Wedding Invitations|Cheap Wedding Invitations|Wedding Invitation

Planning a wedding can be a daunting and very stressful task. We highly recommend you take six months to a year to plan your wedding and will outline for you an easy-to-follow schedule.

Twelve months before the Wedding

• Get yourself a binder with paper and dividing tabs.


• Discuss with your fiancé and his/her families, plus your own, to determine a budget.


• Decide on your wedding theme e.g. Christmas, Fall, Snowflakes, Black and White, etc.


• Select a wedding date with your fiancé and families.


• Decide on your wedding attendants.


• Book a ceremony and reception location(s).


• Book your professional wedding photographer, florist, caterer, videographer, and DJ or wedding musicians.

• Make an appointment with your officiant. For most religious ceremonies, you may be required to attend pre-wedding counseling. For civil ceremonies, your officiant may require a meeting to discuss your wedding ceremony.


• Wedding gown shopping and first fittings should be looked after at this time.


• Shop for your wedding accessories, wedding veil or head piece, and wedding shoes.


• Begin preparation of the guest list. Be sure to include both sides of the family as guest lists are often a contentious issue. It will take time to decide on long lost cousins, work friends, neighbors, etc.


• Decide on gift registry locations and register.


• Begin your search for your honeymoon location. If you are getting married during a peak holiday season such as Christmas, you may need to book your honeymoon up to nine months in advance.

• You need to meet with the wedding professionals who will assist you on your special day. The menu should be mapped out with your catering company, a review of requested wedding photos with your photographer, a discussion with your videographer on the amount of footage and locations for videos, and your preference for music with your DJ or wedding musicians.


• Limousines and/or other wedding transportation should be booked. Wedding carriages or winter horse drawn sleighs should be booked and pricing confirmed.


• If you are ordering wedding invitations and/or save the date cards and wedding announcements, you need to decide on a provider. If you are making your own wedding invitations and other wedding stationery, you should choose a wedding invitation kit template package. Announcements should be sent out to those friends and family who you have not included in the ceremony.


• Honeymoon trip should be booked and final budget plans for the honeymoon confirmed.


• Bridesmaids and Flower Girl dresses should be decided upon and ordered.


• Start shopping for wedding rings.

• Guest list needs to be finalized by you and your fiancé and BOTH families. We can't emphasize enough that you need to have the blessing of all concerned when it comes to the guest list.


• Final decisions and ordering of wedding rings.


• Visit hairstylist for a consultation and have your first wedding day hair run through.


• Make wedding day appointment with hairstylist. Don't forget to include your bridesmaids if they are having their hair professionally styled for your wedding.


• Research and review state requirements for blood tests.


• Research, review and book hotel rooms for out of town guests who may require accommodation.


• Follow up on your wedding gown and confirmation of delivery dates for your gown and those of your attendants.


• Attend your first wedding gown fitting including all accessories and shoes.

• Prepare your wedding invitation kit templates for printing, including the Thank You cards.


• If you have ordered your invites from a commercial business, be sure they are ready for you.


• Address and mail the wedding invitations.


• Shop for and purchase any wedding gifts for your fiancé, attendants, parents and grandparents.


• Attend your final dress fitting including wedding accessories.


• Spend time wearing your wedding shoes so that you are not crippled before the wedding dance starts.


• Test a spray on tan if you plan to tan for your wedding.


• Make final decisions on your wedding hair style and any hair color changes should be made.


• Pick up your wedding rings from your jewelry shop.


• Print out your personalized Thank you cards from your wedding invitation kit templates or purchase generic Thank you cards.


• Send any Thank you cards for wedding or shower gifts received over the past weeks.

• Confirm with your caterer with one final review of the menu.


• Confirm with your officiant the venue and time of ceremony.


• Confirm with your photographer, videographer, DJ and/or wedding band.


• Confirm your honeymoon reservation and any special requests for the wedding night.


• Address any wedding announcements, stamp and set in preparation of mailing on your wedding day.


• Final visit to your hairstylist to review any last minute concerns or changes.

• Attend any last minute parties or bridal showers in your honor.


• Write any Thank you cards for gifts received at these functions.


• Give the caterer your final number of guests expected to attend.


• Bridesmaids and Flower Girl confirmation of the time they are expected to arrive.


• Purchase travel insurance for the honeymoon if you are leaving the country.


• Purchase travelers checks for the honeymoon holiday.


• Double check to be sure that travelers checks are accepted and easily cashed at your final destination.

I often get asked by brides and grooms about what dress codes they should put on their wedding invitations. Here is quick guide to the main dress codes and what they mean.

Black Tie

A black tie dress code is appropriate for a formal event (and would usually indicate an evening affair), where men wear a tuxedo and women wear a stylish evening gown or cocktail style dress.

White Tie

A white tie dress code is for an ultra formal event. It is more formal than black tie and calls for the most glamorous attire. This might include a ball-gown for ladies, gloves,stole, a clutch or evening bag and glamorous hair and make-up. For the men, it might include an evening tail coat, white shirt, white waistcoat and white bow-tie. Ultra-glam indeed! This is a chance to go all out!

