wedding paper guide

think of surcie as your wedding paper planner

 

Our paper

We select the highest and most complementary quality paper for every printing method. Paper may vary slightly between methods.

For our standard suites, we offer two different colors, white and ivory. For engraving, letterpress and digital printing methods, single and double thick paper weights are available. Due to the nature of thermography printing, it is only available in a single weight stock.

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OUR STANDARD printing methods

Engraving

Engraving is a process in which a plate is etched with your invitation wording and is then pressed into the paper, leaving only the letters slightly raised. An indentation forms on the back of the paper from the pressure.

Letterpress

Exquisite and sophisticated, letterpress will nonetheless create a warm, rich feeling that one can't help but appreciate. All type and motifs are transferred in reverse onto a letterpress plate and pressed onto the surface of the paper. The plate will create a rich, matte deep impression on the paper, creating a three dimensional texture. Heavier paper is preferred for letterpress printing as it creates a deep imprint without thinning out the paper too much.

Thermography

Beautiful and textured, the thermography method creates a raised feel similar to engraving without using a plate. Thermography is created during a heat-based process that fuses ink and resinous powder to create the raised element.

Flatprint

Perfect for details and rich in color, flat printing creates a one dimensional, smooth appearance. Also known as digital printing, flat print is commonly used for watercolor artwork with multiple colors.

Custom

Besides foil, letterpress, thermography and flatprint, we print a variety of different methods including, but not limited to embossing, debossing and combining print methods. Please fill out our custom inquiry form if you are interested in learning more about these methods.

Surcie Suite sizes

Sizing below represents paper sizes that are included in our signature Wedding Suites. Custom work can be printed on over 50 different sizes - Please fill out our custom inquiry form if you are interested in additional sizing.

Invitation: 5” x 7” (may vary by .25” between print methods. envelopes will always correspond with invitation size)

Reply: 3.5” x 4.875”

Additional Inserts: Sizing varies depending on insert card type and information included

Outer Envelope: 5.25” x 7.25” when an inner envelope is included, the outer envelope is slightly larger

Reply Envelope: 3.625” x 5.125”

envelope Addressing

We recommend having your wedding suite professionally addressed either by a calligrapher or having them printed to match the font on your suite.  We offer envelope printing to match your wedding suite at an additional cost or we can recommend a calligrapher if needed.  

  • The outer envelope should contain the formal name of the guest without nicknames or initials as well as the full address of the recipient 

  • The inner envelope should have the names of the guests invited including children.  

  • All words on the address should be spelled out in full, for example street not st. and apartment not apt.

inner and outer envelopes

An outer envelope is included in each of our suites. Inner envelopes are available under Bells & Whistles at an additional cost. An inner envelope ensures that the suite itself is protected between point A and B.  As you can see above, the outer envelope contains all the information needed by the postal service while the inner envelope contains the names of the invited guests. 

Timeline

Once your order has been placed, please allow 2-3 business days to receive a proof. Production time varies for different printing methods but please expect 3-4 weeks from proof approval to receive your items. Once they are shipped (we ship via UPS ground unless otherwise stated) you will receive shipping information and a tracking number.

Postage

Standard postage for a wedding suite is a 2 ounce stamp but you should always take your suite to the post office where you will be mailing it out and have them weigh it before purchasing your stamps.  

Adding additional bells & whistles may result in the need for additional postage.

We love browsing the internet for stamps that match your suite as well as sets of vintage stamps. Let us know if we can suggest our favorite stamp vendors!

Assembly

Proper assembly of a wedding invitation from the bottom up is as follows:

  1. Wedding Invitation

  2. Inserts from largest to smallest

*The reply card should be under the flap of the reply envelope

*Assembly tip - everything should be placed in the inner envelope with the text facing outwards so that the guests can see the text when they open the envelope. 

The inner envelope is facing towards the back flap of the outer envelope.

We also offer invitation assembly at an additional cost! 

Proofing

Proofing is one of the most important steps in our custom process. There can never be too many eyes on your invitation suite when proofing! It is extremely important to triple proof all wording, dates, timing, etc. Once the proofs are approved by the customer, any mistakes are the responsibility of the customer.

quantity

A common mistake people make when ordering wedding invitations is that they order invitations for the number of guests they are inviting instead of the number of households invitations will be going to. More times than not, the number of invitations needed is much lower than the number of guests invited to your event.