Elements of a Contemporary Wedding Invitation
Elements of a Contemporary Wedding Invitation
It is important to remember that the wedding invitation is essentially the key to your event as it is the first interaction your guests have with your wedding. In fact, the wedding invitation is a representation of the bride, groom, and should convey your personality. The modern wedding invitation is not only an extension of the happy couple, but also provides invaluable bit of information for the wedding guests.
Most of the basic elements of a modern wedding invitation are exactly the same as those of a classic wedding invitation. The invitation must include who is getting married, the date, the time of the wedding, the place, and who is hosting the event. In many cases, the modern wedding invitation, unlike the classic version, should state whether formal or casual attire is required.
Aside from the well-known informative elements of the wedding invitation, the modern elements all have to do with the format, materials, wording, and overall aesthetic of the invitation. First and foremost, the paper chosen is one of the most important elements of a modern wedding invitation. Beautiful papers, often hand-pressed, are ideal for modern wedding invitations. Such high quality papers add a touch of refined class to your invitation. While some papers are extremely expensive, they are well worth the extra cost.
Modern wedding invitations allow couples to plan their wedding in an up-to-date fashion. There are many styles to the modern wedding invitation, and one of the fastest growing trends is the handmade appearance that so many these days seem to have. Gone are the days of finely printed, embossed, and engraved wedding invitations and here are the days of one-of-a-kind hand-stitched, sewn, and hand-tied ribbons. The embellishments of the modern wedding invitation are exactly what make it so modern.
Handmade wedding invitations can end up costing you a lot more than traditional or classical invites, but to many couples, the touch of whimsy and uniqueness are well worth the extra money. However, it is possible to make handmade wedding invitations for a completely modern look but at a fraction of the cost with a little time, effort, and creativity. Today, many couples have access to good quality printers which makes it easier to design wedding invitations that speak truly to the nature of the couple.
In addition to certain embellishments added to modern wedding invitations, today many couples are using unusual shaped invitations rather than the traditional rectangular or square invitations we have seen of generations past. Oversized, tri-fold, and circular invitations are part of a growing trend of unusual shapes. Such shapes catch the eye of the invited guest and make a unique and interesting statement.
The shape is not the only way wedding invitations are becoming more modern. Classic wedding invitations are white or ivory, usually with black print. There may be hints of gold or silver for a touch of color. Today, many modern invitations are colorful and bright, which could not be more fashion forward. Many brides choose colored card stock, hand-pressed paper (with flowers), and vellum to add an extra layer of fun and excitement to their wedding (in many cases, the color scheme of the wedding invitations correlate to the color scheme of the wedding itself).
Modern wedding invitations provide an interesting design style. The modern style usually has two colors; one as a solid background color and a secondary color for the design. The writing may consist of a standard black or the same as the secondary color. While traditional wedding invitations provide all the basic information as we mentioned above, modern invitations include a little something extra. Most modern wedding invitations have an inner envelope that holds a selection of information cards outlining different topics. For example, there would be one card for each of the following topics – the wedding registry, hotel information, directions, things to do in the area, wedding website information, and the list can go on and on.
As society and culture changes, so does the wedding invitation, as weddings are integral parts of both facets of the world. For example, today many people find themselves "going green"which is another way of saying that they are becoming more and more environmentally conscious. Modern wedding invitations may reflect this aspect of the couple’s life by implementing recycled papers or even sending out electronic invitations through email.
More and more weddings today are destination weddings; this means not only the couple, but also the guests travel to a specific destination for the ceremony and reception. Usually, these weddings take place somewhere tropical, but there are destination weddings all over the world. Many modern invitations take on the destination theme, where the invitations themselves reflect the location. For example, a beach wedding may have sea foam green paper with shell embellishments.
Lisa Parker is a freelance writer who writes about weddings, often focusing on specific aspects of a wedding such as contemporary wedding invitations.
Article from articlesbase.com
How To Do The Wedding Invitations
How To Do The Wedding Invitations
Weddings should be well-planned. Any bride or groom will not want the one important event in her and his life to be just ordinary. That is why it is important for would-be-wed couples to be enlightened and follow several wedding etiquettes.
A lot of mistakes, misdeeds and bad gestures almost always ruin or spoil weddings. Be it on the part of the bride and the groom, the parents, the guests or even the bride's maids and groom's men, there are wedding and proper etiquettes that could be adhered to.
Wedding etiquettes are important so people can show to others that they have been raise well and with good and proper breeding. People's actions also speak a lot about a person, and most uf us want others to speak good of us.
Wedding etiquettes: From the top
Wedding etiquettes are followed even during the initial stage or phase of the wedding---the planning and short listing of guests.
Today, soon-to-be-wed couples are almost always hiring wedding planners to take care of even the smallest details of the forth coming wedding.
But there are still several aspects where the couple should attend to personally. For one, doing the wedding invitation should not be left to the wedding planners.
The soon-to-be-wed couple should make sure that their wedding invitation is personalized. Of course, they are overjoyed in their coming blissful matrimony, and it should show and be conveyed through the wedding invitation.
Sincerity of wordings and aesthetic style of the wedding invitation will certainly do a lot of wonders.
There are a few other mediums the couple could use today to convey invitations to short listed guests. For one, the guests can be reached through e-mail.
E-mails are almost always informal. Through this, the language used is more personalized, thus, sincerity can be truly and freely conveyed.
Another informal channel if conveying wedding invitations is through word of mouth, or the gossip factory.
Words spread faster than we know. Through this, the invitation is conveyed in the third person manner. For example, a forth coming wedding of John and Gina is conveyed through the following word of mouth entry: "Hey, John and Gina are tying the knot this Saturday, 6 pm at the Imperial Suites. I heard the couple's wedding would be strictly formal."
