.

Figuring Out Your Invitation Budget

2012-01-06T23:43:00Z

One of the most common questions we get asked about wedding invitations is “how much do they cost?” One of the things that I love about my job is that I get to work along side brides and grooms and help educate them on the art of putting together a wedding. Most couples that I work with have no idea what invitations should/could cost. I thought I would share a little bit about what you can get in different price points in case you were wondering how much invitations cost as well!

I typically quote invitation prices as an “ensemble”. What I mean by this is your invitation, the invitation envelope(s), the response card and the response card envelope. I think this is an important distinction to be aware of. Most websites will only tell you the invitation price which can be quite misleading! I should also note that the following prices are based on an average of 100 invitations. (If you only need 25 or 50, the price per ensemble can actually be quite a bit higher.)

2.00 – 5.00 per ensemble

If you are on a tight budget, this is the category you will be looking in. These styles tend to be fairly basic - flat invitations without pockets or layers of paper. As a rule, they don't offer many customization options (other than font, wording and ink color.) They also tend to be a bit more traditional, although if you have the time to flip through a number of albums, you can find styles mixed in that are more contemprorary and graphically oriented. Here is an example of an ensemble that would cost 142.80.

3.00 – 6.00 per ensemble

When you get up into this price range you will find a couple of different options. First, you will find simple styles that look similar to the lower budget invitations but offer a higher paper quality.

Second, you will find flat invitations with some customization. For examples, you can choose two colors for the following invitation as well as a colored envelope of your choice. (this invitation would cost 319.30.)

Third, we also carry a line of budget pocketfolds that will cost between 5.00 – 8.00 per ensemble based on the options you choose. These pocketfolds have fairly limited color options and come unassembled.

6.00 – 10.00 per ensemble

This price range offers many more options and is our most popular price range. You will have a lot of customization options including shapes, sizes, papers, colors and printing styles. We carry a number of different albums that offer layers, beautiful graphics and/or ribbons. Here are a couple of examples with their corresponding prices:

This style would be 762.00:

This Letterpress invitation would be about 750.00 depending on the options you choose:

This is one of our in-house customizable invitations that would be 838.00:

10.00 and above per ensemble:

This price range offers you the most custom options available. We can design a custom letterpress invitation for about 12.00 per ensemble or a custom pocketfold invitation for 10.00 – 15.00 per ensemble. Here are a couple of examples of our custom invitations:

There really is a huge range for invitation pricing. When you are creating your budget, make sure to also think about additional options that you may want such as guest address printing, reception cards or direction cards. You may also want to consider additional stationery items such as save the date cards, programs, menus, place cards and thank you cards which all need to be factored into your budget as well.

If you have additional questions or want us to work up an individualized quote for you, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us!

Paper, Envelopes and Other Supplies at Paper Fling

2012-01-05T23:42:47Z

Did you know that Paper Fling carries paper, matching envelopes, ribbon by the yard or spool, Envelopments brand pocketfolds and invitation assembly supplies? If you are planning on making your own invitations, we would love to talk with you! Feel free to drop by the store anytime to browse through colors, design inspirations and more.

Holiday Gift Ideas

2011-12-08T18:18:28Z

If you are anything like me, you still have a good amount of Christmas shopping to get done. (If, however, you are one of those people who completed their shopping back in July, I would love to know how you did it!)

Here are a few fun gift ideas that we have around the store...

These amazing journals by Compendium feature beautiful artwork and sayings that range from deeply meaningful ("She climbed until she saw") to just plain old fun ("He offered her the world. She said she had her own.") They come in a mini size that would fit nicely in your purse and also in a larger composition size.

These beautiful luminaries are perfect for lighting up your pathway or for decorating your mantle. (We even think they would make an amazing gift bag with a little tissue!)

Black and White Damask is such a striking pattern. This patterned ensemble features a journal, note cards and a lovely pen that is just right for stuffing a stocking!

We also have a really fun selection of gift bags, wrapping paper and tags. (Look closely at the Santa/Rudolph bag - it makes me laugh every time I see it!)

Holiday Cards at Paper Fling

2011-12-02T01:39:02Z

Way back in June Hayley and I started selecting our Holiday Card designs that we would carry this year. When they arrived a few weeks ago we were so excited! Turning Paper Fling into a little winter wonderland with all of these great cards has been so much fun. We have some great boxed Holiday cards this year! Stop in soon for the best selection. Here are just a few of our favorites - we hope you love them as much as we do!

