Last year, the founder of Faire-part-de-France.fr reached out to share their services for creating elegant announcements for weddings and births. Inspired, I revived our reader testing series. With no immediate personal need, I was drawn to their beautiful birth announcement templates and recruited testers via Facebook.
Hélène was selected, perfectly timed as she urgently needed stylish birth announcements for her newest child in a blended family. I granted her full access to test the site end-to-end and share her insights here.
Let's hear from Hélène.
(Cue welcoming applause... or not!)
In our blended family, this baby was our first together, the third for each of us, and the fifth for our growing tribe. This joyous news deserved a grand announcement—especially since we're unmarried, and no one has received official word about us yet.
I brainstormed creative ideas: the kids holding lettered signs spelling the baby's name (perfect with four children and eight letters), or photos of baby clothes drying on the line alongside their favorite t-shirts. But coordinating smiles and shots proved tricky. The frame? Planned for maternity leave, but pre-birth exhaustion delayed it. Post-birth, with Dad on holiday, we assumed ample time—yet two months later, my DIY efforts (far beyond my crafting skills) remained unfinished.
Researching quality paper and envelopes led to printer costs that felt exorbitant for 80 custom pieces. That's when my "good fairy" e-zabel recommended Faire-part-de-France.
Relief! I abandoned my faltering project; Dad was secretly thrilled too. That evening, we explored the site together.
The interface is intuitive across devices—tablet, phone, or desktop. A dedicated birth announcements section? Ideal.
Initially overwhelmed by the selection (15 pages, 30 models each!), we soon appreciated the variety. From Dad's colorful animal designs to my stylized snowmen, every style exists. Selecting a model previews other color options—super handy.
Classic options boast premium paper quality (evident in photos), precise cuts, and even free samples on request.
Original designs feature ribbons, twine for a natural touch, die-cuts, embossing, vibrant or pastel hues.
We shortlisted three:
Our future godmother adored the owl, sealing our decision.
Next, personalizing the text: Keep defaults or customize. We crafted ours to feature our four older children.
No basic thanks would do for such beauty. With gifts tapering in larger families, we ordered 30 thank-you cards alongside 80 announcements. Fewer options here, but an owl-themed match was perfect—we used the default text.
Post-customization hiccups arose: Proof missed my inbox (spam folder), site validation failed. The final proof omitted the baby's surname (tricky in blended families!). After correction, e-zabel intervened—sales rep Jérémy called, and production shipped same-day.
Delivery drama: Opted for nearby relay, but redirected 6km away with mislabeled package. We persisted and received them.
Unboxing impressed us. Dad assembled effortlessly (sans instructions). Minor flaws on two, but plenty remain for announcing Baptiste's arrival.
This tempts us toward wedding invites... if Dad ever proposes!
Pros:
Areas for Improvement:
The egg-shaped card hides inside the owl. Front: baby's photo!
Products provided to tester
