How to Order Baby Announcements

Ooh, baby! New arrival announcements run the gamut from charming
homemade cards to photo cards to embossed cards complete with
pink or blue ribbons. What you choose will depend on your personal
style, budget and how much time you have to devote to the project.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide how much you want to spend. This will dictate your options, from paper and printing method to design.

2. Place your order in a stationery store. Pick paper and a type style that suits the mood of the event. Stay with standard sizes and save a bundle; otherwise envelopes have to be custom made. Set it up so that all you have to do is phone in the baby's name and arrival details.

3. Hire a designer to create a custom invitation or announcement if you don't find what you want at a stationer's. He or she will create a unique, elegant or whimsical look to your specifications.

4. Explore printing effects. Traditional engraving, elegant letterpress, and relatively inexpensive thermography are all classy extras. Plain offset printing with black ink is the least expensive option.

5. Go to sites like Walmart.com and Costco.com, which allow you to add a customized message to your baby's photo. Some announcements come as ready-to-mail postcards. The cost is well under $1 per card and takes just a few days to process.

Tips & Warnings

• Order thank-you notes at the same time to match the announcement.
• Most baby announcements include the child's first and middle names, date of birth, time, weight and length, and the parents' names.
• Print your own announcements from your home printer. Look for software to create photo cards.

[moaklief]

on 11/18/2009 Another great source for creating free baby announcements is www.Amigram.com. People appreciate the opportunity to share their good news without having to let all their relatives and parents’ friends onto their Facebook page, pay for a newspaper listing, or create a website.

Of course, they can also send their announcement to Facebook and Twitter, if they want to spread the news; or if they want to keep their announcement private, they can restrict it so only friends and family see it.

[moaklief]

on 11/18/2009 Another great source for creating free baby announcements is www.Amigram.com. People appreciate the opportunity to share their good news without having to let all their relatives and parents’ friends onto their Facebook page, pay for a newspaper listing, or create a website.

Of course, they can also send their announcement to Facebook and Twitter, if they want to spread the news; or if they want to keep their announcement private, they can restrict it so only friends and family see it.