When you start looking at invitations, one of the first things that you should consider is the type of stationery that is going to be used. Many wedding invitations appear either on standard card stock or on a more parchment-like paper, and each of these options carries with it a distinct look.

Stop to think about exactly how you want your invitations to look and feel, using this to guide your choices when it comes to the type of paper that you are using for your wedding invitations. You can extend this consideration further to the envelopes that you are going to be mailing them in as well, deciding on exactly what you want the recipient’s first reaction to be when they see the envelope sitting in their mailbox.

Once you have decided on the type of paper that you want, stop to consider the font and ink colors that you want to use. The font that you choose is important, as you want to make sure that it is readable while still conveying a message of style to all who see it. If possible, you should also reuse the same font on any placeholders or other paperwork that is associated with your wedding to create a link between all of these components. The same goes with your ink colors; try to use colors that will appear elsewhere in your wedding, tying everything together through the simple use of color to accent the invitations that you send out.

A number of wording templates are available for you to use inside of your invitations, with each presenting the basic information about the wedding in a slightly different way. The use of wording templates lets you save time by not having to come up with all of the wording on your own, and by comparing different templates you can make sure that everything is going to look and sound exactly like you want it to sound. It also gives you a basis to try out the look of the fonts that you are considering, since many invitation manufacturers let you see a preview of your invitation (including the wording template) in the font and colors that you choose.

The use of motifs in your wedding invitations can add more customization to them while giving you opportunities to once again tie your invitations in with a larger theme in your wedding. Motifs can vary greatly and can range from simple designs like a single swirl to more complex designs like Celtic knots and ribbons of love carried by doves. Motifs that are used in your wedding invitations can then be extended to the decorations at your wedding and reception, letting the same imagery be used repeatedly to help make your marriage even more memorable for your guests.

To customize your wedding invitations so that they make the largest impact on the people that you send them to, you might consider adding a few additional touches such as custom envelopes with colorful liners and ribbons that are tied around or attached to the invitations themselves.

The use of lined envelopes can not only help to add another instance of your wedding colors to the invitation without it overpowering the invitation itself, but the liners can also help to ensure privacy by preventing the invitation from being read through the envelope. Ribbons can add that extra bit of flourish (and another dash of color) while making sure that your wedding invitation is memorable. Even if the ribbon is just looped around the invitation, it can still make quite the impression when the envelope is opened and the ribbon-wrapped invitation is removed.

Making a good impression with your wedding invitations might seem like a lot of work, but the payoff of knowing that you have sent out exactly the sort of invitation that you want makes it worth it. It is a great way to share your joy with friends and loved ones while getting them in a festive mood for when they actually attend the wedding.

Popular styles

If you are interested in a classic look, you may choose a single panel card. The invitation information is printed on the front. Some people choose to accent these invitations with an organza bow in a complimentary color. A classic wedding invitation is timeless, and is sure not to draw much criticism, but it will also not stand out very much.

Choosing a contemporary wedding invitation opens up many design options for the bride and groom. Many contemporary invitations are in nontraditional shapes. They may be long and narrow or square. They often open up rather than having all of the information printed on the front panel. Furthermore, contemporary wedding invitations can be in bright fun colors, such as turquoise, red and green. Striped invitations are also common, and very pleasant to the eye.

For the couple who considers religion an important part of their life together, and a focal point for their wedding, a religious themed card can make a wonderful choice. Many of the religious cards feature a bible, church scene or other religious drawing as part of the design of the card.

The couple who cannot control themselves and want to share their love with the world may choose one of the many heart invitations which are available. Wedding invitations decorated with hearts are available in whimsical designs as well as more traditional patterns. This can extend to the overall theme of the event, such as a beach wedding. A perfect wedding invitation for this occasion would be an invitation showing a beach scene with two hearts made from seashells in the sand.

Many couples choose an invitation decorated with flowers for their wedding. Floral invitations are a beautiful and subtle way to show your romantic side. Flowers can be incorporated into a wedding invitation in many ways, such as in a floral border or as a backdrop for the inscription on the invitation itself.

Popular paper choices

The choice of paper for your invitations can seem daunting. Cotton, linen, parchment, are all common selections. Fortunately some invitations are only available in certain types of paper, narrowing your choices. Another thing to keep in mind is that a casual wedding often uses recycled paper or cotton paper, while a more formal wedding may use linen or parchment. Vellum paper, which is opaque, gives a romantic feel to your invitations. Deckle edged paper makes the paper look like it was hand torn.

