Printable Press

2011-09-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

NEW! Party and Baby Invitations by A Printable Press

2011-09-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

We're doing an experiment and branching out into general party invitations and baby announcements!

These new cards are an affordable solution to all those other events you have coming up, that still deserve some special attention. They are a little smaller than our invitations, 4-1/2" x 6-1/4" to fit in A2 envelopes, and all come with printable gift tags (something we hope to offer with our wedding invitations soon).

Have a rehearsal dinner that should stand on its own? A bridal shower for a best friend? We hope you'll stop by our Printable Press Party & Baby site with BigCartel!

Here are a few examples of our new designs:

SAVE THE DATES

2011-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Want a special Save the Date card to let people know what's coming up? We have one to match every style. See below to get a sense of what they look like, but you can also request a sample of any that you are interested in seeing!

(styles shown, clockwise: All Lit Up, Carved Initials, Starry Night, Vintage Glamour)

If you want to save on envelopes, postage, and save some trees all at the same time, our Save the Dates are available as postcards too! They are 4" x 6" and are customized with your address and a touch of artwork to tie it in with your suite.

(styles shown: Woodland Love front and back, Summer Tones, Bicycle Built for Two, Love on a Wire)

JUST FOR YOU

2011-01-10T11:46:00.001-08:00

New, customizable invitations! Everyone deserves stationery that is as personal as possible, and these designs give you another way to show your individuality. Choose your image from the samples and let us know which one is the most "you" (coordinating cards available)

LOVE SYMBOLS
For anyone from the traditional to the fabulously geek-chic, from globetrotters to food lovers. Pick any two images for your invitation.

KINDRED SPIRITS
These can be your totem animals, the spirit of your wedding, or just something that captures your style. (Want the lions, deer or chickens to be the same gender? No problem!)

IN THE STARS

When you know your love was meant to be, show your signs in a star-filled sky.

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2011-01-02T19:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a selection of our most popular designs!

Starry Night (from Sheer Whimsy)

Swallow and Bee (from Birds and Beasts)

Woodland Love (from Into the Woods)

Summer Tones (from All in Bloom)

All Lit Up (from Into the Woods)

Metropolitan (from Classically Lovely)

Carved Initials (from Into the Woods)

Victoriana (from Classically Lovely)

Bountiful (from All in Bloom)

Amor (from Sheer Whimsy)

And here are a few of our favorite new designs:

Ribbon Twist (from Sheer Whimsy)

Wild Damask (from Modern Vintage)

Flock of Swallows (from Birds and Beasts)

Wind in the Grass (from All in Bloom)

Bicycle Built for Two (from Sheer Whimsy)

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ADDITIONAL CARDS

2010-09-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Our current website sadly doesn't have room to show all of the cards that go in every suite, So we have gathered some samples to show you how we approach your additional cards.

INSERTS AND DIRECTIONS/INFORMATION CARDS

For those of you who have a little more information to pass on to your guests (have a website? planning a post-wedding brunch?), we have insert cards to match every suite. If you need to let people know about directions, accommodations, or any other lengthy text, use the directions/information option and we will try to fit it all in. Because everyone's text is different, we style each card to suit your wording. But here are some samples of what the cards typically look like:

(styles shown: Metropolitan, One Night Only, Woodland Love)

RESPONSE CARDS WITH POSTCARD BACKS

Many people choose to send their rsvp's as postcards, to cut down on use of trees and postage (and those stamps count as tree material too). We set the back of your card with the return address and a bit of original artwork to tie the whole thing together. We offer this as an option for Save the Dates as well, with your address set in the upper lefthand corner, and leaving space in the center for you to write in your guests' names and addresses.

(styles shown: Bountiful, Amor)

MODERN VINTAGE

2009-03-02T13:39:00.001-08:00

Damask

Woodcut

Picnic

Wallflower

Typewritten Note

Elegant Bbq

Party Lights

Wild Damask

Ornamented

Linen Weave*

Henna

Gothic Forest Modern

Let's Make Lemonade

Quatrefoil

Garland

Elegant Snow*

*invitations with all-over color require a lot of ink, or can be printed easily
with an online printing service

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INTO THE WOODS

2009-03-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

Woodland Love

Carved Initials

All Lit Up*

Sleeping Beauty

Banquet in the Woods

Birch Bark Love

Laurel Leaves

Gothic Forest

Forest Floor

Birds in the Briar

Chestnut

Fern Forest

A View Through Leaves

Deep in the Pines

Winter Wonderland*

Big Sky Country

*invitations with all-over color require a lot of ink, or can be printed easily
with an online printing service

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2009-01-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

The process is easy (and yes, you can use any wording you like!):

1. Choose your style
Choose a design from our many themes—invitations come in 5" x 7" and can be printed at home, at a copy shop, with an online service, or with a local professional print shop. Have an idea about different fonts or sizes? We can customize almost any invitation, see our Pricing Guide section. If you want to test out your printer, download one of the high-res pdf samples below!