This design was one that we made in-house. It features a hand-glittered treatment and luscious Envelopments brand papers.

This cute little snowman card actually has a pop-up belly!

These glittered cars remind us of all of the fun outings and events that we have throughout the Christmas season...

This beautiful card features a metallic blue cover with silver foil snowflakes and trees - it is traditional with a twist!

Vendor Spotlight: Pink Blossom Events

2011-10-28T00:31:00Z

One of the best choices you can make in your wedding or event planning process is hiring an event planner. A good planner will ensure that your planning process goes smoothly and that the event itself is as stress-free and fun as possible for you and all of your guests. We are fortunate to have worked with a number of very talented wedding and event planners and today, we wanted to introduce you to BreeAnn Gale, owner of Pink Blossom Events.

BreeAnn excels at helping her clients plan out-of-the box style events that are unique and unexpected. She specializes in coordinating weddings, auctions, corporate events and milestone birthdays. She offers a variety of services and levels of planning including full service, day of and destination event planning.

One of the most recent projects we worked with Pink Blossom Events on was a beautiful golf course wedding. BreeAnn always impresses us with her creativity and this event was no exception. She asked us to create these custom golf ball style place cards.

If you would like to learn more about Pink Blossom Events, please check out their website: www.pinkblossomevents.com

Corporate Holiday Cards Are A Must!

2011-10-25T00:47:00Z

I love the Holidays for so many reasons but one of my favorite things is receiving all of the beautiful holiday cards in the mail. I love decorating my work area with cards from my clients, vendors and friends. If you own a business or are in a position where you work with clients, here are the top 3 reasons why you should consider sending out a holiday greeting card for your company:

1) Holiday Cards are a great cost-effective advertising campaign. Not only will your cards be a constant reminder of your company for weeks or months while they sit on display, they also have the potential to put your name in front of countless other potential clients. If this is your goal, we have some great designs that can highlight your company name and or logo right on the front of the card!

2) Sending a Holiday card generates good will and a positive image of your company. Everyone loves to receive something fun in the mail - why not associate your company with that feeling of excitement! Here are a few ideas of our custom designs that will really put a smile on your client's faces:

3) Holiday Cards are a great way to show off your creativity, style or even a new product. Here is a great example of a card from Wave Link Music that we did last year highlighting their lighting:

Now is the time to get your cards ordered! Call, email or stop in today and we would be happy to discuss your holiday card goals, budget and choices!

Trend Watch: Calligraphy

2011-10-21T00:41:00Z

Calligraphy is nothing new of course. It has been the standard and etiquette correct way of addressing your invitations for many years. That being said, what is new and fun, is the unique ways that bride’s are choosing to incorporate calligraphy into their wedding stationery. Here are some great ideas and inspirations from some of our favorite stationery blogs:

Use calligraphy to highlight the important details. Tennessee based Arboreal designed these beautiful invitations featuring calligraphy elements throughout the suite. Calligraphy by Barbara Thomas and images reposted from www.ohsobeautifulpaper.com

Don’t want the stuffy look of traditional calligraphy? Try using a unique style of hand lettering like the one featured in this wedding stationery suite as seen on www.invitationcrush.com design by Brandon Kirk and Jacob Gerber; letterpress printing by Lilco Letterpress; envelope lettering by Camille Long

Don’t have the budget for calligraphy on your envelopes? Try a custom calligraphed address stamp for your rsvp envelopes and outer envelope return addresses. Here’s a great example from www.marthastewartweddings.com

Celebrate Halloween in Style!

2011-10-17T22:38:54Z

Every year I look forward to getting in all of the fun new merchandise from Meri Meri for Halloween. I always joke that it feels like Christmas in October! This year is no exception. Meri Meri has outdone themselves with amazingly cute halloween items that I can't wait to decorate my house with. Here's a little preview. They always sell fast so stop in soon for the best selection.

This haunted house is truly a work of art. It folds back down flat so that you can use it year after year.

Seriously, could this cupcake holder be any cuter! They come 8 per package with 24 cupcake wrappers included.

These luminary bags are just perfect to light the path to your house on Halloween night.

There is lots more in the store to round out your halloween celebration including plates, cups and napkins, cupcake kits and over-the-top cards (like a vampire themed one that says " did somebody say bite me?"

Happy Halloween!

