Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

Archive for the ‘Invitations & Stationery’ Category

It used to be that Do It Yourself meant sitting at a kitchen table making something by hand. That’s still considered Do It Yourself when it comes to crafting, but today’s DIYers know that you can use the computer to help you make things look professional. Your wedding invitations are one thing you can create yourself online (or with DIY wedding invitation kits) and save yourself a great deal of money.

All you need to do is find a good online printer. Printers these days are competing for your business. Since there are so many printers out there, consumers have a choice of where they want to spend their dollars.

Look for an online printer who specializes in invitations. Expect that they will do more than just invitations, as a good printer should.  They should also have many samples of invitations available for you to look through online. There should be many categories from formal to fun from which you can choose to design your own DIY wedding invitations.

Look for a printer who has been in business online for some time. The longer they’ve been online, the better the chances are that they’ve worked out all the kinks of printing and delivering the goods to online customers. You can find this information out by checking a site’s FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) area on their site. Usually, this information is down by the bottom of the page. Don’t expect the information to be staring you in the face. You may have to dig a little, but at least find out how many years they’ve been in business and what their return or satisfaction guarantee is.

Now comes the fun part. You can choose from any template you like for your wedding invitations. You may see a fun and casual one you and your fiancé really like, but if it doesn’t go with your wedding’s overall feel, you might want to pick something more classic. The more formal the wedding, the more formal the invitation should be. This is the first impression your guests will have of your wedding, so make sure it matches with your level of formality.

Once you’ve chosen a layout design, you’ll be able to insert your wording. This is where you want to be especially careful to spell everything correctly. That includes your fiancé’s last name as well as the location of your reception. Be sure that the day of the week matches the date. It’s a common mistake to inadvertently write “Saturday, October 18^th” when it’s really “Saturday, October 17^th.” Be sure you have both the date and the day right. Check a calendar.

Once you have typed in your wording, you’ll have a chance to proof your invitation. Again, check it with an eagle’s eye. You may want to print it out so that you can look at it on paper. Anything you have there will appear on the invitation, so if there’s an extra apostrophe or one missing, correct it now. You’ll be held responsible for approval of the proof, so be sure it’s perfect.

A good printer will also offer you additional items that already have your wording, style, and font in place. You may be asked if you want to order Thank You cards, table number cards, wedding programs or other printed materials at the same time. It’s a good idea to go ahead and click yes because you’ll be sure to get the same font, paper weight and ink color if you order them all in the same batch. It will also save you a lot of trouble of having to have the additional cards printed at a later date and you will save on shipping as well.

Leave yourself enough time. Don’t order your invitations at the last minute and then be forced to pay rush shipping. You can design your entire invitation package online in just a few minutes, but you have to allow the printer time to print your job and mail it to you.

Related Articles:

• Ordering Wedding Invitations
• Cheap Wedding Tips - Invitations
• Do It Yourself Wedding Programs for the Ceremony

It’s a good idea to send out Save the Date cards if you are getting married. Today’s guests lead very busy lives and want to be able to plan their schedules well in advance so they can attend. But how do you go about sending a Save the Date card? What is it supposed to say?

Give the Details

The whole purpose of the Save the Date card is to allow those who are traveling or very busy advance notice of your actual wedding date. You should send these cards out six to eight months prior to your wedding (as opposed to your wedding invitations which you will send out six to eight weeks before). You want to be sure to include the date and the location. And be sure to include wording that tells the guests “Invitations to follow” so that they know more information is on its way.

Divulge the Style

How stylish you make these cards will depend on how your wedding invitations will look. You want them to match as if they came from the same wedding invitation kit. If you are having a simple wedding with very simple invites, your style should carry through on the Save the Date card. After all, this is the first printed piece your guests will receive. It should let them know how dressy your wedding will be. If they receive a card that was simply run through a home printer, they’ll expect your wedding will be more casual. This is a good time to invest in high quality printed cards so that you make a good first impression.

What to Say

So do you just send a card that says you’re getting married October 9^th? Yes and no. If most of your guests are local, then sure, it’s fine to just warmly ask the guests to save October 9^th as your wedding date. You can even include the time of day and location on your Save the Date card. But, if you have lots of guests traveling from out of town, you’re going to need to give them a bit more information. Provide the exact address and location of the event. Include maps of the area and names of hotels they could stay at along with phone number and contact info. Include as many details as possible about airports, car service, or any other transportation needs that your guests may encounter.

