Imagine you get invited to the party of the year. You search for the perfect dress and find it at a decent price. You get all dolled up picking from a pile of jewelry you already own. You walk into the party and BAM! the girl across the room is wearing the same blue and black dress as you. Your heart sinks as you are no longer a unique snowflake, but just another dress in the crowd. Don’t let your wedding invitations and design elements fall to this same feeling.
All photos by Photography by Brea
The Internet is a wonderful place in this day and age. There is an option for just about everything you are looking for. Especially when it comes to anything pre-designed. There are plenty of websites where you pick a design, a color or two and input your text. But the problem with this is that you have the same design as thousands of other people across the world. Sure, it’s quick and easy, but this is your wedding day. It’s time to be unique.
When I walk into work everyday, I see a sign that says “My art professor once said I will be a successful designer if I possess these 3 qualities: Awesome Portfolio, Good Looking, Great Personality.” And that is exactly the truth when you hire a designer instead of a website.
A designer will get to know you as a couple and cater the design to your personalities and to your theme. Don’t have a theme yet? Their capabilities will help you find one. They can help you to think outside the box and come up with a design that is truly unique to your love story.
It’s not hard to find a designer, there is probably one sitting next to you in your Master’s English class. They also aren’t as expensive as you might think, at least make the effort to get a few quotes. Creating a brand around you as a couple is an exciting feeling. A logo, colors, a font. There are millions of fonts out there, not just the same five that you see over and over again in wedding designs. Don’t you get sick of the same jewelry in your box? I get sick of the same fonts on the wall.
These are things that a free website cannot offer you. They cannot offer you the great personality and good looks that working with a designer can. My designer says things like “this is going to be awesome!” and I get all hyped about the brand he has helped us to create. He not only makes sure that all of our pieces work together with design elements, but he also suggested an inexpensive, local print shop. Designers not only know the ins and outs of good design, but they know where and how to print. You won’t have to worry about knowing these things, they will take care of it for you.
While designing, you want to keep your content to a minimum. You don’t need to clutter up your invitations with a bunch of extra information that no one is going to read. Dress code? It’s a wedding, I think that’s implied. Directions? People have Google, they aren’t going to use your directions. Unless Google will steer your guests wrong, it isn’t needed. If you’re going to include a website, make sure you have a call to action to get people to actually go to the site. Stick to the important information – names, location, time, registry. Also make sure your time specifically states if it’s when the doors open or when the show starts. It’s the worst to show up as soon as the band starts. Or in this case, as soon as you’re walking down the isle! Lastly, it’s 2015, think outside the box with your message. Parents don’t have to “give” their kids away anymore. Find something more exciting to say, shake things up!
Don’t be the girl wearing the same blue and black dress as the next. Be the girl who has a strong logo and the love to match it.
