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Engagement invitations

Engagement Invitations

Engagement parties are a great way to announce your forthcoming marriage and to gather friends and family together to meet each other and celebrate with you. However, the etiquette around engagement parties can be tricky, especially as the party should never be hosted by the couple themselves, but by a friend or family member on their behalf.

Engagement invitations need to be very clear in the information they provide, so that guests know who is actually getting married and who is hosting the engagement party, as well as all the party details.

Here are seven of the elements you could include in your engagement invitations:

1.Details of who is getting engaged

This may seem obvious, but it is crucial that your engagement invitations are clear about the fact that you are actually getting married. Many engagement invitation designs have the word engagement printed on them and this helps to relay the message loud and clear. 

2.Details of who is hosting the party

Guests will find making arrangements easier if they know who is hosting the party, and usually the invitation should come from the host rather than the couple. If your parents are hosting the party, you could write something like:

Mr. & Mrs. Walter would like to announce the engagement of the daughter Jane, to Mr. Mark Brown. You are invited to celebrate their engagement on àö

3.The date and time of the party

Engagement invitations should include the date and start time of the engagement party. They should also include an end time where possible, as this tends to limit the number of guests who will turn up late, and will give guests the opportunity to make arrangements for meals and babysitters where necessary.

4.The party venue

If the party is being held at the host home, you can write venue and RSVPs too, and include the host address. However, if the party is being held at another venue the engagement invitations should include the name, address, and contact details of the venue, along with directions and parking information if possible.

5.RSVP details

Engagement invitations should make clear who guests are supposed to reply to, when they should reply, and whether they should reply by post, e-mail, or telephone. Even if guests are meant to reply in writing, it is a good idea to provide the contact phone number of the host for any queries about the party, including information on engagement gifts.

6.Details of dress code

Try to include a dress code on your engagement invitation if there is one. The dress code doesn't need to be too specific, but it is a simple way of letting guests know how formal the party will be and preventing them from feeling silly if they get it really wrong.

7.Details of catering

Your engagement invitations should give guests an idea of the catering that will be provided at the party. Again, you don't need to list the dishes that will be available to eat; just let guests know if there will be nibbles, a BBQ, or a full sit down dinner.

Pocket Wedding Invitations

Pocket Wedding Invitations

Pocket style wedding invitations are a very stylish and modern alternative to traditional invitations. Many printers now offer a wide range of pocket invitations, and they are also simple to make yourself if you are having home made stationery. You can either make them from scratch or use a kit. A pocket style invitation can be more decorative than a traditional card and there is the opportunity to introduce your wedding theme or colour scheme more thoroughly

What is a pocket invitation?

As the name suggests a pocket style wedding invitation is made in the shape of a pocket that various cards or parts of the invitation can be tucked into before it is put in an envelope. The idea of the pocket invitation is that it keeps all the pieces of the invitation such as the actual invite, the reply card, and the directions list together. Guests are less likely to loose directions if they are in a pocket with the invitation card. Pocket invites also avoid the gift list card being the first thing that falls out of the envelope when guests open it.

The increase in popularity of pocket style invitations can be attributed to the increase in out of town guests at weddings, as more couples live, work, or travel far from the towns where they grew up. These guests require additional information about accommodation and travel arrangements, which can easily be inserted into a pocket invitation.

There are three styles of pocket invitation:

Portable pocket wedding invitations

A portable pocket is a single card pocket that cannot be opened or unfolded. It is designed so that individual cards such as the invite card, reply card, gift list card, and directions card can be slid inside. The pockets themselves can be highly decorative, and can have ribbon, crystal or fabric embellishments. If you have a variety of colours in your wedding theme, try having each card in the pocket made from a different coloured card to match that theme.

Bi-fold pocket wedding invitations

A bi-fold pocket invitation has a single fold and can be unfolded to reveal two internal panels. One panel has the invitation text printed on it, and the other has a pocket attached to it where you can place your reply card and gift list card. The fold can be horizontal or vertical, depending on your preference. Bi-fold pockets usually work out less expensive than their tri-fold counterparts, but are not as simple to make as portable pockets.

Tri-fold pocket wedding invitations

A tri-fold pocket invitation has two folds and can be unfolded to reveal three internal panels. The central panel has the invitation text printed on it. The other two panels could each have a pocket attached if there are lots of inserts to go in with the invitation, or one can have a pocket attached for the reply and gift cards and the other can have printed directions. Tri-fold pockets are perfect for couples that need to include a lot of information with their invites, or who need additional printing space for a bilingual wedding invitation

RSVP cards

RSVP Cards - So nothing becomes mismanaged!

Including an RSVP card with your wedding invitation is entirely optional, 

and many couples choose not to as the invitations are expensive enough without the extra card. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding RSVP cards:

Why should we send RSVP cards?