The Destination Wedding

If you are having a destination wedding where everyone is traveling to be with you, definitely send all of the above information (maps, airport info, etc.) but also include the specifics of the hotel you are staying at. They are going to want to be right at the heart of the action and stay at the same hotel. They will need to book up to eight months in advance to get a spot especially if your wedding is at a tropical or popular wedding destination. Also include information on any rooms you’ve blocked out for the wedding party along with how to reserve one. Include airline information as well as a schedule of events if you know them in advance. If you’re having a beach wedding at noon and then activities throughout the weekend, you’ll want to give that information, too. The more details you can give your out-of-town guests ahead of time, the less you will have to provide with your invitations.

The Booklet

One great suggestion is to have a printer create a Save the Date booklet for you. It can include all the information mentioned above, plus a photo of the destination or any other forms or information you feel would help your guests. The booklet should reflect the color scheme and style of your wedding and be done in a very professional manner. This is not the time to staple a few copied papers together. Invest in some time and effort and make it a packet that guests can easily take with them as they travel to your wedding. They’ll appreciate the thought and effort.

Trying to save money? Try this article and decide; Should You Send Save the Date Cards?

So you want to have a destination wedding—Aruba, Jamaica, Hawaii—and can’t invite everyone from back home? What should you do if you still want to have a reception when you return so that you can celebrate with everyone? This can be a touchy subject with some, so consider how you present your reception and the timing of it.

First off, some guests may feel snubbed if they are not invited to the actual wedding. They feel they should at least have been offered the invite even if they can’t hop a flight to Jamaica. They may also feel that you only invited the “good” people and that they are second string. To avoid hurt feelings you should consider the wording on your invitation. If you are going to send out invitations to your post-destination reception before your off-site wedding, you will not want to include the exact date and time of your reception back home. For instance, you should say something like, “Joe and Rita are going to be married June 8^th in Hawaii. A reception will be held in Milwaukee on Friday, July 7 at 9:00.” Notice, you are giving the guest just enough information to say the wedding will take place off-site but not so much that they feel you are flaunting it in their face that they are not invited. The wording above makes it seem like everyone has been invited to the wedding reception back home and hence, the guest is not missing out on anything.

While there are various schools of thought on exactly when you should host that post-destination party, it’s usually a good idea to schedule it for within a month of your actual wedding. However, if you live in an area of the country where it is going to be extremely cold or the weather is prohibitive and may ruin your party, then by all means, stretch the date to a time when it’s nicer where you live. But most people will find it odd if you don’t have your reception within at least a few months from your wedding date.

Make sure you enlist the help of a family member or friend back home to mail your wedding stationery & invitations while you are at your destination on your honeymoon. The invitations should arrive in your guests’ mailboxes while you are away so that the announcement that you were just married remains fresh. So have Aunt Barb take your invitations to the post office while you’re gone and you can rest easy on your honeymoon knowing you’ve taken care of everything.

Prepare your invitations well in advance with the correct wording and you’ll have one less thing to think about. You might choose to do an informal set of invitations if the reception is going to be an outdoor barbecue. Or, you send something formal if you’re going ahead with a very upscale reception. Just have your date set in advance for the reception. The worst thing you can do is run off and get married in a tropical destination thinking you’ll plan the reception when you return. You’ll have so much to do when you get back that the plans may fall behind and you’ll end up not scheduling your reception (or not being able to get a venue) for six or seven months after the wedding. This will make guests feel left out. By the time half a year rolls around, the excitement of the initial celebration will have faded in the minds of your guests and they may feel forgotten.

So a good rule of thumb to stick with is to invite everyone in writing before you leave for your wedding. Have everything booked and ready to roll for within a month of your actual wedding date. Of course you can take care of wedding favors and other little details when you return, but don’t hold off on booking a band or hiring a caterer until you return. Have your reservations etched in stone at the restaurant or hall so that there are no unpleasant surprises when you return home to pick up your reception planning again.

Helpful Article: How to Announce that You Have Eloped

Who still hand writes their thank you notes? If you’re raising your hand right now, good for you! They mean a lot. True story- I received a hand-written thank you note just today and it made me smile. The short but sweetly written note of appreciation from my friend meant a lot to me. And, it will mean a lot to your wedding guests too!

