FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Have you got our venue already sketched?
We have a growing portfolio of UK wedding venues so please take a moment to look to see if we have already sketched your venue and we would be pleased to show you a sample. Please click here to check.
Do need to pay a sketch fee if you already have our venue sketched?
No. We cannot provide the original in a double-mount like we do with original commissions but there will be no sketch fee to pay with your order. You can if you wish however order copies of your venue with our Framed Sketches.
Some of your examples include a sketch of the venue and also the church. How does this work?
Some of our customers will get married in a church before moving on to a venue for the reception. In some cases, they will then wish to have two sketches completed where they may use both sketches for the invitations, use the church sketch for the Order of Service and then the venue sketch for the Seating Plan and Menu etc.
For some venues that we already have in our portfolio where there is a church onsite, we may have also sketched this, in which case we will make reference to that in the list of venues that we have already sketched.
Can you sketch our venue based overseas?
Yes, no problem! We can usually obtain suitable images online for our artist to use. We have sketched French chateaus to Portuguese castles.
Do you retain the copyright of your sketches?
Yes. All sketches remain copyright of The Illustration Invitation, even when an original sketch is commissioned. Purchase of any stationery item(s) does not transfer copyright of the sketch.
Can we order just a digital copy of the sketch?
We are afraid we don’t offer this service. Our sketches are only available inclusive with our illustrated stationery.
Can we order samples from you?
Yes, and if you let us know your wedding venue we can provide a sample pack that includes this sketch if we have it, or if not then a sketch of a venue of similar style. We do not charge for our sample packs and they go out once a week, usually on a Thursday so that you have for the weekend.
When shall we place our order?
Traditionally, invitations are sent out eight to twelve weeks before the big day although we are seeing customers choosing to send them out much earlier than this. Some relatives/friends for example may need more notice, especially if they are coming from overseas or require sufficient time to book hotels in busy holiday periods etc. For this reason, we are also seeing that more people are choosing to send a 'Save the Date' card which can be sent in advance (up to twelve months or more before the big day). This is an ideal way of letting your guests know in advance to mark the date firmly in their diary before sending out your more formal invitations with more details.
We endeavour to send out the initial proofs within 3-4 days of receipt of the information and each revised proof thereafter within 3 days of receipt. Please note that we also like to send a hard copy proof before we print your final order so that you get to see exactly what the finished product will look like. We would normally expect to take a couple of weeks producing and agreeing the proofs and then a couple of weeks for printing and delivery so please bear this in mind when placing your order.
Where we need to complete an illustration of the church/venue we need to factor this in addition to above. Please bear in mind that we often have a waiting list for our artist especially during our busy periods. You may wish to have your sketch completed in advance and then wait to send out your invitations at a later stage. Normally we would expect a commission to be completed within 4-5 weeks although we can speed this up in certain circumstances.
Should I order Save the Date Cards?
It isn't essential to send save the date cards but it is a thoughtful way of giving your guests plenty of notice and build some anticipation. It also gives you a bit of a breather to plan the details, safe in the knowledge your guests have the date in their diaries.
Do I have to order all of my stationery at the same time?
No, not at all. We recognise that you may not have all the details at the very outset. Most clients will tend to order in the following distinct stages:
-
Commissioning the sketch and and/or sending out Save the Date cards. However, some customers choose not to show the sketch on the Save the Date and keep the “reveal” for the more formal invitations. If this is the case for you, we have a range of non-illustrated designs for the Save the Date cards that you may be interest you.
-
Ordering of the “Before the Day” Invitation Suite (this may comprise of the Invitation only or you may wish to combine this with a RSVP Card and Information Card – see our Before the Day packages).
-
Once the inviting is all complete you may then wish to order your “On the Day’ stationery. This could include an Order of Service (or Order of the Day), Seating Plan, Table Names/Numbers, Menus and Place cards and perhaps our unique Guest Comments Frames (which you will need your Message Cards for your guests to write their amusing, witty or loving comments on so that we can produce the frame for you at a later stage).
-
Finally, there may be some “After the Day” stationery you would like, perhaps some Thank you cards featuring your favourite wedding photograph.
Is there a minimum order?
Not at all. Some of the most lovely weddings we have been to have been small and intimate. If we can help you wow your guests, some of your closest and dearest family and friends then we will be thrilled we can help.
Your price list is shown in quantities of 10 – do we have to order in these quantity bands?
No, you can take the next band and order at the pro-rata rate.
For example if the price for 40 flat invitations = £93 and the price for 50 = £114, and you wanted to order 45, then take the x50 price / 50 and multiply by how many you want to order – in this example x45 so the total price would be £102.60.
How many Invitations shall we order?
First of all, remember you only need to order an invitation per couple/household, not per guest. We would suggest ordering a few extra invitations just in case there are any changes to your guest list. You do not need to allow an invitation for yourself as we will include a keepsake of any Before the Day stationery you order. Please also remember you are able to change the quantity of invitations during the proof stage.
