Selecting the Invitations
Drawing up the guest list is only the beginning of what often proves to be a labor-intensive process. Unless your daughter knows exactly what she wants in the way of invites, the two of you will be faced with oodles of choices, from the paper to the ink to the printing process and style.
Assembling the invitations and addressing them may require you to recruit an army of helpers — and then, you'll deal with acceptances, regrets, and guests who simply fail to respond.
Where to Get InvitationsMany wedding planners start their search for the invitations at a printer or a shop (stationery or department store) that offers printing services. These days, the Internet also offers a wide array of choices for those who are comfortable shopping in cyberspace. Unless you are a veritable expert in printing methods and paper, though, you may be better off hitting a shop (at least initially), where you can actually see what the invitations will look and feel like once they're finished.
It may be easier to deal with a store in town should you have any problems with the invitations down the line. No matter how good the customer service department of an Internet site may be, a nervous bride may need the reassurance of a human being she can actually see.
Invitation catalogs are filled with sample invites that can be customized for your daughter's wedding. Often, she'll have to pick a color, a script style, and a printing method — but the rest of the invitation (the design, the phrasing) is duplicated in the final product. It's a fairly easy process for any bride to get through. If she's looking for something more unique, she may want to visit a print shop and talk to a designer on the premises. She can throw out her ideas and work with the store to create an invitation that suits her specific ideas. Be aware that this will cost more than ordering the invitations out of a catalog.
Technical MattersThere are several printing methods to choose from, and this choice will affect the final cost of the invitations. Engraving is the most expensive (and elegant) option, so if your daughter has her heart set on the fanciest invitations in town, you may be paying a significant amount for them. Thermography is another option. It produces a raised-letter print that is almost identical to engraving, but at a much lower price.
Wording the invitation can be a tricky task: If there is more than one host, or the hosts have divorced each other and remarried, how will the invitation reflect this? And how is a traditional invitation worded, anyway? Don't worry — see Appendix B for guidelines and samples.
Many brides love the look of calligraphy; however, hiring a calligrapher to produce hundreds of invitations might not be the most finance-friendly idea. Printers now have access to computer software that can simulate handscripted calligraphy at a fraction of the price of hiring a human to do the same job.
Little ExtrasSome wedding invitations arrive packed with little inserts. Even if you love or hate the idea of inserts, sometimes they're the best way to let your guests in on certain information. Consider your options:
Ceremony cards. If the wedding is being held in a public place (a museum, for example), you want your guests to be able to scoot past those who are waiting in line to pay admission.
Pew cards (or “Within the Ribbon” cards). Slip these cards into the appropriate invitations if you're planning on reserving the front section of the church for special guests (usually family and the closest friends). The guests will then give them to the ushers, who will seat them in the reserved area.
Rain cards. These cards alert guests to an alternate location if the wedding site could be affected by inclement weather.
Response cards and envelopes. The card includes the date of the requested RSVP; the envelope will have a preprinted return address.
Reception cards. Although you'll be offered the option of printing the reception information on the wedding invitation itself, it's classier to have a separate insert.
Envelopes. Do they need to be foil-lined? No. Ask yourself where the envelopes end up (think trashcan), and go with the less expensive options.
Thank-yous. Most often, the bride and groom will order cards that complement the wedding invitations. Their married names are usually printed on these cards (whether it's Mr. and Mrs. James Smith or Allison Brown and James Smith).
