Do-it-Yourself Invitations Are The Latest Trend In Weddings (NAPSA)—Brides-to-be often envision a gala wedding, a la Brit- tany Murphy’s, while working with a budget that includes college loans and a first mortgage. While the luxury honeymoonis tough to get for a steal, a savvy planner can create stunning invitations without spending a fortune. Initially attracted by price, wedding planners make the decision to use do-it-yourself (DIY) invitations based on time, flexibility and design. This style of invitations caters to couples who want to send a customized, quality invi- tation without a lot of cost and hassle. Masterpiece Studios, creator of the Treasure Masters brand of imprintable invitations, has expe- rienced a significant increase in the number of weddingsserved. “Two strong consumer trends have worked in our favor,” notes marketing and creative director Tamra Sundboom. “In the recent economy, imprintable invitations have become much morevisible and ourkits fit well with the do-it- yourself trend that is sweeping the nation.” About a fifth of Masterpiece Studios’ users list “crafts” as a hobby in response to an Internet survey about their interests. “We’ve found that as the use of computers for other crafting projects—such as scrapbooking—has become popular, consumers have become comfortable and enthusi- astic about using their computers for more than just word process- ing,” says Sundboom. Available in eight designs, Treasure Masters invitation kits include 50 invitations with match- Brides-to-be are creating invitations using a PC, unique Internet software and a printer. ing foil-lined envelopes and 50 fold-over note cards’ with envelopes. Easy-to-follow print- ing instructions are enclosed, along with log-in information to access an interactive Web site: www.tmoccasions.com. At the site, users are led through font color and style choices, plus verse options to create truly customized invitations while following proper layout and wording etiquette. Wedding planners can use a 12-month schedule feature to compose and manage the guest list, automatically calcu- late ceremony and reception guest attendance, and keep track of gifts received and thank-you notes sent. Distinctive invitation embellishments such as satin bows, overlays and rhinestones are also available. Invitations may be purchased separately in groups of 25 and note cards in packages of 50. OfficeMax offers a variety of designs and kit options for creating invitations for showers and rehearsal dinners, as well as response cards, save-the-date cards, and marriage announcements.
