How to Choose your Wedding Invitations
Planning a wedding is a great deal of fun, but it also requires
a significant amount of planning. Once you have set your date,
one of the first wedding details you should turn your attention
toward is the selection of your wedding invitations. While at
one time traditional wedding invitations appeared only as white
or ivory with engraved black in, today there are numerous
options available for the modern bride. Due to the wide variety
of designs and styles in wedding invitations available, you'll
want to get started early in choosing the perfect wedding
invitation.
There are numerous factors that will affect your choice of
wedding invitation. The first question you should ask yourself
is whether you are planning to have a formal, semi-formal or
casual wedding ceremony because the type of ceremony you plan
will impact your choice of invitations.
Regardless of whether you choose formal, semi-formal or casual
invitation, generally, wedding invitations include the
invitation itself as well as a reception card, response card,
separate envelope for the response card, detailed information on
accommodations for guests and riving directions and important
telephone numbers.
Be aware that while there are literally thousands of styles and
designs of invitations available for the choosing, there are
only six basic types of invitations. These include:
Engraved Thermo graphed Printed Calligraphy Handed colored Box
set
Engraved invitations are the most classic and traditional choice
of invitations available. They are also the most expensive type
of invitations on the market; however, if you are planning a
very formal wedding, engraved invitations are an absolute must.
Keep in mind that you should order your engraved invitations no
less than 8 weeks from the date of your wedding, preferably
farther in advance.
Thermo graphed invitations provide an affordable alternative to
engraved invitations. The end result is a very elegant look and
while thermo graphed invitations might not be appropriate for a
very formal wedding, they would work well for a semi-formal
wedding. Plan on ordering these invitations at least six weeks
in advance.
Printed invitations are one of the most popular choices on the
market and are very cost efficient. You can find a wide variety
of printed invitations available through most stationary and
printer vendors as well as on-line wedding invitations vendors.
While the turn around time for printed invitations is typically
better than engraved or thermographed options, you should still
plan on ordering your printed invitations at least 4-6 weeks in
advance. Printed invitations are appropriate for semi-formal and
casual weddings.
One option in printed invitations that is definitely gaining
favor is the alternative of purchasing 'blank' invitations from
printed stationary retailers and then printing your own
information. This gives you the option of choosing the design
you want and saving a few dollars by handling the printing on
your own.
Calligraphed invitations are very elegant and work well for
weddings with an old fashioned theme. They can be very
expensive; however, due to the amount of time and effort
involved in producing them. When deciding on whether to choose
calligraphy invitations remember that you need to allow extra
time for preparation, plan on additional cost and keep in mind
that this type of invitation may smudge if it comes in contact
with even a slight amount of moisture. Calligraphy invitations
are appropriate for all types of weddings except very formal
events.
Hand made invitations are gaining in popularity not only because
they are cost efficient but because they add a nice personal
touch to a very special occasion. There are numerous options for
creating hand made invitations and basically the sky is the
limit with choices. Just remember to plan on making additional
invitations in case of mistakes and allow plenty of time,
especially during this hectic time of your life. Handmade
invitations are appropriate for most weddings except very formal
events. Handmade invitations can also be easily generated with
desktop publishing programs and attractive stationary.
Box set invitations are available at most stationary retailers
and can provide an quick and easy alternative to other types of
invitations. This type of invitation can also be easily dressed
up for a unique and personal touch.
Regardless of which type of invitation you ultimately choose, do
be sure to allow plenty of time for printing and an additional
two weeks for mailing. Also, consider interesting and unique
ways you add a personal touch to your wedding invitations, such
as unique wording and verses