BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS: HOW TO DECIDE WHICH KIND TO SEND

• What is your total birth announcement budget?
• How much do you want to spend for each birth announcement?
• Are you willing to do a lot of the work yourself to produce your baby announcements?
• Do you want a photograph of your baby to be incorporated into the card?
• What kind of paper do you want the birth announcement printed on?
• Would you prefer the birth announcement to be flat, or to be folded?
• What “style” best exemplifies your own personality or that of your family?
• What kind of impression do you want to make when the recipients open the envelope with your birth announcement?
• Do you want the information and photos on the announcement to be the focal points?
• Or do you want embellishments such as ribbons, bows, buttons, vellums, or other add-ons?
• Is it important that your birth announcements can be mailed using only regular postage?
• How soon after you place your birth announcement order will you want to be able to mail the finished product?
  

This may well be the most exciting time of your life – especially if you're awaiting the birth of your first child. So it may be hard to bring yourself down to earth and deal with reality. But doing the research now will definitely simplify your life down the road!

Let's deal with the issue of cost first. Budgets come in all sizes, and so do the prices of birth announcements. At one extreme, it is not unusual to see a $5.00 price tag on custom-printed announcements that don't even include a photo of the baby. Depending on the manufacturer, these can even run as high as $8.00 each!

At the other end of the spectrum, if you have the talent, time and energy to do the work yourself, you can set up and print birth announcements on your color printer at home. If you want to go that route, we suggest you experiment first. Some computer software is free via the Internet. Other companies offer “free trials.” Playing with these programs can be fun, and the end result will certainly get your message out. However, as is usually the case, “you get what you pay for.” One word of caution is in order: announcements printed on the typical home color printer are not likely to be very durable, and the color will tend to fade rather quickly. You'll need to decide whether the finished product does justice to your important news!

If, on the other hand, you want something more lasting than the home-made variety, Internet searches will turn up fairly straightforward designs, some incorporating photos, for under $1.00 each. In general, ordering birth announcements from these companies is a completely automated process. Everything about the elements of the design is predetermined and you cannot, for example, move things around or revise fonts. Even worse, no live human being ever looks at your order. That means that whatever you type onto the computer screen is exactly what you'll get; if you make a mistake, too bad! Furthermore, there's no one checking to make sure that your photo looks its best and the overall effect is pleasing. Finally, you'll notice that the designs in this price range typically fit into very predictable patterns – and they look like they've been around forever!

If you're yearning for fresh, exciting, truly customized birth announcements that are actually prepared by real people, you'll want to explore well-established firms offering designs starting in the $1.50 to $2.00 price range. We're happy to say that PhotoAffections.com offers stylish selections fit right into that niche!

Two major types of paper are offered for your birth announcements: “cardstock” and “photo cards.” Cardstock is what you'll find in stationery stores. Such cards may be flat or folded, and come in different weights. Photo cards are a more modern development, originating about the 1950's. They're flat, and printed on real photographic paper.

If you're interested in cardstock, you need to determine how the cards are printed, as there are two ways to print on cardstock. The first is toner-based, the same way a laser printer uses powdered colors. Toner-based printing does not reproduce photos well. The second type of cardstock printing uses ink, which produces better photos. In either case, however, birth announcements printed on cardstock are not archival and will fade over time.

Photo cards, on the other hand, are printed on real photographic paper. They are archival, and will not fade. Even better, photographs of your new baby look infinitely more impressive on photo cards! You'll see more realistic skin tones, greater sharpness, and much better color overall. No question about it: it is impossible for cardstock material to reproduce color, especially skin tones, with the same quality and clarity as traditional photo cards.

The bottom line? To choose between the two types, you need to decide what's more important to you. The thickness of the paper? Or the quality of the image? Currently, PhotoAffections.com offers its designer photo announcements in the photo card format. With a sleek, slightly textured, luster finish which resists fingerprints, they are simply stunning!

Many companies print announcements according to customer specifications, and types and styles vary widely. Some have photos of your baby, some do not. Some are cute, some are classy. Some are frilly, some are tailored. Some are flat, some have fancy folds or accordion effects. Some firms print only the card, and you have to attach your own photographs. Others will print the announcements and supply you with vellums, ribbons, bows, buttons, charms, and other add-ons. You then assemble the various pieces yourself to produce the final announcements. Of course, most firms will also put everything together so that all you do is put the announcement into an envelope. Just be aware that the assembly service alone can add as much as 60 cents to the cost of each card! At the same time, you need to be realistic about how your priorities will change once that new baby gets home. We suspect that busy new parents will have other ways to spend their time besides assembling birth announcements!

Also, keep in mind that anything out of the ordinary, whether extra weight from added embellishments, unusual envelope style, or even an odd-sized envelope (for announcements 5 inches square, for example), may require extra postage for mailing. This can easily increase your total postage expense by 33% or more.

In summary, there are more ways of announcing your newborn to the world than you can possibly imagine – from the most simple to the most complicated and everything in between! Ultimately, the kind of announcement you choose should be based on your personal preference and style. You may already know which kinds make that memorable first impression, and which ones seem utterly forgettable. We recommend you do your own research, think about all the factors involved, and then go with your instincts!

For tips on how to choose a birth announcement vendor, see
“Birth Announcements: How to Choose a Vendor”

Click here to read about Birth Announcement Etiquette

Ready to order? Click here to view our Exclusive Designs!