Invitation styles and prices: Invitations are available in thousands of styles: traditional, contemporary, and custom designs, some with double envelopes, or a folding invitation sealed with a sticker.

The cost of invitations will depend largely on the quality of the paper. When it comes time to select your invitation, pick the one that best suits your tastes, personal style, and budget; remember that it's the first official presentation of your wedding.

Ordering your invitations: Ideally, you should order your invitations three to four months before the wedding to allow enough time for delivery and addressing. Some shops offer last-minute printing in as little as a week, or even a single day. Invitations should be sent three to four weeks before your wedding. Ask if you can get the envelopes in advance for addressing; having an addressing-and-stuffing party can be a fun time-saver.

Wording the invitation: When you order, be sure to work with a shop that specializes in invitations. Its expert staff can help you fill out the complicated order forms, and will help you with correct wording for the invitation.

Correct spelling of names: Etiquette books cover proper addressing of both inner and outer envelopes. Before addressing your envelopes, make sure you double check on your master list for the CORRECT spelling of names.

Engagement announcements: They are always good to send, especially to out-of-town guests.

Calligraphy and addressing: Invitations can be calligraphed by machine or by hand. This adds a very personal touch to your invitations.

Wedding announcements: If you choose to send wedding announcements, select a style that will complement the invitations sent earlier. You may wish to include your new address and other personal information.

Design your Master Guest List to serve many purposes: Include space to record the dates that invitations are sent and responses received, as well as the number of guests expected for each invitation. You can use the same list to record dates that you send thank you notes.

Where do you draw the line with the guest list? The bride and groom and their families first develop a "wish list" of guests. Then the list is narrowed down to the attendance for which you have budgeted. Usually attendance will be between 60% and 75%, whether family and friends live in town or not. A good rule of thumb to narrow down the list: if you haven't made contact with people in the last year, leave them off.

Single friends and guests: If friends are single, you are not obliged to invite a guest or escort. If you do decide to include their guests, find out their names and addresses and send them separate invitations; we do not recommend adding "and Guest" to an invitation. If an unmarried couple is living together, then you can send one invitation with both names listed alphabetically.

Don't forget to send invitations to wedding party members: Remember to send invitations to the special people playing a role in your wedding: parents, grandparents, clergy, attendants and immediate family. You can send an invitation to yourself so that you know when guests will receive them.

Number of invitations needed: When determining the number of invitations to order, combine lists from the bride's parents, the groom's parents, the bride, and the groom. The mother of the bride or the bride should discuss the number of invitations available to the groom's family with the groom's mother. When the lists are compiled, additions, deletions, and corrections can be made by anyone.

Labels: invitations

ANNOUNCING YOUR ENGAGEMENT Share your good news with your families as soon as possible - it's only right that they hear it from you first. If you'd also like to announce your engagement formally in both of your hometown papers, contact the lifestyles editor to learn the appropriate way to prepare your information. Ask if photos are also accepted. The simplest, customary form of preparing your announcement is to type it on an 81/2" x 11" sheet. The following sample will give you an idea of how to write your copy:


ORDERING INVITATIONS Order your invitations at least three months in advance to give you plenty of time for printing, addressing, and mailing. If it's a very formal wedding, choose a rich, creamy paper. If it's semiformal, you have many options in paper stocks and colors from which to choose. It's also acceptable to include more personal touches such as a poem, a Bible verse, or other sayings.

ADDRESSING INVITATIONS Create a master list of names in order to avoid duplicates. Make sure all names and titles are spelled correctly and addresses are accurate. Below are some typical examples of different addressing styles. When addressing invitations to married couples, use the following format:


Keep in mind that many women have retained their maiden names or prefer to be called by their titles or professional names. In these cases, you may send one invitation to both husband and wife, putting her name above his on the envelope. Follow the same rule for couples with different last names or unmarried couples living together.


Be sure to write out in full the names of streets, cities, and states as well. Don't send an invitation to a couple and "family." Instead, on the inner envelope, include the name of each child invited as:


Adult members of a family who are over 18 should always receive separate invitations. You may, however, send one invitation to two sisters or brothers living together at one address. Generally, each invited guest should receive a personal invitation to your wedding, so avoid wordings like "and guest." Make an effort to find out the address of the guest and send a separate invitation.

MAILING INVITATIONS Invitations are usually mailed four to six weeks before the wedding. Do send invitations to your wedding official, your fiance's immediate family, all members of the wedding party, and a guest list made up of both your friends and his, as well as other relatives and coworkers with whom you want to share your day. Keep in mind your budget limitations and refrain from letting your list get out of control. Selection may sometimes be difficult, but it is best to stick as closely as possible to your list.

If you haven't received an RSVP by two weeks before the wedding, have a family member call and check. When each invitation is accounted for, tell your caterer how many guests to expect.

POSTAGE FOR INVITATIONS Remember before purchasing stamps for your invitations to go to the post office and have the invitation weighed. Normally the postage will be 42 cents, but if the invitation is large or has many inserts it might require more postage. Also, it is fun to have your invitations post-marked at a special location (i.e. Bridal Veil in Oregon is a popular place). You can either mail the entire finished package of invitations there or hand deliver the package with special instructions.

SAVE-THE-DATE LETTERS Inform out-of-town guests about the upcoming wedding date far enough in advance that they will be able to take time off work or save for the trip if necessary. This letter can also give details about hotel accommodations in different budgets, special wedding rates and whom to contact at the destination and the toll-free number.

Labels: invitations