|
|
|
Family Monopoly Champ!
I’m the Monopoly champion of my house for the fifth straight year! I know, I know, I’m sure this means about as much to y’all as a glass of warm spit, but to me it’s a big deal. All families develop certain traditions over the years, so this week...
Fast Solutions with Feng Shui
Fast Solutions with Feng Shui By BatSheva Vaknin Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art used in the home to create balance and harmony. Feng Shui Practitioners have many tricks of the trade used to get rid of negative energy and promote happiness,...
Marriage and the Election
Dear Friends of Marriage,
There is a lot of talk on both sides in this election that this is the most important election this century. Most of this is exaggeration to try and motivate people to vote for one candidate or the other. But in one...
So You Want to Start a Home Daycare
I hang out with the other mommies. No, I am not a "Mister Mom" or a "Househusband". I do have one enviable situation, though. I work from home and I have the flexibility to say, "This morning I am going to spend with my daughters. I can play...
What are Pug Puppies?
Pug puppies make wonderful pets. Pugs are very affectionate and loyal, and are happy to curl up at your feet. If you’re looking for pug puppies for sale, you can be sure of a loving companion. Pug puppies are playful with children, they get...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wedding Invitations—Today’s Etiquette and Wording
The look of the wedding invitations you send will not only says a lot about you and your husband-to-be they will also convey a fair amount of information about your upcoming ceremony. So it is important to plan the type of wedding you will have before you make any decisions about your invitations.
Based upon the quality of the paper stock, lettering, color and design you select, recipients are likely to make a determination about the formality or informality of the event, thus how they should dress. The color of your invitations may suggest the color scheme of your wedding. The quality of the paper may indicate how elaborate or simple you wedding will be.
Choosing Invitations
Stationery Stores—Most brides still go to a stationery store to select invitations. Once there, you can look at brochures and browse through manufacturers’ catalogs. The catalogs include samples invitations so that you can feel the paper stock, see the true color of the paper, and compare different print options. Knowledgeable clerks will be on hand to help you pick out the desired color and weight of the paper as well as the ink, style of script, and wording for your invitations. The only thing remaining for you to do will be to provide the particulars.
There are only a few large manufacturers and they dominate the wedding invitation industry. As a result, whichever stationery house you go to you are likely to see the exact same catalogs. Unlike private print shops, because these companies mass-produce their products they are able to offer you greater variety at a lower price.
Online Shopping—There is virtually nothing you can’t buy on the Internet, including your gown (although I would not recommend an online purchase for your wedding dress, which must be properly sized and fitted).
The Internet offers a huge number of sites selling both traditional and unique invitations. If you are bargain shopping for invitations, the Internet is definitely the place to go.
Keep in mind that you are always taking a chance when you choose this method. There is nothing like being able to feel the quality of the paper or the raised lettering to ensure that you will get exactly what you want. However, knowing how different weights of papers feel and about the different methods of printing can help.
Private Printers—Because of the availability of mass producers and the tendency of many people to shop for bargains on the Internet, private shops are now hard to find. If you have your heart set on truly personalized invitations, look around. You are almost sure to find one somewhere.
Different Printing Methods
There are essentially four common methods of invitation printing, each with its own benefits.
Handwritten—If you are planning a small wedding (meaning 50 people or fewer), it is perfectly acceptable to hand write your invitations. Of course, this will be hard work, but you will save a lot of money.
Engraved—This is the ultimate in invitation printing. With engraving, the printer stamps the back of the paper using metal plates. This raises the print up off of the paper so that you can actually feel the lettering. For most brides, engraved invitations are much to costly.
Thermography—This is the most common form of invitation printing. With this method, the ink is heated to create a raised-letter effect that is nearly indistinguishable from engraving.
Calligraphy—We all recognize this as another name for fancy formal script. This method is becoming more popular every year, Many of the printing houses are now able to offer this print option as well, but it is not done by hand.
Saying It with Words
Today, there are so many different kinds of
families—traditional, blended, divorced, etc.—that it’s no wonder brides are often concerned about how to word their invitations without breaching any rules of etiquette. The stationer you will likely be visiting soon will have more samples of wording than you will want to see. For now though, I’ll let you glance at a few of the more commonly used forms. These all fall under the category "traditional."
(Bride’s parents are hosting)
Mr. And Mrs. David Hennesse
Request the honor of your presence
At the marriage of their daughter
Miss Ellen Marie Hennesse
To
Mr. Mark Peter Bruster
On Saturday, the ninth of June
Two thousand and five
At three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Church
Duluth, Minnesota
(Both bride’s and groom’s parents are hosting)
Mr. And Mrs. David Hennesse
And
Mr. And Mrs. Clark Bruster
Request the honor of your presence
At the marriage of their children
Ellen Marie Hennesse
And
Mark Peter Bruster
On Saturday, the ninth of June
Two thousand and five
At three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Church
Duluth, Minnesota
(When the bride and groom host the wedding)
Miss Ellen Marie Hennesse
And
Mr. Mark Peter Bruster
Request the honor of your presence
At their marriage
On Saturday, the ninth of June
Two thousand and five
At three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Church
Duluth, Minnesota
The old rule was that the word "honor" should always be spelled "honour." This rule is no longer firmly held. However, you should always spell everything out—names, the date, the time and the location.
There are definite rules regarding the use of initials. "Doctor" (medical only, otherwise the professional title is not used) is written in full, unless the name to follow is long. "Mr." is never written "Mister," but "Jr." may also be written as "junior," although the first is preferred.
