The Art of Wording Wedding Invitations in an Elegant Way
January 20, 2007
Your wedding is likely to be the most important event in your personal life. It marks the official beginning of you and your husband’s life as a couple. It can lead to a creation of a family. And it can easily become the happiest party you’ll ever attend.
There are a multitude of details to deal with when you’re preparing for matrimony—so many, in fact, that you may be overwhelmed by them all. If you are not a wordsmith by trade or by hobby, you may find the prospect of creating a wedding invitation absolutely daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be—if you follow a few tried-and-true tips for wedding invitation success.
You will have less anxiety when preparing your wedding invitations if you pay close attention to etiquette rules. Otherwise, chances are that you will be unnecessarily worried about offending members of your wedding party and other guests.
As a general rule, keep in mind that writing a wedding invitation is a much more formal process than writing an e-mail to a friend. For the most part, you’ll need to spell out all numbers in order to give the invitation a sleek, sophisticated look. In fact, you’ll even need to spell out the year of the wedding.
When listing your name and the groom’s name, be sure to include your middle names to give your invitation a more formal look. If your wedding is part of a religious ceremony, you should say that you “request the honor of your (guest’s) presence.†This is a polite way of recognizing the formality of the event.
For the most part, it should be the parents of the bride who issue the invitation, based on tradition. In other words, it is the Mom and Dad of the bride-to-be who will be requesting the honor of the presence of the guests. If, however, your parents are deceased or are not part of your wedding planning, alternative wording is perfectly acceptable. In such a case, it is most likely that the couple themselves will be issuing the invitation.
In a case where the bride’s parents have divorced and remarried, it is customary for the names of the parents and their spouses to appear on the wedding invitation. This should help the marrying couple to avoid any etiquette gaffes when dealing with the parents of the bride.
If you are still unsure of how to properly word your invitation, you might consider consulting a wedding planner. He or she should have all the information you need to make an informed choice about invitation wording. While it may seem like a headache to pick out just the right words for your invitation, it is well worth the effort in the end. If you’re proud of your wedding invitations, you’ll be in the appropriate frame of mind for greeting your guests on the day of your special event. You’ll be ready to experience the joy of the moment, rather than worrying about whether your invitations made the right impression on your guests.
Keywords: Wedding Invitations, Wedding Invitation Wording, Weddingblog
Buying and Ordering Wedding Invitations
January 20, 2007
Wedding invitations are one of the most important parts of planning the celebration - after all, they inform everyone about the joyous event. Invitations can be preprinted, handwritten or printed in customized fonts on a computer, so buying and ordering basically begins with how a bride and groom would like the invitations personalized.
Preprinted invitations are printed by a professional printer. The language used to invite guests is uniform on each invitation and usually somewhat formal. The invitation will include the invite itself with the accompanying two envelopes and a reply card with an envelope. All the envelopes are handwritten by the bride and groom with postage placed on each reply card envelope and exterior envelope. Place cards and thank you notes are traditionally printed to match the invitations because it is cost-effective and convenient. Thank you notes should be handwritten so that they are personalized.
Handwritten invitations are written by hand in neat, lovely penmanship or by using calligraphy. Calligraphy is an artistic, beautiful way of writing script with a specialized pen. Calligraphy guilds that are informed about this art can be found internationally throughout Australia, Italy, Spain, the United States and Canada. Although handwritten invitations are frequently used for informal wedding announcements because they can be personalized, they can can also be formalized. By using heavyweight paper, unique lettering and the traditional format that includes envelopes and a reply card, handwritten invitations can be effectively made formal.
Blank invitations that can be printed out with certain customized fonts on a computer can also be used by the wedding couple. These invitations can be personalized or made classically uniform. Because of the vast amount of fonts and designs available, blank invitations printed on a computer are suitable for both formal and informal purposes.
