Invitations Explained...

Choosing invitations can be intimidating if you don't know what some of the terms or names mean. You will find on this Blog explanations to the terms used:

Seal n Send Invitations:
This type of wedding invitation is mailed to guests as a single-folded piece (that does not include an envelope) having the respond postcard attached to the invitation by a perforation for easy removal. Due to the respond piece being a postcard, you will end up saving on postage for the return mailing.

Announcements:
This is often used for people you know that will not be invited to your wedding but you would still like them to know about your marriage, you can mail them an announcement card. This can also be used for family members that live out of town or that are elderly and can't make it. Announcements can be printed on the same paper as your invitation but mailed on your wedding day or immediately after with the wording stating that your wedding has already taken place.

Reception Cards:
This lists all the details for your reception, reception cards can be ordered to match your invitations and then be included as a separate insert. Please keep in mind that this card could possibly add to your mailing cost since postage is based on weight.

Response Cards:
These cards are essential to planning for your dinner/reception since an accurate guest attendance count will be needed for food and seating preparations. The response card along with its mailing envelope will be inserted with your wedding invitation. Remember to include a postage stamp on this small envelope which will also have a mailing address already printed on it so all your guests have to do is fill out the card and mail it back by the date you have printed on it.

Lined Inner Envelopes:
For a small charge, you can request your inner envelopes have a colored lining to add a special touch to your wedding invitation ensemble. Color choices will vary depending on the invitation style you choose. Some selections may include this with the price of the invitations.

Envelope Seals:
These self-adhesive labels add a nice finishing touch. They are available in many styles and are used on your outer envelope making it look like they are holding the flap down even though it has already been sealed.

Our professional staff is always eager to help you choose the perfect invitation for your special day feel free to call me personally at 1-815-603-2324 or call us toll free at:
1-877-290-8487 access code KCS90

Love To Promote is a proud dealer of Carlson Craft Invitations, Fine Accessories, Gifts, & more...

Wedding Albums - Secure Your Purchase!

There is something very important that we wanted to share with brides and grooms that are purchasing wedding albums or considering one. The inside scoop from our photography groups is that a lot of photographers have difficulty completing the album for their client because of the time it takes for the client to pick out their photos or go to the studio to review and approve the album before it is printed. We have heard of some clients not coming in at all even though they paid for their album up front. Life does get in the way but your precious memories that are creatively designed for an album by your photographer is something that should not be overlooked or delayed and here is why.....Be warned that if you choose not to get that album done shortly after your honeymoon the following unpredictable scenarios may happen.
The photography company or photographer goes out of business.
The photographer passes away.
The photography studio has a fire and nothing was put in a safe.
The album gets mailed to the wrong person and never returned.
The album was not done correctly and the lab that produced it doesn't carry the type you chose any longer.
The list can go on and on. You can't rely on your albums being securely stored as some studios may not make that their priority. You truly need to follow up on the album design as soon as possible for your own peace of mind. We offer videography in addition to photography and have experienced working closely with another photographer who was independent and worked alone. This person passed unexpectantly and we are still getting phone calls (because they knew we referred each other often) asking if we know how they can get a hold of their photos. We assume this person had no plan of action in the case of their death. A few of this person's clients have paid in full for their albums and we are contributing our time and resources to help them out as best we can. Our AdviceThis is a very good question to ask your photographer....."who is responsible for your studio should anything happen to you?". This will give you peace of mind and a resource to go to in case something happens.A lot of studios including us are offering all images at high resolution to our clients in lieu of albums. You can actually make your own wedding album online these days at a more economical price. To have your images on a disc shortly after your wedding gives you the security that you need knowing your photos are in your hands and not the studios.We offer wedding albums but encourage the sale be made after the wedding so that our clients don't feel the pressure of additional costs and decisions before the wedding. We wish you the best in your adventure and a happy life together!

This article was submitted by one of our preferred vendors - ZonCom Productions Inc.,

They are a one stop shop providing services for Photography, Videography & DJ they specialize in weddings and special events as well as business venues. To contact ZonCom visit them at http://www.zoncom.com/ or call them at 815-439-9750

Love To Promote is proud to have ZonCom Productions Inc., as well as our other Preferred Vendors contributing to our Blog and we hope that if you enjoyed this month's articles that you will pass our Blog on to your friends.

How to Raise Your Credit Score in 45 Days!

We have asked Lori Jones of Baird & Warner to be our monthly Blog contributor each month she will discuss some helpful hints for first time home buyers.

We hope you enjoy this informative Blog presented to you by Love To Promote-

How to raise your credit score in 45 days:
Try these five simple steps to improve your credit score…you could see dramatic results!

As a result of the recent changes in the lending industry a good credit score has become increasingly important. In order to qualify for the loan you want, with a good interest rate, lenders are looking for a score of 650 or more. There are options if your score is lower, but you’ll pay a higher interest and have less options available to you. Therefore, one of the first things you need to do in preparation for the purchase of your new home is to know your score. The easiest way to do this is to go to annualcreditreport.com. It is important to print out a detailed report so that you can check it for accuracy and address any issues. Next, make sure you’ve done the following five things:

1. Pay your past due accounts

Yes, this sound obvious but understand that credit scoring software severely penalizes you for having accounts with a past due balance. Making sure all of your accounts are current, and paying the amount that shows as being past due on the credit report can increase your credit score by a significant amount.

2. Try to get rid of your late payments

Contact all creditors that have reported late payments on your credit and request a good faith adjustment that actually removes the record of late payments reported on your account. Be persistent, if they refuse to remove the late payments at first, remind them that you have been a good customer that would deeply appreciate their help. Call several times if you need to and ask for supervisors … persistence and politeness pay off in this scenario.

3. Request to have your credit limits increased

Contrary to popular belief, having low credit limits on a credit card can actually hurt your credit score. Having low available credit limits affects your “actual debt to available credit ratio”. For example, if you owe a total card debt of $10,000 and your total credit available is $20,000, you are only using 50% of your total credit available. But if you have credit card of $10,000 and your total credit available is $15,000, you change your ratio to 66% of your available credit being used. The lower the percentage of debt to available credit the better, as it shows you are responsible having available credit without running the balances to the maximum.

4. Become an ‘authorized user’

If you have a short and limited credit history, you can ask someone to add you to their credit card account as a joint account holder on an authorized user. When added, the primary account holder’s credit card will appear on your credit report. Credit scoring software will treat the added account as though it is your account and you will benefit from the low balance and the long payment history for that account. It is important to remember that being an authorized user is helpful for your credit score only if (1) the person is carrying debt below 10% of the credit limit on that card and (2) has had a good payment history on the card for seven years or longer…and the longer the history, the better. Being an authorizing user is potentially detrimental to your credit score if the person giving you the card either maxes out the credit or pays late, since this would report on your credit report too.

5. Keep your old credit cards active

15%of your credit is determined by the age of the credit file. Therefore, even if your old credit cards have high interest rates, closing those cards will decrease the average length of time you have had credit…as well as increase your “debt to available credit ratio” as discussed in point 3. Use the old card at least once every six months to avoid the account rating change to “Inactive”. Keeping the card active is as simple as pumping gas or purchasing groceries every few months, then paying the balance down. An inactive account is ignored by Fair Isaac’s credit scoring software, so you will not get the benefit of the positive payment history and low balance that card may have had in the past.

If you have any questions about this information or would like details about your local market please feel free to contact me at lori.jones@bairdwarner.com.