Friday, October 9, 2009

How to Get Your Wedding Guest List and Invites

When you make the huge decision to become married and officially become engaged, it marks not only one of the greatest times of your life, but also probably one of the busiest. With an engagement and a future wedding there is much need for celebration, but there is also a need to realize that you're in for some serious work now that you only have a set amount of time to get your wedding planned. It's nothing to be too stressed about and you need to have fun while doing it, but just know ahead of time that to properly plan a wedding it takes dedication from not only the couple that's walking down the aisle, but also from many other friends, family and co-workers that will be involved in the planning as well.

One thing that I would suggest right off the bat is to find a few friends or members of your family that you trust can be of a huge help to you during this time and get them involved as soon as possible wit your planning. This will be fun for them and it will take a lot of work of your plate, which is always a good thing.

As I continue to plan my wedding, one of the things that I have focused on due to its importance to me is the creation of the wedding guest list and deciding who I am going to invite to my wedding. For my particular wedding I am having 200 guests, so that is my limit when sifting through all of the potential invites that I could send out to my many, many family, friends and family. Getting a proper guest list together that I am happy with is very important to me, so it's something that I've spent a lot of time working on. I've learned a few things along the way while I've been doing this, so I'm hoping to pass on a few tips to you so that you can get a great guest list together, too. Here are some thoughts on how you can end up with that perfect wedding guest list that you'd love to see at your upcoming wedding.

The first thing that you need to figure out is how many guests you can invite to your wedding because this will set the overall limit of people who will be attending your wedding and dinner. After you come up with that number, you need to come up with the people that you definitely have to invite to your wedding. Here's how I went through the various family, friends and others who I was thinking about inviting to my wedding:

Wedding Party: You need to obviously make sure that your wedding party is invited to your wedding and that they are going to be taken care of once they show up for your big day.

Family: For some of us (like me), family will take up a substantial amount of your wedding seats, so be sure to figure out who you want to be there and whom you don't. Also, something to remember is that you should look at your family by layers and once you decide what layer you want to invite to you should stick with it. I ended up inviting my close family, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and all of their kids. It adds up fast, but it's the layers of family that I chose.

Send Out Save The Dates: I'm pretty sure that most people do this already, but be sure to send out some fun save the dates about 4 months before your wedding so that your guests know that they're invited and can plan ahead.

Use Technology To Keep Track Of Who You're Inviting: This seems like a no-brainer, but using technology such as Google Docs so that you can share who you've invited to your wedding and keeping track of it as a couple will make your life much easier. Also, now that most of our friends were on Facebook, we have been able to use that technology to keep track of our invites as well.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Simple Methods For Personalizing Your Wedding Invitations

Since wedding invitations are the first intro your guests will get to the tempo and concept of your wedding, make certain that your invitations are as transparent and special as your wedding will be. Follow these easy steps for personalizing your invitations.

First, use invitation wording that mirrors you and your family's attitudes, beliefs, and personalities. People are sick and tired of reading the same old phrase on invitations. The popular phrase emblazoned across the annals of bridal magazines, and history in general, is the following: "Blank's parents request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, or son." Consider new and innovative ways of saying the same thing so people don't feel lukewarm about attending your wedding. Pull them in with invigorating, personal phrases that suggest warmth and kindness and a special call out to them especially. Here is a good example:

Because you have witnessed our beautiful child grow up along with us, Name and Name invite you to partake of the spiritual blessing of our wedding day.

Another good phrase might be the following:

Mr. Name and Mrs. Name lovingly and happily invite you to the marriage of their daughter, Name, to Name. There will be festivities, a reception, and a reception dinner to follow. Wedding favors are mandatory. Gotcha!

That last bit has a little humor because people read the word mandatory and think they have to do something. However, all they have to do is show up and accept the wedding favors. Humor and love can humanize and personalize your wedding invitations.

A second way of personalizing your wedding invitations is to designate the place where you live with some special importance. If your hometown or wedding location offers some sentimental boost to your heart, then make it known on the invitation. If you live in the Australian outback, use a kangaroo. If you're going to a beach destination for some fun in the sun, use images of seashells, the surf, or sand castles. For Western weddings, use cowboy boots and hats. If you're at a romantic spot for the wedding, especially if you're flying in guests to go there, use that scene's romantic architecture. You can't get more romantic than the beautiful canals of Amsterdam, Holland. You can also use your favorite paintings or movies if you're an artist or movie aficianado. Anything that evokes your personality or your partner's preferences are ideal. Your guests will get a real sense of who you and your spouse really are.

