Nudge your inner graphic designer and go for a fully handmade invitation. Some stationers sell make-your-own invitation kits, like those at Of the Earth and Paper Source. The Paper Source site even has a demo video.
Look beyond the stationers for inspiration, too. Anything you can write or print on is fair game: wrapping paper, coasters or placemats, calendar pages, vintage or silly postcards, blank menu forms, old-school air mail paper, origami paper. Mementoes can be scanned to incorporate into a design, or you could use personal ads, library cards, “do not disturb” signs, or Mad Libs as templates. Or take a photo booth picture of you holding up a sign with a piece of the key info. (Make the lettering on your sign big and dark, so that it doesn’t get washed out by the photo booth’s flash.)
Want to ramp things up? Try iron-on transfer paper for your printer, available for both ink jets and laser jets. You can emblazon your wine-tasting party details on cloth cocktail napkins or baby shower info on cloth diapers or bibs.
Make sure you have supplies for a few more invites than you actually need, as Murphy’s Law insurance against mistakes.
Leave interactivity for the party.
There are a lot of gimmicky ideas out there. Some party-planner books recommend things like puzzles or matchbooks or CDs for creative invitations. Who has time to put together a puzzle or squint at a matchbook, trying to glean the details for your party? An RSVP is all you should ask from your guests when it comes to your invite.
When to send.
For most casual parties, send invitations out two weeks in advance. (It takes a few days for postal delivery.) If you’re giving your party during the winter holidays or another particularly busy season for your guests, plan on doing the mailing three to four weeks ahead. Ditto if the party will involve any special efforts on the part of the guests, like gifts or costumes.
RSVPs and reminders.
Let’s face it—RSVPs and reminder notes are still best done by phone or via email!
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