The Knot 2011 Best of Weddings Winner!

We are proud to report that we have won The Knot's 2011 Best of Weddings for wedding invitations in Northeast Ohio! Thank you to all of our customers who left raving reviews for us on theknot.com and weddingchannel.com. We can't thank you enough for this award. We are lucky to have the best customers ever!
Thanks again!!

Merry Christmas from JDK Invitations

Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful customers, we have worked with some great couples this year (and in 3 previous years!) who helped us make 2010 a superb year. We can't wait to start 2011 and see what the year brings. Watch out for our exclusive line of "top shelf" invitations to come next year including letterpress, foil stamping, and thermography. Thank you everyone!

Much love,
Jeana, Kate, Amy, and Shawna

Wedding Websites

We love the wedding website trend (they've been around for awhile). After trying out some different sites and getting feedback from customers on others, we have found that the best are from The Knot. They are the best in the industry for a reason! Here are the great features:

* Choose your personalized URL on TheKnot.com.


* Tell your story and post your wedding details.

* Browse 80+ design/color variations to find the one that best represents your style.

* Easily share your gift registries without having to say a word.

* Upload multiple photos, display photos from Flickr, and add links to external

albums.

* Set up an online RSVP and guest book.



Check out their site -

The Knot Wedding Websites

Holiday Engagaments

Congrats to all the couples getting engaged around the holidays!! Can't wait to continue working on invitations for all the summer/fall weddings. A great color trend poppiing up for summer is Turquoise and Orange - love it!

The Knot Wedding Shop

Wanted to post a great coupon code from The Knot Wedding Shop, for 20% off. Use Coupon code TKDEC20. Lots of really cute and inexpensive favors and bridal party gifts for anyone looking!
Link: http://tiny.cc/c8vyu

Now Offering Letterpress Invitations!

JDK Invitations is proud to now offer letterpress invitations, the most beautiful and elegant (in our opinion!) of all wedding invitations. It is also the oldest printing process. Letterpress invitations use a special cotton paper specially made for this process and when ink is printed on the paper, an indention is made. Make an appointment with us today to discuss your invitation project. You will see that our pricing is much better than online retailers selling letterpress invitations. See you soon!

Dawn and Wilbur

Here's a Sneak Peek at the sample we just finished for Dawn and Wilbur. It is a triple layer invitation with a custom monogram design. The colors used are pewter (bottom layer), our opal/red paisley pattern, and a peach printed layer. All of the papers are metallic and the inks are pewter and black.

December JDK Special

For any custom invitation orders of 100 or more made in the month of December, get Free (yes FREE) Computerized Calligraphy for your outer envelopes. Contact us soon to make a consultation and take advantage of this great offer - value for 100 invitations = $75.00!

Brittany and Jon

Here are some photos of the invitation we did for Brittany and Jon. Brittany is my husband’s cousin, so we were the stationer of choice! They will be having a winter wedding in Sellersburg, Indiana. I met with Brittany to go over selections, and she loved the pocket invitations. Her colors were royal blue and silver with a snowflake theme. She first picked out a silver square pocket, which I had printed with snowflakes. We found a beautiful sapphire linen stock that was almost the exact same color as Brittany’s bridesmaid dresses, it was perfect! Then I topped everything off with silver foil printing, our first project using this to-date! Brittany got tons of compliments from all her guests, which makes me very happy!

Invitation Etiquette

Q: How many invitations should be sent if 2 people (or more) live in the same home?
A: If the 2 people are a couple and not married, it is perfectly acceptable to send 1 invitation that is addressed to both. Their names need to be in alphabetical order on seperate lines. BUT, if the people are just roommates or a parent with a child over 18, they should be sent 2 separate invitations.

Gift Registry Faux Pas

Here is a question I suprisingly get asked a lot:

Can I Include my Gift Registry on my Invitation?"


The answer is "NO!" The mention of gifts should NEVER  be included anywhere on your wedding invitation. Registry information can be spread by word of mouth (guests usually ask the couple or their parents where the couple is registered at). It is considered rude to include this information on the invitation or on an insert card. Sometimes its gift enough just to have those guests spend your special day with you. The only place where it is not a faux pas to add registry information is on your bridal shower invitation. This is because the bridal shower's purpose is to "shower" the bride with gifts. But don't worry, guests always (ok, not ALWAYS) bring gifts to your wedding, they might even give money! It's actually a faux pas NOT to bring a gift to a wedding, unless that person paid for part of the wedding.

