Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tips For Designing Your Own Wedding Invitation Cards

As soon as a couple decides to marry, the first thing they consider is the bridal gown. It is so because it is the main dress for the occasion and sometimes the single most expensive items in the wedding budget. Usually the invitation comes last but it is one area of the wedding planning that can cause a lot of trouble for the couple. Invitations are the primary ways in which the wedding event is announced to guests. It is also the main means through which you broadcast the event. The wedding invitation is more than informing your guests - it tells the guests the type of wedding to expect and then the personality of the couple. An invitation is a letter that communicates the finesse and courtesies of the couple. For these reason it is essential that you handle your invitation carefully.

You can contract your invitation to PR company but you ca also make your own invitations. We try to take a look at the various ways you can make your own wedding invitations.

Folded paper makes the best designs. They look glamorous and are used in formal situations, for extra effect you can add ribbons at the sides of the envelopes. With this kind of invitation, you will require the services of a calligrapher to do the addressing. You can also use stickers that have relevance to your theme to decorate the card. In summer, you can get beach scenes or snowflakes in winter.

Wedding invitations should be sent out as early as possible. This way your recipients can plan or make time to attend. It should also be well decorated to fit the glamour of the occasion. In most cases, you will have to take extra steps to make sure that the names of the guests are spelled correctly and that they are accorded the proper titles. It is advisable to invite couples together instead of individually. Provide a means for them to reply. Most wedding invitations use formal wording and even when you want to be casual, the text should be very polite, cordial and traditional.

Wedding Invitation Instructions

While some couples spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on elaborate wedding details, there are plenty of ways to cut down on the costs of matrimony. More and more individuals are assuming more control over the details of their wedding by taking on some of the aspects normally handled by a hired professional. One of the easiest things to undertake includes the creation of wedding invitations that utilize special software to produce thoughtful masterpieces.

It isn’t difficult to generate a stunning wedding invitation on your own. Within as little as 30 minutes to a couple of hours, following easy-to-follow directions and instructions often accompanied by a "wizard" for extra help conveniently completes wedding invites. Some software selections are more elaborate than others, which come with an impressive assortment of helpful clipart, options, and ideas, while others require users to furnish their own images and graphics.

When one has decided to create their own wedding invitations, there are a few things needed to get started on this very important task, including : desktop publishing software (or greeting card/wedding invitation specific); greeting card or wedding invitation templates; photo and clipart collections; text and decorative fonts (especially options with serifs); card stock, photo paper, or specialty paper.

Once you have selected the software of your choice, it may come in the form of Adobe InDesign or Pagemaker (if you are already familiar with these titles) or a few options made specifically for the task of creating wedding invitations. Hallmark and Art Explosion are just some of the brands one may seek out.

The format of the wedding invitation is an important aspect of the process to decide upon. The main question to ask yourself is, "what kind of invitation do I want to send out?" Do you want to display a serious or romantic tone…witty, funny, or highly personalized? What kind of fold do you envision – one from the top, the side, or accordion style? Knowing the answers to these questions allows users to pass through the software process much quicker.

Some users like to work from scratch and create their invitations from a blank template, while others fall in love with a particular template that they wish to make their own. There are many different styles of wedding invitations to choose from. Once a template plan is chosen, the set up of vital elements occurs next. This includes the size of the invite, as well as where wedding details will be added.

Images, graphics, and clipart play an important role in the creation of a wedding invitation. Some people select simple, elegant detailing, while others showcase their flair for style by creating highly visual items. Today, it is quite easy to purchase or download an array of satisfying wedding-related images to use on invitations. When it comes to images, modification may need to take place, where colors are changed, enlargements are made, as well as the addition of frames or boxes. The font also sets the mood of a wedding invitation. Often, scripted or delicate-looking typefaces are selected.

Once the graphics and fonts have been selected, next, the arrangement of these elements should be handled. Rearranging these details allows users to come up with the best display for their invites. You never know when you may accidentally stumble upon an approach that works well.

When you are ready to print a sample of your invite, you should make a few test runs on plain white copy paper to make sure everything aligns correctly. You don’t want to waste any expensive paper before you move forward with a mass printing. This is the time to check the text (including spelling), graphics, margins, alignment, and the layout. After the folded invite sample passes the test, you may also decide to add extra features, such as sequins, rhinestone, lace ribbon, or glitter.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Wedding Invitation Etiquette

When making plans for your wedding day, there are quite a few items to consider regarding correct protocol. There are certain ways to carry out the ceremony, the reception and all of the fine points that are essential for a marriage. There are standards for situations including apparel, manners, processes and announcements. Also, there is wedding invitation etiquette.

Wedding invitation etiquette comprises the proper processes to proclaim your wedding. Invitations are distributed to friends, family and additional acquaintances who you would like to attend. If performing a big church affair, invitations are sent to friends and family of both the bride and groom. If inviting individuals connected through business, it ought to be done out of closeness, not for connections. For smaller home weddings, the list can be narrowed down to family and dear friends. Consideration should be given to how many guests can comfortably fit into the gathering area.

Here are several general guidelines when it concerns wedding invitation etiquette:

*Invitations must communicate the mood of the event, be it traditional, contemporary, simple or informal.

*The invitations have to set out the particulars about the events of the day.

*You must be unambiguous in both the words and the connotation when it comes to time, location, clothing, directions or any additional information necessary for the big day.

*You will need to send out your invitations far enough in advance of the occasion to allow your guests to respond and make their plans appropriately.

*When inviting a guest to the ceremony, it is correct protocol to also invite them to the reception.

There are two kinds of wedding invitations, formal and informal. Formal wedding invitation etiquette, the conventional style, is most often employed when planning a large elaborate gathering or a huge church wedding. Informal etiquette can be for small family weddings where things will be more relaxed.

Formal wedding invitations typically have the following rules:

*Names are normally written out in full, including middle name

*All words are supposed to be spelled out, including the date, time and year. All street addresses must adhere to this rule as well.

*Instead of 3rd, or "the third", use III (Roman numerals)

*Formal invitations include two envelopes, the main one and the reply envelope

*Religious circumstances "request the honor of your presence" while non-religious gatherings "request the pleasure of your company"

Informal invitations typically keep to these guidelines:

*Hand written, email and telephone invitations are acceptable

*Less formal use of tone and words

*Uncomplicated statements of time, date, place, directions, along with who is to be wed.

Formal wedding invitations are the most common. On the other hand, informal invitations allow couples more opportunity for originality.

Unique Wedding Invitations That Will Impress Your Guests

Your wedding invitations give you an early opportunity to define the style of your event. Here are a few ideas on how to make an impression that will resonate with your guests.

The wording and the looks of an invite should be given careful thought because it is one of the most concrete memories you and other people will have of your day. A botched invitation will mar any grand occasion no matter how much you have spent for it. On the other hand, wouldn't it be nice to boast about a nice invitation for a simple event?

