Saturday, March 13, 2010

The Versatility of Modern Wedding Invitations

From simple town crier announcements and letters delivered on horseback, the humble wedding invitation has certainly come a long way since its meager beginnings.

Bridal couples in the modern era are now personalizing their invitations with all types of different methods to better reflect their personalities and give a glimpse of what their wedding style will be.

The options available are endless and there is no excuse nowadays not to have an invitation that represents your day and tastes. Some ways brides are using to achieve this are:

Themes: from a colour scheme that runs throughout the wedding (eg. bridesmaids dresses, the cake, wedding favors, the aisle decorations) or a time of year (eg. winter) or location (eg. tropical destination) theme.

Logos / monograms: using your initials or significant details such as the wedding date to create a logo or monogram that represents your union.

Embellishments: ribbon, lace, flowers, elaborate scrapbook stickers adorn many invitations.
Invitation style: card, gate-fold, tri-fold, pocket-fold, presented in a box... any shape is possible and available.

The fact is that most things are achievable either as a DIY project or with the help of one of the numerous wedding invitation stylists available online.

The only restraints are your imagination, the level of formality you want to achieve, money and time and with the wedding invitation being such an important facet of any wedding day, it is becoming more evident to most people that greater effort is needed in this area than ever before.

Look here to see examples of modern Wedding Invitations designed by I Will Invitations.

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Wedding Invitations - Digital Wedding Invitations

Remember those times when it was common to write out wedding invitations one by one on a pretty stationary with all the trimmings. It was traditional to write wedding invitations out and mail those months before the wedding day came about. However, with the dawning of the internet era, and with the ease and quickness of sending messages electronically, it was only a matter of time before incorporating the ease of sending invites, even something as traditional as wedding invites, would become something that brides-to-be would start doing.

Now, we are not saying that wedding invitations have been taken over by evites and e-cards, however, we are saying that this is a sign of the times and the era of digital wedding invitations not only have arrived, but are here to stay. Digital Wedding Invitations are simply jazzed up emails that are mailed out in massive quantities to all the wedding guests you are planning to invite to your special day. One of the requirements however is for the bride to be or groom to be, whoever is organizing the guest list to have everyone's email that they are planning to invite. Obviously this is an obstacle to overcome. How does the bride to be or groom to be alleviate this concern?

One idea is to use a social networking tool such as Facebook or MySpace where the newlyweds can post their wedding online. Another way is to contact them obtain there emails and send out a fancy electronic invite better known as an Evite or Ecard. Now while a lot of the older generation do not have nor use emails traditional methods still need to be practiced when sending out wedding invitations on their special wedding day! A third idea is to have a website customized for the upcoming event and have it uploaded to the world wide web well in advance and have the URL advertised online.

Some of the downfalls to this approach as mentioned above could be people not having access to the internet or not being connected on a regular basis to be able to access either the wedding website created especially for your wedding day or they can not connect to the social network such as Facebook or MySpace. Another pitfall could be the older generation either being computer illiterate or being intimidated by the whole notion of the computer.

So in conclusion, digital wedding invitations will become the fabric of wedding for years to come! Although they will not replace the traditional wedding invitation digital wedding invitations are more cost effective, more time efficient and more environmentally friendly all while getting the message across to all the wedding guests in the same manner as a traditional wedding invitation would. Therefore go crazy with your digital wedding invitation be as creative with your digital invite as you would with your traditional print invitation. But still keep in mind that it is still a

wedding and traditional methods must be applied. Toronto Wedding Invitations

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A Guide to Beautiful Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are an integral part of a wedding's theme and the "mood" you want to set for your ceremony. After all, if the purpose were to solely inform the guests of the details of the event, then you could just send an email or postcard. However, the invitation also serves as a souvenir of a special occasion, and an announcement of a couple's love. Like the wedding ceremony itself, it must be beautiful and personal.

Selecting the Wedding Invitation's Design

There are thousands of ready-made wedding invitations to choose from; simply select a design, send the details, and the printer can have it ready within weeks. With such a wide selection, it may be difficult to pick which one is best. Here are the things to consider:

* Formal or casual. You want a wedding invitation to complement the overall theme and mood of the wedding. Is your wedding formal or casual? A formal wedding may need classic script fonts, formal wording, and the traditional double envelope. A more casual invitation may use more modern fonts and more natural wording (i.e., instead of "we cordially invite you", say "please join us..."), but care must be taken to retain the solemnity of the occasion. Let's say you want to enclose a photo of you and your fiancé--not typically done for traditional invitations. Wear appropriate clothes to the photo shoot: shorts and tank tops simply don't work.

* Color. You should always choose a subdued color. If you are using a rather bright color for your motif, like turquoise, opt for a delicate ribbon trim or small accents at the sides or corners rather than applying it to the whole invitation. This makes the invitation look more classy, and again, is in keeping with the nature of the event. It's a wedding, not a night dancing at a trendy club.

* Personal Touches. You can add a short poem, a photo of the couple, or a song lyric from the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Invitation Inserts

Most wedding invitation companies can provide a selection of templates where you just have to fill in the specific names, places and dates. However, many couples prefer to make their own, to make the invitation less stiff and more personalized. If so, here are a few guidelines:

* It is not necessary to put the entourage in the invitation. However, you can have a separate piece of paper listing the members that can be inserted in select invitations--specifically those that go to the entourage themselves, and to the more immediate family and friends. They would appreciate the souvenir; plus, it is a way of thanking them for their participation.

