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Invitations
Invitation Wording
Invitation Recipients
Invitation Quantities
Invitation Styles
Invitation Mailing
Invitation Etiquette
Save the Dates
Commonly Asked Questions…
Envelopes
Commonly Asked Questions…
Reception Cards
Commonly Asked Questions…
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Respond Cards
Commonly Asked Questions…
Samples
Commonly Asked Questions…
Other Wedding Essentials
Thank You Cards
Announcements
Seal-n-sends
Seals
Accessories
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INVITATIONS
YOUR INVITATION serves as an important guide for your wedding guests. Not only does it include information such as the hosts, date, time and location of the ceremony, it also sets the style for your entire wedding. So select a design and wording for your invitation to reflect your personality! You can see a proof of your invitation online with the ink color and wording you select. Mail all of your invitations on the same day four to six weeks before your wedding date. Now and Forever includes FREE unlined inner and blank outer envelopes and tissues with all invitations. We advise you to have your ensemble weighed at the post office for proper postage. Postage will vary depending on the invitation size, the weight of paper and number of enclosure cards included.
Invitation Wording
Q. We are paying for the entire wedding ourselves. Is it still proper to include our parents' names on the invitations (which we would like to do), or should only those paying for the celebration be listed?
A. Traditionally, those hosting the event were listed on the invitation. More often than not, the hosts of the celebration were also those paying the bulk of the costs. Many couples today are paying for the majority of wedding expenses, so are considered the hosts of their own event. However, it remains a thoughtful touch to include your parents' names on the invitations as a way to honor them.
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Q. We have planned several events within our wedding day. We will be married in a Catholic Wedding Mass in the morning, followed by a wedding brunch. To honor my husband's heritage, we will participate in a short Korean ceremony and host a Korean-style banquet later on. How do we word our invitations to reflect all these happenings?
A. That's the beauty of an invitation ensemble - there are several pieces besides the invitation that let you inform your guests of what they need to know about your wedding. In your case, you may want to have the invitation printed with the Wedding Mass information and corner copy at the bottom of the invitation inviting guests to the brunch following. On a reception card, print the information about the Korean-style celebration to be held later in the evening. On a respond card, print lines for guests to mark whether they will attend the morning or evening festivities or both. Another option may be to choose a z-fold style or other large invitation and print both the Mass and Korean celebration information on the same invitation. Contact the invitation company about extra charges and specifications for additional printing.
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Q. My fiancé's father passed away two years ago. Do we include his name on the invitations?
A. Since a deceased person cannot issue an invitation, etiquette states that only the living parent's name should be included on the invitation. Find a way during the ceremony to honor your fiancé's father, such as by lighting a candle, singing his favorite song, or having a floral arrangement placed in a special location in his memory. It would be appropriate and thoughtful to note this memorial in your wedding programs.
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Q. Where can I find additional unique verse options for my invitation or announcement?
A. Visit VerseThis.com for a wide selection of wordings for your celebration. Whether you are looking for a traditional verse for a second wedding or an informal verse announcing your recent marriage in the Caribbean, VerseThis.com can help!
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Invitation Recipients
Q. I've been looking at ways to save invitation costs. Can I forego sending invitations to my friends and neighbors and just spread the news word-of-mouth, and only mail invitations to people out of town?
A. Everyone on your guest list should receive an invitation - even the parents, grandparents and siblings of the bridal couple, as well as the officiant to the ceremony. Doing so will ensure that everyone has the same information about your wedding at hand, and that no one feels left out of your event. You'd hate to assume that your aunt knew she was invited to your wedding, but that she felt she couldn't attend because she didn't receive an invitation in the mail. Also, invitations usually include respond cards that guests fill out with their reply and return to you. When each guest receives an invitation, they will also receive a reply card - and you'll have a more definite way of determining how many guests will actually attend your celebration.
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Q. To save on invitation costs, can I just post a wedding invitation on the bulletin board at work for my co-workers?
A. This kind of uncontrolled, open invitation may get you into trouble when more people attend your wedding than you planned (for instance, people from other departments may see the invitation and think they're invited, too). And once you've invited everyone, you cannot retract. To be proper (and to maintain control over your guest list), each co-worker invited should receive a wedding invitation. You may send the invitations to their home addresses through the mail, or you may hand-deliver the invitations during a break at work.
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Invitation Quantities
Q. How do we calculate the right number of invitations to order?
A. Once you have finalized your guest list, here's how to determine the number of invitations to order:
Send one invitation per couple.
If the couple has children under the age of 18, include them in the invitation (if you would prefer an adult-only event, do not include the names of children on the invitation).
Send separate invitations to people over the age of 18, even if they are living with their parents.
Send invitations to single friends and note on the inner envelope only whether they may bring a guest.
