if you design your own invites/cards..

a few questions:

1. where do you have them printed on thick, good quality paper?

2. how do you format them to be the correct size?

3. what program do you use?

4. can you get them printed double sided?

thanks!!

Message edited 7/28/2012 7:29:12 PM.

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

We bought a color laser printer before the wedding to make programs. etc. I use Pages and I start by making a box that is the size of the invite I want, then I put a text box in the first outline box and go from there.

IMO, Pages is the easiest program to use for that kind of stuff.

I buy paper at Michael's.

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

1. where do you have them printed on thick, good quality paper?
There are websites for pro photographers but a lot of people use mpix. I've used Costco for christmas cards, etc. I've also used WHCC but you have to register as a pro photographer to use them.


2. how do you format them to be the correct size?

Depends on where you're ordering. If you use Costco, you can go with their specs (5x7; 6.25x7.50). If you use WHCC, you need to leave at least .25 around the edges for room for the bleed.

3. what program do you use?

I use Photoshop

4. can you get them printed double sided?
Yes. I got the pre-printed double sided from WHCC. I've also helped someone order the tri-folds.

HTH.

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

Message edited 7/28/2012 7:55:27 PM.

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

1. where do you have them printed on thick, good quality paper?

I order paper from paperandmore.com or get it from Michaels (there is a bigger selection at paperandmore.com and they let you order samples) and print them myself.

2. how do you format them to be the correct size?

I measure the paper and size my document on word to be the same size.

3. what program do you use?

Word, though I do some of my designing on powerpoint and paint.

4. can you get them printed double sided?

If I take the time to print the whole set and then reload the paper into my printer and print again, sure, you can make them double sided!

I printed my own wedding invitations, which came out great, and I did invitations for my friend's bridal shower that I threw. I think they come out great and I don't even have a super awesome printer!

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

I got my invitations from J&D in Merrick. Being a designer, it felt too much like another job to do them myself.

That being said,
I've done them for others.

Mpix for printing
They have templates for you to follow for size
and yes, you can do double sided printing.

I designed them using Photoshop & Quark.

What are you looking to do? I may be able to help you out.

FM me if you need some help

if you design your own invites/cards..

I'm actually just thinking ahead to Christmas cards lol

So let's say I design it in word or publisher or something .. It will adjust on whatever print site I use? Or do I need to format the file a specific way?

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

Don't design it without knowing what the site file requirements are. For example, Costco (doesn't print doublesided but as an example) only accepts jpgs.

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

I just recently printed some invites for my sister's baby shower.


1. where do you have them printed on thick, good quality paper?

I looked at sites like Zazzle.com, Staples.com and few other sites suggested, but being that I needed them quicker than those sites could deliver, I had them printed at MinuteMen in Huntington. (SirSpeedy offers the same.) MinuteMen had heavier cardstock, but they didn't have a lot of choices when it came to color on hand (they need to order it in advance), but I wanted white anyway.



2. how do you format them to be the correct size?

I requested them to be 4x6 with a bleed and the printing company trims them by hand to 4x6.


3. what program do you use?

Adobe illustrator and they were saved in .ai format. Many of the sites I was looking at prior took .ai, .pdf and .jpg.

4. can you get them printed double sided?

MinuteMen will do double sided as do the sites I mentioned above. When it comes to Holiday Cards, I plan in using Zazzle because they give you a lot of options for custom envelopes, postage, etc.. (Although I have no experience with their actual printing quality.)

Re: if you design your own invites/cards..

zazzle seems like it will work perfectly! thank you!