PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW OUR FAQ'S BELOW BEFORE PLACING AN ORDER. BY SUBMITTING AN ORDER TO CHELSEA PRESS YOU AGREE TO OUR ANSWERS WHICH ACT AS OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions we can answer that are not covered on this page.
CAN I ORDER SAMPLES?
Here at Chelsea Press we believe you should experience the quality of our printing and paper before you make a decision on who you choose to work with for your special day. We believe that quality means so much. Our samples are based on the printing method you choose and contain examples of the quality of our paper and printing. For example; if you choose letterpress printing you will receive paper samples, a flat ink color chart and a letterpress invitation. If you choose flat printing you will receive a flat printed invitation and a set of ink swatches. Letterpress printing sample sets are $15.00 each and Flat printing sample sets are $10.00 each. The purchase of sample sets are credited back to you upon placing your order with us. A mini deck of our specialty papers is available at an additional cost of $20.00. Once you purchase our samples they will be shipped out in 3 - 5 business days via US mail. Please allow additional time to receive them. Although we will be disappointed if you decide to use another vendor, we do not accept returns on samples.
Please note: because the samples are to show the quality of our paper and printing, the sample invitation you receive may not be the actual invitation you are interested in. Samples are not sent personalized with your information or in the colors you are interested in. They are merely meant to reflect the quality of our work. We do not stock samples of each invitation, but if there is something particular you would like to see, let us know. If we have one in stock we will be happy to send it to you.
Our samples come to you in a beautifully addressed envelope to showcase our guest addressing service.
CAN I PURCHASE DIGITAL PRINTABLE FILES?
Currently we only sell finished printed stationery and do not sell digital versions of our designs.
CAN I SUPPLY MY OWN PAPER?
At this time we do not print on customer supplied paper.
WHAT IS THE WEIGHT OF YOUR PAPER?
The weight of our papers vary. For flat digital printing we offer our standard or our premium double thick. For Letterpress printing we offer 300 gsm, 600, gsm and 900 gsm.
WHAT KIND OF PRINTING DO YOU OFFER?
Although we specialize in Letterpress and Foil printing, we also offer Digital Flat printing, Thermography, Embossing and Bell Press printing.
WHAT IS LETTERPRESS PRINTING vs DIGITAL PRINTING?
Letterpress printing is an age old technique of printing that originated in the 1400's. It involves having a plate made and the design is then pressed down into the paper. This creates a somewhat pillow effect. Digital printing is flat printed using a professional digital printer. Ink colors vary based on the type of printing method used.
CAN I CHANGE THE WORDING ON THE INVITATION, RSVP SET, ETC?
Absolutely, most wording can be easily accommodated with all of our designs. Some of our designs are more flexible than others. In order to keep the visual balance of the design and to ensure everything will fit, we recommend not adding more than two additional lines of text to any invitation.
CAN I REQUEST A LETTERING STYLE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE?
Yes, we have many lettering styles that are not included on our lettering styles chart. If you choose a lettering style we do not have, we would be happy to purchase it for you for an additional charge.
DO YOU OFFER CALLIGRAPHY?
Yes. We work with several talented calligraphers and can provide calligraphy for your invitation suite, individual guest names and addresses (for envelopes, place cards, etc.), All calligrapher fees are an additional cost and because hand calligraphy is an art, calligraphers are booked in advance and are based on availability. Contact us for pricing.
CAN I CHANGE ONE OF THE DESIGNS ON YOUR WEBSITE?
All of our designs are sold as is with the ability to change your paper, wording, lettering style or ink colors at no additional charge.
However, we love doing custom orders and we will work with you to accomplish your vision. Our innovative designs, the quality of our work and materials, along with our personalized service makes for an enjoyable experience. We communicate on custom orders via phone and email. Email us your thoughts, photos and inspiration and we will then send you a formal estimate of the number of hours we'll need to spend. We charge $75.00 per hour for custom design work with a $200.00 minimum, to be paid in advance. If you're thinking of having an invitation or announcement package designed from scratch, be sure to allow 2 - 4 weeks for the design/proof process, your 4 week printing turnaround time plus your shipping time.