Include 25 extra invitations with your original order to cover last-minute guest list additions or addressing mistakes. It's much more cost-efficient to order 25 extras initially than to place a new order for 25 invitations. Extra invitations can become keepsakes for your memory album and for your parents and grandparents.
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Invitation Styles
Q. Can I get the invitation I choose in a different color?
A. The stocks are shown online in the colors available. The color of each invitation is listed in the description. By choosing a colored ink or lined envelope, you can beautifully express the color theme of your wedding.
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Q. Do you have invitations for other occasions?
A. You can customize any of our invitations to fit your event by using your own wording and a matching ink color, along with the appropriate ensemble pieces.
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Q. We have been thinking about making our own invitations with our home computer and laser printer in order to cut down on the invitation budget. Do you have any tips?
A. If you are artistically inclined and are aware of the time and costs involved in making your invitations from scratch, creating your own invitations is a special way to introduce your wedding. However, it's a myth that making your own invitations will be less expensive than having them professionally printed. After the purchase of the paper, all components (layers, ribbons, stamps, inks, embossers, hole punches), ink cartridges and envelopes, you won't have saved much at all. And that isn't even counting the relative cost of the time it will take you to print and assemble each one. Overall, invitations made on home computers and printers tend to look less professional and therefore less formal than professionally printed ones. Professional printers can offer you raised or engraved lettering, a wide variety of lettering styles and ink colors and even rush service, if necessary.
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Q. Are there any "unacceptable" wedding invitation styles? My mom and I have been discussing whether or not it's proper to have an invitation with a colorful design or embossed border, or printed in an ink color other than black.
A. Today, wedding invitations are a reflection of the formality of the wedding, the theme of the event and even your personal style. As weddings run the gamut from very informal (for example, a casual wedding in the park followed by games of softball) to ultra-formal (for example, a wedding in a cathedral or synagogue followed by a reception at a downtown social club) - your invitation should reflect the event's formality. Choose a design and wording that will give guests an idea of the style of the event and even allude to the proper attire. White or ecru paper printed in black ink are traditionally the most formal wedding invitations. Beyond this, invitations may hint at the color scheme of the wedding by the color of a foil-embossed design, border or ink color. You may even select an invitation design that fits directly into your wedding theme (for example, an invitation featuring a castle design for a fairy-tale or Renaissance theme; or one printed with a seashell design for a beach-side ceremony; or one printed with a bridal couple on horseback for a Western theme). Use your best judgment and select the style that fits both the formality AND style of the event.
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Invitation Mailing
Q. When should I mail my invitations? I say the earlier the better. My fiancé is afraid that if we mail them too early, people will forget our wedding date. Who's right?
A. The proper time frame for mailing invitations is at least six to eight weeks before the wedding. This much time is required for guests to check their calendars, book hotel rooms and make plans to travel to your wedding. If your wedding is in a far-away location or over a holiday weekend, it's important to mail the invitations early so guests have plenty of time to make arrangements.
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Invitation Etiquette
Q. How do I inform guests of the dress code for my wedding? Our ceremony and reception are in the evening at a downtown hotel and will be rather formal, but not black tie. Any suggestions?
A. Because it's not correct to indicate "black tie" or "formal wear preferred" on your invitations, you'll have to give your guests clues about the appropriate dress. The choice of a classic invitation printed or engraved in black will send guests a message about the formality of your wedding. You'll also be telling guests the location and the time of the festivities, and they will be able to put this information together and made a decision on the best attire. Of course, you can't control what each and every guest will wear, so it's best to concentrate on your and your bridal party's attire to set the right tone for your celebration.
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Q. I recently received a wedding invitation that included a registry list and information. My mom was appalled - she said this was terribly inappropriate. But how else will guests know where a couple is registered?
A. Your mom is correct - including registry information and gift ideas in your wedding invitations will look greedy, as if you see your wedding mainly as an opportunity to receive gifts. Before the wedding, there should be plenty of opportunities to spread the word to friends and family about where you're registered for gifts. It may be included with shower invitations, and more often than not, guests will ask you or your mother personally about your registry information.
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SAVE THE DATES
SAVE THE DATE cards help guests plan ahead! Send these cards to family and friends as soon as you have set your wedding date. Your formal invitations will follow with ceremony and reception details.
Q. Do we need to send save-the-date cards? Do we send one to everyone on our guest list or only those who live out of town?
A. Save-the-date cards can be mailed as soon as you have set your wedding date to allow those on your guest list to mark their calendars and start making plans. These cards are especially important to send out if your wedding is being held in a romantic destination or if it is occurring on or near a holiday. However, sending only a certain section of your guest list save-the-date cards could cause questions among those who didn't receive one. It's best to cover all your bases and send one to everyone on your guest list - that way all guests will be informed of your wedding date and be able to make plans around it. Be sure to note on your save-the-date cards that an invitation and more details will follow so guests know to watch for it in the mail.