Ways to Save Money on Wedding Invitations

Inviting your possible guests on your wedding day can be costly. You have to give them traditional wedding cards to inform them of the date and venue, and possibly those cards are made of elegant or high quality papers and other materials that might cost a lot. If your goal is to save money, then you should think of cost – effective alternatives to send out cards to your guests. Here are some tips.

1. Make a list of possible guests first. Invite only your closest friends and relatives so you’ll know the number of cards to make. Sometimes cards are made in excess and are thrown away.

2. No RSVP, please. Who cares about RSVP cards? Chances are they’ll just tell you in person that they will attend, so don’t include RSVP cards. This is especially true when they are your closest friends and co – workers whom you see everyday.

3. Have a friend, relative or hobbyist make DIY cards. If you know someone talented in making cards, then have her come up with a design instead of hiring a company doing that for you.

4. Print them yourself. Just use a cheap ink and your own printer. No one will notice anyway, or they won’t care too much.

5. Send them ecards. Send your relatives living far away an ecard and add an audio to it. You will save on postage stamps and won’t take too long, too. Tell them to reply early.

6. Shop on cheap materials. Go to local bookstores and see those cheap papers and laces. Compare prices of these materials before making a decision.

Think of more ways to save more money on wedding invitations by being creative and delegating tasks to the people you know. Save on other things, too, like wedding cakes, music, photography and attire. You don't have to spend a lot to make your special day a success

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Anniversary Invitation For Your Wedding Anniversary

In order to throw a fabulous event for your loved ones to celebrate their marriage, you'll need to begin by sending anniversary invitation. Besides sending out those cards, you'll also need to make some other important planning decisions. Below are some ideas that are going to help you get started on those invitations and the rest of your party planning.

Many of the leading online invitations and announcements stores offer advantages to shopping with them, such as
· Instant Preview After Personalizing Your Anniversary Invitation!
· Your Proof Submitted Within ONE Hour, and You Should Be Able To Make Unlimited Revisions, FREE
· Same Day Printing and Shipping if Your Order
· Free Shipping and 10 Free Cards
· Exclusive Designs Available ONLY
· Add a Photo or Picture to Any Cards on Their Site
· Create a Design especially for you

Beginning Tips for Planning

When you start thinking about an anniversary party event, you should begin planning your budget first. Your budget will determine many of the other important factors surrounding your event, such as location and the size of the guest list. If you're going to be working with anyone else on the party, perhaps a sibling or another close family member, then you'll need to discuss the budget with them as well before finalizing any type of anniversary wedding invite.

Next you need to put together a guest list for the event. If you're trying to plan a more intimate, low-key event then consider keeping the number of guests small and limited to just close friends and family members. You could also opt for a larger event with all of the people the couple knows. Which type of event you choose could include a number of factors, including how much you can afford to spend and the preference of the couple.

Once you've chosen a guest list, the next job should be to select a location so you can prepare the cards. Make sure you choose a location that will be sufficient in size to hold all of your guests. Restaurant party rooms can be a good choice for smaller events. Party rooms and event rooms at hotels and other locations are a good choice for larger events. Be sure to place a deposit on the location so you can secure it for the date you want.

Completing the Anniversary Party Cards and Anniversary Announcements

Now that you've done most of the pre-planning, it's time to get those wedding anniversary invitations in the mail. If you've decided to choose a theme for the event, you'll want to select an that will match that theme. For example, the 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary theme or the 25th Silver Wedding Anniversary theme should have a gold or silver invitation, respectively. It's a good idea to choose the invite for the wedding anniversary early so you'll be ready to focus on the anniversary wordings and on the mailing of them once the details are set.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare the Anniversary Invite so you can get them out in the mail within three weeks of the event. You want to make sure the guests receive them in plenty of time to make their preparations for attending. You should also make sure to request an RSVP for the event. That way you'll have a good idea of how many people will be attending and you can plan accordingly. Remember to include your contact information for the RSVP in the anniversary invitation so guests will be able to reach you with their response and questions regarding your special anniversaries!

