Are you in the process of planning your wedding and find yourselves baffled by the choice (and expense) of wedding invitations? Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Invitations are one of the most traditional remnants of the wedding ritual, and likely the first introduction your prospective guests will have to the ceremony.

Incorporate Your Theme

The first thing you should know about wedding invitations and stationery it that they are a great place to incorporate your theme. Wedding invitations are beautiful, but sometimes a bride and groom want to show off their personalities or share their hobbies with their prospective wedding guests. Theme wedding invitations are perfect for weddings that require unusual wedding invitations. Some examples are western or beach theme invitations. Other popular themes are winter, flowers, or butterflies. Just make sure your winter theme wedding isn't scheduled for July (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere)!

It may be tempting to economize on invitations, but some caution is in mind. Your wedding invitation is likely to become a keepsake for family and friends for years to come. So before you opt for the bargain 100-pack at Saver Mart, you might be wiser to look for cost-cutting elsewhere. And how much are you paying that 80's cover band you hired for the reception!

The Envelope, Please

With traditional invitations, you have a card stock invitation that you probably have to fold, add a photo insert, then stuff in a tissue, put everything in an envelope, and then put that in another envelope. More modern invitation are more economical because they eliminate this additional card stock. And you save time on preparation. Whether you go modern or traditional, take some time to count your invitations before you begin assembling, as well as reception cards and envelopes.

It is a good idea to fold the invitations and put stamps on all of the reply card envelopes before you begin assembling. You do not need to list their names on the outer envelope. When two envelopes are used, all of the enclosures described above are inserted in the inner envelope, facing the back of the envelope.

Wedding Announcements

Wedding announcements are increasingly being replaced by "Save the Date" cards. Announcements usually echo the style and format of the invitation, with the substitution of words such as "are pleased to announce" for the invitation. These pre-wedding reminders play an important role in planning your wedding, and in today's society Save the Dates are becoming increasingly popular because of your guests' busy schedules. It is particularly important when you wedding falls on a holiday weekend.

This is also the first place where you can safely economize. Save the Date is a perfect opportunity to use the Internet to send an email, or better yet use a service like evite.com, to let your friends and family know about the time and place of the ceremony and reception. You may even be lucky enough to find a theme that closely matches your wedding. Save the Date cards are usually sent at least 4 months before the wedding, but it is recommended to send them 5 months to a year in advance.

A Few Words on Etiquette

Because printed wedding invitation stationery is used to communicate information and convey themes, it is important to understand proper etiquette. If you do not wish to receive wedding gifts, it is not proper etiquette to print "No Gifts, Please" on the invitation. It is also proper etiquette to place a stamp on the return envelope on all wedding correspondence asking for a reply.

When a guest is invited but his or her name is unknown, it is proper etiquette to only address the outer envelope to your friend "Miss Stevens" and address the inner envelope to your friend and her guest "Miss Stevens and Guest". When addressing an unmarried couple living together, the etiquette is to address each party individually, with each name appearing on a separately line. So it follows proper etiquette, that for a formal wedding you wouldn't invite your guests via email, phone, or word of mouth.

Conclusion

Wedding invitations and announcements are an important part of your upcoming ceremony. There are a few time-honored traditions to be aware of, but this still leaves plenty of room for fun and flexibility. And if you can save a few bucks along the way, you'll have more to spend on the honeymoon!