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Where do I start?
The process begins with an email from the contact page with particulars of your event and I will return your email. If you live or are visiting in the Vancouver or Lower Mainland area, I'd be happy to meet with you in person when you can view my large selection of cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon and embellishments.
How many invitations do I order?
A good rule of thumb is to order half the number of invitations as the number of guests you will be inviting plus 10 to 15 extra for keepsakes and last minute additions. You will be supplied with a few extra envelopes (5%) in case of errors but you might want to consider ordering extra envelopes. Extra envelopes supplied with invitations with lined envelopes do not come lined. If you would like extra liners, please order extras. Please ensure you order enough invitations as there will be a $25 rush charge for extra invitations ordered during the busy season of January to September.
How far in advance should I place my order?
The sooner you start to look for your invitations the better. Ideally, you should place your order two to four months before the date you want to send them out--not two to four months before the event date. If your wedding is during the busy wedding season of spring to fall, you should be looking four to six months (or a year) in advance. If you don't have your information together and would like Paper Artistry to make your invitations, you can reserve my time with a $100 non-refundable deposit well in advance to avoid the seasonal rush.
The guidelines are as follows:
Invitations: 2 to 6 months before the wedding (depending on the time of year)
Programs: 1 month before the wedding
Placecards & Seating Plan: 2 weeks to 1 month before the wedding
When do I send out my invitations?
For an event like a wedding, invitations should be sent out eight weeks (2 months) before your wedding date. If your wedding is over the summer holidays, up to 12 weeks (3 months) in advance is recommended. For destination weddings, you should try to send out your invitations four months to a year in advance. Again, for less formal events, four to six weeks is adequate.
When can I expect to receive my order?
Paper Artistry is a small company dedicated to making the highest quality invitations and is only able to take a limited amount of clients at a time. Depending upon the style and complexity of the design, the quantity ordered and the availability of studio time, it will take anywhere between two weeks to two months. Non-peak time (September to December), most orders will be ready within four weeks.
Do you provide rush services?
If possible, I will try to accommodate you. Please discuss your requirements with me and a determination will be made whether or not I can fit you in my production schedule. If so, a $25 rush fee will apply. You can request, at no extra charge, for your envelopes to be made ahead of your invitations to give you plenty of time to address them.
Is there a minimum or maximum order?
Yes, during the busy wedding season (January to September), there is a minimum order of $200, excluding taxes and shipping. The rest of the year (October to December), as well as for non-wedding items, there is no minimum. All year, there is a maximum order size of 150 invitations.
Can I customize an existing design?
Yes, all work is customized so you can change any part of any invitation to fit your needs or if you have a design in mind, send me an email with your idea or photo. Besides the design, you can change fonts, paper, cardstock colours, textures, ribbon, ink colours and embellishments. Keep in mind, if you alter a design, it may also alter the price depending on your choices.
What is the cost for invitations or announcements with photos?
Invitations which incorporate a photo (or photos), client can supply photos to Paper Artistry, or client can supply Paper Artistry with a .jpeg or .tiff file and Paper Artistry will arrange printing at $0.50 per print.
What if I need an invitation in a particular colour?
Cardstock is available in every colour of the rainbow and often many patterned papers come in different colours. If you find something you like, it may be very simple to switch to another colour. Please see the "Colour Combinations" and "Cardstock Colours" pages on my website for colours of metallic or textured cardstock. If you don't see what you want, please ask.
How much extra for metallic cardstock?
There is no extra charge for metallic cardstock.
Are envelopes included?
All Invitations, Thank You Notes and Announcements include outer envelopes in ivory or white with a return address printed on the back flap. All Response Sets include a matching self-addressed envelope. Metallic or coloured envelopes as well as envelope liners are available for an additional charge. You will be supplied with a few extra envelopes (5%) in case of errors but you might want to consider ordering extra envelopes. Extra envelopes supplied for invitations with lined envelopes do not come lined. If you would like extra liners, please order extras.
