Your Wedding Invitation is your guests first impression of the tone of your wedding. Before your guests reads the words on the invitation they will know what your colors are, your theme, and if it’s a casual to formal event. The words will tell them who, where and when. Many people think about the areas they can cut down on in the budget and most of us think about the invitations. You can definately save a bundle by doing them yourself or going with a simple invitation. Just remember that the invitation is the first impression. If you slapped them together and the handwriting in unreadable it’s going to send an impression that your event is not that important so your guests may not feel the urgency to get a reply back or to show up at all. This is the one area that can tell your guests what to expect without saying anything. I know there are some people out there that even though you specifically stated on the invitation “FORMAL – DO NOT WEAR JEANS!!” will still show up wearing their denim. Yes it is frustrating but chances are that the majority of your guests got the message and were dressed accordingly. I am also a victim of the Jeans at a formal wedding and it did not impact the wedding at all. You too can survive.
When it comes to choosing the wording on your invitation, this should also set the tone for the type of an affair your wedding will be. The basics will include your name and your fiance’s name, where and when. If the parents are hosting the wedding and it’s a formal affair, your wording may look like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter Sophia Anne Smith to
James Paul Jones son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Jones.
Saturday, Twentieth of October Two Thousand and Twelve at
Two O’Clock in the Afternoon at the Museum of Arts
99 Margaret Corbin Drive
Fort Tryon Park
New York, New York 10040.
If you’re going for a Semi-Formal approach it could read:
Mr. and Mrs. Charles & Mr. and Mrs. Edward Jones
request the pleasure of your company
at the Wedding of Sophia Anne Smith to
James Paul Jones on Saturday, Twentieth of October
Two Thousand and Twelve at Two O’Clock
Mondavi Vineyards, Napa, California.
Your invitation can have both sets of parents, the bride’s parents, the groom’s parents, bride and groom, or the children of the bride and groom as the one’s hosting the wedding. Whoever is footing the bill for this special day should be listed regardless if it’s formal or casual. The internet is a great tool to find the perfect wording if you have a unique situation. Now, if you’re going for a more casual approach you may include a little bit of humor to lighten the mood on the invitation. For example:
Sophia “It’s My Wedding and I’ll Cry If I Want To” Smith
And
James “They’ll Have to Drag Me to the Alter” Jones
Are Making it Official!
They’re finally getting hitched
So please come and see for yourself
Their nuptials will take place
Saturday, the Third of November
Two Thousand and Twelve at Three O’Clock
Hill Top Inn
Elmira, NY
Your invitation will also let your guests know what to expect for their dinner as well as bar arrangements. If you are having a sit down dinner, your invitation will have a RSVP card with dinner choices listed. If you are having a family style or buffet dinner then your RSVP will not have any dinner selections. A sit down dinner is formal vs a casual buffet. The family style I think is the semi-formal dinner selection. It’s a good idea to include a note if the event will not be an open bar to make your guests aware they’ll need to purchase their own drinks. It’s a good idea to include driving directions and hotel rates for your guests to have the option to book a night’s stay to guarantee a fun filled safe evening.