Popular inks

For the traditionalist, black or dark gray ink is one of the most common choices. Some brides choose to integrate their wedding colors into the invitation by using one of the colors as the ink color. Formal weddings often call for a metallic ink, such as silver, gold or copper. Regardless of what color you choose, make sure that it coordinated with the color of your paper, and is easy to read.

Popular add-ins

What are the most common additions to the invitation? In everything but the most casual, open church type of wedding a response card will be included. If you include a response, or RSVP, card in the invitation, you should also include a self addressed envelope with postage included. The return address is traditionally printed on the envelopes by the printer. This is different than the invitation envelopes, which are traditionally addressed by hand.

If you are having guests from out of town, you may want to add accommodations cards. These cards, typically printed on the multi-use cards that match your invitations, provide out of town guests with information on where they can stay while they are in town for your wedding. You can provide the names of several hotels as well as contact information, or, if you have made arrangements for a special rate at a specific hotel, the name of that hotel, and what they should do to receive the special rate.

You may also want to include a reception card in your invitations. The reception card provides information about where the reception is held and at what time. This is helpful for those who may not make it to the ceremony but would like to join you later.

While these are some popular ideas for what many people choose for their invitations, it is not an inclusive guide. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, and you should let your own desires guide your choices. If you want to make your own invitations, use nontraditional colors or styles or do anything else that others may not do, that is your choice. Your invitations are a chance to express your and your fiancé’s personalities. They will also be a keepsake for years to come.

When you choose the paper, ink and other details of your wedding invitations, try not to get so caught up in what is traditional that you bypass your own personal taste. While these guidelines provide you with some information on choosing simple and elegant wedding invitations, let your taste guide your final decision. If you want bold colors or see a motif you want to add to your invitations, you should do so. The wedding invitation is more than an invitation for your guests; it is a lasting keepsake of your wedding.

Paper choice

For the couple that wishes to send out classic wedding invitations, the most common types of paper to use are cotton, linen and parchment. All of these choices fall into the classic style. Cotton is a casual choice, while linen is slightly more formal. However, the most formal choice of these papers is parchment.

What color paper should you choose for the wedding invitation? Let your personal preference ultimately guide your decision, but white, ivory and crème are all popular choices. These colors help to create a classic looking invitation which is easy to read and strikes the recipient as very elegant.

Ink choice

The color of the ink is another choice to be made when deciding on the look of a classic wedding invitation? If you want a simple but still very elegant choice, you will probably not integrate your main wedding theme colors into the invitation. Stick with black, dark gray or, for the formal wedding, a metallic.

Add-ins

The individual items which are included in a simple and classic wedding invitation are very important as well? A response, or RSVP, card is an absolute must. This will (hopefully) help your friends and family share their response to your invitation in a timely fashion. The RSVP card should come with a stamped envelope that has the return address already printed on it. Also include a reception card if you like as well as directions if necessary. What to leave out? Any mention of where the bride is registered. While it has become much more common in recent years to include information on registration information, the traditional advice is still the same. The guests can contact the mother of the bride or a member of the bridal party for registration information; this is typically not included in a wedding invitation.

When ordering your invitations, you may choose some other additions as well. First, decide how the seating arrangement will be handled at the reception. For a classic, sit down dinner, place cards that coordinate with the invitation are a nice touch. To add an additional touch of elegance to the reception, create menu cards for each table, which can also be sent along with the invitations. Finally, if you are expecting guests from out of town, you can print accommodations cards for them, with hotel information, to include in the invitations.

Customizing the classic invitation

Many couples who choose a classic invitation want to personalize it in some way so that it matches the character of the couple and the wedding. There are a variety of ways to personalize a wedding invitation while still maintaining a simple and elegant look.

Font style. The wide variety of fonts available can seem overwhelming. To maintain an elegant look, stick with a clean font without an abundance of curlicues. Some elegant font styles include Copperplate and Miss Le Gatees.

Liner colors. Choose an envelope lining color that coordinated with your wedding colors without being to bold. A solid color presents a more elegant picture than stripes or patterns.

Envelope decorations. For the simple and classic envelope decoration, steer clear of a motif, such as hearts or a church. A simple monogram is perfectly acceptable.

