Using and Printing your Blank Invitation Card Stock
All ink jet and laser printers are different, so we suggest that you use a few practice
sheets of regular paper, cut into the actual size of the invitation, to feed through your printer
to align the invitation stock and center your design. If your card has an embossed front, make sure you pencil in where the
embossed square is so you can judge where your design will fall.

Unless you can make Custom Paper Sizes (most HP and Epson printers allow you to make the size of the document the same as the card) you will have to design on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, or letter size. Sometimes you will need to off-center
the design by moving it either right, left, up or down on the screen for it to fall correctly onto the paper.
The trick is to "fool" the computer into thinking the design is going to fall
correctly by moving it on your screen until it lines up with the smaller card size in the printer.
It is not hard at all, and once you find the right spot, save that as your template.

Practice makes perfect, so whatever word or graphics program you choose, make sure
you test the alignment of the paper before feeding the actual invitations through. Once you have your
alignment correct, load the printer with the invitation stock, and print one out, and if it is correct,
continue printing. Your envelopes will should be tested the same way.

Here at Invitation Outlet, we use MACs with Illustrator. But a good friend of ours printed up these instructions for Microsoft Word. We can only assume he got it right!

We do not recommend that you run your paper through an automatic feeding paper cassette or drawer.
The paper should remain as flat as possible. The cassette will have to bend the paper to work, so if your
printer has a manual feed door, open the door and send them through this way. Also, our paper is of
a thicker stock, so if your printer has optional settings for "Heavy" or "Card stock", use these settings.

FOR LASER PRINTERS: All of our envelopes have been tested on high heat laser printers, and have
come through without melting the adhesive. HOWEVER, you need to test an envelope first, as we
can't guarantee that your printer will not be too hot. Also, your response envelopes may be too
small for your laser printer to grip correctly. Make sure you test them as you may have
to hand feed them one at a time, and always send them through lengthwise. You may have to rotate your
design for it to line up correctly onto the envelopes.

FOR INK-JET PRINTERS: We suggest that you use the highest DPI for your envelope printing.
We have tested our response envelopes on ink jet printers, and found that the more delicate typefaces
should be output at 600dpi or better on an envelope. IMPORTANT: Your ink jet invitations and envelopes
will come out WET. You must make sure you take your time, and only print out a few at a time and
lay them out to dry.
Invitation Outlet would like to see your personal project be successful, but if not, just return the
unused paper stock in its original condition, and we will give you a refund for the paper, or a credit
towards Invitations (minus shipping charges) if you choose to use our design services instead.
 


Card and Envelope Sizes
 Card Type Card Size Envelope Sizes  Outer /Inner Envelope Sizes
 Invitation Cards - A-7 5" x 7" Folding: 10" x 7" 5 1/4" x 7 1/4"  5 7/16" x 7 7/8" / 5 5/16" x 7 5/8" Jumbo
 Square Cards 6 1/4" x 6 1/4" Folding: 12 1/2" x 6 1/4" 6 1/2" x 6 1/2"  6 3/4" x 6 3/4" / 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" Imperial
 Response/Reception Card - A4 3 1/2" x 4 7/8 " Folding: 7" x 4/7/8" 3 5/8" x 5 1/8"  
 Petite Sized Card - A-2 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Folding: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" 4 3/8" x 5 3/4"  
 Menu Cards/Direction Cards - A6 4 5/8" x 6 1/4"  
 Inside Embossed Panel Area  
 Invitation Cards - A-7  3 7/8" x 5 3/4"
 Square Cards  4 15/16" x 4 15/16"
 Response/Reception Card - A4  2 1/2" x 3 7/8"
 Petite Sized Card - A-2  3 1/4" x 4 1/2"
Outside Embossed Panel Border Area  
 Invitation Cards - A-7 5/8"
 Square Cards 5/8"
 Response/Reception Card - A4 1/2"
 Petite Sized Card - A-2 1/2"


Addressing and Assembling your Invitations and Envelopes
All outside envelopes are handwritten. Some couples hire a calligrapher for this, but nice
penmanship is always acceptable. This gives the invitation a very personal touch
(and a great excuse to have an "Addressing Party").
You can purchase a Calligraphy felt-tip pen at the stationers that, with a little practice,
will make you the calligrapher.
Do not address the envelopes with invitations already inside. The ink may bleed or indent the invitations.
It is best to organize all of the Invitations and enclosure cards in piles ready to go, then address your
envelopes & envelope flaps, stamp the return Response envelope, then stuff 'em, seal 'em and stamp 'em.
The outer envelope is addressed with the formal names of your guests and their complete mailing address.
If you are using double envelopes, the inner envelope is addressed with only the names of your guests, i.e.
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Smith or Daniel & Judy Smith; Mr. Daniel Smith and Guest.
Also remember to address your return envelope flap if hand addressing.
Some Addressing Guidelines:
For a couple without children or when children are not invited:
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith
For a couple with children and the children are invited:
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith
John, Susan and Timothy (in order of age)
Adult children living at home should receive their own invitation.
For unmarried guests living together or having kept separate names, or partners, list names separately:
Mr. Daniel Smith
Ms. Judy Jones
Fold all Invitations and Response cards with the wording facing front.
Place stamp on return Response envelope.
Place Response card under flap of return envelope.
Place Reception card on top of Response card.
If you are using tissues, place a tissue on top of Invitation.
(FYI: The tissue is an ancient practice that dates back to when invitations were hand written in pen and ink. The tissue helped keep the wet ink from smearing itself and the other enclosure cards.)
Place all enclosure cards on top of the tissue covering the invitation or
you can place all enclosure cards inside a folding card.
Slide all cards into envelope. If using double envelopes, slide all cards into the inner
envelope, then turn it over so the front with the names of your guests is facing you.
Slide inner envelope into outer pre-addressed stamped envelope.
Take one fully assembled invitation to the post office for weight and size.
Your wedding invitation will usually cost
between 60¢ and $1.06 depending upon what is inside.
Avoid returned invitations by making sure your postage is correct!

Our Design Galleries have lots of examples of wording and how your invitations can look.