Doing the formal wedding invitation
Most wedding experts and life stylists still recommend formal wedding invitations over other forms of invites.
Formal wedding invitations will convey sincerity, style and seriousness. But did you know that the words used in wedding invitations will equally hold a great weight or bearing as that of the message itself?
In adherence to numerous and multiple wedding etiquette guides, the words in the wedding invitation should be written in the third person. Meaning, the pronouns used should be he, she, him, her, their, them.
The invitations, bearing the third-person writing format should strictly be printed on heavyweight cream, white or ivory paper. Even the font style should be paid much attention to. According to several wedding etiquette books, traditional and formal wedding invitations should be using classic style letter fonts like Roman.
More on wordings for wedding invitations
In our modern times, the couple usually pays for all the costs of the wedding. But did you know that traditionally, it is the bride's parents who carry the burden?
Western wedding etiquettes have it that the parents of both the bride and the groom can shoulder the expenses for the coming wedding. This may not be economical and likely on the part of the parents, but that is wedding etiquette, and the tradition must live on.
Usually, since the parents are the one covering the wedding and the reception, wedding invitations are written, still in the third person style, but as if the parents are one the inviting the guests.
To illustrate clearly how wedding invitations should be worded in accordance to wedding etiquette guidelines, check on the following examples:
Traditional third-person wedding invitation styles
---when the bride's parents are the hosts:
Mr and Mrs Robert Murdoch
Request your honorable presence
At the wedding of their one and only daughter
Cheryl Murdoch
to
Mr Joseph Stokes
---when both the bride's and the groom's parents are hosting:
Mr and Mrs Robert Murdoch
and
Mr and Mrs Ronnie Stokes
Request your honorable presence
At the wedding of their one and only daughter
Cheryl Murdoch
to
Mr Joseph Stokes
The examples above show clear and formal invitations in the third person style.
So there. If you are planning to get married, pay attention to the invitations you would be distributing. Remember, the wedding invitations should be the first statements you would be releasing as a couple to a number of guests, relatives and friends.
To read about wedding invitation etiquette and funeral etiquette, visit the Etiquette Lessons site.
Article from articlesbase.com
Consider Color When Choosing Your Wedding Invitations
Consider Color When Choosing Your Wedding Invitations
When planning your wedding, deciding what invitations to send is one of the first big decisions you will have to make. The proper wedding invitation will set the tone for the entire wedding. Are you planning a formal or informal wedding? A lavish affair, or a casual get together? Often there is no need to explicitly state such a thing on your invitations; you can relay the message simply by choosing wedding invitations which reflect the style, theme, and tone of your wedding. There are a variety of ways to add personality to your wedding invitations. Adding ribbon, trinkets and photographs to your invitations are all ways to express your personality and the type of ceremony you are planning.
Another way to add sparkle to your wedding invitation is by the use of color. Adding color to wedding invitations allows an element of personality to shine through, as well as add some unexpected spark and levity to what is normally a formal and traditional announcement. Color can add an air of festivity to traditional invitations, introduce your wedding colors to your guests or add a touch of personalization to a stock wedding invitation.
How can color be added to invitations?
When deciding on where to place color in your wedding invitations, there are a variety of choices. You can opt for the traditional cream or white card stock and add a personalized color for the writing on the card. If this does not fit your style, the invitation itself can be your main color, and the script can be white. Many couples opt to include their color choice in the lining of the envelope. Thus, the invitation can remain the traditional black and white, but a touch of color can be found inside the envelope as the invitees open it up. Another way to introduce color to your invitations is through a ribbon adornment.
Do you have to use light colored card stock?
The selection of colors in card stock has never been wider. Cards are available in many shades of greens, blues, pinks and browns. Depending on the look that you are going for, you may choose a subtle pastel or a vibrant bold color for your card stock. Generally, couples who are looking for a more traditional wedding invitation will choose a lighter color, as will those planning a casual ceremony. For those planning a contemporary ceremony or a more formal affair, bolder colors are a more common choice.
Traditional Wedding: Can you still add color to your invitations?
There are no rules for what is right and what is wrong when deciding how your wedding invitations should look. While a traditional wedding invitation is typically understated, adding a hint of color through ink, envelope linings or ribbon adornments are all acceptable and attractive options. If you are certain that you would like a traditional wedding, you may want to choose an understated color for these accents.
Can you choose any color you want?
The color choices for your wedding invitations are vast. While it would be an overstatement to say that you can choose any color you want for your wedding invitations, it would be accurate to say that the selection of colors available for wedding invitations has never been greater. Between the different color selections of card stock, ink, ribbons and envelope linings, it is possible to make your wedding invitations 100% unique even if you are choosing only stock options.
What rules should I follow when adding color to my wedding invitations?
There are no “written in stone” rules when planning your wedding. It is your wedding and your invitations, and you want to choose an invitation that expresses both you and your fiancé’s personality and the atmosphere you plan for the wedding. Whether you choose bold or subtle color, vibrant ribbon adornments or delicate lace edged ribbon, the invitation is uniquely yours. While there are suggestions on how to choose color for your wedding invitations, do not allow yourself to get stuck into a rigid template for how your wedding invitations should look.
Do I have to add color to my wedding invitations?
Just because technology has made it easier than ever to add color to your wedding invitations there is no reason to force yourself to add color if you do not want to. White or cream colored card stock with black or dark gray ink is still a popular as well as a correct option.
No matter how you choose to personalize your wedding invitations, the addition of color makes it easier to do. The addition of color to ink, ribbons or envelopes create a special and personalized invitation that will serve as a keepsake of your special day for years to come.
Rachel Jackson is a freelance writer who writes about weddings and other family events. Ms. Jackson often writes about specific aspects of a weeding such as the wedding invitations.
Article from articlesbase.com