Semi-Formal

A semi-formal dress code calls for well...semi-formal attire as the name suggests. It is somewhere between casual and formal. This dress code would allow men to wear a dark suit, and ladies a cocktail dress (tuxedos and long dresses are not necessary). Sometimes this dress code can be a little ambiguous when written on an invitation, and can be interpreted differently from person to person.

Lounge Suit

The lounge suit dress code indicates an event which is not as formal as some of the other dress codes, yet it is still expected that guests dress stylishly. Men can get away with a coloured business suit and shirt while women can don a cocktail style dress or fitted dress.

Cocktail

A cocktail dress code has typically been interpreted as being a dark suit for men and an elegant dress for ladies-brighter colours would also be suitable here. Currently, shorter knee-length cocktail dresses are quite the trend.

Smart Casual

A Smart casual dress code does not necessarily mean jeans and a t-shirt. For the women, smart casual calls for a pretty dress (cocktail or other), tailored pants or a skirt with a stylish top. For the men- a suit and shirt- which can be both dark or light. A tie is optional at this style of wedding.

Casual

A casual dress code really says that anything goes. Feel free to frock up in a dress (for ladies) or casual shirt and pants for the men. But do be aware that even though the dress code states "Casual", do not forget that you are attending a wedding no less, so do dress casual but appropriately.

When hosting a baby shower, consider what is really important to the new mom. Choose a theme based on her personality. Make the theme apparent in the shower invitations, decorations, games, food and gifts. To prepare, ask the mom-to-be for a guest list about four to six weeks in advance of the baby shower. Following are five fantastic baby shower ideas:

1. 
   Play games. Consider holding a raffle at the baby shower. Organize a nice basket of wine and cheese, coffees, or spa items. Let guests know that the price of a raffle ticket is a small package of diapers or wipes. Encourage guests to enter as often as they would like. By the end of the shower, once lucky guest will win the raffle and will take home the basket and the new mom will be well stocked with diapers and wipes.
   
   


2. 
   Make food. Consider hosting a baby shower at a local meal preparation place. Shower Guests can help the new mom stock her freezer with nutritious homemade meals and even put together a few meals for their own families.
   
   


3. 
   Host a couple's shower. If shower themes and games aren't important to the new mom, consider hosting a couple's party for the mom- and dad-to be. Otherwise known as a Jack and Jill party, a couple's shower can be as casual as a barbecue or a pool party where friends and family spend time together while they celebrate the impending arrival of the baby. Including the new dad in the festivities, along with some seasoned dads to offer humorous advice, will make it a fun night for all. Fun gifts for new dads include a supply of new batteries for the baby monitor, swing and new baby toys.
   
   


4. 
   Host a shower for the mom. This works particularly well for mothers expecting their second or third child and already has most of the baby items she needs. This type of shower focuses on the mom instead of the baby. Serve a nice lunch and shower the mom-to-be with fancy lotions, a manicure set, gift certificates to restaurants, a new bathrobe, slippers, etc.
   
   


5. 
   Build a library. Create a library for the baby by hosting a book shower. Ask guests to bring their favorite children's book along with a stuffed animal. The new mom will leave with an assortment of classic books, board books and bedtime stories to share with their child.

Many couples decide to give their wedding an original look that will make it one of a kind and memorable to all of their guests. An in their task to achieve this many couples decide to host a theme wedding.

While there are as many themes as couples getting hitch each year, one of the most popular themes nowadays is the peacock wedding theme.

The main colors for this theme are truly gorgeous and couples just adore celebrating and giving this theme their own signature. Blues and greens in different shades are usually combined with silver, white and gold.

But also the peacock theme can take a very different look with non traditional peacock colors. Just using the peacock design, more couples decide to use a different palette. Pinks, purples, lavenders, yellow and red are the most popular unconventional colors used for a peacock theme wedding.

And this theme adapts to almost any type of celebration, whether you want to have a vintage or modern look.

Wedding decorations, attire and favors are just some of the areas where you can make the theme come to life.

Here are 10 quick ideas on how to incorporate the theme to your wedding celebration.

1. Use peacock feathers to enhance a simple wedding invitation design. Tie them to the invitation with a silk ribbon or glue them at a corner for a creative look.

2. Wear a peacock inspired shoe. From the painted ones to those that include peacock feathers around your ankle or over the toe area, they are a great item to enhance your bridal look.

3. Have a peacock feather centerpiece. From the simple single long peacock feather in a vase to more elaborated arrangements combining feathers and flowers, you are sure to have a unique centerpiece with this item.

4. Carry a flower bouquet with some peacock feathers included.

5. change into a peacock inspired gown for your reception

6. Use a pair of decorative peacock birds as cake toppers

7. Carry a peacock feather fan instead of the traditional flower bouquet

8. Make a candle arrangement suitable for the theme by adding a peacock feather string at their base.

9. Have your groom wear a peacock feather as an original boutonniere.

10. If your peacock theme wedding happens around Christmas tis the season by creating an original arrangement placing the classic ball ornament in peacock like colors inside a tall glass vase.