What are envelope sizes A1, A2, A6 or A7
North American announcement envelopes are referred to by sizes A1, A2, A6, A7, etc. and usually have square flaps. The sizes are:
A1: 3-5/8" x 4-5/8"
A2: 4-3/8" x 5-3/4"
A6: 4-3/4" x 6-1/2"
A7: 5-1/4" x 7-1/4"
Tea length invitations use No. 10 envelopes: 4-1/8" x 9-1/2"
Some of the tea length pocketfold invitations are referred to as DL (European Size): 4-1/4" x 8-5/8"
What about proofs?
A PDF "proof" of the items(s) is usually ready within a few days and will be provided to the Customer for sign-off by email. Any changes after the sign-off which require re-printing are to be the responsibility of the Customer. Any errors by Paper Artistry will be corrected free of charge. It is my intention to make you completely happy with your invitations and if you are not happy in any way, I will try to correct the problem. However, I cannot stress enough the need for you to review your final proof(s) carefully prior to aproval. If a directions card is part of your invitation, please "drive" your directions to ensure they are easy to follow and most importantly, correct.
What are the prices?
All the prices can be found on each detailed invitation/item page. Click on a thumbnail to see an enlarged image and close-ups as well as details and pricing. All prices on the Paper Artistry website are in Canadian dollars.
What are the taxes?
Effective, July 1, 2010, BC orders will be subject to HST of 12%. Orders for customers in New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Ontario are subject to HST of 13%. Orders for customers in Nova Scotia are subject to HST of 15%. Customers in Alberta, Manitoba, NWT, Nunavut, PEI, Saskatchewan & Yukon are subject to GST (5%) only. The rate of HST or GST is applied to the purchaser in the province of delivery.
Example 1: Paper Artistry sells goods to a purchaser in Ontario. Delivery is by mail to an address in Ontario and because legal delivery of the goods is made in Ontario, the order is subject to HST at the rate of 13% (Ontario HST).
Example 2: Paper Artistry sells goods to a purchaser in Saskatchewan. The purchaser is on vacation in BC and picks them up at the studio of Paper Artistry and then transports them by car to Saskatchewan. The goods are therefore delivered in BC and are subject to HST (12%). If these goods were sent by mail or courier to Saskatchewan, the order is subject to GST at the rate of 5% as Saskatchewan has not implemented HST.
Orders from outside of Canada are free of all Canadian taxes. Paper Artistry is a business registered with both the Government of Canada (BN 83498 1946 RT0001) and province of British Columbia (BN R381519).
Can I order samples?
Samples can be ordered for most invitations at the invitation price plus taxes and $3.49 for postage/handling. I will give you a credit for the full amount (less taxes and postage/handling) should you decide to place an order, however, there is a limit of three samples. Samples in excess of three can be ordered but they will not be credited on your future order. Unfortunately, samples of invitations with swarovski crystal pins and brooches are not available at this time.
Who assembles my invitations?
All items ordered will be fully assembled by Paper Artistry. Each item(s) is individually customized and hand-assembled and no work is sub-contracted. Like a work of art, each indentical invitation is slightly unique. Prices include full assembly so that all you have to do is address, stuff, stamp and mail your invitations.
Can I talk to someone over the phone?
Yes! Please feel free to contact me at any time at 604-936-4491.
Where are you located? Do you have a store that I can visit?
My studio is located in Port Moody; approximately 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. There is no retail store to visit as the website is my storefront. If you live in the Greater Vancouver area or the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, we can set up a convenient time to meet and discuss your needs. If you live outside the Greater Vancouver Area, we can easily communicate by email.
How do I pay?
I prefer payment by Interac Email Money Transfer (through your on-line bank website), personal cheques, cash, bank drafts or money orders. I also accept credit card payments using PayPal. If paying by Interac, payments should be sent to paperartistry@telus.net. Cheques, bank drafts and money orders must be made payable to "Susan Boucher" or if paying by PayPal, an invoice will be sent to you with a a link to PayPal. All prices are in Canadian Dollars as indicated and are subject to shipping charges and taxes (where applicable).
Do you accept returns or exchanges and refunds?