Including an RSVP card with your wedding invitation makes it simpler for your guests to reply; especially of you also include a pre-addressed envelope. Some guests may not realize that they should send a formal reply, and others may simply not get round to it. By including an RSVP card you are making it clear that a reply is expected, and a higher percentage of your guests will reply than if you don’t.

Should we include postage?

It is only polite to put a postage stamp on your reply envelope, and again this makes it easier for guests to reply and increases the likelihood that they will. Check carefully to make sure you are including the right postage, especially if you have out of town guests. For overseas guests it may not be possible to get the right stamps, unless you have a lot of guests from one particular country and you can ask someone there to buy the stamps for you.

What format should the card be?

An RSVP card can either be a small single card with a matching envelope, or a postcard with printing on one side and the address on the other. The first option is generally more formal, but both formats can be used for any wedding as long as the card complements the wedding invitation.

What information should be on the card?

The date and time of the wedding should be repeated on the RSVP cards, along with the names of the guests. You should provide your guests with a way of indicating whether they will attend or not and leave additional space in case they want to add a personal note.

How can we be clear that guests need to respond?

Unfortunately you will always get some guests that don’t reply. These invites will have to be followed up with a phone call in the weeks leading up to the wedding. Just including an RSVP card should be a big enough clue that a reply is expected. If you put ‘regrets’ as an option on the reply card, ticking that means the guest can’t attend. If you put ‘regrets only’ on the reply card that means that only guests who can’t attend need to reply; if there is no reply you will assume they are coming.

How do we stop guests adding additional names to the RSVP?

Even if you clearly address your invitation to individual guests, many will assume they can bring their children or a date, and will add these to the RSVP card. You can limit this by listing the names of the invited guests on the card and putting tick boxes for each one marked ‘attending’ and ‘not attending’. Unfortunately, however blatant you are, some guests will still add extra names to the cards.

When should the RSVP date be?

Most couples set the RSVP date three weeks before the wedding to allow time to finalise numbers with suppliers, create a seating plan, and chase up guests that haven’t responded.

Can we ask for e-mail RSVPs instead?

It is becoming more popular to set up a dedicated e-mail address for people to use to reply to your wedding invitation, and print this along with the RSVP date on the invite. This is a great idea because it is environmentally friendly; saving paper and printing, and it makes replying simple for the majority of people. Check out your guest list and decide whether people will embrace this technology, or whether there are some older guests that may prefer the formality of an RSVP card.

Save the date cards

A card that matters - Save The Date!

Save the Date cards are a great way to let friends and family know when and where your wedding will be long before they receive your formal invitation. The main goal of Save the Date cards is to make sure as many of your guests as possible make it to your wedding, by giving them plenty of notice to make travel arrangements, take time off work, or simply turn down other invitations for that day.

Reasons to send Save the Date cards
Whether or not you choose to send Save the Date cards depends on when you are getting married, the type of wedding you are having, and the location of your guests. Here are some common reasons for sending Save the Date cards in addition to formal invitations:

• You are having a destination wedding
• You have a lot of out of town guests
• You are getting married in peak wedding season
• You are getting married on a weekday
• Your wedding is on a significant day such as Valentines Day

What to include on your Save the Date card

Save the Date cards are usually sent out six to eight months before your wedding, but the sooner you send them the more effective they are, so some couples post them a year in advance. Don’t worry if you haven’t finally confirmed all your wedding arrangements when you send out your Save the Dates; the information on them should be kept simple and as long as you have your venue booked you can go ahead and send them out.

The only two pieces of information that you need to include on your Save the Date card are the date and general location of the wedding. You can reveal the name of the venue, or your can simply write a city name if you prefer. The only time you may want to include more information on your Save the Date cards is if you are having a destination wedding, and you want to give your guests details of flights and hotels.

The two things you definitely won’t want to include with your Save the Dates are an RSVP, and details of your gift registry. Most couples put something like ‘formal invitation to follow’ on their Save the Dates, otherwise guests may start calling them up asking for more information, thinking they already have their invitation.

What do Save the Date cards look like?

Despite their name, Save the Date cards don’t have to be actual cards and the most effective ones are usually more creative. A Save the Date can be less formal than a wedding invitation, so it’s a good chance to have some fun and send something your guests will really enjoy.

Many couples choose to send a happy photo of themselves, perhaps holding up a sign with the wedding date written on it. Others have colourful fridge magnets made, or print the wedding details on wrappers for cookies or chocolate bars.

If you haven’t finalised your wedding colour scheme or theme when you send your Save the Date cards, you don’t have to match them to your other stationery. 

However, if you already know what your wedding theme will be you can use your Save the Date as a taster of what the wedding will be like. If you are having a beach themed wedding, send postcards from the beach with your wedding date on, or have it printed on a mini surf board. If you are having a garden wedding, your wedding details could be printed on a packet of seeds.

