What We Do

We create these photo cards using your favorite high resolution digital camera images, traditional prints, or professional photos. If you mail us your prints, we scan them for you at no charge. These are not cookie-cutter templates that we simply drag and drop your photos into. We offer a much higher quality product where each order is meticulously hand edited by an artist. Each order is a one of a kind miniature work of art worth framing.

Once we have your photos on computer, our photo experts then electronically retouch your photos to optimize contrast, color tone, saturation, red eye, sharpness, and blemishes. Upon request we can also minimize wrinkles, brighten shadows, make white skies blue, blur edges, make fat arms slimmer, cover cleavage, and remove hair flyaways, etc. Most photo retouching is included at no charge. Then we artistically crop and combine your photos with your wording using your selected font choices and design layout. We fiddle and tweak with your design until we get the optimum composition of balanced photo and text size and coordination with other photo elements on the design. We then upload your proof for you to privately review online--this is your opportunity to make any last minute changes or design tweaking before you approve your proof.

Real Photograph Cards

Printed on genuine non-fading Fujifilm Crystal Archive Paper--the same high quality as what you receive from your traditional photofinisher! We use lustre finish paper which has a soft shine with a deckled surface that resists fingerprints. Images are crisp, clear, and colors are vibrantly saturated. Two sizes available: 7 x 3.5" non-folding photograph and 8 x 4" non-folding photograph, white envelopes included.

Ordering Is a Breeze

1.) Select a design from our web site.
2.) Choose fonts for your card.
3.) Compose the wording for your card--figure out what you want to say.
4.) Pick out the photo(s) for your card.
5.) Submit your order online.
6.) Submit your photos. Digital photos are uploaded after checkout, traditional photos can be regular snail mailed or FedEx/UPS overnighted.
7.) Once we receive your photos, your proof will be emailed to you within the following three business days. Rush orders are also available for faster in-house production time.
8.) Once you approve your proof, the order is shipped within the following two business days.
We accept U.S. and Canadian orders only.

Photo Requirements

Photos are submitted after completing checkout.

Digital Camera Images:

Scanning Prints Yourself:

For the best outcome, select well lit sharp focus photos. Minimum image resolution we can work with is 1152 x 864 pixels (16 x 12 at 72 dpi). Watch out for photos that have been emailed as many email programs will automatically resize the image for faster downloading. Make sure you are sending us the full resolution version. Tip: Low resolution digital camera images typically use under 200kb in disc space. A high res. file will usually use 1mb or more. Do not crop, edit, or resize the digital images you send us. It is important that we are given the original versions of your photos as they came straight from your digital camera. We will do all photo cropping and editing for you. If you have special photo requests, please explain in the comments section when uploading your photos. .jpg image file format only please. All professionally taken photos must be accompanied by a copyright release form signed by your photographer. Click here for a form you can print out.

For the best outcome, select well lit sharp focus photos. Scan your prints at 400 dpi, scaled at 100%. Many scanner's default setting is 150 dpi. Make sure to check this and scan your prints at 400 dpi instead (read your scanner's help file if you need help changing this). If there's dust on your scanner's glass surface or your photo, there will be white spots on your scans. Make sure everything is clean before proceeding. Do not crop or edit your scans. It is important that we are given the original unedited scans of your images. We will do all photo cropping and editing for you. If you have special photo requests, please explain in the comments section when uploading your photos. Save your scans as a .jpg file at the highest quality possible (low compression). If your scans don't look right on your monitor, chances are they won't look right once incorporated into your card either. If you're having a hard time getting a good quality scan or are just unsure about the process, please just mail us your original prints. Mailing instructions are below. All professionally taken photos must be accompanied by a copyright release form signed by your photographer. Click here for a form you can print out.

Mailing Film Camera Prints:

• For the best outcome, select well lit sharp focus photos.
• Cutting your prints will not be necessary. All cropping and photo retouching is done electronically.
• We like to work with 4x6 or 5x7 prints. Wallet sized photos can only be used for inset photos--not the main photo. 8 x 10 prints can be used but are harder to work with--if you have a smaller print of the same pose, submit that instead.
• Do not send more than 6 photos.
• Do not send Kodak Picture Maker reproductions of your prints or ink jet prints--these do not reproduce well. Submit only original lab photos. We cannot accept negatives or Polaroids.
• Mail or overnight your prints to: ClassyAnnouncements.com, 1943 Spruce Court, Erie, CO 80516. Mention your name, order number, and your main photo choice. If you do not specify which photo is to be the main photo, one will be selected for you. Prints are always handled with care and shipped back to you in same condition with your finished order.
• All professionally taken photos must be accompanied by a copyright release form signed by your photographer. Click here for a form you can print out.