* You'd never forget to put the date and the venue, but many couples forget to put a map to the church and/.or reception area. A map would be very helpful, and would save many guests any inconvenience especially if the wedding is located in a place they are unfamiliar with.

* If you are trying to control the number of guests, insert a small card that says, "We have reserved __ seats for you." This is a subtle and polite way of minimizing the headcount.

* If you are moving to a new home after the wedding, you can include another small insert announcing your new address.

Resources.eu.com is an online resource centre covering many topics including weddings and wedding invitations.

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Modern Or Classic Wedding Invitations



Wedding invitations are a must for every wedding since they are the forefront of details that are involved in the event. Invitations are sent to family and friends of the couple a few weeks or months before the wedding day and some couples include an RSVP to ensure the headcount of their guests on the day of the celebration.

So what would you choose- a modern or a classic wedding invitation?

Before you start looking for samples online and offline, it's best to understand the main differences between the two types of wedding invitations so you will have a basis for your final option.

Classic Wedding Invitations

If you have seen classic wedding invitations from your mom and dad's wedding memorabilia, you will have an idea how the older versions of classic invites looked like. The color theme is usually white, ecru or cream with very limited embellishments or artwork. The very common part of the designs are borders that come in silver or gold, and engraved or embossed texts that usually come in script or elegant letterings.

Etiquette is quite commonly used as well as very formal wordings. These are quite common with older versions of classic wedding invitations especially when couples come from rich families. You may call it strict and very formal in almost every way possible.

Color can be utilized but in a very limited manner such as a small ribbon to hold the parchment or vellum paper together and to indicate the color motif. Text or lettering color is usually black.

Modern Wedding Invitations

Modern wedding invitations are flexible particularly with the use of bold colors in every possible way- from the choice of paper to the lettering, as well to the embellishments.

More couples are choosing modern wedding invites because they are more lively and festive compared to the classic type. The color motif is usually all-over the invitation with a touch of cream, white, ecru or beige as contrast to the vibrant color/s. Typically, the whites are used for the inside pages where the names of the entourage and the details are written.

Text fonts and colors may vary also. Some go for the black ink on white or ecru inside paper, but the envelope and folded cover are colored according to the motif.

Embellishments and other ornaments can also be used. Nowadays, there are various ways to present a wedding invitation. Some are scrolled, some are wrapped in colorful, embellished materials that can range from raffia, silk, hand-made paper and other interesting materials.

So which should you choose for your wedding?

It may be hard to decide on whether to choose the classic or modern wedding invitation, but if you will look into the theme of your wedding, you'll have an idea of how your invitations will look like.

If you have an elegant and classic wedding theme, you may want to stick to the classic invitations. However, some couples add some twist to the classic by adding their color motif into the design. The clean and elegant way to present an invitation to your serious guests is to do it this way.

If you want a fun-filled wedding, you will definitely choose the modern wedding invitation. Remember that color alone can make a difference in your wedding's theme, so choose the best color that will represent your theme and personality to make the invitation uniquely your own.

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Informal Wedding Invitations

Writing invitations for informal weddings is a bit different than invitations for more formal ones. Since we have encountered many that have struggled to piece their invite together, we have provided some tips on writing an informal wedding invite below.

Does "keep it simple stupid" ring a bell? Well, KISS couldn't be more applicable to informal wedding invites. Most people forget that they have to include a significant amount of information in their invites and thus proceed to cram it with useless junk. Overcrowding your invite is one of the worst things you can do. Not only may you confuse guests, but you may also encourage them to gloss over important information. Find a special quote or an excerpt from a poem, select a place for it in your invite and wrap up the process. There's no need to add additional reading material.

While addressing your potential guest in the invite, feel free to use lower diction wording - just don't exaggerate. You want to avoid using slang words or any other words that could be considered inappropriate.

Finally, don't focus too much attention on the small details. Many people spend days trying to decide whether a particular part of their informal invite needs to be capitalized or italicized. These types of things aren't important to us. If we were writing a more formal invite, we would dedicate much more attention to these smaller details.

As a final reminder, be sure to mail out your invitations several weeks prior to your wedding. You don't want to procrastinate on the wedding invitation process and have the invites mailed out a mere week before the wedding. You need to give your guests plenty of notice before you hold your wedding. Otherwise, you may find that attendance is minimal. Get working on your invites as quickly as possible to ensure that everyone on your guest list makes it to your weddin

g. Plenty of additional information regarding wedding invitation wording can be found thru our website, which offers a magnitude of information on wedding invitation wording techniques.

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From Wedding Invitation Templates to Reception Invitations

Ordering invitations for a wedding isn't exactly rocket science. Yet if you haven't done it before, it can be intimidating. Two terms that sometimes confuse first-time wedding planners are wedding reception invitations and wedding invitation templates. Cut down on event planning stress by learning about when and how to use them.

What are wedding reception invitations?