Recipe for Writing Thank You's

1. Everyone who sent a gift should receive a thank you note.

2. Keep it real. Keep it sincere.

3. Take your time to avoid spelling errors, etc.

4. Both bride and groom should share in writing their thank you's.

5. Send thank you's to your wedding party and parents.

Optional: Send thank you's to the vendors who have done an exceptional job realizing your vision.

How soon should they be sent?

Life gets busy right away after the honeymoon so I suggest you write them as soon as possible- within 2 weeks – 1 month. If gifts come before the wedding, send your thank you cards right away.

What do you write about?

It’s always courteous to mention the gift and perhaps how you will use it. What else? Acknowledge anything special about the guest or the sacrifice they made to come to your wedding.

Helpful tips in writing your thank you notes:

• Coordinate your thank you's with the rest of your wedding stationery to round out your look.
• Whenever you receive a gift, use your guest list to record who gave what.
• If the gift came damaged, no need to mention it to your guest
• Find a comfortable place to write and a use a really great pen.
• Set a goal to write a certain number of thank you notes each day.

An Example

Dear Uncle Jake and Aunt Kitty,

Thanks so much for coming to our wedding.  It was so great to see you and we really appreciate that you traveled to be with us on our big day. Thanks also for the custom picture frame. We love it and can’t wait to choose the perfect wedding photo for it.

Love,

John and Susan

When it comes time to send out your wedding invitations, you’re bound to have some questions. Because today’s society isn’t as formal as it once was, it’s hard to know just how to send out formal invitations. The last thing you want to do is offend someone. Here are some etiquette questions and answers that may be helpful to you.

First, you should know that formal invitations are comprised of one outer envelope which you write the full names and address of the people invited and an inner envelope which you do not seal, but will write the names only of the people invited.

How should you address an envelope to a single person and let them know it’s ok to bring a guest?

On the outside envelope, use just the invited guest’s name (Mr. John Brown). On the front of the inside envelope, write Mr. John Brown and Guest.

How do you address an envelope to a family when kids are invited?

You address the outer envelope to the couple (Mr. and Mrs. John Brown). On the front of the inside envelope, write the full names of the parents and the children’s first names (Mr. and Mrs. John Brown, Maggie, Elise, Tom). This will let the parents know their children are invited as well.

If a couple is living together but not married, how do you invite them both?

You would write both their names on the outer and inner envelopes. For instance, it would be correct to write “Mr. Todd Smith and Miss Katie Jones.”

If a doctor and his wife are on the guest list, how do you address the inner envelope?

Use the full name and address on the outer envelope (Dr. and Mrs. Clay Hartwell) and on the inner envelope write the title and last name (Dr. and Mrs. Hartwell).

If your guest is in the military, how do you address an invitation to him and his wife?

It’s correct to address the outer envelope with the military branch and rank. For instance, Captain and Mrs. George Wendell, U.S.Army, is correct on the outer envelope. Inside you would write Captain and Mrs. Wendell.

If a woman is divorced, how do you address her invitation?

Be certain whether she has kept her married name or gone back to her maiden name. Either way you would write Ms. Mary Black. The Ms. fits in either situation. The inside would read Ms. Black.

How do you address an envelope to a married couple with different last names?

It is correct to write both names out fully. For instance, the outer envelope would read Mr. Bob Holden. On the next line under it, write Mrs. Monica White. On the inside, you’d write Mr. Holden and Mrs. White.

How do you include wording about dress code?

If you’re going to have a formal wedding, you can write “Black Tie Optional” or “Black Tie Suggested.” This will let the men know to wear a tuxedo or dark dress suit and the women will know it’s more dressy as well. Leave out any words that say how a guest must dress. It may seem too pushy. But definitely include how you’d like everyone to be dressed. It’s ok to say “Casual Attire Invited” if you are having a beach wedding or “Smart Casual” if it’s not ok to wear shorts.

Is it ok to print labels on your computer for the addresses?

Good etiquette suggests that it’s better to hand write your addresses on the envelopes. Plan for it to take a bit more time than you imagine. That’s the beauty of a formal invitation. It is not a quick copy or print from a machine. It’s your hand-written welcome. So invest a little extra time. Buy a good set of black felt tip pens and sit down and hand write your addresses. It’s rude to slap on computer generated labels. It sends a message that you didn’t care enough to hand address.

