Custom Wedding Invitations

One thing you can count on is your invitation will be a keepsake, a little time capsule reminding you of one of the best days of your life. Your invitations give your guests a little taste of your wedding style.  Today’s Brides have their own ideas as to what they want and when they walk into Perfectly Wrapped it our job is to make it beautiful and keep it within budget.  We’ll help you provide a consistent theme for all the components from start to finish.  Remember, an invitation is like a first meeting - it's all about the initial impression.

Stationery Timeline

SAVE THE DATE - 6-8 months prior; with any travel information your guests may need in advance.

INVITATIONS - Order at least one month before mailing to allow time to address, stuff etc.  Mail 6-8 weeks prior. Ask for guests to R.S.V.P. 2-4 weeks prior; provide postage on envelope.

MENU / PROGRAMS / PLACECARDS - Order at least 2-3 weeks before the wedding day.

THANK YOU - Technically you have one year to thank your guests and gift-givers, but please do it sooner as to not make others feel as you forgot them.  It is best practice to order these at the same time as your invitations.  Thought being that those guests that can't make the wedding will send their gift right away thus you should be prepared to start writing your thank you notes.  This not only thanks them but gives them assurance that the gift was delivered as instructed.

The first impression is made with the Save the Date (if used), then followed by the Invitation.  At the ceremony, the look continues with the Program.  At the reception the escort cards, table numbers and place cards ring of the same look.  Finally, your Thank You will rekindle fond memories of your special day!

 

The etiquette

Here are some examples of rules and guidelines found in various etiquette books:

• If the wedding is at a club or home, "the pleasure of your company" is used.
• For weddings held in religious institutions, it is "the honour of your presence."
• When parents are paying for the wedding, their name goes on the invitation: i.e., "Mr. and Mrs. John Jones request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter." But it may be that the parents aren't paying for everything. Often, the couple pays for some of the expenses.  So couples might want to negotiate the wording this way: "Miss Mary Jones and Mr. Mark Smith, together with their families, request the pleasure of your company."
• If a wedding is a formal, evening affair held after 6 p.m., the invitation should say, "black tie" in the right-hand corner. Some invitations are more relaxed: "black tie optional” or” black tie preferred."
• Invitations for outdoor weddings should include mention of alternate plans for the ceremony in the event of weather.
• The date of the wedding is written out: Saturday, the eighteenth of September.
• If the name of the state is on the invitation, it is written out, not abbreviated.
• Instead of using RSVP, more formal wording can be used: "The favour of a reply is requested.

 

The Invitation Ensemble

Two envelopes or one?

In bygone days when invitations were hand-delivered, an outer envelope was used to keep the invitation envelope clean for a more impressive presentation to the guest. Whether or not you opt for double envelopes is your decision. Today, many invitations are sent with single envelopes for a variety of reasons, including less paper waste and because some of the fancier custom-made envelop styles (like the French and Bavarian envelopes) are designed to be singles. If you order double envelopes and you also choose envelope linings, the inner envelope will be lined.

Envelope Return Address

Be sure to order your envelopes with your return address (excluding your name) on the back flap. This not only looks nicer, but also saves addressing time! If you are ordering double envelope sets, this address is on the flap of the outer (larger) envelope. Make certain you order additional envelopes in case you make mistakes while addressing.

 

Lined Inner Envelope

For selections that include an inner envelope, a lovely envelope liner adds that special elegant touch. You can select a liner that brings out the beauty of your invitation for a slight additional cost.

 

Tissues

Tissues were originally put on top of the invitation to prevent the old, slow drying inks from smudging. Today it is no longer necessary, but many people still prefer the traditional look of tissues.

 

Reception Card

Reception cards are included when the reception is held at a different site than the ceremony or if you have different guest lists for the ceremony and the reception. The reception card wording either reflects the wording of your invitation or simply reads, "Reception immediately following the ceremony" with the location.

Sample Traditional Wording

Reception
Immediately following the ceremony
The Dominion Country Club
San Antonio, Texas

 

Response Card and Envelope

Response cards provide a simple and painless way for your guests to reply. The cards have a space for your guests to write their names and indicate whether or not they will be attending. A printed return envelope is always included in the price of a response set. The face/front of this envelope is preprinted with the name and address of whoever will be receiving your replies. To make it even easier for everyone to reply, put a stamp on this respond envelope. If you are using the traditional wording shown below, remember to spell "favour/favor" the same way as you have spelled "honour/honor" on the invitation. As most party planning budgets require exact numbers, it is socially acceptable to call, or write, those guests who have not responded.

