Selecting Your Invitation
(Invitations 101)
Your wedding or party invitation and accessories set
the tone for your special event firmly establishing your
style and taste. It is the first official message about
the event, which a guest will receive from you, so make
it special.
If this is a wedding, begin by determining whether you
and your groom want a formal, traditional or more
contemporary style wedding and make your invitation
selection accordingly.
The traditional invitation is elegantly simple usually
in black ink printed on a heavy white or cream colored
card. The card may be either flat or folded with the
printing traditionally on the front. The formal couple
who loves tradition will find a wide array of suitable
papers, plain or variously paneled, and be able to
distinguish their personal style through the large
selection of beautiful typestyles.
If you choose a more contemporary invitation, you have
an immense selection of exciting possibilities. Many
contemporary couples love the freedom modern invitations
give to tailor the invitation uniquely to their
personalities. If you have a theme or color scheme in
mind (Garden Tulips, Gold, Silver…), look for
invitations that echo this.
Last, but not least, determine your budget. Remember
to include reception cards, response sets and thank-you
notes (informals) in your calculations along with
additional trousseau items like place cards, table cards,
menu cards and so forth.
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Ordering
When to Order
Order your invitations as soon as your date, time and
place have been confirmed. Three to six months before the
ceremony is what most expert planners suggest.
The more time you give yourself, the
less harried you’ll feel and the more carefully
you’ll make decisions. Give yourself or your
calligrapher at least a month to hand address, assemble,
and stamp the invitations and reply envelopes.
The Value of a Preview
Look for a printer or on-line dealer who offers
CheckMate™ Preview technology so that you can see
an actual copy of your invitation – with all your
custom changes – before you order. CheckMate™
lets you personalize the invitation of your choice with
your own wording, ink color and lettering style, and then
shows you an actual copy of your creation almost
immediately! If your store does not offer CheckMate, ask
the staff to request a paper proof from the printer
before the ensemble is printed. There is usually a charge
for each proof you order and it takes a few days to a
week to receive. If you
don’t like what you see,
you’ll need to make changes and order another proof.
How Many to Order
To calculate the number of invitations to order, count
one invitation for each of the following: a) couple
(married or living together), b) family with children
under 18, c) each child 18 years old or older and still
living at home, d) single guest, e)
fiancée/fiancé of a guest, and f) invited
boy-or-girl friend of a guest. For example, in a house
with one set of parents and five children (one child 17,
one 14 and three children 18 and older), four invitations
would be sent. One would be sent to the parents with the
name of the 17 year old and the 14 year old on the line
below the parents’ names (on the only envelope if
using a single envelope or on the inner envelope if using
a double envelope set), and one each to the three
siblings 18 and older.
After calculating the number of invitations as noted
above add approximately 25 invitations to your order:
10-12 more for keepsakes, plus extras for the last-minute
guests (and there will be last-minute guests.) Reorders
later can be costly. Also, depending on how large your
order is, add 25 to 50 additional envelopes** in case of
mistakes in addressing.
When to Mail
Most established wedding planners agree that you
should plan to mail your invitations six weeks before the
wedding.Make sure you have one
completely assembled invitation weighed at the
post office to determine the correct
postage.When you return with your invitations
stamped and ready for mailing, ask to have them hand
canceled. After all the care you put into selecting and
addressing your envelopes,
you’ll want them to arrive in pristine
condition for your guests’ full enjoyment.
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Wording your Invitation
Basic rules of etiquette
- All phrasing is in the third person.
- Punctuation is not used at the ends of lines
(commas, periods, colons, etc.); however, commas are
used within lines to separate the day from the date,
the city from the state and a man’s surname from
"Jr./junior/II/III", etc.
- No abbreviations are used. Either spell out a name
or leave it out: "Mark Claude Manet" not "Mark C.
Manet." Also, "Road", "Street", "Avenue", "Reverend",
"Doctor", and all military titles should be spelled
out. Exceptions are: "Mr." and "Mrs." Many etiquette
specialists prefer that "junior" be spelled out. When
it is spelled out, the "j" is not capitalized.
- If both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are doctors, they can be
referred to as "The Doctors Smith."
- Days, dates, and times are always spelled out.