Present day couples about to get married are lucky because they have a wide array of designs and materials to choose from. Printed invitations may be the most common option among couples but more unique approaches are beginning to take the spotlight. Unique invitations tend to be non-traditional and are suitable for couples that want to break free from the ordinary. For example, if you are planning a Victorian or Renaissance wedding why not give out scroll invitations? This will make your theme quite authentic from the outset.

A formal wedding can also make do with unique invitations. Instead of just opting for very formal papers with ribbons and embossed designs, why not jazz it up coming up with your very own DVD message to be played by your guests on their computers or DVD players? The presentation can tell them everything they want to know about you as a couple and the event you have planned.

If you are opting for a destination wedding somewhere in the Bahamas then why not send out a passport style invite? You can design it to look like a passport inside and outside with the name of the invited guest inside. Better yet, you can take it a step forward and send out a miniature suitcase with the guest's name on the suitcase tag.

Another unique invitation which is really unusual even at this time and age is for you to rent or even create a hot air balloon carrying a banner with your names and the date of the wedding. You can then all up family and friends who are living in the same small community to watch out for something in the air at a specific time and date.

You can even create a website announcing all preparations as well as the date of the wedding and then send the link to the email addresses of your guests. Just make sure you give them a call afterwards to inquire if they have opened their emails and saw what you sent them.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Wedding Invitations Wording For Your Perfect Wedding Invitation Cards

When you're preparing for a wedding, there are tons of details to take care of. You have to choose dresses, cake flavors, limo services, and more. Wedding invitations are one of those tasks as well. Creating these cards can be a challenge for couples because the wording is going to be seen and read by so many important people in their lives. They don't want to make any mistakes. Remember you always have to keep wedding etiquette in mind as you are working on your wedding invitations wording. Below are some examples that might help you as you write your own cards.

Wedding Invitations for a Formal Event

Traditional church weddings are one of the most common types of marriage events. When you are having this type of ceremony, you want to be sure that the invitation wording matches the theme and tone of the event. That means you'll want something more traditional. The two examples below illustrate how to handle the wording. One adjustment you need to make is to accommodate the names of the people paying the bill. The first example illustrates how to handle the customary covering of the costs by the bride's parents. The second is an example of how to write the wording if both sets of parents are sharing the costs.

Example 1:

Mr. and Mrs. John Kenneth Young
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter

Kayli Morgan
and
Mr. Matthew Henry

five o'clock in the evening
Saturday, the thirtieth of October
Two thousand and nine

Baptist Church
Cleveland, Ohio

Example 2:

Mr. and Mrs. John Kenneth Young
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Henry
cordially invite you to attend
the marriage of their daughter,

Kayli Morgan Young,

and their son,
Matthew Henry

five o'clock in the evening
Saturday, the thirtieth of October
Two thousand and nine

Baptist Church
Cleveland, Ohio

Casual Wedding Wording

In other cases, you won't need to be quite so formal. Casual weddings that are held outdoors, have fewer guests, are paid for by the couple, or are not a first ceremony for both parties should be a little more relaxed. The following examples of wedding invitations wordings will give you a good idea of how to handle this more informal events as well. Again, feel free to use them on your wedding invitation.

Example 1:

Eva Rachels and Daniel Adams
Hope you will join them
as they unite their lives
in the presence of their loved ones

at 2 o'clock PM
The Open Air Church
Newburgh, Indiana
Saturday, June 30, 2009

Example 2:

Join the parents of

Eva Rachels and Daniel Adams

as they celebrate the marriage

of their children

at 2 o'clock PM
The Open Air Church
Newburgh, Indiana
Saturday, June 30, 2009

Wedding Invitation Advice

Remember that you will be sending the response/RSVP information on a separate card if you are sending out formal invitations. However, if you are going to be doing more casual wedding invitations wording then you can add that information directly to the card itself.

Look for these MANY advantages to shopping online for invitations and announcements cards:

- Unique and Exclusive Designs Available

- See Your Personalized Wedding Invitations Wording BEFORE You Buy

- Your Proof will be Emailed to You within ONE Hour, and You Can Make Unlimited Changes at No Additional Cost

- Free 10 Cards and Free Shipping

- Ship Your Order the SAME DAY it is Approved

- Add a Photo, Picture or Logo to Any Cards

- They will Modify Any Card Design or Color on Their Site

Top Wedding Invitations to Choose From

One of the major tasks faced by a newly engaged couple is the design and creation of their wedding invitation. Unless you are eloping, you would need to invite some people to your event.

While you can invite your wedding guests by phone or email, there is no substitute to a written invitation. Aside from providing your guests with a reminder of your date, the invitation will also serve as a souvenir for your occasion.

There are a lot of choices for couples today when it comes to the written invitation. It can be as formal as a printed invitation or as informal as you like. Here are some of the best choices for your wedding invitation.

Bottle invitations

This is a unique invitation which will definitely catch the attention of your guests. You can buy wine or champagne and personalize the label with your wedding details. You can also instruct the recipient to open the bottle only during your first anniversary. For additional flair, you can invite them to the future anniversary and paste such an invitation below or at the back of the bottle.

Postcard invitations

Send your guests a photo mosaic of yourselves and your travel destinations in the form of a postcard. You can print this yourself or have it printed by a professional printer so it would really look like a commercial postcard. Place a calendar of the month of your wedding and encircle your date. At the back of the postcard, you can print the details of the event.

Passport invitations

A destination wedding is an ideal excuse to send your guests a passport invitation. This is a witty way to announce your destination affair. You can have your printer imitate a real passport with a photo of yourself and your fiancé inside the cover. On the lines you can indicated your wedding details.

Scroll invitations

A scroll invitation can be as unique as you want it to be. You can even use special paper like abaca and then use bamboos on both ends of the scroll. Print your wedding details on the insides of the scroll, tie with an abaca yarn and send it to your guests.

You can prepare unique invitations that will make your wedding more special. Your guests will truly appreciate it if you send the invites several months in advance so they have ample time to prepare for it.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Choosing Wedding Invitations

One of the first things you will do when planning a wedding is to choose your wedding invitations. There are so many to choose from and lots of places to look.

You may want to look online for wedding invites. There are sites that have all kinds in many styles and colors. You can even order beautiful invitations online. This makes the task quick and easy. Wedding sites that offer this type of service have made the process a breeze.

You can look in wedding magazines. Spend an afternoon at a bookstore or library browsing through wedding magazines and you will get a good idea of what is available.

There are many bridal stores or stationery shops that have invitations too. These bridal invitations are available in a stunning array of styles and colors. Allow yourself enough time to look through all the books. This can be a time-consuming project but it will allow you to choose the perfect invite.

If you have a bridal notebook or folder you may want to keep track of your favorite invitations. Start looking several months before the big day. If you order wedding invitations it can take quite awhile to get them. Also allow yourself enough time to have them reprinted if there happens to be any mistakes. You do not want to have to send out invites that do not have the correct information or misspellings. When you order from a specialty store you can usually expect to pay quite a bit.