2. Contact us
Fill out our order form on the Ordering page, or send us an email and we will begin the process. You will receive an invoice, and once payment is completed and you know what wording you want, we will immediately begin setting your text. It only takes about a week to turn it around.

3. Proof
You will receive a PDF of your invitation for you to spell-check and to test the colors (if you're printing out invitations yourself). If there are any revisions we will incorporate them and then send you a final PDF, formatted for whatever printing method you choose. Don't have a way to view a PDF? You can download Adobe Reader for free. We include two free proofs before the final PDF!

4. Print
See our Printing & Paper section for ideas. The final design will be emailed to you as a PDF, which you can then print out (or have printed out) as many times as you like. There's no price difference whether you make 50 invitations or 200.

Downloadable Samples
Just download, print and trim to see if you like the quality of your printer. Make sure you have all your printer settings correct—they should be set for the highest quality, matte paper if you're using it, and print to same size (not scale to fit paper)

single invitation that prints edge to edge on 5" x 7" paper
single invitation with extra art all around and cropmarks
two invitations per 8-1/2" x 11" paper with cropmarks
two rsvp's per 8-1/2" x 11" paper with cropmarks
two rsvp postcards per 8-1/2" x 11" paper with cropmarks

2009-01-07T07:23:00.001-08:00

To Order

If you're ready to go and know what you want, click on the link below to fill out our order form. You will not be charged at this time, we just want to get an idea of your needs. You can use any wording you like, the ones on the website are just samples! Don't forget that we need to know of any customizations to the cards, such as changes to color, fonts, or sizes—check with your printer to make sure their card sizes are the same as ours.

Click below:
ORDER FORM

If you have any questions, please email us at:
info@printablepress.com

See our Pricing Guide for a description of all cards and their prices as well as customization options.

We send you an invoice that has a direct link to payment options—we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Paypal. If you want to order through a different email address, such as a paypal account or a different family member's email, please let us know.

Once we have received payment and all your wording it takes only about 5 days for you to receive your first PDF proof. Then when everything has been approved we send you a final pdf formatted for whatever printing method you choose.

Most questions are answered in our Frequently Asked Questions section, but if you don't see your particular question please feel free to email us.

2008-11-26T08:39:00.001-08:00

Printing
There are so many options for printing, we know it can be overwhelming! You can upload the files to an online printing service, use your local print shop, print at a copy shop, or of course print the invitations out yourself.

To use an online printing service:
We can format invitations for many online printers. Just let us know which one you are going to use and we will adjust the design to meet their specifications so you can easily send it in to them. Here are some popular choices:

GreenerPrinter (eco-friendly)
Mercurio Brothers
GotPrint
Cards and Pockets (please note that their default rsvp's are smaller than our standard size—email us with any questions about this)

To use a local print shop:
The benefit of using a local professional print shop is that you can choose very heavy cardstock, and you know that the quality of printing will be very high. Contact print shops in your area and ask what their rates are. We can format your cards to match the printer's specifications.

Printing it at a copy shop:It's very easy to have our designs printed at a copy shop such as Kinko's, Staples or OfficeMax. We suggest contacting the copy shop to find out the heaviest paper they can handle, as the heavier the cardstock the more attractive the invitation! You should always test out a pdf on the paper of your choice.

Printing it yourself:
The first thing you want to do is test out your printer on good quality paper, similar to what you want to use in the end—you can download test pdf's by going to the bottom of our How it Works section. Also find out whether your printer can print on different sizes of paper, such as 5" x 7", and whether it can print to edges. Make sure your printer is set to its most high-resolution setting, sometimes called "high quality photo", and that it is set to print same size (rather than scale to fit).

If you are the kind of person who is handy with an exacto knife or a papercutter, you can easily cut the paper yourself. To make a 5" x 7" invitation you will need to make 6 cuts, like this:

If you would rather leave the trimming to a professional, ask your local print shop or copying center for their rates. These are generally very cheap. Make sure you take in a sample and see if they are able to cut accurately before you commit to them.

Printing in letterpress:
Many of our designs are letterpress compatible, just ask us which ones you are interested in! We can format for letterpress for an additional $20, separating everything into layers for your printer. If you need a recommendation for a good letterpress company just let us know, we are in contact with several!