Reviewing Your Proof

Once the designer has created your proof, you are emailed a link to view your proof online. Your first proof is created utilizing the best placement and color coordination for the photos you provided. Two separate revisions (minor changes/corrections, not a completely new design) are provided free of charge. Should you need a fourth proof and any additional online proofs, they will be $5 each.

You will need to carefully review all aspects of your proof before responding. This includes evaluating colors, fonts, placement and size of photos, and checking for typographical errors. Read the text on your proof out loud and also have a second person carefully review it. Don't be in a hurry to approve you proof—this is when mistakes most often occur. Errors not caught on the proof are the responsibility of the customer.

You'll be given a chance to increase your final quantity of cards, add extra envelopes, keepsake enlargements, and change your shipping method if needed. Your credit card is adjusted to reflect anything added to your order.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Online Proof: Free (2nd and 3rd proofs can be minor changes and revisions to the first proof, not a completely new design)

4th Online Proof and Each Consecutive Online Proof: $5 each

Background Removal: Free for your first image, $5 for each additional

Cancel your order after we've designed your card and emailed you a proof: $35

 

Top Quality Envelopes Provided With Our Photo Cards

For every card purchased, you'll receive one envelope. Extra envelopes can be ordered from your proof page when you approve your proof.

We have our envelopes custom converted just for ClassyAnnouncements.com. You can't get these in any store! These are proudly made in the USA of USA manufactured paper. They are thicker than normal envelopes using 80 pound text heavyweight paper. Features a striped watermark effect embedded into the paper. The "columns" are softly tailored and add a unique and unexpected touch. Available only in unlined ultra white and will require only a first class stamp. Extra postage is not necessary.

 

Printing Process & Print Quality

We use a Fuji Frontier digital lab to print our outstanding photo artwork cards. These are actual high quality photographs--the same as what you receive from your traditional photofinisher!

Our Frontier printing system offers quality you can see... Vivid color reproduction, deeper reds, clearer yellows, more natural skin tones, more brilliant whites and clearer highlight details. The result is magnificent prints with rich tonal gradation, crisp details and lifelike texture.

We use genuine Fuji Crystal Archive Paper creating images and text that are crisp, clear, and vibrantly saturated with no color bleed or blurring. Making for beautiful, quality prints that you'll be proud to send to even your most discriminating friends and family. Plus your prints will stay beautiful over time and will resist fading for generations!

We work with integrity and ethics...Chemical waste created during the printing process is safely collected and purified at our expense for environmentally friendly and responsible disposal.

Sizes available are 3.5 x 7 and 4 x 8, lustre finish, non-folding single sided photographs.

 

Viewing Colors on this Website

Online images of our products (including your proof) are not an exact representation of the actual printed colors. Monitor colors will vary from model to model. What you see on your monitor depends on the ambient light you are using your monitor in, adjustments made to your display settings such as brightness, contrast, color balance, color mode, gamma, and white point, as well as the brand, model, age, and overall quality of your monitor. There are unlimited variables that will affect how you see color on your monitor.

An online proof is provided free with every photo card order. Because we have no way of knowing how accurate your monitor displays color, please consider the colors that appear on your online proof as an approximation of what the final printed product will look like. The only way to accurately determine what the final colors will be is to see a physical printout of your card from our machine. For this reason, we always recommend ordering a physical proof of your card before approving your proof. This can be done from your proof page and is free of charge.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I upload my photos?
The photo upload form appears on the confirmation page after completing checkout. A link to the upload area is also included in your order confirmation email.

Do you have a catalog?
Yes, the website! Everything you need to order is available online. You can order a brochure and sample card here.

Which method do you prefer to get the best quality print: digital image uploaded to you or an actual photo mailed to you?
It depends on what type of camera your photos were taken with. If your images were taken with a digital camera, the best quality will be achieved if you submit the original unedited and unresized digital images. If the photos were taken with a traditional film camera, we prefer that you mail your original prints to us.

What is your Christmas deadline?
We suggest ordering by December 10th. This should allow ample time for the proofing, production, UPS delivery, and for you to address your envelopes.

After I place my order, can I send 3 of my digital pictures electronically and the remaining 2 pictures (prints from a film camera) in postal mail?
Yes, you can certainly do that. When you upload your photos, please mention that you are also mailing photos (that way we won't create your order with only the digital photos).

Are reply cards available?
Reply cards are not available. A great alternative to reply cards is a simple phone-in RSVP request printed at the bottom of your invitation. If the invitation is for a wedding reception, many brides opt to have their guests RSVP at their wedding website. On your website you can include more details about your upcoming reception, your elopement, honeymoon, engagement story, how you met, and your registry. This is a great way to tastefully spread the word about your registry.

