GENERAL
WHAT SERVICES DOES SIGNATURES BY SARAH PROVIDE?
Signatures by Sarah provides printable graphic design services for the do-it-yourself bride, printable stationery for events, and custom logo branding design. You can choose from a wide variety of stock designs, that will be personalized to your event and colors. There are hundreds of stock monograms, and over 50 Signature invite suites to choose from. Most of my services are custom design services, to create the perfect design for your event! All designs are sent via email in digital format. You can print your designs at home, or take them to a professional printer.
WHAT IS YOUR TURNAROUND TIME?
Once payment clears, for most orders, first proofs are delivered via email within 8-10 business days. For custom invitation suites, etc - turnaround time may be a bit longer. Final file time is based on client interaction and responsiveness to email, how many edits are needed, etc.
Please understand that design and creativity take time! Emailing me for a constant "order update" will only delay your order. Please keep in mind, if you place an order after business hours, it will not be processed until the next business day. If you need your design more quickly, rush services are available for an additional fee.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION?
Monday-Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (Mountain Time)
Closed Saturday and Sunday, and all major holidays.
I receive emails 7 days a week, and will respond as soon as I can. Please follow my blog or visit my Facebook page for the most up to date information on any scheduled closings.
PAYMENT
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
Signatures by Sarah accepts PayPal ONLY for all transactions. Please keep in mind that if you pay by e-check, or if you have an unconfirmed Pay Pal address, work will not begin on your order until payment has cleared. If you do not have a Pay Pal account, you can still make a purchase. You can either sign up for a Pay Pal account or you can pay with a credit card through Pay Pal without creating an account.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION?
Monday-Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (Mountain Time)
Closed Saturday and Sunday, and all major holidays.
I receive emails 7 days a week, and will respond as soon as I can. Please follow my blog or visit my Facebook page for the most up to date information on any scheduled closings.
PAYMENT
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
Signatures by Sarah accepts PayPal ONLY for all transactions. Please keep in mind that if you pay by e-check, or if you have an unconfirmed Pay Pal address, work will not begin on your order until payment has cleared. If you do not have a Pay Pal account, you can still make a purchase. You can either sign up for a Pay Pal account or you can pay with a credit card through Pay Pal without creating an account.
ORDERING
WHEN SHOULD I PLACE MY ORDER?
WHEN SHOULD I PLACE MY ORDER?
To determine when to place your order, I’ve put together a chart to help keep you on track.
Save the Dates:
Typically Save the Dates are sent out anywhere from 6-9 months before your event date. For holiday weekends or destination events, you may wish to consider mailing 12 months out. This will provide your guest plenty of time to make the necessary arrangements in order to celebrate with you.
Invitations:
I recommend mailing invitations 6-8 weeks prior to your event date.
Wedding Day accessories and other printed items:
Accessories and day-of materials should be ordered at least two weeks prior to your event, to ensure time enough for printing, assembly, etc. Please let me know your need by date to make sure I provide you with all your final digital files on time.
Using the above guidelines, placing your order with Signatures by Sarah 1-2 months before NEEDING THE FINAL PRINTED PRODUCT DONE will ensure plenty of time for design, revisions, finalization, printing, and assembling of your designs.
HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?
Please place your order via my site - GET STARTED -->> and choose the appropriate event description. Any details left unprovided will delay your order.
Please place your order via my site - GET STARTED -->> and choose the appropriate event description. Any details left unprovided will delay your order.
CAN I TRADE ITEMS IN AN ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE, IF I DON'T NEED SOMETHING?
Yes, you are welcome to trade items as long as the price is the same; if the price is different, you just pay the difference, or I will credit you the difference if the item you desire is cheaper.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STOCK AND CUSTOM MONOGRAMS?
Stock Designs are sold as a reduced price; these are the designs that are shown currently on the site. Stock designs can be modified to suit your event style, but ONLY in the way of the names/initials, date, and colors. The first set of proofs are limited to 2 proof changes. If any additional changes are required such as font, layout, etc. or you are desiring a combination of in-stock designs, the design then becomes a custom design and the price will be increased. If you first purchase a stock design, then request a custom design an invoice will be sent out for the difference, before moving on to making the next set of proofs.
Custom designs are created based on your inspiration, style, and specifications. Custom wedding monograms start at just $25.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY MONOGRAM?
When you receive your final file, it's yours to use as much as you want! Please keep in mind that monogram designs are meant to be used as a whole- you may not use individual elements from a monogram separately.
Need ideas on where to use your monogram? Here are some common uses!
Unity Candle
Thank You Cards
Wedding Invitation
Custom Postage Stamp
Favor Tags
Monogrammed Aisle Runner
Custom Match Boxes
Coasters
Votives
Place Cards
Table Numbers
Menu Cards
Ceremony Programs
Water bottle labels
Custom Stickers
Address Labels
Stamps
Gobo light for reception
Guest Book
T-Shirts
Out of Town packages
WHAT FILE FORMATS WILL I RECEIVE?
For wedding projects, I provide the print-ready .pdf files, as well as high resolution .png image files (for website upload, etc). I can also provide others such as .jpg, .eps, etc. Just ask when ordering!
WHERE DO I GET MY FILES PRINTED?
Please refer to my "diy tips" page.