Creative Wedding Invitations and Announcements

It is becoming more and more popular to create unique and creative wedding announcements and invitations. Announcing to your family and friends that you are going to get married is a special moment, and you can create some fun ways to let them know about your romance plans for your special day!

If you are a jokester, you might want to do something that will confuse them at first and then you can announce in person or on paper that you are going to get married. If you are more of a romantic, you might want to create a poem of your experience with your groom and how you imagine it will be as a wedded couple. If you are a busy person who travels a lot, you might want to send announcements out to your family and friends. If you like to save time and money, you can send wedding announcements and invitations in one easy and creative card!

Your wedding invitation or announcement is actually your first impression on your family and friends about your nuptials. It is the first step towards your wedding. You can capture the whole feel of your wedding day (if you already know what you are going to do) in your wedding announcements and invitations.

There are a wide variety of designs and styles to choose from when picking out your own wedding invitation and announcements if you want to do it the formal way with a nice card.

However, you and your groom are unique, even as a couple. If you want to show your individuality, you need to either find a place that can help you customize your wedding invitations or you can create your own. You can create something unique that no one would be able to find in any store – online or off. You can use vivid and bright colors, or earthy colors to help you invite family and friends to your wedding ceremony and reception.

Another great way to create your own wedding invitation or announcement is to visit a scrapbooking store whether online or offline. You can find all of the supplies you can think of to create your own unique and creative wedding invitations and announcements. You might have a hard time getting your groom to be involved in making them, though.

Have fun with finding the right wedding announcements and invitations for you and your groom. Keep it your own unique wedding invitation and announcements that you will cherish for years to come.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Modern Wedding Invitations

Your wedding day is possibly one of the most important days of your life. Your wedding invitations expresses a lot about your wedding and sets the tone and feel for your wedding day. Modern Wedding Invitations are what you should have and what you need in a modern age. Guests expect a high quality professionally printed card. Gone are the days when you could send out an invite that looks the same as a funeral card. The expectation is so much more today and you do not want to disappoint.

If you want your guests to fully enjoy themselves and you are to feature a theme to your Modern Wedding Invitations. It is always important to tell them on their invite. For example your could have a medieval theme, a Victorian theme by spelling it is easier to participate on the day. Cards have to be sent out well in advance if your guests are to be expected to find costumes etc.

The design of Modern Wedding Invitations is always important. There are many sites and many companies offering these style of cards. But as you will only select one it is vital that you have decided on your theme . Be it a colour theme, flowers simplicity or style theme. Many companies offer stock cards but some will actually create one -off designs just for you. Meaning no other bride will have the same invitations as you.

The benefits for choosing Modern Wedding Invitations are:

1) Hearts and logos, embossed and in different colours

2) Wacky designs to suit the couple

3) Modern art designs

4) Contemporary colours and styles

Modern wedding invitations allow you the couple to express themselves on their wedding day. Doing what they want and in the style they want. Modern wedding invitations are far from conventional invites and should be moving in your time zone and creating what you feel.

Simple Wedding Invitations

Weddings are grand social affairs with celebrations continuing for days before and after the wedding ceremony and reception. Before the beginning of this revelry, it is very important to send out the wedding invitation cards to the various guests who are to be invited to the ceremony and reception.

Wedding invitations are therefore very significant aspects of the whole occasion. The invitation cards are vital as they contain the details of the wedding ceremony, its location, and timings. This is apart from the usual reference regarding the bride and groom and their families.

Therefore, wedding cards are an integral part of organizing the wedding ceremony. Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the invites are pleasant and graceful and at the same time appealing and nice. However, the kind of the wedding invites depends fully on the couple and there are a variety of designs from where they get to choose the final outlay of the invite.

Wedding invitation cards may be simplistic as well as gorgeous and elaborate. Simply designed ones are usually pristine white adorned with silver or golden decorations and look very elegant and graceful. The inside of the invitation should be filled up by the written invitation and it should be addressed with respect to the invitees.

Often these invitations are decorated with flower motifs, at times colorful and vibrant, and sometimes simple. These decorative features add beauty to the invitations and are appealing to the guests. At the same time, wedding invitations are also symbolic of the host's power and wealth. Therefore, one can also come across very elaborately decorated invitations.

These invites are usually available in two colors, Black And White Wedding Invitations. They may be striped or printed with larger motifs which garner a lot of attention from the invited and are eye-catching. They appear to be a complete contrast compared to the all white simply designed cards.

