A Guide to Wedding Invitations

Congratulations on your engagement! This is truly an exciting time in your life, but there is also a lot of work to be done ahead. The planning process for a wedding requires much attention to detail, and selecting the right wedding invitation is no exception. Your invitation is the first impression that your guests will get. It's important here to make a statement and set the standard for your wedding.

Most of the time invitations are selected as soon as the wedding date is set and when then guest list is narrowed down. I recommend selection them at least six months in advance. This allows plenty of time to order the invitations, proofread them, correct any mistakes, and address the invitations. Invitations are sent out a month to two months prior to the wedding, and if your wedding is during the summer then you may want to consider sending them out even sooner. Remember that it's customary to send an invitation to your minister, rabbi, or priest for the event. Anyone over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation. Also, it's better to have more spare invitations than have a lack of. You'll also need to plan on ordering 25 additional invitations in the event that you need to add people.

If your wedding is small, I suggest sending announcement to those that you were unable to invite to the ceremony. You don't want to upset anyone by making them feel left out or forgotten, so announcements are a great way to have everyone involved. These are sent out immediately following the wedding and simply include the time and location of the event. If you'll be moving addresses directly following the wedding, send an at home card to inform friends and family of your new contact information.

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the hundreds of different invitation styles, which is why I recommend finding a local stationary expert. Most can be found in the telephone book. The expert will listen to what you're trying to accomplish and will then pull together the different pieces that fit your specifications. They're also familiar with the different parts involved with the wedding invitation. It's much easier to have an expert offer their expertise as opposed to flipping through a catalog and feeling overwhelmed with the process.

Besides the actual invitation, there will be several enclosures. While the invitation announces the couple to be wed along with their family, it also informs your guests on a time, date, and location of the event. Enclosures are cards included with the invitation. They provide more detailed information than the invitation. These cards include pew cards or maps. Map cards are helpful to out-of-town guests who may have problems finding the exact location of the ceremony.

There are two envelopes with a wedding invitation. The outer envelope serves as the main mailing envelope, while the inner envelope carries the invitation and protects it during its travel. On my wedding, I chose an inner envelope with a black colored lining that enhanced the elegance. Give great consideration to the type of language you want used on your invitations. For the more traditional couple, using British on words such as "honour" set a classy standard for your wedding. Make sure you use proper punctuation, and always opt for words like "Mr." or "Mrs." Spell out the wedding parties' full names, and double to check to be sure they are all spelled correctly. You don't want to embarrass or upset any one of your attendants by an error in spelling.

Once you've figured out the style and type of invitations you want to order, bring all the necessary information with you to the stationary expert. This will include name and number of your ceremony and reception site. Provide the expert with the number of invitations to order.

When the big day arrives and it's finally time to start stuffing and sending the invitations out, make a big event out of it. Invite your mom, maid of honor, and bridesmaids for lunch or dinner and make an event out of stuffing the envelopes. Your wedding is a joyous time and should be spent having fun. It's an easy way to get all of your invitations done, and have a great time making memories. Good luck!