Your beautifulhand made wedding invitationshave been sent out in the mail. After the excitement of receiving an envelope with your names on the return address, come the the oohs and aahs over the sheer beauty of the announcement cards. Make them fabulous enough and your guests will look at them over and over, longing for their own wedding day, remembering the wedding they had, or brimming with anticipation to take part in yours. Make it unforgettable, give them an invitation that they’ll hold on to forever.

There are huge chunks of my life that I don’t remember. Not because I’m vacant or was in a drunken stupor, but because I wasn’t involved; my mother’s 40th birthday – no recollection, although I do remember her 50th. My best friend’s wedding – she has pictures and I’m sure I was in them but beyond that, I have not a clue.

The things I do remember are the things that I either became physically involved in somehow, or that left me holding some real object that I never wanted to get rid of. When you have something too beautiful to throw away, you come back to it over and over. It evokes emotion in you, and in your heart and mind you go back to the wonderful place where it came into your life. Now, when I create hand made invitations for someone’s wedding, I never forget about their special day, and neither do their guests.

Ahand made wedding invitationis a keepsake within itself. It speaks of a couple’s spirit and combined personality. It is the trailer to the movie that is the first day of the rest of your life. When done right, it is a vivid coordination of color, texture and graphic boldness, or a quiet, elegant, simple work of art.

The cost of these bits of heavenly memorabilia varies as widely as the cost of run-of-the-mill invitations. If budget is an issue, go for stock hand made invitations. Although they won’t be exclusively your design, they usually have far more personality than regular printed invitations.

If your event is small and intimate or if your budget is not limited, go all out. Ask your wedding event planner or caterer to recommend an invitation artist and have a one-of-a-kind design made for your event. You’ll pay a little extra in design fees so whether your invitation supplier comes recommended or you find them in the yellow pages, make sure to look at their online portfolio and ensure that the ‘feel’ of their creations is one that will work well with your tastes.

They’re usually willing to spend time to work with your vision. Never direct them to “do whatever they think of” without some kind of direction as to color, theme or vibe. You might be in for a rude awakening, and a non-refundable one at that!

There is much more to consider, but for now, consider that your wedding invitation should be somehow so remarkable that it will find a place in their photo album or their keepsake box, and in their pleasant memories for years to come. Make sure they feel the joy and excitement that you feel about your impending bliss. Make sure your hand made wedding invitations reflect you and the tone of what your special day should be. Most of all, make sure they never forget!