The Rules and Etiquette of Wedding Invitations

The rules and etiquette of wedding invitations can be confusing and stressful. This is especially true if you are the one planning the wedding, and are responsible for sending out the invitations without help. When dealing with the wedding invitations, keep the following etiquette rules in mind.
1. Before the wedding invitation is printed, you need to send out a “Save the Date” announcement to your guests. This will ensure that they will save that date for your special day.
2. The wedding invitations should have the date, venue, purpose, time, names of bride and groom, as well as the names of the parents. You should also include RSVP information, such as the date that you need their RSVP card. This is helpful if you have to have a total guest count for the planning of the reception.
3. It is more formal to write out the names in full, including their middle names. For a married couple, you only have to write “Mr. and Mrs.” followed by the husband’s full name. Also, remember that the name on the outer envelope should be more formal than the inside envelope.
4. If your wedding is in a place of worship, it is best to use the phrase “request the honor of your presence”. For locations that are non-religious, you might want to use “request the presence of your company”.
5. The response card, or RSVP card, should be included with the wedding invitation. It is polite to include a stamp addressed envelope with the RSVP card so that the guest will not have to bother with the purchase of a stamp. Many brides and grooms serve a meal at their reception, and if you are doing so, then it would be good to include a menu choice for the guest. As mentioned above, have a deadline date set for when you need the RSVP card returned.
6. The normal time limit that wedding invitations should be mailed out to guests is at least six to eight weeks. This could differ if you are planning your reception early. Some etiquette rules state that this time limit rule applies for out-of-town guests, while guests in-town should receive the invitation 3 weeks prior to the event.
7. Take special care with the “wordings” in your wedding invitations. This is more important than the actual design of the invitations. The guests will pay attention to the wording and it will influence their decision about your wedding.
8. If your reception is at a different location from the wedding, it is polite to include a map with written directions as well.
9. It is best to order around 10 to 20 extra invitations in case you decide to invite more guests. This will also save you in case you forget to invite a person, so that they are not left out without an invitation.
10. While using printed labels will be less time consuming, it is not a very personal touch. If you have a long list of invites to write, perhaps enlist the help of a friend or relative with pretty handwriting. If your budget allows, hire a calligrapher to do it for you.

The rules and etiquette of wedding invitations do not require you to spend a great deal of money on the invitations. You only need to make sure that the above mentioned etiquette points are covered within the wedding invitations.

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