CAN I USE A WEDDING INVITATION DESIGN FOR A SAVE THE DATE, BRIDAL SHOWER, BIRTHDAY, BAT MITZVAH, ETC?
Absolutely! A design is just a design. It is the wording that determines what type of invitation it is. Just send us your wording when placing your order and we will send you proofs. Don't see what you are looking for? We would be happy to custom design a piece for you.
CAN I GET A COLOR THAT IS NOT ON YOUR INK CHART?
Yes, but we can't guarantee an exact match. We will get the color as close as possible for you.
CAN YOU PRINT ON BOTH SIDES OF A CARD?
Yes. Printing on the back of a card is priced as an additional ink run. If printing with the letterpress method, we suggest using 600g paper for two-sided pieces; however, it's not required.
CAN I SEE MY COLORS ON AN INVITATION BEFORE I ORDER?
Once you have placed your order, we will send you a PDF of your proofs in the colors you have chosen. We make every effort to accurately display our product colors on our website, however please note that colors can vary due to the monitor they are viewed on and the printer you print on. For flat digital printing, please refer to our Ink Color Chart that comes with purchased samples for more accuracy. Please note, the appearance of the ink colors change depending on your choice of printing method and the color of your paper. See letterpress printing below. Due to the above, we are unable to accept returns because your printed stationery does not match the colors you see on your computer screen and printed on your printer.
CAN YOU PRINT FOREIGN TEXT?
Yes, you just need to provide us with your foreign text in a Word document. As with all of our orders, it is your responsibility to proofread the text and accents for accuracy. Please note, there is a $50.00 formatting fee for each non-English language.
WHAT TYPE OF PHOTOS DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept jpg, jpeg, png, gif, bmp, tif, and tiff files. The maximum file size is 8MB.
Photos taken with cell phones are often lower resolution and in general, they do not provide the best quality prints for photo products. If you're unsure, feel free to submit your photo and we will let you know if the quality is up to printing standards. If you only have a cell phone photo and it is lower resolution, consider selecting a design that looks good with a black and white or sepia photo.
Please submit the largest photos you have, in their original, unedited version. If you need edits, please leave a note in the "special requests" box when ordering. We will get back to you with the cost for your photo editing.
Examples of photo editing: cropping, changing to black & white, brightening, color adjustment, and contrast.
WHAT DATE SHOULD I USE ON MY RESPONSE CARDS?
We recommend 4 weeks before your wedding date to give you enough time to order all of your "day of" items such as Place Cards, Table Cards, Menus, Programs, Favor Tags, Thank You Cards. etc. We have a 14 business day turnaround time after final proof approval on all of these items.
HOW MANY INVITATIONS DO I ORDER?
All orders are sold in increments of 10 for flat printing with a minimum of 50 invitations and letterpress printing is sold in increments of 25 with a minimum of 50 invitations. We recommend ordering at least 10% more invitation sets than you anticipate needing. There are always last minute additions and you want to make sure you have enough for a keepsake. If you need to place a re-order after your order has gone to print, the above increments and minimums apply. Re-orders can be costly so be sure to double check your list before placing your order.
CAN YOU PRINT MY GUEST NAMES AND ADDRESSES ON MY ENVELOPES?
Yes, adding our addressing service creates a finished look to your invitations. Guest addressing is available to match all wedding invitation suites, save the dates and thank you cards. Your guest's addresses will be printed on the front of your envelopes with your return address printed on the back flap. We are able to print your envelopes in the same lettering style and ink color used on your invitations. We can even print in white ink. If ordering this option we will send you our Guest Addressing Spreadsheet. Please note, only our spreadsheet format will be accepted. Chelsea Press will print guest names and addresses exactly as you provided them to us and will not be held responsible for misspellings or incorrect names/addresses supplied by thecustomer. Any reprints due to customer error will be charged to the customer at the full item price. We accept only one spreadsheet per order. More than 10 address changes after the initial proof round will result in a spreadsheet re-import fee of $25.00 so be sure to check over your addresses carefully before submitting them.
