AisleDash

If you're trying to rein in the spending, and endeavoring to stick to a tight wedding budget, then you you may be thinking hard about where you can shave off unnecessary extras and reduce costs. You probably won't want to do that with your wedding cake - who wants a nasty, poor quality cake? Nobody. But an area where expenditure can easily be reduced is your wedding stationery.

You could make your own invitations or, instead of choosing pricey, customised invitations, opt for a less expensive, standard design.

This doesn't necessarily mean having to make do with something awful. There are some excellent stationery companies who offer very good value for money and one that we've recently come across, and really like, is Fabulous Stationery.com.

They have a vast range of all-occasion cards and notes, and a good selection of wedding stationery too. The cards are good for bridal shower invitations, save the date cards, thank you notes and, even, informal wedding invitations. The designs range from contemporary to retro to bling and are very reasonably priced between $35 and $55 for a set of 25 customisable cards and envelopes.

That's pretty good value. Check out the gallery below for our pick of the wedding designs, or visit the website for the full and fabulous range.

Creating your own wedding invitations is nowhere near as difficult and time-consuming as it used to be in the days before computers, digital photography, and photo-handling software. With just a little time and imagination, you can create stunning wedding invitations, at a fraction of the cost of professionally produced cards. No, you can't do letterpress on your computer, but if saving money is on your agenda, letterpress is probably out of the question, anyway.

If you'd like a little helpful guidance, there are many sites which provide art, text, and suggestions. One such site is Wedding Invitation Ideas, which provides you with over thirty different invitations, each with instructions for putting it together. You have to sign up to the site to receive their down-loadable templates, but if you're not interested in doing that, there are many good ideas here. See how vellum and ribbon add instant elegance, or how card toppers can be used to create texture and depth, or metallic confetti for a little sparkle!

Are you looking for beautiful invitations with a personal touch? If so, you absolutely must check out KenzieKate Invitations.

KenzieKate Invitations aren't just pieces of paper -- they're customized pieces of art. They are fussy about everything, from the paper to the font to the ribbons to the glue, so you can rest assured you're getting a top quality invitation. And, while quality is great and all, we have to say that's not really what drew our eye -- we first fell in love with the designs!

Scroll invitations are a great way to set the scene for your renaissance wedding. They have an 'olde worlde' charm and add a wonderfully fun element to an already fabulous wedding theme.

We've found an Etsy seller, Handykane, who has masses of enchanting scroll invitations, in many different styles and themes, that would give just the right first impression to your guests, and whisk them back into times gone by.

The invitations are printed on parchment that has been treated for an authentic ancient paper look. They're sold in packs of 50, together with matching envelopes, and most also include a printed seal on the envelopes. Prices are from $49.99 per pack, depending on the design.

Check out the gallery below for a small sample of Handykane's scroll invitations.

At AisleDash this week we're talking all about beach weddings -- sand, surf and palm trees! Once you have all the details nailed down for your beach-y wedding day, it's time to let your guests know. The invitations are usually an extension of your wedding theme -- thank goodness! -- and for a beach wedding, the clear-blue sky really is the limit. There are so many beach invites to peruse, you'll have no problem finding the perfect one for your wedding. Should you pick out a fun and flirty one? Or a simple, stunning one? Something different? Or something colorful? The choice is yours but you can't go wrong. Check out the gallery for more than 20 additional invitation styles for your wedding. Send them out and then sit back, relax and dream about digging your feet in the sand while saying, "I do!"

When you're planning a wedding, there's obviously a lot of cost to consider -- the cost of flowers, a dress, food and, of course, invitations. You want the most bang for your buck and you'd love if you could trust an online site to deliver great invitations at a reasonable cost, as well, right? Well, here are a handful of online invitation sites that offer a wide selection at reasonable prices. You can pick up your save-the-date cards, your bridal shower invites, your bridesmaid luncheon invitations and the actual wedding invitations you love and deserve, all in the same easy-to-navigate, one-stop spot. You deserve to enjoy the wedding planning as much as the wedding itself. Being able to track down the best invitation Web sites will save you time (and money!).

We recently stumbled across online wedding supplier, Blissful Designs, and just have to share it with you. The company makes lovely handmade wedding invitations as well as thank you cards, table markers, place markers, table plans, guest books, favor boxes, keepsake boxes, photo albums and even chair covers and balloon displays. That wide range makes it a very bride-friendly place to shop.

There are four main categories of designs: Lily and Feather, Heart, Rose and Flower, and Beach and Holiday, in a wide variety of colours. Prices start at £2.55 and go up to £3.95, depending on your choice. We just love this romantic rose heart, and the starfish design is perfect for a casual beach wedding.

The company has now launched Blissful Venues and they will work with your plans to set up your venue exactly as you want it.

So there you have it - pretty much everything you need bar the dress and cake!

Paper wedding invitations can cost hundreds of dollars (some can even cost thousands!). And, what's more, the cost doesn't end when the invitations are printed and assembled. The cost of stamps alone (to send and to apply to the RSVP card) can set you back a considerable amount of money. More and more people are turning to electronic invitations because of exorbitant paper invitation costs. Even though it's more financially feasible to send out an evite or e-mail, electronically inviting guests may seem to lack some originality and design for some brides and grooms. That is until now.

Pingg.com offers a new, more attractive way to invite guests without bothering with the high cost (and stress!) of paper invitations. At pingg.com you can design your own online invitation -- either by choosing a pre-designed theme (there are tons to choose from!), or by designing your own with any of nearly two million available images or with original art work you can design and upload yourself. The best part: most pingg.com invitations are completely free.