New website/new services

We have revamped our site! Check it out at http://www.jdkinvitations.com/. It is a little more streamlined, and hopefully a little easier to use and see samples in our gallery. We had some new photos taken, so take a look, we hope you like what you see!

In the near future, we will be offering some new services. Those are:

Letterpress Invitations
Embossed/Blind Embossed Invitations
Foil Stamped Invitations

Make an appointment to see these process in person - they are very unique and beautiful!

Back to Blogging

OK, it's been awhile since I've blogged...but I have an excuse! Here she is.

Lucia (Lucy) Jean Koerber was born on June 21, 2010. She has been keeping me very busy! She is wonderful. But business is still going on, so give us a call!

Photos from Jenna and Bob's Wedding

Here are some lovely photos that Jenna sent me from her wedding of the placecards and menus we did for her.

Another Wonderful Compliment!

Here is another incredibly nice compliment JDK received from Rachel Kunzer in Greenwood Indiana. She met with Amy, our consultant in Indianapolis, looking for a fall wedding invitation. Here is what she said of her experience:

"I received my wedding invitations last week and just wanted to thank you, they are absolutely beautiful! They are truly different from any other invitation I've seen before. When my fiancee and I decided to go with a fall themed wedding all I could find invitation wise was a generic invitation with a fall leaf or pumpkin stamped on it. It was so nice that we could work with you and get a fall themed invitation without being cheesy! Amy, thanks so much for meeting with us and getting the vision onto paper ;) Your personality is great for that job! Thanks for making the invitation part of my wedding planning fun & easy! ;)" -Rachel Kunzer, Greenwood, Indiana

Clarify who is Invited

Be very clear from the get-go of your wedding planning regarding if your guests are allowed to bring a guest and if you are inviting children. It's a hard decision to make, but once it's made, make sure you stick with it so there are no controversies later on. Most people will understand you have guest and budget limits that force you to cut corners in some places. And if they don't - do you really want them at your wedding anyway?

We love referrals!

Today I met with Holli and Dan - a really nice couple. When they came in they said they were referred by Barbara and George--a couple I did invitations for a couple of months ago, who were also referred by someone else. Word of mouth has been great for our business, it is always nice because we know people liked their invitations so much, they wanted to spread the word. AND...for each person you refer who orders with us, YOU receive $25. There is no limit to the number of referrals or the amuont you receive. Thank you again to past and present customers who have reffered their friends and families!

Helpful Web sites

Here are some helpful websites we have found for the rest of your wedding planning.

www.VerseIt.com

www.Weddingbee.com

www.Swarovski-Crystallized.com

www.Bluefly.com

www.CostofWedding.com

www.ThatsMyTopper.com

www.RaisetheCake.com

www.Suprise.com

www.TripIt.com

www.TopTablePlanner.com

Tips and Trends

Here are a few trends for this year and also a tip for ordering -

• Color trend of the year - turquoise!!
• Trend - What's old is new - patterns you may remember from your grandparents couch are are making a statement this year. Pair them with a bold color for a modern look.
• Trend - Damask patterns! They were extremely popular last year, and still are in 2010.
• Trend - Monochromatic color palettes are stunning and chic. Layer navy blue, aqua, baby blue, sky blue, and turkoise for an amazing palette.
• Tip - When ordering invitations, make sure to have your guest list somewhat finalized. Many people end up not ordering enough invitations for last minute guests and keepsakes. Purchasing a small amount later after your main order is complete, will cost more.

Wonderful Compliment

I just received a really nice compliment from Kathleen, whom I did pocket invitations for. I thankfully have received a lot of compliments on my invitations, and this one was so sweet. I loved working with Kathleen and her fiance, Mike--two incredibly nice people. This is why I love my job!

"We've had so many complements on the invitations!  Our guests LOVE the pocket invitation!  At our shower, a number of people asked where we bought the invitations.  They loved that we found someone in the local area. Growing up in a small city like Avon Lake, word of mouth is a great advertisement!  We would like some of your cards to have on hand and promote you!  Thank you againfor the beautiful work on the invitations." - Kathleen Sullivan

Is it Necessary to Have a Seperate Reception Card?