- Only proper nouns are capitalized (names of people
and places, cities, states, name of the day of the
week, month name, etc.) Exceptions are the year
line("Two thousand") or where the noun
is the beginning of a new sentence or thought ("T" in
"The favour of a reply is
requested" or "Reception to follow")
- Be consistent with your usage of "honour/favour" or
"honor/favor." Traditionally the formal, British
spelling with the "u" is preferred in proper wedding
etiquette but whichever form you choose, use it in both
words.
- It is considered socially incorrect to write, "no
children please" on the invitation or any part of the
wedding ensemble. "Black tie" does not traditionally
appear on the invitation. If the event takes place
after six o’clock, your guests should assume that
it is a formal event. If you are concerned, however,
you may write "Black tie" as a right footnote on your
reception card. Note: the "B" in "Black tie" is
capitalized, but not the "t."
- It is considered extremely socially incorrect to
make any mention of gifts on invitations on the theory
that we should expect nothing from our friends except
their presence, therefore never list where you are
registered, the name of a charity for donations or your
desire for money rather than presents. The only slight
exception to this strict rule is for shower invitations
where it is permitted to list the theme of the gifts
("Linens", etc.) but never where one is registered or
any mention whatsoever of money.
Traditional Wording, line by line: (Weddings)
- Begin with the full, formal name(s) and title(s) of
the event sponsors. These are not necessarily the
people who are paying for the wedding. While the
bride’s parents traditionally sponsor a wedding,
anyone can be a sponsor, including other relatives, the
groom’s parents, or the couple themselves.
- Following the name(s) is the phrase "request the
honour of your presence" for a service held in a house
of worship. The variation "request the pleasure of your
company" is used for a wedding held in any other
location.
- The next line reads "at the marriage of their
daughter" or whatever the relation is between the
sponsor(s) and the bride.
- The bride’s full name follows but often
excludes her surname. If her last name is different
from the sponsor name or both sets of parents are doing
the inviting, include it; otherwise, omit it. If you
use optional personal or professional titles (Ms.,
Miss., Dr., etc.), then include her last name.
- Generally "to" is used on the line separating the
bride’s name from the groom’s. The
exception would be the use of "and" when both parents
are doing the inviting or for a Nuptial Mass.
- The groom’s full name – first, middle
and last-is next. If the bride uses a personal or
professional title, so should the groom.
- On the next line, spell out the day and date with
the spelled-out number inverted before the name of the
month and a comma separating the day from the date: "on
Saturday, the first of May." Using "on" before the name
of the day is optional but if you do, do not capitalize
the "o."
- Listing the year is optional. If you choose to do
so, it appears on the line following the day/date line.
Only the first letter of the first word of the line is
capitalized: "The year two thousand" or "Two thousand
and nine."
- On the line after the date comes the time. List
this spelled out: "at six o’clock" with the word
"at" preceding the time. You do not need to put "in the
morning" or "in the evening" since it should be obvious
but you may if you would like to and must if it is not
obvious (for example, a sunrise wedding "at six
o’clock" would be more likely to get people there
on time if you said "at six o’clock in the
morning"). In any case, never put "a.m." or "p.m." on a
formal invitation.
- The name of the place goes on the next line: "Grace
Cathedral", "The Belser Arboretum" or simply the
address if the wedding is in someone’s home.
- Listing an address for the place is optional
(unless the wedding is in someone’s home). If you
do include it, place it on the line immediately below
the name of the place.
- Generally the last line lists the city and state,
separated by a comma: "East Greenwich, Rhode Island."
Note that you never put a zip code here.
- If you are not using reception cards, you may
include the information here as the last line of the
invitation: "Reception immediately following",
"Reception to follow" or "and afterwards at the
reception." These sentences indicate that the reception
is in the same place as the wedding. If it is not,
reconsider ordering reception cards so that the
important wording of your invitation will not be
reduced in point size to accommodate the several extra
lines of the reception information.
- If you are not using response cards and envelopes,
in the lower left hand corner include "The favour of a
reply is requested", or "R.s.v.p.", and a response
address; however, if you have a reception card, put the
R.s.v.p. corner line there in order to leave the
invitation uncluttered. Note that properly only the "R"
in "R.s.v.p." is capitalized since this is an
abbreviation for a French sentence, "Répondez
s’il vous plaît." Likewise, since the
sentence means "Respond please", never say "Please
R.s.v.p." since that would be redundant.
