How to Select Birth Announcements

Introducing to the world that you have a new bundle of joy in your family is an exciting time. Most new parents choose to send birth announcements to family and friends to make memorable introductions. Not surprisingly, selecting the perfect birth announcement is sometimes time consuming and confusing.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Set your overall birth announcement budget including postage. To help you choose a birth announcement, also set a budget for the price per announcement. Announcements range from the high end printed announcement to the lower end where you make the announcement yourself. Also, consider how many you plan to mail.

2. Decide what type of announcement you want. The announcement decisions include, type of paper, card stock or photo, embellishments such as ribbons, sticker or charms, or including a baby photograph. Also, think about the style of the card in terms of wording, personality and whether you want it to fold closed. Photo Affections sell a variety of announcements that feature your baby's photograph and Announcing It sells announcement cards you create yourself (see Resources).

3. Select what the announcement focal point is. The focal point can be the photo, baby's birth information or some other embellishment or saying such as a scripture. The focal point helps set the personality of the announcement and is usually what the reader notices first upon opening the announcements.

4. Choose the announcement's personality. An announcement can be humorous/whimsical, solemn, surreal or religious. A humorous/whimsical announcement incorporates cartoon characters or stick figures into the design and may announce the new birth from an older sibling or the family pet.

5. Browse completed birth announcements before you make your final decision. Ask for recommendations of where to purchase from family and friends. Review announcements, wedding invitations and announcements you have received to gain ideas for your announcement. Look at announcements online and request samples whenever they are available.

Tips & Warnings

• Printing birth announcements on a home inkjet or bubblejet printer creates less durable announcement that fade over time.

• Consider the amount of time you need to get the announcements mailed within six months of the baby's birth when selecting the announcement.

Resources

• Order photo birth announcements from Photo Affections.
• Order card stock announcements from Announcing It.