We're committed to superlative service and clear communication. Below are some policies for working with our valued clients. They help us provide the highest quality of service and ensure our ability to continue creating highly personal products for you, our friends and clients. Please let us know if you have any questions about these policies before we get started on your next project. We thank you for your business!

Process

• Down Payment: A 50% deposit is required at the time of your order. Once payment is received we will order your supplies and begin the proof process.
• Wording: Please email your wording in a word document or within the body of an email. A $25 processing fee will apply for all orders not received by email.
• Electronic Proof: Your proof will be emailed to you within three business days after receiving your deposit.
• Printed Proof: A printed proof will be supplied one week after you approve the final electronic proof. A proof approval form will accompany the printed proof. Paper Rock Scissor will need this form initialed and signed before going to print.
• Finished Product: Your order will be completed three weeks after we receive your signed proof approval form. Please verify that we have received this form, as technology does not always cooperate.

Quantity

• Orders must be placed in increments of 25.
• There will not be a refund if your quantity decreases after you have made your deposit.
• If your quantity increases after you have paid your deposit please allow additional time in the event that we need to order additional supplies.

Proofs

• First electronic proof and one set of changes: Free
• Each additional proof: $25
• First printed proof: Free
• Each additional printed proof: $40

Changes

• All text and format changes must be emailed or faxed. Although we are happy to discuss changes over the phone, please email or fax your changes to avoid errors.

Timeline

• Please allow 4-6 weeks for the completion of most wedding invitation orders.
• Orders will take approximately three weeks after your proof is approved.

Rush Orders

• If orders are needed within 5-7 business days it is considered a rush order. You will be charged an additional 25% of your total.

Errors

• Your satisfaction is our top priority. Please notify us of any problems within ten days of receiving your order and we will do our best to correct the situation.

Customer Supplied Artwork

• There will be a $30 charge for customer-supplied artwork. If editing is required, it will be considered design time and will be billed at $75 per hour.

It's never too early to start the design process for your wedding invitations. Once you have reviewed our samples and finalized all the details of your ceremony and reception, you're ready. Paper Rock Scissor will work one on one with you to customize the design for your invitations, response cards, and other printed elements such as note cards and seating cards to round out your stationery wardrobe.

After your design is finalized, plan on three to four weeks for the invitations to be printed and assembled. We recommend mailing invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding, so please allow ample time for design, printing and calligraphy. We recommend ordering additional invitations and envelopes to cover any mistakes made in addressing.

Wording of Wedding Invitations

Old traditions still hold in the realm of wording your wedding invitation, however, there are no longer strict rules which dictate how you choose your wording. A great online resource which covers many possible wording options is available at www.verseit.com.

Mailing Wedding Invitations

Invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the wedding. Be sure to verify questionable zip codes and to weigh a completely assembled invitation at the post office to determine the correct postage needed.

Save The Date Announcements

It is customary to send Save-The-Date announcements several months to a year prior to your wedding date. This provides time for guests to make travel arrangements and to set aside your wedding date in their calendars. Most of our clients also include travel and accommodation details with their save the dates.

Response Cards

Response cards are a necessary part of any invitation. The card asks guests if they plan on attending the wedding and may also offer them a choice of entrée if this is needed in advance. The front of the reply envelope is printed with the name and the address of the bride or whomever will be receiving guests' responses. Return postage should be applied to the reply envelope.

Reception Cards

If your reception is held at a different location than the wedding, you may choose to enclose a separate card. It is more formal to send a reception card, though you may also choose to word the invitation so that the reception location is included.

Wedding Announcements

An announcement is sent shortly after your wedding to inform family and friends of your marriage. Announcements should only be sent to those who did not receive an invitation to the wedding. They look very similar to an invitation but contain different wording.

Enclosure Card

You may also want to include one additional enclosure card. This can be used for a variety of items. Directions, maps, hotel accommodations, and parking information are the most common items on an enclosure card. We are happy to combine as much information onto one card if necessary.