More on Wedding Invitations:

• Ordering Wedding Invitations
• Cheap Wedding Tips - Invitations
• Should You Send Save the Date Cards?
• Do It Yourself Wedding Programs for the Ceremony
• What to Do When You Have Missing or Late RSVP's

Enormous “to do” lists make for super busy brides-to-be. What with the venues to book, looks to refine, details to settle, décor to decide, transport to arrange, food to taste, a wedding site to update—not to mention work, family, time alone with your fiancé and ordering your wedding stationery. Ah, your wedding invitations … the centerpiece of the stationery. With such big communication shoes to fill, ordering your invites is not an undertaking you want to rush. Have you seen their responsibilities lately:  who is saying “I do” how to dress, where to go, when to show up … and that’s just basic info. You can do a lot to ensure that you’re happy with the results- from start to finish. Take these 5 tips into consideration:

1.       Give yourself plenty of time to order. A good rule of thumb is to start researching for invites is at least 6 months prior to your wedding date. This will give you enough time to finalize your colors, theme and which ensemble items you need: RSVP and enclosure cards, menu cards, programs, table number and place cards. Once set, place your order at least 4 months prior to your wedding date as invites are sent 6-8 weeks ahead of time. Always order at least 25 extra for surprise invites and keepsakes. It’s usually more economical to order everything at once rather than having to add on later.

2.       It’s all about personalization. Share your flair- remembering that colors matter and wording counts. You want to be able to put your interpretation into the design that speaks to the look and feel you’re going for. Reflect your wedding style- whether it’s timeless and traditional, contemporary and cool, beachy coast, or all out offbeat and quirky. This is your day! Certain colors evoke certain moods and the right font can change a design from formal to casual or from modern to vintage. Take time and have fun choosing the right elements to set the tone for your wedding of the century!

3.      Power in proofing. Check and recheck the spellings, the date and times, the names, guest titles, directions, EVERYTHING before your invitations are printed. It’s so easy to omit something important or overlook a typo if you’re rushing. Ask for proofing help from your detailed-oriented family and friends!

4.      Addressing envelopes- get your etiquette on. Envelope addressing is an art form in itself as well as a tool of communication. Traditional etiquette suggests that you do not use abbreviations for titles, street names, states- exceptions being: Mr. Mrs. Ms. Jr. Sr. II, III. The number one, apartment numbers can be written in numerals. Also, every invitation has to be specifically addressed because your guests come in different statuses: single, with children, living together, titled professionals, etc. And, whether you use a single or double set of envelopes, here are wording and etiquette tips for wedding invitation addressing.

5.      Best possible presentation on arrival. Avoid the dreaded "return to sender for incomplete postage" stamped across the perfect calligraphy of your envelopes. Know your postage costs.  Take a complete invitation set to the post office and have it weighed! Ask if the postal worker will hand-cancel your invitations too.

Featured wedding invitation: Flat Flower Flourish with Half Moon Holder, Envelope and Vellum Overlay

Which is your favorite tip?

Guest post by Glowing Bride, Author of Wow! Glowing Bride in 30 Days

Ah, those four little letters... R.S.V.P. How can four teeny tiny members of the alphabet cause so much grief?

The short answer is that the replies you receive may not match your expectations, and it’s hard not to take it personally or be disappointed. The longer answer is, well much longer! How can you keep a cool head during RSVP drama? Here’s the lowdown!

Scenario 1

- The RSVP’s are rolling in and the guest list is looking a little... lob sided.

It’s common to end up with an uneven guest list, (bride or groom-heavy), for many reasons. Since opposites attract it’s possible than one of you simply knows more people or has a bigger family. If one of you is getting married in your hometown and has more guests as a result, have you considered having another celebration in a second location? This could simply be a dinner or a smaller scale party for the other person. Whatever the reason for the uneven list, try to focus on the fact that your friends and family will become each others’ after the wedding - and look forward to starting those new relationships on your wedding day!

Scenario 2

- Your Aunt RSVP’d “With Regrets: I have to take care of the dogs.”

While some excuses for not attending are totally understandable, sometimes you might be presented with a really lame one. “I have to paint the house that weekend” was given to a friend tying the knot recently, and she was understandably hurt. It’s hard to accept, but your big day isn’t such a big day to everyone. Is that person that has to paint the house so desperately really that important to you anyway?

Scenario 3

- The reply simply said ‘No’, without a reason being given.

You might not be given a reason for all your negative RSVP’s, and it is not polite etiquette to ask. Accepting that people have their own commitments and that it is common (particularly with summer weddings) to have two engagements on the same day should make you feel at ease. Although a ‘no’ looks aggressive and uncaring, this is not a rejection - some people simply don’t know how to express their regrets and would simply prefer not to.