Respond Card Sample Traditional Wording

The favour of a reply is requested
before the twentieth of May
M_____________________
Will __________ attend

Respond Envelope Sample

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Rudolfo Olivares
817 South Alamo Road
Alamo, Texas 78516

 

Map and Directions cards

Preprinted enclosure cards providing directions to the ceremony and the reception site can be exceptionally helpful to your guests, especially those coming from out-of-town. Photocopied directions blemish the beauty of your beautiful invitation ensemble and are often very difficult to read.

 

Accommodation cards

Your guests will appreciate the convenience of a preprinted card that lists recommended hotels in your area, along with the phone numbers.

Within-the-ribbon cards

Another tradition is to designate special seating for select guests. The guests receiving these cards present them to the ushers, who will escort them to this special seating (usually in the front) that has been sectioned off by ribbon.

 

At-home cards

A handy way to inform every one of your new address and the date you expect to begin residing there. These can be sent with a wedding invitation or wedding announcement. If the woman is changing her name in the customary fashion, names are not listed. If she is keeping her name or hyphenating it, this card is a good place to announce that by listing the woman's name in full on the first line and the man's name in full on the second line.

 

Sample Wording

At home
After the fifth of April
817 South Alamo Road

Alamo, Texas 78516

 

The "Did You Remember" Checklist

• Name of Parent(s), Host(s) or Sponsors
• Establish the purpose of the printing (inviting to a wedding--announcing a graduation?)
• Name of honoree (Bride and Groom, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Graduate)
• Day/Date (spelled out--e.g. Saturday, the twenty-third of March)
• Does the day definitely correspond with the date? (consult a calendar)
• Year (Two thousand and seven)
• Time (at six o'clock in the evening)
• Name of Place (First Congregational Church)
• Location of Place (city and state but no zip code--street address is optional)
• Ask several friends to read it for mistakes!

 

Additional Items

Engagement announcements

These are the formal announcements of you engagement.

Gift received cards

Preprinted cards acknowledging that a gift was received may be sent ahead (never instead of) personally written thank you notes. This allows the newlyweds to wait until after their honeymoon to thank their guests more personally.

 

Informals

This is the personalized stationery on which to write individual thank-you notes. Order informals with your maiden name for notes written before the wedding (bridal shower and engagement party gifts), and another set with your married name or monogram for notes written afterwards.

Sample Wording

Highly formal: Mrs. Carl Heath Jones

Informal (ladies first): Sally and Carl Jones

Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Carl Heath Jones

Woman Kept Maiden Name (ladies first):Sally Leigh McPerson Carl Heath Jones

 

Menu Cards

Menu cards provided at the reception describe the dishes you have selected--a nice touch.

 

Place Cards

If you are planning assigned seating at your reception, put a place card handwritten with each person's name at the place you have designated.

 

Programs

Guests appreciate an outline to follow along with at the ceremony. It also makes a nice memento of the event.

 

Save-the-date cards

These preprinted notes are sent at least six months to a year before the wedding date and are invaluable if you plan to invite long-distance guests.

 

Table cards

If you are planning assigned tables for the reception, these cards have a place for you to write the names of each couple or single guest and their assigned table. These should be awaiting everyone on a table at the entrance to the reception. (see also "place cards" above)

Sample Wording

M __________________
______Table No.______

 

Wedding Announcements

Announcements let you share your news with friends, distant relatives and colleagues that are not invited to the wedding (you can't invite everyone!) They should never be sent to those who have received an invitation to the ceremony or reception and should be mailed right after the wedding (never before.) Your announcement should look and read like your wedding. Instead of requesting the honour of their presence at the marriage...however, you would say "have the honour of announcing the marriage..." The only enclosure would be the "At home" card. 

Addressing the Envelope

Basic rules of etiquette

It is traditional to use the complete, formal name and address of your invited guests on the outer envelope of a double envelope set and on the outside of a single envelope. Do not use abbreviations other than "Mr." or "Mrs." Spell out Avenue, Road, and Street as well as the State name. See the "Basic Rules of Etiquette" section under "Wording your Wedding Invitation" above for more detail on how to write titles and suffixes. Include zip codes on the same line with the city and state.

The inner envelope of a double envelope set carries only the last name preceded by titles (Mr., Mrs., Doctor) of the primary person or couple being invited. There are no addresses. Invited children's first names appear under the parents' names. (Invited children over 18 or older still dwelling with their parents should receive separate invitations.) If you are allowing single people, who are not dating anyone in particular, to bring a guest, you would say so on this inner envelope by adding "and guest" to their title and surname. If you are using a single envelope, you must put this information on the outside of the single envelope by adding the children's names below the parents' names or the "and guest" line beside the single guest's name.

