Wedding Invitations Explained

Out of everything that your wedding entails one would think the invitations would be, by far, the easiest to accomplish. It may prove to be one of the most daunting tasks once you realize all that you have to consider such as: who to invite, paper types and colors, font choices, wording, reply options etc. etc. and it can all get pretty confusing as well as take up a lot of time.

1. Seal & Send

The basic of invitations is the seal and send. They get rid of the need to use envelopes you basically will just fold them in half and put a stamp on them. The second half is the “mail in” portion acting as a postcard. If you are buying the invitations the costs will include the seals and your return address already stamped on them.

Sending out the seal and send seems easy and simple, but basic. As a result you may want to spice it up a bit. The seal and send would be folded twice so you have a top and a bottom flap that meet in the middle that you will now seal. You can choose the standard gold sticker or, for a more regal look, a wax seal. They take longer to use of course as you are melting a blob of wax to the envelope then using a metal or wood stamp to press a logo into it. It’s very classic and beautiful.

Your address, to make it look really lovely, could be written on with calligraphy and your address will also appear inside the invitation on the returnable portion of the card.

2. Envelope Stuffing

Some of us have more information that can possibly fit on a single piece of paper. For this reason we will use your standard envelope with all of the necessary pieces of information.

Pre-Printing the Envelope

It may cost you a little more money, but there is a certain ease of use with having your address already printed on the sealing flap of the envelope. If don’t in gold embossing it adds a flair of class to something as simple as the envelope.

Response Cards

Specific details may be needed from your guests. They may have special food or seating issues that need to be addressed. Response cards give your guests the ability to “talk” to you. They can include a check box for attending or not attending the reception or wedding itself. Everything they tell you will go into preparation. It is customary to include a self-addressed and stamped envelope. This nearly completely ensures you will not be left in the dark about a guest.

Reception Cards

Your reception is the end result of a long time of planning. You don’t want another headache so you include the reception card which would contain the menu and the necessary check boxes for your guest to choose their food items. This can save you time, money and effort in the end.

No matter your choices of invitations keep in mind you should always send out a thank you note after the honeymoon. It pays to be courteous!