Invitation Letter

The wedding invitations that make high sales today do not have much difference to those of 100 years back. Except for the invitations of the 1970s, when people wanted out-of-ordinary invitations with colors that are eye-catching and words that are imaginative, the traditional engraved invitation has remained the most sought after choice.

The process of engraving is embossing the letters on the paper, producing a raised appearance and touch. The fonts often engraved on cotton-content paper that is cream or white in color, are usually royal or classical types. Simple design and standard phrases are maintained in accordance with rules of etiquette governed by tradition.

There are several traditions related to marriages and the engraved wedding invitation is one of them. These wedding invitations create the mood, style and general character of the ceremony. The traditional engraved invitation is very appropriate for most couples who have traditional church weddings.

Tiffany & Co., the luxury articles supplier of international repute and oldest stationery dealer in the US, has a strong belief in traditional wedding invitations. The organization has firm guiding principles in designing and wording of invitations produced by them, and are in the practice of selling invitations considered proper by traditional norms.

Only recently, that is from five years back, Tiffany & Co. has started including reply cards and covers in their sample booklets. In conforming to rules of the right etiquette people who receive an invitation are obliged to send a letter written by hand in response to it within 24 hours to the bride/groom. Since today’s society is not used to writing of letters by hand, the company took a decision to include reply cards and covers to their line of products. The bride/groom will have no idea of the total guest turnout without the reply cards.

Tiffany & Co. also had to modify the traditional phrases in invitations so as to facilitate entry of diverse family setups such as a single-parent family, parents who are divorced, and so on.

Further to modification of the phrases, today’s invitations can be created to reflect one’s individual aspects without breach of traditions. Many people request embossed borders or motifs to enhance the traditional wedding invitation. Embossing a family crest or personal monogram, or placing a ribbon are other methods to customize the wedding invitation, without affecting the integrity conveyed by the traditional engraved wedding invitation.

People who are peculiar about etiquette also agree that the traditional engraved invitation is the most suitable form of correspondence related to weddings. It is definitely better to send letters written personally or inform by phone of your marriage, than to send printed invitations in place of the engraved ones. In the view of these people concerned about etiquette, one should do it in the proper manner or shouldn’t do at all.

The elegant appearance and the rich quality of the traditional wedding invitation is the ideal way for the brides to say to friends and family members that their presence on this important occasion is much appreciated.

We give some suggestions below for the bride who wants everything to be done right, adhering to the rules of traditional etiquette in society:

• Invitations should be of the engraved type always.

• The paper choice should be 100% cotton content paper in white or ivory shade.

• The usual traditional letter type is Script, in which there are various styles to select.

• As per very strict traditional norms, the parents of the groom are never listed in the wedding invitation along with the parents of the bride.

• If the parents are divorced, and both are sponsoring the bride’s wedding, their names should appear with the mother’s on the first line, and the father’s on the next line.

• For a traditional church wedding, the phrase on the invitation should be "request the honor of your presence".

• For a wedding ceremony taking place elsewhere rather than a church, the phrase should be "request the pleasure of your company".

• The venue of the reception should not be mentioned on the invitation itself, unless the wedding ceremony is taking place there.

• It is not necessary to mention the year of the wedding on the invitation as it is a timely function.

In conclusion, if the right etiquette matters to you, you should adhere to these guidelines. Remember that little differences do not matter. It is your wedding anyway and you should be able to do what you consider ideal for the situation.

Mina Kinosyan, Lingerie Blog