Getting married at a church but hosting a reception at a restaurant? With a ceremony and a party in different locations, wedding reception invitations give your guests the details they need to be in the right place at the right time. This itty-bitty card--usually about half the size of the ceremony invite--is included with the invitation, the reply card and, if necessary, the map card.

Wedding reception invitations could also be used as reception-only invites. Whether you got married in Las Vegas surrounded by a few friends or tied the knot in a private ceremony attended by the two of you and your kids, there are many reasons you might need to want to keep the marriage ceremony separate from the party.

The most important part of wedding reception invitations is the wording you choose. Avoid embarrassing situations by clearly stating the invitation is for the reception only. Online wedding stationery websites and wedding planning sites usually offer wording suggestions that will satisfy the manners maven in your family and prevent your "crazy" cousins from unintentionally crashing your intimate ceremony.

Find wedding reception invitations to fit any event style through online stationery specialists.

What are wedding invitation templates and when should I use one?

A template is a pattern for creating wedding invites, similar to the patterns you used to make aprons in high school home economics class. Templates allow you to print professionally designed stationery--from ceremony programs to map cards to wedding reception invitations-- from a home computer.

For a one-of-a-kind look, find wedding invitation templates that allow you to customize the pattern. If you want the option to customize, don't choose a template until you know the answers to these two important questions:

1) Can it be customized? Some templates come as they are, so if you're looking to get creative be sure you can do so.

2) If it can be customized, what computer software do you need to alter it? Don't spend money purchasing a customizable template only to discover you don't have the software needed to change it.

While there are free printable wedding invitation templates available, you can also buy designs created by graphic artists, which means you get a professional look with a DIY price. Find high-quality wedding invitation templates through online wedding stationery printers.

Rose Watson is a reviewer and commentator on wedding invitations sites. For more recommendations and reviews of providers of wedding invitations, go now to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com.

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Find the Best Wedding Invitation Wording

The wedding ceremony is drawing near. You need to prepare many things, and the wedding invitation is one of the most important parts of such event. The common fact you will find out there is that people will try to match the theme of the invitation with the wedding theme. So, they will choose the best color, shape, and wording which can represent the party itself. The following explanation will tell you more about it.

The color and shape of the invitation are the important aspects to consider. What about the wedding invitation wording? Perhaps, there are only few people aware about such matter. Actually, it is actually very significant, since the wording will be the reflection of your personality. People will give the value about who you are through the words you arrange in the invitation.

Perhaps, the format of invitation is almost the same in every place, but the wedding invitation wording will be a different matter. You need to understand very well about who will receive the invitation and how to make them be pleased with your invitation. The time you deliver should be considered as well. People will commonly choose two weeks prior the event as the best time to do it. So, the people you invite can prepare everything very well.

The best wedding invitation wording is the best one which represents the place, theme and your educational background. If you held the informal party, the wording can be simple, while the formal one will require the perfect wording. The simple theme does not mean that you can deliver the awful one. Try to find the simple appropriate wording. By following the instruction above, you will be able to deliver the good invitation as people expect from you.

Wedding and marriage are the two most favorite topics of Clay R Mccoy. But, it is still possible for you to find and read his articles about another topic, such as squirrel pest control and environmental pest control.

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Online Wedding Invitations Vs Paper Wedding Invitations

If you have experienced "texting thumbs" or live on social network sites, then you know how convenient modern technology makes it to get in touch with family, friends and acquaintances. But when it comes to the most important day of your life, is it okay to use an online invitation? Or, like generations before you, should you send paper wedding invitations? Here are the pros and cons:

Dollars and Sense

Paper: From invites and enclosures to envelopes and mailings, paper wedding stationery can consume a reasonable chunk of your budget. In fact, according to The Bridal Association of America, the average couple puts down nearly $700 for invites. Budgeting brides can find this cost hard to swallow.

Online: Hands down, an online wedding invitation is more budget friendly. You can search online for free invitation templates, but that could be time consuming. If there aren't enough hours in the day to send invites and organize all of the replies, consider using an online wedding invitation service. These time-savers offer a selection of invitation templates, making it easy to find an invite to suit your wedding day theme. Many online wedding invite sites also provide RSVP tracking. Some services even allow you to attach maps or create an event page that guests can visit prior to the special day. Although most services charge a fee, it's small when compared to the cost of printing and mailing paper wedding invitations.

Miss Manners

Paper: From your Grandma May to your company CEO, paper wedding invitations are the only way to properly announces impending nuptials. Even the guardian angel of all things proper, the Emily Post Institute, frowns on sending email invites unless it's an emergency, such as a sudden overseas deployment for a member of the military.

Online: Send an electronic invitation and the etiquette "expert" in the family is likely to look down her nose in disapproval. However, friends and family might not be bothered (they might even be impressed) that you were tech-savvy enough to send e-invites.

Deliver it

Paper: Postal services can be remarkably efficient. Paper wedding invites can be forwarded if the recipient has moved, and, if there's no forwarding address the invite will be sent back to you, letting you know the guest lives elsewhere.

Online: Despite their advantages, online invitations have their downsides. Email addresses change; messages get lost in a sea of spam. What's more is that not everyone uses the internet. If potential guests aren't connected, you'll need to find another way to invite them. Consider using handwritten notes or extending the invitation in person.

You can have your cake and eat it, too.

