The Wedding Invitation

Everyone loves to receive a wedding invitation. You immediately know when that thick, beautifully addressed envelope arrives that there is something special inside…

Will it be a formal wedding or maybe a Garden event? Will it be elegant and sophisticated or a more casual and fun affair? As soon as your guest opens your invitation they will have the first impression of what to expect from your wedding…

So what will your invitation say about you? What tone will your invitation set for your wedding?

A Wedding Invitation is not just a piece of paper that your guests will throw away. It is truly an important part of your wedding. The paper color, the typestyle and the layout all give clues about your wedding. It is important to take some time to look at the options that are available to you. A good wedding invitation consultant will help you find the perfect invitation to represent your personality and reflect the tone of your wedding. She will also help you find something within your budget. There are beautiful invitations available in everyone’s price range.

When should you begin looking for invitations? Most experts recommend starting the process about 6 months before your wedding. If you are having a destination wedding, a summer wedding or your wedding is scheduled during a holiday it is a nice courtesy to send your guests a Save the Date announcement along with travel and accommodations information ahead of your wedding invitation. Save the Date announcements can be sent out up to one year ahead of your wedding. Your actual wedding invitation should be sent out 8-10 weeks ahead of your wedding. Typically the response date is a month before your wedding so that you have time to organize your tables, print table cards and order the correct amount of programs.

Your wedding invitation will have several components to it. First you will need the actual invitation. If your ceremony and reception are in different places you will also need a Reception Card to give the time and location of your reception. You will need a response set so your guests can respond whether or not they will be attending the wedding. In addition to these basic pieces you may also consider sending Direction Cards and Accommodations Cards as a courtesy to your guests. A good wedding invitation consultant will help you evaluate what pieces you need to include with your wedding invitations.

Should you buy online or in a traditional store? Sometimes you can find good deals online, but most couples would rather see and feel what they will be sending out to their guests. The internet is a great tool to start getting ideas and to investigate some of the designs that are available. A good stationery store will have many options for couples looking for invitations. The other big advantage of buying your invitations in a local store is the staff can usually offer lots of advice about your invitations – they are aware of current trends, proper etiquette for wording and layouts and can really make the process much easier and fun. And in today’s economy it is wonderful to support your local shops and local economy.

So remember, your wedding invitation is the very first impression your guests will get of your wedding. Take advantage of your local stationery store to see all the options that are available. Get the advice and help that will make the process of choosing and ordering your invitations an enjoyable one!

Article Submitted By:
Dawn Handwerker, Owner
Truly Yours, LLC
A Distinctive Boutique for Invitations, Gifts & Fine Stationery
Redwood Plaza, 78 Stony Hill Road, Bethel, CT 06801
203.743.9161 www.TrulyYoursLLC.com