All the text that I want to appear on my card won't fit in the input boxes. Now what?
Inputting your text line by line exactly the way you want it formatted on the card is not necessary. The designer will properly format everything when she creates your proof. You can even type all your text for the card into one line of the order form if you wanted. Basically, you tell us the text that you want, and our artist properly formats it and arranges it around the placement of your photos and according to what the text is saying. You'll also be able to make changes to your text when you review your proof.

Am I restricted to the designs shown on your website?
No. All our photo cards are custom designed to work for your event and the pictures you provide. The samples presented on this site are a representation of what past customers have had done for them. These serve to give you ideas of what is possible and help you decide what you like and help you figure out what you want created for your card. You can specify any text that you want. The text used on our samples is only for show.

Can I make changes to my proof?
Yes. You'll have an opportunity to make changes to your proof. Your order will not be printed until you are satisfied with your layout and approve your proof.

Can I cancel my order if I'm not happy with my proof?
Yes. We actually get this question a lot, but the truth is, if the customer doesn't like something about their proof they can simply request a change. We very rarely get cancellations, but when we do, we credit back to your credit card the full amount charged less a $35 design setup fee. What we do is create beautiful custom photo cards based on what works with your photos and text. We follow the general look of the sample you've selected, but the end product is completely customized and retouched to work best with the photos you provide.

Can you make me look thinner, even out tan, make water look more blue?
Yes, we can fix slight imperfections. But keep in mind that what is achievable will depend on your photos. Beautiful photo cards start with great photos--we just enhance what is already there. If you have specific retouching needs, be sure to describe your requests when placing your order.

I am interested in ordering one of the beach wedding cards that shows a couple on the right, but our photos are centered. Are you able to move us to the right and extend the beach area to the left?
We typically stretch the background of the main photo, blending and fading where necessary to create the most natural appearance--whatever it takes to make it work and look great without distorting the people in the photo. You will need a horizontal orientation photo to start with. Obviously, the more off-center the couple is in your photo the better. But what's important is choosing sharp focus photos that you really think are beautiful. We'll worry about making it all fit.

Do you offer a fold-over card with the picture on the front and a saying inside?
No. 3.5 x 7 and 4 x 8 inch non-folding, single sided photograph cards are all we offer.

Will I be notified if the photos I upload are not ideal for this type of photo card due to coloring, lighting, resolution, etc?
Photos for an order are viewed when the order is next in the design queue (this can be up to four days after the photos were submitted). If there are problems with the images we will notify you before we begin work on your proof. It is important that you read through our photo requirements prior to submitting your photos. A quick guideline: never ever resize, edit, or crop the digital photos you send us. This is the number one cause of delays.

Can I have a map or other information printed on the back of the cards?
No. These are actual photographs.

Do you put us in front of the background of the card that we choose, or do you use our background and just make it look better?
All photos that appear on your card will be your photos--yes, made better! We do not use picturesque beach etc. stock photography and insert your bodies into the photo.

Can I use professionally taken photographs on my photo card?
Yes. For images to which you do not own the copyrights to, the photographer's written permission is required. Even though you purchased prints and services from your photographer, the photographer/studio will still own the copyright to your photos unless the copyright purchase was a part of your photography package. Fill out and print the Photographer's Copyright Release Form and ask your photographer to kindly allow reproduction of your images and have them sign the release if they agree. Submit the copyright release with your photos. Your photographer's version of their release is also welcome.

We purchased a high resolution CD of our wedding photos and the rights to them. Do we still need the photographer to sign a release form?
No. A copyright is the right to reproduce a work. If you purchased the rights to your photographs that means you own the right to reproduce your images in any way you choose unless specified otherwise in your contract. Once you purchase the copyrights to your photos the photographer has no say in how you use or reproduce your images unless an exclusion is included in your purchase agreement.

My photographer doesn't want to email me the high resolution photo files. Can he email them directly to you to use on my photo card?
Yes. You will first need to place your order online. On the confirmation page you'll be given an order number. Have your photographer email your photo(s) to info@classyannouncements.com with a reference to your order number and name.

Can I phone-in my order instead of ordering online?
We do not accept phone orders. You can shop here with confidence. We utilize 128-bit SSL for secure Internet transactions and industry leading encryption hardware and software methods and security protocols to protect customer information. If you have a question prior to ordering online, you may contact us here.

Should I send black and white or color photos?
We prefer to work with color photos. If a photo on your chosen design needs to be converted to black and white or sepia, we simply do it electronically from your color print or digital file. Sending us color photos will produce better results because we can control the contrast of the image much better than if the photo was submitted to us in black and white.