some people ask me what they should do to make it through the design process without pulling hair. so i have created some do’s to follow for smooth designing. although i wrote this with wedding design in mind, most of it can certainly work for other design work as well. please comment if you have other suggestions!
do: start early…
understand that design and printing of these packages take time, and that timeline may vary depending on the season.
don’t wait until the last minute to get things started, because it puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on you and your designer. with careful planning, you can avoid additional rush fees that may result from “last minute” printing requests.
i recommend that the design work be finalized and the printing order placed a minimum of 4 weeks prior to your mail out date. this allows for special order items to be processed, and accommodates unforeseen delays.
do: some research…
get feedback from friends about their wedding designers. look online at designers’ portfolios before choosing your designer.
• does the designer offer adequate consultation time?
• do they offer services within your budget range?
• do they provide a variety of paper and envelope samples?
• does their design style complement the look and feel of your event?
do: come prepared…
many designers, including myself, offer a free first consult as part of their design services. this is where the designer gets a feel for you as a couple and your event and gathers ideas for design layouts.
to get the most out of your consultation time, come prepared with:
• ideas and pictures of invitations that you like
• samples of your colour scheme so that papers and digital colours can be chosen right away
• a rough idea of what the text is going to be
• an approximate quantity of invites you will need
• an open mind! you never know, your designer might have something amazing in store for you.
do: respond to proofs…
we know you are busy with everything involved in the planning of a wedding. so… the sooner you decide on and approve design details, the sooner you can move on to other tasks.
providing your designer with timely and constructive feedback will not only speed up the process, but can also cut down on design costs.