Just with attention to detail you can create an spectacular look for your wedding day. Incorporate one or more of these ideas to have the wedding you always dreamt of.

If you are planning a wedding, you know it can become expensive. There are so many things to plan and purchase. Inviting guests is a big concern. If you want to make your wedding invitations at home, you can save money. Not only will you save money but you can customize them to meet your needs.

Perhaps you want to have invitations that say Uncle Bill and Aunt Jenny, we request the honour of your presence at your wedding.... You can make each invitation unique to your guest. This will really personalize the event. Make your wedding announcements at home and you can totally make them individual. You can print them on your printer and make it easy and fast.

You don't have to make this a long process. Rubber stamping can become drawn out and expensive. By having your invitation set up and just changing the information as needed you will save time. You can even add kids names if you choose.

The best part about making your own invitations is that you have the ability to customize them in whatever way you like. You can add themes, wedding clip art, even put something unique to your relationship with the guest.

Get some supplies from you local craft store. You can get packages of envelopes with matching card stock. Many office supply stores will have these also. You can set your document settings to match the card stock. It really is easy to learn!

There is no limit to what you can do once you learn how. Learn a good word processing program and set up a basic starting invitation. Customize it for each guest you are inviting and print it out. It really can be fun! You will be printing all kinds of fun stuff for your wedding. Think about the money you will save and still have cool stuff!

Learning to make your own wedding invitations is just the beginning of the fun. Once you have your invitations done, perhaps you can customize the RSVP and reception cards. Add names and information that is unique to the recipient.

To make these even more fun for your guests, address them so that they match. Add some nice wedding clip art and they will be a welcoming piece of mail for your wedding attendants.

Yes, you can make your wedding invitations at home. Learn a good wording processing program, create a data base and you can be on you way to having inexpensive invitations that will be talked about.

Diagram the d矇cor much in advance keeping in mind the weather, theme, colours and current trends to ensure that it is perfect. While richness does not always mean opulence, the key to a perfect d矇cor can lie in innovation. Explore all options before making the final choice.

The wedding d矇cor must explore the colourful, vast, vibrant and rich culture of boundaries of Indian weddings. It is the one aspect that can make or break the look and feel of that special evening. It is ideal to know what's exactly trending before deciding. But before setting out on this journey, just clear your mind of all fixed ideas. This doesn't mean that you can't set preferences and expectations, but the way forward is to not be rigid.

1. Flower Power

Flowers continue to be the popular choice this season. They genuinely spread cheery vibes all around. While roses are classics, tulips are refreshing, and lilacs breathe elegance. Flowers must be used in tandem with other aspects like the stage d矇cor, theme of the wedding. Different types of flowers including artificial ones can be combined beautifully using ribbons and then be strategically placed. Ask the florist for a mock setup!

2. Lighten Up

Candles and lanterns add the much-needed softness to an otherwise grand affair. It not only lights up the place, but also looks beautiful. Special arrangements are created to fill up empty places.

3. Fab Fabrics

Multi-coloured and different fabrics draped together create a dramatic effect. Just be sure of not using cheap quality fabric that might rip apart damaging the look.

4. Match-much!

The decor of core areas like entrance, stage, seating, photo-opt, lounge areas and the linens is colour-coordinated. This is upped a notch when the bridegroom's outfit matches the colours of the locale.

5. Tent It

Shabby shamianas are history! Tented weddings do not mean cutting down the cost or capacity anymore but widening the chances of customization. Depending on the weather, choose to have a transparent or covered roof, and then the choice of fabrics, crystals and flowers.

6. Stylish Seating

Make sure there is ample seating for your guests, and it is stylish! Be sure to dress up the banquet chairs with nice linen, which is not torn or damaged. Pretty it up with coloured sash, ribbons, flowers or crystals. It can be made more interesting by adding tassels and brooches is a good idea!

7. Colour It

Pastel and soft colours are really in! Using different shades of one colour look very nice. From invitation cards, floral balls to fabrics being used, ensuring that the colour is the same for all can perfect the Indian wedding decor like nothing else.

8. The Central Point

With proper seating plans, centrepieces catch all the attention. Regular floral or crystal ones are the usual choices; but edible options like a fancy chocolate candles or fresh fruits look great too! Innovation genuinely begins where convention ends!

9. Food Layout

Laying out the food, and displaying it well is an art. Make sure that the display of food, ingredients and chef's techniques is superbly creative so it engages the guest more.

10. Sweet Nothings

Vanity vans for guests to refresh or touch-up before entering the venue is really helpful. A grand welcome with sweets, fresh petal shower and other such gestures add the finishing touch to the otherwise perfect setup.