Brides can blend online invites with paper wedding invitations. For instance, email is ideal for save-the-date invitations--and professional etiquette experts actually approve of electronic save-the-date announcements. When it's time to send out the invite, go the traditional--and etiquette-approved--route by mailing paper wedding invitations. You can also combine the modern and the traditional by providing your email address to give guests the option to reply electronically.

Rose Watson is a reviewer and commentator on wedding invitations sites. If you want to discover more about designing and selecting your wedding invitations, go now to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com

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Custom Wedding Invitations - How to Design a Perfect Invite


If a cookie cutter wedding just won't cut it, then a custom wedding invitation is the perfect way to set the tone for a ceremony that is uniquely you. If you want to custom design wedding stationery, here are a few pointers.

Take control

To design wedding invitation stationery that's all about you, take control of the ordering process. It's true that some invitation designs are set in stone, but there are hundreds of designs that are easy to personalize with your special touches. Invitation printing websites might offer a single design in a dozen colors--spanning from trendy to timeless. Customization doesn't stop at paper choices. With many invite styles, brides can choose everything from the typeset to the font color.

Start from scratch

Have you searched dozens of websites and seen hundreds of invitations but none of them quite hit the mark? Then it's time to look into a bespoke wedding invitation crafted especially for you. If you've been bitten by the creativity bug, design your own invite from scratch.

A second option is to look to a graphic artist. Don't hire just any designer, though. Invest your money with a specialist with experience in how to design wedding invitation stationery. Marriage invite companies often have on-staff graphic designers who are happy to create that one-of-a-kind look you want.

Mix and match

One up-and-coming custom wedding invitation look is mix and match. For example, pair a pink invitation with a purple response card. Or, you might choose to mix scalloped-edged stationery with straight-edged paper. Online marriage invitation specialists offer mix and match services, or, if you're a hands-on gal (or guy), you can purchase DIY mix and match kits. And although it takes time to design wedding invitation stationery, the kits give you a boutique look for a hard to beat DIY price.

Go old-school

Another way to design stationery with a custom look is to use letterpress printing. In use for more than 500 years, this process has become the go-to style for brides seeking an elegant look. The printer inks a raised surface, then presses it into each individual piece of paper. The result is a textured print with slight variations, making each invitation truly unique. While letterpress printing can be more expensive than other methods, it's one of the best ways to tell your guests that they'll be sharing in a special and elegant event.

There's no need to spend your valuable time traveling to and from local print shops hunting for a printer who specializes in letterpress. With the click of a mouse, you can find letterpress specialists online who can create a bespoke invite.

Sample it

It can be intimidating to invest in made-to-order invites, after all, how can you be sure that your custom wedding invitation will turn out the way you envisioned it? That's why it's critical to request a sample of your marriage stationery. Most printers will charge a nominal fee for a sample, but the peace of mind you'll gain from knowing the image you're using looks like a rose instead of Rorschach blot will make it worth it.

Rose Watson provides recommendations and reviews on wedding invitation sites. If you would like to read more about custom wedding invitations, go now to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com.

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Dos and Don'ts For Making Wedding Invitations


Making wedding invitations doesn't require a degree in graphic design or an apprenticeship in printing. Using a little creativity and your own computer, you can plan a wedding invite that will set the tone for your special ceremony. Here are some dos and don'ts for making wedding invitations.

Do consider DIY kits.

DIY kits are homemade wedding invitations made easy. Kits contain unprinted pre-cut stationery. You might print the invitations on your home computer, or, to save the time it takes for a DIY printing project, take your paper and template to the local copy shop.

As you shop for kits, be sure you understand the contents of what you're purchasing. For example, some kits contain only invitations and envelopes and require you to purchase enclosure cards separately. However, other kits contain invites, enclosure cards and envelopes--so be sure to confirm exactly what you're getting.

Online printing specialists are making wedding invites easy to do yourself by posting downloadable templates on their websites. Templates are available to fit nearly any size and style of DIY kit and are typically available in common word processing programs.

Don't forget to order stationery samples.

Before you print a single invite, find out if you can order samples of the paper you'll be using. You can judge the quality of the paper, and you might be able to put a copy through your printer to confirm what the finished product will look like. With a stationery sample, you can also experiment with embellishments, such as ties, ribbons and charms.

Do call in the troops.

Printing, assembling and addressing all of those invites can be a daunting task for even the most enthusiastic bride-to-be. Ask friends and family to help make your homemade wedding invitations. Remember to enlist your bridesmaids, too, after all, that's what they're there for. You might need to bribe them into making wedding invites by providing snacks or drinks.

Don't forget to set a budget.

If you're going the homemade route to save on professional printing fees, make sure you set a budget for a do-it-yourself job. You can get caught up in designing a beautiful invitation that's just as expensive as anything you'd order from a boutique print shop. That simple text invitation you'd planned on can quickly turn into an elaborate budget-busting invite complete with a vellum overlay, ribbons, charms and a pocket-type envelope. Set a spending limit before you start designing a homemade wedding invitations--your bank balance will thank you!

Do shop online for the best deals.

For many years, brides were forced to order invitations through local print shops or through middlemen, like flower shops or bridal boutiques. While this process created one-stop shops for wedding day needs, it also added to the cost. Online wedding invite specialists, however, have made ordering stationery and embellishments for invites easy and cheap.