If you need to save a little money you can either make or print your own out. There are many kinds of card stock, envelopes, rubber stamps, inks and embellishments available if you want to design your own. For those who are creative, artistic or want a unique, one-of-a-kind invitation, this is a wonderful idea. You can find them at craft and printing stores that can be printed using your own computer.

Wedding invitations set the tone for the wedding. Choose or make just the right ones for your special day.

Ways to Make Your Wedding Invitations Stand Out

We all get a stack of wedding invitations each year, stick them on the fridge, and throw them away after the wedding. I always feel bad about it, since I know the couple (alright, the bride) spent quite a lot of time and effort on it. But every now and again, you get one that is so different and creative that you just have to hang on to it. Here are some ideas to make your invitation a keeper.

1. Humor. Add a cute or funny quote about love or marriage. A few of my favorites are: "Marriage is when you get to keep your girlfriend and don't have to return her to her parents" (6-yr old boy), "Love is what makes you smile even when you're tired" and " I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox" (Woody Allen).

2. Photos. I love photos on everything and they add so much personality to your invite. And it'll look great in an album with all the wedding photos later. You can of course scan a photo (or use one taken with a digital camera) and use that, but also consider things like photo transfers, using a strip of photos of the two of you from a photo booth, one taken with a fisheye lens, or fun Polaroid's. The possibilities are endless.

3. Recordable cards. Hallmark has had great success with their line of sound greeting cards, and now, several manufacturers are making cards where you can record your own message. At Snapfish, you can upload your own photo or design (save it as a jpg), add text and then add your voice at home.

4. Magazine Cover. At MagMyPic, you can upload a photo and add it to any of their fake magazine covers (like "TruLove" or "Bride") and voila! Your own cover. At the moment, you have to stick with the text that's already there, but customizable headlines and text is in the works.

5. Posters. Poster Bride in Seattle make hand-printed serigraphs of your invitation, from a standard A7 to 19x25 inch silk-screened posters. Nobody will be able to misplace that invitation!

6. Pingg. I know many people say it's declasse to invite people online, and for a wedding you probably want to go the traditional snail mail route. Or why not do a combination of both? At Pingg, a snazzier version of Evite, you can build your guest list, create your invitation, allow your guests to RSVP online, and even add a gift registry. Why not send the "Save-the-Date" by email, the invitation by regular mail, and ask people to RSVP online? You'll use a lot less paper, save money on stamps, and your guests won't have to go looking for a mailbox to respond. Hey, who's saving the environment now?

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Wedding Invitations: Choose the Right Theme and Content

The first step for a marriage party is the wedding invitation. A wedding invitation reflects not only the status of the family but also the spirit of the members towards that auspicious occasion. If we add a little imagination and creativity, we can create a unique wedding card, which reflects the true spirit of the occasion. A wedding greeting, on the other hand, sends the true feeling of the sender towards his friend or colleague or whoever and so it should have an expression that signals his feelings.

Even though the themes of all wedding invitations are the same, we can add a fresh fragrance to it by changing the style and contents a little. Over a period of time, theme and style of invitations and greeting cards have been changed with the change in tradition. Today the traditional wedding invitation has seen the inclusion of modern artists works with contemporary contents.

And there is no restriction for any colors. In contrary to the traditional white or off-white color for a wedding invitation, the latest trend is to choose a particular color as a theme for a wedding. It would be wonderful if you could choose a particular hue for your card, which is matching the wedding dresses of the bride and the groom and the decorations of the wedding hall. This will truly make the occasion ever memorable for the guests as well as the hosts.

You may fix a theme for your wedding and invite your guests to join you for that through your wedding card. For example, if you wish to make your own tradition highlighted in your wedding, you can invite them for an ethnic party, with all being dressed in traditional ethnic wear, and you serving them all ethnic items.

A wedding invitation will look more attractive if it is more spacious and not overcrowded with the contents. Using different fonts will bring the required effect and avoid unnecessary crowding of letters. It is very important that you add all the necessary details of the address of the venue, the exact time of the wedding, etc., with much care, so that the guest does not have to request for more information later.

The main difference between a wedding invitation and a wedding greeting is that the wedding invitation cards are printed by us selecting the theme, color, etc., whereas wedding greetings are to be chosen from the limited collections of the gallery. Yet, with a wide variety of cards available in the market, it is very easy to pick the right card, which matches our imagination and theme.

Whether it is a wedding invitation or a wedding greeting, we need to be very meticulous in selecting their themes and contents. Secondly, they have to be sent on time. An invitation, which is received well in advance, will attract the right guests. So try not to be late in getting your cards printed. And of course, wedding greetings should be reached not late than the day of the wedding or the wedding anniversary. A late invitation or a greeting reflects the halfhearted attitude of the sender and thus puts out the enthusiasm of the recipient.

Wedding Invitations Response Card

Before you decide on spending a lot of money on wedding invitations response cards, you can look online for ways to make your own cards for free. Simply type into search engine "wedding invitations response cards" and you will see plenty of choices to choose from. Some websites will even allow you to customize your card for free.

There is no one "right" way to write a response card. There are many different styles to choose from. It can be as easy as, "We look forward to celebrating with you. Please reply by (date)." After that, you would leave a line for the name and perhaps a checkbox for can or cannot make it.'

Don't expect everyone to reply back to you with the card that you sent them. Some might e-mail or call you directly. You can't expect everyone to write legibly on the cards so it is best that you write a list of people with a number next to each. After you write a list, you can number each card so even if you can't read the name, you can still figure out who is who by looking at the number.

Your guests might invite their friends and family along so make sure you write somewhere on the card "Number of guests?" Never assume that the person will come alone.

Make sure you make it very easy for your guests to reply, such as leaving your phone number and e-mail address on the card, and an envelope with a stamp on it.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Perfect Wedding Ceremony and Your Perfect Marriage

Wedding guests have important work to do your wedding and throughout your life together. They are there to witness the promises you're making to one another. They come to celebrate the love that transforms your life. If you've chosen wisely, they will be there to support your marriage forever.

It would be nice if the wedding guest list was started with who do I want to come to my wedding. But too often the wedding guest list is started with who do I have to have at my wedding. I know you and your parents have entertainment responsibilities. But the fact is you need guests who will do the work they're responsible for when they say that they'd love to attend your wedding! So frame the question(s) differently.

  • Who are the people who have stood by me and encouraged me as I was growing up?
  • Who has been with me as I slogged my way forward to this point?
  • Who are the people who have been active participants in our relationship?
  • Who are the people that we can't envision a life without?

If people really are, as the saying goes, friends for a reason, a season or a lifetime, you want mostly lifetime friends at your wedding. Sprinkle the guest list with the others if you want, but the majority of your wedding guests should be those people who have already shown you that they will keep showing up.

We all have odd and quirky and sometimes difficult friends whom we love dearly. Certainly you'll want them with you. But mostly, you want the steadfast, fun-loving, you-loving friends to celebrate this important moment and this monumental decision.