My work is completely customized, therefore, I am unable to offer any returns, exchanges or refunds. Once a deposit is paid to proceed, supplies are ordered and it is unacceptable to change or reduce your order by more than 15% of the original order quantity or value. Deposits are non-refundable and this would include forfeiture of any deposits paid in case of your event cancellation.
Do you offer invitation addressing?
Yes, computer calligraphy from an emailed list is $0.55 per invitation. I require a simple list--one address after the other with a space between addresses in either Apple Pages or Microsoft Word. I do not accept handwritten lists, tables or spreadsheets. Your list should be submitted with correct format and spelling in the format shown below. Normally, the city, abbreviated form of province (in this case shown below is Quebec), "QC", and the postal code would be on one line, but for wedding invitations, a more formal form is used and the city and province written out in full on one line and the postal code is listed on a separate line. No abbreviations are permitted. Also, the addresses will be centered on the envelope, not lined up on the left.....I will do this for you.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Smith..............write out "and", not an "&" ampersand
1234 Broadway Avenue....................write out "Avenue", "Street" in full
Montreal, Quebec.............................write out province in full
H2X 1J9..........................................postal code on last line
For U.S. addresses:
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Smith..............write out "and", not an "&" ampersand
1234 Broadway Avenue....................write out "Avenue", "Street" in full
Chicago, Illinois 54934.....................write out state, etc. in full followed by 2 spaces and zip code
USA................................................country on last line
If there are multiple errors and corrections to be made, they will be charged at $35 per hour.
What do I need to know about mailing my invitations?
Your invitation should be the "star of the show" and should be the first thing your guests see when they open their invitation so we recommend placing your invitation on top and all other enclosures placed underneath or ideally in a pocket. Most flat card invitations can have a pocket added to the back for a nominal charge. It is recommended to take a completed invitation set to the post office for weighing to make sure the correct postage is applied.
Do square invitations require additional postage?
Not necessarily. Most, but not all, square invitations are now offered in 5-3/4" which go into a 6" square envelope. Effective January 17, 2011, the cost to mail envelopes 6"x6" or smaller within Canada is $0.59 (to US addresses $1.03, to international addresses $1.75). However, the weight allowable is only 30 grams and most folded or pocketfold invitations weigh more and the required postage is $1.03 within Canada (to US $1.25 or International $2.50). The cost to mail a square invitation larger than 6" x 6" within Canada is $1.25 (up to 100 grams), to US $2.06 or International $4.10.
Please click here to go to Canada Post Website.
If you live outside Canada, please contact the post office in your country for mailing rates.
Do you offer a mailing service?
Yes, "Stuff, Stamp and Mail" is offered by Paper Artistry for the busy customer for a flat fee of $35 (not including postage). All invitation sets will be assembled, stuffed, postage affixed and mailed. Please note a stamp is required for the response envelope in addition to postage for the invitation. Orders will not be sent until full payment is received. Paper Artistry is not responsible for any damage that may occur once an order is mailed.
How much is shipping?
If you are not able to pick-up your order, it will be shipped to your specified shipping address by Canada Post. Please allow 2 - 6 days for delivery depending on your location. If you can't wait, ship by Purolator Overnight. Please ask for out-of country rates.
Please note that INSURANCE IS NOT INCLUDED in the shipping rates below and is an extra charge. Once a parcel leaves without insurance, it is not the responsibility of Paper Artistry to replace a lost or damaged order. Insurance is $1.50 per $100 value. Please note that insurance is not available for orders being sent outside of Canada. Extra charges apply to ship seating plans.
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Order Total |
Canada Post |
Purolator Ground |
Purolator Overnight |
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$0-$200 |
$20.00 |
Ask for Rate |
Ask For Rate |
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$201-$800 |
$30.00 |
Ask for Rate |
Ask For Rate |
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$801 + |
$40.00 |
Ask for Rate |
Ask For Rate |
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, but please note that duty, customs and/or brokerage fees charged are your responsibility.
Do you offer foreign language translation and lettering?
Paper Artistry may be able to provide english to foreign language translation. Please allow extra time to review and approve wording/character proofs to ensure accurate translation, spacing and formatting. It is the responsibility of the Customer to ensure that the translation is correct.
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