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Wording for (nearly) every social situation of
Weddings
First Marriage
Invitation Issued by Brides Parents(Standard
form)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Lou
to
Mr. Gerald Henry Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
at two o’clock in the afternoon
First Congregationalist Church
104 Main Street
Gary, Indiana
Nuptial Mass
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Lou
to
Mr. Gerald Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
at a ten o’clock Nuptial Mass
Saint Joseph’s Cathedral
121 Main Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Nuptial Mass (Note the use of "and" rather
than "to")
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adam Chase
request the honour of your presence
at the Nuptial Mass uniting their
daughter
Mary Lou
and
Mr. Gerald Hugh
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
at a ten o’clock in the morning
Saint Joseph’s Cathedral
121 Main Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Invitation Issued by Bride and Groom’s
Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Jullian Alfred Dexter
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mason Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Invitation Issued by the Groom’s
Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Barry Benjamin Moor
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Brenda Delcroix
to their son
Mr. Michael Evan Moor
Invitation Issued by Bride and Groom
Miss Louisa Marie Parker
and
Mr. Harold Jorgen Buczko
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Invitation Issued by Friends
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Randolph Jacobson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Julia Anne Smith
to
Mr. Kevin Richard Arnoldson
Invitation Issued by Adult Children
Matthew Manning Smith
Daniel Joseph Smith
Angela Smith Richardson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their mother
(parents)
Josephine Manning Smith
to
Brent Harold Darnell
Second Marriages
The divorcee uses a combination of married and
maiden name.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Ralph Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Smith Johnson
However, if the bride is a widow
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Ralph Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Smith Johnson
Invitation Issued by Divorced Parents
Mrs. Virginia Nelson Wright
Mr. Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Louse Wright
Bride’s Divorced, Not-Remarried Mother
Issues Invitation
The mother uses a combination of her married and
maiden name
Mrs. Virginia Nelson Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Bride’s Divorced, Not-Remarried Father
Issues Invitation
Mr. Thomas Ethan Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Mother and Stepfather Issue Invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of Mrs. Richardson’s
daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or (only mother is inviting)
Mrs. Gerald Hugh Richardson, III
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Divorced Father and Stepmother Issue
Invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of Mr. Wright’s
daughter
Mary Louise Wright
Invitation Issued by More than Two Sets of
Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Armstrong Baxter
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Johnson Richardson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
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One Deceased Parent
When the Living Parent has Not Remarried
Mrs. Thomas Ethan Wright
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise
When the Living Parent Has Remarried
Mr. and Mrs. John Ivan Koslov
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Mary Louise Wright
or
Mr. and Mrs. John Ivan Koslov
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Louise Wright
(Obviously you should check with the bride for
this one)
When both Parents are Deceased
Invitation Issued by Older Brother or
Sister
Miss Janice Su-Ling Yang
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her sister
Deborah An-Mei Yangor
or(if married)
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Walker
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her sister
Deborah An-Mei Yang
Invitation Issued by Grandparents
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Windell McPhera
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their granddaughter
Susan Alexis McLory
Double Weddings
When Brides are Sisters
(older bride mentioned first)
Mr. and Mrs. Steven George Jafee
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughters
Mary Helento Ronald Gates Gressakand
Karen Judithto Paul Dupre Ducat
When Brides are not Sisters
(older bride and family mentioned first)
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Thomas Wrightand
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Victor Buczko
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughters
Deborah Sally Wright
to
Mr. Micah Mordecai Smith
and Iris Ramsey Buczko
to
Paul Louis Saulsman
Military Weddings
Officers above the rank of Lieutenant have
their title before their name
Major and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Captain Benjamin Bruce Thomas
United States Navy
Junior officers have their title on the same
line as the branch of service, but listed
beforehand
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Benjamin Bruce Thomas
First Lieutenant, United States Army
A rank below that of Sergeant is not
indicated
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Richard Ford
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Felicia Ann
to
Benjamin Bruce Thomas
United States Army
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Did You Remember?
- Name of Parent(s), Host(s) or Sponsors
- Establish the purpose of the printing (inviting to
a wedding? Announcing a graduation?)
- Name of honoree (Bride and Groom, Bar/Bat Mitzvah,
Graduate)
- Day/Date (spelled out – e.g. Saturday, the
twenty-third of March)
- Does the day definitely correspond with the date?
