Wedding invitations are often sent about four to six weeks before the big day. They are often ordered from a specialized printing vendor and are typically mailed in double envelopes. Some variants include a self-addressed, stamped postcard, thereby eliminating the need for a second envelope. Ultra-modern variants still simply ask the recipient to RSVP by phone. Ah, how the times are changing.
In the 14th century, weddings were announced by town criers. As literacy proliferated through out the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, invitations were used to make known the engagements and weddings of upper class families. In the 16th century, weddings were announced in local gazettes and newspapers. With the advent of metal-plate engravings, a new refinement in wedding invitations had arrived.
In the 17th century, lithography altered the face of printing once again. This chemical process of engraving and printing still required hand-delivery by courier. A double envelope was used to protect the invitation from any damage. This tradition remains to this day. After World War II, invitation printing became more affordable, especially with the advent of the thermograph, also known as the poor man's engraving method.
For a wedding it is, of course, customary to invite relatives, friends, and colleagues. It is vital the invitations are sent in a timely fashion, approximately a month before the date, and two months if it is a destination wedding. This allows the couple to confirm the attendance and arrange the necessary seating and catered menus. The caterer must have an accurate count to provide enough food and drinks to suit the guests. Some invitation accessories may be in order - like a location map, accommodation information, and a reception card -to ensure the guests can find and prepare for the wedding.
Wedding invitations must be esteemed and the time of the ceremony held sacrosanct. It is essential the guests arrive on time and that only invited guests participate. Guests are expected to follow the rules of polite society and stay silent during the ceremony. As weddings are not measly affairs, it is essential they proceed smoothly, without interruptions or complications.
This is wrong. In fact there is a wedding etiquette even on invitations. This is because wedding invitations give your guests a preview on how your wedding will be celebrated. They will know through wedding invitations what they would wear so they would not commit a violation in wedding etiquette for clothing and dress, and they would know how formal or informal the event may be so they wold know what to expect in the wedding reception.
Also, well made wedding invitations will give a lasting impression on your wedding. Your guests will remember you even through your just your wedding invitation.
Here are some information on wedding etiquette on invitations:
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 1:
What should be the wordings on your invitation?
You can go as formal as you like or as informal as you like. Formal wordings are those that we often see on wedding invitations such as:
(centered) Mr. and Mrs. John Bates request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Rachel Anne Bates to Mr. Matthew James Phoenix son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Phoenix ...
You can replace the wordings of the above example and apply your own wordings most especially if it is the couples who will do the inviting. Wedding etiquette on invitations don't prohibit to go as poetic as they want themselves to be or go funny to please their guests as they read the invitation.
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 2:
Who should be inviting? Wedding etiquette on invitation is not very rigid. Before, if the father of the bride hosts the wedding, he should be the only person who would do the inviting. But today, couples honor their parents and let them do the inviting and if the couples themselves will fund their own wedding.
Wedding etiquette can now be bent on this matter.
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 2:
When to send invitations?
Wedding etiquette on sending out of invitations must be done four to six weeks before the wedding day. But for couples who prepare their wedding one or two years ahead. Then can send out a save a date invititation since many things will be changed along the way. This is also true for couples who want a wedding with wedding destination theme. Wedding etiquette makes it clear that invitations must be sent out earlier than four to six weeks, in fact even six months ahead, so that the guests can make their own hotel reservations ahead of time
But remember, the save a date card is not yet the proper invitation. It is a violation of wedding etiquette to replace a proper wedding invitation with a save a date card. Save a date card just serve as an initial announment about your upcoming wedding. You should give your guests the courtesy to inform them of the exact venue of wedding celebration and reception, the attire and the date and time.
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 3:
Remove the tissues that come with engraved invitations. These tissues ar meant to protect the paper from getting ink smudges before the invitation are delivered at your doorstep. It is a wedding etiquette no-no to include them in your invitation. It will ruin the look of your wedding invitation.
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 3:
On the issue of registry cards, wedding etiquette on invitation is very clear that registry cards should not be included in the invitation. You may indicate that you have an online registry if you have any and you can ask your guests to visit your online registry. But its a wedding etiquette on invitation blunder if you insert your wedding registry cards. Remember that gifts should always come as a surprise, pleasant or not?
-- Wedding Etiquette On Invitations Fact 4:
Forget RSVP cards. Your guests are adults and should know how to respond to an invitation. There is also wedding etiquette for guests in anwering invitations. They should respond to a formal or informal wedding invite as soon as they get them and response should not be later than two weeks before the wedding.
Both Fabian Toulouse & Joe Silla are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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