Invitationland

What size invitation cards does the free Invitation Maker create?

You have three size options when creating printable PDF invitations.  The first two options are meant to be printed on regular US letter sized paper.  "4 cards per page" or quarter-page invitations print four to a sheet on a 8.5" x 11" standard piece of paper.  "2 cards per page" or half-page invitations print two larger invitation cards on a standard letter page.  "Single card" formating creates one single 5" x 7" card.  This is a good choice when you wish to email the invitation as an attachment rather than print them out.  Or, for invitations that require no cutting, buy 5" x 7" photo or specialty paper and print single cards out.
 

What kinds of specialty paper do these templates work with?

For quarter-page, 4 cards per page invitations (4.25" x 5.5"):
You can use any letter sized paper and cut the invitation cards out yourself.  Or many paper brands (Avery, Staples, etc.) have a "postcard" paper that has perforations or clean-edge laser cut separations that allow you to tear the page into quarters.  We have designed our invitations to work with this kind of paper if you choose the "4 cards per page".  Some of the Avery papers that work with this layout are 3263, 3380, 8380, and 8383.

For half-page, 2 cards per page invitations (5.5 x 8.5 finished size):

Use any letter sized paper - card stock or thick photo paper works well - and cut the page in half.

For Single Card 5" x 7" invitations:
Use 5" x 7" photo paper, index cards, or any other pre-cut 5" x 7" paper.  Photo paper is the easiest paper to find in this size.

 
What kind of envelopes fit the three sizes of invitations?
For quarter-page invitations that print 4 cards per page, purchase 4-3/8" x 5-3/4" envelopes which are available at many office supply stores or online.  Staples carries them etc.  For half-page invitations that print 2 per page, use the A9 size envelope which measures 5-3/4" x 8-3/4".  For 5" x 7" single card invitations, you can use the A7 size envelope which measures 5 1/4" x 7 1/4".

 
Why doesn't anything happen when I click "Create PDF" on the Invitation Maker? 

If you have a pop-up blocker or your web browser's settings block pop-up windows, you will need to enable pop-up windows for the PDF to be loaded (it opens in a new window). If you need more information on how to change the settings on your web browser, click here for instructions on changing your pop-up blocker settings .

I am using the AOL web browser and having trouble using the Invitation Maker.

We have heard from several users that they have not been able to make PDFs while using the AOL browser.  We recommend trying another web browser, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer.

Why do the colors look darker or muted on the PDF version of my invitations?

The PDFs created by the Invitation Maker use CMYK colors, which are best for printing and required by most commercial printers for printing jobs.  They may display darker on your screen depending on what application you are using to view the PDF.  This is particularly noticeable when using the built in "Preview" application on a Mac as opposed to Acrobat Reader.  The best way to see the colors of your card is to print a test sheet to make sure you are happy with your card's colors. 

How do I cut the invitation cards out myself?

You can use an exacto knife and ruler for the cleanest cut, or a paper cutter, or even scissors.  The half-page invitations require only one cut between the cards (at 5.5" when the page is held "landscape").  Quarter-page cards need to be cut in half in both directions.  Make sure you are printing the cards out with no scaling to ensure the cards print exactly the same on each half (see next question).

My invitation cards are printing out too small (so don't line up on my Avery paper, or aren't measuring the standard size).

On Windows systems, often the default setting to print PDFs in the "Page Scaling" area of the Windows print dialog box is not set to print at actual size.  "Page Scaling" should be set to "None".

My invitation cards are printing out at the correct size,  but they are not centered.

Make sure you have selected "Print Maximum Area" from the print dialog box that pops up when you have hit "print".  This is usually found in the "Preferences" area of the print dialog box, under the "Paper" tab.