One great idea is to make your wedding invitations rhyme. Rhyming wedding invites not only bring a smile to people's faces but can also help with the slightly awkward wording of informing the guests about your gift list or requesting contributions to the honeymoon (if that is what you are doing). While it is now considered quite acceptable to do this, wording the request in a polite and un-pushy manner can be quite a challenge.

Here's a few verses that can slot into your wedding invitation, or just use as inspiration to compose a rhyme of your own.

The date has been set

And we'd love you to come,

To our wedding in (place name),

A long way for some

All you must do,

Is decide what to wear,

Put on your jewellery,

Perhaps comb your hair

There will be music and food

And people you don't know,

Just please RSVP,

And pray it don't snow!

We've not done a wedding list,

For reasons which we'll explain,

But it will save you hassle,

As shopping can be a pain

We've lived together for quite a while

And already have a kettle and two toasters,

Our kitchen is filled with pots and pans,

Plus dinner plates and coasters

If you really do want to give a gift,

To help us celebrate,

Some money for our honeymoon,

Really would be great

Now please don't think we're cheeky,

Or that this comes from greed,

But we've lived together for quite a while,

And there's really not much we need

But obviously the most important thing,

Is the purpose of this request,

We'd love to see you on our special day,

As one of our wedding guests

Feel free to use the above exactly as is, or add in a few verses of your own. You'll certainly receive compliments from your guests for the originality. You don't even need to make the whole invite rhyme. You could just address the wedding gift list issue through rhyme, and make the rest of the invite normal.

One other nice idea I have recently seen in a wedding invite is, in the RSVP, the couple had asked for you to recommend a song for the playlist for the wedding reception. This gets your guests involved and lets them all feel like they are contributing. Plus, you can guarantee they will be straight up on the dance floor when their song is played!

Have a wedding budget that's all soda-pop-and-bread, but you can't stop swooning over a champagne-and-truffles kind of celebration?

Don't fret - you're about to expertly combine "beautiful" and "affordable" in your wedding planning, because you'll discover 8 creative, fun and smart ways to pull off a blockbuster wedding on a tight budget!

1. Choose a wedding location that offers discounted space on a weekday or weeknight and book it for 25% to 50% off, depending on the facilities they offer. These times are typically in low demand, so most vendors, especially in small towns or remote/suburban locations, will readily consider a better wedding venue rental rate.

2. If you're having a religious church or temple ceremony, try and plan it around a festive time of year, such as a major holiday or after someone else's wedding. This way, your place of worship will already be gussied up for the main event, and you'll only need to weave in some wedding trimmings or small wedding accents to complement the existing decor.

3. Opt for romantic, cost-effective and simple touches, if you're planning to wed in a church or similar religious venue, by saving on artificial lighting and air conditioning costs. Plan for a short and intimate ceremony at dusk inside the premises, and get married by candlelight! It's gorgeous and offers great soft lighting for flattering photographs. Plus, it's romantic and easy on the pocket!

4. Call up your favorite restaurant and ask for frequent diner benefits. If you can't rent the full restaurant, you can reserve a private room, or even the back garden if the landscaping is pretty, for hosting the ceremony and maybe a bit of dancing!

5. Check with the local city park authorities whether they issue permits for hosting wedding celebrations. Some have fountains, covered patios or arbors that can be easily transformed into beautiful and cheap wedding venues with a bit of clever outdoor wedding decor, such as paper lanterns, snow spray, reflective wall art and so on.

6. Other great budget wedding venues you can ask about are local theaters and performance halls. Apart from being dramatic and unique, these can provide a historical or contemporary backdrop for planning theme weddings. The Brooklyn Academy of Music is a fantastic wedding venue for local residents who get a discount on the rental rates! Or, if you live in a town boasting one of those retro movie theaters, plan your wedding ceremony here to add some unusual variety-show charm and get married on stage!

7. If you were lucky enough to go to college at one of those campuses full of stately, architecturally-significant period buildings, why not find out about cheap hall rentals? Rates are usually lowered for alumni! Ivy-fringed halls, grand chapels and even some modern educational buildings, like those created out of renovated industrial structures, make for unusual and affordable wedding venues!

8. Need to keep a wide variety of wedding guests amused at your wedding? Why not plan it next to a fairground or amusement park (avoid peak hours for best prices) to ensure your wedding guests are suitably entertained and that affordable refreshments are close at hand, too!

9. For a cool mix of history, local lore and adventure, arrange a nature ramble to the old mill or barn owned by family/friends and host the wedding there. Or book the famous beer brewery in town and prepare to give your wedding guests an 'ale' of a time!!

Sometimes the hardest part of the process of getting married isn't planning the reception or the wedding. Sometimes it just so happens to be the process of picking out or designing wedding invitation templates. This is because there are so many options out there for people to choose from. It can be really tough to pick one out and to have one that is truly the best one and the right one. However, this article will try to help those who are having troubles with this issue by discussing what to really look for when trying to put together or pick out a greatly designed wedding invitation.