Nonetheless, the kind of wedding invitations depends greatly upon the way of expression of the bride and groom and different individuals have different modes of expression. All invitations are accessorized with suitable envelopes and are often accompanied by 'Thank You' notes.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Contemporary Wedding Invitations

Marriage is a special occasion in any couple's life. It plays an important role in bringing the families and friends of the couple together to entertain the couple's decision to unite forever and the union of their families. It takes a lot of time for planning the marriage.

There are so many different areas of the event that need attention; therefore this could be a very expensive undertaking. There is planning the place of the event, what time it will be held and what food will be served. The bride and groom will also have a lot of things to get ready for. They need to select a DJ and decide on the type of ceremony they prefer.

Above all, they must remember to send invitations to family members and friends. The invitation is very important, as it is the first thing to give people an idea of what kind of style your wedding will be; in other words, it gives them a first impression of your important day.

It is important to remember this when you make your invitation selection. For example, a theme wedding will require invitations reflecting that same theme. If your wedding is planned to be more traditional, the invitation style should be a traditional one. However, if your wedding will be contemporary, your choice should be for contemporary wedding invitations.

There are a few things to consider when you are searching for either traditional or contemporary wedding invitations. The design of the invitation should reflect who you are. There are even funny wedding invitations if that's what you're in the market for. Many couples mail a 'save the date' card before they mail their invitations and these are often humorous in nature. If this suits your personality you might consider doing a search for 'funny wording for wedding invite'.

One way to spice up your wedding invitations is to use contemporary designs. Fun fonts and a variety of materials are combined to create a memorable effect. Pretty paper and ribbons can be incorporated into the invitation. Due to recent innovations in printing technology, you may find that it is less expensive than you might have thought to create invitations with your own personal touch. You can even design the invitations yourself.

Make Unique Wedding Invitations

Calligraphy is a beautiful and unique form of handwriting and would be absolutely wonderful for use with your unique wedding invitations. You can have your invitation's hand-written with this form of handwriting even though that would take a very long time in order to accomplish and because of this reason, many printing businesses that do wedding invitations for a living have special computer programs that will print in the Calligraphy style handwriting which would make the process a lot more efficient and a lot easier for the business that you are getting your invitations from.

There are a lot of people that think that if their unique wedding invitations are being printed on that it won't give off the same affect that hand-written calligraphy does and that their invitations will not be unique anymore but this is just not the case. There are many websites in which you can visit to see examples of printed wedding invitations that have printed calligraphy on them and with the type of printer that is used, the type of ink and paper that is used, you hardly can tell the difference and won't be able to guess if it is printed or hand-written without any doubt.

Calligraphy is a special art form that would only bring style and grace to your unique wedding invitations rather it is handwritten or printed because with the way technology has grown and is still growing, you can basically have your invitations as unique as you want them. With the software and equipment that most of these printing businesses use, you can pretty well depend on having the top notch type of wedding invitation for your special event that you have always dreamed of and the guests that you invite will be pretty impressed as well.

Having unique wedding invitations for the most special day in a woman's life is a very important aspect about the wedding and has to be just perfect. Calligraphy gives it that type of importance that you have in your heart but only put down on paper. Couples, today, will have no problems on finding the perfect printing business in order to get their perfect wedding invitations. You just have to make sure that you give them plenty of time in order to get them done and back to you so that you can have them mailed out in plenty of time for the actual date of your wedding.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Wedding Invitations Tips

It’s your wedding day. You want everything to go as smoothly as possible. And for that to happen, you should be courteous and thoughtful and use proper wedding invitation etiquette. We’ve compiled several helpful tips that can make your wedding invitation organizing and planning less stressful and more effective.

DO!

Send out your wedding invitations in a timely fashion. For national guests, send your invitations approximately 6-8 weeks in advance. For international guests, 8-10 weeks should suffice. Although this may sound very early, it gives your guests plenty of time to make accommodations for your special day. Leaving you invitations until the last minute will result in less guests before the wedding date. This will give your guests plenty of notice. Leaving the invitations too late will result in guests, who would have loved to be there for your wedding day.

Try personalizing your ‘thank you’ notes by writing them yourself. Your handwritten note should me sent within four weeks of receiving a gift from your guests.

