Image courtesy of Trouli Graphics
Image courtesy of Truly, Madly, Deeply
Image courtesy of Robobyn Fine Papers
Image courtesy of Ours, Mine and Yours
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It's all happening... you've got the ring, chosen your dream gown and wedding plans are well under way. Now it's time to tell friends and family who'll want to share your joy.
You should choose the style of invitations about 3 months before the wedding, allowing plenty of time for printing and addressing. Then they should be sent out 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding day. Those who live overseas should obviously be given advance notice so they can plan their travel arrangements if they can come.
finalising the guest list
Firstly, draw up a list of everyone you would like at the wedding, cross your fingers and hope that the number fits with your budget. A good way to decide which of your friends and family to invite, if you have to limit your numbers, is to ask yourselves if you will still be in close contact with them in 5 or 10 years time. If you only see or speak to people at Christmas or on special occasions, perhaps re-think inviting them to share your special day.
Another way of deciding on a guest list is to be given a set number by whomever is paying for the reception. Then you build the list up from family and friends who are closest to you, extending to others until the number is reached.
Ideally, there should be roughly the same number of guests associated with the bride as there is with the groom.
who receives invitations
Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers and attendants should receive invitations - they'll want to keep them as a memento. You should also send an invitation to close friends and family even if they cannot attend, for example if they are sick or overseas. Invitations should not, however, be sent to casual acquaintances when you know they cannot come as they may feel obliged to send a gift.
The clergy or celebrant and their spouse should be invited even if you don't know them very well. Chances are if you aren't well acquainted they will probably not accept anyway but it is still manners to ask them.
finding the perfect invitation for you
setting the scene
A wedding invitation is like painting the first brushstrokes of colour onto canvas - it creates an impression of the mood and theme of your wedding. If you want to herald it's to be a grand, formal occasion, your invitation could be an elegant masterpiece on white silk or parchment, or perhaps in a scroll with elegant wax seals.
If you're a free spirit who wants an individual wedding, perhaps experiment with colour, shape and motifs. Be creative! Stretch your imagination! Be bold and outrageous! Let your invitations be an extension of your personality.
Because your invitations set the tone of your wedding, choose the one you like most even if it's a bit more expensive. Save elsewhere if necessary. Choosing a 'cheap' invitation will give the wrong impression if you have spent time and money organising a wonderful wedding.
Fortunately, your stationery is a minor proportion of your wedding expenditure. But your choice will form your guests' expectation of the wedding... for better or for worse! So take your time and choose carefully.
options
There are so many possible choices to consider. Traditionally, formal invitations used to be engraved and this is still a very elegant and popular choice for modern brides. An alternative to this is thermography, which results in raised printing. Then there's embossing, where the letters are pressed down over a mould causing the letters to form a mound in the paper.
Silver or gold foil stamping is also a popular choice and then there's the simplest form of printing, but also very effective with the wide range of papers and inks available, which is called offset printing.
The wording can be typeset in so many different type styles. Have a look at the range available but remember that often the very pretty typefaces such as Scripts and Old English can be difficult to read. We don't want anyone arriving on the wrong day, do we?
Would you like to have your very own, completely individual design? In addition to having an 'off the shelf' range to select from, many specialists can also create original designs. These can be typeset with literally hundreds of typefaces to choose from or you could use calligraphy. A professional calligrapher could design and write each individual invitation on rice paper or any paper of your choice, or a master copy could be penned, a printing plate made from this and then any number of invitations printed. If the calligrapher is also artistic, an illustration or other special design could be added, but remember that calligraphy is the writing of beautiful letters with only slight embellishments... so don't overdo it. Your invitations are limited only by your imagination.
accessories
Available now are all sorts of interesting and beautiful accessories that add the perfect finishing touches to your invitation. You may choose from soft organza or silk ribbons to tassels, textured rice papers, sequins, glitter and stamps.
Personalise your invitations with your accessories, perhaps incorporate your initials or a favourite drawing or colour that represents a special meaning for you both.
addressing the invitations
Invitations should all be posted at the same time (6 to 8 weeks before the wedding). Don't send them in batches as this may offend someone who receives a 'late' invitation.
The return address should be printed or handwritten on the back of the envelope. This ensures that any undelivered invitations will be returned to you. You can then telephone immediately to explain the situation and ask if they can attend at such short notice.
You could also consider using a professional calligrapher to fill in the names on the invitations and address the envelopes. Alternatively, find a friend who has beautiful handwriting. Writing with gold or silver 'Artline' pens can look very effective.
bomboniere
Bomboniere is an Italian expression and the closest translation is 'sweet favours'. It's a charming gift idea for the wedding guests, traditional at Italian and Greek weddings and becoming very popular at Australian weddings. It commonly consists of five sugared almonds, usually enclosed in a lace doily. You can also add a small token such as a bell, butterfly, photo frame, wine flute, small teddy bear or anything else that appeals to you, even chocolate fudge. The five sugared almonds represent Health, Wealth, Happiness, Good Luck and Fertility - it's a very old wedding tradition from Southern Europe. These gifts are usually given to all the ladies at the wedding, either at the end of the celebrations or placed on the tables near their place cards. It's a lovely, inexpensive way of saying 'thank you' to your guests for coming - and they receive a memento of your wedding to take home.
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