Scenario 4

- Guests aren’t RSVP’ing on time

Even if you set a deadline (which you should, it gets people’s butts into gear!), you may not receive all your RSVP’s on time. Some people don’t realize the importance of replying on time until they themselves plan such a big event. Even then, life happens and it can innocently slip one’s mind. It’s immensely frustrating but rather than waste your time and energy complaining about it, follow up with those stragglers and give them the benefit of the doubt for their tardiness! A simple phone call or email should help you collect the final responses in a couple of hours. And keep a cool head - no matter how hard it is to bite your tongue, do not make aggressive calls or write wicked emails at this time. Instead explain politely that you need to give your vendors a final headcount and would really appreciate a response by the end of the day.

Final thoughts: Receiving some negative RSVP’s is inevitable, and some are going to be more disappointing than others. You are never going to find a date and location that pleases everyone, and accepting that is important. On the day you are going to be so happy about those people that can make it, that you will hardly notice those that can’t. The only people that need to be there to celebrate your love are you and your man, and I’m pretty sure the two of you could do that on a deserted island, so any guests are just an added bonus!

Find more advice for the bride at www.wowglowingbride.com

When it comes time to send out your wedding invitations, you’re bound to have some questions. Because today’s society isn’t as formal as it once was, it’s hard to know just how to send out formal invitations. The last thing you want to do is offend someone. Here are some etiquette questions and answers that may be helpful to you.

First, you should know that formal invitations are comprised of one outer envelope which you write the full names and address of the people invited and an inner envelope which you do not seal, but will write the names only of the people invited.

How should you address an envelope to a single person and let them know it’s ok to bring a guest?

On the outside envelope, use just the invited guest’s name (Mr. John Brown). On the front of the inside envelope, write Mr. John Brown and Guest.

How do you address an envelope to a family when kids are invited?

You address the outer envelope to the couple (Mr. and Mrs. John Brown). On the front of the inside envelope, write the full names of the parents and the children’s first names (Mr. and Mrs. John Brown, Maggie, Elise, Tom). This will let the parents know their children are invited as well.

If a couple is living together but not married, how do you invite them both?

You would write both their names on the outer and inner envelopes. For instance, it would be correct to write “Mr. Todd Smith and Miss Katie Jones.”

If a doctor and his wife are on the guest list, how do you address the inner envelope?

Use the full name and address on the outer envelope (Dr. and Mrs. Clay Hartwell) and on the inner envelope write the title and last name (Dr. and Mrs. Hartwell).

If your guest is in the military, how do you address a wedding invitation to him and his wife?

It’s correct to address the outer envelope with the military branch and rank. For instance, Captain and Mrs. George Wendell, U.S.Army, is correct on the outer envelope. Inside you would write Captain and Mrs. Wendell.

If a woman is divorced, how do you address her invitation?

Be certain whether she has kept her married name or gone back to her maiden name. Either way you would write Ms. Mary Black. The Ms. fits in either situation. The inside would read Ms. Black.

How do you address an envelope to a married couple with different last names?

It is correct to write both names out fully. For instance, the outer envelope would read Mr. Bob Holden. On the next line under it, write Mrs. Monica White. On the inside, you’d write Mr. Holden and Mrs. White.

How do you include wording about dress code?

If you’re going to have a formal wedding, you can write “Black Tie Optional” or “Black Tie Suggested.” This will let the men know to wear a tuxedo or dark dress suit and the women will know it’s more dressy as well. Leave out any words that say how a guest must dress. It may seem too pushy. But definitely include how you’d like everyone to be dressed. It’s ok to say “Casual Attire Invited” if you are having a beach wedding or “Smart Casual” if it’s not ok to wear shorts.

Is it ok to print labels on your computer for the addresses?

Good etiquette suggests that it’s better to hand write your addresses on the envelopes. Plan for it to take a bit more time than you imagine. That’s the beauty of a formal invitation. It is not a quick copy or print from a machine. It’s your hand-written welcome. So invest a little extra time. Buy a good set of black felt tip pens and sit down and hand write your addresses. It’s rude to slap on computer generated labels. It sends a message that you didn’t care enough to hand address.

For more invitation advice, try some of the following articles:

Should You Send Save the Date Cards?