Paper

One benefit of printing stationery yourself is being able to choose among many beautiful papers and textures. We suggest cardstock, which is sometimes called cover paper or 80 lb.+ paper. It has a great weight and feel, and can be fed individually through many printers. Here are some reputable (and affordable) sources. And consider going green—recycled paper and paper made from hemp or bamboo often have lovely textures! You can order samples from any of these companies, to test out the colors and print-quality (click on the names to go to their website):

Paper and More
Papersource
Cards and Pockets
Treecycle

2008-11-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

Pricing Guide and Card Sizes

All stationery comes as a PDF so you can print as many as you want! It doesn't matter if you need 50 or 200, it's all the same price.

Invitation—$79
Response Card small (5" x 3-1/2", 4-bar)—$35
Response Card large (5-1/2" x 4-1/4", A2)—$35
Response Card Postcard (address on back)—$55
Insert Card—$37
Directions Card—$45
Thank You Card—$32
Save the Date—$60
Save the Date Postcard (return address on back)—$79

Just download the high-resolution PDF here—we recommend testing it out using your chosen printing method, since all computer monitors and printers are slightly different and can affect color.

If you love an invitation but want to change something—like the dimensions of a card, fonts, or a truly custom color—you can customize your invitation for an additional $25 per change. Any font or color customization fee covers all your cards, but for changes in dimension a fee has to be applied to each card due to the amount of work involved.

Card Sizes

Invitation—5" x 7"

Response card small—5" x 3-1/2"

Response card large—5-1/2" x 4-1/4"

Response card Postcard—5-1/2" x 4-1/4"

Insert—5-1/2" x 4-1/4"

Directions Card—5-1/2" x 4-1/4"

Thank You card—5-1/2" x 4-1/4" folded

Save the Date—5" x 7"

Save the Date Postcard—4" x 6"

Average Cost
Just to give you an idea of what the cost would be for 100 invitations and response cards that you print yourself:

Printable Press charge: $114
+
Paper: $40 (average)
=
$154

The cost for 100 invitations and response cards that you upload to an online printing service:

Printable Press charge: $114
+
Online Printing Service: $140 (average)
=
$254

The cost for 100 invitations and response cards printed at a professional local shop:

Printable Press charge: $114
+
Professional print shop: $230 (average)
=
$344

2008-11-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I change the wording on the invitations?
A: We put in any text that you want, the text in the images are just examples. Once you send us your final wording we put it into the invitations and make sure that everything fits well and looks great.

Q: Can I change the colors or fonts?
A: Yes, you can choose any color from our swatches! If you have a color that is not in our swatches we can create a custom color for an additional $25. For font changes there is an additional fee of $25 per change. You can choose any font used on any of our other invitations.

Q: When is payment required?
A: Payment is due at the time when you have chosen the style you want and any possible customizations. We send you an invoice and once we have received payment and your wording we begin!

Q: How do I start my order?
A: We will send you an invoice with a direct link to paypal, which accepts all major credit cards (as well as paypal accounts of course).

Q: How much time does it take from beginning to end?
A: It generally takes about 5 days from the time we receive payment and wording to the time we send you your first pdf proof. If there are any revisions, we are able to get it back to you within 24 to 48 hours. After that it just takes a day to create the final print-ready pdf. We allow up to two free revisions before going to final format.

Q: Can I use one of the designs for a bridal shower invitation or for something else?
A: Absolutely—you can use any of the designs for any invitation you want. Just order and let us know the wording you would like to use.

Q: Can I do other sizes besides 5" x 7"?
A: Yes, we can format to fit anything you like for an additional $25 customization fee. We can make them fit gocco, letterpress, just about anything you can think of. Please see our Pricing and Card Sizes section for our standard formats.

Q: Can you show me how a card would look with my wording, or in a different color, before I order?
A: We only change the text and colors after the order is placed, because that's where the work comes in. When we set your text we make sure that all the spacing looks good and there are no awkward line breaks, and for color we experiment to make sure we can get exactly the color you want.

Q: Do you send out samples?
A: We don't send out any printed samples because each person prints their stationery in their own way. Some do it on colored paper, some on shimmery paper, some at online services, some use letterpress, etc. Each invitation comes out slightly different from any other.

Q: Can I purchase an image alone?
A: Unfortunately we cannot sell an image separately from the invitation because there is always the possibility that someone could use it for their own design, and then resell it. We know almost nobody would do that, but we still have to be careful.

Q: How do I print out the invitations myself?
A: First you should test your inkjet printer on a heavy weight (i.e. thick) paper to see if you like your printer's quality. We find inkjets to be the best of the home printers—laser printers often can't handle thick paper, and sometimes the colors smear due to their coloring process. Download one of our sample PDF's from the "How It Works" section and test it out.

Q: What is a PDF?
A: PDF stands for Portable Document Format—it is a type of file created by Adobe Systems that any computer can open and print, whether PC or Mac. If you don't have a way to open a PDF, Adobe Reader is a free program which you can download here. Remember to choose the right one for your computer's operating system!

