Once you have chosen your wedding invitation design, you still have some important imprinting details on which to decide including your lettering style and ink color.  You probably won’t give much thought to these selections until you actually go through the process of designing and ordering your invitations but you want to be prepared.

Here are a number of particulars to keep in mind when choosing your lettering style…

• When it comes to contemporary wedding invitations, having two different typestyles where at least the couple’s names appear in a contrasting font is becoming trendy. When shopping for your invites, it will be specified if one or two lettering styles can be printed on that particular design.
• If choosing a fancier typestyle, be sure to look over all the letters making sure your guests will be able to easily read them whether they appear in upper or lower case.
• Lettering styles can have their own unique appearance in print – some look lighter and others show up as being bolder. 
• Some font styles are naturally larger in their appearance.
• Certain typestyle choices are automatically in small caps meaning all letters appear as uppercase with normal capital letters appearing slightly larger.

As far as ink colors, again some modern wedding invitations are using two distinguished colors to highlight specific details including the bride and groom’s names.  If your invites have a colored background or are printed on a colored paper, remember to choose an ink color that will stand out against that particular color for easy reading.

When it comes to wedding invitation printing by a professional printer, you will be presented with all the different lettering styles and ink colors that are available for your chosen design.  To help in making your selections, it is recommended that you take notice of which choices are used on the sample invitation to see if you like how they look.  Those choices are usually listed within the product details area.

Below are some standard and alternative wordings for wedding invitations.

If the wedding is being hosted on your own:
“Jane Porter and David Broadbent request the pleasure of your company at their marriage…”

Invitation to a wedding, bride’s parents as hosts:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Jane to Mr David Broadbent at St Michael’s Church, Wilburly, on Saturday, 26 th July 2010 at 3pm and afterwards at The White Swan Hotel, Wilbury…”

When the wedding is being hosted by the parents of the bride (alternative wording):
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of the company of (name of guest(s) written by hand) at the marriage of their daughter Jane Frances to Mr David Broadbent at St Michael’s Church, Wilbury, on Saturday, 26th July 2003 at 3pm and afterwards at The White Swan Hotel, Wilbury…”

When the bride’s parents are divorced and the mother remarried:
“Mr Federick Porter and Mrs James Culver request the pleasure of…”
If mother is not remarried, begin:
“Mr Frederick Porter and Mrs Judy  Porter…”

Invitation to a service of blessing:
“Mr and Mrs Federick Porter request the pleasure of your company at the blessing of the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

Invitation to a wedding reception only:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at a reception following the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

Invitation to an evening party only:
“Mr and Mrs Frederick Porter request the pleasure of your company at an evening party following the marriage of their daughter Jane…”

If you are interested in more wedding invitations related articles and advice, please visit NZ Bride for more articles on wedding invitations. Click here more wedding invitation wording examples.

NZ Bride: New Zealand most comprehensive wedding website

Whether you have been invited to a traditional Japanese wedding or you are just interested in wedding customs in general, you will discover that there are some fascinating aspects about a Japanese wedding ceremony that make it special from other similar events. A Japanese wedding is usually Buddhist, Shinto, or Christian in form, or it may not even be religious at all. A Japanese wedding can take on many different styles depending on taste and preference.

The most traditional sort of Japanese wedding that you are likely to see is the Shinto style wedding, which are private events taking place at shrines. Only intimate family members participate in this service, though there will usually be an older couple there as well, to act in the matchmaker role. The ceremony consists of customs that include drinking sake, and in more modern context, the exchange of wedding bands. The families of the bride and the groom will also exchange glasses of sake to show that the two families are now tied together. Japanese brides wear a shiromuku, a white kimono, for wedding dresses, while the grooms will wear montsuki, a formal black kimono, and the wide legged trousers known as hakama.

When the service is over at the Shinto shrine, there is often a reception celebration, where the extended family, friends, and colleagues will attend to celebrate the wedding. The dress is usually very formal and it is not uncommon to see women in suits as well as kimono in attendance.

A Japanese wedding invitation should be answered ASAP and it is important to remember that a gift of cash is essential. There may be a specific amount on the invitation, but if not, you can decide how much to give based on how close you are to the happy couple; the closer you are to them, the more you would give. It is standard to give the cash in crisp new bills, which are put into an envelope, named shugi-bukuro, and your name is nicely printed on the front of it. The guests even get a gift at a Japanese wedding, usually a memento known as hikidemono is given, and nowadays guests would be allowed to select their gift from a catalogue.