(consult a calendar)
- Year (Two thousand)
- Time (at six o’clock in the evening)
- Name of Place (First Congregational Church)
- Location of Place (city and state but no zip code
– street address is optional)
- Ask several friends to read it for mistakes!
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The Invitation
Ensemble
Two envelopes or one?
In bygone days when invitations were hand-delivered,
an outer envelope was used to keep the invitation
envelope clean for a more impressive presentation to the
guest. Whether or not you opt for double envelopes is
your decision. Today, many invitations are sent with
single envelopes for a variety of reasons, including less
paper waste and because some of the fancier custom-made
envelop styles (like the French and Bavarian envelopes)
are designed to be singles. If you order double envelopes
and you also choose envelope linings, the inner envelope
will be lined.
Envelope Return Address
Be sure to order your envelopes with your return
address (excluding your name) on the back flap. This not
only looks nicer, but also saves addressing time! If you
are ordering double envelope sets, this address is on the
flap of the outer (larger) envelope. Make certain you
order additional envelopes in case you make mistakes
while addressing.
Lined Inner Envelope
For selections that include an inner envelope, a
lovely envelope liner adds that special elegant touch.
You can select a liner that brings out the beauty of your
invitation for a slight additional cost.
Tissues
Tissues were originally put on top of the invitation
to prevent the old, slow drying inks from smudging. Today
it is no longer necessary, but many people still prefer
the traditional look of tissues.
Reception Card
Reception cards are included when the reception is
held at a different site than the ceremony or if you have
different guest lists for the ceremony and the reception.
The reception card wording either reflects the wording of
your invitation or simply reads, "Reception immediately
following the ceremony" with the location.
Sample Traditional Wording
Reception
Immediately following the ceremony
Forest Lake Country Club
Columbia, South Carolina
Response Card and Envelope
Response cards provide a simple and painless way for
your guests to reply. The cards have a space for your
guests to write their names and indicate whether or not
they will be attending. A printed return envelope is
always included in the price of a response set. The
face/front of this envelope is preprinted with the name
and address of whoever will be receiving your replies. To
make it even easier for everyone to reply, put a stamp on
this respond envelope. If you are using the traditional
wording shown below, remember to spell "favour/favor" the
same way as you have spelled "honour/honor" on the
invitation. As most party planning budgets require exact
numbers, it is socially acceptable to call, or write,
those guests who have not responded.
| Respond Card Sample Traditional Wording | Respond Envelope Sample |
|---|
The favour of a reply is requested
before the twentieth of May
M_____________________
Will __________ attend | Mr. and Mrs. Jason Leigh McPherson
1717 Shady Lane
Naples, Florida 34116 |
Map and Directions cards
Preprinted enclosure cards providing directions to the
ceremony and the reception site can be exceptionally
helpful to your guests, especially those coming from
out-of-town. Photocopied directions blemish the beauty of
your beautiful invitation ensemble and are often very
difficult to read.
Accommodation cards
Your guests will appreciate the convenience of a
preprinted card that lists recommended hotels in your
area, along with the phone numbers.
Within-the-ribbon cards
Another tradition is to designate special seating for
select guests. The guests receiving these cards present
them to the ushers, who will escort them to this special
seating (usually in the front) that has been sectioned
off by ribbon.
At-home cards
A handy way to inform everyone of your new address and
the date you expect to begin residing there. These can be
sent with a wedding invitation or wedding announcement.
If the woman is changing her name in the customary
fashion, names are not listed. If she is keeping her name
or hyphenating it, this card is a good place to announce
that by listing the woman’s name in full on the
first line and the man’s name in full on the second
line.
Sample Wording
At home
After the fifth of April
2314 Sylvan Avenue
Oakland, California 94602
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Additional Trousseau
Items
Engagement announcements
These are the formal announcements of you
engagement.
Gift received cards
Preprinted cards acknowledging that a gift was
received may be sent ahead (never instead of) personally
written thank you notes. This allows the newlyweds to
wait until after their honeymoon to thank their guests
more personally.
Informals
This is the personalized stationery on which to write
individual thank-you notes. Order informals with your
maiden name for notes written before the wedding (bridal
shower and engagement party gifts), and another set with
your married name or monogram for notes written
afterwards.