Q: What kind of paper should I get?
A: Invitations look best on heavier paper, so you should get the heaviest paper your printer can handle. We recommend the paper called "cover" or "80 lb.", but you should test out a variety of paper weights to see what works for you. Always order samples to see if you (and your printer) like it. Don't forget that you can also print your invitations on different colors of paper, or recycled papers with natural flecks! See our Printing and Paper section for online sellers of great paper.

Q: What if I don't have a good home printer?
A: Try your local print shop, or one of the online printing services we list on our Printing and Paper section. We also can format for any gocco machine or letterpress printer. If you're interested in purchasing a new home printer, see the list reviewed on consumersearch.com here. We find the Canon Pixma iP4500 to be the easiest and the best for non-professionals, and the Epson line the best for anyone interested in home-publishing.

Q: How do I cut out the invitations once I've printed them out?
A: See our Printing and Paper section for how to print and cut out the invitations yourself. If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, use an exacto knife with a ruler. A cutting mat is helpful too, or of course a paper cutter if you have one. If you don't trust your cutting abilities try your local print shop or copy shop—many of these will cut your paper for a very small fee. Always test them out to see if their cuts are accurate!

Q: My printouts don't look like what I see on-screen, what can I do?
A: All computer screens and printers are different so colors you see on-screen may not exactly match what you print out. When you receive your first proof test it out on your printer—if the colors don't look right let us know, and we will tweak the colors for your final PDF.

Q: Do you do custom work?
A: At this time we are not taking on any custom orders, sorry!

2008-11-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

A PRINTABLE PRESS IN THE NEWS

CHECK US OUT

We are in Aol's website Aisledash.com!
http://www.aisledash.com/2010/03/12/wedding-invitation-gallery/

We were featured in Brides.com in their Affordable Invites:
http://www.brides.com/planning/invitations/feature/slide/217466

You can also find posts about us on these fabulous blogs:

A Practical Wedding
$10,000 Only
Snippet and Ink
Wedding Bee
OneWed.com
Wedding Wire

2008-11-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

About A Printable Press

WHAT
A Printable Press was created as an alternative to expensive stationery, but also as an alternative to the totally-from-scratch, do-it-yourself approach. It is a way to have professionally designed invitations to suit any budget. Just think of it as a way to have your cake but eat it too.

We believe that everyone deserves good design. In this day and age it is more important than ever to be careful with money—but lovely design should always be a part of life as well.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread"
—John Muir

WHO
A Printable Press is also Kimi Weart and Paul Galloway, two artist/designers who got married in 2008. Our home base is in Brooklyn, NY, where we are constantly dazzled by the people, the arts, the lights at night. But we also run away to a tiny cabin in the woods upstate, where we can tramp about and bring home branches, leaves, feathers and polished stones. And everything ends up in our designs.

You can follow Kimi on the Printable Press blog, where she gathers inspiration, thoughts, things that bring beauty to life

p.s. Many people have been curious about this dress, and if you want the full scoop on it you can read a post about it on the fabulous blog tenthousandonly.com here.

SHEER WHIMSY

2008-11-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

Starry Night*

Amor

Bicycle Built for Two

Ribbon Twist

Aerial Steam

Shining Night*

One Night Only

Cloud Nine

Raise High the Lanterns

Faux Bois*

Tying the Knot

Confetti*

By Lantern Light*

*invitations with all-over color require a lot of ink, or can be printed easily
with an online printing service

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CLASSICALLY LOVELY

2008-11-18T06:22:00.003-08:00

Vintage Glamour*

Victoriana

Under the Oak Tree

Opera

Nouveau Swash

Metropolitan

Western Cosmopolitan

Leaf Wreath

French Label

Regency

Growing Together

Gilded Era

Extravaganza

Calligraphy

Black Tie*

Baroque

Sunny Damask

*invitations with all-over color require a lot of ink, or can be printed easily
with an online printing service

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BY THE SEA

2008-11-18T06:22:00.001-08:00

Under the Waves

Sea Fan

Seagrass

Sea Stars

Acadia Island

Seahorse Love

Pinch

Palms

By the Shore

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BIRDS AND BEASTS

2008-11-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Swallow and Bee

Dragonflies

Love on a Wire

Little Doves

Antique Butterflies

In Flight

Bearing Gifts

Hummingbirds

A Flock of Swallows

Aviary

A Little Bird Told Me

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ALL IN BLOOM

2008-11-18T06:17:00.000-08:00

Bellflower

Magic Garden

Bountiful

Orange Blossoms

Wildflowers

Twining Vines

Summer Tones

Kimono

Hibiscus

Lotus

Paper Art

Garden

Dandelion*

Lush Bouquet

Wind in the Grass

Cherry Blossom Shower

*invitations with all-over color require a lot of ink, or can be printed easily
with an online printing service

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