Get all of your wedding planning done months before the actual wedding date. If you start shopping around at the last minute, you’ll end up feeling a lot of unnecessary stress.

If you’re feeling stressed, pamper yourself about 10 days before your wedding. Enjoy a nice massage at a day spa. This will lift you back up again!

Keep your budget reasonable and realistic. You don’t want to spend the next two years paying off debts from your special day.

Relax and enjoy spending time with your friends and loved ones at the reception. Try and devote time to everyone, don’t sweat the small stuff. Your vendors are there to perform a function, they’ll take care of everything.

Give everyone invited a small token from your wedding. Your guests will adore a wedding favor in any shape or form.

DON’T!

Send wedding invitations to outdated addresses. Make sure that all of your guest information (including address, postal code, and city) is correct.

Do not lose your cool if something ‘doesn’t go according to plan.’ A vendor may be late, a photographer may not be dressed appropriately. These are little things that you have little or no control over. Don’t let it ruin your mood.

It’s not a good idea to invite every single person you’ve ever met. Weddings are outrageously expensive. Stick to friends, colleagues, and loved ones who have supported the decisions you’ve made in life.

Guide to Beautiful Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are an integral part of a wedding’s theme and the “mood” you want to set for your ceremony. After all, if the purpose were to solely inform the guests of the details of the event, then you could just send an email or postcard. However, the invitation also serves as a souvenir of a special occasion, and an announcement of a couple’s love. Like the wedding ceremony itself, it must be beautiful and personal.

Selecting the Wedding Invitation’s Design

There are thousands of ready-made wedding invitations to choose from; simply select a design, send the details, and the printer can have it ready within weeks. With such a wide selection, it may be difficult to pick which one is best. Here are the things to consider:

* Formal or casual. You want a wedding invitation to complement the overall theme and mood of the wedding. Is your wedding formal or casual? A Formal Wedding Invitations may need classic script fonts, formal wording, and the traditional double envelope. A more casual invitation may use more modern fonts and more natural wording (i.e., instead of “we cordially invite you”, say “please join us…”), but care must be taken to retain the solemnity of the occasion. Let’s say you want to enclose a photo of you and your fiancĂ©—not typically done for traditional invitations. Wear appropriate clothes to the photo shoot: shorts and tank tops simply don’t work.

* Color. You should always choose a subdued color. If you are using a rather bright color for your motif, like turquoise, opt for a delicate ribbon trim or small accents at the sides or corners rather than applying it to the whole invitation. This makes the invitation look more classy, and again, is in keeping with the nature of the event. It’s a wedding, not a night dancing at a trendy club.

* Personal Touches. You can add a short poem, a photo of the couple, or a song lyric from the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Invitation Inserts

Most wedding invitation companies can provide a selection of templates where you just have to fill in the specific names, places and dates. However, many couples prefer to make their own, to make the invitation less stiff and more personalized. If so, here are a few guidelines:

* It is not necessary to put the entourage in the invitation. However, you can have a separate piece of paper listing the members that can be inserted in select invitations—specifically those that go to the entourage themselves, and to the more immediate family and friends. They would appreciate the souvenir; plus, it is a way of thanking them for their participation.

* You’d never forget to put the date and the venue, but many couples forget to put a map to the church and/.or reception area. A map would be very helpful, and would save many guests any inconvenience especially if the wedding is located in a place they are unfamiliar with.

* If you are trying to control the number of guests, insert a small card that says, “We have reserved __ seats for you.” This is a subtle and polite way of minimizing the headcount.

* If you are moving to a new home after the wedding, you can include another small insert announcing your new address.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Wedding Invitations - Tips for Picking Your Style

Picking out the wedding invitations will be one of the most exciting things that you do for your

wedding. You will want them to look great as they proclaim your big day to friends and family
all over the world. When you pick your wedding invitations you want them to have a sense of
style that is unique to you and that reflects your personality and the theme of your wedding as
well. The following are some tips to help you pick the style of wedding invitations that best suits
you and your wedding.

One of the first things that you should do when you are considering wedding invitations and
making your final choice is to think about whether you are having a formal wedding or a more
informal wedding. If you are having a formal black tie wedding, it will never do to send out
informal invitations. On the other hand, if you are having an informal wedding, formal
invitations may look overdone for what you are planning. Picking a formal style and formal paper
for your wedding invitations carries over the thought that you are having a formal wedding.
Lighter styles and papers will give your guests the informal feel that you are trying to have at
your wedding.