No matter which way a couple decides to go with regard to printing, buying wedding invitations is a process that should start around four months before the actual event. Whether a bridge and groom shop over the Internet or in person, they should take enough time to really look for an invitation that is unique and expressive of their individual union. Once the basic invitation is chosen, the purchasing process begins.
A couple should order their wedding invitations at least three months in advance so that there is plenty of time to receive them, complete them and send them out. This also allows a bit of time to correct dreaded errors in preprinted invitations. Handwritten invitations need to be neatly and accurately completed. When invitations are printed at home, the proper font needs to be selected and there should be enough ink to print them. Further, the envelopes always need to be handwritten with the postage affixed, so this takes additional time and labor. Finally, the guests have to be able to send the reply cards back within enough time so that they are meaningful to the bride and groom. Keeping that time line in mind, it is easy to see why the process of buying and ordering invitations should start a few months before the wedding itself.
Selecting wedding invitations is a careful, precise process but it can also be a lot of fun. Browsing for invitations online is a convenient way to find out what is available and design a one-of-a-kind wedding announcement. Ordering the invitations is secure and they can be preprinted or handwritten in accordance with the preferences of the bridge and groom. The results of properly buying and ordering wedding invitations is a truly unique, beautiful announcement to start off an incredible event.
Keywords: Buying and Ordering Wedding Invitations, Weddingblog
When the Bride Decides on a Child-Free Wedding
January 20, 2007
In today’s world, brides have a great deal of leeway when it comes to assembling their invitation list. While parents may pay for the wedding, the bride should have the deciding vote when it comes to who’s on the guest list and who’s not.
While this can cause discord in some families, it only makes sense that the bride should be in charge. After all, it is her big day…her day to shine. She should be the one to choose with whom she’ll spend the day.
In the interests of maintaining a calm, stress-free atmosphere at their weddings, some brides opt for a child-free wedding. Such a policy does not mean that the bride is against children—far from it. It simply means that she wants to maintain a certain atmosphere at her wedding and reception, and having unruly children or crying babies around could spoil the event.
However, such a decision can create etiquette problems. Some guests may be offended by a no-child policy, considering it anti-family. Say, for instance, the bride’s future mother-in-law wants to see her young nieces at the wedding. But the bride has made it clear that she doesn’t want anyone under the age of 16 to attend the festivities. Should the bride make an exception for her future mother-in-law’s relatives? Or should she abandon the no-child rule altogether? Or should the mother-in-law invite the children on her own—over her daughter-in-law’s objections? Or is it possible for the mother-in-law to broach the subject with her daughter-in-law—without creating hard feelings? What do bridal etiquette experts have to say on the subject?
There can be no doubt that this is a touchy subject—one that can come up in a number of weddings. Proper etiquette, though, states that the mother-in-law should simply follow the bride’s wishes. The wedding is, after all, the bride’s show—not the mother-in-law’s. While there is the danger that a no-child policy can cause hurt feelings, it is perfectly acceptable from an etiquette standpoint.
Interestingly enough, proper etiquette states that a bride need not share her wedding invitation list with her future in-laws. As a result, a clash between the bride and her future mother-in-law over the guest list might be avoided altogether.
However, if a bride’s parents are paying for the event, they do have a right to see the invitation list. That means that conflicts could arise between the bride and her mother and father over who should be invited to the wedding and reception and who shouldn’t be.
Often, a heart-to-heart talk between the bride and her parents will put to rest any controversies over the guest list. In the event that conflicting opinions arise, the bride and her mother and father should be able to discuss the issue in a pleasant, respectful way. Such discussions can help to reduce any hard feelings and can help to contribute to harmonious wedding planning sessions. After all, getting married is a team effort, and a successful wedding requires cooperation among all members of the wedding party and “planning committee.â€
Keywords: Wedding Planning, Child Free Wedding
The Do’s and Dont’s of Wedding Invitations
January 20, 2007
Several centuries ago, a town crier announced weddings and there was no need for guest lists, reply cards and the related enclosures. A couple of centuries ago, a formal written wedding invitation was painstakingly prepared and delivered to guests by a courier on horseback. Although many options for wedding invitations exist today, there are certain basics that never change:DO order your invitations three to four months in advance. This is NOT too much time, there is never such a thing when it comes to wedding planning. Consider the number of variables involved – a bride, a groom, a printer, the postal service, family members, etc.
