Jean M Blog

Enclosure Cards: The rest of your stationery ensemble

Your invitation is the thing that introduces your wedding style to your guests. It's tells them the who, what, when, where and why of your wedding.

But how do you let guests know about the "how do I get there?" and the "where do I stay" and the "what's for dinner"?

Enclosure cards! They come in every Jean M paper color to match your invitations, and many enclosure sets were created to match our new invitation designs. They can be printed in a variety of formats to coordinate your entire wedding stationery look. Here's a breakdown of the types of enclosure cards available and why you need them.

Reception Cards: You’ve worked so hard to create a reception look that will reflect your personalities and will make guests feel welcome. Show your excitement about the celebration that will continue after the ceremony by inviting guests to join you. Reception cards are just the thing to accomplish this. The cards list the times and locations of the reception, dinner, dance and other events.

 

Respond Cards: These practical little cards become fun when you start receiving them in the mail from guests, tallying their responses and reading their little notes about how much they’re looking forward to celebrating with you. You may also include menu choices on the respond card to provide accurate information to your caterer. Jean M offers you the unique option of ordering colorful envelopes for your respond cards.The price of respond cards includes printing the envelopes with your return address. Be sure to place a coordinating stamp on each envelope for guests’ convenience.

 

Note Folders: Attention to detail is everything in making your wedding a success. When you choose folded note cards that coordinate with your stationery ensemble and use them for pre-wedding correspondence and thank you notes, you’ll be carrying through the tone of your wedding style. Notes may be ordered with your maiden name monogram (for pre-wedding notes and bridal shower thank you notes), with your married name monogram or with your names. Note folders are available with your choice of our unique colorful envelopes.

Direction and Accommodation Cards: You’d hate to have chosen the perfect ceremony and reception sites and have your guests not be able to find them, or not be able to book a hotel room for the weekend of your wedding. So make it easy for out-of-town guests to book hotel rooms and find your ceremony and reception sites by enclosing printed direction cards and accommodation cards with your invitations. Direction cards are printed with the directions you provide. For accommodation cards, include the name, address and telephone number or website of the hotel at which you’ve reserved rooms for guests, and the date by which they need to reserve rooms.

 

See? It's easy to keep your guests informed, included and welcomed to your wedding with enclosure cards! Decide which cards work best for your wedding style, select your paper colors and formats, and have fun sending those invitations!

 

How to throw a fun and energized wedding reception

You have planned every last detail for what will undoubtedly be a beautiful wedding reception, but have you given any thought to entertaining your guests? Here are a few tips to help you throw a fun and energized reception that all of your guests will enjoy.

Lounge areas set apart from the music and the dining area are all the rage. Provide couches, chairs and floor cushions for guests to gather and relax and visit with each other.

• Set up a gaming room for gambling fans to try their luck and take a break from the reception action. Provide billiard tables, casino games and a poker table with a dealer.

• Have the videographer set up a stationery camera so guests can record their own messages to the bride and groom throughout the evening.

• During cocktail hour, consider offering a dance class. Guests will have fun learning and it will get them in the mood to dance later on. It also might help coax a few of those shy closet-dancers out onto the floor.

• Place a card with the words to your first dance song at each place setting so guests can serenade you during that magical first dance.

• Try candy instead of cake. Set up a candy buffet that is sure to entice every taste bud. It adds to your wedding décor AND it’s a fun way for guests to mingle and satisfy their sweet cravings.

• Write place cards with a few words that describe each guest. They will appreciate the thought and you will have a blast describing your friends and family with words like “super mom” or “wildly entertaining.”

Now, use your creative side and come up with some unique-to-you wedding reception ideas for your fabulous reception!

 

Enjoy!

My ideas for saving money on your wedding invitations

For some brides, the invitation is everything and they’ll dedicate a large part of their budget for the expensive, lavish, professionally printed and assembled invitations of their dreams.

But for other brides, while having a beautiful invitation is still important, they don’t want to spend a fortune.

For brides in the second category, here are my best ideas for saving money while still having beautiful, unique wedding invitations guests will never forget.

Order your invitations unassembled. We can print all the elements of your invitation ensemble and provide you with all the pieces you’ll need, and you can put your invitations together. Make it a party! Invite your bridesmaids and friends over for a night of good food and refreshments and your invitation assembly with go smoothly and enjoyably.

Lose the layers. Wedding invitation cards are available in gorgeous colors and can be printed with great designs and in ink colors that will create a colorful, unique look. Guests won’t even miss the multiple layers and ribbons and you’ll save money.

  

DIY. Do it yourself wedding invitations can be a good thing - if you’re creative and have the time. We make it easy for you with pre-cut cardstock in the perfect sizes for you to create your invitations, place cards, programs, menu cards and more.  And, to add a little something extra, add a rhinestone, pearl or ribbon. Ribbons are sold on the roll, so you can use it for your invitations, and then use the rest for decorating!

