Wedding Invitation Etiquette

Wedding invitation etiquette has changed a bit over time – such as dual envelopes not being a must. But overall, etiquette standards remain. Wording for example, continues to be very specific for church weddings, home weddings, and second marriages. When it comes to wedding invitations, certain etiquette should be followed and in the end, it can actually help make the process easier, answering and eliminating questions.

When choosing wedding invitations, the style of wedding should really dictate what type of card is sent. If a formal affair, then the invitation should properly reflect that – though that doesn’t mean it needs to be the most expensive. If a less formal wedding, then even handmade cards will be fine. This will not only be cost-saving, but also add a personal touch for your family and friends. Color-wise, the invitations often match with the wedding’s own color scheme, such as for the reception. This all ties into wedding preparation, with invitations being one of the very first steps to establishing a wedding’s framework.

As for wedding invitation enclosures, the traditional ones are: a reply card (or postcard), a map or direction card, and a reception card. Traditionally, two envelopes have been used for invitations, with the outer envelope serving as a protector so all parts of the invitation remain pristine. However, this is no longer regarded as necessary and a single envelope should be fine. Also, the reception card isn’t necessary today either, as a sentence at the end of an invitation could serve the same purpose: “Reception to follow.” As far as the RSVP card, an enclosed postcard could work. These slight changes in etiquette are a sign of the times, as well as budget savers.

Wording a wedding invitation traditionally comes from the home of the bride and all envelopes should be addressed by hand. This duty is typically done by the mother of the bride and while a printer could create beautiful fonts, it’s a wedding etiquette faux-pas to use it for addresses. To recruit help is acceptable (especially for hundreds of invites) and the maid-of-honor usually does just that.

Invitations should be sent at least eight weeks prior to the wedding date and depending on the size of the guest list, addressing envelopes should begin as soon as possible, at least three months before the wedding, if possible. If hiring a calligrapher, orders should be sent four months in advance. RSVP cards should be received two weeks prior to the ceremony and if there are any outstanding replies, the bride or the mother of the bride should make a formal call to finalize the count.