Wedding Invitations
A wedding invitation
is typically a card asking the recipient to attend a wedding celebration.
The invitation to the wedding might also include an invitation to the
wedding reception celebration afterwards. It is usually mailed four to
six weeks prior to the wedding date. Wedding invitations may be printed
using one of the following methods: engraving, lithography, thermography,
letterpress printing and sometimes blind embossing. They can be ordered
from a graphic artist, local print shop, online, or from a vendor
specializing in personalized invitations. For those who might be
artistically inclined, they can be handmade from a variety of materials
for a personal touch.
Often, wedding and
reception invitations are sent by mail in double envelopes. The inside
envelope may be lined, will not be gummed, and slips easily into the outer
envelope. The outer envelope will be gummed for sealing and addressing.
Tissue is almost always provided by the supplier and is placed over the
custom engraved text. Originally this tissue was placed there to protect
the engraving against smudging or blotting, but modern printing techniques
make the tissue to be more of a decorative item. Traditionally, the mother
of the bride addresses the wedding invitations. However, with lives as
busy as they are today the mother of the bride will often outsource this
responsibility to a professional calligrapher or a best friend with good
penmanship.
The envelope may be
franked with love stamps if your country issues these types of stamps. The
U. S. Postal service issues a love stamp each year specifically
denominated to cover the double weight of the invitation and reply (This
is typically done at a reduced postage rate).
Along with the
wedding and reception invitation, the ensemble should also include a
response card with return envelope. The response card is a good means for
gathering final estimates for the caterer and determining a general number
of guests attending. The receiver of the invitation is asked to mail back
the response card (RSVP) roughly three weeks before the wedding or by the
date indicated. The envelope is pre-addressed and pre-stamped by the
wedding party to encourage quick responses. A modern option, which is
gathering popularity, is sending the response card as a pre-addressed and
pre-stamped post card. This eliminates the need for the dual inner and
outer envelopes and is ideal for less formal weddings.
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