Order it all together. You may think that price comparing and ordering different items from different sites will save you money, but in reality, it’s more of a hassle and a risk. You’ll end up paying for shipping over and over. You won’t be guaranteed that paper or ribbon colors with coordinate. And paper stock quality varies from company to company. Jean M guarantees your satisfaction and the highest quality — and beautiful items for your wedding at prices you can afford!  Plus - you can relax knowing that all the Jean M paper colors match the ribbon colors, perfectly.  Coordinate away ladies.

Enjoy!

Beautiful, money-saving alternatives for having the wedding of your dreams.

Saving money and paying attention to your budget doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your dreams. It just means thinking about things differently and working those dreams into realistic wedding plans.

1. The dream: a big, posh hotel wedding.

The beautiful, money-saving alternative: A celebration in a smaller, chic restaurant. You’ll still have a great dinner and superb atmosphere at great savings, versus holding your wedding at a full-service hotel banquet hall. You’ll also probably get more unique menu options and more personalized service if the restaurant is independent and locally owned.

And you’re more likely to be able to bring in items that are important to you, like a cake baked by the baker of your choice, special wine, personalized napkins and your own toasting glassware.

 

2. The dream: Riding with your entire party in a stretch limo from ceremony to reception.

The beautiful, money-saving alternative: Being whisked off, just you and your new hubby, in a friend’s sports car. The ride will be much more romantic — and it’s a great opportunity to surprise your new spouse with a special gift. Riding in a friend’s car or renting a small car for just the two of you will save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars over booking a top-of-the-line limo. Just be sure that everyone in your wedding party does have transportation to the reception site; arrange for family members and friends with cars to provide rides.

  

photo: Clark Art Photography • clarkartphoto.com

3. The dream: A wedding bash in the heart of the city.

The beautiful, money-saving reality: An elegant wedding with all the trimmings in your hometown. You can still have everything you want to make your wedding special when you host it in your hometown, but it will cost you a fraction of the bill you’d be presented with if you’d hold it in the city on a weekend. You'll also have the opportunity to take advantage of activities, services and products that make your wedding unique, like trolley transportation in a historic town, a getaway in a decorated boat at the lake or providing local treats for favors.

photo: Clark Art Photography • clarkartphoto.com
 

Enjoy!

How do you stay in touch?

In this highly digital age, I want to know how techy you are!  Tell me what kind of mobile device you use.

And if you use another type of smart phone, or cell, add a comment and tell us what you use.

Thanks!  Happy Planning!

My latest ideas for saving money — PLUS don’t forget to save during our Rolling Discount Sale!

When it comes to your wedding budget, it’s all about balancing. There are big decisions to make and priorities to set. Here are some of my ideas for trimming costs in certain areas so you can free up some funds for items on your dream list!

1. Keep the bubbly for yourselves.

Alcohol is expensive, and champagne is the most costly of all. When you skip the bubbly altogether or only serve it to the head table, you’ll save hundreds of dollars. Your guests won’t miss having champagne when you’re already providing a well-stocked bar; they’ll be happy to raise whatever is in their glasses in honor of your marriage.

 

 

Just be sure that YOU raise stylish toasting flutes, whether you’re toasting with champagne or not!

 

2. Let’s do brunch.

Who says your wedding has to be in the evening? If you’re not night owls and you don’t plan on having a wedding dance, consider having your wedding on a Saturday morning and serving a lovely brunch afterwards. You’ll be almost guaranteed to get the wedding date and venue you want since evenings are the most popular times for weddings, and you’ll certainly save money serving a brunch rather than a full dinner. And having your wedding earlier in the day means you get to leave on your honeymoon that much sooner! Gotta love that!

 

3. Keep the party small.

One of the most important decisions you’ll make is who will be in your wedding party. It may be easiest to just throw up your hands and invite ALL your friends to stand up for you, but think about the costs associated — for you and for them. When you have only one or two attendants, you’ll save money on bouquets, boutonnieres, accessories, hotel rooms and bridal party gifts. Use the money you saved to throw an even better party for all your guests.

 

Photo: Clark Art Photography • clarkartphoto.com

PLUS There’s still time to save during our Rolling Discount Sale! Now you can save 10% on your order.  But hurry, this offer will roll on...  Click here for the details!

Enjoy!

The perfect way to escort your guests to your tables — place cards!

Escort cards and place cards — what are they and how in the world do you use them? Don’t worry, Jean M has everything you need to get your guests to their reception places easily and stylishly!

First things first: the definitions.

Escort Cards are printed with the guest’s name and the table number they are to be seated at. They are set up at the entrance to your reception, usually alphabetically so guests can find their cards easily.

 

Guests then take their escort cards to their tables (which you have beautifully and prominently numbered with printed table number cards, and they find their…

 

Place Cards, which are written with the guest’s name and are placed at their individual place settings.

  

 

Be creative — display your cards in rhinestone frames that double as favors!

 
 

Or coordinate the two cards by having them printed with the same design and printed in the same font and ink color. Mix and match paper colors for a colorful look or go monochromatic for classic style. Just find the place cards you love the most, personalize, and add them to your shopping tote, and return to the item to personalize for the other purpose!

