| Couples planning a wedding often become so | | | | and local guests. You may need to send out |
| preoccupied with the bridal entourage, the | | | | invitations earlier to out-of-town guests. |
| reception, wedding outfits, music, pastor and | | | | Ordering the Wedding Invitations |
| honeymoon details until they realise, often too | | | | |
| late, that the wedding invitations should be given | | | | Time Frame: Four months before the wedding |
| as much attention as the other decisions. It is not | | | | 1. Decide on these details: response cards, |
| just a question of going to the stationery store | | | | wording, map and directions sheet, monograms, |
| and signing a purchase order. A myriad of details | | | | motifs, ribbons, font, ink color, seals and envelope |
| go into wedding invitations, so you should allot the | | | | liners. |
| necessary time and effort for them to avoid | | | | 2. Ask three different suppliers for quotes. Then |
| snags and undue stress. | | | | compare them with respect to discount, |
| To assist you with your wedding invitations, let | | | | customer service, delivery, guarantees, efficiency |
| these scheduling tips and checklists guide you. The | | | | and payment options. |
| following is a wedding invitation plan that is split | | | | 3. Decide if the supplier you have chosen will also |
| into four important stages: | | | | do the thank you cards, place cards, menus, |
| · Deciding the preliminaries | | | | personalised napkins, and rehearsal dinner |
| · Ordering | | | | invitations. |
| · Preparing | | | | 4. Ask the supplier for a sample invitation so you |
| · Mailing | | | | can proofread it, making sure that all specifications |
| This is only a guide and is based on the | | | | were followed correctly and then finalize your |
| assumption that you have six months before | | | | order. Order 50 extra invitations in case of |
| your wedding date. There is a considerable degree | | | | mistakes and last minute additions to the guest |
| of flexibility, and a lot depends on your | | | | list. You may want to keep a few as souvenirs as |
| circumstances, and how much time you have | | | | well. |
| before the big day. You and your future spouse, | | | | 5. Take a sample of your wedding invitation to |
| along with family members, may want to help | | | | the post office and have it weighed. You may |
| out, relieving you of the pressure of doing this | | | | need to set aside a budget for postage. |
| task on your own. | | | | Remember that the fancier and heavier your |
| | | | invitation, the more postage money you are going |
| Deciding the Preliminaries | | | | to spend. |
| Time frame: Six months before the wedding | | | | Preparing the Wedding Invitations |
| 1. The first question to settle is: should you order | | | | |
| save-the-date cards? Save-the-date cards are | | | | Time frame: Three months before the wedding |
| useful for weddings that are scheduled during | | | | 1. Assemble all invitations and your supplier should |
| holiday periods when people usually make travel | | | | deliver them flat and unassembled. unless you |
| plans. If your wedding falls around Thanksgiving, | | | | request them to put the invitations together for |
| Christmas, New Year, Easter, or during the | | | | an additional fee). Do not forget to insert the map |
| summer months, you may want to consider | | | | and directions sheet. |
| sending save-the-date cards six months before | | | | 2. Address them. Begin with the out-of-town |
| the wedding so that you give people enough time | | | | guests. You can choose a calligraphy artist or you |
| to adjust their travel and vacation plans. | | | | can address them in your own handwriting. |
| 2. After you have announced your engagement, | | | | 3. Do a final check. Make sure all envelopes |
| sit down with your future spouse, his parents, and | | | | contain the RSVP card, map and directions, seals, |
| your parents, to create a tentative list of people | | | | ribbons and other enclosures. |
| to invite. This tentative list gives you a good idea | | | | Mailing the Invitations |
| of how many wedding invitations to order. | | | | |
| 3. Create a document that is going to contain | | | | Time frame: Two months before the wedding |
| these details: date and time of the ceremony, | | | | Some people say four to six weeks is ample |
| name and address of ceremony’s location, | | | | time, but you should leave at least eight weeks. |
| name and address of the reception hall, correct | | | | This allows you to give those who live |
| spellings of invitees’ names and updated | | | | out-of-town the opportunity to make changes in |
| addresses. It would be a shame and a waste of | | | | their personal schedules. This also give you time |
| money if fifty invitations were “returned to | | | | to sort out the RSVP cards which, unfortunately, |
| sender” because of an incorrect address. You | | | | some people forget or delay mailing back. You |
| or a family member should call each invitee to | | | | need to tell the caterer how many people are |
| verify civic numbers, street names and zip codes. | | | | going to be attending. Eight weeks should be a |
| Time Frame: Five months before the wedding | | | | comfortable time frame for ensuring that you |
| 1. Review lists and the details in the document, | | | | have the final and correct number of guests. |
| and make any changes if necessary. | | | | Some people mail their invitations even as early |
| 2. Finalize invitee list. | | | | as 10 weeks before the wedding date. |
| 3. Divide the invitee list into out-of-town guests | | | | |