It is acceptable to use numbers when writing the address of the church or synagogue, but avoid doing so. Generally, the address (including the street name) of the location where the wedding will be held is omitted. You may want to include it if not doing so would be likely to cause your guest frustration—when, for example, you are getting married in a large city and guests would have to guess which of the several churches with the same name you mean.
If you do include the address and you are using a formal style of wording, spell out numbers under 100. Never abbreviate words such as "Street," "Avenue," and "Road," and do not include the zip code.
Saving Time and Money
If you are pressed for time, ask the stationer if you can have the envelopes early. This way, while you are waiting for your invitations to be printed you can address the envelopes.
When it comes to deciding how many invitations to order, you should definitely order slightly more than you think you will need. Chances are you are going to need more than you thought. It’s a lot more expensive to place a second order than it is to order extras.
© Copyright 2005 Bachcroft.com. Permission to reprint this article, as is, is granted as long as the proper attribution (author's biography) is given and all active hyperlinks remain intact.
About the Author
Jean Bachcroft is a former public relations director, founder of Bachcroft and Aloha Labels, and the publisher and editor-in-chief of Town and Country Shopping Bargains Magazine. For designer wedding, holiday, and year-round mailing and return address labels, you can visit her web sites at http://bachcroft.com and at http://alohalabels.com. For shopping bargains from around the world, visit http://townandcountryshoppingbargains.com.
|
|
|
|
|
| PetSmart - Pet supplies and pet products for healthier, happier pets |
| Offering food, treats, collars, leashes, health products, shampoos, medication, toys, carriers, housing and other supplies for all pets. |
| www.petsmart.com |
|
| Pets 4 You.com - Dogs | Cats |
| A large resource for animal enthusiasts with a directory of breeders and links to sources offering pet supplies and products, and to rescues and shelters. |
| www.pets4you.com |
|
| Yahoo! Pets |
| Learn how to care for a new pet. Find information about breeds or adopt a dog. ... What questions on pets or pet nutrition do you have today? ... |
| pets.yahoo.com |
|
| Welcome to Healthypet.com! |
| Pet care resources by the American Animal Hospital Association to find a veterinarian, veterinary clinic or animal hospital for pets and provide pet care ... |
| www.healthypet.com |
|
| Dogs & Puppies - Next Day Pets |
| Directory of breeders and shelters with dogs and puppies for sale and pets for adoption. Search dogs and puppies by breed with information on 150+ dog ... |
| www.nextdaypets.com |
|
| Petfinder.com: Adopt a pet and help an animal shelter rescue a ... |
| Adopt a pet dog or cat from animal welfare organizations across the country. |
| www.petfinder.com |
|
| Welcome to Neopets! |
| A virtual pet website where visitors may adopt and care for pets, as well as play games and participate in contests, communities, and combat simulations. |
| www.neopets.com |
|
| Chicago Tribune | Pets |
| Click one of the buttons to show pets within that category. Click here to show all pets for sale. Search Tips. (e.g., Beagle, Persian) ... |
| www.legacy.com |
|
| Pet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment, as opposed to ... Some horse-like animals are suitable for human companionship as pets or as work ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Pets - Pet Breeders Pet Information Pet Classifieds |
| Pets - Pet, Hobby and Show Animals Pets Online Has Puppies For Sale, Pet Products, Pet Shops. |
| www.mypets.net.au |
|
| Defra, UK - Animal health and welfare - Bringing pets to Britain |
| Travel guide and information on qualifications, requirements, and fees for bringing a pet into the UK. |
| www.defra.gov.uk |
|
| Defra, UK - Animal health and welfare - Pet Travel Scheme |
| The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the system that allows pet dogs, ... For travel to France, the passport also replaces the PETS 5 certificate. ... |
| www.defra.gov.uk |
|
| Indiatimes - Pets |
| /photo.cms?msid=968871. You can post him queries and problems about your pets. ... Other beautiful animals: pets, wild cats & butterflies. PET ZODIACS ... |
| pets.indiatimes.com |
|
| AVMA Care for Pets Home Page |
| Articles that tell how to select a pet, how to care for various types of pets, and how to cope with the death of a pet. Includes a section just for kids. |
| www.avma.org |
|
| Dog and Pet T-Shirts and Gifts at CafePress.com : Shop Over 35 ... |
| Pet Gifts. Pet Gifts. Pet owners unite with fun t-shirts, hats and more. See all results... Categories within Pet Gifts ... |
| www.cafepress.com |
|
| Pet Lover Gifts : Find & Buy Gifts at CafePress.com |
| Shop millions of unique and custom pet designs - such as dog, cat, bunny, horse and other animals - available on t-shirts, mugs, mousepads, posters, ... |
| www.cafepress.com |
|
| PETS 911 pet adoptions thru local animal shelters |
| Offers hotline for lost and found pets, adoption, veterinarians, and animal shelters. |
| www.pets911.com |
|
| Pets |
| Most of us think of adopting pets for all the wrong reasons.. as a ... Pets has a way of listening without judging and loving its owner unconditionally. ... |
| www.webindia123.com |
|
| Mara Pets Games - Play Free Flash Games, Dress Up Games and ... |
| Mara Pets Games is a free virtual pet site with fun flash games and character dress up games. Three new games weekly! |
| www.marapets.com |
|
| Canada's pet information center for dogs cats and humans |
| Canadian pet information centre, featuring articles, bulletin board, dog breed profiles, cat breeds, and ask the vet sections. |
| www.pets.ca |
|
|