Engraving vs. thermography

flamingtwig72

We are having a black tie wedding but are still trying not to spend an enormous amount of money, and my fiance doesn't think it's worth the money to get engraved invitations. Will not having engraved invitations completely undermine the formality of the day? There are some guests who do know the difference between those two printing types, and I'm worried about what they might think.

squirrly

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_engraving-vs-thermography?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:7538cdf2-a5cd-4e38-aba3-0e3ecea4b011Post:dff050c4-e51b-4252-88e4-d9b4a2bc7705">Engraving vs. thermography</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>We are having a black tie wedding but are still trying not to spend an enormous amount of money,</strong> and my fiance doesn't think it's worth the money to get engraved invitations. Will not having engraved invitations completely undermine the formality of the day? There are some guests who do know the difference between those two printing types, and I'm worried about what they might think.
Posted by flamingtwig72[/QUOTE]

These two things do not go together.  If you're having a black tie wedding, the catering alone will be extremely expensive to do correctly.  Full open premium bar.  Tableside ordering.  5 or more courses.  The extra cost for engraved invites over thermography is really peanuts in the grand scheme of black tie wedding things.

If you just want people to dress up and then have an otherwise normal wedding - not cool. 

MeaghanandMichael

Everything Squirrly said is absolutely true. You also need a band, amongst other things to do black tie correctly. If this is what you are worrying about I suggest you re-evaluate.

stina93446

Black tie and budget don't really go in the same thought.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Black tie wedding = engraved invitations. But that appears to be the least of your problems.

For a regular old formal affair you can go either way.

mocha beans

If you're doing a true black tie wedding, ie guests in tuxes and formal gowns, premium open bar, multicourse butlered service dinner, live band and elaborate centerpieces, then you need to do full engraving.  Black tie weddings are about pulling out all the stops and going all out, sparing no expense.

alixzafiris

Concur with Squirrly about black tie =/= saving money.

However, to answer your questions; the two, though commonly confused, are not actually similar at all. Engraving is absolutely the most expensive option as it utilises the creation of press plates, which are costly, in order to create an intaglio look to the invitations by "punching" the paper, versus digital thermography, which is a cheaper option and often is created using heat and powder inks to create a raised text effect, though nowhere near as formal as engraving print methods are.

For a black tie wedding, stationery should generally be engraved.

kate51485

No joke, a friend of mine went to a black tie wedding a few weeks ago and they had a fake snow-fall for their first dance.  Oh, and they rode into the room on a Harley. 

goheels05

I want to get invited to a black tie wedding.