There’s nothing better than celebrating your high school graduate with beautiful senior cards and graduation announcements that showcase their personality and achievements. These custom graduation cards are a wonderful way to share this major milestone with family and friends while creating lasting memories of this important transition. Plus, you get to show your graduate how proud you are of their accomplishments. So where are the best places to order your senior cards and graduation announcements? Here are some favorite online labs that excel in modern design and originality and are usually great at customer service and prompt delivery. Senior Photos New Orleans: A Guide to Ordering Senior Cards.
How to pick the best graduation cards with your New Orleans senior casuals can sometimes be daunting. Let’s start at the beginning.
Table of Contents
Which Comes First, the Photo or the Design for Senior Cards?
Let’s start with your favorite senior portrait, the one that captures your graduate’s spirit and personality. Whether it’s from a casual lifestyle senior portrait or a graduate session, it doesn’t have to be a traditional cap and gown shot – that picture can always be featured on the back of your graduation announcement.
Once you pick your favorite pictures, start browsing for a senior card template that works. This is not always an easy task. Your favorite senior photo might not look great with text over your graduate’s face, or perhaps it needs to be in a vertical format instead of a horizontal one. Look around at the many graduation card templates and card companies. And make sure you search senior cards with photos for the best templates. Play with options and find the right design for you.
Using Candid Photos for Graduation Announcements and Senior Cards
Don’t be afraid to use a candid senior photo from your New Orleans senior casuals session! So many families mention the compliments they get on their graduation cards because they featured a photo of their graduate laughing, playing their sport, or engaged in their favorite hobby. We often gravitate to the formal cap and gown photo, but don’t be afraid to try something that captures who your graduate really is – their passions, interests, and the magic of this moment in their life. Their lifestyle senior portrait will often make the most memorable graduation announcements.
Best Print Companies for Senior Cards with Photos
This is a great time to order graduation announcements online – there are wonderful print companies where all you have to do is upload your senior photos, pick a template, personalize the text with graduation details, and press print. Your custom senior cards and graduation announcements will be delivered to your doorstep, making this celebration so easy. I’ve used several different companies to print graduation cards over the years, here are my favorite print labs for consumers that always deliver a great product!
Pinhole Press – Quality Graduation Cards
Pinhole Press creates wonderful gifts with your photos (perfect for graduation gifts too!) including a large selection of graduation announcements on thick cardstock. Their designs are perfect for showcasing your senior’s achievements and creating memorable graduation cards. www.pinholepress.com
Artifact Uprising – Modern Senior Card Designs
Artifact Uprising offers modern designs, easy to use templates and lots of inspiration! Their clean, contemporary layouts work beautifully for senior cards and custom graduation announcements that stand out. www.artifactuprising.com
Etsy – Custom Senior Card Templates
Etsy is the best place to find unique senior card templates if you want to support an artist and have some design flexibility. Just search for “graduation card templates with photos” or “senior announcement templates” and start browsing for original graduation announcement designs! www.etsy.com
Mpix – Professional Graduation Card Printing
Mpix provides exceptional service for graduation card printing. Most senior cards are designed and delivered quickly to your doorstep. They offer lovely designs with foil – perfect for adding that extra special touch to your graduate’s announcement! www.mpix.com
Minted – Designer Graduation Announcements
Minted offers an unbeatable volume of choices for graduation announcements, both traditional and modern. Plus you can get matching envelope liners for your senior cards. This platform features independent artists who create modern and unique graduation card templates with excellent paper quality. Perfect for making your graduate’s announcements memorable. www.minted.com
Design Tips for Custom Graduation Announcements
With custom senior cards, less can be more when designing graduation announcements. I get it, you have a bunch of photos from the senior portrait session and want to highlight all those different looks and locations! But when you can pick one or two senior photos for a card, they will have more impact, especially since most graduation cards are no bigger than 5×7. Let your best senior portrait shine. Use the filters on your chosen lab’s website (such as “graduation themed” or “modern senior cards”) and find the template you are most attracted to.
Using Multiple Photos from your New Orleans senior causal in Senior Card Design
If you do want to use several senior photos, pick a graduation card with a square grid layout for symmetry. Embrace a collage look showing different aspects of your graduate – maybe one in their cap and gown, one playing their sport, and one casual shot. Or consider using only black and white senior photos for a timeless, cohesive look on your graduation announcements.
Adding Special Effects to Graduation Cards
Don’t be afraid to add a little bling to your senior cards! Foil graduation announcements with gold or silver accents are perfect for celebrating this achievement and making your custom graduation cards extra special.
Photo Quality Tips for Senior Cards
Photographer’s tip: Always upload high resolution senior photos, not a copy, screenshot or web-sized version for the best graduation card printing quality.