Here's the surprising thing, I don't care what anyone else says: You really do get to have people who will support you forever at your wedding. They'll be thrilled by your wedding service, moved by your wedding vows, dance like crazy at your reception and call you after the honeymoon to say how happy they are for you. They'll show up in hospital rooms and at children's parties and barbecues in the back yard. They're your friends. Gather them 'round, and get married!

Sending the Wedding Invitations in Advance

Wedding invitation is usually known as one of the numerous things which ought to be arranged when it comes to the wedding reception. In point of fact, preparing a wedding day is not an simple and easy task to do. As a result, before you make the plans; you have to watch over each detail and issue to assure that everything goes well.

Arranging the wedding invitation is not as simple and easy as most people envisaged. Planning the wedding invitations means that you have got to think about the traction of the right etiquette along with other essentials in order to succeed the wedding day. In this article, you can find five basic guidelines to ensure the right etiquette for the invitations for the wedding.

Send the Invitations in Advance

Wedding invitations could be sent out through regular mail and email as well as throughout the phone. Proper etiquette needs that all of the guests have adequate time to make plans to be present at the wedding. This is truly necessary and important because the guests may come from a few distances. The general rule here is to send out the wedding invitations eight weeks ahead; six weeks is the less amount of time required for the guests to response.

The Guest List

Slight mistakes need to be avoided and caught when creating the guests list. Wedding invitations need to be checked out before sending out to make sure that the entire wedding invitation wording is correct. You have got to consider about a few of these things; do not send invitations to Mr. and Mrs. for the same sex couples, don't invite divorced couples without first warning each that the other is invited, and be conscious of any family situations like current deaths, nursing house or hospital placements and other unpredicted issues.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wedding Invitation Wording

There are as many wedding circumstances as there are brides and grooms, and how to express the nuances of your wedding in your invitation can be really tricky. Follow the guide below to create a properly worded wedding invitation that is both accurate and follow proper etiquette.

Jewish Wedding

Since the Jewish faith considers marriage the true joining of two families, the groom's parents' names also appear on the invitations, beneath the bride's parents' names, but with no joining word. The word "and" is used between the bride's and groom's names, however, because the Jewish faith believes that God brings a man and a woman together to be joined as partners for life, instead of a woman being married "to" a man.

Roman Catholic Wedding

The wording for a Roman Catholic wedding will vary slightly, and may include the phrase "Nuptial Mass" if the ceremony will be part of a Catholic service. It is helpful to guests to include this phrase since a Nuptial Mass lasts approximately one hour, longer than the typical marriage ceremony.

Hispanic Wedding

Invitations to Hispanic wedding celebrations may be issued in either English or Spanish, and many couples provide both, on the two inner pages of a folded invitation. Both sets of parents are usually included in the wording, with the bride's parents' names always listed first.

The Bridal Couple As Hosts

If the bride's parents are both deceased, or if the bride and groom are older or marrying for the second time, the couple may choose to issue the invitations themselves. The use of "Miss" versus "Ms." before the bride's name is based on personal preference and may depend on whether or not this is the bride's first marriage.

Including The Groom's Parents As Hosts

If the groom's parents assume a large portion of the wedding expenses, their names may be included, with both sets of parents' names at the very beginning of the invitation. This makes it clear that both families are issuing the invitation.

Including The Groom's Parents

If you simply wish to include the groom's parents' names on the invitation, no matter what the circumstances or financial contribution, the bride's parents are still noted first as the official hosts, with the groom's parents assuming the second position. If the groom's parents' names are short enough, the words "son of" can be included on the same line as their names so that the names of the bride and groom stand out more.

Including The Groom's Parents When Divorced

To include the groom's parents in a place of honor when they are divorced. The groom's mother's name appears first, using her remarried name (if appropriate) and the groom's father is second.

Divorced Parents of Bride Hosting Together

If the bride's parents are divorced but enjoy an amicable relationship (even if one has remarried), they may issue the invitations together. The mother's name always appears first.

Hosted By One Parent

A wedding may be hosted by only one parent if the other is deceased or if the parents are divorced. In this case, the parent issues the invitation alone and the word "his" or "her" is added in place of "their" in the request line.

Wedding Invitation that includes Reception Wording

If you plan to invite all your guests to both the ceremony and reception and you choose not to send a separate reception card, the reception information may be included on the invitation.

Invitation To The Reception Only

If it is a second marriage or if the ceremony itself is small or limited only to family, guests may be invited to just the reception afterwards.

Reception Held At A Later Date

A couple may be honored with a reception at a later date, especially if they have a destination wedding attended by only family, or if they are not able to hold the reception immediately due to business reasons or other logistics. If held on another day, it is not called a wedding reception but simply a party or reception in honor of the couple.

Wedding at the Home of Friends or Relatives

The invitation wording for a wedding at home should include the full address, and the phrase "at the residence of" if the event is being held at the home of friends or relatives.

Wedding at the Bride's Parents Home

If a couple chooses to marry at the bride's parents' home, the address is all the location information you need to include. Remember that for ceremonies that are not held in houses of worship, the phrase "pleasure of your company" is used rather than "the honour of your presence".

Second Wedding With Children Hosting

For a second marriage, if the bride and groom have older children who would like to issue the invitations, the wording is as follows, listing the bride's children first, from oldest to youngest, and then the groom's children. When the children are hosting, honorifics are not used for the bride's and groom's names.

There are thousands of other variations that can come up, but these tend to be the most common issues for wedding invitations. Follow these suggestions, and your wedding invitations will be perfect...just like your wedding day.

Difference Between Wedding Invitations and Announcements

When you first sit down to look through the giant books of wedding stationery at your local stationer, you may feel as though your head is spinning. There are so many different options that it an be overwhelming to sort it all out. One of the most important things that a bride needs to understand is the difference between wedding invitations and wedding announcements, and when each one should be used.

There is a lot of very detailed and specific etiquette surrounding wedding invitations and announcements. The invitation is by far the more common of the two, but the announcement also has a place and time. Woe to the bride who mixes up the two, because you can inadvertently cause some very hurt feelings. Depending on your personal situation, you may find that you need just invitations or just announcements, or some of each.

In a nutshell, the invitation is what you send when you are asking someone to attend your wedding. It sounds simple enough, right? And yet, there are plenty of couples who make the mistake of trying to use an invitation to do the job of an announcement. Wedding invitations should be sent out well before the wedding, to allow the guests ample time to respond, make travel arrangement, shop for a new dress and jewelry for the wedding, buy you a gift, and so on. If you wait until the last minute to send an invitation, there is a strong chance that the recipient will deem it an insincere offer or think that they were on your "B" list (if you remember that backwards episode of "Seinfeld" with the wedding in India, you know just what I am talking about). There is nothing ruder than sending out a very late invitation in the hopes that the guest will be unable to make it, but will send a present anyway!

