Order Process & FAQ

 

 

Register online for an account if you would like to receive a custom quote, order updates & be notified of approaching deadlines pertaining to your upcoming event. As a member a couple handy planning tools are available for you to use at your convenience. You may also subscribe to our quarterly newsletter for experienced advice, new ideas, showcase weddings; answers to FAQ’s, members-only coupons and you will be the first to hear any news about Style On A Budget and your design team.

 

Determine the shape, color, font style, custom inserts, addressing & printing options for your invitation design. Determine the text you would like to include for each component of your invitation. In addition to the invitation wording, other common inserts include a reception insert, directions & hotel information, map, welcome/rehearsal dinner card, response card, event schedule or timeline, local activities, and entourage list.

 

2.) Order
Online shoppers - please request a quote so you may place your order online. The text you wish to include in your stationery design and a deposit/payment is due before we will begin designing your components. All information will be requested by the design team once your quote/invoice is made available to Please refer to our payment policy below for further details regarding acceptable methods of payment and payment options.

 

Payments are accepted in the form of cash, check, money orders, cashier’s check or by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card). In order to use your credit card for payment, you may log in to the website using your login information and pay online, or you may call the studio during business hours and we will happily assist you with your payment over the phone. (see Payments & Deposits)

 

*Prepare to send your text as print ready as possible (don’t worry about formatting), but please check for correct spelling & grammar. If you have any questions related to proper etiquette or if you would like assistance with your text, don’t hesitate to ask – we have experience with many situations & we are happy to assist you. Several text examples can be found on our website (click here for the Invitation Wording Tool). After you have made your design selection and proofing begins, 3 revisions per file are included with your order after which $30 fee will be billed for each additional change, so please provide your text as print ready as possible to avoide extra proofing fees.

Once your order is placed, a designer personally reviews your order and will activate text request fields so you may provide all required text to complete the design of your invitation. In most cases, that happens the same business day. Once all text fields are complete, the designer will begin to arrange your online proof files for your review. The design process takes approximately 5-7 business days. You will be notified once your files are available for your review. If at any time you wish to contact your designer, please call the studio or you may also communicate with your designer directly through your online account. Alternatively, you may submit your information at your convenience HERE.

 

Once you have made your deposit payment and provided your text to the design team, PDF design files will be created and sent to the email address used to create your account. Unless your invitation is “text only” or a pre-designed option, your designer will provide you with 2-3 design options to choose from prior to completing the stationery design package and placing the files online for your approval.

If you have changes to your files - please submit your corrections using your online account area or the website communication board.

It is important to remember that the client is responsible for ALL PROOFING.

 

You are allowed 3 revisions to each file free of charge after which a $30 fee will be automatically added to your invoice, per change. Carefully look for correct spelling, confirm dates, times and addresses, etc. and have a family member, friend or colleague review each file as well – in every case, the more eyes the better! PDF files are developed based on the text that the client has provided, therefore, not many changes are often required. The designer will typically review the text and will correct any text that does not follow common etiquette guidelines. These changes are only suggestions and will not count toward your 3 revisions.

 

If you would like to employ the service of a proofreading professional, recommendations are available and you may provide your files to them independently.

 

When you are satisfied with the provided proof files for your invitation design, you may elect to have a complimentary final proof mailed to you. The final proof will reflect the same layout and text approved in your proof files and will include the exact materials you have personally selected. Please make sure you have taken the time to approve ALL files prior to requesting a final proof. Once the final proof (if selected) is in hand, you may complete the approval process and production will be scheduled. A final proof requires at least 7 business days for production and shipping.

 

The remaining balance of your order is due prior to printing. (see Payments & Deposits)

*If you have ordered programs, place cards, menus etc., these quantities are only estimated (typically the minimum you’d expect to need) in your original order. Final quantities are required the week of your response card date, after which if no adjustment has been made you may only increase the quantity of the ceremony and reception related items. Materials are ordered based on the original order agreement and there will be no refunds once the required materials are ordered.

 

The minimum production time (printing & assembly) required by Style On A Budget is 2-3 weeks from the final proof approval. Orders that do not provide the standard production time are considered to be rush orders and will be accepted only if our schedule permits – please contact a designer if you know your order will not satisfy the standard production time. Rush orders are charged a 20% production fee for priority in-house service in addition to any expedited shipping costs and printing charges. (see Rush Orders)

Please make arrangements to discuss the final details of your event (Programs, Menus, Escort Cards, Reception Signs, etc.) the week of your RSVP date. This timing will allow plenty of time for reviewing your program and menu files and any additional print item that requires additional attention. Your escort card seating file is due 7 days prior to your "in hand" date. Style On A Budget does not provide hard copy proofs of accessory items since time is so limited.