DON’T send wedding invitations by email, simply because some family members and friends may not be online yet (believe it or not).
DO order around 25 extra invitations with your original order to account for events such as long forgotten family members and preserving extra copies after the wedding. Ordering extra invitations later can become expensive and having extras around definitely comes in handy.
DON’T be afraid to show your creative side. If certain colors or designs appeal to you, go for it – it’s your day and everything about it should express what you are about.
DO proofread printed invitations carefully to ensure accuracy.
DON’T forget to include postage in the total cost for invitations. Also remember that postage needs to be placed on the exterior envelope, as well as on the reply card envelope.
DO create a master guest list that shows what invitations were sent and what replies were received.
DON’T “cheap out” on your invitations – with a bit of resourcefulness and imagination, beautiful announcements can be created on a tight budget.
DO consider shopping online for wedding invitations – it’s convenient, secure, can be done during any time of the day or night within your schedule and you can take as long as you want to browse around.
DON’T use a ballpoint pen for handwritten invitations. Flat-tipped pens and calligraphy pens create nicer invitations in around the same amount of time.
DO word invitations carefully – consider unique family relationships when wording the invitations and the envelopes. If necessary, consult with family members or etiquette guides to avoid stepping on toes.
DON’T forget to place the enclosures to the wedding invitation in order of importance, such as invitations, response card envelope, response card and then map.
DON’T hand deliver wedding invitations – it is still inappropriate, even in the modern world.
DO consider including directions and maps for out-of-town guests so they can easily locate your nuptials.
DON’T lose your cool if an error is made on your invitations. Proofread carefully along the way, communicate immediately and effectively about mistakes and your invitations will go out on time.
DO consider convenient bends in tradition. For example, your response card can simply request an RSVP by telephone or email, saving the bride and groom some postage fees.
DON’T let anyone else make up your mind for you. Printers, family members and friends can make useful suggestions but the ultimate choice belongs to the couple getting married.
DO enjoy shopping for your wedding invitations – it’s a fun way to start your incredible event and should be enjoyable.
Wedding invitations encourage others to enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime day with you and should be as unique as you are. With a bit of common sense and a large sense of fun, selecting and sending your wedding invitations can be simple and enjoyable.
Keywords: Do’s and Dont’s of Wedding Invitations, Weddingblog
Disposable Wedding Cameras Create Forever Memories
January 20, 2007
Since disposable cameras were developed in the 1990’s, many people have appreciated how easy, convenient and affordable they are to use. Every year, millions of disposable cameras are sold so that people can capture important moments without lugging around expensive photography equipment that could be lost or damaged. A disposable camera, also referred to as a single-use camera, is simply a box camera sold with a roll of film installed. Most of these cameras are usually integrated with a flash, have a focus free lens and use 35 mm film. When the film runs out, the entire camera is given in for processing. Although new types of disposable cameras, such as waterproof and digital, have been developed over the past five years, the traditional flash-equipped disposable cameras sold the most as of 2005. The majority of single-use cameras take 27 photos with 400 speed film.Single-use cameras have become a popular table attraction at many weddings. Providing a disposable camera at each table as a wedding favors actually turns out to be a great favor to the bride and groom because it encourages the guests to take spontaneous photos at their table. This allows the busy wedding couple to see memorable moments they may have missed while entertaining their guests.
Traditionally, one disposable camera is placed at each table of guests. The savvy wedding couple will also set up a decorative card next to each camera to let the guests know why and how to use it. After all, absent instructions, the cameras could wind up being ignored, improperly used or even be taken home with guests. The card placed next to the cameras should be decorative and say something like, “A camera has been provided at each table to take casual, natural photos of our family and friends. Have fun, pass it around to everyone and catch those memorable moments for us. The camera works best between between four and twelve feet. When all the pictures are taken, please leave the camera on the table.” Detailed directions will yield the best photos and make the guests feel assured about how the camera should be used.
