...and I spoke too soon.

So, Tony and I have been having relatively good success with our vendors. The process has been pleasant (probably because we have been picking the people that we want) - but I must have spoken too soon.

We got the first proof of our wedding invitations last week. Boy, was it bad. We customized the language of the invitation to fit our needs. And this is what H2 cards told us we could do. We hashed it over with our parents for days. Back and forth, before we all came to an agreement. And what did the proof look like it when it arrived? It had punctuation marks where we didn't want them. They inserted words that we didn't have. The added entire sentences that we didn't ask for. They inserted an additional feature to the card that we didn't ask for. There were so many mistakes, we couldn't possibly make handwritten corrections and then fax it back to the printer.

We went to them in person, and asked them to fix the card. Rather than apologize for not following our proof and assuring us they can fix it - we were told repeatedly, that "this is not how it is done" and "our graphic artist was following our standard template." Yes - I told her - we understand that, but you told us the layout was customizable, and this is the layout that our families agreed to, and we insist that the layout be EXACTLY as we sent to them. I think I said this point at least 3 times, and finally because there were a growing number of customers waiting to be helped, she finally agreed, and said she would have her graphic artist work on it Monday and send us the revised proof. The graphic artist department was not working today (Saturday), she said.

Well, first of all when we first entered the store, another person was assisting us, and she made SOME of the changes we asked for. So, if she could do it, why couldn't they do it?

In any event - the invitations are continually evolving at this point. We haven't even gotten to the actual sending of the invites yet, but this is proving to be the biggest headache of all.