After you have designed a beautiful, theme-friendly invitation, you can choose RSVP options and then send it off through e-mail, SMS or even Facebook! Another fun feature on pingg.com is a customizable Web page for your special event, with guest list, registry and event detail options.

Finally, if you have your heart set on a snail-mail invitation, pingg.com does offer printed invitations at a reasonable cost.

Visit pingg.com and read the press release, which is full of information and helpful tips to use pingg.com without a single headache that one comes to expect with paper invitations.

Another super Etsy find are these great circular tags by Fubabee. They are perfect for tagging favors, or anything else you have that needs a tag. The tags measure 1 3/4" in diameter and consist of either white textured or cream textured card stock.

More than that though, Fubabee also has a fantastic range of weddng invitations with designs that we absolutely love to bits. Fresh, clean graphics that will appeal to a wide range of tastes and wedding styles, from a casual, outdoorsy affair to something more elegant and sophisticated. It's worth taking the time to check out the website to see the entire range.

For a few of our favourites, click through the gallery below.

Alaina Cherup is an Ohio-based, graphic design artist who has a great range of contemporary wedding stationery. We love the crisp, fresh appeal of these trendy cards and invitations. It doesn't matter if your wedding is traditional or non-traditional, funky or classic, Alaina will work with you to customise your stationery to suit your needs. The designs range from cute and whimsical to beautiful, elegant simplicity.

Pricing for a 2-piece package, consisting of the invitation and reply card, is approximately $2-$4 per package. For a 3-piece set, comprising the invitation reply card and a map/info card is $3 - $5 per package. The save-the-date cards start at $1.50 per card.

You can find her designs on her website, Alaina Cherup Design or over at her Etsy shop, CheerupCherup.

It's always wonderful to find a wedding supplier who offers something utterly unique and creative. Chewing The Cud Weddings is one such company. They do a superb range of personalised wedding stationery and, as a bonus, they work according to very earth-friendly principles, using cotton, tree-free paper and soy-based inks.

There are two invitation options available: either request a fabulous bespoke design or choose from their signature collection. If you decide on a customised design then they will collaborate closely with you to bring your wedding vision to life. Alternatively, choosing from the signature line will give you an invitation that has been inspired by the world around us.

The ready-made line is neither twee nor boring. Rather, each design reflects a certain wedding mood or theme. Additionally, you are able to add a slightly more personal touch by choosing from extra illustrations or embellishments, where available.

We've had a good look at the website and both options are just divine. For our top five designs from the signature collection, browse through the gallery below.

We recently told you about a great type of wedding invitation, the seal-n-send. The invitations are a tri-fold card stock that you can simply fold closed, seal with a clear sticker, address the outside and go. The RSVP card is a detachable postcard at the bottom, and these even come with free clear stickers for sealing purposes.

You can get great prices and really cut back on paper waste with these invitations, so we love them. There's just one major point you'll need to consider. A USPS employee told us that invitations like these often get jammed in their automatic scanners when one side gets caught on the machine, causing them to tear and crinkle. To avoid this problem, be sure to seal both sides closed so that the invitations go through the machine smoothly. A clear round sticker should do the job nicely, our friend advises.

In the search to help you personalize your wedding, we at AisleDash often turn to Etsy, the on-line home of All Things Unique and Crafty. Recently, The Storque, Etsy's crafty things blog, featured a post by calligrapher Katy of KisforCalligraphy.etsy.com. Katy offers a variety of useful insider tips about calligraphy specifically and addressing your invitations generally. My favorite tidbit is this: "One common etiquette mistake I see all the time is the separation of the man's first name from his surname when informally addressing a couple. For example, the correct address should read 'Jane and John Etsy' not 'John and Jane Etsy'!"

I did not know that.

Katy is a firm believer in hand-addressing wedding invitations, in order, she argues, to separate them from the masses of junk mail that your guests are getting every day. We at AisleDash couldn't agree more.

Read Katy's entire piece for more hits and tips and suggestions about how to make your wedding invitations a beautiful part of your special day.

Enfin, La Voila! What a cool name for a shop. Roughly translated it means, 'At last, here it is!' Belgian designer Marijke Janssens has hit the nail on the head. Here is a range of quirky and fun wedding stationery of the type that we don't get to see often enough.

Any bride who plans on having a fun, informal wedding and wants to give her guests a hint of the stylish whimsy that will feature on her wedding day, should browse through this gorgeous selection of wedding invitations and save the date cards. The designs feature historical fashion, cupids, butterflies, birds, ribbons and flowers in abundance. Truly, these cards and invitations are a visual feast and enormously appealing to anyone who is dreamily offbeat and loves a bit of kitsch.

It's evident that Marijke has a lot of fun making her cards. There is a wonderfully joyful element to all of them.

Tired of the same old wedding invitations? Not feeling like engraved cardstock will do it for you? Looking for something a little more swank and retro?

The girls at Posh Betty have exactly what you need. They offer a full line of invitations with a funky 1950s feel that is exciting and fun. You can order invitations a la carte or as part of a package (which includes the invitation, RSVP cards, thank yous and save-the-date cards). Invitations are customizable -- choose the font and colors and Posh Betty will e-mail you a free preview for your approval.

Posh Betty currently offers 33 wedding invitation options; click through the gallery to see a small selection, or head on over to their site to see them all.