Don’t want the two-step process for guests, or just want to save a little money? Just use escort cards printed with the guest’s table number. When guests arrive at their tables and see no individual place cards, they will know to seat themselves at the table.

Enjoy!

 

Keeping the littlest members of your wedding party happy

They may be all dressed up and looking more perfect than they ever have before, but remember: your ring bearer and flower girl are still energetic little kids inside all that finery. When you plan ahead and the needs of the little ones in your wedding party, they’ll be happily occupied during what can be a very exciting, very long day for them.

Photography by: Dietrich Gesk, Minneapolis, Minnesota

First, sit down with your ring bearer and flower girl and talk to them about what it will mean to be in a wedding. Walk them through their roles (and practice walking down an imaginary aisle!) so they’re comfortable with what they’ll be expected to do during your ceremony. Include them in as much planning as you can, and make them feel special by giving them gifts to mark the importance of their jobs, like a pretty bracelet for your flower girl that mimics the jewelry you give your bridesmaids or a favorite toy for your ring bearer that he’ll have fun with during the reception.

During the ceremony, provide fun tote bags filled with quiet activities that will keep the children busy, like our bug activity book and soft toys.

During the reception, make sure the kids get child-friendly meals (like chicken fingers and fries). If many children will be attending your wedding, set up a special kids’ area with little tables and chairs so they can eat and play with their friends. Provide games and activities to keep them occupied and entertained, and arrange for someone to supervise the kids so parents can enjoy themselves.

Enjoy!

“Thank you.” Such small words with such big meaning.

A lot of things in the wedding world have changed since your mother got married.

~ Bride’s side and groom’s side at the ceremony? Not necessary anymore.

~ Parents’ names on the invitations? Not if you’re footing the bill.

~ And changing your last name? Only if you want!

But there is one bit of wedding etiquette that remains just as non-negotiable now as it has been for generations. And that is writing thank you notes.

Whether it’s for a gift you received, an act of kindness or assistance someone offered you or a party someone threw in your honor, make sure the thank you note you write and send is beautiful, personal and meaningful.

Yes — I said, “write.” There are so many options for personalized and printed thank you notes these days that some brides think they can just scribble a signature at the bottom of the note and pop it into the mail. Go ahead and order that personalized thank you note, but remember that you MUST include a handwritten message. In your note, mention:

• the gift you received

• the service you received or the kindness made toward you

• how much you appreciate it

• how you plan to use the gift (if it’s monetary, how you plan to spend it)

• a personal anecdote or mention of your connection to make the giver feel acknowledged, remembered and appreciated (i.e., “Grandma, I can’t wait to use the mixer you gave us to make your special pineapple upside-down cake!”)

As an added plus, the thank you notes you choose are available in styles and colors that coordinate with your wedding stationery for a beautiful look that will remind them of your invitations and your wedding.

 

My favorite thank you note designs right now? Consider these!

 

Bird Thank You Notes

I love the sweetness of the design AND the colors. (You lovebirds!)

 

Cherry Blossom Thank You Notes

Perfect for an Asian-inspired theme or a springtime event — or just if you love pink!

 

Brianna Thank You Note

LOVE the fresh colors and the whimsical little flowers.

 

Thank You Note Set

Recipients will love seeing these cute illustrations of the parts they played in your big day!

And if you want a custom thank you note, shop the enclosure cards section, select a style, choose a paper color, and personalize the note folders with a design or monogram.

 

Enjoy!

 

Create a custom look for EVERY element of your wedding!

What will make your wedding stand out? The personal, custom touches you add throughout that will catch guests’ eyes and let them know you’ve thought of every detail!

Go ahead and customize your…

CANDLES!

You can add a personal touch to your centerpieces by adding your monogram to beautiful, ivory obelisk-shaped candles.

Make your unity candle ceremony even more special by customizing your unity candle with your monogram in your choice of color to coordinate with your wedding.

You can also personalize blended family candles and memorial candles for unforgettable style.

 

GLASSWARE!

Make your wedding toasts — for you AND your wedding party — extra special by raising engraved glassware.  Glasses may be engraved with your monogram or names and wedding date for a custom look.

Also order stylish, personalized stemless glassware to use at home after the wedding!

 

CAKE TOP!

Top your cake with individual style! Personalize your cake top with your names, monogram, a poem, a design — anything that makes a personal statement about YOU!

VASES!

Get personal with your decorations — place floral arrangements, decorative items, candles, favor treats and other creative items inside rectangular vases engraved with your monogram or design choice.

NAPKINS!

Make a custom style statement, right down to the napkins at your tables! Napkins are personalized in a variety of creative ways — names, monograms, designs or combinations of these — to add the perfect touch to your reception.

FAVORS!

How cute will your favors be? It’s up to you and your creativity! Choose your favor (box or bag, envelope or tin, etc.) and your personalization (ink or foil, monogram or names, design, etc.) and then fill them with delicious treats guests will rave about. Don't forget to accent with ribbon and personalized favor tags!

Customize to your heart’s content — and Enjoy!