The marathon is almost over. The finish line is in sight. We just have one last challenge before it's all done - writing thank-you cards.
How long do we have for this final sprint? According to the lady mags and wedding blogs, thank-you cards should be sent out no later than 3 months after the wedding date. To that I say, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Maybe 60 years ago, but times have changed.
It's now standard practise to design your own card using pics from the wedding. But! by the time you receive the pics digitally from your photographer, a month (or more) has flown by. After that, you have the challenge of choosing the photo. It took Peter and I almost two weeks to decide on a picture. TWO WEEKS. That's a good chunk of time - especially if you're trying to get your cards out within the ridiculous 3 month timespan.
The next hurdle? Choosing a digital printing service. Vistaprint and Shutterfly are the two big names in the biz. If you're looking to score a deal, I recommend downloading a browser extension called Honey. This app automatically applies the best coupon code it can find at checkout. I use it all the time -especially when I'm shopping on Etsy.
So! You have the pic, you've designed the card and you're ready to order 200 cards. Then, panic sets in. What if there is a spelling error? Or you don't like the colour temperature? To calm nerves, a friend of mine who recently tied the knot recommended a test order of cards. Great! Sample cards ordered and now you have to wait 4 weeks for delivery. Wait, what?!?!? Here's where the digital printing services get you. Want your cards sooner? That'll cost you.
Right now I'm waiting for our 'test' cards. It's been three weeks. At this point, I think it would've been faster to either drive to Shutterfly's headquarters, or, send for a carrier pigeon. I think when I order my next batch, I'll just swallow the $5 delivery charge.