Wine World

2011-10-14T16:09:32Z

This week Paper Fling had the opportunity to visit Wine World in Seattle. This place is over 23,000 square feet of all things WINE! They carry over 8,000 different kinds from all over the world and nearly 600 from right here in the good ol’ Pacific Northwest. If you want a one stop shop for picking up a bottle, some wine glasses and yummy cheese for a dinner date at a friend’s house this is the place to be. They offer wine tasting every night of the week so if you are looking for something special for your upcoming wedding or event, this is the place to go. The staff is super duper friendly and knowledgeable; I learned stuff while sipping and savoring.

Wine World offers a private event space that can be rented for weddings, corporate events, private parties etc. It has great city views and feels warm and cozy with their soft lighting and rich colors, but with windows looking out onto the warehouse floor it feels spacious. They have been opened about 10 months, but they run the business as if they have been doing it for years. I enjoyed my time there last evening, and you would as well. Check out Wine World – wether you need an event venue, are looking for a special wine for your wedding or if you just want a great wine tasting experience - you won’t be disappointed.

Voila Wedding Show

2011-03-02T20:06:00Z

There are so many great events at this time of year if you are planning a wedding! Paper Fling will be attending the Voila Wedding Show coming up on March 20, 2011 at the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland. We would love to have you stop by and say hi! For more information and to purchase tickets visit: www.VoilaWeddingShow.com

Color Inspirations

2011-02-15T21:00:00Z

The Seattle Wedding Show was such a success! If you had a chance to come into our shop during the weekends since early January, you may not have been able to walk in the door!

We’ve had a constant flow of traffic, brides, swatches and samples as our team of wedding invitation consultants met with brides last month to discuss their ideas for their wedding invitations. As a result, we’ve seen quite a few color combinations pop up, regardless of venue or even season!

The Inspiration Board below was designed via Dessy – a fantastic resource for bridesmaid dresses. We love it as they offer a wide range of styles that match perfectly to Pantone colors – extremely handy for brides who want to match their color palette to every element in their wedding.

Turquoise and sky blue are being paired with a canary yellow – a beautiful combination for outdoor weddings, garden parties, or even elegant affairs.

We’ve paired a few custom invitation samples from Paper Fling's Customizable Album with a variety of details shot by Stephanie Haller Photography – a vintage refrigerator painted turquoise, a peacock-inspired guestbook, yellow ties for groomsmen, and the ever-popular candy bar!

Prices for the invitations shown are within the $9.00 to $14.00 per ensemble range.

Weddings in Woodinville

2011-01-29T02:03:00Z

Getting married in 2011? Still looking for a venue, florist, photographer, caterer, live entertainment and/or wedding stationery?

Join Paper Fling and almost 100 other vendors at this Sunday’s Weddings in Woodinville!

Spend your Sunday afternoon being driven around in luxury transportation, tasting some of Woodinville’s best local wines, sampling some of the top-rated caterers and becoming inspired for your upcoming nuptials!

Tickets are nearly sold out as of Friday, so be sure to visit Weddings in Woodinville’s website tonight to secure your tickets for $33 each. The event will likely be sold out by Sunday.

Where will Paper Fling be?
We’ll be sharing the stunning Novelty Hill • Januik Winery with Simply Wed, Blush Custom Floral, Wave Link Music, I Do Bridal, and other vendors. Simply Wed will have transformed Novelty Hill in a fun & whimsy theme to create an example of wedding day perfection. Each venue is decorated differently to showcase planners’ & vendors’ talents.

For more information, times, addresses, and a list of other vendors attending, please visit Weddings in Woodinville’s website: http://www.weddingsinwoodinville.com.

The tour beings with check-n from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Woodhouse Wine Estates where there is plenty of parking. Please visit www.thewoodhousewineestates.com for directions. After check-in, venue tours start at noon and you will be on your way for a very informative and enjoyable adventure.

Five Tips to Choosing Your Wedding Date

2010-12-23T18:45:00Z

It’s happened. The question has been popped and you’ve said yes! One of the first things newly-engaged couples decide is the date of their wedding. Deciding your date as soon as possible provides a number of advantages: venue and vendor availability, for one.

If you have your heart set on a particular venue, choosing your date may depend upon their availability. Here are a few ideas on how to choose a wedding date:

Popular Dates: 11/11/11 and 12/12/12 are booked far in advance – if you’re set on one of these dates, begin talking to vendors as soon as possible. Venues and photographers especially book up to two years in advance, as their services are usually limited to one couple. Some more popular bakeries or caterers may take on more clients. Understand if you love the idea of one of these dates, you may need to compromise on your venue or other vendors.

