Wedding Invitations 101

When planning weddings, each detail must be laid out. Wedding planners (like Jennifer Lopez’ title role in “The Wedding Planner” and Steve Martin’s character in “Father of the Bride”) is responsible for the wedding invitations.

Wedding invitations may look simple to the receivers’ eye, but to the people behind it, planning how it looks was a matter a debate among them. Here’s an insider look on how wedding invitations come to be:

The Color Is Symbolic
The bride thinks of the motif of her wedding months before the day arrives. Most of the time, the wedding invitation has these colors. Wedding invitations are the preview to the special day.

By combining two different colors that look good when set against one another, the wedding invitation is more appealing to the receivers’ eye. Invitations commune in a silent way – they are symbolisms and the colors have meaning.

There are color trends. Like back in the 60s and 70s, the popular color was the avocado green. Numerous nuptials held during that era had wedding invites of that color. Soon enough, the dresses of the bridesmaids were of that shade as well.

Understand color meanings as well as the appropriate matching and mixing of colors.

The Font Is Important
Let’s do this exercise. Go to your Microsoft Word program and click on the font option. You would have to continuously scroll down to browse through all the fonts that are available for you to use. From A to Z, these fonts serve as the choices for the wedding planner, bride and groom.

Of course, the fonts available for wedding invitations may not be the exact one that you see in your Microsoft word program. The makers of the wedding invitations present lettering examples to their client. Once selecting which font they would like to use for their wedding planner, they have the option to go with the basic black or choose another color.

Script fonts for wedding invitations must be formal and elegant. The script serves as the tone for serious wedding invitations. Too formal may equate too dull.

If the font has lots of lines and swirls, it conveys a feminine touch. The wedding invitation must be personal. Often, wedding invitations are engraved on scented stationery – white with touches of pink.

Here are suggested formal scripts: CommScript, Exmouth, Freeborder Script and Scriptina.

If you prefer informal and casual scripts, have a look at Dymaxion Script, Noodle Script, Stereo HiFi and Still Time.

Now we move to what must be written on the wedding invitation. Here is how you compose the traditional wedding invitation.

The first name your guests see on the wedding invitation are the names of the people who will be paying for the event. Most cases, this is the bride’s parents. If both the bride and the groom will be paying, then it is their names that appear first on the invitation.

The words “cordially invite” you is the most formal phrasing on the wedding invitation. If the wedding will be held at a place of worship, then the wedding invitation should read “request the honor of your presence.” For informal invitations, the wording can be “request the pleasure of your company.”

Now if the engaged couple are the ones paying for the wedding, “invite you to join us at the celebration of our marriage” is written.

The bride must always be mentioned first, followed by the groom.

The date and time are traditionally spelled out:

Saturday, the twenty-fourth of September
Two thousand and seven
At two o’clock in the afternoon.

But it can also be written as:
Saturday, September 24, 2007
at 2 pm.

If the ceremony is a location known by most, you don’t have to include the address. But if it is an intimate one or your home, the address must be written out.

The wedding invitation will also include the time and venue for the reception. The reception follows the wedding ceremony. Traditionally, the guests will move from the location of the wedding to the place of the ceremony.

Most importantly, you have to ask your guests to RSVP. RSVP is the abbreviated form of the French sentence “Respondez Sil Vous Plait” which translates to “Please reply.” This will give you an idea on how many people are coming. Upon having that knowledge, the seat plan will be easier to organize.

Do not forget to include the attire. This will help the guests decide on what they will wear. If you do not want people to come in wearing jeans, then include the line “black tie.”

Now, you’re ready. That’s just step one. But at least you’re on your way to plan your dream wedding.