It's important to first realize the correlation that needs to exist between the wedding invitation templates and the envelope that the invitations will be sent out in. It's important to have them mesh well together, so they should be sort of picked out or designed at the same time. It's mainly all about making sure that the colors and any key designs are the same in the invitations as well as over the envelope. Other than that, it should be a pretty easy process to matching them up.

The font being used is a really big part of all wedding invitation templates. This can be one of the hardest decisions, too, because there are many different fonts out there. It's most important to make sure that the font is one that can be easily read because if a font can't be read, it's pretty much worthless. So, try to pick out a font that is stylish and is unique but is also easy to read. If it's not, maybe increasing the size of the font can change that, so keep that in mind.

The last part to picking out or designing wedding invitation templates is figuring out what designs will be included in the invitations. For example, some templates have ribbons, vertical and horizontal bars with designs in them, or just general pictures of a variety of things, such as flowers. This is where it is really up to the bride and the groom to figure out what they want. However, any design should work well with the colors being used in the template and should also mesh well with the font style being used. In the end, it's just important to keep every little detail in mind before making any decision to make sure it all meshes well in the end.

If the baby shower is near a holiday, take advantage of that and use it for your theme. This will make decorating so much easier since you probably already have plenty of holiday decorations. If after looking through your things you still need more, you can always call up friends and family members and ask them to lend you some of their decorations for the shower too. In this article you will find ideas for 3 different holidays baby showers: Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Easter Baby Shower
Easter is a representation of new life so celebrating the new baby with an Easter theme combines beautifully. A large part of decorating for an Easter shower is having lots of flowers. The typical Easter flower is a white lily but you can also use daffodils and tulips. If your budget is tight then at least have a few white lilies put into vases and spread around the foods tables. Make Easter baskets filled with Easter eggs and rainbow confetti. These can be put on the tables as centerpieces. Use pastel colors as the basis of the decorations. Light yellow, green and pink balloons can hang in the entrance way and behind the cake table. If you have children coming to the shower, create a corner where they can go and paint Easter eggs. Make sure to have long plastic aprons so they don't get their clothes dirty. You can also have them hunt for Easter eggs in the yard. For the favors fill a plastic carrot with jelly beans. Another favor idea is to have lots of chocolate eggs together with cellophane and tie it with a satin bow.

Thanksgiving Baby Shower
Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for what we have so it will fit in perfectly with the celebration of the new baby. For hand made invitations, use colorful cardboard to cut out the shape that you choose. Some ideas for shapes are turkeys, pilgrims' hats, cornucopias, and pumpkins. A good way to word the invitation would be: "We are so thankful for the newest blessing from above". The best colors to use are orange, brown, beige and accents of green. For a fun game, prepare cards beforehand with thanksgiving terms and play win lose or draw with the guests. It's a lot of fun and the winning team can get turkey candies as treats. For the food, you can have a roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, pumpkin pie, or even pecan tarts.

Christmas Baby Shower
Christmas is such a wonderful festive time. Having a Christmas baby shower will be as much fun planning as the actual party. The invitations can be any one of these shapes: a garland, a tree, gingerbread, a gift or even a candy cane. For the wording on the invitation you could write something like: "In this magical season let's celebrate the beauty of a new bundle of joy." For the centerpiece of the foods table, have a small Christmas tree with twinkling white lights. You can also put lights on top of the table in between trays of food. As for flowers, poinsettias are the favorite Christmas flower and make great decorations for the tables where the guests will be seated. If your budget is tight you can decorate with gold, red, and green balloons instead of using flowers. For entertainment have the guests play musical chairs to the sound of Christmas music, play Christmas bingo, and Christmas words unscramble.

The Ceremony.

If you want the joining together of two people in marriage to be legal, especially in Ireland, you must have either a civil ceremony in a registry office or a religious ceremony, that is recognised by civil law as a civil contract.

Did you know that in Ireland the only Religious denominations whose marriage ceremonies are recognised by civil law as legally binding are Roman Catholic, Church Of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Society of Friends and Jewish communities. So what if you are a member of a faith whose marriage ceremonies are not legally recognised, that is not a problem as you may still have a religious ceremony in your own church but interestingly you must also have a civil ceremony. Only then will you be considered legally married in Ireland. I can hear you asking does that mean two different wedding outfits - perhaps if that is what you wish.

While I lived in Poland I was invited to a few weddings over there and it was obligatory for the happy couple to have a civil ceremony in a registry office and a religious ceremony in a catholic church if you were catholic. Some couples conducted both on the one day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, while other couples opted for these to take place on two different days. Yet all of the brides wore a different attire to both. They would wear a fashionable outfit to the registry office while reserving the wearing of their wedding dress for the church wedding.