It is also a good idea to recruit a person from each table to start the ball rolling. As the wedding couple goes around to meet and greet, a subtle suggestion can be made to the most receptive member of the table to start taking photos of the greeting process. This should warm up the guests and make them feel comfortable about taking pictures. Offering direction to the guests along the way, such as instruction cards and asking them to take a picture, will ensure that the cameras are put to use. After all, if the cameras sit quietly on the tables, there will be no impromptu photos to appreciate later. Besides, guests have a great time acting as informal photographers and sometimes even start to compete to catch the best photo.
Choosing disposable cameras that reflect the feeling of the day make the guest tables look decorative and appealing. Single-use cameras can be purchased in various colors and styles that make them more attractive and enticing to guests. After all, a white camera with gold hearts is certainly eye-catching and fits with the mood of a wedding more than a generic one.
Once the wedding is over, the bride and groom can have these candid photos developed to see their wedding through the eyes of their guests. Although a disposable camera is usually no substitute for a photographer, many couples include some of these incredible shots in their wedding album or create a separate scrapbook of captured moments. At my wedding, one of our guests caught a precious picture of me leaning on my new husband, tired but content, at the end of the busy day. This photo represents us today, tomorrow and always – hard work, but always someone to lean on and love. These are the types of forever photos than can only be captured on the spur of the moment, with a conveniently placed disposable camera.
Keywords: Disposable Wedding Cameras, Weddingblog, Wedding
Wedding Invitation Basics for the Bride-to-Be
January 18, 2007
Once you’ve recovered from the initial shock of becoming engaged to be married, there may be a myriad of pressing issues facing you in advance of your wedding. These can include everything from who will give you away on your special day to whether or not you want to secure the services of a flower girl for your march down the aisle.
Even if your plans for your wedding and reception are somewhat unusual, you’ll need to devote some attention to wedding invitations. Your invitation is your best means of communicating with your wedding guests before the big event. The invitation will inform them about what kinds of clothes they should wear, where the wedding will be held, the time of year it will take place, and the expected size of the event.
If you envision your wedding to be a formal event, you’ll need to make sure that it’s clear on the invitation who will be acting as host. You also need to indicate whether it is permissible for your invited guest to bring a guest of his or her own.
Generally speaking, you will only have to send a single wedding invitation to a couple or family. And it’s important to make sure that you send invitations to each member of the wedding party—including the parents of the groom. You will also need to send an invitation to the individual who is officiating the wedding, often a clergyman. If the clergyman is married, it is considered good form to also invite his wife.
Suppose you know that your grandmother will not be able to attend your wedding because of ill health. You want her to feel a part of your wedding day—yet, you don’t want to hurt her feelings by emphasizing the fact that she won’t be able to make it. What should you do in such a situation?
Etiquette experts say, should such a situation arise, it is vitally important that you send an invitation to your beloved guest—even if she can’t be physically present for the wedding and reception. By mailing her an invitation, you are making her feel cherished and welcomed. Even though she can’t attend, she might be able to send a card or gift, which will make her feel as if she is part of the festivities. Chances are it will lift her spirits, knowing that you cared enough about her to send an invitation.
Basic etiquette requires you to mail out the invitations six weeks in advance of the wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to clear their calendars and to voice their intention to attend. Waiting just a few weeks before the wedding to mail out invitations is considered to be an incredible breach of etiquette and could strain relations between you and some of your guests.
Mailing out wedding invitations can be a nerve-wracking process. However, through careful planning, you should emerge from the process unscathed, ready to take on all the other challenges that face a prospective bride.
Keywords: Wedding Invitations, Wedding Invitation Wording, Weddingblog