It is not necessary if your wedding and reception will be held in the same location. The information can be added to the bottom of your invitation.

Example:
Please join us for our reception immediately following the ceremony

Even if your reception is being held at a different location, you can still add the information to the bottom of the invitation.

Example:
Please join us for dinner and dancing at seven o'clock in the evening
Lakeside Winery
458 Lake Drive
Springfield, Ohio

Recent Invitations

Custom Stamps

A growing trend of wedding invitations is to dress up not only the actual invitation, but to dress up the outer envelope, the first thing guests will see. The United States Postal Service offers custom stamps as a way of dressing up your envelopes. You can add anything from a photo, an illustration, or your custom monogram to these stamps. Any graphics that we use on your invitations could also be used on the stamps to tie everything together. We would provide you the file, or let us handle the whole project to save you time! It's a great way to get an all-together look and give your guests even more anticipation towards your wedding!

Bridal Shower Invitations

Here is a photo of the bridal shower invitation we did for Rosalie. This design originally had a black background, but since her shower has a tropical theme, we made the background pink and the text orange. Enjoy!

Jenny and Jon

We are currently working on invitations and save the date magnets for Jenny and Jon - here are photos of the samples we did for them. The invitation uses a design that we carried into the insert cards. We made it a continous seamless design for the insert cards.

New Photos - Julia and Chris

Here are some photos of some recent invitations and accessories we have done.

Julia and Chris - aqua, black and white with a grass design - Invitations and placecards

Etiquette Question

Your Etiquette Questions Answered:


Q: How do I list divorced parents names on my invitations?

A: If yours or your fiance's parents are divorced, here are some tips. First list the bride's parents names (divorced or not) and then the groom's parents names. If say, the bride's parents are divorced, list her father's name (and his spouse if applicable), then on the next line, list the bride's mothers name (and her spouse if applicable). And the same applies for the groom's parents. Never list divorced parents on the same line of the invitation. Also, if there are too many names to list, a classy way to encompass everyone is to say, "Together with our parents" or "Together with our families". This generalizes things, but includes everyone without having a ton of names listed.

Submit your etiquette question by emailing us at sales@jdkinvitations.com

March Newsletter

Here is some information from the March Newsletter we just sent out:

This month we thought we'd reflect on why custom wedding invitations are so great versus online invitations, here is our top 10 list (OK, top 11):

11. See colors and textures before ordering and before paying! No guessing involved
10. No hassle trying to make your own invitations, let alone the cost of mess-ups
9. See a finished sample before ordering
8. Ability to make changes after seeing a sample
7. Invitations unique only to you
6. Custom design service with more creative options
5. Full invitation assembly (many online vendors make YOU do the assembly)
4. Complete mailing service available
3. Work with someone who really cares about your wedding and YOUR deadlines
2. Support a local business!
1. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TIE 200 RIBBONS?

And don't think because they're custom that you have to pay and arm and a leg. We have a very wide range of prices and invitation styles.

Ceremony Program Styles

I wanted to reflect on our favorite program style - the layered style, seen in the image below. This style is flattering to any wedding. For the different layers, you could do a welcoming page, bridal party page, ceremony outline page, and a thank you page. You are not limited to how many layers you can do. Add a ribbon to hold all of the cards together, or glue at the top will do. Contact us to create your layered programs!

Holly and Sean

Just met with Holly and Sean to go over wedding invitations - I will be designing a double layer invitation with a gerbera daisy theme. Their main color is "mermaid", a lagoon blue (beautiful color!). Can't wait to get started. Photos to come!

New! McPhersons Online Ordering site

We have used McPhersons as one of our catalog vendors for awhile now, in addition to our custom invitations, but we now have a website through them for online ordering. Click the link below to start shopping! They have many many options of great styles and good prices. The turnaround time for these invitations is about 2 weeks. You can even order a sample before you order.

http://jdkinvitations.mcphersonsprint.com/

Tips for Arranging Your Seating Chart

Here is a great article with tips on how to arrange your seating chart. This is always a hard one with making sure everyone gets along! Read on...
http://www.weddingvendors.com/planning/articles/6-tips-for-arranging-your-seating-chart/

Wedding Day Woes - Wedding Insurance from Travelers Insurance

This is a must read for all those getting married:
http://investor.travelers.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=177842&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1390554&highlight=
It is a news release from Travelers Insurance speaking of the benefits of buying an insurance policy for your wedding. With more and more wedding vendors going out of business, it is definitely something to think about so that your big day isn't burdened from someone else's issues. Also check out http://www.protectmywedding.com/. And I'm not just posting this because my husband works for Travelers!