The Civil Ceremony

Whereas we do have new locations to have our civil Ceremony, we would still need the venue agreed and approved by the Registrar and this needs to be complete in advance of the Registration. Marriages by civil ceremony may take place at the Office of a Registrar of Civil Marriages or at the newly agreed venues throughout Ireland. It is from the Registrar, that the Couples who are undergoing a civil ceremony, will be issued with a Marriage Registration Form, which does not necessarily have to be the same registrar who is performing the ceremony. There will be additional fees for civil marriages at venues other than the Registry offices. The Registrar will advise you of what fees are due when you are giving your notification. At one stage to be married in Ireland there were residency issues but as of the 5th November 2007, there are no longer any residency requirements for civil marriages. There is one strict stipulation and that is that the ceremony must be performed in the presence of two witnesses who should be both over 18 years of age, and I do believe that this rule would apply no matter what country you choose to have your civil ceremony.

Can we get married wherever we like?

Yes of course you can, but this needs to be vetted by the Registrar. So if you wish to have a civil ceremony at a venue other than a Registry office, you must contact the Registration Office in the area where the venue is located and apply to have the venue approved for the solemnisation of your civil marriages. This may involve the Registrar making an inspection of the venue. In order that the venue can be inspected in good time for your intended marriage, it is recommended that you make these arrangements well in advance of your notification appointment with the Registrar. The option to marry at a location other than a registry office is currently only available Mondays to Fridays. Being able to get married in a location of your choice is very new but a fantastic idea as this enables your civil ceremony to have your personal touch, which also empowers you to come up with your own wedding vows and love poems or whatever wording you choose. So enjoy your wedding ceremony and make it your own.

Addressing your wedding invitations is not as simple as putting your guests names and addresses on the envelopes. There is a specific etiquette for addressing wedding invitations. If you are having a formal wedding, there are certain etiquette guidelines to follow when addressing your wedding envelopes.

• Do not use abbreviations.


• Do not use the "&" sign, spell it out.


• Use numbers for the recipients address; do not spell out the numbers.


• Spell out words like "street, drive, avenue, apartment, and state names." If the state name does not fit, then you may abbreviate.

All titles other than Mr. and Mrs. should be completely spelled out. A good example would be Doctor instead of Dr., Reverend instead of Rev. Any type of elected official like the Mayor would be addressed as The Honorable Mayor. If only one of them has a title, use that person's name first.

If a guest is in the military, use appropriate titles like Sergeant or Major before their name.

Examples for military etiquette for addressing wedding invitations:

Outer Envelope:

Major and Mrs. Edwin Williams

352 Martin Drive

Houston, Texas 77678

Inner Envelope:

Major and Mrs. Williams

If they both have the same rank/same last name:

Sergeant Major Edwin and Laura Williams

If they have different ranks/same last name:

Sergeant Major Edwin and Sergeant Laura Williams

Etiquette for addressing wedding invitations uses the person's full name. If you use an inner and outer envelope with your invitations, you may skip the first names on the outer envelope and use full names on the inner envelope without the address. On the inner envelope you may use a more casual tone if you wish.

Example:

Outer Envelope:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

123 Casper Road

Houston, Texas 45678

Inner Envelope Formal Tone:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Casual Tone:

Megan and John

or

Auntie Meagan and Uncle John

If inviting a married couple with small children, it should read:

Outer Envelope:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

123 Casper Road

Houston, Texas 45678

Inner Envelope:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Tony, Sandy and Kayla (List by oldest to youngest)

Or

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith and Family

Children over 18 years old.

If they have older children, 18 and over, you can send them two separate invitations or a joint invitation. Write the names in alphabetical order for joint invitations on separate lines.

Chris Smith

Andy Smith

Paula Smith

Married couple's names belong on the same line unless there's no room. Unmarried couple's names go on two separate lines with the name of the person you know on the first. If you know both individuals then the woman's name goes first. They will not each get a separate invitation. If you are inviting a couple that does not live together, then you should send two separate invitations.

Do not use nicknames on invitations. If you have a friend that goes by Joe but you know their full name is Joseph you should use "Joseph" on the invitation. If he is allowed to bring a guest, write out his full name "and guest" or "plus one".

Example:

Mr. Joseph Craig and Guest

Addressing the back flap of your wedding invitation envelopes.

You should always address the back flap of your wedding invitations with your return address just in case the post office needs to return your invitation for any reason. The return address must be that of the person receiving the reply cards. You may either handwrite the address or print it out on the computer. Nowadays, you can purchase clear stickers, print them out with beautiful, elegant font, and stick them on the back flap of the wedding envelopes.

In the end, these are your invitations so any wedding invitation etiquette you see fit to change is completely up to you.

Tip: Mail out your wedding invitations eight weeks before your wedding. Average RSVP from guests should be requested three weeks prior to your wedding date.

You can make cheap wedding invitation kits and have nice invites. What are your options for cheap wedding invitation kits.

1. Use standard business size envelopes. Get something nice that you can match with your invitations. There are so many options with these at your local office supply store. Once you have the envelopes, you can get plain white card stock and have it cut to the size you want. You will want a 4 x 9" for an invitation. Get cards cut for a post card and a reception card. If you buy your card stock at the office supply store, chances are they can cut it to size for you. Usually it is a very small charge for this service. If they cut them you will have all the sizes more uniform than if you cut on a home paper cutter. If you found a nice envelope try to use a soft color that matches to give a different look. You might make a watercolor border on these for an added touch. Use your creativity.


