The wedding invitation is the first impression guests will have of your wedding. Therefore, it should reflect your style as a couple and the type of cermony you plan to have: informal, traditional, original, luxury, etc.

The wedding invitations also have to fit within your budget. The following tips will help you make the right choices and avoid common errors that could cost both time and money.

Wedding Invitation Models

The invitation should have essential information about the wedding cermony, such as the parent´s names, date, time and location. Information about the reception should also be included. The guest´s name shoud be written on the envelope.

The text of the wedding invitation should be written in the third person singular.

If this is the second marriage for the couple, the parents names may be left off the invitation.

If any parent is deceased, in memorian should be written in front of the name.

Types of Paper, Font and Format

Compare prices from at least three sources taking into consideration the following items. You will find our recommendations at the end of this article.

The paper should be of good quality. Two good options are vergé or couché. Preference should be given to either white or ivory.

The format should be neither too small nor too large. Wedding invitations of 20cm x 16cm or 20cm x 26 cm are the most common.

The font used should be legible. Although cursive fonts have a certain charm and elegance, many of them are difficult to read. The font color should be either black or graphite.

It´s always a good idea to order extra wedding invitations in case of miscalculations or for those you remember at the last minute.

Unless you have excellent writing skills, the best option is to hire a calligrapher. A good professional will help you personalize your invitations.

Of course, you can always through out convention and create your own wedding invitations. Let your creativity flow!

How to Address Your Wedding Invitations

There are basically three ways to address a wedding invitations, each with a different meaning. See the examples:

Mr. Joe Smith and Family: This means that the couple and their children are invited. If other relatives live with them, they, too, are invited.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith or more informally Joe Smith and Mary Smith: This means that only the couple are invited.

R.S.V.P.

R.S.V.P. is French for Respondéz S´il Vous Plait which means Please Respond. Usually, this appears in the left bottom corner of the wedding invitation. It is followed by a telephone number and deadline for confirming one´s presence. If you prefer, you can write "Please confirm your presence."

When to Send Your Wedding Invitations

There is no specific date to mail your wedding invitations. It´s adviseable to send them two months to 30 days before the wedding. Guests who live in the same city should receive their invitation by hand.

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