How do I choose a design?
It is important to initially choose the shape of your wedding invitations. At Bee-Dezigned there are many shapes available and this can seem confusing. After many years in the industry we have found that most people don't often know what they want but always know what they don't want. So we recommend using a process of elimination to sort through the initial bombardment of choices.
If you already know which Shape and Design you would like skip steps 1 and 2 and move to 3.

1. Shape: First BROWSE the Pre-Cut Stationery Section... choose if you would like DL, Square or C5. This can be determined by whether you have a preference for one of the shapes or you have sizing limitations. For example DL allows the least amount of space however as you can fit 3 DL's in one sheet of A4 it will be the cheapest choice.

4. Envelopes: All Pre-Cut Stationery in our range come with fitting envelopes. Please ensure that you do not create a design without ensuring that you will be able to source an envelope to fit it.

How do I choose a theme and colours?
Most couples choose theme and colours that match other items already purchased for example you may want to use lilies in your invitation if you have ordered lilies for your bouquet. You may want to use green and pink as your bridesmaids may be wearing these colours. Many mix these colours with white, ivory or creme to match their dress and silver or gold which will be used to decorate the tables. What colours you decide to use is completely up to you. Even though many do match them it is not imperative that you do so, as you may want to keep these colours a surprise and choose complimentary colours instead.

What options are available to me?
There are many options available to you to help the creating of your stationery suit you. DIY Materials is the least expensive as most of the work is done by you however at Bee-Dezigned we have added another option to make DIY a lot easier. This option is called KIT or Pre-Cut. This means that all the cutting is done for you and you are supplied with templates an easy instructions on how to create a professional invitations and stationery. On the other hand if you have the budget or have little time to make your stationery you can choose Complete Printed Stationery. To see more information on our packages and what is included see our Packages Section or click on the Packages tab.

1. CHOOSE A SHAPE

DL, SQUARE OR C5

2. CHOOSE A DESIGN

WITHIN THE SHAPE SECTION CHOOSE FROM: FLAT CARD, OPENING FOLDED CARD, AERO & BUTTERFLY ENVELOPES, POCKETS, WINDOW OR RIBBON CARDS

3. CHOOSE COLOUR & STOCK

MAKE AN INITIAL SMALL ORDER TO TEST & SAMPLE PAPER STOCK, ENVELOPES, STICKERS OR OTHER ITEMS AS MANY ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE EACH

Bee-Dezigned has had over 14 years experience in the design and creation or beautiful, durable and professional occasional invitations and stationery. It is our hope that in passing on our advice and helpful hints you will receive professional outstanding results easily.

Back, Middle and Top Sheets
Most of our stationery is created in layers, these are always cut 1cm less all around to show a .5cm border equally. Back Card is always made from card however is not always necessary as some Pre-Cut stationery already acts as a Back Card. For Square Butterfly Envelopes you will only require the Butterfly Envelope a Middle and Top Sheet or just the Envelope and a Middle Sheet. Middle Sheets can be a final layer, or you can use an additional Top Sheet.

Using Studs (also known as Brads or Paper Fasteners)
We recommend you use a scalpel to incise a small hole as this will keep the stud in position. You can use a small hole punch however the stud has more room to move with this method. To use a scalpel hold the sheets together, place the scalpel tip in the position you want the stud, then turn the scalpel to create a hole.

Glues and Adhesives
We recommend that if studs are not being used to attach papers that you use either spray adhesive or double sided tape. These adhesives give the best results without all the mess.

Printing on Translucent Paper (also known as Vellum, Transparent or Trace Paper)
We recommend that you always purchase single sheets for testing prior to ordering in bulk as results with translucent paper vary greatly depending on the printer used. With that said we have found that in all our years of selling Translucent paper we have come across very few people that have had trouble using it.

To use it you need to know a few facts about Translucent Paper (Vellum)

1. It is susceptible to temperature change. Please ensure you store packets of translucent sealed and in a cool dry place. DO NOT purchase translucent paper and leave it in your car, this is especially important when you have already made your invitations with your translucent paper.