The wedding reception itself is usually a very entertaining event, with the bride and groom seated on a stage and many participants singing celebratory or congratulatory songs for them. There is usually a Western style wedding cake and in many cases the couple will stroll all over the room to light candles and to talk to the guests. Rather than staying in their formal wedding dress, the bride will likely change into a less formal kimono.

A Japanese wedding can take styles from various different cultures and traditions, and it is just as likely to see Japanese brides wearing elegant Western wedding dresses as it is to see them in a formal white kimono and elaborate headdress. If you have received an invitation to a Japanese wedding, it would be wise to ask what is proper and what the couple is wanting from their guests. No matter what part of the world you may come from, you will find that a wedding is a means to celebrate with a loving couple their happiness and joy.

In these lean economic times many brides are struggling to keep their budget under control.  They’re cutting down on their photographic packages, catered food, and wedding favors among others.  But there’s also another strategy they can use to save money – finding wedding freebies.

Many wedding companies offer free items to promote their company, products and/or services. By doing some research on the web (for example, searching for the keywords “free wedding stuff” or “wedding freebies”) brides can find valuable products as well as samples and coupons.  Some examples of what can be found out there are: free wedding planners, wedding planning software, wedding webpages, magazines, catalogues, e-books, free wedding invitation templates, beauty care products, and a whole lot more.

Here are some resources to find free wedding stuff.  Just copy and paste the following web addresses into the web browser:

SuperWeddings.com: http://www.superweddings.com/freestuff.html

KillerFreebies.com: http://www.killerfreebies.com/wedding.shtml

Freebies4ya.com: http://www.freebies4ya.com/freebies/love.asp

About.com: http://freebies.about.com/od/weddingfreebies/Wedding_Freebies.htm

Free wedding webpage at theKnot.com: http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp_offers.aspx?offers=1&target=

As can be seen there is no shortage of resources for brides to find and discover great free products.  With a little bit of effort, brides can save a ton of money.  And they’ll be surprised to see quality items for free.  As an example of what can be found out there, take a look at the following:

PashWeddings.com offers its readers a variety of free wedding invitation templates.  These templates come in suites, meaning for each design brides not only get a template for their wedding invitation, but also for their rsvp card, save the date card, reception card, placecards, table card, wedding party card, program covers and menu.  This enables brides to neatly tie in all their wedding stationery with one elemental design.  There are many designs to choose from so brides are sure to find one that suits their style and their personality.

PashWeddings.com also offers readers its popular and, of course, free wedding planner that can be downloaded in a .pdf format.  That makes it easy for the bride to print out the planner and use the worksheets as she interviews various wedding vendors, such as disc jockeys, florists, photographers, caterers, coordinators, etc.  Included in the planner is: a vendor contact list, ceremony program worksheet, wedding budget worksheet, wedding scheduler, questions to ask vendors, a list of photographic poses, emergency kit list, and a whole lot more.  On the whole, it’s about 90 pages of valuable information that’ll help the bridal couple keep organized, keep focused, and keep relaxed in the whirlwind that is wedding planning. (AJG070609)

Wedding invitation planning…you may not realize just how many steps there really are to organizing and preparing your invitations. From creating your guest list to finalizing all your ceremony and reception details, many things affect your wedding invitation preparations.

There really are no absolute deadlines for many of the steps in your wedding invitation process. With so many other things on your mind, there are some general timeframes to keep in mind to avoid last-minute rushing.

Here is a basic timeline to simply use as a guideline for your invitation planning:

9 months – 1 year

• Begin working on your guest list so you will know how many wedding invites (and maybe save the dates) to eventually order (one per single adult, couple or family invited).
• Start your wedding invitation shopping so you can narrow your choices down to only your favorites. Be sure to order samples, which are usually blank, so you can personally see the paper and design.
• If you are planning to mail out save the date cards to guests, begin searching for your preferred design of them as well.

7 to 8 months

• If you will be sending save the dates, place your order based on the number of guests to whom you will be mailing them as they are optional.
• Review sample wedding invitation verses and give some thought as to how your wording will read.

6 months

• If sending save the dates, prepare and mail them.
• Select your wedding invitation design and gather all the details that will be printed on them such as date, times, name and address of location(s), etc.
• Determine if you will also be ordering any invitation enclosures or added options – response cards, reception cards, direction/map cards, pre-printed return address on envelopes, decorative envelope seals, colored lining for inner envelopes, matching thank you or informal cards. Some of these options may not be available depending on your chosen style. You may also be able to order matching menu, table and place cards for your design. You will save on separate shipping costs by purchasing as many items as you can all in the same order.
• If you are including response cards, check with your dinner location to see how far in advance they need your final guest count so you can select the RSPV date that will be printed on them (typically 2-3 weeks before wedding). You also need to decide whose address will be printed on the response envelope or postcard meaning they will receive the replies.