DO YOU OFFER ENVELOPE LINERS?
Yes, envelope liners are available for most of our envelopes.
DO YOU PROVIDE EXTRA ENVELOPES IN CASE I MAKE MISTAKES ADDRESSING MY ENVELOPES?
Additional envelopes do not come with your order. We would be happy to provide you with extra envelopes for an additional charge. Extra envelopes should be ordered at the time you are placing your invitation order so that you do not incur additional shipping costs. We suggest ordering 10% extra envelopes to cover any mistakes that you or your calligrapher might make while addressing them with your guests names and addresses. If Chelsea Press is addressing your envelopes, we require you provide us with 10% additional envelopes.
CAN YOU CREATE MATCHING ACCESSORIES FOR MY BIG DAY?
We would love to create matching accessories for you. While your invitation sets the tone for your wedding, matching accessories truly help capture the style and theme of your wedding with coordinating Save the Dates, Place Cards, Table Cards, Menus, Table Numbers, Custom Postage, Rehearsal Dinner Invitations, Programs, Favor Tags, Personalized Thank You Notes. etc. We have a 2-3 week turnaround time on all of these items.
IS THERE A PRICE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAPER?
Yes, we recommend you order one of our sample packs to touch the quality and weight of our different papers. You will have the option at the time you place your order to choose the weight of paper you would like.
HOW MUCH DOES BLIND (NO INK) LETTERPRESS COST?
A blind letterpress run is priced the same as an ink run. For example, if you would like a design with no ink and a color for your copy, that would be two runs and would be priced as a 2 color invitation.
WHAT TYPES OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
Chelsea Press accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover and PayPal. Your credit card will be charged at the time of ordering. The information we receive will be kept confidential. Your information will never be given or sold to a third party.
WILL I BE CHARGED SALES TAX?
Sales tax is charged to all orders shipped within the state of California and will automatically be applied to your invoice.
HOW DOES PROOFING WORK?
Once we receive your order, with all of your information, wording and details, your job is placed on our design/printing schedule and we will start working on your proofs. Once your proofs are completed we will send them to you as a low resolution PDF. We want you to be 100% happy with your design so we will work with you to make any edits and changes necessary until you are completely satisfied with it. Proofing is an extremely important part of the ordering process. Be sure to check all information and all details very carefully. We include 2 free rounds of revisions in the cost of your order. Please note, changes must be submitted in writing via email as it allows for less errors. No verbal changes will be accepted. Any changes beyond the two rounds of proof revisions will incur a design fee of $50.00 per hour. Once you approve your final proofs, Chelsea Press is not responsible for wording, spelling, grammar, type style, punctuation, info, etc. contained in the proofs. You are solely responsible for the content of your proofs once you sign off on them. Once you have approved your order it will go to print and no further changes can be made.
CAN I CHANGE MY ORDER?
We are happy to accommodate changes to your order before it has gone into production. If you have approved your proof and your order is in production, we are no longer able to make changes, additions or edits.
WHEN SHOULD I MAIL MY SAVE THE DATES AND INVITATIONS?
We suggest mailing your Save the Dates 6 - 8 months prior to your wedding and your Invitations 8 weeks prior to your wedding.
HOW LONG DOES THE ENTIRE PROCESS TAKE?
Each one of our pre-designed invitations is tailored to your specifications with your information, your choice of lettering styles, paper and ink colors. Whether ordering one of our pre-designed or custom designed invitations, as the client, you are responsible for providing us with your information and feedback in a timely manner. Once we receive your order, all information, wording and details your job is placed on our design/printing schedule and we will start working on your proofs. Once your proofs are completed we will send them to you as a low resolution digital file. We include 2 free rounds of revisions in the cost of your order. Any changes beyond that will incur a design fee of $50.00 per hour.