Considering your personal style and the style of your wedding is also important when you are
choosing wedding invitations. If you have certain colors in mind for your wedding you may want
to use those colors on your wedding invitations. Perhaps you are having a wedding in which
green and purple are your colors. Carrying the green and purple over to your invitations is a great
way to give your guests a tiny peek at what your wedding may be like. While you do not have to
match your invitations to your wedding colors, this does look classy. Otherwise you may just
want to pick wedding invitations in a favorite color or that has the look of your gown or some
other aspect of the wedding.

You should also keep your wedding theme in mind when you are choosing your wedding
invitations. Whether you are having a beach wedding, a country wedding, a garden wedding, or a
big church wedding, you should keep the theme in mind. Try to coordinate the theme and style of
your wedding invitations to the theme that you are having of your wedding. You can choose from
various paper types and designs that are available and no doubt you will be able to find
invitations that go with your chosen theme.

Wedding invitations are important because they are announcing the day of your marriage. You
want the invitations to look great and announce your wedding with style. Keeping in mind the
formality of the wedding, the colors and style, and the theme of your wedding can all help you
pick the perfect wedding invitations. Well designed invitations will impress your guests and be a
great way to invite them to one of the biggest events in your life.

Considerations When Choosing Wedding Invitations

If you are planning your wedding, you want everything about your wedding to reflect your personality and your sense of style. From your wedding dress to your wedding invitations, you want everything about your wedding to be perfect. Today, there are many different styles, colors and textures available for wedding invitations and finding your exact style may take some time. Following are several considerations that can help you find the invitations for your wedding that will reflect the beautiful and stylish person you are.
  1. What is the Setting?
  2. When you are choosing wedding invitations, it may help you to consider the setting of your wedding. Whether you are having a formal wedding or a more casual wedding, there are invitations that reflect that setting. If you are having a formal, black-tie wedding, you may want to consider invitations that are formal as well. If you are having a more casual outdoor wedding, an invitation that is casual may be just your style.
  3. What are your Colors?
  4. Another consideration that can help you find the wedding invitations that are perfect for you are the colors of your wedding. Invitations are available in almost every color you can think of, so matching your invitations to your wedding colors is possible and a great idea. You can also match colors to the theme of your wedding, choosing bright, sunny colors for a summer outdoor wedding or Christmas colors for a Christmas wedding.
  5. What is Your Theme?
  6. You may also want to consider the theme of your wedding when you are picking out your wedding invitations. If you are having a beach themed wedding, you can often find invitations that have pictures of the beach or follow that theme. If you are having a garden theme, you may want to have invitations that have flowers on them to go with the garden theme. Whatever theme you are having at your wedding, you can probably find invitations that complement that specific theme.
  7. Do You Want Photos?
  8. One option you have that will make your wedding invitations unique is having a photo of you and your groom-to-be on the front or inside your invitations. You can choose a simple invitation and have your photo added to make an invitation that your friends and family will treasure.
  9. What is Your Budget?
  10. When choosing your wedding invitations, you also should consider the budget you have. If you are spending more money on your dress, you may have to cut back on the money spent for invitations. Even if you are cutting back on the budget for invitations, there are many great choices that are budget friendly.

Your invitations are one way that you will let your friends and family know about your big day, so you want them to be perfect and a reflection of you and your love. Keeping these considerations in mind can help you find wedding invitations that will be beautiful, unique and a wonderful way to invite your cherished loved ones to share in your special day.

Friday, October 2, 2009

How Do You Choose Your Wedding Invitation

Compared to the price of wedding photos and gown, the cost for wedding invitation is a lot lower and some couples may overlook the production of it due to this reason. In fact, wedding invitation should be as important as your photos and gown. You cannot invite your guests to your wedding without a wedding invitation. How to choose the wedding invitation should be one of the essential issues a couple should take care of.

You need to choose a vendor before you really choose the wedding item. It is also true when you choose your invitation. You should firstly choose the wedding invitation provider. Reputation is always the most important point to consider. An irresponsible company will just ruin your wedding.

Besides, you should also observe if the company delivers products with good quality. You would like your wedding to be perfect and the wedding invitation should also be perfect. You should never choose a wedding card vendor which delivers cards with bad quality.

