Tips on Formal Wedding Invitation Etiquette

by Stacy Beatty

In this more relaxed era, a wedding invitation can be sent by telephone, conveyed verbally or even emailed. The objective of a wedding invitation is to let your guests know when and where the ceremony and reception are taking place.

Although wedding invitations are similar to other invitations, there is a certain formality associated with them. Because of this association, wedding invitation etiquette has been established to help you navigate the ins and outs of inviting guests to your wedding. This etiquette exists because formal wedding invitations convey the formality and the tone of the event through the paper, font and style of the invitation. The more formal your wedding, the more formal the invitations need to be.

Addressing wedding invitations for a formal wedding does not allow for inviting guests via email or phone since these methods are relatively new. It does require the time honored tradition of printed invitations sent in the mail.

Formal wedding invitations usually have the following characteristics. There are usually two envelopes with the invitation. The first envelope is the outer envelope which holds everything pertaining to the invitation. The second envelope is used for the reply card only. They are often engraved and generally written in the third person style. They are printed on heavy white, cream or ivory. They use a classic font.

There are other helpful rules of etiquette for formal wedding invitations which should be considered during the planning stage. For example, the more formal and ceremonial the wedding, the less creativity is suitable. If your guest is certain to bring a date or companion it is acceptable to write "and guest" on the invitation when you do not know their name. Usually this limits the amount of unknown guests brought along by others. Ceremonies held in places of worship require a more formal setup and thereby more formal invitations than a ceremony held in a nature setting or a home. Generally, formal wedding invitations are produced at a printing company, and the envelope is addressed by hand by members of the wedding party.

Wedding invitation etiquette is essential for a formal invitation. This implies the importance of the special occasion to those involved, unlike other invitations such as wedding shower invitations which are far less formal and more festive.

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This post was written by Stacy Beatty on January 9, 2009

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Where Can You Save On a Wedding, Start With the Groomsman Gifts

by Quincy Scott

If you are about to embark on the wonderful and interesting journey that is called marriage, then you have probably already realized that it isn't going to be a cheap affair. Before you even factor in the actual ceremony, you have to take into consideration the dress, the rings, the flowers, the videographer, the photographer, the cake, the tuxedos, and of course, the reception. These things all cost a lot of money and before you even blink an eye, all the money you have been saving for the big event has already been blown. In order to make sure you have enough to spend on the wedding, you will have to go ahead and make some budget cuts on certain items.

If You Don't Need it, Get Rid of it

The most difficult thing when trying to reign in spending on a wedding is deciding how and where you are going to make a stand, and stick to it. It's no wonder you want to be able to have everything exactly as you pictured it for your big day, but no matter the reasons you know that you are going to have to change something just so your budget can survive.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to take a step back and try to put everything into perspective. You do not want to start off your new marriage deep in debt and every little bit that you can save on helps tremendously. Too many times people spend all of their money on the wedding and do not leave enough aside to help them get started on their new life together; this can cause many conflicts in a newly changed relationship. Financial problems are one of the things that most affect newly married couples, so you will want to make sure you avoid them at all costs.

Control Your Budget Where Things Matter Less

While there are certain things you will want to make sure you have for your wedding (your dream dress, wedding rings and reception), there are plenty of ways you can make cut backs that will not affect this part of the ceremony. In fact, many couples choose to cut back on things like flower arrangements, centerpieces and wedding giveaways. And using cheap groomsmen gifts can be a great way to shave off a few dollars without anyone noticing.

The good thing about cutting back and using cheap groomsmen gifts is that these are people who are part of your inner circle and are usually made up of family members and close friends. If anything, they will be more likely to understand that you are on a tight budget and that cutting back on their gifts will be of great help to your financial situation. Most of them will be willing to help and will understand why they are being given cheap groomsmen gifts.

Saving Money Does Not Need to Be Tactless

All too often people think that if they don't spend a certain amount of money on a present, it is not worthy of being given as a gift. This, however, is not the case. Just because something doesn't cost a lot of money doesn't mean that it has to be a low class gift. In fact there are many ways in which you can work together to find cheap groomsmen gifts that are both inexpensive and tasteful.

First of all, these are gifts for the men in the wedding and as such do not have to be designer labels. There are a large variety of cheap groomsmen gifts that can be used with success that do not cost more than fifty dollars. Examples of items that may be considered in this category include flasks, cufflinks, nicely constructed cigarette lighters and leather wallets. These are all items that are both functional and timeless, while at the same time remaining tasteful.

This may not seem like it is a lot of savings but every little bit adds up so if you are careful with your money in aspects like this, you can then spend in other areas meaning you can end up with the wedding of your dreams.

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This post was written by Quincy Scott on December 31, 2008

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10 Tips For Planning Your Wedding Reception

by Karen Taylor

A wedding day is one precious moment everybody would want to remember because it signifies two people being united in marriage. As much as possible, couples would want to recall nothing but pleasant memories. This article provides some tips to get you started with your dream wedding and reception's preparation:

1. Choose a responsible person to act as your back up. Exchanging "I do's' also meant being detailed about the wedding reception's location, caterer, music, bakery, florist, limo driver, wedding party, and guests. With the long list of ceremony and reception needs, you can get drained easily that's why it's better to have with you a back up who can accomplish these tasks on your behalf.

2. Plan ahead and utilize a checklist. As much as possible, make no room for glitches on your big day. Remind your back-up person that every single detail matters and therefore you must put everything down on a checklist if only to see that nothing is left behind.

3. Delegate responsibilities. A good support system that is your family can attend to all the little details of a dream wedding. With them around, you do not need to check with caterers or wonder if all the flowers have been delivered in time, etcetera. Delegating tasks will put everything perfectly into place.

4. Hire proven professionals and secure your date with a deposit. From your flowers to wedding cake to caterer to music, look for recommendations or testimonials from previous clients. You don't want to discover the horrors of hiring a "wanna be" for your special day!

5. Remember yourself. Even the most organized bride in the world will experience some stress along the way. Take time to pamper yourself: get a massage, facial, manicure & pedicure - whatever you'd enjoy, even if it's just a hot bubble bath. Ideally this will be in close proximity to the event. You can even incorporate it with other events - take the bridesmaids, grooms mother and/or sisters along with & use it as bonding time.

6. Double-check everything and do not be too complacent. About one or two weeks before the wedding day, remember to make last minute phone calls to ensure that nothing gets neglected or forgotten. Most often, even if you think that everything is perfectly ready, you just discover that something else needs to be adjusted or modified. Do not fall into this trap.

7. Secure the rings. I know it's so clich, but because it's happened at so many weddings is the reason for this to be the butt of so many jokes! Especially if there is a younger ring bearer or other people involved. Just add that to your checklist for a last-minute confirmation.

8. File all your receipts and records. The best way to recall and track all your expenses is through efficient record keeping. Organize all your receipts and you will never go wrong. This way, you will also remember who still needs to be paid and vice versa.

9. Security. This is the 1 thing that gets overlooked for a wedding. It's easy to focus on everything else, but make sure (especially if you're event is in more than one location) that any items left unattended are secure. Even beautiful flowers and decorations can be pillaged if left vulnerable - don't find that out the hard way!

10 Remember thank-yous. There are so many people involved in a wedding production, don't forget the gifts or cards to let them know they're appreciated. Just like wedding gift thank-you cards, you can begin writing these well in advance of your wedding - have your bridesmaids help too.

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This post was written by Karen Taylor on December 26, 2008

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