4-5 months

• Finalize your wording and place your wedding invitation order. Remember to order some extras now so you won’t run out if there are last-minute guests to invite and so you also have a few as souvenirs. If the option is available, order some extra envelopes just to be safe.
• Check your guest list making sure you have complete addresses for everyone.
• Consider mailing your wedding invites using custom wedding stamps. Many online retailers give you the option of choosing from pre-designed wedding postage or simply uploading a photo to create your own stamp design. NOTE – Be sure to have one of your ready-to-mail invitations weighed at a Post Office BEFORE you purchase any postage stamps to make sure you are using the correct amount for each invitation.

3-4 months

• Fold and/or assemble your wedding invitations, if necessary.
• Hand address mailing envelopes and write guest names on inside envelopes, if they are included.
• Purchase and apply postage stamps to the response card envelopes or response postcards, if they will be included.
• Assemble all wedding invitation pieces and insert them into already addressed envelopes.
• Take one fully assembled and sealed invitation to the Post Office to have it weighed to determine the correct amount of postage needed.
• Purchase your stamps or order custom wedding stamps with appropriate postage amount required for mailing.

6-8 weeks

• Seal the envelopes, apply postage stamps and mail them all at the same time directly at a Post Office location.

3-4 weeks

• Prepare and mail any other related wedding invitations…rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, etc.
• Keep track of the response cards as they are returned by checking off their names from your guest list.

2-3 weeks

• Contact any guests who didn’t mail back their response cards.
• Provide final guest count to reception/dinner location.

That pretty much takes care of everything related to your invitations prior to your wedding. The only thing left to do is to write and mail out your wedding thank you cards, especially if you ordered them with your wedding invitations. They should be written and mailed out to guests about a month after the wedding and no longer than months later.

Again, this is just a guideline for your wedding invitations process but hopefully it will help you stay organized which is the key for all of your wedding planning. 

Your wedding invitation is truly a one-of-a-kind remembrance of your special day since it provides a record of some of the most important details.  It is always recommended that a few extra invitations be ordered to save as souvenirs of your wedding, but chances are they will be placed in your wedding album and eventually packed away. 

Why not create a memento of your wedding invitation that is more permanent and can be easily displayed in your home as a special remembrance.  Especially because your invitation text includes all the formal details of your wedding day – day and date, time of ceremony, time of reception, name and address of ceremony location, name and address of reception location – as well as possibly a special verse or quote chosen by you and your fiance.  The invitation design itself may also be symbolic of the colors or theme of your wedding.

Having your invitation wording permanently imprinted on a keepsake item is a wonderful way to uniquely commemorate your wedding day.  Here are some suggested items that can be engraved with your wedding invitation verse:

·  Photo Album – A great way to personalize a wedding album is to have your invitation wording elegantly engraved on the front cover.  This way every time you look through your cherished wedding pictures you will be able to see your invitation verse too.

·  Wedding Invitation Frame – Create a lasting symbol by using a beautiful glass frame to display your favorite wedding photo as well as feature your delicately etched invitation verse.              

·  Glass Block – A simple, but elegant, glass or lucite sculpture piece can be engraved with your wedding invitation text creating an exquisite symbol of your special day.

·  Commemorative Plate – Easily hung on a wall or placed on an easel for table-top display, a decorative plate engraved or etched with your invitation verse will make a wonderful memento for years to come.

With all of your planning and preparations, creating a wedding invitation keepsake may not be a high priority before your wedding, but this is easily something you can have designed later since you may even receive one of these personalized items as a wedding gift. 

Your wedding is without a doubt one of the most important days of your life so give some thought to creating a lasting souvenir of your wedding invitation to preserve all the details of your special day.  As the years go by, you will undoubtedly be glad you did.

The Wedding Invitation you choose for your wedding will set the tone of your wedding. When you send out your save the date card and then the invitation the world will know it is official that you are getting married. Once you have sent out the invitation all of the elements of your wedding should be in place.

Get : Wedding Invitation Advice

First, More and more couples are sending Save the Date Cards. With all of us having such busy schedules you want to make sure all of your perspective guests have enough notice so they can set your big date aside. There are many styles to choose from so you need to search around and find an invitation that fits your person style.