Sentimental Value: Getting married on a date that holds sentimental value is a great idea. Many couples tie the knot on their same dating anniversary. One of our invitation consultants, Stephanie, got married on 6/26/10 – seven years to the day her and her now-husband, began dating. If “your” date falls on a weekend, even better! An added bonus: it’s easier to remember.

Holidays: Getting married during a holiday weekend has its advantages and disadvantages. While the date is memorable, your guest list may be a bit smaller, due to increased travel costs including airfare and accommodations and holiday plans. If you’re set on a Christmas wedding, consider getting married the week before, rather than Christmas Eve.

Destination Weddings and Seasons: If you’re in love with the idea of getting married in a faraway land, consider off-season. While Spain is gorgeous in May, it’s on average $200 more in airfare than March. Italy sees an even bigger jump between March and July - $860 in March versus $1400 in July! Hosting your wedding in the off season may allow for more to attend a destination wedding.

Budget-friendly dates: Domestically, weddings in the off-season are less cost-prohibitive. Weekday weddings, or Sunday weddings, are becoming increasingly popular with vendors usually offering a small discount. Saving on those costs allows you to plug more funds into your wedding stationery, caterer, photographer, or honeymoon!

If your wedding is far in advance, during a holiday weekend, or is a destination wedding, sending out Save the Dates is the best way for friends and family to begin planning. If you’re planning a summer wedding, sending out Save the Dates allows families to plan vacations around your special day, ensuring Aunt Margo and the kids will be able to come.

Here are a few of our favorite save the date ideas that are sure to set the tone for your wedding...

These simple save the dates can be mailed in envelopes or as a postcard!

Talk about setting the tone for your wedding...

These Save the Date Magnets are a functional and affordable option for just about anyone!

What factors will come into play when you set your wedding date? Are you planning on sending out save the date? Let us know below!

2011 Color Trends

2010-12-14T22:36:00Z

As couples become engaged this holiday season, setting a wedding date and choosing your color palette is one of the first things on a new bride’s mind.

Choosing a color palette that accents your date and the season of your wedding creates a consistent feel and tone to your wedding. While you may love deep purple or burnt orange, those colors may not provide the best color schemes for your spring or summer wedding.

Pantone , the color experts, have recently unveiled their color trends of 2011.

Bright, vibrant pops of color look to dominate in 2011 – blue curacao, honeysuckle, beeswax, silver cloud and regatta are tones we’re already seeing!

If you’re overwhelmed by all of the color choices, it’s helpful to begin thinking of what colors come to mind when you think of certain months. For example, July may invoke more of a patriotic feel or a classic navy, white and yellow. May brings to mind softer pinks and oranges to reflect all of the blooming flowers and trees.

Here at Paper Fling we’re seeing some beautiful color palettes from our Spring and Summer brides! And as always, Envelopments , is providing great paper options to go with these color schemes. Here are a few of our favorites so far:

Aruba & Peacock

Caspian & Creme Brulee Regalia 09

Lavalite, Luster & Amethyst

What are your wedding colors?

Bella and Max Hair Salon

2010-09-28T21:46:00Z

One of the fun things about Paper Fling is that we are located in Country Village . Country Village has so much to offer including fun family friendly activities, restaurants and great unique retail stores and services. I thought I would share a few of my favorites in the coming weeks and I hope that if you've never visited you will do so soon!

Bella and Max is a children's boutique and hair salon. They offer some of the cutest clothes out there as well as the perfect space for the difficult task of cutting kids hair! As you may know, I have a 1 year old. He has been a customer since his first hair cut and always enjoys his visits! He loves sitting in the fighter jet while he gets his hair cut - I love that no matter how many times he moves or turns his head, his hair still turns out looking great! Here is his latest before/after photo. (He was really engrossed in the Little Mermaid so excuse his lack of smiles)

Great Promotions Going on Now!

2010-09-24T21:51:00Z

Over the past few weeks I have been getting some great promotions in from some of our favorite lines of invitations and cards! Here are just a few of the specials we have right now:

For Holiday Cards:
Putnam Prints Photo Cards are offering 50 free cards with the purchase of 100 cards!

