Wedding Invitation Guide Issue #1
WEDDING INVITATION TERMS

Welcome to the first issue of my Wedding Invitation Guide which covers terms related to wedding invitations...

Save the Date Card or Magnet
Save the Date cards are the perfect way to let friends and family know about your wedding date as soon as you've set it! They give advance notice to those who might have to travel to your wedding location or if your wedding date happens to be on or near a holiday. Issue 2 will focus on Save the Dates.

Announcement
Announcement cards are the perfect way to announce your happy news to those not invited to your wedding. They can even be printed on the same paper stock as your invitation and should be mailed on your wedding day or immediately after. Issue 6 of the Guide will cover announcements in more detail.

Seal n Send Wedding Invitations
Seal 'n Send wedding invitations are mailed to guests as a folded self-mailing piece having the response postcard attached to the invitation by a perforation for easy removal. Since the respond piece is a postcard, you will save on postage for the return mailing. Prices for this product normally include seals along with a printed return address on both the back flap when initially mailing the invitation and on the perforated response postcard.

Reception Card
Reception cards are used to inform guests of the location of the wedding reception and/or dance.  They can be enclosed with your wedding invitation if that information doesn't fit on the invitation itself.

Map Card
A map card or directions card can be enclosed with your invitation to provide directions for guests to the location of the ceremony and/or reception.

Response Card
Response cards (rsvp cards) are used to help determine how many guests plan to attend your wedding. An accurate count is vital for food preparations, seating and other accommodations so ordering response cards can actually save you money.

Response cards are enclosed with your wedding invitation and returned by guests by the date indicated on the card (usually at least two weeks before the wedding). Issue 5 of my Guide will completely cover response cards.

Printed Wedding Invitation Envelope Flaps
Having a return address printed on the back flap of your mailing envelope can save you time while making sure undeliverable invitations are returned to you. This will also ensure that those guests who want to send cards and gifts directly to you will have the correct address.

Lined Envelopes
Having your inner envelopes lined with your color choice will add a special touch to your invitation ensemble.  If inner envelopes are included with your wedding invitations, they usually come without a lining.  A colored lining does cost a little extra.  You may not have a colored lining choice if your invitations only come with a single mailing envleope.

Informal Notes
Informal notes may be personalized with your names or monogram on the front and used as thank you notes or for other correspondence long after the wedding, so order plenty.  All informal notes include single mailing envelopes and usually match the reception and response cards. Issue 10 will further explain informal and thank you notes.

Envelope Seals
Elegant envelope seals add a very nice finishing touch to your wedding invitation ensemble.  They are placed on the back of the envelope to appear as if they are holding the flap in place.  Many self-mailer invitation styles automatically include seals to properly fasten them for mailing.

Thermography
Thermography is a process that produces raised ink on paper by a heat process. The wedding invitations are printed with ink and then a special powder is sprinkled over the ink while still wet.  Finally the invitation is sent through a heater which melts the powder and "raises" the ink. Thermography is much more cost effective than engraving.

Engraved Wedding Invitation
This is a time-honored process of raising ink on paper. It is a process of etching metal plates, filling the etches with ink, then pressing paper into the plates.

Read even more terms related to unique wedding invitations.

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SAMPLE WEDDING INVITATION WORDINGS
for when the bride's parents are doing the inviting.

BRIDE'S PARENTS
have the honour of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
BRIDE
to
GROOM
on DAY
YEAR
LOCATION
CITY, STATE

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Because you have shared in their lives
by your friendship and love
you are invited to share
with our daughter, BRIDE
and GROOM
when they exchange marriage vows
and begin their new life together
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE
BRIDE'S PARENTS

 

For many, many more samples of wedding invitation wording, visit our Sample Verse area!