Free : Trendy Wedding Advice

Secondly, now it is time to choose the style of invitation you would like formal or casual, will it have a R.S.V.P. card. The colors you select for your wedding will they match the invitation. Does your budget allow for professionally printed invitations or will you do them yourself on your Mac or PC.

Lastly, You have now chosen your invitation and have them in hand, it is time to decide when you want to send these invitations and to whom you will send them.

You need to have a list of guest that you want to invite and make sure that you do not overdue it. Weddings are expensive and in some cases you can invite to many people so always revise your list before sending out invitations.

Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Wedding. For more information go to: http://www.planthewedding.net/invitations.html

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/learn-how-to-decide-on-a-wedding-invitation-1068765.html

Most wedding etiquette is simply a perpetuation of tradition(s), through the ages, which have become so commonplace and accepted as to be thought of as “the right way” in many—if not most—cases…at least in America!   

But wedding etiquette is not always written in stone, and more and more people are realizing wedding etiquette is best left to courtesy and what makes the couple being wedded happy!   But just for the fun of it, let’s review a few of the most notable traditions; some of which are regarded as “rules” but are—like rules often are—subject to be bent or even broken!

The term “wedlock” comes from the Old English word “wedd” and old Scottish “wad”, both of which mean “to pledge”.  “Lock” comes from Old English “lac”, which means to fulfill a commitment through action.  So…the original connotation meant pledging of property as payment to the bride’s father, for the daughter’s hand in marriage.

The “asking for her hand in marriage” hails from the Romans, with the “joining of hands.”  In a symbolic “purchase”, the groom would give the bride’s father a coin, and the bride would be passed “from her father’s hand” to her husband’s.

The tradition or custom of proposing on one knee goes back to the days of knights and dipping onto one knee, to show servitude.  Knights would kneel, say, before a tournament began, and if “his lady” tossed her ribbon or colors, it was a sign of her showing him favor.  

Interestingly enough, the tradition of distributing wedding invitations began as announcements for the public to know and, potentially, object—for a justifiable reason—as to why the bride-to-be should not be married to the proposed groom.

These are just a few of the common traditions most of us recognize and accept as etiquette or tradition.  But keep in mind: wedding etiquette is designed to serve the couple first…with regard to feelings of loved ones as well.  But wedding etiquette shouldn’t be a hindrance to your happiness…so long as your desires or wishes aren’t exceptionally contrary to societal norms.

Information provided as a service by Beautiful Wedding Invitations.

Charles Pruett is a freelance copywriter who specializes in persuasive sales copy, SEO web content, and is also a night—and night wedding—photographer.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/wedding-etiquette-1066630.html

Wedding invitation planning…you may not realize just how many steps there really are to organizing and preparing your invitations. From creating your guest list to finalizing all your ceremony and reception details, many things affect your wedding invitation preparations. There really are no absolute deadlines for many of the steps in your wedding invitation process. Although there are some general timeframes that you may find helpful to avoid last-minute rushing since you have so many other things on your mind as well.

Here is a general timeline to simply use as a guideline for your invitation planning:

9 months – 1 year

• Begin working on your guest list so you will know how many wedding invites (and maybe save the dates) to eventually order (one per single adult, couple or family invited).
• Start your wedding invitation shopping so you can narrow your choices down to only your favorites. Be sure to order samples, which are usually blank, so you can personally see the paper and design.
• If you are planning to mail out save the date cards to guests, begin searching for your preferred design of them as well.

7 to 8 months

• If you will be sending save the dates, place your order based on the number of guests to whom you will be mailing them as they are optional.
• Review sample wedding invitation verses and give some thought as to how your wording will read.

6 months

• If sending save the dates, prepare and mail them.
• Select your wedding invitation design and gather all the details that will be printed on them such as date, times, name and address of location(s), etc.
• Determine what invitation enclosures or extras you will also be ordering – reception cards, response cards, pre-printed return address on envelopes, direction/map cards, decorative envelope seals, colored lining for inner envelopes, matching thank you cards or informal notes, etc. Some of these options may not be available depending on your chosen style. You may also be able to order matching menu, table and place cards for your design. The more items you can order together, the more you will save by avoiding separate shipping costs later.
• If you are including response cards, check with your dinner location to see how far in advance they need your final guest count so you can select the RSPV date that will be printed on them (typically 2-3 weeks before wedding). You also need to decide whose address will be printed on the response envelope or postcard meaning they will receive the replies.