2. It does not like to be glued. Although many businesses sell and encourage the gluing of translucent we know that although it may look ok at first it will not last and will soon look dreadful. This is because translucent likes to be able to move. We recommend you use studs, two studs at the top are always better than using 4 studs this for the same reason.. translucent paper likes to be able to move. You can also use ribbon or double sided tape. Double sided tape can at times show through so we recommend you test this first.

3. When printing ensure you allow drying time. When using an ink-jet you will need to allow for drying time between prints as ink sits on the translucent and requires longer to sink in and dry. Choose the paper type: transparency setting when printing. Most sheets will dry in a few minutes, test to see if it needs longer.

4. All translucents are used as the top layer (Top Sheet) however it is up to you whether you print on the translucent or use it as an overlay sheet by printing on the Middle Sheet.

5. Choose suitable colours under your translucent. Generally most translucent papers are printed with either gold, silver or other middle range colours like purple. These translucents require a light to mid range coloured translucent underneath it. If you choose a darker colour you will NOT see your design on your translucent. White Designs however work the opposite way and require dark middle sheets in order to see the white design. You can use mid range colours for a more subtle effect.

Use Clear Address Labels
Ensure your beautiful invitations look professional by using clear address labels. This way you can match the font you are using with the label font for a fantastic finish.

Please note that we cannot accept responsibility for errors made as a result of following our advice and recommendations. Should you require further information or advice please contact us.

QUICK LINKS

When creating or ordering special occasion invitations and stationery it is important to consider the following:

Wedding Invitations and Wedding Stationery
As there is so much stationery to organise for weddings we recommend that you begin with focusing on the wedding invitations and reply cards, if you wish to use them. Then purchase your additional stationery at a later date after you have already organised your wedding invitations as all stationery can be matched to suit your invitations.

How many invitations will I need?
Many confuse this with the amount of guests. The best guide we recommend using at the early stage is to estimate the number of guests, for example 200 then divide this by 2 (as most invitations will go to a couple) = 100 then add some extras to account for singles 30. Once you have written a list of your guests you will have a much better idea. Group them like this: Barry & Susan (1), Annette (1), The James Family (1)... until you have a full list. Even when you have written your full list it is recommended that you add up to 5 spares for those you may have forgotten.

When do I need to send out my invitations?
For weddings we recommend you send your invitations 2 months in advance (8 weeks). So if your wedding is on 5th August you will need to mail them by the first week of June, and therefore purchase them in April or May. If you have overseas guests you may want to add 2-3 weeks to allow for travel arrangements.

What date should I use for the RSVP?
Generally most invitations state the RSVP date 3-4 weeks before the wedding date. This allows enough time for you to organise additional stationery and other arrangements like table seating.
Wedding Invitation Wording

How much money should I set aside?
This is a very tough question to answer and yet also a very simple one. Basically there are so many options available to you when creating wedding stationery it is very much up to you as to how much you would like to allocate to be spent. For example some couples have completed all there stationery on as little as $200: "Dear Bee- Dezigned - I just wanted to say thank you for such excellent service.  I requested various samples and was able to pick out an exact match for my requirements.  I made all my wedding invitations, order of services, menus and place cards for less than $200! Everyone commented on how wonderful and original they looked.  I shall definitely be ordering from you again." Belinda, Tasmania - AU. However this can vary greatly and is determined on how much work you want to do yourself. Generally it is normal to spend anywhere from $200 to well over $1000. At Bee-Dezigned we do not sell any of our invitations in sets, so do not force you to purchase additional stationery. All stationery is separated so you can choose to save money on items you do not require. For example instead of having to order invitations, reply cards, place cards and thank you cards you can choose to order just invitations and place cards or just invitations and service covers. You also have a chance to save on the many varied stocks available as all items that make up the stationery is also available separately. Simply add to cart to view total pricing there is no obligation to order.

For Wedding Invitation Wording - See Wedding Invitation Wording