The Art of Invitations

It is said that any wedding invitation will get your message across. However, depending on the style of the invitation you select, you can end up making a completely different statement than the one you
had intended to make.

When it comes to planning a wedding, selecting an invitation can be the single most complex and confusing aspect of the entire process. Invitations are your guests' first impression of the party, and the style selected often affects their expectations of the reception and choice of attire.

Therefore, selecting an invitation is like creating your own unique recipe. You choose the ingredients and want it to be tasteful. The main ingredients you have at your disposal are the texture, color and shape of the paper, along with style of font and ink color. These can be combined with additional layers of paper, envelope-lining options and calligraphy styles. The finishing touches are wording selection, supplied artwork, a monogram or appliqués. There is infinite
opportunity for uniqueness.

As you consider these options, be sure that you select the style of the invitation well before the affair. You can base your initial decision on quantity. To do this, take the forecasted number of guests, divide it in half and add an additional 25. This number will factor in the
cross section of single guests, families and couples. For single guests, dates need not be invited, but if they are, they should receive a separate invitation. A separate invitation is also sent to children who are 16 or older. Don't forget to order an invitation for your
officiant, attendants, their dates if invited and both sets of parents.

It is extremely important to order the correct quantity. A big part of the initial cost of printing is to typeset and prepare the press for printing. Reordering invitations creates a large expense, no matter the quantity.

Ask to see samples, and make your decisions based on what you like and what fits your budget. Engraved invitations are the most traditional and formal, but also the most expensive. This is an old process whereby the paper is pressed onto a metal plate, causing the letters to be slightly raised on the paper.

Thermography is probably the number one choice for invitations today. This is a process that fuses ink and powder together on the paper to create raised letters which resemble engraving. Since plates don't have to be made and the printing process is quicker, thermography is about half the price of engraved invitations.

Offset printing is the least expensive of the three processes. This is the standard printing process where the ink lies flat on the paper. This is a less formal look, but there are many ink colors and type styles to choose from.

Calligraphy has become increasingly popular over the last few years, due both to the new computerized machines which can produce it, and the growing formality of weddings. Calligraphy is an
elegant, old italic script, used primarily in the past to address envelopes. Now, with the new computerized calligraphy machines which create a perfect script each time, invitations can  be done easily. Most machines found in stationery stores can inscribe one or
two invitations at a time. Although it may be faster, it is not necessarily less expensive than having them hand-done by a calligrapher.

Wait until you have definite times and sites for your ceremony and reception before submitting the wording. Also, reevaluate your guest list while you still have the opportunity to increase or decrease the initial quantity.

Addressing Etiquette

When addressing the inner envelope, exclude the adults' first names and addresses. Intimate relatives may be addressed as "Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle John." Below the parents' names, include the first names of all children to be invited. 

On the outer envelope, use a guest's full name and formal title. Use abbreviations only for Mr., Mrs., Dr. and Jr.  Do not use abbreviations in the street address nor abbreviate a city or state. House numbers and zip codes may be written in figures. 

Have your return address professionally printed on the outer envelopes to ensure that any undeliverable invitations are returned to you.  

Invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks in advance.  Check with the post office to see if the invitations need additional postage.