Some couples unwittingly send this message when they try to use a wedding invitation to do the job of an announcement. The entire purpose of a wedding announcement is to let people who would be interested know that a wedding has taken place. Note the past tense. You do not send out announcements before the wedding under any circumstances. To do so risks people misunderstanding the mailing and thinking that they are invited guests. It's an unfortunate scenario that is best avoided. You don't want to be the one getting the phone call and having to tell someone that, no,they in fact are not invited to your upcoming nuptials!

Although many people are unfamiliar with them, there are many times when an announcement is very useful. Let's say that you had a very small wedding in Tahiti, or eloped to Vegas. A wedding announcement, sent after the fact, is the perfect way to share your good news with your extended network of friends and family. An announcement can also be appropriate when you have had a more traditional wedding, but could not invite every last person that you or your family happen to know. This can be particularly handy if your parents have a large social network or group of business contacts with whom the bride or groom have no personal relationship. You are spared the expense of feeding a roomful of virtual strangers, and they are spared the expense of travel, buying a new dress and wedding jewelry, and the cost of a gift. Yes, I did say gift; there should be no expectation of anything more than a congratulatory note from those to whom you send wedding announcements.

The difference between a wedding invitation and a wedding announcement is actually a very large one. To communicate the intended message, it is important to use the right tool. Once you have pondered your own wedding and your guest list, you will be much better prepared to order the stationery that will help make your wedding a success.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wedding Invitations

1) RSVP wording is paramount to saving you money, one tip, use Number of Persons ____.

2) See real copies of a Calligraphers work, expect perfection, everyone has reduced their prices now.

3) Ask how long the ordering process will take, get it in writing.

4) Collect the business cards of your ceremony & reception venues for proper invite wording.

5) View papers in person, ask for samples,

6) Be wary of using the Internet to buy your wedding invites, bad paper quality & print may shock you.

7) Pay the $10.00 fee for a PROOF, it saves time & money.

8) Know if you are going to go contemporary or traditional before you contact your stationery professional, he/she can organize for your visit & save you time.

9) Both Bride & Groom should come to the Invitation session, it makes the whole wedding more meaningful

10) Take your calligraphed, beautiful invitations to your local post office & have them hand cancel the envelopes, so that they are not messed up through the ink machine

Contacting a professional wedding invitation stationer can be the most important thing you do as a new bride and groom. See one that has been in the wedding business for many years, as they will know all of the pit falls and potential problems. Store fronts make mistakes, as they have sales people that do not know the wedding business.

I have corrected so many problems that Internet ordering allows. One common mistake is putting the wrong RSVP date. Running second is forgetting the return address on the outer envelope. Who has time to wait while they reprint? Do not skimp on your Wedding Invitations. They single-handedly set the stage for your dream day. The invitation is the first impression of your wedding day! Remember the old adage, "you never have a second chance at a first impression." Go for it, treat yourself, it's your day & once in a lifetime!

Tips to Choose a Casual Wedding Invitation

If you have chosen a casual wedding invitation to invite your friends and family, options are endless for you. There are so many ways to personalize your invitation and make it look really beautiful. Customize anything from pictures, wordings, fonts, to pictures to add your own creativity into your invitation. Here are some tips that may help you to make beautiful cards that speak your undeniable love that you share with your partner.

Look for the matching theme for the occasion:
Getting a wedding invitation that explains its content is available easily on numerous sources. You can explore internet or contact a it's designer to explore the hundreds of wedding invitation designs. If you are planning to hire a designer, look for the right person and start coordinating with the person to get the best designs that matches your personality. Nowadays, choosing a card according to motif is a common trend. Many people add flowers, hearts, contemporary and traditional symbols to make their wedding invitations really wonderful.

Get your own colors that define your love:
Color selection is an important part of designing the wedding invitation cards. Hence, choose colors that support the theme of the card very well. For example, many people use a lot of white and pink in their cards which symbolizes purity of love. In addition, you can use multi-colors at the same time to make your card more trendy and beautiful as well.

Select the right Font:
Font style and color are indeed an integral part of every wedding invitation. Make sure what type of font will suit the overall outlay of your card. Choose from a wide array of fonts starting from Italic, plain, bold, to so many uncountable fonts that gives the real meaning to your card design.

Wedding Invitation Tips and Advice

You're well into planning your wedding and have finally decided on the design of your wedding invitation. The wording has been chosen and the guest list is well on its way to completion. Here are some additional wedding invitation tips and advice that you should also be aware of.

* If children will also be included as guests, you can choose to write out their individual names on the addressed envelopes or put "and family". For example:

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Simpson, Cathy and John
or
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Simpson and Family

* If the children are older teenagers (say 16 years of age or older), you may wish to send them an individual invitation, just like you would an adult.

* If you don't wish to include children at the ceremony, do not include their names or "and family" on the outside of the envelope. It's suggested you add "Sorry, but children are not invited", "adults only" or something similar somewhere on the invitation to make it clear. If you wish to include them at the reception, but not at the ceremony, you could note this information on the response card...or on the invitation itself at the bottom in some fashion.

* When issuing invitations to a guest who is single, it is polite to put "and Guest" on the outside of the envelope so that they have the option to bring along a companion. For example:

Mr. Ralph Jones and Guest
or
Miss Sarah Campbell and Guest

* Be forewarned. Usually 7% to 10% of the guests who respond with a yes will not actually attend the wedding. In addition, 20% to 30% won't make it to the reception. This can wreak havoc when budgeting for a sit down dinner. You may want to consider a buffet style dinner instead.

* In some cases, you'll want to invite people to the ceremony, but not the reception or vice versa. If so, then you will need two sets of invitations printed. One that includes reception information and one that doesn't.

* If you don't receive a reply from some guests by your reply date, do not hesitate to call them. It is important that you know how many are attending so you budget accordingly.

* If you decide to order invitations, be sure to do so at least 4 to 6 weeks before they are scheduled to be mailed. If you plan on mailing your invitations around the 15th of March, order them between February 1st and 15th.

* Double, even triple check everything before it gets printed. This includes invitations, response cards, envelopes, wedding programs, etc. whether you're doing them yourself or your having them professionally printed. Check for spelling errors especially.

* Always order extra invitation envelopes and response card envelopes. There will inevitably be a few mistakes when addressing these and you'll want to have a few extras on hand.

* You should mail your invitations at least 6 weeks before the wedding date and indicate that you would like a response at least 3 weeks before the wedding date. So if your wedding date is July 1st, mail your invitations by May 15th and ask that they respond by June 7th. This will give guests time to receive their invitations and reply by mail, which in turn, gives you time to firm up catering plans, seating arrangements, etc.

* If your wedding is going to actually be held on a beach or other outdoor area, be sure that you let your guests know this, so they can dress appropriately.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Are Your Wedding Invitations Important

So you have decided to get married. In fact, you have to start planning for your wedding as soon as you have make the decision to get married. You will of course need to think about the date of the event. Without any surprise, the venue and location of it is also very important. You will need to consider these two issues before you can start planning for the event. As a matter of fact, you will start thinking about the wedding invitations after you have make your decisions on the date and venue.