Do have fun!

Teeny-tiny budgets can force the most craft-phobic bride to rely on homemade wedding invitations. Approach the project with a get-it-done attitude. Who knows? Maybe you'll find an inner-craft maven you never knew you had. While you will invest your time, you'll also get the satisfaction of making wedding invitations yourself.

Rose Watson reviews wedding invitation sites to help you find the perfect wedding invitations. If you want more information about making wedding invitations, and which online sites can help, go to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com

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How to Keep Track of Wedding Invitation Responses - RSVP Or Response Cards


You've planned your wedding down to the very last detail. Any and every slight minutia has been taken care of. The last thing you want is unexpected guests ruining your perfect ceremony seating, your beautiful pre-planned seating chart, or throwing off the number of beef and chicken entrees. For that reason, most brides now choose to include RSVP cards or response cards along with their wedding invitations when they are sent out. Sounds easy enough, right? But what are the dos and don'ts of response cards?

DO Keep Track of Wedding Invitations Responses

Miss Manners may look down on including RSVP cards in your wedding invitations, but then again, Miss Manners isn't paying for your wedding. (And if we all listened to Miss Manners, your guests would all be sending RSVPs on their own personal stationary anyway.) Response card wording etiquette isn't as strict as with wedding invitations. Simply leave a space for the names of the guests and include check boxes for whether they will or will not attend. After that, the sky's the limit as to how you word it.

DON'T Assume Everyone has Perfect Handwriting

While you may have painstakingly written out all of your wedding invitations in perfect calligraphy, not everyone has the greatest handwriting. You may not be able to read some of your guests' "fancy" responses, so cover your bases. Number each name on your guest list and lightly place that number on the back or corner of the response card. This way, if you can't figure out the guests' handwriting, you can simply check the number on the back of the card and match it to the corresponding guest on your list.

DO Make it Easy to Send Back Response Cards

You don't want to leave anything to chance, so make it easy for guests to respond by pre-printing your name and address and putting a stamp on the RSVP card envelope. Traditionally, the RSVP card should be addressed to the host of the wedding (i.e. your parents), but if you are hosting the wedding yourself, or you live a long way away from the host, you will need to come up with an appropriate response label. Traditionally speaking, the names of the bride and groom should not appear together in print until after the wedding; if the couple is living together before the wedding, the RSVP cards should be addressed to the bride only.

DO Limit Your Number of Guests

If you have a strict budget that you are sticking to, or want to subtly let guests know that you don't want kids or their random dates at your wedding, there are a few ways you can do this on your wedding invitations' response cards. Include a line on the response card that says __ of __ guests will attend. You can then fill in the second blank with how many guests are invited. If this seems too tacky for you, include check boxes for 1 or 2 guests to limit the number of uninvited tag-alongs. This makes it seem like everybody is only allowed 1 guest, and you can always print separate response cards for large families in which you just leave a blank for the number of guests they will be bringing.

DO Include an RSVP Deadline for Response Cards

Most venues or caterers require a definite headcount of how many guests will be attending your ceremony/reception, and if you are making wedding favors, seating charts, programs or menus, you may need to know too. Find out when you or others need to know your final headcount by (usually it's about two weeks before the wedding), and then set your RSVP deadline at least two weeks before that. You will always have procrastinators on your guest list that will put off sending their RSVP to the very last day (maybe they're still looking for a date?), so you will be relieved to have a buffer between the RSVP deadline on your wedding invitation response cards and the deadline when you actually need to know.

DON'T Wait for Late RSVP Cards to Come to You

With the amount of time and money that you are putting into your wedding, you shouldn't have to guess when it comes to the final headcount. Most guests will understand that, and will send back their response card in a reasonable time span. However, RSVP cards could get lost, or maybe your forgetful Aunt Sally simply didn't remember to send it in. Don't wait for these guests' response cards to come to you! If you haven't received an RSVP by your deadline, go ahead and give them a call. There's no need to be rude about it, just make sure they have received the invitation, and then confirm that they are coming. If you can't reach a guest, go ahead and assume that they will come. After all, it's better to have an empty seat than have a guest with nowhere to sit.

MyGatsby.com features unique, stylish and elegant wedding invitations with over 90 paper colors and 24 ink colors for mix and match options. At MyGatsby.com you can create your own spectacular invitations, or select from hundreds of cutting-edge invitations from top brands in the industry. Their new budget line of wedding invitations features over 50 affordable designs.

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The Art of the Wedding Invitation



Wedding invitations are the foundation of the wedding ceremony. The invitation is typically the first glimpse the guests will have that lead to the details of the occasion. The wedding invitation is also the one item that many guests will keep as a remembrance. Therefore, the invitation must be elegant, beautiful, and nothing short of amazing. Wedding invitations often set the tone of the entire wedding and therefore must be carefully crafted with attention to every detail. Since they also reflect the personality and taste of the bride and groom, the invitations are uniquely personalized for each couple.

Invitation designers offer a variety of designs and services that will allow the bride and groom to choose an invitation that will fit in with their wedding theme and match their own tastes. From traditional engraving to letterpress printing, wedding invitations are about as limitless as the imagination. Both these techniques are timeless, providing an element of elegance and beauty you just can't find in traditional forms of communication today.

