Invitation types and trends
Never forget that first impression most people will have of your wedding is the invitation. When it arrives in the post, it sets the tone for everything that follows, and in many cases that invitation will go on to become a keepsake that your friends and family will treasure.
Traditionally, up until the 1920s, engraved wedding invitations in copperplate or script were customary. A handwritten invitation, on monogrammed family stationery was also considered acceptable for small celebrations of fifty or fewer guests: but then, there would have been a secretary or governess who wrote the invitations, not the bride to be! Any deviation, such as using anything but white or ecru card, or Old English or gothic script, would have been seen as simply vulgar.
Today, almost anything goes, so try and choose paper, font, and wording that match the overall theme of your wedding. A scrolled invitation on parchment is ideal for a simple garden wedding, a brightly coloured invitation proclaiming ‘We’re getting married’ works well for a couple who’ve been living together for a while and are paying for their own nuptials and elegant new colour schemes, like navy with straw, are perfect for second weddings. In a nutshell, your invitations should give guests some idea whether the event is casual, formal, or somewhere in between.
Colour, Font and Style
Make sure you match the paper selection, font and stationery motif with the overall theme of your wedding. Recent developments include coloured inner paper, cut-outs, three dimensional cards bearing roses on corrugated and coloured mounts, personalised cards with your photographs, and ribbon strung cards. All these allow you to show your originality while giving your guests clear pointers about what to expect on the day. It’s a nice idea to harmonise the colour of your text, inner paper or ribbon to your dress, or the bridesmaid’s dresses, and follow that theme through into the décor for the reception. Remember that your thank you cards can follow through the theme, as well as the table décor. No matter which style you choose, purchase the best quality your budget allows, remembering that people will want to keep invitations for years, maybe decades to come.
Embellishments
In addition to paper and type, invitations today can be personalised with wax seals or self adhesive seals. These mean that from the first moment of opening the envelope your guests know this is something special. Alternatively you can have an embossing tool made, which allows you to emboss your initials on an envelope: very elegant!
Wording
If the event is formal, stick to traditional phrasing, but a more casual ceremony allows you to alter the standard text to suit yourselves. Although invitations are traditionally issued in the name of the bride’s parents, increasingly couples are sending out their own invitations.
Including Directions
If your guests are likely to need directions, you can include them as a separate insert with the invitation. Remember that if you include them with the invitations you’ll need to check the weight so you don’t upset many guests by leaving them paying for the shortfall in postage!
Order Enough Invitations (and then order some more!)
When you start planning you’ll be surprised how swiftly costs escalate, often forcing you to a position where you have to think about economising. In an effort to save money, you might be tempted to order only the bare minimum number of invitations. Don’t. There will be mistakes during the addressing process or last minute additions to the guest list, or invitations that get lost in the post. It’s always worth adding 25 invitations to your order. Any leftover invitations can be cut down and used as gift tags for attendants' presents or included in albums or scrapbooks.
