wedding invitations
When to Send Thank You Notes
Today, I wish to discuss the time frame that you should send out “thank you” notes for gifts received at your engagement party, bridal showers, and on the day of your wedding.
For engagement parties and bridal showers, you should send a “thank you” note out within two to three weeks of receiving the gifts. As for wedding gifts, there are three different times that you may receive gifts from people–before your wedding, the wedding day, and after your wedding.
If you receive any wedding gifts before the wedding date, you should immediately send a “thank you” note upon receipt. For wedding gifts received on the actual wedding date, ideally you want to have all “thank you” notes mailed within three months of the wedding. If you receive any wedding gifts after the wedding date, you should send a “thank you” note within two to three weeks of receiving the gift.
Please remember that each “thank you” note must be personalized. The best way to do this is to mention the gift by name in the note, tell the giver how you will use the gift, and sincerely express your appreciation for the gift and their attendance at your wedding (if they attended). Lastly, your “thank you” note must be handwritten. Never send out a generic “thank you” note.
Editor’s Note: Originally published in October 2008 and previously republished in July 2010.
Photo from After College
Read MoreWedding Invitation Enclosures – Rain Cards
I first mentioned rain cards when I discussed the importance of having a backup plan for outdoor weddings. In that post I told you that:
Rain cards are an enclosure that you can include in your invitation set and they are the best way to inform your guests of your backup plan should it rain. In this way, they will know ahead of time where to go if it rains as opposed to having to call and or wander around trying to figure out where to go.
Rain cards serve two purposes: to inform your guests that your wedding is taking place outside and to let your guests know of your back up plan or alternate location ahead of time.
Therefore, if you are having an outdoor wedding or hosting your wedding in an area that is prone to inclement weather, for example, a beach wedding during hurricane season, you should enclose a rain card with your wedding invitations.
Read MoreWedding Invitation Enclosures – Travel Cards
Travel Card by Invitation Consultants
Travel cards or accommodation cards serve the purpose of providing out-of-town guests with information about hotels in the same vicinity that your wedding will take place. The hotels listed should be a couple of locations where you have reserved a block of rooms at a negotiated rate. In this situation, your guests will have a limited time to reserve their accommodations in order to receive the discounted rate. You will want to specify a deadline for your guests to make their room reservations.
If you are planning a destination wedding, you can enclose accommodation cards with your save-the-date cards instead of your wedding invitation. In this situation, you may include full travel details, including airfare and hotel information if you are working with a travel agent as well as airport and transportation details. Please be sure to include the contact information for your travel agent on the accommodation card as well as a deadline for guests to book their travel.
Wedding Invitation Enclosures – Ceremony & Reception Cards
This week I have been discussing the different types of enclosures you can include with your wedding invitations. Thus far, I have discussed reply cards and direction cards. Next on my list are ceremony and reception cards.
Ceremony cards are used when you are having a private wedding ceremony with a few special guests–your closest family and friends, followed by a large wedding reception. In other words, not everyone that is invited to reception is invited to the ceremony. For those invited to your ceremony, you will include this enclosure to let them know that their presence is requested at your ceremony. Everyone else will receive an invitation to the reception only.
Reception cards can be used for a couple of reasons. Most often, they are used when your ceremony and reception are taking place at two different locations. Other times, they are used when your guest list to the ceremony is larger than the number of guests invited to the reception. So, if everyone is not invited to your wedding reception (and I really do frown upon this), you can enclose a reception card with the wedding invitation to discreetly let your special guests know that a reception will follow.
Read MoreWedding Invitation Enclosures – Map & Direction Cards
Maps and directions cards are an important invitation enclosure for out-of-town guests, and especially if you are hosting a destination wedding. Unless your all of guests are local to your wedding location, I suggest that you always include a map and directions to both your ceremony and reception venues. As for etiquette (and aesthetics), please do not insert printed directions on copier paper inside your beautifully designed invitations.
While I am on the topic of maps and directions, a very popular trend among destination brides is to have custom map and direction cards that double as keepsakes for guests like the one above designed by calligrapher, Laura Hooper. I am in awe of these custom maps and I think they are a great way to captivate your guests with details. To date, I have not had an opportunity to work with Laura, but I have heard and read nothing but rave reviews about her artwork
Eco-Chic Wedding Invitations – Baron Card Designs
Petal Bloom Wedding Invitation
In addition, I am loving the company’s new website. I snagged these photos from their to share with you. Don’t you just love how they are displayed?
Read MoreChic and Luxurious Invitations
I really love invitations and personally, I think custom invitation designs are the way to go and well worth the splurge. Your wedding invitations say a lot about you, the style of your event, and they are an indicator of the degree of formality for your event. In essence, your wedding invitations are synonymous with first in-person encounters. Why not make a good impression by inspiring your guests with a captivating invitation that has been designed with your personal style in mind and specifically for the theme of your wedding.
Below are some very chic and luxurious custom wedding invitation design samples by CECI New York, a company founded by Lisa “CECI” Hoffman. Lisa “is a world-renowned graphic designer and innovator of invitations.” I stumbled upon her company a few days ago and felt in love with her work. She has three collections of wedding invitations: CECI Luxe, CECI Style, and CECI Classic.
I don’t know about you, but I’m in awe of these invitations. Please click here to visit CECI New York’s website.
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