Engraved invitations are very beautiful. A skilled craftsman etches the text of the invitation, backwards, onto a piece of copper metal which is known as the die. The raised print that results from using the die comes from using a press to push the paper into the inked die. When a person looks at the back of the invitation, they will be able to see the indention made in the paper as a result of using this process. These invitations do not have to follow any sort of traditional format, but often use formal language.

Letterpress invitations are one the cleanest and most precise ones out there. As more people share a growing concern for the environment and want to do their part to ensure they are reducing their carbon footprint, more people are turning toward using letterpress wedding invitations. Earlier letterpress was done with handset movable type that is inked and then pressed into the paper. Today more boutique letterpress companies use photopolymer plates and aluminium bases for letterpress jobs instead of movable type. Since the paper is thick cotton, these invitations have a very distinct handmade feel with additional textured elements because of the depth of the printing.

When it comes to choosing between the engraved wedding invitation and the letterpress wedding invitation, both are comparably priced, as they both take a considerable amount of time, effort, and expertise to craft. While thermography is about half the cost of traditional engraving and letterpress wedding invitations, it also results in a lesser quality invitation.

For many who are still in the decision stages of what sort of invitation to do for the wedding and who to hire, it is important to realize that the paper is one of the most expensive elements in the invitation. Using a high quality paper will ensure the invitation will withstand the elements of time, and as many people will use the invitation as a keepsake, this is incredibly important. Do not sacrifice paper quality to cut down the overall price. It will be a decision you'll regret later.

Betsy is an avid fan of letterpress stationery. She invites you to visit their website to view some samples of beautiful letterpress invitations. Click here to view more personalized invitations and wedding stationery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Betsy_Kline

Friday, March 12, 2010

Picking Out Wedding Invitations - Places to See Samples

So, you've decided to get married and now you're in the process of planning your wedding. Although your dress, cake, guests, and favors are all important parts, so are the the wedding invitations. Invitations, once you've decided who to invite, set the tone for the wedding, and this is why some card makes have formal and casual styles. If you plan to have a formal, large wedding, sending a set of casual invitations may set the wrong tone, while the same can be said of the reverse. If you need ideas for - or a better picture of - invitations, finding a way to see them visually will help you decide on a design.

If you don't have any image of how you'd like your invitations to appear, one common event that many brides-to-be should attend is a bridal expo. While such events have a plethora of information and samples for all aspects of your wedding, its one way to see wedding invitations physically before contacting a printer. Like all expos, one geared toward weddings has several local and national businesses present giving demonstrations and showing samples of your product. You may choose not to buy anything, but the event may give you some ideas for your own invitations.

The next possibility is to contact a printer. Printers and designers for wedding invitations can be found online and in the telephone book. Through a printer, you can view various samples of wedding invitations, and the interior cards accompanying them. In fact, you may even find a design that you and your husband-to-be want to send to guests. Printers will show you a number of patterns and styles, including standard and one-piece seal-and-send invitations, as well as casual and formal styles based on the type of wedding you're holding.

Wedding invitations, like all cards, are nearly endless. But, once you view some samples and get a clearer picture of what you'd like to send guests, you'll be able to choose a pattern that fits your tastes.

How to Choose Sophisticated Black and White Wedding Invitations


Black and White Wedding Invitations Conveys Extreme Sophistication

Vivid and rich, extremely sophisticated black and white theme wedding invitations will definitely spell high elegance and purity. Right choices of design elements will give your black and white wedding invitations such lively, full of mystery wedding event. The guest will surely get their hands on your invitation to read the details and remember the dates.

Choosing sophisticated black and white wedding invitations will allow you to convey how elegant, or how highly formal your wedding is, or how modern, conventional or chic your fabulous wedding be. Black and whites designs give you total versatility of the theme you want to have.

For highly luxurious weddings, white rich floral loops on a pure black textured canvass makes it very elegant and sophisticated. Fonts with big loops and tails gives the impression of a rich traditional event is about to happen.

If you want something modern with minimalist designs of black and white design elements, adding a few snapshots of your happy moments will make the trick. Black and white pictures can also add to the minimalist impact of the invitation, or you can choose to clip lively, vibrant pictures that become the center of attention of the one who will read it.

Browsing several invitation sites will give you the idea of how you want your invitation to look like. Enough time is all you need to gather all the ideas and imagine how your bold or minimal your black and white wedding invitation be. If you want to put some colors, you may absolutely do so without changing the overall all touch of being black and white theme of the design.

Putting some flowery vines accents or vivid pictures, as long as they blend well on the over-all design concept will surely hit the nail and will still yield sophisticated drama of the invitation. You can also make use of vibrant see through envelopes, where the hue of black and white can still be seen.

Of course you can always choose black wedding invitations with a minimal amount of other colors. The main invitation can be black and then you can add other colors in the form of the text color or accents, like flowers, vines, or other decorative items.

Black and white wedding invitations are simply outcome of how modern we are now. You don't need to ban blacks on your weddings. Instead, make use of this bold and distinct color to make your invitation unique, outstanding and sophisticated one that will be truly remembered and kept by your guests.

