Authored by Neal F. Litherland in Marriage
Published on 09-27-2009
Your wedding day is one of, if not the, most important day of your life. You and your soon to be husband or bride have gone through the emotional rigors of falling in love, the commitment rush of agreeing to get married, and the financial juggling routine of actually planning out your wedding. While issues like the bride’s dress, the location of the wedding, and even what color tuxedo the groom and his men will wear are all important, making sure that the appropriate guests are in attendance to see the ceremony is a detail that just can’t be overlooked. Which is why when putting together your wedding invitations, it’s important that you pay attention to the little details.
First of all, a few things need to be settled before you put the wedding invitations together. Where it’s going to be held is one of those things, and so is the date it’s going to be held on. Make absolutely certain that both of those facts are set in stone. Because if either of those things change, then an updated invitation is going to be sent out, and that’s just ridiculous. Once you know the time and place, get together with your significant other and decide who will be invited to the wedding. It’s very important that you decide who will and won’t be invited so that you and your fiancée know just who to expect.
Once the list of those who will be invited is finished, make sure that you have all of their proper relationship statuses and addresses. For instance, of the groom’s uncle has recently been married it’s best to include his new wife, or if the bride’s sister has moved, make sure you have her current address. This could all be considered preparation for the invitations themselves, but these are very important steps to take.
Wedding invitations should be on thick cards, usually in a muted but bright color. Manila, cream, or other variations of white are usually appropriate for a formal invitation. The key word to remember here is formal. While there’s usually a lot of overflowing happiness in the weeks and months preceding a wedding, the invitations should be official looking. The language, such as “cordially invited to” is also important. Keep it polite and in step with the rest of the invitation. And make sure that the same language is used in every invitation so that they’re somewhat uniform. Adding some flourishes such as a wax seal, or imprinted gold designs may add an extra something special, but keep them simple and tasteful.
Wedding invitations should usually be sent so that people will receive them anywhere from 6-8 weeks before the ceremony. This will give your guests time to make travel plans, and other preparations. Also, make sure that the invitations provide all the necessary facts, such as who to call for reservations, and other contact information. That way everyone who is invited has everything that they need right at their fingertips.