Sample Wording
| Highly formal: | Informal (ladies first): |
|---|
| Mrs. Carl Heath Jones | Sally and Carl Jones |
| Formal: | Woman Kept Maiden Name (ladies first): |
|---|
| Mr. and Mrs. Carl Heath Jones | Sally Leigh mcPerson
Carl Heath Jones |
Menu Cards
Menu cards provided at the reception describe the
dishes you have selected – a nice touch.
Place Cards
If you are planning assigned seating at your
reception, put a place card handwritten with each
person’s name at the place you have designated.
Programs
Guests appreciate an outline to follow along with at
the ceremony. It also makes a nice memento of the
event.
Save-the-date cards
These preprinted notes are sent at least three months
(but preferably six months to a year) before the wedding
date and are invaluable if you plan to invite
long-distance guests.
Table cards
If you are planning assigned tables for the reception,
these cards have a place for you to write the names of
each couple or single guest and their assigned table.
These should be awaiting everyone on a table at the
entrance to the reception. (see also "place cards"
above)
Sample Wording
M __________________
______Table No.______
Wedding Announcements
Announcements let you share your news with friends,
distant relatives and colleagues that are not invited to
the wedding (you can’t invite everyone!) They
should never be sent to those who have received an
invitation to the ceremony or reception and should be
mailed right after the wedding (never before.) Your
announcement should look and read like your wedding.
Instead of requesting the honour of their presence at the
marriage…however, you would say "have the honour of
announcing the marriage…" The only enclosure would
be the "At home" card.
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Assembling the
Invitation Ensemble
When inserting a foldover invitation into an envelope,
the fold goes into the envelope first. Insert the basic
components of the ensemble into the envelope (inner
envelope for those items with two envelopes) in the
following order from bottom to top: Invitation, reception
card and respond set. Place the respond card face up on
top of the respond envelope, which is face down, with its
flap overlapping the respond card (see diagram 3).
Accessories are never inserted inside a foldover
invitation. Remaining pieces (directions,
accommodations, within-the-ribbon, etc.) are usually
layered on in ascending order of size from largest just
above the respond set, to smallest on top. If your item
comes with two envelopes, write the names of the guests,
including children, on the front of the inner envelope
using only the surname prefaced by Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.
Insert the inner envelope into the outer with the names
facing the flap of the outer envelope.
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Addressing the
Envelope
Basic rules of etiquette
It is traditional to use the complete, formal name and
address of your invited guests on the outer envelope of a
double envelope set and on the outside of a single
envelope. Do not use abbreviations other than "Mr." or
"Mrs." Spell out Avenue, Road, and Street as well as the
State name. See the "Basic Rules of Etiquette" section
under "Wording your Wedding Invitation" above for more
detail on how to write titles and suffixes. Include zip
codes on the same line with the city and state.
The inner envelope of a double envelope set carries
only the last name preceded by titles (Mr., Mrs., Doctor)
of the primary person or couple being invited. There are
no addresses. Invited children’s first names appear
under the parents’ names. (Invited children over 18
or older still dwelling with their parents should receive
separate invitations.) If you are allowing single people,
who are not dating anyone in particular, to bring a
guest, you would say so on this inner envelope by adding
"and guest" to their title and surname. If you are using
a single envelope, you must put this information on the
outside of the single envelope by adding the
children’s names below the parents’ names or
the "and guest" line beside the single guest’s
name.
Remember! Before purchasing stamps, have one fully
assembled invitation weighed at the post office to
determine proper postage. Don’t forget to purchase
stamps for the respond envelopes as well.
Sample Addressing Formats Wording for (nearly) Every
Situation
Invitations with a single envelope
If you elect to use a single envelope with your
invitation, here are some suggestions for addressing
the outside of the single envelope.
Married Couples
Married couples living in the same house
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith, junior
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025
Married couples in which the woman has
retained her maiden name or professional
name
Some experts say the woman’s name appears
first
Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640
Others suggest the names be listed
alphabetically
Ms. Judy Paris
Mr. Benjamin Jeffery Straton
etc.
Mr. Bernard Dawson
Ms. Anne Fisk
etc.
Unmarried Couples
Unmarried couples living in the same house
should be listed alphabetically
Ms. Elaine Alla
Ms. Susan Zaph
40 Sparrow Drive
Dallas, Texas
75341
Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640
Family Invitation
A family with young children
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025
It is considered correct to send a separate
invitation to each child 18 years or older.