How to make sure extra people don't come to your wedding

Since I've had 3 couples in a row ask this question, I thought I would put it out there for everyone. I've been asked, how do we tell guests how many people in their party are allowed to come, or how do we make sure guests don't invite extra guests? The best way to do this is to simply write "We have reserved ___ seats in your honor" on your RSVP card. You fill in the blank according to your guest list, and it eliminates any confusion for guests (and wedding crashers!).

Rachel and Robbie's placecards

Here are the photos of Rachel's placecards, which I mentioned in an earlier post.

Sol and Joe's sample invitation

Here is the sample I did for Sol and Joe, it's for a destination wedding in Puerto Rico, where Sol is from. Her colors are hot pink and lime green. I really like the way it turned out.

Here also is the sample table number I did for their tables.

Photos to come!

Working on placecards for Rachel. They are naming their tables after places they'be been, they'be even been to Cairo Egypt!

Appointment with Nawf

Had an evening appointment with Nawf yesterday, her style is vintage. She came in with some ideas and a photo, and I am now working on a vintage design for her. Her colors are pink, black and ivory. She loved one of our patterns, which is definitely vintage. She said she wanted an invitation that would wow her guests - she came to the right place! I am excited for her to see the finished product (when I finish it!).

Today's appointment

I am getting ready for my appointment with Farah today. Luckily it didn't snow too much overnight, so she is able to make it. She is having an Indian wedding and is interested in paisley design, which is used often in Indian design. Can't wait to show her our samples and customize her invites!

It's the Weekend!

I'm very excited for this weekend! Amy Sample, my best friend from college, is coming to visit. She's also going to be my new Indianapolis rep, so we will be training as well as catching up! I already have quite a few appointments lined up for her in February, thanks to The Knot! So, anyone in the Indianapolis needing wedding invitations, we will be open for business after this weekend. We are very excited for this expansion.

Other projects we are working on: more samples of Save the Dates, programs, table numbers, placecards, etc, as well as Bridal Shower invitations. Another project planned is our JDK Elegance line, including letterpress invitations.

In the Plain Dealer...I hope!

I got a voicemail this afternoon from the Plain Dealer saying they came across my website and that they would like to feature JDK Invitations in their feature section in their Style and Taste section! I am calling them back tomorrow stat! I'm so excited about this wonderful opportunity!

Louisville Bridal Show

Phew! I had a whirlwind of a weekend with traveling to Southern Indiana, setting up for the bridal show, actually doing the bridal show, and driving back home to Cleveland. My sister Nikki and I had a booth at the Special Occasions Bridal Show in Louisville, KY. This was to jump start my sister's business since she's joined the JDK Invitations bandwagon! The show was great, met a lot of great brides and their families, and met some wonderful vendors as well! The brides seemed to like our display a lot, we heard one comment that it was "amazing" (wow!) and most people said it was very colorful. So we were happy with the positive fedback. We had a lot of brides sign up for consultations, so that will definitely keep Nikki busy in the months to come. Our other sister Kristen helped by handing out Hershey Kisses business card favors and looking pretty!

Some of the awesome vendors we met were:
A husband and wife from the Louisville Church of Christ right downtown on 4th St. By the way, they have the best rates in the city! http://http://www.louisvilledisciples.org/.

Jean Holmes from Rodan & Fields Skin Care - ove.myrandf.com. She sells Rodan & Fields skin care products (the makers of ProActiv), I thought it was a great idea for brides! The best product I thought was their Reverse line which reverses sun damage. Her before and after pictures were amazing.

Schnitzelbank Restuarant in Jasper Indiana - a German restuarant who also caters weddings and other events. I have actually been to the restaurant once, and it is really good authentic German food, yum! We had been smelling their food all day long and when they were packing up they offered us some plates of food, how thoughtful! http://www.schnitzelbank.com/

Now I'm back in Cleveland coordinating all of the new Louisville business as well as Cleveland and Indianapolis. My head hurts thinking about it! But it's a good hurt!

;-)