No matter how simple you decide to go when choosing your invitations, it is important to let your personality shine through. Your wedding is the first opportunity that you and your fiancé will have to share your joint personality to your family and friends. You should not be so concerned about your wedding theme that you step away from ideas that you love. It is possible to have classic and elegant wedding invitations that sparkle with personality as well. Investing a bit of time to choose the perfect invitations is time which is very well spent. Invitations and wedding favors are two important items which your friends and family, along with your future spouse, can use to remember all of the special moments of your wedding day.

To assist you with your wedding invitations, let these scheduling tips and checklists guide you. The following is a wedding invitation plan that is split into four important stages:

· Deciding the preliminaries

· Ordering

· Preparing

· Mailing

This is only a guide and is based on the assumption that you have six months before your wedding date. There is a considerable degree of flexibility, and a lot depends on your circumstances, and how much time you have before the big day. You and your future spouse, along with family members, may want to help out, relieving you of the pressure of doing this task on your own.

Deciding the Preliminaries

Time frame: Six months before the wedding

1. The first question to settle is: should you order save-the-date cards? Save-the-date cards are useful for weddings that are scheduled during holiday periods when people usually make travel plans. If your wedding falls around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter, or during the summer months, you may want to consider sending save-the-date cards six months before the wedding so that you give people enough time to adjust their travel and vacation plans.

2. After you have announced your engagement, sit down with your future spouse, his parents, and your parents, to create a tentative list of people to invite. This tentative list gives you a good idea of how many wedding invitations to order.

3. Create a document that is going to contain these details: date and time of the ceremony, name and address of ceremony’s location, name and address of the reception hall, correct spellings of invitees’ names and updated addresses. It would be a shame and a waste of money if fifty invitations were “returned to sender” because of an incorrect address. You or a family member should call each invitee to verify civic numbers, street names and zip codes.

Time Frame: Five months before the wedding

1. Review lists and the details in the document, and make any changes if necessary.

2. Finalize invitee list.

3. Divide the invitee list into out-of-town guests and local guests. You may need to send out invitations earlier to out-of-town guests.

Ordering the Wedding Invitations

Time Frame: Four months before the wedding

1. Decide on these details: response cards, wording, map and directions sheet, monograms, motifs, ribbons, font, ink color, seals and envelope liners.

2. Ask three different suppliers for quotes. Then compare them with respect to discount, customer service, delivery, guarantees, efficiency and payment options.

3. Decide if the supplier you have chosen will also do the thank you cards, place cards, menus, personalised napkins, and rehearsal dinner invitations.

4. Ask the supplier for a sample invitation so you can proofread it, making sure that all specifications were followed correctly and then finalize your order. Order 50 extra invitations in case of mistakes and last minute additions to the guest list. You may want to keep a few as souvenirs as well.

5. Take a sample of your wedding invitation to the post office and have it weighed. You may need to set aside a budget for postage. Remember that the fancier and heavier your invitation, the more postage money you are going to spend.

Preparing the Wedding Invitations

Time frame: Three months before the wedding

1. Assemble all invitations and your supplier should deliver them flat and unassembled. unless you request them to put the invitations together for an additional fee). Do not forget to insert the map and directions sheet.

2. Address them. Begin with the out-of-town guests. You can choose a calligraphy artist or you can address them in your own handwriting.

3. Do a final check. Make sure all envelopes contain the RSVP card, map and directions, seals, ribbons and other enclosures.

Mailing the Invitations

Time frame: Two months before the wedding

Some people say four to six weeks is ample time, but you should leave at least eight weeks. This allows you to give those who live out-of-town the opportunity to make changes in their personal schedules. This also give you time to sort out the RSVP cards which, unfortunately, some people forget or delay mailing back. You need to tell the caterer how many people are going to be attending. Eight weeks should be a comfortable time frame for ensuring that you have the final and correct number of guests. Some people mail their invitations even as early as 10 weeks before the wedding date.

Do you have a wedding coming up soon? If you do you will have many aspects to carefully consider and plan. Here are some helpful hints and tips to help you to choose the most suitable wedding invitations for yourself to mark that special day.

Wedding invitations can make a massive first impression when it comes to informing your guests about the wedding. This is likely to be the first thing your guests see when they find out you are getting married. Your invitations will need to make a good first impression because you won’t get a second chance at that. As well as making a good first impression your invite should be informative and designed in the style of your wedding.