The wedding invitation suite consists of dozens of complementary pieces, collectively known as a
stationery suite. Which elements you choose for your nuptials depends on the formality, size, and budget you've outlined for your big day. To determine what you need, it helps to first understand all the paper parts comprising the stationery suite.

Save the Date Cards

The save the date card is the first official announcement of your wedding date. This card can be casua. For consistency, it's nice to have it match the other items of your suite, but it's not absolutely necessary if you haven't chosen your wedding colors or theme yet. You can tie in save the dates to your event in other ways. For example, an illustration of a coconut tree if you're planning a destination wedding in the Maldives, or a cheerful daisy for garden I do's.
Here's what the save the date can include:
• Your names and the wedding date-these are musts
• The location, if you know it, so that out-of-town guests can begin making travel arrangements
• The words "formal invitation to follow," or a similar phrase
• The URL of your wedding website

Accommodations Cards

This piece is optional, but it's smart for destination weddings and if you're expecting lots of out-of-town guests. It's enclosed with save the date cards to assist your guests with booking travel and lodging.
What you may include:
• Hotels near the ceremony and reception sites
• Airfare or other transportation information
• Maps of the area
If you're limiting invitation costs, include this information on your wedding website and direct guests there on the save the date.

Invitations

The invitation is the most important item in the stationery suite spread. Guests will carry it along to the wedding and use it as a guide for where to go and when.
Key information to have:

• The names of the hosts (often the parents)
• The names of the bride and groom
• The day of the week the ceremony occurs, as well as the date, time, and address.

The invitation doesn't travel alone. It's accompanied by the following, all enclosed within the outer

envelope:

• A reception card-especially if the party will be at a different location than the ceremony-with the date, place, and time of the reception
• The response or RSVP card, with a self-addressed, stamped envelope
• A map or a directions card-spots to mark include nearby hotels, the sites of any events, and where the ceremony and reception will take place

Events or Itinerary Card

If you're throwing a destination wedding or weekend-long celebration, consider an events card. It can detail planned activities, such as golfing or an afternoon tea, so that guests can pack accordingly. Events cards can be combined with response cards to save expense, with boxes guests can check off for activities they'd like to attend.

Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

Within many families, the groom's parents issue this invitation. Because they likely won't be your
responsibility, it's not necessary for rehearsal dinner invitations to match your wedding invitations.
However, it's a nice touch. Talk it through with your future-in-laws and let them determine how to proceed.
Extras Checklist

Wedding Programs

Programs are very important as keepsakes. The traditional approach is a small, bound booklet with the couple's names on the front. But it can also be a single sheet of cardstock paper if your ceremony is on the short-and-sweet side. Because of the program's role as memento, many couples take a creative approach. For example, a fan program for outdoor or garden weddings in warm summer months.
Programs typically include:

• The date of the wedding
• Names of bridal party members and their relationship to the bride or groom
• The order of events
• Titles of readings and songs
Some couples include a note to honor a deceased loved one, to explain rites within the ceremony guests may not know, or to offer a word of thanks to the hosts/parents.

Menus

For a formal, seated dinner at a banquet table, place a menu at each setting. If your reception setup is an arrangement of small tables, it's acceptable to have just one menu at each table. Another option is to integrate the menu into the table number stand.
Menu details include:

• A description of what will be served
• If a dish holds special significance, you may wish to explain why
• Wine and beverage choices
• If your wedding features cocktails, a list of martini options or the ingredients of your signature drink

Escort Cards

These tell guests where to sit-and the options for doing so are practically endless. Tie them to a tree with ribbons in your wedding colors, place them among a bed of flowers so that each guest can pick one upon entrance, or pin them to a decorated board. Looking for the simplest solution? Use tented cards laid out in alphabetical order on a table.
The only two musts on a seating card are the guest's name and his or her table number.

