Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Aluminum or Silver-Plated: Which Frame Should You Choose?


Engraving a picture frame offers you an enduring way to personalize a special gift with a quote, a thought, a date or a name. When you choose aluminum or silver plate for your engraving, your sentiment lasts forever. The choice of a frame is a matter of personal taste, but we often receive questions from our customers about what the difference is between aluminum- and silver-plated frames. We’ve detailed a few characteristics of each style below to clear things up.

Brushed Aluminum Frames: Casual and Durable

brushed aluminum engraved picture frame
Engraved Brushed Aluminum Frame

The silver color of brushed aluminum is softer and warmer than silver plate, and it’s a bit more resistant to wear and tear. If you’re considering a gift for a young and active family – or a frame for your own – brushed aluminum may work well for you. Aside from hiding fingerprints, it is a highly durable material that obscures dents and scratches. So feel free to pass that photo around at family gatherings without worrying about the frame!

Most of our brushed aluminum frames gives you ample space for an engraving above and below the photo. Because it has a less formal appearance than silver plate, brushed aluminum lets you use a larger and stronger typeface than you may choose for use on silver plate. The small foot, or serif, on a Roman font is a fine detail that would suit the distinctive alumninum frame well.

Aluminum frames are also well-suited for companies and organizations to use as awards and giveaways. Company logos show up especially well on brushed aluminum, and since the price point is a bit lower than silver, they’re more cost-effective to buy in bulk. At Engravables Plus, we never charge extra to add a logo.

Appropriate for any purpose that you choose, our brushed aluminum frames are especially suitable for a photograph of a memorable event in the life of a child or a family. A trip to a famous zoo, a victory at the Little League field, a young cheerleader winning a competition, or a commencement day family photo would all work great here.

Silver-Plated Frames: Formal and Timeless


silver-plated engraved picture frame
Engraved Silver Photo Frame


Silver plate is elegant and stately, perfect for memorializing an extra-special occasion like weddings or anniversaries. Our silver-plated frame is the perfect background for any of our finer, more sophisticated fonts, and the traditional styles that mimic cursive may help convey the sentiment that you want to express. Major events that occur only once deserve the respect and place of honor that are reserved for a beautifully engraved, silver-plated frame.

Because there’s ample space on the frame, you may wish to commemorate the event with an original verse, a poem, a line of scripture, or a personal message. With up to six lines of text and up to 24 characters on each line, you have room to say the words that will have a lasting meaning. Of course, fewer words in a larger font can be just as powerful.

Whether you decide on the smudge-proof versatility of an aluminum frame or the classic elegance of a silver-plated frame, we offer top-quality items that will help you cherish your memories forever!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

How to Throw the Perfect Rustic Wedding

how to throw an outdoorsy wedding

The beauty of nature can perfectly complement the joy of two people uniting in marriage. Perhaps for that reason, rustic weddings have exploded in popularity over the last few years. If you'd like to host a down-to-earth celebration, replete with natural details and little reminders of an outdoorsy life, there are a few things you should consider.

First, you and your significant other should decide if you want an outdoor affair or if you'd like to rent a barn. With the latter option, you won't risk subjecting your guests to bad weather; but at the same time, there’s nothing more magical than a perfect sunny wedding.

Scout as many locations as possible; mountains, beaches, and vineyards are popular options for fans of the rustic, and chances are you’ll connect to a particular type of setting based on where you grew up and what you enjoy doing outdoors. Maybe you'll both fall in love with a certain spot the instant you see it. Just be certain that your guests will have enough shade, and find out if you'll need to rent heating or cooling systems. Further, make sure that all outdoor areas are well-lit to prevent falls. If you hang strings of white lights on trees, your wedding space will become especially enchanting after the sun goes down.

To get your attendees excited about your rural wedding, send them invitations with woodsy images: trees, flowers, or perhaps the silhouettes of birds. Next, assemble a series of nature-themed objects for your big day. For starters, you could paint signs on pieces of plywood to direct people from the parking area to the spot where the ceremony will take place. Your guestbook could be decorated with pressed wildflowers or blades of grass. You might obtain tablecloths made out of burlap, and you can serve your guests drink from personalized mason jars engraved with the happy couple’s initials. Try highlighting your centerpieces with natural materials like bark, pine cones, and pebbles.

Finally, you need to choose wedding favors. Even at a rustic event, you can supply your friends and loved ones with elegant items like engraved wine glasses and engraved photo frames that will always carry the memory of the big day. You can also let your guests keep their engraved mason jars, or fill mason jars with candy and a lid to create a unique favor. Whenever your guests use those jars, they'll remember you and the fun time that they had at your rural wedding.

Your day will already be a memorable one. Make it even more memorable with the perfect ambiance, decorations, and favors!