There are some couples who think that the wedding invitations are not very important. Yes it is very true that the price of them will not be that high when they are compared with other items such as your wedding gown and photography. However, this does not mean that it is not important. It is in fact just as important as your gown and photography.

As you may know, the wedding invitations will be setting the tone of your event. This is why these cards are so important. Even if you are going to invite your guests via email, you will still need an invitation. An e-invitation is still an invitation at the end of the date.

If you are going to print some physical wedding invitations, it is important that you try to order them as early as possible. In most cases, you will need to send the cards to your guests 10 to 12 weeks before your event. As a result, you will probably need to order the cards 5 to 6 months before you event. This will help to make sure that your guests will have enough time to reply you.

There are different styles and designs of wedding cards available in the market. You will need to choose them based on your budget and preferences. It will not be difficult for you to choose the most suitable one if you allow yourself enough time to shop for it!

Affordable Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are an important part of the wedding planning process. You've got to decide who you will invite and how you will invite them. Unfortunately, because of number of invitations, printing and mailing invitations can be a costly expense. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to produce cheap invitations that look great without breaking your wedding budget.

E-Invitations

Many people send birthday e-cards. You can take that a step further and send your invitations online. Although this is somewhat unconventional, this way will certainly save you money. Plus, your guests can easily reply.

Direct Manufacturers

You can often get massive discounts (up to 50%) by working directly with the manufacturer and not the retailer. Even with the lower price, you'll still get beautiful invitations. However, as you can imagine, dealing with the manufacturer rather than the retailer involves a bit more hassle. But if your mind is set on getting Affordable Wedding Invitations, then by all means consider this option.

DIY (Do It Yourself)

There's nothing wrong with having cheaper invitations simply by making them yourself! This can be a tedious task if you have many guests, but if you're having a smaller wedding, this is a good option. Also, if you want to save time, you can purchase wedding invitation kits. These kits have all the raw materials you need to make awesome invitations.

Local Shops

There may be great sales at your local printing stores. Also, smaller vendors are more open to giving you a discount especially if you need many invitations.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Digital Wedding Invitations

Remember those times when it was common to write out wedding invitations one by one on a pretty stationary with all the trimmings. It was traditional to write wedding invitations out and mail those months before the wedding day came about. However, with the dawning of the internet era, and with the ease and quickness of sending messages electronically, it was only a matter of time before incorporating the ease of sending invites, even something as traditional as wedding invites, would become something that brides-to-be would start doing.

Now, we are not saying that wedding invitations have been taken over by evites and e-cards, however, we are saying that this is a sign of the times and the era of digital wedding invitations not only have arrived, but are here to stay. Digital Wedding Invitations are simply jazzed up emails that are mailed out in massive quantities to all the wedding guests you are planning to invite to your special day. One of the requirements however is for the bride to be or groom to be, whoever is organizing the guest list to have everyone's email that they are planning to invite. Obviously this is an obstacle to overcome. How does the bride to be or groom to be alleviate this concern?

One idea is to use a social networking tool such as Facebook or MySpace where the newlyweds can post their wedding online. Another way is to contact them obtain there emails and send out a fancy electronic invite better known as an Evite or Ecard. Now while a lot of the older generation do not have nor use emails traditional methods still need to be practiced when sending out wedding invitations on their special wedding day! A third idea is to have a website customized for the upcoming event and have it uploaded to the world wide web well in advance and have the URL advertised online.

Some of the downfalls to this approach as mentioned above could be people not having access to the internet or not being connected on a regular basis to be able to access either the wedding website created especially for your wedding day or they can not connect to the social network such as Facebook or MySpace. Another pitfall could be the older generation either being computer illiterate or being intimidated by the whole notion of the computer.

So in conclusion, digital wedding invitations will become the fabric of wedding for years to come! Although they will not replace the traditional wedding invitation digital wedding invitations are more cost effective, more time efficient and more environmentally friendly all while getting the message across to all the wedding guests in the same manner as a traditional wedding invitation would. Therefore go crazy with your digital wedding invitation be as creative with your digital invite as you would with your traditional print invitation. But still keep in mind that it is still a wedding and traditional methods must be applied.

Wedding Invitation Wording

There are as many wedding circumstances as there are brides and grooms, and how to express the nuances of your wedding in your invitation can be really tricky. Follow the guide below to create a properly worded wedding invitation that is both accurate and follow proper etiquette.

Jewish Wedding

Since the Jewish faith considers marriage the true joining of two families, the groom's parents' names also appear on the invitations, beneath the bride's parents' names, but with no joining word. The word "and" is used between the bride's and groom's names, however, because the Jewish faith believes that God brings a man and a woman together to be joined as partners for life, instead of a woman being married "to" a man.

Roman Catholic Wedding

The wording for a Roman Catholic wedding will vary slightly, and may include the phrase "Nuptial Mass" if the ceremony will be part of a Catholic service. It is helpful to guests to include this phrase since a Nuptial Mass lasts approximately one hour, longer than the typical marriage ceremony.

Hispanic Wedding

Invitations to Hispanic wedding celebrations may be issued in either English or Spanish, and many couples provide both, on the two inner pages of a folded invitation. Both sets of parents are usually included in the wording, with the bride's parents' names always listed first.

The Bridal Couple As Hosts

If the bride's parents are both deceased, or if the bride and groom are older or marrying for the second time, the couple may choose to issue the invitations themselves. The use of "Miss" versus "Ms." before the bride's name is based on personal preference and may depend on whether or not this is the bride's first marriage.

Including The Groom's Parents As Hosts

If the groom's parents assume a large portion of the wedding expenses, their names may be included, with both sets of parents' names at the very beginning of the invitation. This makes it clear that both families are issuing the invitation.

Including The Groom's Parents

If you simply wish to include the groom's parents' names on the invitation, no matter what the circumstances or financial contribution, the bride's parents are still noted first as the official hosts, with the groom's parents assuming the second position. If the groom's parents' names are short enough, the words "son of" can be included on the same line as their names so that the names of the bride and groom stand out more.

Including The Groom's Parents When Divorced

To include the groom's parents in a place of honor when they are divorced. The groom's mother's name appears first, using her remarried name (if appropriate) and the groom's father is second.

Divorced Parents of Bride Hosting Together

If the bride's parents are divorced but enjoy an amicable relationship (even if one has remarried), they may issue the invitations together. The mother's name always appears first.

Hosted By One Parent

A wedding may be hosted by only one parent if the other is deceased or if the parents are divorced. In this case, the parent issues the invitation alone and the word "his" or "her" is added in place of "their" in the request line.

Idea About Wedding Reception Invitation Wording

Organizing invitation will be very exciting, particularly if you need to make the good wedding reception invitation wording as well. It is required if you plan to hold the reception at the different place as the ceremony. Holding at the same place, you can simply include the information in the bottom of the invitation. Can you arrange the good wedding reception invitation wording? In this case, it is probable for you to use the wording if ceremony and reception are held in a friend's home. Here are the tips of wording for any situation.

