Timelines
Booking
To get started designing with us, you can purchase a Design Retainer on our website, pay the full price listed for your exact quantity (only an option under Collection Save the Dates), or
contact us and we can email you an invoice. Most of our clients have specific questions about options and changes that can be made prior to ordering and we welcome any questions you may have to aid in your decision making process prior to placing an order. Please note that no timelines begin until you have paid a Design Retainer (or full price) and we have received your questionnaire.
Design and Proofing Process
Throughout the Design Process, you will work one-on-one directly with Scotti. Every proof and every Design Process email is given her individual attention, nothing is automated. With over a decade of experience in the wedding industry, she is available to you to answer any formatting, wording, or etiquette questions along the way and should you be interested, is happy to provide suggestions to make your design work for your wedding needs. This is the advantage of working directly with a designer and not a big box shop.
After your order is placed, we will send you a questionnaire to collect all necessary information for the content along with your style/design requests. Your first set of PDF digital proofs will be emailed to you within 5 - 15 business days AFTER receiving this information, depending on our current workload. If our current workload is light enough to get first drafts to you sooner, we absolutely will. Proofs are digital files that are used to ensure the accuracy or your order - design placement and text will print exactly as seen after Final Approval on your proof.
After receiving your first set of proofs (generally 4-6 pages with various fonts and options that you've requested and/or we've discussed), you will let us know your edits and will get to work on the next round of proofs! All edits are required to be submitted via email. Subsequent proofs are usually delivered faster than the first round.
Collection Save the Dates include four rounds of proofs in our pricing and Collection Invitations include five round of proofs. Additional rounds are $25/each. ANY change needed will require a new round of proofs as Final Approval must be given on the final design exactly as is. For completely custom designs, the number of proofs included will be determined and discussed prior to your order being placed. When the design is finalized, we will ask for your Final Approval before anything goes to print. Please read more about Final Approval below.
Printed Proofs
We are happy to provide one complimentary watermarked printed proof for digitally printed designs at the end of the Design Process AFTER final payment but before the full order is printed. Changes to the design can still be at this point (additional proof charges may apply if you have gone over your included rounds of proofs). A printed proof can be sent before final payment but it would be very heavily watermarked and would not able to include any custom order items like colored envelopes, envelope liners, speciality paper, etc. Printed proofs will add about 6-8 business days to the overall Design Process timeline.
Letterpress printed proofs are available for $75 per item per color and will be watermarked. Changes to color can still be adjusted at this point but if any design elements needs to be changed or moved, a new letterpress plate will have to be ordered for an additional charge. Letterpress proofing will add 2-4 weeks to the overall Design Process timeline.
Printing Time
Please note that printing timelines are solely for the production portion of the overall timeline and does not include the design process.
Flat printing takes approximately 3-7 business days after final payment and Final Approval. Custom order items color envelopes, pocketfolds, envelope liners, etc *may* add additional business days but this can usually be avoided by ordering and paying for these items at the beginning of the Design Process rather than toward the end.
Letterpress or foil printing takes approximately 9-15 business days after final payment and Final Approval.
An order with a combination of digital with letterpress or foil printing will take 16-25 business days after final payment and Final Approval. Because of the long production timeline of this particular and popular combination print method, we recommend ordering at least 3 months before you would like your prints in your hands.
Time Guarantees
The timelines are approximations and not guarantees. We always try to process orders as quickly as possible, but during peak seasons processing may be more delayed.
Rush Orders
Rush orders are available for most designs within our collection and is subject to our availability. Rush order pricing depends on your timeline, quantity, and printing method. For Collection designs, pricing starts at $100 for save the dates and $125 for wedding invitations. Custom design elements (monograms, new venue sketches, new map designs) will have additional rush fees. The usual timeline for rush orders (timeline to be confirmed with us prior to your order) based on existing designs within our collection is 48 hours (business days only) to send your first drafts and 48 hours (business days only) for any subsequent drafts to be sent after receiving edits. Usually the additional rounds of edits (after first drafts) will be sent back faster than 48 hours, that's just the longest it will possibly take.
Envelopes Sent Early
If desired, you may have your envelopes sent to you or your calligrapher prior to your save the dates or invitations being completed. Envelopes and any applicable envelope printing must be paid for prior to the envelopes being sent. Blank envelopes can be mailed ahead of time for the price of the envelopes plus $20 shipping and processing.
Payment
Accepted methods of payment are Visa, American Express, Discover, Paypal (you don't have to have a Paypal account to process payments through Paypal), or check. Contact us if you would like to pay by check - please allow for extra processing time for checks to mail and clear.
Shipping
We ship ground/standard shipping via UPS with tracking. The client is responsible for providing a safe and secure delivery location. We strongly recommend shipping to a business location if possible where someone will be present all day to receive your beautiful paper goods. Please let us know prior to Final Approval if you would like to require a signature, add delivery special instructions, or will need expedited shipping. Expedited shipping will be charged at cost. See more details about shipping under our Terms and Conditions.
Final Approval
Final Approval is the most important step in the production process. Before any items will be printed, we must receive Final Approval from your final proof (sent via email). By giving Final Approval, the client understands that custom printed items are non-refundable and you give permission to move forward with printing. NO CHANGES can be made after Final Approval. Orders will not be printed without Final Approval and final payment.
Please triple check spelling, wording, dates, and times. Scotti Cline Designs is NOT RESPONSIBLE for proofing content and cannot be held responsible for mistakes or error after Final Approval by the client has been given. No revisions to the design or changes in quantity can be made after Final Approval. We recommend having multiple pairs of eyes review your final proof including someone who has not seen any previous drafts. We also recommend proofing your save the date or invitation pieces in reverse of any previous order you have proofed them. Please take this step very thoughtfully and carefully.
Refunds and Cancellations