MyPunchbowl Makes Online Invitations Look Like Fine Stationery

While the design of online invitations has evolved since Evite first launched nearly ten years ago, these invitations still don’t capture the same quality as fine stationery. Until now. MyPunchbowl, a start to finish party planning site, is unveiling a new Digital Invitation Studio that helps you create online invites and e-cards that look and feel like you created customized stationery from a store. The startup hasn’t opened the site up yet (it is expected to be rolled out to the public sometime over the summer), here’s a special preview site for TechCrunch readers.

MyPunchbowl Digital Invitation Studio offers hundreds of stylish and modern invitations and save the dates, each with companion customizable envelopes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. You can add envelope liners, customized postage stamps, and personal photos. The result is a sleek custom online invitation with a matching envelope that replicates the act of opening a traditional paper invitation.

Invitations can be emailed and guests can RSVP directly from the online invite. The studio also includes a number of compelling new features including suggestions for wording your invitation and the ability to upload and re-size multiple photos to your invitation. Powered by Flash, the technology is easy to use and intuitive.

The startup already had a compelling e-card creator, but this offering is impressive. And free. MyPunchbowl’s platform also provides tools that let you find supplies, organize an after party and even set a date, via an algorithm that recommends the best date for your party. The site also allows you to set up gift registries, save-the-dates, message boards, integrate Google Maps’ to display the location, and share comments, photos, and videos.

Launched in 2007, MyPunchbowl has turned into a all-in-one party planning site in a matter of two years. The site added birthday reminders, ecards, wedding planning tools, and also just acquired a local business directory to boost vendor listings. Competitors to MyPunchbowl include Socializr, Pingg, Someecards, Cocodot, and MySpace, Facebook and Evite.