Wedding Invitations & Etiquette

Wedding invitations do more than tell who, what, where and when. Wedding invitations set the whole tone of the occasion. From the way the invitation is addressed on the exterior to the font used for the content inside, a wedding invitation says whether the affair will be formal, casual, grand, intimate, themed, traditional, or something altogether different. Who could have imagined that an invitation to a wedding could say so much.

While many of the 'rules' dictating a wedding are commonly broken by today's couples-to-be, don't even consider going against generally-established protocol when sending your wedding invitations. In addition to providing the details and setting the tone, a wedding invitation should also convey what is and is not acceptable. And as enticing as it may be to put your guest's names and addresses into a database, choose a script font and print out a sheet of stick-on labels, don't do it! If you're having a casual affair, it may be adequate, but anything else requires handwriting. If your handwriting is not up to par, employ someone for this assignment. Many couples engage calligraphers, which is a great choice if your budget allows.

It's vital to include a reply card and a stamped, pre-addressed return envelope in with the wedding invitation to make replying an effortless job. As for addressing, here are a few of the etiquette rules. If you're permitting the invitee to bring a guest, or if children are not invited, you need to specify this. Habitually this is handled by the way the inner envelope is addressed.

Adding 'and guest' after the invited guest's name conveys the message that the guest is allowed to bring a guest. Adding the names of the guest's children, in order from oldest to youngest, indicates that their children are welcome to be present. There are different rules for addressing the envelopes of professionals, couples that live together but are not married, women who use their maiden name and others so be certain you follow them.

It's common to post wedding invitations at least six weeks prior to the wedding date to allow guests sufficient time to reply. Guests arriving from out of state or even out of the country will appreciate the additional time to arrange their travel so as a courtesy, it's a commendable plan to post their invitations 8 - 10 weeks before the wedding.

And while you're busy selecting your wedding invitations, you'll discover matching wedding stationary available for purchase. For that special day, you can order coordinating beverage napkins, match books, place cards, wedding cake box, and even a special wedding portfolio. You can have the menu printed up and a wedding ceremony program that can be handed out to guests. You'll also want to thank your guests for attending and for their generous wedding gifts so it's a good idea to order thank-you cards and envelopes when you're ordering wedding invitations.

You and your partner should plan to shop for wedding invitations and wedding stationery when you aren't feeling rushed. It is important to invest sufficient time for this, as if you were shopping for wedding rings. And remember to keep that budget in mind!