“First impressions are important.” Now how many times have you heard those words? That phrase applies to every aspect of life, and the wedding is no exception. Invitation recipients may not be pondering a job offer or anything of that sort but the wedding invitation is meant to provide enormous amount of information. Of course, the actual details of the wedding are important and those are always laid out plainly to see. The pretty (or plain) paper you print these details on are also important as well as the design and “feel” of the invitation. A bit too artsy-fartsy for you? No worries, here’s invitations in simple terms:

The printing process you use will have an effect on the way your invitation is interpreted. For example, engraved invitations with black ink on ecru (or off-white) cardstock are the most traditional and formal. These are also the most expensive types of invitations. On the other side of the spectrum, you could opt for just a simple, homemade invitation. While not quite in line with etiquette, for small weddings, word-of-mouth is a time-, money- and stress-saving option that works well. There are so many possible combinations when it comes to your invitations. It helps to have already picked out the theme or style of your wedding first. If you’ve already picked out colors, even better! Your wedding theme/style will dictate the type of invitation you order and send out.

The wording in your wedding invitation can be something that comes straight from the stationer or something that you and your fiance pick out or create. Be creative! Just remember to include the details of the wedding, ie: date, time, locations of ceremony and reception, attire required, and RSVP date.
When you are picking out the invitations, be sure to get samples for everything you like, whatever the combination of printing process, paper, color, wording (or choose your own), graphics, and other items within the invitation packet. For those who have attended weddings before, you know there are many parts to an invitation. And for those who haven’t received a wedding invitation before, here are the parts you’ll have to send out:

Invitation Response card Outer envelope Inner envelope Ceremony card (optional) Reception card (optional)

With the printing processes that are available, the cost of your invitations can fluctuate depending on your choice, all of which are pretty versatile, in that they can fit any type of wedding. There are printing processes that fit all budgets. The top three are engraving, thermography and offset printing.

• Engraving involves creating a metal plate, called a letterpress, with your wedding information carved on it (much like early printing presses). The cardstock paper is then pressed on this metal plate to make raised letters. This is the most expensive method as well as formal and traditional.
• For a more modern and less expensive method, thermography is widely used today. Instead of creating a letterpress to create the raised letters, ink and powder are fused together through heat on the cardstock paper. It looks like engraving but has a bit of a shine to it and is considerably faster.
• The least expensive method of the three is offset printing. It is the standard method that lays the ink flat on the paper. The plus for this method is the versatility; it can go on a whole slew of paper types with various font types and colors. This would be perfect for the wedding that is somewhat less traditional, a la destination wedding or beach wedding.

The calligraphy seen on most wedding invitations, well now that will cost a pretty penny but it’s superbly worth it if you want the elegant, timeless look to your invitations. (If you are going to hire a professional calligrapher, factor in more time for the invitations.) With modern technology, this elegant, timeless look can also be created via computer and even though it’s quicker, be careful because it may not necessarily be less expensive and the quality is debatable.When ordering your invitations, make sure to order enough! You’ll want to send one to yourself to see approximately how long it takes to send your invitations out and besides, it’s got a reserved spot in your wedding album/scrapbook right? Now for your guests: one per married couple or couple that lives together, one per single person plus his/her significant other (only if invited), one extra invitation for children aged 18 or older living at home. Don’t forget your wedding party and their dates (if invited) as well as the officiant and his/her spouse. Also order enough for last minute invites and addressing mistakes, you never know!

Order your invitations 4-6 months ahead. Seems far? You’d be surprised but it’s actually the perfect timeline. It allows enough time for proofs and any corrections. Not to mention that it takes a bit of time to engrave these invitations and then addressing them. Send the invitations at least 8-12 weeks before the wedding. As for the RSVP date, make it at least 1-2 weeks prior to your wedding date to ensure you have a pretty solid head count for your caterer.

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