Single Individual with Guest
If you wish to encourage a single friend to
invite a guest, find out the guest’s name,
especially if the couple is engaged, living in
the same house, or seeing each other on an
exclusive basis. If they live at different
addresses, it is considerate to send an
invitation to the guest directly.
Otherwise address as follows:
Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington
98110
If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time,
it is also correct to address
Ms. Evelyn Phelps and guest
Mr. John Wesley and guest
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Invitations with double envelopes
If you elect to use two envelopes
with your invitations, here are suggestions for
addressing the inner and outer envelopes:
Married Couples
Married couples living in the same house
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025 | Mr. and Mrs. Smith |
Married couples in which the woman has
retained her maiden name or professional
name
Some experts say the woman’s name appears
first
| Outer Envelope | Inner
Envelope |
|---|
Ms. Elaine Austin Rogers
Mr. Edward Paris Whittemore
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640 | Ms. Rogers
Mr. Whittemore |
Others suggest the names be listed
alphabetically
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Mrs. Elaine Austin Dogers
Mr. Conrad Hemenway
etc. | Ms. Dogers
Mr. Hemenway etc. |
Unmarried Couples
Unmarried couples living in the same house
should be listed alphabetically
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Ms. Caroline Parker
Mr. David Randolph
Three Greenleaf Lane
Huntington Beach, California
94640 | Ms. Parker
Mr. Randolph |
Family Invitation
A family with young children
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
Martha and Susan
800 Park Avenue, 3C
New York, New York
10025 | Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Martha and Susan (by seniority) |
It is considered correct to send a separate
invitation to each child 18 years or older. You
may also use the title Master if the young man is
under the age of 13.
Single Individual with Guest
If you wish to encourage a single friend to
invite a guest, you should learn the name of the
guest, especially if they are engaged, living in
the same house, or seeing each other on an
exclusive basis. If they live at different
addresses, it is considerate to send an
invitation to the guest directly.
Otherwise address as follows:
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Ms. Evelyn Phelps
Mr. John Wesley Eight
Beaver Dam Road
Seattle, Washington
98110 | Ms. Phelps
Mr. Wesley |
If you cannot obtain the name ahead of time,
it is also correct to address
| Outer Envelope | Inner Envelope |
|---|
Mr. Walter Robinson
126 Woodland Creek Drive
Dallas, Texas
75225 | Mr. Robinson and guest |
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Glossary of Terms
- Applique
- A decoration or ornament applied to a larger
surface.
- Bavarian Flap Envelopes
- A Checkerboard brand exclusive, these beautiful
envelopes are custom-made for Checkerboard's slender,
vertical invitations. They feature a squared flap on
the narrow end of the tall envelope and are available
only as Single Envelopes.
- Beveled
- Used to indicate that an edge is slanted (not at a
right angle).
- Blind Embossing
- Same as "embossing" defined below, only blind
embossing uses no color of any kind other than the
color of the paper itself.
- Calligraphy
- Literally this simply means "beautiful writing" but
today is used to mean wording created by hand, not with
typesetting machinery. Many of our elegant invitations
utilize calligraphy as part of the design.
- Double Envelopes
- The traditional set of two envelopes used with
formal invitations and announcements. The Outer
Envelope is addressed to the guest and has the senders
return address printed on the back. The inner envelope,
with the invitation and accessories, is placed inside
the outer envelope so that it arrives in pristine
condition. The inner envelope carries only the guests'
names. Since the Inner Envelope is thought of as the
primary envelope because it holds the invitation
directly, this is the one that will be lined if you
choose a liner. The Inner Envelope is not gummed,
therefore is not sealed shut.
- Embossing
- Raising in relief from a surface. In printing, to
press paper into the cavities in a metal die leaving
three-dimensional words or designs on the paper.
Embossing can be combined with Foil-Stamping or
printing methods using ink.
- Envelopes
- Bavarian Flap Envelopes – (see Bavarian
Flap Envelopes)
- Double Envelopes – (see Double
Envelopes)
- French Flap Envelopes – (see French Flap
Envelopes)
- Inner Envelopes – (see Double
Envelopes)
- Liners – (see Liners below)
- Outer Envelopes – (see Double
Envelopes)
- Single Envelopes – (see Single
Envelopes)
- Square Envelopes – (see Square
Envelopes)
- Wallet Flap Envelopes – (see Wallet Flap
Envelopes)
- Faux
- A fashionable term from French to indicate
something made to look like it is something else.
