the enclosures you intend on including as well. Think about hotel accommodation cards, direction cards, reception cards, etc.
7 to 8 Months – Decide on how you want to create your invitations. If you decide upon creating a custom invitation from a stationer this is the time to collect your ideas for it. You’ll want to order your save the date cards (from “A List”). Be sure you’ve gathered all your guest’s addresses!
6 Months – If creating your own invitation you’ll want to meet with the stationer and start the process. Be sure to mail the save the date cards by now!
5 Months – If ordering your invitation by templates this is the time you’ll want to meet with a stationer and decide on your invitation. You can view invitations through online storefronts or in-person so you can actually see them. You’ll finalize the wording and enclosures as well. A stationer can recommend calligraphers as well at this time. You’ll want to call them and make sure they know you’ll be using them to address the envelopes.
4 Months – Invitations should be ordered and received during this month. Be sure to always request a proof for your invitation, this is a tip I always recommend! Also, order extra invitations for the “B List” and/or envelopes for accidental mess ups. Once invitations come in you’ll want to get the envelopes to the calligrapher to address or you’ll need to address yourself at this time. Be sure to have a typed out list of guest’s names/addresses so mistakes aren’t made for not being able to read someone’s handwriting.
3 Months – Address the envelopes (allow 3-4 weeks). Go to the post office and weigh everything and purchase the postage needed.
10-8 Weeks – Assemble and seal invitations, apply postage. Request hand-cancelling at the post office so the invitations do not go through their machines and mail. Be sure to mail out from the “B List” as regrets start coming in. Place your rehearsal dinner invitation order.
4 Weeks – Last chance to mail out the “B List”. Mail out the rehearsal dinner invitations (or inform responsible party) and post wedding brunch invitations if applicable.
2 Weeks – Contact guests that have not rsvp’d. Normally, caterers need 10 business days prior to the wedding for the final count so get that to them as well. If you are using a seating chart be sure to get this to your wedding coordinator and caterer as well.
THE BIG DAY – Try and relax and have a great time!!

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Please use this as a guide as you plan your wedding. If you have any further questions please contact Trudy Scott, Professional Wedding Consultant, and I will be more than happy to help you. You can also contact me to make a personal one-on-one appointment to view invitations in person. I also can help you with bridal shower, save the dates, rehearsal dinner, bachelorette, thank you cards, programs, menu cards and more! 210-595-9263, info@royaltyeventparties.com.

Tips about inviting guests to your wedding

September 3, 2014

facebook_ad_vintage_edited-1 As a professional wedding consultant in San Antonio, I have some valuable invitation & guest tips that every couple should know when planning their wedding.

1. When should I order my invitations? You need to allow ample time for the ordering process, mailing and guest response. Mailing them six to eight weeks before the wedding date is standard. However, if you have a lot of guests traveling from out of town or attending a destination wedding, ten to twelve weeks is best to give them time to make their travel plans.

2. Should I mail out extra invitations so I get the number of attendees I want? As a general rule, approximately 20 percent of the people you invite will be unable to attend. However, don’t be tempted to over invite too much over the venue capacity. You can always have a “B List” and send invitations out to them a few weeks prior to the wedding date if you do receive “No” responses early. Be sure to order extra invitations for this!

3. How do I handle the “no kids” or “and guest” situation? If you do not want children at the wedding that is perfectly fine. Just be sure to address the envelope with the parent’s names only. Never write “No Children” on the invitation. Also, be sure to have the “No Children” policy for everyone. You don’t want hurt feelings. For the “plus 1” situation…It is not mandatory that you have to include a date for single guests. If you address with just the guest’s name he/she may get the idea. However, they may call/email you asking if it would be ok to bring a date. That is a tough call. To avoid a confrontation you may want to go ahead and include the additional guest even though it means an extra dollar amount for you.

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4. Who should I and shouldn’t I include on the guest list? This question is always one of the biggest issues couples deal with about their wedding. You should only invite those that you REALLY WANT TO BE AT YOUR WEDDING! Don’t invite guests when you know they won’t show just to say you invited them. Logically, the main part of your guest list will be filled with family and friends. One other group you should include is your boss and close coworkers. If you don’t have the budget to include coworkers, just invite your boss. You do not have to invite ALL coworkers but do so quietly and discretely. Again, you don’t want hurt feelings. Do not invite an Ex, even if you are on friendly terms. I don’t think your fiancé will appreciate that. Don’t feel obligated that you have to invite an old college friend to your wedding just because they invited you to theirs.

5. How do I handle the “B List” for inviting guests? If you have a lot more guests that you would like to invite but just don’t have it in the budget (or room in the venue) then be sure to mail out the invitations 8 weeks prior (give a little more time) and as you receive “Regrets” you can then mail out invitations from your “B List.” Be sure to order extra invitations for this at your initial ordering (it will be cheaper to add an extra 25 invitations with the first order instead of ordering separately later on).

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If you have additional etiquette questions about your invitations please call or email me. I would be happy to discuss that with you. Remember, for a limited time I am offering 10% off all invitation/stationery products (excludes Disney) from my online stores and in-person. Click here for my Carlson Craft Store (discount automatically taken) and here for my Printswell Store (enter code 10%OFFSPECIAL). If you want that one-on-one service please contact me at 210-595-9263 or info@royaltyeventparties.com for an in-person appointment.