Table Cards

Designate each table with a name or number to help guests find their seats. Creative signs add to the festivity, such as clever names for tables or beautiful designs in your motif. Print the text in dark colors-reception lighting is often dim. Stand the table cards up in holders or tent them.

Place Cards

Place cards tell guests which chair is theirs. The traditional spot for these is at the head of each place setting, but they can also be hung with ribbons from the backs of chairs. Or, rather than tenting the cards, attach them to an object indicative of your wedding theme. For example, if the reception is at an orchard, tie each name to an apple's stem.
Another idea is to coordinate the colors of the place cards to entrée options. For example, pale green for the veggie dish, pink for the salmon, and so on. That way, waiters have a subtle clue as to who requested which dish.
Other than that, all you need is the guest's name!

Favor Tags

Many couples have favor baskets or bags at the reception or waiting for guests in their hotel rooms.
The tags on these gifts typically say:

• A gracious message, such as "Thank you for celebrating with us!"
• The couple's name
• The wedding date
If you're giving a donation, the favor tag can instead be a small card explaining your choice of charitable action

Thank You Cards

Order thank you cards with your invitations in anticipation of early gifts, and to thank bridesmaids and the host of your bridal shower. These notes should be handwritten, and they should repeat an element from your wedding motif for continuity.
• Thank guests for attending and for any gifts
• Traditionally have "thank you", your monoram or name on the front and a personal note inside
• Include your new address, if you're moving

Q. When should I send out thank you cards?

A. For gifts received prior to the wedding, send your thanks immediately-or at least within two weeks. Once guests discover where you registered, presents will start popping up on your doorstep. That's especially true now that so many gifts are ordered online and shipped out instantly. You'll also need to thank the hosts of your bridal shower, bachelorette party if you're having one, and any other
celebrations honoring your upcoming nuptials. Because of the potential for premarital gifts, order thank you cards with your invitations.

For gifts received on your wedding day, custom allows you a full month after your honeymoon to respond. If any gifts drift in later, follow the same rule and try to have the thank you card out within one month.

Q. I'm expecting over 200 people at my wedding. Do I really have to send a personal thank you card to every single guest?

A. Unfortunately, yes. Fortunately, it's not quite as arduous as it may seem. You already have a list of names and address that you used to mail invitations or gave to the calligrapher. Make an extra copy of that document, and stow it away until it's time to write thank you cards. The benefit? You won't be
scrambling to collect addresses or to remember the names of all who attended.

In fact, many couples use the guest list as a way to track incoming gifts and outgoing thank you's. As soon as you receive a present, write down what it was next to the person's name. Once you've sent the thank you card, you can check that one off the list. Before you know it, you'll be done.

Q. My fiancé and I are registering for gifts. How do we tactfully let guests know?

A. Traditionally, guests discover the registry through word of mouth. In a small town with only one major department store, that's not so difficult. It's also easier for couples coming from tight-knit families that communicate regularly.

However, if you can't imagine word spreading and don't want to wind up with 12 crock-pots, a wedding website is crucial. Your save the date can offer the URL. Once guests are at the site, provide links to places where you registered. This truly is the simplest solution, for both you and your guests.

The biggest taboo is stating outright on the wedding invitation where you registered. If you're not sending save the dates, at least include a separate card with the invitation that gives the address of your wedding website.

We often get asked how to address envelopes, so here is a guide to help you out!

The outer envelope

This is where you write the recipients' full names, official titles, first names, and the rest. It's where tradition is upheld, decorum celebrated; that means no cutting corners with abbreviations like Dr., NY, or St. (Mrs., Mr., Ms., and Jr. are the only acceptable shorthands).

Some examples:

The Inner Envelope

Formal invitations are sometimes slipped into an unsealed inner envelope to be placed inside the outer envelope. They are addressed in a more informal fashion -- typically only title abbreviations and last name -- and include the names of all invitees at the address, including children. For example: Mr. and Mrs. Sanders & Sally, Sam, and Simon