Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Etiquette for Wedding Invitations Suggestions and Guidelines


Wedding Invitation Etiquette for Creating and Mailing Your Invitations

A wedding, regardless of how casual or formal it is planned to be, is usually steeped in long held traditions and certain etiquette suggestions and guidelines, and the invitations for weddings are certainly no exception. Because of these profound customs and the usual more formal nature of personalized wedding invitation cards etiquette, future brides will certainly want to do a some research regarding those guidelines about her upcoming wedding, including the proper wordings wedding invites.

Dress Codes Vary – But Should Be Added

Attire for weddings run the gamut from casual barefoot on the beach ceremonies to posh black tie events with lots of bling. To ensure your invited guests know what to expect, you should include details regarding the dress code, usually in the lower right corner of your invitation or maybe even in a separately enclosed reception card. Terms most often used are 'cocktail attire', 'black tie', 'casual attire', or 'beach party casual' and can all give your guest ideas for how to dress. Although your invitation style can give hints regarding the formality of the event, it is always better to avoid any possible confusion by announcing a clear directive as to attire.

How to Discuss the Kids

It seems that most everyone has wedding videos were the kids steal the show with scenes like restless toddlers, crying babies, and the sporadic all-out meltdown. To avoid the possibility of a pint size guest with full size tantrum, you might consider including words like an 'adults only' wedding. But, before making this decision, you will definitely want to be sure and address the invitations correctly. This is best done by addressing each guest by name, not simply 'and guest.' But, if you want to ensure that your loved ones can come, even if the little one can't, an alternative would be to arrange for babysitting services during the ceremonies and celebrations.

And, Above All - Keep it Personal

With all the different and unique fonts available for printing, it is awfully tempting to want to indulge in the variety and convenience of technology, but you'll definitely want to avoid this urge. Custom wedding invitations should never be addressed with labels. Rather, you will definitely want to address all your wedding stationery by hand, even if you are sending hundreds of invites. And, for those who think their particular handwriting might not be up to the level and quality you want, you can simply hire a calligraphist to assist in this task.

In addition to all the fuss and details of eventually getting to the 'I Do', you'll want to remember that the ultimate goal of any person planning these event is to make the invited guests feel welcome and comfortable. If you are unsure about any of these, then it is usually better to break with tradition, especially if it will spare possible hurt feelings or maintain the familial peace.

Find the latest invitation styles and trends for weddings, along with the most unique wedding invitation wording ideas and samples at http://www.invitationsbyu.com and other articles written by Sarah Porter for lots of websites, blogs, and other publications.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Help With Invitations Etiquette for 1st Communion Ceremony


Ensure Your Invitations Etiquette for 1st Communion Ceremony is Appreciated

Ceremonies for 1st Communion differ a great deal and usually include a Confirmation and other ceremonies, depending on the religious faith practiced by those sponsoring the participant. A religious Communion a very important event in children's life, and is celebrated in many different ways by families and groups It is both appropriate and recommended that customized invitations for Holy First Communion be prepared and sent to those whom you would like to share this experience with.

Creating Your Gusts List – Who to Include

One of the first, if not the 1st, task you will need to do is create your guest list – decide who you want to attend your ceremony and /or celebration. Although it might seem a bit challenging initially, you can start with the obvious, and the go from there. Begin by adding your family members, the Godparents, close family friends, friends your child wants to invite, and special church members your family wants to include. After this list has been created, then you can begin to edit it based on the criteria you establish including the number of guests you are allowed to invite. Remember, seating might limited as well as the cost considerations.

When Does Communion Invitation Etiquette Suggest They be Mailed?

For the more formal Communion ceremonies and celebrations, your invites should be mailed six to eight weeks before the event. But, for more casual Holy First Communion celebrations, the invitation cards can be sent three to four weeks in advance. However, if your event is being held near heavy volume days with the post office, like Christmas, it's definitely a good idea to get them in the mail earlier.

Signature Line and What Goes There?

Technically, there is no signature line on your invites, but the bottom line typically includes the parent names. For example, the bottom line can be something like, 'Proud Parents, Sarah & Sid Porter'. Parents with different last names should include their first and last names, but you should include child's complete legal name. If invitations are being sent to only very close friends and family, you might want to omit your last names but you still want to include your child's full name. If you include sibling names, it is often preceded by 'Big Brother' or 'Little Sister'. But once you start adding the siblings be sure and not exclude adult siblings or step-siblings.

Addressing for Single, Divorced, and Deceased Parents

For the bottom, sometimes referred to as the signature line, single parents can include just themselves, like 'proud Mother, Sarah Porter, or both separated parents, 'proud Mother, Sarah Stanley and Father, Sidney Porter. The only issue that an absolute must is to include the child's full name on this invitation so there is no doubt for the recipients. The signature line for a parent who has become widowed, the surviving parent should indicate his or her name as either 'Mr. Sidney Porter' or 'Sidney Porter' for a man OR 'Ms. Sidney Porter' or 'Sarah Porter' for a woman. The spouse can also be referred to as 'the late Sarah Porter' or 'the late Sidney Porter' if desired, or the surviving parent can simply include his name only.

Sending 1st Holy Communion Announcements Rather Than Invites

If you are having a small and private ceremony, it is totally appropriate to customize and send First Communion announcements after the ceremony has taken place. As an added bonus, consider adding add a picture or two of the ceremony to the announcement or separately. This always makes an excellent keepsake and memento for friends and family.

Find the largest collection of 1st Holy Communion invitation etiquette suggestions and unique invitations for First Communion ceremony and celebration at http://www.invitationsbyu.com and more articles like this written by Sarah Porter for various websites, blogs, and other publications.