Thank you to San Antonio Weddings for posting a blog about my invitation services! http://blog.sanantonioweddings.com/2014/9/10-15–off-invitations-755.aspx

What does Sandals Offer for Honeymoons?

August 26, 2014

The most luxurious of all inclusive resorts, offering more than any other, and the one everyone has heard of is…Sandals! Did you know that Beaches and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts are also owned by Sandals and offer the same amount of quality for families? There are 20 resorts on 8 islands!! In this blog I am going to focus only on Sandals, 15 resorts for couples only. The perfect resort for your honeymoon! Sandals are in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Bahamas/Nassau, Bahamas/Exuma, Grenada & Barbados!

Why book a Sandals honeymoon when there are a lot of resort options out there? There are MANY reasons. The #1 reason is Sandals has more QUALITY inclusions than any other resort in the world! Lets take a look further into this…

1. Sandals offers so much value!

Direct roundtrip airport transfers
Tips, gratuities & hotel taxes included (except for Butlers & Red Lane Spa therapists)
Well-appointed room accommodations (luxurious furnishings & sheets, in-room bar, lots of upgrades available) 35% of all Sandals accommodations are suites.
All meals & snacks with anytime dining (they even handle dietary restrictions). They have 156 individual restaurants spanning over 19 different international cuisines in all their resorts (including Beaches & Grand Pineapple), up to 19 in each resort.
Unlimited drinks including Beringer Wine, beer & premium brand liquors (up to 9 bars in each resort)
Nightly entertainment
Unlimited land sports (tennis, basketball, billiards, table tennis, shuffleboard, beach volleyball, fitness center). Unlimited golf (Ocho Rios & St. Lucia).
Red Lane Spas (fee)
Unlimited watersports with instruction. Sandals has a fleet of 270 boats! They offer waterskiing, wakeboarding, knee boarding, snorkeling, tubing, sailing, kayaking, aquatrikes, paddle boarding, hobie cats, glass-bottom boats, windsurfing & scuba diving.
Unlimited Scuba diving (non-certified divers must take resort certification, $90). Over 240 dive sites with up to 30 per resort & 6 dives a day!
Extraordinary service from the staff!
Exotic offshore island adventures included at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay & Sandals Royal Bahamian (complimentary boat transfers to a pristine beach)!

2. Stay At 1 Resort and Play at 3 in Jamaica!

Sandals Montego Bay is “an upbeat resort on Jamaica’s largest private beach” with 250 rooms & suites on 26 acres. There is only a 5 minute airport transfer! It has 19 global restaurants on the shoreline and has its own wedding chapel.
Sandals Royal Caribbean – “Britain to Bali-Exotic adventures in Old World Jamaica” with 197 rooms and suites on 15 acres with a refined atmosphere. Even the queens and kings have stayed here and to celebrate this they even have an English high tea service daily.
Sandals Carlyle is “an authentic Jamaican boutique resort” with 52 rooms and walking distance to Montego Bay’s hip strip. A great price offering here!

3. Sandals offers many locations for your luxury vacation, honeymoon or wedding!

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In Jamaica you can choose from the 3 resorts listed above in Montego Bay, Sandals Negril (with a 7 mile beach), Sandals Resorts on the South Coast: Sandals Whitehouse (European flair) and Sandals Resorts in Ocho Rios: Sandals Grande Riviera (the grandest of all resorts in Jamaica) & Sandals Royal Plantation (All-Butler Boutique Resort).
In Antigua there is the Sandals Grande Antigua resort (this is the “Most Romantic Resort” voted by Brides Magazine).
In St. Lucia you can stay at 1 and play at 3 also!!! Sandals Regency La Toc is “The Emerald of the Caribbean” resort with suites having a 180 degree view. Sandals Grande St. Lucian is the best resort for beach lovers! This resort is very popular for honeymooners!! Sandals Halcyon is “A True Garden Of Eden By A Tranquil Bay.” There are 23 global restaurants here!
In the Bahamas there is Sandals Royal Bahamian, “The Bahamas Most Elegant Resort” and Sandals Emerald Bay, “The Ultimate Golf & Spa Resort.”
The Sandals La Source is in Grenada and the newest of the Sandals properties.
And finally, Barbados…Sandals Barbados is currently closed but will reopen January 28, 2015 after a $65 million renovation!!

4. Honeymoon Extras

The couple will receive a bottle of bubbly chilled wine in their room.
A special turndown service that includes flower petals on your bed on the first night of your honeymoon.
Delight in a delivery of a decadent breakfast in bed one morning of your choice.
Have an intimate couple’s massage.
Have a romantic private dinner for two by candlelight.
Use the butler service for the upmost personal attention.

When you add up all these great inclusions the value is really extraordinary compared to other resorts where you pay for all the “extras.” If you would like more information about the Sandals honeymoons, WeddingMoons or vacations, please contact Trudy Scott with Royalty Event Parties at 210-595-9263 or you can go directly to the Sandals website through this blog or my website.

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