Wiley Valentine is offering 15% off through October 15, 2010 (this combined with our 20% off sale will give you 35% off!!!)

And don't forget that we are offering 20% off all Customized Holiday Cards through October 31, 2010 and 10% off through November 15, 2010.

For Wedding Invitations:
Checkerboard is offering 25 free invitations with the purchase of 25 or more invitations through November 1, 2010

Birchcraft is offering free return address printing through October 31, 2010.

Start thinking about Holiday Cards

2010-09-02T17:48:00Z

I know it is only September but I thought I would remind you that it is time to start thinking about your holiday cards so you don't end up stressed out, having to buy something from the picked over shelves, addressing them all right before New Year's and the forgetting to mail them out until Valentine's Day!

If you are thinking about a photo card, you will want to get the photo taken within the next month. There are a great variety of local photographers in the area who we would highly recommend. Here are three of our favorites:

Jan Domek Photography: www.imagesbyjan.net
Dani Weiss Photography: www.daniweissphotography.com
Elegant Images Photography: www.e-iphoto.com

If time or money is of concern this year, we also have a great promotion that we will be doing in the store. Stop in on one of our Photo Card Days and we will take your photo for you, assist you in selecting the right card and then get them ordered right on the spot. We can even have them addressed and stamped for you if you so choose! Mark your calendar for one of these dates to take advantage of this:

Saturday, October 9, 2010 10:00 - 2:00

Thursday, November 11th, 2010 4:00 - 6:00

Saturday, November 27th, 2010 10:00 - 1:00 (Perfect for catching the whole family while they're home for Thanksgiving)

Saturday, December 4, 2010 2:00 - 6:00 (Some styles may take up to 3 weeks to order so if you are planning on waiting until December, expect your options to be limited.)

One other note to mention, we have a great Holiday Coupon out right now. Stop into the store and pick one up for 20% off Personalized Holiday Cards through October 31, 2010 or 10% off through 11/30/2010.

So many great new products in the store!

2010-08-26T17:17:00Z

It has been a fun summer getting in so many new products! We have added quite a few new invitation albums. Some of our favorite are Wiley Valentine and Checkerboard's Unvieled Album. Wiley Valentine specializes in super cool and trendy invitations that can be letterpressed or digitally printed. They offer wedding invitations as well as baby announcements, holiday cards and personal stationery. Here are a few examples:

We have also added some great new greeting card lines including Hard Cards (ridiculously edgy and funny), Pinkerton Press (a great local designer) and Smudge Ink (super cute letterpress cards). Here's one of my favorite Pinkerton Press Cards...

End of Summer Invitation Sale

2010-08-05T17:19:00Z

Stop in today or give us a call to set up a consultation to view all of our different options! We have an ever expanding collection of invitation albums as well as a full line of custom invitations featuring the Envelopments brand of pocket folds!

We are open Monday - Saturday 10:00 - 6:00 and Sunday 11:00 - 5:00. Consultations may be scheduled by calling 425-908-7727 or emailing info@paperfling.com

Guest Book Ideas

2010-07-17T17:21:00Z

There are so many fun things that you can do for your guest book besides just having a book with signatures. Here are some of our favorite ideas...

Photo Guest Book
This is a great option that gives you an actual keepsake that you will want to look at after the wedding. The idea is to take a photo of each of your guests and then have them write a message on the page. If you use polaroids the photo can be placed on their page immediately. If you use a digital camera, just make sure to leave room on each page to go back and place the picture. Other fun options for this style would be using a photo booth in conjunction with the photo guest book and/or sending guests a copy of their photo with your thank you card after the wedding.

Wishing Tree/Vase
This is a fun idea that will provide you with some fun sentiments from your guests. Create a space at your reception or ceremony with slips of paper, little envelopes and pens. Ask guests to write a wish for your marriage on the paper and then seal it in the envelope and either place it on the tree or in a vase. On your first anniversary, go back and read through all of the wishes.

Guest Book Quilt
In lieu of a traditional book, ask your guests to sign squares of fabric that can later be sewn into a quilt. This will give you a keepsake to cherish for years to come!

Be Specific
Instead of asking guests to just sign their name or write a little message, why not ask them a specific question such as "where do you see us in 10 years" or "what is one of your favorite memories of the Bride or Groom"?

Feel free to stop in for more inspiration. We have lots of fun ideas and the supplies to make a unique guest book. Or let us make a custom guest book for you!