 

At any time, if sufficient production time is not provided (minimum of 14 business days from final proof approval), your order will be considered a Rush Order and an additional 20% Rush Fee may apply. You always have the option of modifying your "in hand" date to avoid the rush fee. Style On A Budget will not be held responsible for rush orders resulting from a client’s failure to send text in a timely manner, failure to respond to proofs in a timely manner, and making excessive changes to the product design, late deposits, late payments or any other client related delay in production. Any delays resulting from your negligence may require a modification to the orders completion date by the design team to provide sufficient time for printing and assembly. If you are not satisfied with the adjusted completion date based on your final proof approval and final payment, then Rush Fees do apply.

 

Orders $0-$500 Paid in full.
Orders totaling $500-$1000 $500 deposit.
Orders totaling $1000 and up 50% deposit.

Acceptable methods of payment:
Cash, Personal Check, Cashier’s Check, Money Order, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card
If payment is made using a personal check, please allow 3-5 business days for your payment to clear. This may cause a delay to your production time!! We highly recommend making your payment a week in advance so there no delays to your order processing or production. If you choose to mail a personal check, cashier’s check or money order always reference your order number with your payment. You may include a printed copy of your quote/invoice or simply write your order number on the memo line. If you prefer to call us to make your deposit or payment, please call the studio any time during business hours.

Log in to your account and find a current copy of your order quote/invoice, the deposit amount and upcoming payment information can be found under “My Dashboard” and by clicking “View Invoice” or “Make A Payment”. If you are uncertain of your username or password, please call us during business hours and we will be happy to assist you.

You can make your deposit and payments online – 24/7 LOGIN HERE

info@styleonabdudget.com or call us during business hours.

 

Mail to:
2203 Snapdragon Road, Naperville, Illinois 60564

Main:
630-364-1722

Fax:
630-839-7977

 

 

We have experience working with local clients, cross-country and overseas. We communicate by sending physical samples, digital samples via e-mail, and also over the phone. Many of our clients enjoy meeting with us in person at our studio so they can see, touch, and feel our design samples, while others simply know exactly what they want and feel comfortable making decisions based on images. Whatever your style is for making decisions, we are happy to work with you if provided with a reasonable time frame.

 

All of our products are custom, handmade pieces. We provide unique, personalized invitations, event programs, menus, place cards, table cards, escort cards, printed addressing, hand calligraphy, custom map design, corporate announcements & event invitations, gift tags, picture cards, holiday cards, guest books, personalized gift/hotel baskets & more. If you require a unique service involving anything that requires a more personal touch - call us!

 

Our services include, but are not limited to:

 

 

Your deposit will be credited toward the final balance due.

The remaining balance (if any) is due in full prior to printing your invitations. Your order will not be ready for pick up nor will it be shipped until payment is verified. Please mail your payment in advance using the approved payment method of your choice. Credit card payments will be process online by logging into your account or over the phone. If you are paying by check, make sure you are allowing appropriate delivery time and a minimum of 3 business days for your payment to clear our bank.

 

Under no circumstance will your order will not be available for pick-up, delivery or shipment unless final payment has been approved or cleared. Late payments may result in a delay of your order. Style On A Budget will not be held responsible for any delays as a result of untimely payment.

 

Payment for accessory items (programs, reception cards, menus, personalized stationary, etc.) is due in full at the time your order is placed. If you have ordered invitations, the minimum quantity you expect to need of each piece should be ordered and the items paid will be paid for in your final balance. This amount will not be reduced or cancelled. The estimated quantities for any accessory items are expected to change once the majority of your response cards have been returned. As a result a small balance may be due for these additional items.

 

Your PDF files are exact pre-print drafts of your invitation. The final proof that you will receive reflects the files that you approve and the materials you have selected. We suggest that you take proofing very seriously and have multiple people assist you with this task. It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that all text portions of your order have proper spelling, grammar & the colors of materials is correct based on the PDFs provided for your review and/or the final proof they are provided with before indicating their approval to send the job to production.

Style on a Budget will not be held responsible in any way for errors in spelling, grammar, color or any other printed item once the proof has been approved for production by the client. The client agrees to pay any and all costs in the event that an order needs to be reproduced due to errors that exist in proofs which have received client approval and understands that the current stock availability may require product substitutions and/or rush fees to be added to your order. The cost of reprinting (materials, expedited shipping & printing) after the digital proofs have been approved will be at the clients own expense.

 

If you would like to employ the service of a proofreading professional, recommendations are available and you may provide your files to them independently.

