Stationery and Invitations

A beautiful invitation, a heartfelt thank-you note — both mirror the warmth and happiness you feel at this special time in your life. All your wedding stationery is a reflection of you and your wedding. It should be chosen with as much care as is given in choosing your bridal attire.

Invitations
The invitation is the first impression your guests will have of your wedding. It will play the important role of telling friends and family that you want them to be a part of this wonderful day. You want to create good feelings the moment your invitation is received.

You can select from an assortment of papers, colors and styles for your invitation. You can remain as traditional as you wish or create something that is unique to you.

Formal invitations should be ordered at least three months in advance. When ordering invitations of any kind, order additional ones in case more are needed to keep as mementos. Send several to your future mother-in-law, and let her know when the invitations have been mailed to guests.

Consider ordering envelopes in advance so you can have them addressed and ready to go. It’s a good idea to order extra envelopes in case of mistakes in addressing. If you are having a large wedding, you might want to consider hiring a calligrapher to assist.

Invitations should be mailed four to six weeks before the wedding. If your wedding is during the summer or holiday season, consider mailing your invitations eight weeks before the wedding as people are likely to be traveling at those times.

When ordering the invitations, don’t overlook enclosures you need to send along with the invitation. These might include response cards, hotel reservation cards or directional cards.

Your invitations and other wedding stationery can be ordered from stationery shops, department stores, specialty shops and print shops. Consultants there will be able to assist you in the selection and proper wording. Just as in choosing a caterer or photographer, shop around. Make sure you have chosen a professional who will give you expert advice and service.

Announcements
If you have a small wedding, you may be unable to invite some friends and relatives. You will want to notify them of your marriage with an announcement. The announcements should be mailed immediately after the wedding.

Acknowledgments
Enough can’t be said about the importance of a personal handwritten thank-you note. First, it assures your guests you have received their gifts. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it is an opportunity for you to share your delight in their thoughtfulness. If the thank-you note is written after the wedding, you will want to let them know how much their presence at your wedding meant to you or how much they were missed if they were unable to attend.

Stationery checklist

• __Save-the-date cards
• __Wedding invitations
• __Announcement cards
• __Reception cards
• __R.S.V.P. cards
• __Outer envelopes
• __Inner envelopes
• __Thank-you notes
• __Ceremony programs
• __Napkins
• __Seating place cards
• __Reception favors
• __Personal stationery