Invitations look good on paper

WASHINGTON POST
Paper invitations to a summer party can feel practically archaic, having largely given way to the e-vite -- a high-speed summons for a good time. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) But the paper invite -- with its handwritten lure -- can be extra-appealing. It's something to be hung on the fridge, an RSVP number to call, a date to save in the calendar.
"While an e-vite is certainly a simple, cost-effective way to send an invitation to friends, it doesn't convey the sense of excitement or importance that a printed invitation does," says Heidi Bauer, co-owner of Rock Scissor Paper, a stationery company. "The in box of my e-mail account is filled with e-mails that need to be responded to or deleted. It's not a place for me to get excited about a party."
Mila Albertson, the Greeting Card Association's membership services and publication director, doesn't believe e-vites will make paper invitations obsolete. "There are way too many occasions where people are going to send real invitations," she says.