Invitations and announcements come in all shapes and sizes whatever the special occasion. It could be for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, baby christenings or what have you. No matter the event, chances are you’ll find announcements and invites ranging from foil-stamped, fancy, embossed cards to charming, quaint homemade pieces. Personal taste, guest number, time and budget will determine your final choice.
A Look At Wedding Invitations And Announcements
A wedding won’t be complete without guests. Having a complete lineup from the get-go makes the wedding planning job easier. The preparations include getting the wedding invites ready. The invitations should reflect your sincere wish to have people you want there on your big day.
Tradition dictates that wedding invitations be distributed. This way, people know for sure that they’re being asked to attend. Simply put, the invitations make it official that they’re invited. They also feel special because the couple thought of counting them among the guests.
Today’s wedding invites don’t necessarily have to be the same old boring cards people of yesteryears used. The idea of the contemporary wedding invitation hinges on the assumption that they’re crucial to the wedding. Any overlooked invitation details gives the impression that wedding plans were carelessly made.
Actually, the fundamental reason wedding invitations are created and handed out is so you can estimate how many guests intend to show up. It would thus be helpful to include reply cards with the invitation. This will enable determining the approximate guest numbers to expect come wedding day so there are fewer unpleasant surprises.
Weddings are generally formal occasions. Still, sometimes couples favor more casual celebrations. Clearly, it pays to be specific when it comes to how elaborate or informal the gathering will be. Mincing no words with the dress code also helps. This way, guests know what the rules are and whether or not their compliance is required in the clothing department.
For weddings involving few guests, making the wedding invites yourself is better. Wedding invitations are often pricey. Fewer orders mean less expenses so if you’re not ordering many, making your own invites would be smarter. It actually comes out cheaper to do the wedding invitations yourself than having a company print them all out for you.
While white will forever be the fashionable wedding color, it doesn’t hurt to mix things up. Technological advances now allow for trying out other bright hues for the wedding. Couples are no longer limited to the traditional whites for their wedding. It’s now acceptable to have other colors thrown in. Consider shades that show the couple’s personality.
The trick is to utilize a combination of different bright colors. Invitations of yore came in typical rectangles decorated with flowers and lace. Although society views them as acceptable design, face it – they’re lifeless and blah. Inject some life into them so they exude the beautiful life you and your mate set out to have. Figure out modern designs that are infused with beauty and fun.
Consider the following when selecting wedding invitations:
- Assign a budget and unleash creativity – Invitations can be expensive, but some are out there that are just as pretty but not as pricey. Knowing where to start looking plus being creative helps.
- Draft the guest list – This way, you know just how many invites are to be ordered.
- Get started as early as seven months prior to the date – This gives you plenty of time to polish the wording. If any issues arise, you’ve got sufficient time to do damage control and ensure invites are crafted the exact way you conceptualized them before handing them out.
- Hire the pros – When unsure, enlist the help of experts. Professionals can give you useful inputs regarding invitation style and look. They’ll help you sort your ideas so you come out with amazing results.
- Order additional invites – Always order in excess of the number you actually require. This way, you’ve got spares in case you forget someone.
- Keep it stylish – Harness your creativity and combine various materials using a personalized touch.
- Pick a theme – The invitation should convey the wedding’s color motif or theme.
- Choose styles that embody your personality – Invitations should reflect the couple’s style and hint at the wedding theme you have in mind.
- Take care of wedding particulars – See to it that all wedding details (date, venue, and time of ceremony plus reception) have been confirmed.
- Appropriate etiquette and wording – Consult professionals so everything inside the invites is in its proper place.
- Wording advice – When leaving your wording at the shop, give it in typewritten form so they’re easy to read. Who wants errors or typos in the actual invitations? If you wish to avoid these headaches, typewritten is the way to go.
Now for pointers regarding invitation etiquette, take a look below:
- Addressing envelopes: It’s improper to address invitation envelopes as “Mr and Mrs Robert Hayes and Family.” Names of kids below 18 years old should be specified in the invite while those over 18 should be sent separate invitations.
- Mail invitations six to eight weeks prior: Send out invitations several weeks ahead of the big day. However, if plenty of out-of-state guests are invited or the wedding date is slated during the holidays, mail the invites sooner. This affords guests more time for planning, reserving hotels and fixing schedules.
- Two wedding locations: When the reception and the ceremony are happening at different sites, including a reception card to go with the invitation is a good idea. Reception cards should contain detailed info regarding the reception and come with a separate envelope.
- Sticking with casual names: Use casual names like Grandpa, or Uncle Bob and Aunt May for close relatives to address inner envelopes as this shows them how much they mean to you, even if it’s a formal occasion you’re planning.
- Black tie event: Place the words “black tie” somewhere toward the lower right-hand side of the invite if planning formal nuptials so guests arrive in the appropriate garb.
Wedding invitations are more than just invitations. They’re not like invites for victory parties or birthday celebrations. A wedding invitation is a way of asking somebody to be a significant part of an unforgettable chapter in your life, saying “I do” to your mate. Wedding invitations are not mere pieces of paper. They represent a couple’s wish to show the rest of the world how much they care for each other, and they’d like the guests to be witnesses to that.