Your Wedding Invitations

If you appreciate the elegance of beautiful invitations, a reputable established stationer is a great help. His well-trained people can advise you on the proper and popular styles of lettering, size and quality of paper as well as the correct wording for announcements and invitations for church or home weddings. They also understand the problems connected with invitations from divorced parents and are qualified to help you, using the rules of etiquette, experience and good taste. The very best stationery stores charge no more than stores that might not have wedding expertise.

Select and order your invitations three months before the wedding, to allow ample time for mailing.

The invitation can be engraved or thermographed. Thermography is a process that resembles engraving, is less expensive and more readily available. When you order, ask about getting the outer and inner envelopes ahead of time so you can have them ready to mail when the invitations arrive.

Out-of-town guests will appreciate an easy-to-follow map with hotel, reception, ceremony sites and parking lots marked. Label important roads with names and route numbers; the turns, with landmarks (gas stations, buildings, etc.) Include a north directional arrow. The map in front of your city’s phone book is an excellent uncomplicated source to use.

Wedding invitations are usually sent four weeks prior to the wedding date and should ALL be mailed at the same time. Take a complete invitation (with enclosures) to the post office to be weighed for postage. Write out addresses completely and correctly—include apartment, box, rural route numbers. Most important, the zip code should be written at least 1/2" from the envelopes bottom and at least I" from the right-hand edge (for machine sorting). If you need it, your post office has a national zip code directory. Don’t forget to include your return address.

Wedding announcements are usually sent to people who are not invited to the ceremony and reception. If you are having a small wedding, announcements are a good way to notify friends and family of your marriage. Small at-home cards are often included in the announcements to let people (especially out-of-town friends) know your new address. These should be ordered with your invitations and sent the day of the wedding.