Literally this means "false."
- Foil Stamping
- Colored foil heat-stamped into the paper. Foils
usually have a metallic finish in either matte or high
gloss.
- Folded
- Used to indicate paper that is folded either at the
top or along the left side. On a traditional, side-fold
invitation, the wording is printed on the outside cover
with the inside right and left panels entirely blank.
If decoration is on the cover, the wording is printed
on the inside right panel of a side-fold paper and the
bottom panel of a top-fold. One item, “Under the
Chuppah” is tri-fold with a fold on the right and
left sides allowing three panels of printing when fully
opened. Another, “L'Amour”, is folded twice
from the bottom, then opens from below to reveal
vertical printing along the entire inside.
- Font
- The font refers to the style of lettering, also
called "typestyle", or "lettering style."
- French Flap Envelopes
- Custom-made for the Checkerboard brand's slender,
vertical invitations, these uniquely beautiful
envelopes feature a stunning, long, pointed flap on the
narrow end of the tall envelope. French Flap Envelopes
are available only as Single Envelopes.
- Inner Envelopes
- See Double Envelopes.
- Layers
- Generally used to indicate layers of paper tied or
glued together. If the top layer is transluscent
parchment and the lower layer is decorative, you see a
muted version of the lower layer through the
parchment.
- Liners
- Decorative papers used to line the inside of an
Inner Envelope or a Single Envelope. Some brands honor
the age-old craft of lining envelopes by hand and line
the full length of the envelope.
- Line Spacing
- Also called "leading", this refers to the space
between the text lines. During the customization
process, you can increase or decrease the space between
the lines by clicking on the line spacing link on the
customization pages.
- Lithography
- Technical term for what many people call flat
printing. Lithography creates watercolor effects and
pale background designs. The ink is literally flat with
a matte finish.
- Monograms
- A decoration using the initials of a name. When the
middle letter of a person's monogram is larger than the
side two, the sequence of initials is first name on the
left, surname in the middle, then middle name on the
right. When all letters are the same size, the sequence
of initials from left to right is first name, middle
name, then surname. If you are combining the bride's
name with the groom's, you must use the format with the
middle letter larger. In this case, the sequence of
initials is the bride's first name on the left, mutual
surname in the middle, and the groom's first name on
the right.
- Outer Envelopes
- See Double Envelopes.
- Panel
- A raised section of the paper created by pressing
the middle section where the words will be printed down
leaving the raised area looking like a frame or matt.
Alternately, the term is used to indicate pages facing
each other such as on a tri-fold invitation which, when
opened fully, has a left panel, middle panel, and right
panel.
- Parchment
- A translucent paper made to look like the original
parchment. This lovely paper adds a softening effect to
any invitation and can be used either singly or as a
layer. Other companies may call this paper
"vellum."
- Single Envelopes
- A single envelope with a gummed flap into which the
invitation is slipped directly and then sealed shut.
Single Envelopes may be printed on the back flap for
social correspondence and lined for added
elegance.
- Single-Layer
- used to indicate a single card without a fold.
- Snow
- Term used by the Checkerboard brand for a handsome,
textured, white and sturdy paper covered with tiny,
bluish-gray flecks. The paper was designed to simulate
hand-made paper.
- Square Envelopes
- Any envelope sized to fit a square invitation.
Square Envelopes are available only as Single
Envelopes.
- Thermography
- A contemporary printing method using heat and a
fine resin to create a rich, raised effect with the
ink. A clear powder is dusted onto the flat ink of
lithography just after it is printed, then heated to
give the raised effect. eInvite uses the highest
quality thermography to print your wording on many of
the designs.
- Trapunto
- A decorative design in high relief.
- Trompe l'Oeil
- A French term meaning "trick/deceive the eye" used
to describe a visual effect that looks like something
it is not.
- Vellum
- An opaque, smooth-finish, sumptuous paper. Other
companies may use this term to refer to parchment paper
(see above).
- Wallet Flap Envelopes
- A standard rectangular envelope with the opening
along the long side and a squared flap. Wallet Flap
Envelopes for invitations are available as either
Double Envelope sets or Single Envelopes.
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