How to Start a Wedding Invitation Business

How To Start A Wedding Invitation Business - Background Info:

As a wedding invitation designer, you will make the big announcement one of beauty.

Working with the bride and groom, the wedding invitation that they envision will become a reality in your hands.

Using reproducible images and words of wisdom, the wedding invitation comes together.

Your creativity and flair for print design can be put to good use in the wedding business, particularly when it comes to invitations.

A wedding stationery maker designs and makes a range of stationery related to weddings, including wedding invitations and RSVP cards, save the date cards (which remind guests of the date of the wedding), orders of service, menus, table plans, place cards and thank you cards.

Their products are handmade and personalized and are sold directly to the customer after a consultation.

Ready-made stationery is sold via craft fairs or through a website. Some stationery makers also supply their products to retailers such as bridal shops and stationery stores.

How To Start A Wedding Invitation Business - Tasks And Skills Needed:

Business Specific Tasks:

If you are planning to do all the business tasks or hiring or subcontracting tasks, here's a list of tasks that need to be attended to when it comes to the business side of running a Wedding Invitation business:

Bookkeeping

Appointment setting

Advertising/Marketing

General office

Industry Specific Tasks:

Same as above if you plan to do everything yourself or get help, here are some of the tasks necessary to operate a Wedding Invitation business:

Design wedding invitations

Order ink

Order paper stock and envelopes

Deliver completed invitations

Send invitations

How To Start A Wedding Invitation Business - Approximate Daily Hours Needed:

General Hours of Operation: - When your business is open - You will want to be open during normal business hours, from 9AM through 6PM, with weekend hours available.

This will allow couples to visit you at your business, talking about their specific desires and giving you the chance to show them all of your stock. This also gives you time for design and for printing, as well as fielding calls from out-of-town customers.

Hours Needed to Prepare - Before Opening and After Hours Activities - Clean equipment, keep work area free of ink, order supplies, meet with clients.

Number of Employees Needed To Run This Business:

Minimum Number of Employees -During the Start Up Phase: You can start this business yourself on a full-time basis.

Number of Employees - Once Your Business is Up and Running Successfully:

Website maintenance

Record/Bookkeeping

General office

Customer Service

Invitation design

Invitation printing

Invitation mailing

Skill Requirements for This Business:

Love of weddings/ceremonies

Patience working with people who are under stress

Flexibility with hours of availability

Ability to meet deadlines

Sales background

Knowledge of the wedding industry

Licenses:

All that you need to successfully start a wedding invitation business are local permits or licenses which may be required to run a business from your own home.

Approximate Minimum Start up Cost:

Bare essential: - Printing invitations can be a tall order. If hundreds are needed this will take time and lots of ink. Wedding invitation software can be purchased to help with templates and clip art designs for the invitations.

With equipment, software, and supplies, count on spending anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 at the beginning. Advertising has to be included in this cost as well. Purchasing samples of different paper and ink types for demo invitations is wiser than purchasing an entire ream of a particular paper that may or may not be used. Be sure to check with the wholesaler on the availability of each item if it is needed quickly.

Minimal exposure - There are several ways to advertise for free (such as sending wedding planners your business card, and also to bridal stores/shops) along with participating at fee events such as bridal conventions and expos.

Advertisements in wedding magazines and trade show magazines are a good way to start. Direct mailings to wedding planners and stationery stores apprise them of your existence and availability for work. Online advertising on websites and setting up your own will bring in a diversified audience of engaged couples.

For couples that are far away, you can offer telephone consultations and invitation previews free of charge with the order. An idea for expansion would be wedding extras. Selling wedding bubbles, bells, and other keepsakes increase sales.

Necessary Equipment to Run this Business:

Necessary Start-Up Equipment & Supplies:

Computer

Printer

Cell phone

Website

Wedding invitation software.

Paper

Envelopes

Supplementary Equipment: - Equipment or helpful products that you can acquire to once your business is off and running:

Industrial (offset) printer

Various types of paper stock

Postage machine

You will want to have plenty of envelopes as well as extra ink as invitations will use a lot of ink with all of the orders you will be filling. Extra things like ribbons, stamps, and wax seals may all be part of the couple's dream invitation and you will want to be prepared for anything they may want.

Monthly Expenses To Consider:

Wages
Phone/cell phone
Internet access
Permits
Advertising/Marketing
Electricity
Water

Special Requirements and Considerations For This Business:

Find out all you can about the trends in the industry. Know your competition, in particular, their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you identify your competitive advantage. In other words, this will help you figure out what you can give your customers that they're not getting from the other businesses. And keep from emulating the competition's strategy. Instead, make the most of your own advantage points.
You can convince new wedding parties to come to you for their invitations. You may want to start a website to help get your name established as well as going to Bridal Expos and other conventions. This will help to get your company name established as a talented wedding invitation business.
Create a "look-book" of your wedding invitation designs, fully printed and complete with accompaniments such as response and thank-you cards, for potential clients to browse. While an online portfolio is essential for your business, a print portfolio that allows potential clients to view the true look and feel of your invitation designs will help you close the deal.
Become familiar with bulk mailing practices for items such as wedding invitations by visiting your local post office. Be sure to know the basics such as the cost and number of stamps needed based on the weight of each envelope. Also find out how to order special stamps such as "Love" stamps and postmarks from cities with romantic names like Loveland, Colorado, and how to create envelope seals that add a special touch to your products, all while following U.S. Postal Service guidelines.
As your business grows and you are able to hire staff, consider expanding your line of offerings by adding personal-touch services to your wedding invitations, such as hand-written calligraphy for envelopes. You could also create templates within your print design software for basic wedding invitation sizes to help cut down on project time and free yourself up to concentrate on more personalized services.
A reliable printer is essential to your wedding invitation business' success. Be sure to establish a relationship with a printer that not only has a long track record of customer satisfaction, but also demonstrates evidence of being fiscally sound. It is absolutely necessary to find a reliable printer or printers that can withstand hard times and continue to deliver quality products for you.
Glance at a few bridal magazines. Reading up on what is popular in invitations gives you an idea of what services to offer. You will be working with different styles and textures of paper, basic and special inks, and various fonts. A professional at a stationery or craft store may help you learn about paper and what inks are good for each.

Pros And Cons of Opening A Wedding Invitation Business:

The Pros of Running a Wedding Invitation Business:

You get to work closely with wedding parties, helping to craft the perfect wedding invitation. You get to put your creative skills to use and show them your talent and skill.

Also, you get to make these people happy by being the first step along their path to a perfect wedding.

The Cons of Running a Wedding Invitation Business:

Wedding parties are often under a great deal of stress and can be somewhat hard to deal with at times.

Clients may change their minds after an order has already been printed and you may find yourself having to start over from scratch.

Type of Customers You Need to Attract:

Bridal Expos and other conventions (people getting married).

Wedding Invitation Business Resources:

Industry-Specific Websites:

My Expression

Custom Wedding Invitations

Equipment and Supplies:

Invitation Kits Direct

Invitation Supplies

All Wedding

The American Wedding

The Party Block Wedding Supply

Forums:

How to start a custom invitation business

Adobe Forums

Books:

How to Start and Make Money with Your Own Wedding Invitation Business

Software:

CD-ROM Wedding Invitations

Other:

Advice on Starting a Business Making Wedding Stationery

My Handmade Wedding Invitation Business, How To Start One

Businesses To Related to a Wedding Invitation Business:

Wedding planning
Custom bridal gowns (sewing)
Party planning
Wedding cakes and decorating