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ENVELOPES
PRINTED RETURN ADDRESSES ensure that undeliverable invitations are returned to you so you may personally contact those individuals. Your outer envelope flaps will be printed with your return address in the same lettering style as your invitations. Return addresses add elegance to your envelopes while saving you addressing time.
LINED INNER ENVELOPES add a rich and colorful finishing touch to your invitations. Available lined inner envelope colors are listed in the invitation section.
Q. Children are welcome at our wedding. We are wondering the correct way to address the invitations. Do we list each child's name on the envelope, or do we simply note "and family?"
A. Children's names should be listed on the inner envelope only. Children older than 18 should receive their own invitations, even if they are living with their parents. We caution against writing "and family" on the envelope - while it's unlikely, it could be construed as an open invitation for guests to bring as many people as they want, and that's a variable you probably don't want to have to worry about.
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Q. To save time, I'm thinking about addressing my invitation envelopes with my computer and laser printer, or with printed address labels. Is this proper?
A. When you think about it, it won't save you a significant amount of time to use address labels or to laser-print your envelopes instead of hand-addressing them. You'll still have to type in addresses and feed each envelope or label sheet through the printer, and this, too, is time-consuming. Plus, envelopes addressed in this manner will send an impersonal message. It's like the difference between receiving a personal letter and business correspondence in the mail. If you're faced with a huge guest list and are concerned about the time it will take to address envelopes, order your envelopes early and get a head-start on addressing while your invitations are being printed. Ask your mother, future mother-in-law or bridesmaids to help if necessary.
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RECEPTION CARDS
RECEPTION CARDS inform guests of the time and location of festivities following the ceremony. These cards may be used to invite guests to dances, gift openings and other celebrations, and to let guests know where you will be "at home" after the wedding. Since these cards are enclosed with the invitations, envelopes are not necessary.
Q. Our wedding will be held outside in a park. In case of rain, how do we inform guests of our alternate location?
A. This information may be worked into the invitation wording or printed as corner copy at the bottom of the invitations, or it may be printed on separate cards enclosed with the invitations. Be sure to include directions to both sites, just in case. The day of the wedding, make sure to post signs at both sites informing guests of the location of the wedding if the skies start to cloud over and the weather is questionable.
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RESPOND CARDS
RESPOND CARDS often accompany reception cards to help you arrive at an accurate guest count. Respond cards are enclosed with the invitation and should be returned two weeks prior to the wedding date. FREE printed return envelopes are included to ensure a quick reply. Remember to specify the name and return address to be printed on the respond envelopes.
Q. Can I offer guests meal choices on the respond card, or is this considered bad form?
A. Respond cards are tools for gathering information, so it's entirely appropriate to offer guests meal choices on the card. The cards will not only help you find out who will be attending your wedding, they'll also allow you to give your caterer and reception site an accurate guest count and meal choice preparation list. Moreover, guests will sense your consideration for their preferences.
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Q. How do we know the correct "reply by" date to print on our respond cards?
A. The respond date is usually two to three weeks before the wedding. This allows you plenty of time to tally responses and contact those who have not replied. You'll also be able to give your caterer and reception site a final total guest count and meal selection count in a timely manner. Check with these vendors for the actual dates by which they need a final count before printing the date on your cards.
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SAMPLES
Q. How do I order samples of the invitations I am interested in?
A. You can order samples of our invitations online. While browsing the invitations, simply click on the invitation(s) of your choice and then click the Request Sample link underneath the large photo. Please limit your selection to six free samples.
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Q. What is a proof?
A. A proof is a black-and-white photocopy showing the way your wording and typestyle will look on your invitation. You can preview any invitation with your choice of wording and ink color online. There is no need to request a proof because we've made it easy for you by providing a preview of your invitation online.
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THANK YOU CARDS
THANK YOU CARDS are printed with your names on the front. Blank interiors provide room for a personal handwritten note of thanks. Informal cards may also be used long after the wedding for daily correspondence and notes. FREE blank envelopes are included.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS are sent to friends and relatives you are unable to invite because of limited accommodations. Select any invitation to serve as an announcement and include the information printed on your invitations excluding the time of the ceremony. Announcements should be mailed immediately following the wedding, preferably the same day.
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SEAL-N-SENDS
SEAL-N-SENDS invitations are convenient one-piece ensembles with perforated respond postcards. The respond postcard is printed with your wording on one side and your return address on the other. Your return address is also printed on the outer flap of the invitation. The entire piece folds up as a self-contained envelope. Clear round seals are included. Other matching seals may be purchased separately.
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SEALS
SEALS add the perfect finishing touch to your invitations and thank you notes with envelope seals in a variety of designs to coordinate with your invitations and wedding theme.
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ACCESSORIES
ACCESSORIES coordinate your entire wedding. Brands on this site offer a variety of accessories including ring bearer pillows, gift items, toasting glasses, guest books and a wide variety of reception favors and more.
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