Estimated dates of completion will vary based on the number of changes requested during the proof process, the complexity of your order and your response time for changes & approvals. If you respond in a timely manner, plan on approximately two weeks to go through the proof process. After we receive your final approved proofs we require 4 weeks to print your flat digital invitations and 6 weeks to print your letterpress and foil invitations. Overall, the process generally takes 6-8 weeks. If your invitations require assembly and you are having us assemble them (additional cost), please add 1 week to your turn around time. We recommend you order your invitations 4 - 6 months prior to your wedding date and mail your invitations 8 weeks before your wedding. See below for custom designed invitation turn around times. Depending on the shipping method you choose, you need to add this additional shipping time to determine when you will receive your order (see shipping map).
PLEASE NOTE: Chelsea Press is not responsible for turnaround time that is longer than expected due to client delays.
DO YOU OFFER RUSH ORDERS?
When possible, we would be happy to help you with your rush order. Please contact us to find out if we are able to accommodate your needs.
DO YOU HAVE A STOREFRONT LOCATION I CAN COME VISIT?
We are solely an online store
DO YOU SHIP OUTSIDE THE US?
Yes. We ship all over the world. For International, shipping rates and times will vary depending on the carrier. Please plan ahead if your items are time sensitive and they are being delivered internationally. It could take a minimum of 3 weeks for your shipment to arrive. You are responsible for all shipping and custom charges. We accept no responsibility for packages getting lost, damaged or seized by customs. Once your order has shipped, we will email you the tracking information.
HOW LONG DOES SHIPPING TAKE?
Orders shipped within the United States are shipped UPS Ground unless you have made arrangements in writing to expedite your order. Orders shipped ground can take up to a week to arrive. If your order is being shipped during the heavy holiday season or during bad weather conditions it could take longer. Please plan ahead during these heavy seasons. Chelsea Press is not responsible for your order once it has been delivered to UPS.
For International, shipping rates and times will vary depending on the carrier. Please plan ahead if your items are time sensitive and they are being delivered internationally. It could take a minimum of 3 weeks for shipments to arrive.
CAN I TRACK MY ORDER?
We ship via UPS Ground with a signature required. You will be emailed your tracking number once your order ships. Please note: for International orders, tracking details usually end when the shipment leaves the United States. We may not have tracking updates beyond this point until your item is delivered.
CAN YOU SHIP MY ENVELOPES BEFORE MY INVITATIONS SO I CAN START ADDRESSING THEM?
We can ship blank envelopes early that aren't being printed for the additional cost of shipping. If we are printing return addresses for you, your envelopes will arrive with your invitation order.
HOW MUCH POSTAGE WILL MY INVITATIONS NEED?
Since invitation size and weights vary, we recommend that you take a full invitation set to the Post Office to have them weighed and checked for size to ensure you purchase the correct postage. Over sized and square invitations require extra postage. If your invitations need to be "hand canceled" due to ribbon, crystal buckles, etc., please be aware you must request this with the Post Office and there is an additional postage charge for this service. Not every Post Office offers this service, be sure to check in advance.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?
Although we have a new name and a new website, we are proud to say we have been in the custom stationery business servicing customers for over 20 years.
WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE ON A BUDGET?
There are several things that can help make invitations more affordable. Here are a few ideas:
Print your order with our flat digital printing process. If printing in letterpress, print in one ink color on 300gsm paper. If you're set on two ink colors and/or 600gsm paper for the invitation, consider 300gsm and one color for your enclosures.
Use a reply postcard instead of a reply card & envelope to keep your paper and printing costs down. If you are hand addressing your envelopes with your guest names and addresses, you can also keep your printing costs down by ordering one of our custom rubber stamps with your return address to use on your invitation envelopes.
ARE YOU ECO FRIENDLY?
We are committed to decreasing our footprint on the planet. We offer many recycled and tree free papers.
CAN I RETURN MY ORDER?
Due to the custom nature of our products, we do not accept returns.