Different Venue, Different Wording

The good wedding reception invitation wording will be excellent in giving the direction to the guests about where they need to go, since the wedding ceremony takes place at the same venue as the reception. Commonly, these invitations are on a separate card that is included with the actual wedding invitation, if the reception will take place soon following the service.

Besides, you can also add a response card that enables guests to easily RSVP and gives you a proper head count to plan for at your celebration.

What about the Reception at a Different Time?

The private and quiet ceremony is preferable for several couples. And then, they will hold a larger reception later for all of their family and friends. At that condition, the right wedding reception invitation wording will allow guests recognize that the wedding has already taken place, and this event will be a part of what has happened.

Lastly, it is very great and beneficial in offering the inclusive information to the guests about everything concerning the reception. Please remember that reception can be awkward at times. You will be happy of seeing everybody attend to your great party in your lifetime with a perfect performance, right?

Unique Wedding Invitations Ideas

Wedding invitations are the best way to add uniqueness to your wedding celebration. Nowadays, with the availability of so many options, unique wedding invitations can be designed within a few clicks! There are many ways to create unique wedding invitations that make the lasting impression on your special day. The choice of unique wedding invitations is very important as it is the best mementos of your grand day. Hence, find quality time to choose the best invitation that reflects your true identity that you both share as a couple. Following are few ideas that may help you to for making the perfect wedding invitations:

Photo Invitation:

Many couples love to put their pictures on their wedding cards on the cover. You can put your pictures in different ways. You can include a full photograph or add just faces on the cards. Use a black and white photograph to give it a classy look or add a colored photograph to make it really catchy.

Invitations with drawings:

Many couples add a number of drawings into their wedding cards. Choose drawings that describe their romantic connection with each other. Add anything from a church, wedding bells, or anything interesting to make your card look really appealing and attractive.

Fun elements can be added:

Nowadays, many couples add some funny elements in their cards to make it look really interesting. You can add a number of things such as confetti, stickers or funny pictures to make a card look really appealing to everyone.

Make your invitation non-traditional:

If you are one of theme who likes to maintain traditions and rituals at wedding then you can choose traditional wedding cards. But, people who are of modern thinking can choose non-traditional way to invite people close to their hearts.

Wedding Invitations - Connecting People

Wedding invitations are an important part of planning any wedding day celebration, as they invite those people closest to the happy couple to come be part of one of the most important days in their lives. Invitations signify to the people being invited how important it is they bear witness to the couple uniting in holy matrimony.

Whether it be for five people or five hundred people, wedding invitations should reflect on the creativity and personal style of the couple being wed. They can be very expensive, or inexpensively made; the real point of the wedding invitation is not how cute the card can be, but whether the wedding information is properly conveyed to direct guests to the right location at the right time on the right day.

The invitations can be as simple as an email with a nice background, or homemade on card stock. They can include glitter and paint, or be printed professionally on elegant paper with script and decoration. Invitations can be delivered in person, as well; as long as guests know how to RSVP to the invite, the choices are infinite.

With the information included on the invite should be how to respond to the invitation, what time and date the wedding will be taking place, and if there are any gift requests or clothing preferences. The wedding invitation might also specify any other personal information the couple might choose, like where the reception will be, or the honeymoon.

As with a lot of decisions made in a new marriage, reflecting on personal choices as a couple is an important step in the right direction, and there's no better place to try out joint decisions and creativity than with a wedding invitation. The sentiment will be one to treasure for years to come, and will be a beautiful reminder of the day that two people joined their individual lives into one.

Discount Wedding Invitations

For sticking to a wedding budget, it is very important to cover all aspects of expenses you feel you may incur during the wedding planning stage and finding out about places you can get discounted décor and wedding paraphernalia is simply the best way to begin organizing the celebrations! With discount wedding invitations, there is a lot of variety made available to the happy couple tying the knot, but at lower prices than they could hope to get at regular card stores, which make great first impressions on guests when they take a look at these glitzy, classic, fun or ornate invites - for the choice is endless, if you just care to look around a bit!

The wedding invite you choose for inviting your near and dear ones should give the best impression about the kind of people you are and be in keeping with the general décor at the wedding venue or theme, if you're planning on having one.

Some people who are sentimental about wedding invitations from friends or family or simply love collecting great-looking wedding invites end up keeping these as keepsakes in memory of the event, which is also a delightful thought, don't you think?

With the advent of discounted wedding invitation stockists emerging in every possible American market - and even online - there is no dearth of styles and prices for discounted wedding invitation. It is just as easy to get confused over which one to pick as you are bound to have loads of choice with colors, effects, embossing and even precious stone embedded ones that make superb style statements for your taste.

Do start off with keeping an approximate wedding invitation budget in your mind when you visit the discount store stocking wedding invites as you don't want to end up going overboard when you see the variety and styles on display and end up exceeding the budget for these - and in turn, upsetting the rest of the wedding budget.

Depending on the kind of wedding you are planning - simple and elegant or grand and sophisticated or any other style you can think of - you can go about searching the perfect discounted wedding invite, while always keeping a tract of the budget. Alternately, you can approach the store with cards and design that you may have liked particularly and collected in the past.

Another great way to give a personal stamp to the wedding invites and also to keep the costs down is to buy the easily available printing kits from the local stationery or wedding materials store (also check out stores on the Internet) and begin on a DIY (do it yourself job) - it surely will be one-of-a-kind and have your unmistakable stamp of individuality on it! This is more than likely to be kept by many loved ones as a creative effort on your part and thus, serve as a sweet reminder of your happy occasion.

Most traditional wedding invitations contain only text, not graphics and are typically upright and folded straight with the text engraved on the right. These type of cards are usually in white or cream with the text in silver or black; however, gold embossing is also very popular.

Choosing Your Wedding Invitations

Often your wedding stationery is the last thing that you look for before your big day. However don't leave it too long as you need to ensure there is enough time for your wedding invitations to be printed, delivered to your guests and for the RSVP to be received.

Most large department stores carry a range of wedding stationery, often by the big suppliers such as Collisons, CCA Occassions, Letterpress of Cirencester and Belarto. They will usually have wedding stationery albums on display. These books show the many styles of stationery they supply, ordering information and a price list. You may find these useful as you can see your chosen wedding invite in the flesh. However, these department stores are not always the best value for money. Instead try looking at online retailers as most of these offer a discount off the RRP. The majority of the wedding invitations you see in department stores will be available online, however, some retailers offer exclusive designs. However what you may not know is that some of this exclusive wedding stationery is not all that exclusive. Often these designs are printed by one of the major suppliers and has been adapted from a previous design. The original wedding invitation design is probably still available to purchase and at a lower price.

If you would prefer a handmade look to your wedding invitations you may want to try a smaller wedding stationer. Looking in the Yellow pages and visiting local wedding fayres is a good place to start. Handmade invites can add a more personal touch to your wedding but you may need to add extra time for your stationery to be made. Most handmade stationers will also provide a bespoke service, however, there may be an extra charge for this.