2. Try to get a ream of cardstock that is 8 1/2 x 14 inches. If you have to order it go ahead. Now you can have this cut to 6 x 14 inches. These can be made into the seal and send invitations. Seal and send wedding invitations are wonderful. They are only one sheet of card stock so you eliminate the added envelopes. By adding the perforated postcard you can still add the RSVP so it makes it very adaptable. You will have to perf a postcard on the bottom then two more scores and it will be ready to fold and seal. You will print your invitation on this before doing the perfing and scoring. I do recommend having them cut before you start. You can go to a smaller or larger size.


3. Go to your local craft store or the craft section at your local Walmart. They will have packages of cardstock and envelopes. Get a larger size for your invitations and a smaller size for your RSVP cards and envelopes. Using both of these you can create your own kit. Add the reception information to the invitations. You can add clip art or embellish with your own touches. You might add a poem on the front and your announcement information on the inside. You could add a photo on the front also. This will allow some relatives to see both of you. Sometimes relatives don't know who the couple are at first. This gives them a picture to work with.

I hope that this lets you see that you can make cheap wedding invitation kits that will work perfect to having nice wedding announcement cards.

An engaged couple that is planning for a wedding may look into registering for gifts. Many couples that don't need a lot of gifts for the home may want to think about honeymoon gift ideas. There are many websites that allow a couple to register for wedding gifts for their honeymoon. The couple can then receive gifts that they know they will need and can use on their trip. Some wedding guests may also want to look into honeymoon gift baskets for the bride and groom.

Wedding guests that are interested in personalizing a great gift for a couple to use on their honeymoon may want to consider gift baskets. A personalized wedding basket that includes many useful features such as champagne flutes or a fondue set can be great for a couple to use in their hotel room after a long day out. A wedding guest who really knows the couple will be able to completely personalize baskets for their honeymoon. The guest may be able to include a compact disc of the couple's favorite music or some of the romantic songs that were played at their wedding.

Romantic baskets that include gifts such as bubble bath soap, candles or body lotion may also be appreciated by a couple that will have some free time in their hotel room. Flowers or chocolate covered fruit may also be sent to a couple's room when they are on their honeymoon. These added touches from wedding guests could enhance a couple's stay in the hotel and show them that their wedding guests are thinking of them and hoping they have a great time. A wedding guest may also want to consider adding personal touches to professionally assembled gift baskets. Adding a photo of the couple on their wedding day in a nice frame can be a great touch. The couple can then enjoy that photo in the hotel room of their honeymoon and look back at the fond memories of the wedding.

Honeymoon gift ideas can be found online, especially if a couple has registered for their honeymoon gifts. A couple that is registered with an online company for honeymoon gifts can give all wedding guests a link to the registry. It is easy for the guests to contribute to the honeymoon because they are able to make a secure online payment through the company's website. Those wedding guests that cannot think of good honeymoon gift ideas may find it much easier to simply contribute money to the couple's stay and excursions while on their honeymoon.

After a stressful wedding, a couple deserves to have a great time on their honeymoon. Wedding guests that are looking to enhance the couple's stay may want to consider personalizing honeymoon baskets for the couple's hotel stay. Items such as a photo of the couple in a frame, bubble bath soap or champagne flutes are a nice touch to a gift basket for a newlywed couple. Couples may even be registered online for their honeymoon gifts, making it easy for wedding guests to contribute to their stay.

Ordering wedding invitations seems like a no brainer. It seems like it, but it is not. There are just too many unseen pitfalls along the path. It is somewhat like an Indian Jones movie. If you are not aware of the hidden danger you just might accidentally navigate the course successfully, but probably not. That is where a little planning comes in handy - so you can order your wedding invitations with confidence.

For the sake of this article, we will focus on understanding the process with regard to how many wedding invitations an intended couple should order.

The answer might seem clear - order as many invitations as names on their guest list - but it is not quite as apparent as it seems. There are several factors that any couple considering ordering wedding invitations should think through.

The first one affects the couple's budget. Printers who print wedding invitations often have a minimum order requirement or a requirement that the couple order in predetermined multiples of twenty five or fifty. Thus, a wedding party that is only planning on sending out eighty five wedding invitations might be required to order a hundred.

Next, guest lists have a sneaky way of growing at the last minute and couples who discover that they have run out of invitations could find themselves in an embarrassing situation when they discover an important individual they accidentally omitted when they created their guest list.

Likewise, most wedding parties have someone they want to send a wedding invitation to that they know will not be able to attend regardless of whether that individual is in the military and serving overseas or incapacitated by medical limitations.

Finally, a couple that uses unusual invitations like the beach themed wedding invitation in a bottle should plan to have a few extra's for keepsakes, not just for themselves, but for younger family members such as nephews and nieces who will find the romantic invitations irresistible.

