WHAT YOU NEED

WHEN YOU NEED IT

WHY IT'S PROPER

Engagement Announcements

Because of school, military service or other plans, your wedding date may be far in the future. If you want people to know you are engaged, plan an Announcement using the Wedding Invitation format.

Either formal or informal copy is proper to let people know your exciting news.

Save the Date Cards

Mail them three to four months in advance of the wedding.

It is a good idea to give family and friends as much notice as possible of the coming event. This is especially true if you have many out of town guests.  With today’s busy lifestyles, people appreciate advance notice.

Wedding Invitations

Used for anyone you want to attend the ceremony (even if they are ill or too far away to actually come.)  Casual friends, business associates and those away from home, such as military and missionaries, should be included. 

Wedding Invitations are usually mailed four to eight weeks before the wedding.  Out-of-town guests will appreciate the advance notice that eight weeks will give them.

Your wedding invitations provide a great deal of important information about your celebration, as well as setting the stage for your event. By their design and wording, they also indicate the style of the wedding, informing the guests of suitable dress and the type of celebration to expect.  The invitations introduce the wedding couple and indicate the hosts of the celebration. Invitations to the wedding or reception are usually sent by the parents of the bride. Invitations always list who is getting married, on what day, of what year (spelled out in full), at what time, and the location.

An occasion this important rates more than a casual invitation.

Envelopes

Inner Envelopes – protect the invitation and list the guests invited. The names of any invited children under the age of eighteen would appear on a line beneath their parents’ names.  For added elegance, inner envelopes may be enhanced with colored linings to coordinate with your invitation design and ink color.

Outer Envelopes – are glued for sealing and should be fully addressed on the front.  A return address printed on the back flap of the envelope ensures that undeliverable invitations will be returned to you. 

Traditionally, an invitation ensemble includes a set of inner and outer envelopes and tissues.

Wedding Announcements

Announcements are sent immediately following the wedding and include the date and location of the ceremony. 

If your wedding is small or private, send announcements to friends and family members you are unable to invite.  Others not attending your wedding, such as distant relatives and business associates, will also appreciate receiving news of your marriage. 

Reception Cards

Traditionally a Reception Card is only used when a select number of the guests invited to the ceremony are invited to the reception. Nowadays, a Reception Card is included with the invitation, even when everyone invited to the ceremony is invited to the reception.

This invitation says, "You are special."

Reception Cards provide information about the time and location of the celebration following the ceremony.  They may also be used for other events, such as the wedding dance, breakfast and gift openings.  As They are enclosed in the invitations, Reception Cards do not require individual envelopes.

Response Cards with Printed Return Envelopes

A must in today's busy times, or you simply won't know who is planning on attending. Plus, you will end up chasing down guests who do not send a handwritten reply.

The Response Card has become an accepted part of wedding etiquette. Including one with invitation is a thoughtful way to ease the guest's responsibility to reply to formal invitations. As a courtesy to guests, enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with Response Card.

Map Cards and Direction Cards

If a detailed map is unnecessary, direction cards printed with wrded instructions only are an excellent alternative.

Map cards are enclosed in the invitations to assure guests will find your ceremony and reception sites easily.

Within the Ribbon or Pew Cards

These special guests present their cards upon arrival at the ceremony to receive their reserved “within the ribbon” seating.

Pew cards or Within the ribbon cards are included in the invitations of honored guests, such as close family members and special friends. 

At Home Cards

If you are moving to a new home and want to inform family and friends of your new information.

Informs family and friends of your new address and lets them know whether you are keeping your maiden name. Usually mailed with the announcement or mailed separately after the wedding.

Thank-You Notes

Thank You notes for a shower gift are sent after the shower, if possible.   Wedding gift Thank You’s are sent after the ceremony or reception.

A personal note can be written on an informal or on a designed Thank You note of your choice.  Send within two months of wedding.

Informals

With or without the name of the groom, this personalized stationery is needed to hand write thank you notes to those who gave a wedding gift.

People who took the time to pick out a wedding gift deserve a personalized thank you note. Personalized with your names or monogram, these cards are perfect for writing thank you notes for wedding gifts and for writing notes long after the wedding.  Informal cards may also be printed with the bride’s maiden name or monogram to be used as pre-wedding correspondence.

Wedding Programs

A great way for guests to follow the ceremony and learn who is in your wedding party. Enables you to share a special message or poem with your guests.

Provides guests with a nice memento of your special day.

Place Cards and Table Cards

Makes sit-down meals less chaotic if people have assigned seats, or at least assigned tables.

Place Cards list the guest's name and table and are often displayed in envelopes on a table outside the tent or reception room. Table Cards list a table number inside the folder and the guest's name appears on the outside of the folder.

Ceremony Cards

Used when everyone is invited to the wedding reception but only a limited number are invited to the ceremony.

This invitation says, "You are special." Mailed along with the invitation, this card announces the time and location of ceremony.

Scrolls

A scroll is a nice way to send a message to your guests at the reception, wedding breakfast or other gathering. 

A verse of your choice on the scroll can show appreciation for the guests or present a message or poem.  Scrolls are designed to be a favor and should never replace a Thank You.