 

After your deposit is made, your invitation materials will be ordered based on the selections you have made. The customer will be held responsible for any revision that will require additional design materials to achieve your desired product and will be billed for such. The cost of reprinting (materials, expedited shipping & printing) will be at the clients own expense. If you choose to modify your order (adjust materials/increase quantity) after production begins, additional fees may result. The fee amount is a result of covering the cost of any incurred fee or service charge billed as a result of modifying existing contracts with outside sources.

 

It is important to remind you that the invitations you are ordering require varying amounts of production time. All invitations are handmade in-house and other than the actual printing, are not mass produced. Endless modifications and proofing will delay the estimated production time initially determined for your order. The best way to assure that your order progresses in a timely manner is to submit your text in a near print ready manner, i.e. checking for spelling, dates, times, etc. Style On A Budget will accommodate 3 design revisions, after which, you will be charged a $30.00 fee for each additional revision and the order completion date may be modified if necessary.

 

Style On A Budget, LLP reserves the right to run any print job on the equipment we feel is best suited for the job and is within your order specifications.

 

Due to changes in product availability, from time to time substitutions of similar products may become necessary in order to meet your order completion deadline. You will be notified as soon as possible if any component has been discontinued or is back-ordered and a reasonable effort will be made to find the very best substitution. If a product cannot be found to meet your satisfaction and you wish to cancel your order at that time, your deposit will not be returned. (see Refunds/Cancellations)

Style On A Budget, LLP reserves the right to run any print job on the equipment we feel is best suited for the job and is within your order specifications.

 

 

Custom/Personalized Orders: Due to the unique qualities of custom invitations, an order cannot be reduced, returned or cancelled after the order is confirmed with payment. The invitation quantities designated when placing your order determine the supplies & services required to fulfill our agreement in a timely fashion. Production begins almost immediately after an order is placed, including purchasing supplies and entering into contracts with outside sources. If you choose to modify your order after production begins, additional fees may result. The fee amount will be determined and will cover the cost of any incurred fee or service charge billed as a result of modifying existing contracts with outside sources.

If an order must be cancelled before going to production, your deposit will be forfeited. The deposit covers the cost of materials on order, shipping, design fees, calligraphy fees, and any amounts billed by outside contracts that are non-refundable.

Blank Stock Orders: The return of any product that is unused, in saleable condition will be determined on an individual basis. Please call the studio to obtain prior authorization before returning any product. In most cases, all items are final sale. All personalized and custom cutting orders are non-refundable.

 

Ground shipping is sufficient for your return. Style On A Budget, LLP will not reimburse for additional shipping fees should you choose to return the order by any expedited method.

 

 

Should you decide to return any item for a reprint of any kind, please contact your designer as soon as possible so we can begin taking steps to produce your replacement as quickly as possible.

A reprint will be completed within the standard production time of 10 business days or sooner whenever possible and a new production sample will be provided prior to full production to confirm all changes have been made and the quality will meet your satisfaction.

Style On A Budget, LLP reserves the right to run any print job on the equipment we feel is best suited for the job and is within your order specifications. It is normal to see minor changes in printing and cutting between the final proof and the entire order as the set up is being duplicated and is not one continuous production project until we set up the final production order.

 

 

All shipping fees are the responsibility of the client and will be added to the final balance due prior to pick-up, delivery or shipment of your order. An estimated shipping & handling amount is initially added to any order that will require shipment and the amount will be finalized when your order is accurately weighed for shipment and your shipping option is selected. Locally, most clients prefer to pick up their items in person. You should make arrangements when submitting your final payment one week prior to completion. Style on a Budget primarily uses U.S.P.S Priority Mail & Express Mail, however, other arrangements can be made with an alternate carrier service depending on your order needs. Extra attention is placed on the packaging of your order for shipment to ensure that it arrives to you in excellent condition; however, Style on a Budget does not guarantee that your order will arrive on time and/or without damage. Orders will typically arrive within 2-3 business days with Priority Shipping Service and overnight with Express Mail Service. A tracking number will be provided to you via e-mail and your order will require a signature for delivery. If you or someone else is not present to provide a signature, the package will be available for pick up at the indicated address on your "attempted delivery" post card. Shipping insurance is available upon request for any shipment and will be added to the clients shipping bill if requested.

 

I’m having trouble logging in to place my order…
If you have forgotten your username and password, please follow the steps to recover your information that is provided on the log in page. If you continue to have difficulty, contact the studio and we will happily assist you.

 

I’m having trouble submitting changes to my files and/or approving my files…
For some reason a couple of internet browsers are giving our customers some difficulty during the approval process. We have not been able to duplicate the problem using the updated version of Firefox or Mozilla – so we simply ask that you switch over to Internet Explorer and you should experience a smoother proofing process.