We have a lot of additional information to include. How do we add them to the invitation?
We would suggest one of our Information Cards to include important information that will help your guests on the day with regards to directions, local taxis, accommodation and perhaps a message on your gift aspirations.
You can also add a map, where we print the main roads in a colour coordinated with your invitations, and it is a nice touch to your stationery.
Will our address be printed on our RSVP’s?
Yes! If you are having RSVP cards, you will receive an envelope with these as standard and this will include your RSVP address printed on it in a typestyle co-ordinating with your Invitation.
How/when do we pay for our Order?
We ask for a £100 deposit upon ordering a commissioned sketch. If we already have your church/venue within our portfolio of illustrations then we do not ask for a deposit. We then request full payment of the remaining balance after you have approved your final proofs and have your stationery exactly as you want it and before final printing of your order commences. We provide a fully itemised invoice and can accept online bank transfer.
Do you do any illustrations other than venues?
We sometimes get asked this question where a request may be for example for a self portrait of the wedding couple. However, we only provide pencil illustrations of the venue as we believe that fits with our unique style of traditional, classic and elegant and also concentrates on what we do best. Where we do receive requests of a different nature, we can point you in the direction of a supplier who is more suited to this different style.
What choice of card is there?
There are five choices of card, which we have hand-selected to compliment our sketches well. These are white and cream with shades in between and with different finishes. A swatch can be provided within your sample pack or proofs.
What is the difference between the standard and hand-made envelope?
The standard is a white wove envelope whereas the hand-made envelope is in the same texture/finish as the invitation card (white accent antique only). The standard envelope is a diamond flap whereas the hand-made is a wallet style flap (straight edge). We can print on both the front and reverse flap for both types.
What choice of colours do we have for the printing?
All of our sketches are in pencil. You can also have any choice of colour for the text and/or solid colour background on the invitation wording or reverse of the product. You may wish your text printed in black which gives a stylish yet traditional look. However if your wedding has a colour theme, then you may wish to co-ordinate your stationery with this. If you know either the RGB or CMYK code of the colour then that’s perfect but not essential. You can also send us a sample (even if this is a ribbon etc) and we will source a matching colour for you.
Can we get our guests to choose their menu for the reception meal?
This is a common request we have and we would suggest that your menu options are printed on the reverse of your RSVP Card so that your guests can indicated their choices when they reply and accept your invitation. We have some examples on our RSVP Card page.
Can we have personalised guest names?
Sure. We can print these on your invitations and on your place cards or menus. These will be printed in a calligraphy style font. We can also print your invitation envelopes with your guest names and address.
Do we get a proof of each item of stationery?
Yes, for each item of stationery you order, you will receive a soft copy proof (pdf) to allow you to confirm you are completely happy with the spelling and layout. Once this is confirmed (and we send digital proofs until this is the case), we will then send you a hard copy proof so you can see exactly how your final order will look.
Do we have to pay for any changes we make to the proofs?
No. We want to make your stationery as perfect as possible and while this is normally achieved within one maybe two proofs, if it takes longer then so be it. There are no charges for additional changes, all that matters is that you are so thrilled with the final look that you cannot wait for your loved family and friends to see your unique illustrated stationery.
What is the latest we can leave the “On the Day” stationery before this is finally printed?
We appreciate that the final few weeks before your wedding can be stressful. We like our guests to have all their final items of stationery at least one week before the wedding day (and earlier where possible) so there is one less item for you to worry about in the final week. Our preference is to have all your final details (guest names) four weeks before the wedding so we can achieve this aim.
What is the difference between the Order of Service and Order of the Day?
Both products consist of a scored and folded A4 Card giving a cover and then three pages for text (although we can add a further card inset for additional pages if required).
The Order of Service is the church ceremony where we normally include the church illustration on the cover and then the service details follow – Entrance of the Bride, The Welcome, up to three hymns, Readings, Signing of the Register etc.
The Order of the Day is for a civil wedding and while there may not be so much detail as a church wedding, you may still want to guide your guests through the wedding. This is also an opportunity to include timing for the days events, so that your guests know what is happening and when. Some customers also include the menu inside the Order of the Day and perhaps on the reverse take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the wedding party – best man, chief bridesmaid/bromaid, parents, flower girls etc.
We have examples of both we are more than happy to share with you.
Can you print in an additional language?
You may wish to have the invitation text in English and in another language next to it. That’s no problem – all we need is the wording as you wish this printed and leave the rest to us.
How much is postage?
Rachael loves putting together the final suite of invitations and your order will be carefully packed with love and beautifully presented in a well wrapped, protective box. It is then posted using a signed for service and can be delivered to any mainland UK postal address or overseas on request. As the size of each order is different, the postage cost varies and the price for delivery will be included on your final invoice. It is normally approx. £6-10 per delivery.