4-5 months

• Finalize your wording and place your wedding invitation order. Remember to order some extras now so you won’t run out if there are last-minute guests to invite and so you also have a few as souvenirs. If the option is available, order some extra envelopes just to be safe.
• Review your guest list to make sure you have current addresses for everyone.
• Consider custom wedding stamps for mailing your wedding invites. Many online retailers give you the option of choosing from pre-designed wedding postage or simply uploading a photo to create your own stamp design. NOTE – Be sure to have one of your ready-to-mail invitations weighed at a Post Office BEFORE you purchase any postage stamps to make sure you are using the correct amount for each invitation.

3-4 months

• Fold and/or assemble your wedding invitations, if necessary.
• Hand address mailing envelopes and write guest names on inside envelopes, if they are included.
• Purchase and apply postage stamps to the response card envelopes or response postcards, if they will be included.
• Assemble all wedding invitation pieces and insert them into already addressed envelopes.
• Take one fully assembled and sealed invitation to the Post Office to have it weighed to determine the correct amount of postage needed.
• Purchase your stamps or order custom wedding stamps with appropriate postage amount required for mailing.

6-8 weeks

• Seal the envelopes, apply postage stamps and mail them all at the same time directly at a Post Office location.

3-4 weeks

• Prepare and mail any other wedding-related invitations…rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, etc.
• Keep track of the response cards as they are returned by checking off their names from your guest list.

2-3 weeks

• Contact any guests who didn’t mail back their response cards.
• Provide final guest count to reception/dinner location.

That pretty much takes care of everything related to your invitations prior to your wedding. The only thing left to do is to write and mail out your wedding thank you cards, especially if you ordered them with your wedding invitations. They should be sent out about a month after the wedding and no more than three months after.

Again, this is just a guideline for your wedding invitations process but hopefully it will help you stay organized which is the key for all of your wedding planning. Next, you can also print out a handy wedding invitation checklist to use in your preparations and as a listing of all the options available. Plus there is a FREE Invitation Guide filled with tips you can sign up to receive at www.PrintedCreationsWeddingStore.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/wedding-invitation-timeline-what-to-do-when-1064526.html

In many engaged couples, choices about the wedding invitation can be a source of strife and argument. After all, your wedding invitation can range from extremely inexpensive to very highly priced, depending on your decisions. If you are operating on a budget, as most people are, you may find that the expense of a wedding invitation is a major issue. Without adhering to stereotypes, one half of your couple may feel that the wedding invitation is merely a device to get your friends and family to attend your wedding. The other half may feel that the wedding invitation must adhere to the overall themes and color schemes of the wedding, and should be beautiful keepsakes. After all, many married couples immortalize their invitations with framing other methods. With so many responsibilities in planning a wedding, you must remember not to dwell on this one tiny aspect.

The first thing to do is to reach a compromise. If the bride wants expensive invitations, she may have to agree to spend less on flowers or bridesmaid gifts. If the groom wants the invitations to be inexpensive, he may have to agree to make something else more elaborate. It is important to remember that, as important as a wedding is, it is only one night. If you are concerned about money (as most couples are), don’t let something as simple as a wedding invitation stress you out. Sometimes simplicity can be even better than something that is extremely elaborate. Simplicity can be very elegant, with a little creativity and effort. If you feel that your wedding invitation is more than you can afford, there are many things you can do to improve the cost and reach something that is a little more acceptable.

First of all, there is the invitation itself. If purchasing a personalized wedding invitation is extremely pricey, you might consider making them yourselves. This can be as easy or as difficult as you want. You can create an extremely elegant wedding invitation by designing something on the computer and printing it on thick cardstock paper. There is nothing wrong with a homemade invitation. If you are artistic, you might even add a personal touch to each invitation. Or, if you or a friend is a calligrapher, you might have the invitations handwritten. If the task isn’t too overwhelming, you will find that this method can be even better than ordering a traditional wedding invitation.

The second issue is often postage. If you are inviting a large number of people to your wedding, you may find that the mailing stamp plus the RSVP return envelope stamp for that many people make for a huge cost. First of all, consider which invitations can be hand delivered. There is nothing wrong with handing over an invitation rather than mailing it, and chances are that the majority of your invites are local. Rather than including a self addressed stamped envelope with each invitation, you might want to think about a possible alternative to RSVP, such as a phone call. With a little creativity and research, you can find a wedding invitation that is both affordable and classy.

I am 23 year old student on my last year of study at the University of Sydney (Sydney), majoring in Information technology.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/the-wedding-invitation-you-will-love-1057905.html