 

How long does the order process take?
In general, from the time you provide the text and make your payment to the time production is completed, shipped, and in your hands – 6 weeks. We highly recommend allowing 8 weeks to complete your order, which will leave room for the unexpected, and any changes that may be required to the hard copy proof prior to full production. The more custom the order and the more services required to produce the order will extend the order process, so please discuss your timing needs with a designer when placing your order. In any case, the required final production time for printing and assembly is 10-14 business days. Your order will be considered a rush order if the proper production time is not provided and a rush order service.

 

How many invitations should I order?
When placing an order for custom/personalized invitations, please make sure that you understand that the production process is personalized as well. Higher fees will apply to any reprint. If you are inviting 79 households (singles, couples & families), then we highly recommend at least 5-10 extra invitations. If you have a minimum occupancy level and you expect you may need to send out more invitations later (a B-list), then consider adding more to your order amount. The set up fee alone for custom orders is $60-90. And for an order of 90 invitations – it’s spread out evenly and is almost unnoticed in the cost per invitation. But if you need 2 more invitations – the fee is non-negotiable and you’ve just purchased 2 invitations for around $55 each. We advise you to plan accordingly. Your designer will confirm all quantities before going to production, but if you address list is not complete and you are uncertain at all related to the final quantity – we suggest waiting until your list of attendees is complete before sending the order to full production.

 

When is the text for my Program, Menu and Escort Card (seating) List Due?
The quantities ordered should be the minimum you expect to need for your event. By your RSVP Date (typically 4 weeks before your event) please submit your Program Text & Menu to allow sufficient time for set up & review. The list for your escort cards is due 1 week before your order is required to ship or pick up.

 

What are my printing options?
The Standard Print option that is included in the price of many of our products is a flat black or color laser print or digital offset print. The proper print method is determined by the designer based on the materials that are selected for printing and will provide a crisp clean print with beautiful detail that won't smudge. The flat printing option is the best method for budget minded individuals on your invitation, inserts, map, envelopes, programs, etc. Raised Thermography and Letterpress are two additional print options offered by our studio.

$ FLAT DIGITAL BLACK/COLOR – Laser printers are used to address envelopes & also to print program text pages and individual escort cards. Depending on the material and the required coverage – Digital Offset Printing will be used whenever necessary.

$$ THERMOGRAPHY- A heat process fusing ink and thermography powder together to create raised lettering on paper. This printing method is difficult to distinguish from engraved pieces; however, using this technique, the back of the paper remains flat.

$$$$ LETTERPRESS - An alternative to engraving offering more color options. Due to the labor intensive process of this technique, it tends to be even more costly than engraving. The process includes; inking an image to produce an impression; the impression is transferred by placing paper against the image and applying pressure to it. The product appears to have been individually stamped into the paper, and given the flexibility of color for this type, the text is vibrant & can include multiple colors.

 

$ = $150-$250/per 100
$$ = $250-400/per 100
$$$$ = $400 -600/per 100

 

What are my Envelope Options?
Most Invitations will include a standard white or ivory single envelope. A wide variety of Color Envelopes and Metallic Envelopes are available to compliment your stationery package. Lined Envelopes and Inner/Outer Envelope packages are also available. Please discuss your envelope options and obtain pricing from a member of the design team.

 

What are Etiquette Guidelines related to addressing my envelopes?
The most formal way to address an invitation is by hand. Using Hand Calligraphy or Hiring a Calligrapher is customary – but any decent pen style is considered appropriate because the invitation is being sent personally by you. Printed Labels are considered a social faux pas – as an alternative to labels, consider meeting in the middle and have the envelopes printed using the same script style that is used in your invitation.

Do you offer Printed Addressing?
For an additional $0.30 the each address can be printed directly on the envelopes, eliminating the need for tacky labels! If you wish to have the return address printed on the RSVP Envelope, the return address printed on the back flap of the Mailing Envelope and the Guest Address printed on the front of the mailing envelope – the total printing fee is $0.90 for the set.

 

Do you accommodate Rush Orders?
It is dependent on our current production schedule and whether it will allow for us to complete the order by your expected in hand date. A 20% Rush Order fee will be applied to all order that do not satisfy our standard production time of 10-14 business days from the final proof approval. Therefore, in general, any orders with a time frame of less than 4 weeks prior to your "in hand" date is considered a rush order. All rush orders must be pre-approved. We are always happy to accommodate rush orders whenever possible. Please contact us so we can help you make selections that will fit your timing requirements.