ok...where to print my own invites (our printers not so good)

Linzstyle · November 2009

can we print at kinkos or something....and if so....how? Do we just type up the invite info etc....and then..........
hmmm....I'm not really this slow....LOL.
But, how do I get it on the invite paper if I don't type it at home and print it at home?? And how do I know how many lines will fit on the invite/or do I do a mock up at home first???

Qston · November 2009

If you can... I would try to avoid Kinkos, but realize sometimes that can be hard. If anything, I think OfficeMax does a better job than Kinkos, but would instead recommend Insty Prints or something like that.

If you have a computer, and an inkjet printer, Target has some nice invite options for pretty reasonable prices (about $30 for 50 invites). Think they have more options on their website than they have in most stores.. worth a look. I haven't ever used them, but imagine they are pretty easy to set up for anyone to use

Or maybe that isn't really what you were asking...

Depending on your budget, you can get pretty cheap but decent new inkjet printers at Best Buy or MicroCenter (especially this time of year with holiday sales), and print your own. If you don't have anything designed or mocked up, and want kinkos or some other printer to print, you will have to pay design or production charges, which can add up pretty quick.

Do you have a way to create a PDF of your desired invite? You can provide that on a CD for them to print from, or some might have a way you can upload it online, and go into store to pick it up?

If this isn't really what you are asking, sorry!!

wittyschaffy · November 2009

OK - hopefully I am answering this correctly. Yes, you can print your own invites. I DIYd mine and had great luck with Postnet. They have locations all over the cities. I've had not so great experiences with Kinkos and short of copying a regular black and white document on regular copy paper, I won't go there.

Find out what size you need things to be (so for instance you want your invite to be 5x7 finished. If you're doing a backing paper, that needs to be 5x7 cut. To show an even edge, your invite would need to be 1/4 inch smaller in each direction to show 1/8" of paper all around - so your invite template would be 4.75x6.75") I did mine in Word and set up text boxes to the dimensions I needed. Once I got it how I wanted it, I just selected the box and hid the border lines. It helps to make it a pdf before you bring it. My version of word didn't come with that capability but you can download that add on from Microsoft for free. I just brought in my paper that I got from Paper Depot to Post Net and handed them my jump drive with the files on it. Came back a couple hours later to pick it up. Pretty easy!

I liked doing the text boxes because I could see exactly how many I could fit on a page and didn't worry about them being goofy sized. You do need to keep in mind that you can't print all the way to the edge of the paper because of the printer margin but if you pdf it, they can generally re-size it and make it work nice for you.

HTH!

kclepire · November 2009

I am using kinkos (i'm curious why pp said not to use kinkos). I don't htink it'd use any kinkos, but i work at a corporate office and they have a kinkos there so I go there about once a week with some things to print to see if it works.

What i've been doing is like pp said set text boxes the size you need then print at home on your home printer to test it out and see if you need to move things around. Then when you have a fairly decent draft I then go to kinkos and have them print it.

Kinko's has pretty decent cardstock so I'm just using their paper (cuts down on cost because then you just are paying for the printing fee). If you already have paper you can bring your paper in.

Hope that helps. Invites took me a LONG time and caused me much frustration. Stick in there!

Linzstyle · November 2009

what's the typical size for invites? Can I start working on a text box now....and then bring it to Michaels/Target to look at invite paper? I'd hate to be back here again, after purchasing invites...and still not be able to fit all of my info where I need it.

wittyschaffy · November 2009

If you have time to go to Paper Depot - I'd recommend it. You dont' have to necessarily get paper there but they have all sorts of invitation inspiration boards and can help you get a rough idea of what you'd like. They'll also help you figure out your measurements for your layout and what kind of supplies you'd need to make the number of invites you're thinking.

wittyschaffy · November 2009

kclepire - I had them cop an attitude about printing on paper I didn't purchase from Kinko's in the past pre-invite. I also had trouble with them formatting my invites. Before I figured out how to pdf my RSVP cards (I miscounted and had to run a few extra and Kinkos was open but Postnet wasn't so I went there instead), I brought the files in along with the file for the font on my jump drive. They just installed the draft of the RSVP card and when I said that the font wasn't right - they argued with me about it being what was installed on the original which wasn't the case. When I explained that they needed to install the font file which I had included on the jump drive, she said she did - but didn't because I watched her do it. I finally told her to give me my drive back after 10 minutes of me trying to explain installing the font and walked out and swore I'd never go back.

kristigiles · November 2009

I got box invites from Target and I am printing them myself (with the help of my dad). The box sets come with instructions on how to setup the text and printer. Pretty easy!

Qston · November 2009

I think you can use whatever size you want, but here is a list for envelope sizes- just a note that the actual invite size will have to be 1/4" smaller than this, so it will fit into the envelope.

ENVELOPE SIZES

RSVP	3 5/8 x 5 1/8
A-2	4 3/8 x 5 3/4
A-6	4 3/4 x 6 1/2
A-7	5 1/4 x 7 1/4
A-8	5 1/2 x 8 1/8

I agree with wittyschaffy that PaperDepot is good to go if for nothing else than for inspiration. But yes, start playing with text boxes now, so you can figure out how much information you have, and how much space you need. It can maybe help you decide if you can do a flat card, or a folded card.

And kclepire - as for kinkos, yeah, at multiple locations I have felt their staff is notorious for copping an attitude, and their service poor, and they try and make everyone feel like an idiot, even when its them thats the idiots, because they can't figure out what to do with files that aren't simple word docs, where any real printer would have no issue... thats just it, they are a copy center, not a printer, IMO. sorry- VENT.

hkiesling · November 2009

We wanted our invites to be printed in color, and by the time we added up the cost of the invites, response cards, and the brochure we added, it was about the same cost as a nice color laser printer. So we ended up getting the printer and just doing it ourselves. And man, did we end up using that printer! We even printed our own thank you cards with a few pictures from the wedding. That might be an option for you.

Otherwise, I've heard good things about PostNet on the boards.

ok...where to print my own invites (our printers not so good)

Re: ok...where to print my own invites (our printers not so good)

ENVELOPE SIZES

Choose Another Board

Search Boards