HOW DO I GET FILES PRINTED WITH A PRINT SHOP?
The easiest way to take your files to a print shop is to transfer them onto a flash drive. I recommend using a blank flash drive, or one with minimal files on it. This helps the print shop to find your files easily. Simply provide them with the print-ready PDFs, choose your paper, and have them always DO A TEST PRINT first before having multiples printed
HOW DO I GET FILES PRINTED WITH A PRINT SHOP?
The easiest way to take your files to a print shop is to transfer them onto a flash drive. I recommend using a blank flash drive, or one with minimal files on it. This helps the print shop to find your files easily. Simply provide them with the print-ready PDFs, choose your paper, and have them always DO A TEST PRINT first before having multiples printed
WHERE IS YOUR COLOR CHART LOCATED?
I have provided a color chart to help with communicating your correct colors, as color names are very non-descript. Please print this chart out, and determine the best color based on the print. Colors can vary a LOT from your computer screen to your printer.
(please download and print)
DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL THE WORDING, OR DO YOU DO THAT?
I ask for all wording to be provided by the client, however I am more than happy to help out if you are stuck on a certain part or don't know how to word it!
Click here for ideas of very common invitation wordings!
HOW SHOULD OUR NAMES APPEARS ON A MONOGRAM? THE BRIDE'S NAME FIRST, OR GROOM'S?
If you are concerned about wedding etiquette, (according to the Emily Post Institute) the order of the names on your invitations and logos makes no difference. Either name and either initial may be placed first. It is also appropriate to consider the way you are used to saying the two names together. For answers to more wedding etiquette questions, visit http://www.emilypost.com/etiquette/wedding/index.htm.
- WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JPG, PNG, EPS, AND PDF?
- PRINTING
- WHAT SUPPLIES WILL I NEED TO PRINT AT HOME?
- WHAT ARE CROP MARKS?
- WHAT DOES "BLEED" MEAN?
- HOW WILL MY FILES BE FORMATTED?
- I HAVE A GRAPHIC / CLIP ART I'D LIKE YOU TO USE IN MY DESIGN. IS THAT POSSIBLE?
- SHOULD I PRINT A TEST PAGE OF MY DESIGN PROOF?
- ALWAYS run a test print of your proofs before approving them; you can print the PNG proofs just as you would any other file; the size might not be exact (sometimes you can select the size: ie- 5x7, or 4x6, etc), but you will get an idea of the colors, text size, etc.
JPEG is a file format typically referred to as a bitmap. This image is made up of hundreds of little dots called pixels. These file formats are commonly used on websites, and are not ideal for commercial printers. They are not easily scaled to different sizes as they will eventually become “pixilated.” PNG is a higher quality image file that typically can be scaled without losing as much quality as a JPEG. EPS is a file format typically referred to as vector. This image is made up of clean lines that are mapped by coordinates. These file formats are commonly used by commercial printers, screen printing, and cutting machines. They can be scaled to any size without losing resolution. PDF is a file format that is the common denominator between the two. This is the most universal format available. It is considered a vector because it can be re-sized indefinitely without losing quality.
Designs will be sent via email in ready to print PDF format. To view and print the PDF file, you will need Adobe Reader. (You can download a free copy of Adobe Reader here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/). To print your designs, you'll need a color printer, paper (the heaviest weight card stock your printer can handle is recommended), and a paper cutter. For designs that require folding, optionally you can use a bone folder to score the paper to make folding easier. Some designs may also require adhesive or tape to assemble. I recommend a "guillotine" style paper cutting vs. a rotary.
Crop marks are thin lines that can be included in your final file. You'll be able to use these lines as a guide for cutting your designs precisely.
Bleed is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. The bleed is excess graphic on the sides of your document that ensures when the design is trimmed to size, the graphic will extend all the way to the edge of the page, in case of cutting inconsistencies. Please refer to image below.
The format will be provided to best suite your printing needs. If you are using a print shop for printing, you will need to provide the specs to me from that print shop. If they need 1/8" bleeds and crop marks, I will provide the PDF file formatted that way. Here's a couple different layouts commonly used:
Possibly. The copyright must allow it to be used commercially, AND the graphic must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi, or be vector format (EPS, PDF, or SVG) If for any reason I am not able to use the exact graphic you'd like, I may have a similar graphic available.
- MISCELLANEOUS
- I FOUND AN ERROR I MY FINAL DIGITAL FILE, WHAT DO I DO?
- Please email me with the error and I am happy to fix it. Note: I do charge a $10 charge for edits on final files, unless the error is on my part.
- I'M NOT HAPPY WITH MY FINAL FILE. WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?
- If there was a mistake on my part, please contact me immediately, and the error will be fixed at no charge. Spelling and grammatical errors are not my responsibility; I provide proofs for you to read over and approve. If you've approved the design and received your final file, and then change your mind, you'll need to make a new purchase. You'll also need to make a new purchase if you approved the wrong design (for example, you said proof 1 but meant to say proof 2).
- IS MY PERSONAL INFORMATION SAFE WITH SIGNATURES BY SARAH?
- I only use your personal information to fulfill your requests and contact you. All payment information is dealt with through Paypal.
HOW DO I SUBMIT A REVIEW OF YOUR SERVICES?
Please visit this site:
