INVITATIONS, AND WEDDING STATIONERY ETIQUETTE

COMPARE PRINTING YOUR OWN INVITATIONS WITH TRADITIONAL PRINTED INVITATIONS AND USE YOUR SAVINGS FOR OTHER ITEMS.

FOR INVITATION RELATED ARTICLES CLICK HERE :

WEDDING-INVITATIONS-ETIQUETTE

FAQ-ABOUT-WEDDING-INVITATIONS/

BUDGETING FOR WEDDING INVITATIONS AND ACCESSORIES

HOW TO CHOOSE WEDDING INVITATIONS

WEDDING INVITATIONS COME IN A VARIETY OF PAPERS, CLORS AND STYLES. YOU CAN FIND THEM WITH OR WITHOUT GRAPHIC DESIGNS. THEY CAN BE PRINTED FOR YOU, OR READY FOR YOU TO PRINT ON YOUR HOME OR OFFICE PRINTER. THIS GIVES YOU A WIDE CHOICE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOURSELVES. WHATEVER YOUR CHOICE, IT IS ADVISABLE THAT YOU PURCHASE YOUR INVITATIONS AND MATCHING ENVELOPES AT THE SAME TIME. THIS WILL INSURE THAT THERE WILL BE NO VARIATIONS IN COLORS AND THE ENVELOPES SIZE WILL FIT YOUR CHOSEN INVITATION. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IF YOUR INVITATIONS ARE NOT WHITE.
PLACING YOUR INVITATION IN AN INNER ENVELOPE USED TO BE CONSIDERED PROPER ETIQUETTE. TODAY IT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. YOU MAY, OF COURSE DO SO, BUT IT IS NO LONGER REQUIRED. YOU MAY CHOOSE TO SEND YOUR INVITATION IN A SINGLE ENVELOPE OR IN INNER AND OUTER ENVELOPES. IF YOU CHOOSE THE LATTER, THE INNER ENVELOPE SHOULD BE GUM FREE SO IT CANNOT BE SEALED. UNLIKE THE MAILING ENVELOPE, THE INNER ENVELOPE SHOULD BEAR ONLY THE INVITEE’S NAME(S).

ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS ARE USED TO ANNOUNCE YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND SHARE YOUR HAPPINESS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THEY ARE ALSO APPROPRIARE AS INVITATIONS TO ENGAGEMENT PARTIES AND BRIDAL SHOWERS.

RECEPTION CARDS

RECEPTION CARDS ARE USED FOR GUESTS WHO ARE NOT INVITED TO THE CEREMONY BUT ARE INVITED ONLY TO THE RECEPTION. THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF CLOSE PEOPLE ARE INVITED TO THE CEREMONY FOR VARIOUS REASONS. SOME COUPLES PLAN A DESTINATION WEDDING WHICH IS VERY COSTLY. THEY USUALLY INVITE ONLY THEIR CLOSEST FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THEY DO NOT TO BURDEN THEIR GUESTS WITH HIGH TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES. OTHERS, ESPECIALLY RE-MARRYING OR DECEMBER COUPLES WANT ONLY THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY PRESENT AT THEIR NUPTIAL CEREMONY. STILL OTHERS HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND CHOOSE TO HAVE A RECEPTION AT EACH.
THESE CARDS ARE ALSO PERFECT FOR RECEPTIONS IN CELEBRATION OF SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES, THE MOST COMMON 25TH AND 50TH.

RESPONSE-R.S.V.P. CARDS

RESPONSE R.S.V.P. CARDS, ARE POSTCARD-SIZED AND SHOULD MATCH OR COORDINATE WITH THE INVITATION. A RESPONSE CARD IS PLACED IN THE SAME ENVELOPE WITH THE INVITATION AND WITH A STAMPED RETURN ENVELOPE THAT IS ADDRESSED TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF TAKING THE ATTENDANCE COUNT.

WEDDING MENUS

WEDDING MENUS ARE OPTIONAL, BUT ADD ELEGANCE AND ARE A NICE TOUCH. THEY ARE PRINTED ON HIGH QUALITY, STANDARD SIZE 8.5″ X 11″ PAPER. MENUES ARE NOT PLACED IN ENVELOPES BUT AT EACH PLACE SETTING AT A SIT-DOWN RECEPTION.

WEDDING PROGRAMS

THE WEDDING PROGRAM HONORS THE PARENTS AND CLOSE FAMILY MEBERS. IT IDENTIFIES THE PEOPLE OF THE WEDDING PARTY AND WHO’S GOING TO PERFORM THE CEREMONY, AS WELL AS THE PROGRESS OF THE CEREMONY. ALSO WHO’S PERFORMS THE MUSICAL SELECTIONS. SOME ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE CONTRIBUTION GIVEN TO HELP PAY FOR THE WEDDING. THE DONORS ARE LISTED ON THE BACK OF THE PROGRAM.
THE MOST POPULAR WEDDING PROGRAMS ARE PRINTED ON STANDARD SIZE 8.5″ X 11″ PAPER. IT CAN BE PRINTED IN BOOKLET FORM ON ONE SHEET OF PAPER PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES IN LANDSCAPE LAYOUT. IT IS THEN FOLDED IN HALF TO CREATE A 5.5″ X 8.5″ 4 PAGE BOOKLET. IF YOU CHOOSE HEAVY STOCK, PAPER, BE SURE THAT IT HAS BEEN SCORED THAT IS PRE-PREPARED FOR FOLDING. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO USE TWO SHEETS EACH PRINTED ON ONE SIDE, FOLDED IN HALF TO 5.5″ X 8.5″. THIS IS A VERY INEXPENSIVE AND ELEGANT TREATMENT, AND BECAUSE BOTH SHEETS ARE ONLY PRINTED ON ONE SIDE, MAY BE EASIER TO DO.

THE USHERS HAND OUT TO YOUR WEDDING PROGRAMS TO YOUR GUESTS PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY. IF YOU WANT TO BE LESS FORMAL, PLACE THE PROGRAMS ON A TABLE AT THE ENTRANCE NEXT TO THE GUEST BOOK. ASK EITHER ONE OF YOUR USHERS TO POINT YOUR GUESTS TO THE GUEST BOOK TABLE. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE OLD ENOGH TO HANDLE IT, GIVE THEM THIS TASK. PROGRAMS CAN ALSO BE PLACED AT THE END OF EACH ROW SO YOUR GUESTS CAN HELP THEMSELVES.

THANK YOU NOTES, SAVE THE DATE CARDS, AND RESPONSE – R.S.V.P. CARDS

THANK YOU CARDS, SAVE THE DATE CARDS, AND RESPONSE – R.S.V.P. CARDS CAN BE PRINTED ON STANDARD 8.5″ HIGH X 11″ SIZE PAPER, 2 TO A PAGE THEN SEPARATED AND FOLDED TO MEASURE ABOUT 4.25″- 4.5″ HIGH BY 5″-6″ LONG. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE LAYOUT AND IN HOW THEY’RE FOLDED. SINCE THEY ARE MAILED, THEY NEED TO BE PLACED IN COORDINATING SIZE ENVELOPES.

GUEST BOOKS OR GUEST SHEETS

YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS REGARDING HAVING UEST SIGN INS. YOU WANT EVERYONE TH SIGN IN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEND THEM THANK YOU NOTES. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONLY GUEST BOOKS AT EVERY OCCASION, ONLY GUEST SHEETS AT EACH OR BOTH. MOST COUPLES USE A GUEST BOOK AT THE WEDDING. GUEST SHEETS ARE USUALLY 8.5″ HIGH X 11″ LONG OR SLIGHTLY SHORTER. ACTUALLY GUEST SHEETS SHOULD BE COMPILED DURING THE ENGAGEMENT PERIOD AND WEDDING.
THESE PAGES SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO GUESTS AT THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY, BRIDAL SHOWER, BACHELOR AND BACHELORETTE PARTIES, AND WEDDING RECEPTION.
AT EACH OCCASION, GUESTS ARE ASKED TO EXPRESS SOMETHING SPECIAL. AT ENGAGEMENT PARTIES, EACH GUEST SHOULD OFFER THE BRIDE AND GROOM A PEARL OF WISDOM ABOUT MARRIAGE OR A FAVORIETE QUOTE OR LOVE POEM. AT A BRIDAL SHOWER, FAMILY RECIPES ARE A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTION AND AT THE WEDDING RECEPTION GOOD WISHES ARE MOST APPROPRIATE. PLACED IN AN ALBUM, THE COMPILATION OF THESE PAGES MAKES AN INCREDIBLE KEEPSAKE THAT WILL BE TREASURED FOREVER.

SCORING

SCORING IS A RIDGE OR PREFOLD THAT IS NECESSARY FOR FOLDING HEAVY PAPER. HEAVY OR THICK PAPER WILL NOT FOLD PROPERLY UNLESS IT WAS PREPARED FOR FOLDING BY THE MANUFACTURER WHO USED SPECIAL SCORING TOOLS. BE SURE TO PURCHASE SCORED PAPER IF YOU PLAN TO FOLD.

TISSUE

YOU MAY PLACE A SHEET OF LOOSE WHITE TISSUE IN YOUR INVITATIONS IN THE ENVELOPES IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CARDS. IT IS NOT NECESSRY BUT OPTIONAL.

VELLUM OVERLAYS

ANOTHER OPTION IS A VELLUM OVERLAY, WHICH IS SEMI-TRANSPARENT LIGHT PAPER. THE INVITATION ITSELF IS GENERALLY PRINTED ON IT, AND A DESIGN IS THEN PRINTED ON THE CARD UNDERNEATH IT. TWO HOLES ARE THEN PUNCHED AT THE TOP OF THE CARD AND THE VELLUM IS ATTACHED TO THE CARD WITH A 1/2″ OR 7/8″ ORGANDY OR LIGHTWEIGHT SATIN RIBBON. BE SURE TO PURCHASE VELLUM THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED FOR INKJET AND LASER PRINTERS. BE CAREFUL! MOST VELLUM CAN ONLY BE PRINTED WITH COMMERCIAL PRINTING EQUIPMENT.

RIBBON

IT HAS BECOME QUITE FASIONABLE TO DECORATE INVITATIONS WITH EITHER ORGANDY OR SATIN RIBBON IN THE ONE OF THE WEDDING COLORS.

TIPS FOR SENDING INVITATIONS

FORMAL INVITATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED 4-6 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING DATE. INFORMAL WEDDINGS, INVITATIONS TEN DAYS PRIOR.

ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 25 INVITATIONS AND ENVELOPES THAN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED.

INVITATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS SHOULD BE HANDWRITTEN IN BLACK OR BLUE INK OR IN DARK INK MATCHING YOUR WEDDING COLORS. BURGUNDY, PURPLE, BROWN, AND GREEN ARE FINE BUT RED IS INAPPROPRIATE. GOLD AND SILVER MAY BE USED BUT THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO READ.

IF CHILDREN ARE INVITED, THEIR NAMES SHOULD BE LISTED ON THE OR AS A NOTE INSIDE THE ENVELOPE. EVEN IF YOU ADRESSES “AND FAMILY” FOR MAILING. THE RULE IS, IF CHILDREN ARE NOT LISTED, THEY ARE NOT INVITED. HOWEVER, IN ORDER NOT TO CREATE CONFUSION, YOU MAY WISH TO INDICATE SO WITHIN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS. IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE TO SEND CHILDREN OVER THE AGE OF 18 WHO ARE INVITED, THEIR OWN INVITATION.

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Author Byline

Nily Glaser the founder of the A-wedding Day Magazine, is a published author who presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA. She is the author of the almost 400 page downloadable, personalized, printable Wedding Planning Guide – book. It contains information, tips, ideas, worksheets that include details to be used when interviewing vendors and checklist Using it, you won’t forget any detail. Yes, for a limited time, you can login, download and print what you need, FREE, with no strings attached. To get it Click Here

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