Some Graphic Designers will also design bespoke wedding stationery for you. This is more pricey than handmade stationery and therefore is not for everyone. But if you are looking for bespoke stationery professionally designed then this is the best way to go. These designers will often use printing techniques that are not available to most handmade stationers.

Most wedding invitation stationers, large and small, will have a website. Some smaller websites will not have the facility to buy online but will usually have some sort of picture gallery. Take a look at these, even if you do not find what you want it will give you some inspiration. Some retailers provide free wedding invitation samples and brochures, request as many of these as you can before making your final order.

You may also want to contact local printing companies. Many of these are also Collisons, CCA Occasions and Belarto agents. They will usually have wedding stationery albums for you to look through and may provide a discount. Some companies may even bring the albums out to your own home.

Informal Wedding Invitations

Writing invitations for informal weddings is a bit different than invitations for more formal ones. Since we have encountered many that have struggled to piece their invite together, we have provided some tips on writing an informal wedding invite below.

Does "keep it simple stupid" ring a bell? Well, KISS couldn't be more applicable to Informal Wedding Invites. Most people forget that they have to include a significant amount of information in their invites and thus proceed to cram it with useless junk. Overcrowding your invite is one of the worst things you can do. Not only may you confuse guests, but you may also encourage them to gloss over important information. Find a special quote or an excerpt from a poem, select a place for it in your invite and wrap up the process. There's no need to add additional reading material.

While addressing your potential guest in the invite, feel free to use lower diction wording - just don't exaggerate. You want to avoid using slang words or any other words that could be considered inappropriate.

Finally, don't focus too much attention on the small details. Many people spend days trying to decide whether a particular part of their informal invite needs to be capitalized or italicized. These types of things aren't important to us. If we were writing a more formal invite, we would dedicate much more attention to these smaller details.

As a final reminder, be sure to mail out your invitations several weeks prior to your wedding. You don't want to procrastinate on the wedding invitation process and have the invites mailed out a mere week before the wedding. You need to give your guests plenty of notice before you hold your wedding. Otherwise, you may find that attendance is minimal. Get working on your invites as quickly as possible to ensure that everyone on your guest list makes it to your wedding.

Use Your Wedding Invitation to Solicit

Marriages that are rooted in their community survive and thrive better than marriages that are isolated whether by choice or circumstance. The beginning of romance is somewhat isolating as it's so heady and wonderful. It's hard to believe that anyone else can understand the magic. And so you spend a lot of time getting to know one another and figuring out how this relationship might work for you.

And you should do that.

But there comes a time when you step back into your community. You start doing things with friends in addition to your solo dates. You want to introduce your beloved to your family and closest friends so that they can understand the love that is transforming your life. You want them to come to know your beloved. Eventually you decide that you want to marry and you consider whom you want to invite to the wedding.

Remember that the focus of your wedding should be your wedding ceremony and the wedding vows that will be the foundation for your marriage. You can begin to build support for your marriage by creating an Invitation that explains to your guests

  1. that they are your beloved friends.
  2. that you want them to witness and celebrate your wedding vows.
  3. that you will want them to support you and your marriage in the future.

Use your invitation to inform your Wedding Guests they have a vital role to play in your life going forward. You want them to come to your wedding with realistic and heightened expectations of what they will see and what role they will play in your life and marriage.

A typical wedding invitation craves the pleasure of your presence at the nuptials of the beloved couple. You want an invitation that does more. You want to let your wedding guests know that you are excited to have them at your wedding ceremony to witness your wedding vows. You might explain that you know you will need their loving support and celebration to thrive in your marriage, from your wedding day forward.

Everyone worries about the style of the invitation and compares this year's wedding colors against last year's. If people worry about the wording, it's about the poetry rather than the meaning. Unlike a poem, wedding invitations must mean as well as be. If your wedding invitation conveys what you want, you're going to have a group of people who gather to see you exchange your wedding vows who will be excited to support you throughout your life together. That's a wedding ceremony! That's a celebration! And that'll be a great marriage!

Printable Layered Invitations

Tired of looking at the same old wedding invitation choices? Try something different, create your own gorgeous, layered invitations using unique and bold holiday colors.

One of the most delightful aspects of using printable layered invitations for your holiday wedding and wedding events is the color palate to choose from. Here are three of the most popular color palates for holiday celebrations:

1. Vibrant Earth Tones: Bring on the bronzes, browns and flame oranges! For your layered look choose a backer card in one of these earth tones and then layer on a cream invitation card. Then experiment with bold colored ribbon or ribbon edged in silver or gold. So for example, use a bronze backer, a cream invitation printed with brown ink and then accent it with a burnt sienna ribbon. Or try a flame orange backer, a cream invitation card printed with dark orange ink and then an ivory ribbon edged with gold.

2. Bold Holiday Colors: Think red, green, and silver! So for your layered holiday look, choose a red backer card, a white invite card with red ink and accent it with a silver ribbon-- or for a dramatic look, choose a black ribbon that has silver edging. For the truly unique, you can use an emerald green shimmer backer, a white card printed with black ink and accented with a black ribbon edged in silver.

3. Formal Elegance: For a variation on the traditional, use silver, black, or pearl layered invitations. So for example, use a silver shimmer backer card with a white invite card printed with black ink and a silver ribbon. Black can be dressed up in bold colors or in understated elegance. You may use a black backer card, a white invite card and a bold red ribbon for a formal holiday feel. Or use a black backer card, a cream invite card and an ivory ribbon for a sophisticated look. Pearl backer cards can be accented with colored ribbon of your choice or matched with ivory or cream for a lovely, refined feel.

So be creative and unique with the invitations for your wedding, rehearsal dinners and any other events. Make a statement that suits you as a couple and will surprise and delight your guests!

Logistics of Wedding Invite Wording

Most people fail to understand that their wedding invite content needs to embody the caliber of the wedding they will be hosting. There currently exists no type of invite that is universally fit for all sorts of weddings. This leaves you and your future spouse with the chore of deciding what type of wording to use. As if wording isn't a big enough issue on its own, you also have to decide what names go on the invite and in what order. There are many things to consider in this dilemma, including what side of the family is responsible for the heftiest financial contributions.

Many people somehow fall under the impression that wedding invite wording always has to be formal. It really doesn't. You can keep the invite very simplistic and include you and your spouse's name and a request to the particular recipient to make him or herself present and your wedding.

Naming parents in your invite can be quite a complicated process. It's common for a typical invite to first mention the bride's parents, followed by the actual invite, than the name of the groom and his family. While this is not very complex in itself, problems can get quite apparent when divorced or step-parents come into the picture. You want to limit the number of people you name in the invite as you may end up confusing guests. You also want to remember to take your parent's feelings into consideration. Omitting people without first consulting them can result in problems. Thus, be very careful before you strike someone from the wedding invite.

When it comes down to it, you and your soon to be spouse have a lot of control over how your wedding invite is both worded and organized. You need to maintain a certain degree of flow in the invite, but aside from that you are essentially given a lot of flexibility.