After you have decided which company you choose, you can start to think of the style you like. You may want the wedding invitation to match your wedding theme. In this case you can discuss with the designer what your wedding theme is so that they can make the design to match your theme.

Using your photos as the invitation becomes more and more popular these days. If you are planning to put your photos into the wedding invitation, you should always ask if the resolution of the photo you choose is high enough for printing. A photo with low resolution will just make the wedding invitation a mess.

Although the style of the invitation is very important, you should not miss the point that you have to put the details of your wedding into it. You need to put the address of the venue and date of your wedding. You may also need to include a small map into the wedding invitation so that your guests can find their way to the venue.

As a result you need to make sure that you will have enough space to incorporate all the information you need to put onto the wedding invitation. If it is not enough for a piece of card, you may need to make a few cards. For example, the details of your wedding are on one card and the map is on a separated card. If this is your choice, you may need to make a folder of some kind so that you can put all the cards, such as the main invitation, RSVP and map into it.

Furthermore, you should order your wedding card as soon as possible. Even the best company may make mistakes. If you do not order your invitation early, you will not have enough time to do it again if there is any mistake. It will only be a pity if you cannot have your perfect wedding cards just because you do not have enough time.

With all these in mind, you should be able to choose your dream wedding card.

How to Make Cheap Homemade Wedding Invitations

I know you are probably thinking that you have no idea of how to make cheap homemade wedding invitations. It isn’t difficult, saves you quite a bit of money and can be great fun. Besides we will lead you through it step by step.

First, you have to decide on the level of formality your wedding will have. This will have an effect on your design and wording choices.

Browse the web, looking for, do it yourself wedding invitation ideas. Many sites offer free templates with or without designs and wording samples. They allow you to download templates to use as is or to adapt to suit your needs. Some sites only allow you to download free templates if you purchase your wedding stationary from them.

Decide on your design, or graphic image and the wording that you will use.

Pick a font that goes with the theme and style of your invitations.

Buy your wedding invitation stationary, including cards for any enclosures, such as, RSVPs, Thank You cards .and programs that you may want to use your stationary blanks which are available in a wide variety of sizes and colors, purchase a few extra in case of a printing mishap, such as an ink smear or paper jam.

Purchase extra ink cartridges, so that you don’t run out in the middle of this important project.

Schedule an afternoon or evening to create your invitations and then print them. The whole thing shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours to complete.

Before telling the printer to begin making X number of copies, print one copy of each piece on plain paper cut to the sizes of your stationary ,to make sure that everything is lined up properly, and to check for typographical errors.

Make sure that the printer you plan on using adjusts to the different sizes of your stationary.

Enlist family and friends with nice handwriting to help you address your invitations.

Have fun while learning how to make cheap homemade wedding invitations.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, by trying to choose a design for your invitations? What is your theme? If you are having a destination wedding use clip art, photos or original art work that represent your destination, such as a beach scene, flip flops, palm trees, sunsets, or mountains.

Here, are some design ideas, that you may want to use on your invitations. For a western wedding a WANTED poster is at present very popular. Cowboy boots, and hats are often seen on western invitations. Couples often use fonts that look like logs or rope on this type of invitations.

Disney weddings are also extremely popular, and you can download free clip art of Cinderella and Prince Charming to use on your invitations, as well as other Disney icons like Lady and the Tramp.

Many couples are choosing to honor their religious or ethnic roots, for example , a Celtic Cross might be chosen by an Irish Catholic couple, and a Star of David or a rolled Torah scroll by a Jewish couple. A native American bride and groom might use a dream catcher on theirs. Consider honoring your heritage on this special day. Photos of landmarks from your ancestral homeland, also make great images for wedding invitations.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

How To Make Your Own Unique Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations can be quite expensive. By simply using your computer and following some basic instructions you can create your own quality bridal stationary and save a substantial amount of money in the process. Even those who do not consider themselves "crafty" can easily put together their own unique invitations using heavy stock paper and some embellishments.

Step 1: Choose a Background That Reflects Your Wedding Colors and Theme

Begin by choosing a heavy stock paper with a distinctive color, texture or print. This background paper should compliment the theme and colors of your wedding. Be sure the weight of the paper is at least 65 lb weight or more, depending on how sturdy you want the background paper to be. As this paper will not be printed on, you need not worry if it will feed through your printer. Cut the paper to the size you wish your invitation to be. By cutting an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet in half your invitation will be 4 1/2" x 5 1/2", which should be suitable for your purposes.

