Crowning Inspiration: Wedding Invitation DOs & DON'Ts

May 14th marks National Etiquette Week! And there is nothing more properly binding than the invitation when it comes to a wedding.

Here are a few tips to making sure you're right on point!

DO send wedding invitations at least six to eight weeks before the wedding day. Order custom wedding invitations at least three to four months in advance to ensure they go out on time.

DO check with your calligrapher and see how long it will take them to address the invitations. Also give them an example of the envelope. If they use a light box for addressing, some paper stocks are too heavy to see through and you could incur additional charges. 

DO invite the partners of guests who are married, engaged, or living with a significant other. Find out their name and include it on the invitation (as well as the escort card).

 

DON'T print "and Guest" on the outer wedding invitation envelope to indicate to a single friend that he/she may bring a date, as this looks awkward. Print it on the inner envelope holding the actual wedding invitation instead.

 

DO send unmarried couples living together one invitation, where their names are listed in alphabetical order and on their own lines. Guests living together as roommates, not as couples, should each receive their own invitation. And adult children living at home should receive their own invitation.

 

DON'T print "no children" on the invite if you're planning an adults only reception. Simply address each invitation explicitly to your intended guests (i.e. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, not "The Smiths").

 

DON'T forget to invite your officiant and his/her spouse to the reception. And be sure to send an invite to yourself and your parents. This way you know when your other guests received their invites, too.

 

DO spell out dates, times and states. For example: half after five o'clock in the evening, not 5:30 pm --or -- and the twenty-second of May, not May 22nd.

 

DON'T use punctuation on the invitation, except between the city and state.

 

DO abbreviate Mr. and Mrs., but spell out the title Doctor, Captain, Judge, General, etc.

 

DON'T abbreviate street names on the invitation or the envelope. Spell out Street, Avenue, Boulevard, etc.

 

DON'T print registry information on the wedding invitation.

 

DO put an RSVP date of 3 weeks before the wedding. For larger weddings 4 weeks prior can be listed.

 

DO provide postage on your RSVP card or envelope. Also check the weight and size of your invitation with your post office. Some envelopes require extra postage due to size or thickness.

 

DON'T drop your invitation in the mail box. Hand them to a post officer within the post office to be 'hand-stamped' as opposed to being run through the meter, which can damage and tear envelopes.

 

I love these beautiful invitations (above and below) designed locally by Alice Louise Press