Pamela Kazmierczak writes numerous Wedding Ideas and wedding themed articles. Check out her site, Wedding Ideas if you are looking for help and free information to plan your wedding. This wedding site offers hundreds of articles, including how to choose black and white wedding invitations. If this is your wedding theme and you are looking to shop or find photos - you are in luck as this page has several photos to look at!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pam_Kazmierczak

The Advantages of Using Free Printable Wedding Invitations



Before you even think of using up so much money on wedding invitations, it would be better to look for economical solution first. By doing so, you will be able to save some extra cash which you can spend on some other more important aspects of your wedding. At any rate, you can consider making an extraordinary, good quality wedding invitation cards by yourself and you can do this by simply finding the right online site for free printable wedding invitations which will only cost you nothing but papers and ink.

What's more, there are thousands of online sites that offer free printable wedding invitations with wide array of choices. There are sites that just offer free templates, while others offer more like allowing you to personalize the invitation card before you actually download it. Besides, customizing the card before downloading it will save you time and will make printing it easier.

Typically, the sites always provide the users with instructions about creating the invitation card to make the process easier. And when making your invitation, keep in mind that the wordings are the most important part of the card so you must double check if there are any typos or if all the information that you'd typed in are correct. Also, see to it that you have provided all the details of the wedding like the date, time, and location. Make sure to use font that's appropriate for the occasion such as the Old English or Edwardian script. You can also buy some ornaments based on your wedding theme to make your invitation unique.

Finally, as weddings are always a special event, try to exert effort and time to create the best rather than rushing your project which can only make your work look sloppy.

Learn more about Printable Wedding Invitations, please visiting http://www.ddksyxx.com/women/saving-more-with-free-printable-wedding-invitations/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pinky_Savika

Wedding Invitations For Beach Weddings



Unique and crisp beach theme wedding invitations.

If you are planning for a beach theme wedding, choose invitations for beach weddings make another reason to look for the perfect invitations as unique and fresh as your wedding day. A couple who plans to get married on summer months mostly chooses to have a beach setting for their wedding day. When choosing what design is best for this type of theme, it is important that you convey how fresh and cool the event will be.

Several catchy sceneries of the wedding place are surely wonderful. Panoramic glimpses of sands or an overview of the beach is just superb and instantly convey that your wedding is something everybody should look forward to.

Wedding invitations for beach weddings allow you to choose vibrant, sunny colors. Happy colors of summer will never be overdesigned for beach weddings. Show your guests the beauty of crystal waters, the inviting white sands of the beach or the breath taking paradise waiting for them to experience. By doing this, you make your guests be more exciting as you actually are!

Some of the more common beach wedding invitation themes include the use of seashells, beaches, starfish and palm trees. If you are looking for invitations that are a little more subtle you might wish to use bright colors or summer flowers as the background or accent picture.

You can also consider having photo invitations, where you just need to have a picture of romantic projection at the beach where you will be married. This adds personal touch, gives more drama and excitement to the invitation and the event itself. When it comes to the proper wording, mostly informative formats are widely used, more fitted with a beach themed wedding.

But you can be creative and use enchanted, fairy like theme like it came from the gods of the sea. The beauty and uniqueness of your beach theme wedding invitations are endless, and mostly customizable. Don't be afraid to give some touch of individuality to your wedding stationery. It is the only key to embed your personality as a couple and makes remarkable invites that your guests will just have terrible time to skip the day of your wedding!

Choosing Beach Wedding Invitations allows you to incorporate you wonderful wedding theme into your stationery. Wedding stationery is not only functional, but it can also be a beautiful keepsake. This keepsake is not just for you (but of course you will keep some) but also for all the people you invite to your wedding, including close family and friends. So choose wisely!

Pamela Kazmierczak writes numerous Wedding Ideas and wedding themed articles. Check out her site, Wedding Ideas if you are looking for help and free information to plan your wedding. This wedding site offers hundreds of articles, including how to find beach theme wedding invitations. If you are looking to buy these type of invitations or searching for photos, this page has 10 great photos of possible invitations for your beach themed wedding!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pam_Kazmierczak

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The Versatility of Modern Wedding Invitations


From simple town crier announcements and letters delivered on horseback, the humble wedding invitation has certainly come a long way since its meager beginnings.

Bridal couples in the modern era are now personalizing their invitations with all types of different methods to better reflect their personalities and give a glimpse of what their wedding style will be.

The options available are endless and there is no excuse nowadays not to have an invitation that represents your day and tastes. Some ways brides are using to achieve this are:

Themes: from a colour scheme that runs throughout the wedding (eg. bridesmaids dresses, the cake, wedding favors, the aisle decorations) or a time of year (eg. winter) or location (eg. tropical destination) theme.

Logos / monograms: using your initials or significant details such as the wedding date to create a logo or monogram that represents your union.

Embellishments: ribbon, lace, flowers, elaborate scrapbook stickers adorn many invitations.
Invitation style: card, gate-fold, tri-fold, pocket-fold, presented in a box... any shape is possible and available.

The fact is that most things are achievable either as a DIY project or with the help of one of the numerous wedding invitation stylists available online.