Ideas for wedding invitations

Wedding Invitation Ideas!

Making a statement with your wedding invitation design is becoming ever more important, and as it is the first impression guests will get of your wedding, many couples put a lot of thought into getting it just right. Ideally your guests will keep your invitation as a souvenir, rather than simply throwing it away once the details are noted in their diaries.

The following popular designs should give you some wedding invitation ideas:

1. Art Deco style wedding invitations

Bold geometric Art Deco patterns of the 1920s and 1930s are very fashionable in the world of wedding stationery, and if you’re looking for wedding invitation ideas to suit a tight budget these could be ideal for you. Art Deco style patterns can be printed using just black ink, which is cheaper than printing in colour, and can be printed onto coloured, metallic, or pearlescent paper.

2. Floral patterns

Simple, bright floral patterns are becoming more popular than more ornate floral designs, and they give a very clean, contemporary effect, especially when bold colours are used. As well as one dimensional  floral designs, Chinese style floral designs incorporating cherry blossom patterns are also effective.

3. Culturally inspired wedding invitations

Your heritage and ethnic background is a great place to start your search for wedding invitation ideas. Many couples are honouring their ancestors by including symbols, motifs, or themes that reflect their families’ background. Celtic symbols and patterns, tribal prints, and African influences can all be seen in wedding stationery trends.

4. Environmentally friendly invitations

There are plenty of great wedding invitation ideas to consider if you are trying to have an environmentally friendly wedding. You could use recycled paper for your invites, but look out for cards that are 100% recycled material rather than around 30%, and many companies now offer soy based inks. Electronic wedding invites are also a great way to go green as you save paper, postage, and the fuel required to deliver your invitations. If you still want to post your invites, at least make the RSVP's electronic.

5. Futuristic wedding invitation styles

As we enter a new decade, many couples are looking ahead for wedding invitation ideas, rather than back into the fashions of the past. Modern paper styles such as metallic, fluorescent, reflective, or holographic can all add an ultra modern edge to your invites, and unusual asymmetric shapes, along with layers of different textured materials can also create a surreal futuristic impression.

6. Wedding invitation colours

When couples are looking for wedding invitation ideas they often use the same colour as their bridesmaid dresses or flowers, and this can be very effective. Currently one of the most popular colours for wedding stationery is purple, in every shade from amethyst to violet. Purple is a warm, romantic, magical colour, and can be teamed effectively with silver, orange, yellow, white, cream, blue, and green.

7. Silhouette styles

One of the more popular wedding invitation designs is a bold coloured silhouette on a light background. A silhouette of the couple getting married works well, but there are various other possibilities, with a very fashionable choice being butterflies. Anything that has a distinct silhouette and complements your wedding theme can work well.

ALSO SEE : INDIAN WEDDING INVITATIONS

Tips for choosing Wedding invitation's paper

Confused about choosing your wedding invitation's paper?

If you are getting custom made invitations, the first material you will need to think about is the wedding invitation paper. Once you have found the perfect paper, you can decide on the printing and any accessories or decorations. Here are ten tips on choosing wedding invitation paper:

• 1.Use good quality card or paper as a base for your wedding invitations, even if you are on a tight budget. Your wedding invitation paper needs to be robust enough to reach your guests without getting bent and it should hold up well and feel strong to the touch.
• 2.Consider the texture of your wedding invitation paper. For a contemporary invite, a smooth, high gloss paper can be just right, whereas for a traditional invitation a linen finish might be more elegant.
• 3.Check with the printer you are planning to use and make sure the wedding invitation paper or card that you choose is compatible with it. Many couples decide to have a heavier, thicker card for the outer part of their invitation, and to have a lighter paper inside the card to print the invitation details on.
• 4.Use two colors of wedding invitation paper for a more expensive effect. You could choose two similar shades of your wedding colors for a subtle two tone invitation, or two contrasting colors such as scarlet and white for a bolder invite.
• 5.Choose unusual papers such as metallic, pearlescent, or reflective papers to give your invitations a unique twist. Printing with black ink on these types of paper is a relatively cheap option but still results in a professional finished product.
• 6.Use vellum paper, a translucent type of wedding invitation paper that is most often seen in white but can be bought in a wide variety of pastel colors. It is often used as an overlay with printed graphics or words visible through it, and it adds an extra dimension to your invitations.
• 7.Use dark or deep colored wedding invitation paper for an unusual invitation, but make sure you use a white or light colored ink for printing, or your guests won’t be able to read the details. You could also use white, ivory, or cream paper with a bold colored border.
• 8.Check the weight of your wedding invitation paper and your finished invitation to make sure you put enough postage on each one. If you are having a large invitation with heavy paper and plenty of inserts, the postage costs may be more than you think.