Wedding invitations are no longer narrowed down to just white or ivory cards with dark text. Some people will still choose to go for a traditional style wedding invite but nowadays people are getting a lot more creative and are going for there own custom creative designs. A good way to design the theme of your invite is to base it on the location of your wedding. For example if you’re getting married in Las Vegas then you might want a casino styled Vegas invitation.

Once you have written out your guest list you might want to contact a specialist wedding invitation designer. When selecting a designer an important aspect is to make sure you will not be charged for seeing a proof design of your invite. This way you can change designer if you don’t like the style of the invitations you have had designed already. You will need to tell the designer how many invitations you need and ordering maybe 10-15 extra may be advisable for those people you have forgot and want to invite at the last minute. Another important aspect that people can often forget about is envelopes. It’s no use ordering 200 invitations and then having to buy envelopes that fit on the high street. So ordering envelopes with your invitations can save you time and money.

You may also want to go the full way and order all your wedding stationary from the same supplier. You might need things such as thank you cards, reply cards, menus, place cards, gift registry cards, and seating plans. Ordering them all from the same supplier can save you time, hassle and money.

Click the link to find out more about ordering Discount Wedding Invitations and to view a large selection of different wedding invitation themes, styles and templates.

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Selecting your invitation is the first part of personalizing your wedding invitation. You should choose an invitation that speaks of you as a couple and to the theme of your wedding.

By choosing a theme for your wedding or your invitations, you easily have a personalized invitation. Some wedding themes include western, winter, autumn, roses, beach, holidays, love and more. Once you have selected a theme for your wedding and/or invitations, you can build from it and choose invitations that coordinate with the theme.

Let the wedding guide your selections. If you are having a formal wedding that will take place in the evening, your invitations will be quite different from an afternoon casual wedding or a beach wedding. By keeping the overall tone of your wedding (the time and formality) in mind when choosing your invitations can help you personalize your choice. A more formal wedding will require thicker and more luxurious stationery. A more casual wedding or beach wedding will use lighter stationery.

Printing choices are also a way to personalize your invitations. Engraving, thermography, embossing, and print are just a few examples of the printing choices available. The costs vary for these choices, but the type of paper and theme of your wedding can reflect on the printing choices you’ve chosen. A more formal wedding invitation should be engraved or embossed while more casual wedding invitations on lighter paper can use a similar effect that is simply printed.

Font choice is another big aspect of your unique wedding invitation. There are hundreds of types of script fonts you can choose from, but you can personalize your wedding invitation by choosing a font that is a little less standardized. Commonly, wedding invitations use a handwritten-style scripted font that is feminine and airy. However, you can choose to use a chunkier more eclectic style of font if that fits your theme.

The wording of your invitation is another way to personalize and make your invitations unique. The wording is the primary part of the invitation and can really speak about the two of you as a couple and the theme of your wedding. There are several traditional wordings for wedding invitations, but do not be afraid to step outside of the box and write your own. You can use quotes, poems, song lyrics, and other written works as inspiration for your invitation wording. You and your fiancé can write the wording that fits your personalities along with the overall theme and tone of your wedding. Again, if your wedding is more formal and traditional, you may want to stick with more formal and traditional wording, however do not be afraid to add your own special twist.

The next step in personalizing your invitations is the envelopes. By adding some personal touches to the envelopes, you can create a personalized and unique aspect to your invitation.

There is etiquette for addressing your envelopes. The proper way to address them is to handwrite the labelling yourself. This may be time consuming and boring, but what better way to personalize your invitations than to handwrite the address? If you’re inviting hundreds of people, however, hand-addressing the envelopes could be quite a chore. Consider having a professional make a font based on your handwriting, that way you can print your envelopes commercially, saving you time, while still having the personalization of your own handwriting on the envelope.

You can still further personalize your invitations with the stamping of your envelopes. You may want to have photo stamps made of you and your fiancé to post the invitations, or choose a graphic that is compatible with your theme and have stamps made in that fashion. There are ‘love’ themed stamps available at most post offices, so feel free to take an idea from those and create your very own stamp to add that extra personalization touch.

You should not be afraid to let your theme and personalities leak into your invitations, even if your wedding is very formal and traditional. Even then, the wedding is still unique because it is surrounding two unique and individual people who are coming together as one. It’s a very special day for the both of you. Personalize your invitations to remind your guests that the day is special, but also individual to the two of you as a cohesive unit that is pledging their love to each other for all of eternity. Have some fun with your invitations and make them uniquely yours.