Step 2: Select a Lightweight, Sheer Paper For Printing

This is the paper where you will print the wording for your invitation. It will be secured on top of the background paper. Look for a translucent type of paper in a solid color. Some choices are: tracing paper, vellum, or rice paper.

Measure and cut the paper so that it is slightly smaller than the background. This will give your wedding invitation a nice solid border along the edges, creating a more professional look. Once you have your wording typed out and adjusted to fit properly (when printed), set your printer to "economy" or "draft" mode. This allows the least amount of ink to print on the paper making it harder to smudge - a good tip for those using an ink jet printer.

You may wish to add a small wedding graphic as well. You could place a graphic at the bottom center of the page or if you have a nice corner graphic, you could embellish the 4 corners of the paper. Remember to keep the graphic small so that it adds interest, but does not overwhelm the invitation.

Step 3: Attaching The Printed Invite To The Background

Here are a few methods which you can use to attach your printed paper to the background:

Glue the entire piece down. Using paper glue or small dollops of hot glue carefully dot the corners and edges of the translucent paper and center it over the background. For added embellishments you may wish to glue on a small ribbon bow, tiny silk flower, add a pretty sticker, or perhaps wrap a contrasting paper or silk ribbon band around the invitation.

Fasten the papers together at the top. Using a small hole punch, make two holes through both papers near the top. Tie the paper together using thin silk ribbons, raffia, small tassels or decorative metal fasteners.

Use a faux wax seal to secure your invitation. At the top, be sure to have your wax partly on the thin paper and partly on the background paper. Use a metal seal to press down into the wax. Once dry it will hold the two papers together. You may want to dab a bit of glue between the papers first for extra assurance. There are several faux wax seal kits that you can purchase in order to do this. If you want to save some money, you can also make your own "wax seal" by using colored hot glue gun wax, although I would suggest practicing first on scrap paper so you can get an idea of how much hot glue you need to make a proper "seal".

More Wedding Stationary Ideas That You Can Make

Don't stop at just wedding invitations. Use the above methods to create matching reply cards, wedding programs, and thank-you notes. Your guests will be impressed with the uniqueness of your invitations and you will be pleasantly surprised at how fun and easy creating your own wedding stationary can be.

Hot Trends in Wedding Invitations

Gone are the days where tried and true, conventional ivory or white invitations are the norm. We have seen a strong increase in unique invitations, styles, colors and design. Brides today want a fresh, modern look with embellishments and pizazz. Brides want to "wow" their guests with inspiring design, unique decorations, and stylish papers. Invitation companies are responding to these trends by providing a plethora of options, colors and modern designs. If you can not find what you are looking for in stores, there are a variety of stationary companies online which provide fresh invitation ideas. Or for signature work, sit down with a stationer about six months before your event for a completely custom design.

Here are 5 Hot Tips and Trends for Wedding Invitations for the last half of 2008 and 2009:

1) Unusual materials - Embellishments up the wow factor for your invites. Think unconventional materials to accent your invites such as bamboo, sinamay envelopes, raffia ties. It's all about the "au natural" feeling this year due to the increase in eco-chic weddings.

2) Fresh Font Styles - Forget the traditional fonts and the traditional font sizes. Switch things up with unusual font design, unexpected text placement (such as a vertical date), and eye-catching colors.

3) Ethnic Details - Celebrate your heritage! If you are of Indian decent, how about a sari inspired print design for your wedding invitations in modern colors such as hot pink and gold? Or if you are of Irish decent, why not have a custom die cast letterpress invitation with a Celtic-inspired monogram?

4) Combined Colors - gone are the days of white invitations with standard ink colors. Invitations now can be matted such as matting a picture in a frame, with several different colors and materials behind the actual invitation, giving your invite an almost 3-D touch. Cool color combinations such as pink and orange, blue and greens, ivory and black, turquoise and tan spice up the traditional color scheme.

5) New Shapes - for a stylish alternative to the traditional rectangle, try an oversized square or a round invitation. Be careful though, alternate Shape Wedding Invitations can cost more to mail.

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!