Congratulations!
You’re getting married! What a wonderful and exciting time in your life. As with all good things, a wedding means planning and organisation. With the help of online websites and the published media aimed specifically at brides-to-be, there is a wealth of ideas available to you and those involved in the planning of your wedding.
The wedding invitation is the first impression that guests will have of your wedding, and for many couples, the invite is the first step in conveying the style of the wedding.
Then & Now
In 18th century England, handmade invitations were made popular by the upper class and aristocracy, while the rest of English society made use of town-criers and word-of-mouth to announce upcoming wedding celebrations. The written tradition soon caught on in the Americas, where handmade invitations quickly became immensely fashionable. American Indians inscribed birch bark to inform neighbours of a nuptial feast, in Bulgaria a prospective guest could expect a little sweet treat as a token of an invitation whereas back in Africa a member of the family usually made the rounds in person to invite guests.
Today the personalised invitation provides a beautiful touch to the most special day in a couple’s new life together.
Below is a list and explanation of some of the most common pieces of wedding stationery used
Invitations
With wedding invitations you have free reign as to what the style, colour, theme and look will be. It may match your wedding colour scheme, or if you choose, it may differ entirely! Choose what you like best, what you feel is in vogue and what carries your signature style across beautifully. Preppy? Try a trendy, modern look. Tradionalist? The classic look might suit you well. Bohemian? A colourful array will do perfectly. Plain? Consider natural elements and colours. The possibilities are endless!
Envelopes
On such a special occasion the humble envelope is elevated to prima status, as a beautifully printed envelope is both visually appealing and a necessary accompaniment to your wedding invitation. A good idea is to have a watermark bearing a flourish, your initials, or even a picture – this lends an elegant touch. When posting your precious invitation it is a good idea to put the wedding envelope, bearing the invitation, into a padded envelope in order to minimize handling damage caused during the routine postal process. A charming alternative to the envelope is a little presentation box wherein the invitation is kept.
Maps
This is especially useful for all guests and an essential for out-of-town guests. Maps to the wedding venue can be a set of written directions or a graphic, and it can form part of the invitation or be included as a separate sheet or card with the invitation – the choice is yours entirely.
Reply Cards
Although RSVP’ing is nowadays most often done via telephone, e-mail or even online, the time-honoured tradition of sending reply cards with the wedding invite adds a lovely, traditional touch.
Gift Registry Notices
Most stores that have gift registries provide a standard gift registry notice, which can be included with invitations. However, the provided cards are most likely to be run-of-the-mill, and do not do justice to compliment a set of beautiful wedding stationery. As with the map, the gift registry notice can either form part of the wedding invitation (as a note on the invite) or the registry details can be provided on a separate card, which may then be included with the invitation.
Order of Service
The order of service should be available at the ceremony venue in order for guests to follow the nuptial procedure. There are no set guidelines as to the style of the Order of Service, which means that you have a wide array of choices ranging from a booklet to a single sheet of paper, to a card, to a printed fan – the possibilities are endless!The modern day Order of Service can be very flexible, and serves to offer much more than just wording for hymns. A guideline to follow for what information should be included can be advised, but this need not necessarily be adhered to. Once again, you are pampered for choice as to what info to include in your own Order of Service.
Petal Cones and Bubblers
Petal cones are a beautiful accompaniment to petal confetti. Instead of guests dipping their hands into a holder of petals, individual petal holders add a touch convenience and class. Some venues do not encourage confetti or petal-throwing, in which case bubblers are an excellent alternative. It is a beautiful sight to see the newly wedded couple being sent off in a cloud of bubbles, and it makes for beautiful photographs!
Table Numbers
These need to be highly visible and may take various forms. For a delightful variation, why not try table names instead of numbers. One bride who took an interest in astrology named her reception tables after the signs of the zodiac; another couple who had opted for a beach wedding named their tables in honour of their favourite islands.
Venue Seating Plan
The seating plan has evolved from a common easel-mounted structure to a magnificent piece of work! You may choose from a seating plan displayed on a chic easel or in a baroque frame; an elegant hanging creation suspended from a structure with ribbon; a traditional easel mounted plan with a stylish twist (think beautiful fonts and a prettily decorated easel) or a modern open-top box filled with rose petals (or even sea sand if you are having a beach wedding) containing little cards with the guest’s name, that, when opened, will reveal the guest’s allotted table number. There are so many variations; the world is your oyster!
Menus
You may choose to provide each guest with their own individual menu or to place two or three menus on the table for guests to view. Individual menus are usually less elaborate than those placed on the table. A sheet of vellum with the menu printed on it, wrapped around or tucked into the napkin compliments a table setting beautifully. A quad-folded card gracefully decorated with the wedding colours and placed on the table for seated guests to view is also a good option. Many options exist for both types.
Favours & Favour Tags
Charming favours add zest to any table. It may also serve the dual purpose of being both a favour and a name card, depending on your personal preference.
Remember, favour ideas are limited only by your imagination!
Place cards
Place cards may form part of the menu, the favour tags, or be entirely independent.
In the latter case a typical place card is about the size of a business card. There is an array of ways in which to display place cards, depending on your personal preference.
Thank You Notes
This is an extremely important part of the post-wedding arrangements, yet one that is overlooked by many couples in the rush of preparations. It is considered essentially polite to send your guests a note of thanks for the gift that they provided you with; or simply to acknowledge your appreciation for their presence at your special day.
Bridal Shower Invites
A bride’s girl pals are sure to pamper her on the day of her bridal shower, so don’t overlook inviting all your special friends to this exciting occasion. Depending on the type of function you plan to have, the invitation should match accordingly. It is a good idea to include a little keepsake such as a fridge magnet with the invitation.
This stunner comes complete with earrings.
The Fold Over inside view