Planning Your Senior Cards: Timing and Details
Best Time for Senior Portrait Sessions
Book early is the rule for most photographers! Spring is a popular time for senior sessions since many graduates want their graduation announcements ready for graduation parties in May and June. However, fall senior portrait sessions are beautiful too if you’re planning ahead. Make sure you contact your New Orleans senior photographer early to get on their schedule for the best location and date. Mornings and late afternoons are usually best for that magical light. If you are interested in getting your lifestyle senior portrait done with a quick and easy photo session, check out my New Orleans Mini Sessions page for the latest mini session events and info.
When considering the cost for senior pictures, keep in mind that investing in quality senior pictures New Orleans will give you beautiful images perfect for graduation announcements and lasting memories. For more details about my senior photography services, visit my New Orleans Senior Photography page.
Best Photo Locations for Senior Portraits in New Orleans
I’m so glad you asked! I have many favorite locations for senior portrait sessions, and if your graduate has grown up in this city or you’re visiting New Orleans for their senior session, we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to gorgeous locations. From the French Quarter’s historic architecture to City Park’s beautiful oak trees, there’s a perfect backdrop for every graduate’s personality and style – whether you’re planning the best senior photos New Orleans formal session or relaxed lifestyle senior photos in New Orleans.
Take a look at my comprehensive guide for the Best Photo Locations in New Orleans here, and don’t miss my specific recommendations for the Top New Orleans Locations for Senior Photos which features my favorite spots just for graduates!
When to Order Senior Cards and Graduation Announcements
Most online photo lab companies give pretty clear deadlines and turn-around times for graduation card printing, but when you research the best place for senior cards, make sure you look at their print time as well as shipping. Often printing time will be 2-3 days in addition to your shipping time, so make sure you still have enough wiggle room or consider adding next-day air if you’re cutting it close. Rule of thumb for most of these labs is 10-14 days before your graduation announcements arrive at your doorstep. If you’re planning graduation parties, order at least 3 weeks ahead!
Photo Finish Options for Graduation Cards
Matte vs Glossy for Senior Cards
There are several types of finish for senior photos, but for the best graduation announcements, I would recommend the matte option. It’s timeless and feels great in your hands. A good photo lab will increase the contrast and color to give you a vibrant final product whether it’s glossy or matte, so there is no wrong choice here. Don’t be afraid to try something new in your photo finish option – textured papers can add an elegant touch to custom graduation announcements.
Save the Date Cards for Graduation Parties
Planning a graduation party? Consider sending “Save the Date” cards a few weeks before your main senior announcements. This gives family and friends advance notice of your celebration while building excitement for the big day.
Photographer’s Tips for Senior Cards
After photographing hundreds of New Orleans graduates and helping families with their graduation announcements, here are some insider tips to make your senior cards extra special:
Essential Information for Graduation Announcements
Make sure your senior cards include the essential details: your graduate’s full name, high school name, graduation date, and future plans (college, trade school, military, or career path). Consider adding special achievements like “Valedictorian,” “Full Scholarship Recipient,” or “State Champion” if space allows on your custom graduation cards.
How Many Senior Cards to Order
Order more graduation announcements than you think you need! Unlike holiday cards, senior announcements often go to extended family, teachers, coaches, family friends, neighbors, and your graduate’s friends’ families. A good rule of thumb is to start with your holiday card list and add 25-50% more for graduation cards.
Best Timing for Sending Graduation Announcements
Send senior cards 2-4 weeks before the graduation ceremony. This gives recipients time to plan if they want to attend graduation or send a gift, and it builds excitement for your graduate’s big day.
Design Coordination for Senior Cards
Consider incorporating your graduate’s school colors subtly into the graduation announcement design. Also think about ordering matching thank you cards at the same time – you’ll need them for graduation gifts! Many of the companies above offer coordinating sets for custom graduation announcements.
Senior Portrait Session Planning
Outfit Ideas for Senior Photo Sessions
Plan multiple outfits for your senior portrait session: casual everyday look for New Orleans senior casuals, formal/dressy outfit, school colors or letterman jacket, and something that represents their hobbies or future plans. This gives you variety for your graduation card selection and ensures you get the best senior photos New Orleans has to offer. For detailed outfit planning advice, check out my guide to finding the Perfect Outfit for your Senior Portraits.
Props for Senior Photos
Don’t forget props for your senior portrait session like cap and gown, diploma, sports equipment, musical instruments, or anything that represents their personality and achievements. These elements make your graduation announcements more personal and meaningful.
Budget-Friendly Options for Graduation Cards
If you’re watching costs for your senior cards, Mpix and Pinhole Press typically offer the best value for larger quantities of graduation announcements, while Etsy can be very budget-friendly if you’re comfortable with some DIY design work for custom graduation cards.
As your New Orleans senior photographer, I can’t wait to see how you celebrate your graduate with these beautiful senior cards and graduation announcements!
Senior Photos New Orleans: A Guide to Ordering Senior Cards
Reach out to book your senior photos, I would love to hear more about your graduate!
And make sure to check out a few of my other tips and resources below:
New Orleans Family Photo Best Location Spotlight | Race + Religious (also perfect for Senior Photos!)
Guest blogger Jasmyn Sambac gives us a behind the scenes of her experience as a Chandler AZ Photographer.