The only restraints are your imagination, the level of formality you want to achieve, money and time and with the wedding invitation being such an important facet of any wedding day, it is becoming more evident to most people that greater effort is needed in this area than ever before.

Look here to see examples of modern Wedding Invitations designed by I Will Invitations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gayle_Williams


Before you even think of using up so much money on wedding invitations, it would be better to look for economical solution first. By doing so, you will be able to save some extra cash which you can spend on some other more important aspects of your wedding. At any rate, you can consider making an extraordinary, good quality wedding invitation cards by yourself and you can do this by simply finding the right online site for free printable wedding invitations which will only cost you nothing but papers and ink.

What's more, there are thousands of online sites that offer free printable wedding invitations with wide array of choices. There are sites that just offer free templates, while others offer more like allowing you to personalize the invitation card before you actually download it. Besides, customizing the card before downloading it will save you time and will make printing it easier.

Typically, the sites always provide the users with instructions about creating the invitation card to make the process easier. And when making your invitation, keep in mind that the wordings are the most important part of the card so you must double check if there are any typos or if all the information that you'd typed in are correct. Also, see to it that you have provided all the details of the wedding like the date, time, and location. Make sure to use font that's appropriate for the occasion such as the Old English or Edwardian script. You can also buy some ornaments based on your wedding theme to make your invitation unique.

Finally, as weddings are always a special event, try to exert effort and time to create the best rather than rushing your project which can only make your work look sloppy.

Learn more about Printable Wedding Invitations, please visiting http://www.ddksyxx.com/women/saving-more-with-free-printable-wedding-invitations/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pinky_Savika

How to Save on Wedding Invitations


Many are refining their spending habits across all aspects of living, and, for some, this includes planning an economical wedding. This doesn't mean the wedding will be boring, however. Like all economic planning, it means shopping around and doing a bit more planning than usual. Concerning weddings, one aspect that many decide to save on is wedding invitations. This often means choosing a more economical design and finding a printer with deals for printing large amount of invitations. Nevertheless, being economical shouldn't shirk your creativity, and, in fact, as long as the invitation indicates a casual or formal event to guests, they won't even notice.

One aspect many decide for saving with wedding invitations is paper. With most printers, this includes two options: a seal-and-send invitation and a back-and-front design. Both of these are one-piece designs but each have significant distinctions. Seal-and-send invitations essentially fold out from the envelope and, within this fold out, are all necessary cards attached together - even the directions card. All of these parts fold into the envelope, which just needs to be sealed. Back-and-front invitations, on the other hand, are a single card that goes into an envelope. On one side may be all basic pieces of information for the wedding, while the second side may be the directions to the reception and menu information.

The next aspect many couples-to-be save on is printing costs. The most economical option is to print a batch at once. This should be done once all guests have been decided. Ideally, a printer reduces the cost per invitation for larger batches and, particularly if you anticipate having a large group, print all invitations and envelopes at once - and have a few left over in case of any last-minute invites. Printing, additionally, for a lower cost often only involves ink and no imprinting.

Other aspects of a wedding can be saved on, in addition to the wedding invitations. From choosing the reception hall to the favors, all can be found at affordable prices once a bit of shopping around is done.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irene_Test

Personalized Wedding Invitations - Why They Are Worth the Effort

Personalized wedding invitations leave an unforgettable impression on guests and are the first means whereby recipients have an idea of what your wedding tone and theme will be. If your wedding celebration is fully personalized, why should you even compromise on your invites?

Personalized wedding invitations tend to be more expensive than the normal wedding invites, but for the everlasting impact that they are able to create in your guests hearts, they are definitely worth your sweat and money.

These kinds of invitations need your whole dedication to designing them, to get the kind of impression you want to create in people's minds. As mentioned, it is the firsthand indication of what your wedding theme and tone will be, and is a prelude to what your wedding will be like. Looking at your painstakingly designed invitations will enable your guests to expect what to look forward to during the reception. Personalized wedding invitations are definitely worth the effort.

How should I go about to personalize my wedding invitation?

It is best that you choose colors and themes that reflect your personality as a couple as well as colors that reflect the theme of your wedding event. If you choose something like white background, and gold borders with embossed wordings, it tells your guests to expect a traditional wedding, you get the idea.

The easiest way is to simply use the colors which you are going to use to decorate your wedding venue, and incorporate it into your wedding invitation card. You could create a more 3-D effect by having hand-folded flowers attached to your card.

If the both of you created a logo that represents your wedding, you could also have it printed on your card. Another way you could consider is to include a romantic quote or a short poem to create the mood for a romantic wedding.

What should I look out for?

Be careful not to leave out the important details in your wedding invitations. Some people tend to be too carried away with the design of it that they miss out on the wedding location, date or time. If any of these is left out, then it defeats the purpose of having the prettiest invitation ever created. Take special care to check your guests' names are spelled correctly as well, and do not leave out anyone in your guest list.

Personalized wedding invitations can take up a lot of your time and effort, but if they are designed properly they can add value to your wedding celebration. So let your creativity flow and have fun with designing them! They will be worth the while.

A perfect wedding starts with save-the-date cards. Get ready for your big day by reminding your wedding guests with save the date invitations. Discover how you can have unique, customized yet affordable cards by visiting our site at http://www.savethedateinvitations.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_G._Cox