Remember! Before purchasing stamps, have one fully assembled invitation weighed at the post office to determine proper postage. Don't forget to purchase stamps for the respond envelopes as well.

Sample Addressing Formats Wording for (nearly) Every Situation

Invitations with a single envelope

If you elect to use a single envelope with your invitation, here are some suggestions for addressing the outside of the single envelope.

Married Couples

Married couples living in the same house:

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, junior
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025

 

Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name--some experts say the woman's name appears first:

Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640

Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically:

Ms. Judy Paris
Mr. Benjamin Jeffery Straton
etc.

 

Mr. Bernard Dawson
Ms. Anne Fisk
etc.

Unmarried Couples

Unmarried couples living in the same house should be listed alphabetically:

Ms. Elaine Alla
Ms. Susan Zaph
40 Sparrow Drive
Dallas, Texas
75341

 

Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640

 

Family Invitation

A family with young children:

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025

It is considered correct to send a separate invitation to each child 18 years or older.

 

Single Individual with Guest

If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, find out the guest's name, especially if the couple is engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:

Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington
98110

If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address:

Ms. Evelyn Phelps and guest

 

Mr. John Wesley and guest

Invitations with double envelopes

If you elect to use two envelopes with your invitations, here are suggestions for addressing the inner and outer envelopes:

 

Married Couples

Married couples living in the same house:

Outer Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025

Inner Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Married couples in which the woman has retained her maiden name or professional name--some experts say the woman's name appears first:

Outer Envelope

Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640

Inner Envelope

Ms. Rogers
Mr. Whittemore

Others suggest the names be listed alphabetically:

Outer Envelope

Mrs. Elaine Austin Dogers
Mr. Conrad Hemenway
etc.

Inner Envelope

Ms. Dogers
Mr. Hemenway etc.  

Unmarried Couples

Unmarried couples living in the same house should be listed alphabetically:

Outer Envelope

Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640

Inner Envelope

Ms. Parker
Mr. Randolph

Family Invitation

A family with young children:

Outer Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025

 

Inner Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Martha and Susan (by seniority)

It is considered correct to send a separate invitation to each child 18 years or older. You may also use the title Master if the young man is under the age of 13.

Single Individual with Guest

If you wish to encourage a single friend to invite a guest, you should learn the name of the guest, especially if they are engaged, living in the same house, or seeing each other on an exclusive basis. If they live at different addresses, it is considerate to send an invitation to the guest directly. Otherwise address as follows:

Outer Envelope

Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington
98110

Inner Envelope

Ms. Phelps
Mr. Wesley

If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time, it is also correct to address:

Outer Envelope

Mr. Walter Robinson
126 Woodland Creek Drive
Dallas, Texas
75225

Inner Envelope

Mr. Robinson and guest

 

 

Grammar for Addressing Envelopes

When titles are used, the husbands title always comes first.

Doctor and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson

Judge and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. Warren T. Wilson

 

Without title, the wife’s name should come first.

Susan and John Adams

 

With children’s names added, the father’s name should come first, then the wife’s name,

followed by the children’s names listed acording to age (oldest first).

The John Hopkins Family

John, Teri, Lee and Anna Hopkins

 

A comma should always precede the use of suffixes.

(Jr., III, Sr., etc.)

Warren T. Wilson, Sr.

Warren T. Wilson, junior

John Lee Hopkins, III

 

Widow or Married Woman

Mrs. Daniel York

or

Emily York

(Never use “Mrs. Emily York” unless she is divorced.)

 

The proper use of fiancée or fiancé.

The woman who is engaged to be married is the fiancée.

The man who is engaged to be married is the fiancé.

 

Use of Plurals

When names end in “s”, “x”, “z”, “ch” or “sh”, add an “es” at the end.

Adams = Adamses

Wilcox = Wilcoxes

Menendez = Menendezes

Gingrich = Gingriches

Nash = Nashes

Only use an apostrophe to show ownership, never to form a plural.

When names end in “o” or “y”, add an “s” on the end.

Garbo = Garbos

Henry = Henrys

Happy Holidays from The Halls - is proper (not The Hall’s)

Come to the Halls’ beach - is proper (not the Hall’s)

Meet at Jane Hall’s beach house - is proper

In many cases, the plural form of a name is not desirable.

The word “Family” may look and sound better.

The Jones Family