Do It Yourself Wedding Programs for the Ceremony

What to Do When You Have Missing or Late RSVPs

About eight weeks ago, we received an invitation from a couple to attend their wedding reception only. This couple was planning to have a private wedding in Mexico followed by a formal and much bigger reception at home {for everyone else} a few weeks after the wedding date.  In other words, a destination wedding with an at-home reception. Fun!

Well, I’d love to tell you how much fun we had at their reception~ the food, the dancing, the socializing… but this post is about wording a reception invitation. So I’ll get to it! Reception only invitations are pretty much the same as typical wedding invitations – only they don’t include ceremony information. The important components still being: who’s hosting, date, time and location while design and wording will indicate style and formality.

Since their reception was only a few weeks after their ceremony, our couple chose to send invitations     approximately eight weeks before they were actually married. If you prefer a shorter length of time between announcing your marriage and sending out your invitations, mail your invites on the day of or soon after your wedding. Just plan accordingly for your reception date.

Sample Wording for an At-Home Reception

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

have the honor of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Heather B. Smith
to
Jack L. Johnson

on July 23, 2012
The couple were united in marriage
in a private ceremony in
Los Cabos, Mexico

Please join us for a reception
celebrating their marriage
on August 23, 2012
Time
Location
Address

Remember to include RSVP Cards and any additional details helpful to your guests (i.e. parking info, maps, hotel accommodations, etc.)

All the Best,

Passport to Love

Image: Half-fold wedding invitation from MagnetStreetWeddings

It's your wedding, of course you want everything to look nice and pretty. There's a certain stigma to making your own wedding invitations and for some reason, a belief that they won't turn out as nice. However, you'll be happy to know that this is not the case at all! Your homemade wedding invitations have the opportunity to not only look beautiful and unique, but you can save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Here are a few ideas for some inspiration!

There are plenty of kits out there to help you create wonderful-looking wedding invites. Do you need a kit? Of course not. Are they helpful? Of course they are. Ultimately it all depends on how much money you are willing to spend and how much time (and help) you have.

Costs

It's simple to assume that homemade wedding invitations are very cheap. Some of the time, this is very correct but other times, it can cost just as much! Here are some of the most common costs involved in wedding invitations:

• DIY Wedding Invitation Kit
• Stationery
• Envelopes
• Printing (if you decide to have printing outsourced)
• Postage to send them out
• Postage to receive RSVP's back

Downloading the Templates

There are some websites out there that give you ready-made templates for free. This is very helpful if you'd like to keep your invitations short and simple. Here are a few of the websites that offer downloadable wedding invitation templates:

DesignBetty.com

PashWeddings.com

Southworth.com

PaperAlchemy.com

Formal-Invitations.com

Do-It-Yourself-Invitations.com

DIY Wedding Invitation Kits

The trick to finding a suitable do-it-yourself wedding invitation kit is to consider what you will be receiving in each kit, and how many. What type of paper are you receiving? Do they include invitations, programs, RSVP cards and thank you cards? If not, it's not a big deal, just don't forget that you'll have to purchase those as well. These wedding invitation kits are incredibly helpful when making your own wedding invitations and they help you get a jump start on the process.

Here are a few good choices for wedding invitation kits:

Laura Ashley Ivory Floral Invitation Kit ($44 for a set of 50 invitations. They also have these in white.)

Green Botanical Invitation Kit (Set of 25 for $37. Includes response cards of same theme)

Silver Jacket Printable Invitation Kit (Set of 25 for $31. Includes response cards as well)

Gold Deckled Printable Invitation Kit (Set of 50 for $39)

Ivory and Copper Folder Invitation Kit (Set of 25 for $46). Folder kit comes with popular add-ins.

Other Pretty Ideas

Some simple but pretty touches might include some lace, sheer ribbon, or plain ribbon that is woven through two holes near the top of the invitation. It adds an elegant flair and is fairly simple to do yourself.

Even more popular now is the vellum overlays. These are beautiful items to print and lay over your invitation. They are transparent, but still have a little bit of mask with them. See an example here.

Buttons can be cute accessories if your wedding is going to have a different sort of theme. If you're going for bold colors or outrageously colorful decor, consider all kinds of bright and mismatched buttons on your invites. Nothing screams unique and vibrant like buttons.

For more on wedding invites:

• Basic Wedding Invitation Etiquette
• Stylish RSVP Card Wording
• Wedding Announcements
• Wedding Planning Basics
• Wedding Stationery Fonts