The moral? Plan ahead. Know the capacity of your wedding and reception facilities and work out your guest list very carefully before you order your wedding invitations. Likewise, take the time to plan your seating chart in before you place your order. It will help you figure remember people you might otherwise overlook.

After you have gathered all your information, planned your guest list, and designed your seating chart - order enough extra to make sure you are covered regardless of what comes up. Ultimately, it is better to have ordered enough wedding invitations so you have a few left over to keep for use in a scrapbook than to run out prematurely and run the risk of creating hurt feelings.

If you're going to be hosting an Indian wedding in the near future, your first concern is to choose appropriate Indian wedding invitations. But, this is a tricky job. After all, Indian wedding invitations are rich and luxurious and emanate pomp, splendor and luxury. But you want to send out invitations that look stunning without busting your budget. So, how what's the secret?

Here are a few tips to help you choose Indian wedding invitations:

Budget: The first thing to do is to set your budget. It is possible to find Indian wedding invitations that suit all kinds of budget. So, whether you want expensive or affordable, there's something for everyone.

Colors: Typically, Indian wedding invitations are colorful and spectacular - with lots of reds, gold, saffron and green in them. These vibrant colors symbolize the love, passion and energy that characterize the wedding. Therefore, if you want a traditional wedding invite, it is only natural to select one of the more traditional colors.

Designs: Designs play an important part in Indian wedding invitations. Through the use of delicate patterns and motifs, wedding invites are made to look highly decorative and traditional too. Typically, most wedding cards use traditional motifs and designs. Sometimes, religious motifs dominate. Therefore, it is necessary to decide beforehand whether the card is to be religious, traditional or modern.

Decorations: In addition to the use of rich colors and patterns, Indian Marriage invitations also make use of fake stones, golden threads, mirrors and other materials to add to the glitz and beauty of the card. In fact, if you have sufficient spending money, it is possible to buy Indian wedding invitations that can steal your breath away! However, additional weight could be a problem if the cards have to be sent by mail.

Deity: Typically, Indian wedding invitations have the picture of a deity. This is done for two purposes: first, to give a sense of identity to invitees and second, to invoke the blessings of the deity. The most common deity is the 'Ganesha', who is the God of good fortune.

Size and print: It is important to take care of the factors such as size of the card, print area and so on. A small wedding ceremony with too much information is undesirable.

Font: It is important to choose the color and type of font used in the invites. Highly ornate fonts may look attractive and traditional but they may not be so readable. It is important to choose a font that looks good and is easily readable. Contrast in colors between the face of the card and the print is an excellent idea as this has an immense impact on the beauty and readability of the card.

Stationary: Finally, it is important to choose high quality stationary as this is the most important characteristic of a great looking wedding card. Since wedding cards are generally put in an envelope, it is necessary to choose envelopes that match the card in color, design and print.

There's more than one way to enhance a home's decor with the addition of a hall table. Many designers and decorators know that a well placed table can improve various spaces in a home such as:

Front Entrance - The front entrance of a home is the first impression that every visitor is given of the space, the decor and even the occupants. Having a strategically placed hall table will anchor what could ultimately be a forgotten space as well as give the eye visual interest and give the arriving guest a more welcome, homey feeling. This is true for any style home from traditional to mid-century modern to contemporary. The right size and shape table will bring the entryway to life and keep it looking more organized and give homeowners a place to display fresh flowers or family photos. It's also perfect for weighing down a fine piece of artwork or a wall mirror.

The Hallway - A long hallway can feel drab and uninteresting. It can simply come off as a way to get from point A to point B. With a hall table displaying a lamp and other decorative objects or one that contains storage in the form of a lower shelf or cabinetry, the hallway will become another feature of the home rather than a forgotten space.

The Family Room - Is an excellent space for a hall table. The table can be placed against a wall or behind a sofa. Many people refer to this as a "sofa table." Placing a table behind a sofa helps to add storage space as well as visual height if a large, tall object such as a big vase of flowers or a statue or other form of art is placed upon it.

The Bathroom - A large bathroom is perfect for this versatile piece of furniture. One with shelving or cabinetry below can be utilized to hold towels, toiletries and extra linens. It can even be used as a vanity that hold makeup and items such as a hair dryer. The hall table in a bathroom can actually make the space look larger and give what can often feel like a cold, impersonal room a more cozy, spa look and feeling.

Other spaces in the home for hall table decorating include bedrooms, dining rooms, dens, home offices and guest rooms. As long as the table is proportionately sized for the space and is not in the way of the normal traffic flow, then feel free to add one to any room. Place it against the wall, at the head or foot of a bed or behind a loveseat or sofa to bring interest to the room and a surface for decorative items as well as extra storage.

Here are three cheap wedding ideas to cut your wedding expenses dramatically:

1. HUNT FOR BRIDAL BARGAINS

Weddings are big business and there are many wedding vendors out there all wanting your business. ?So where do you start? ?

Well there are many ways to find wedding decorations, cakes, flowers and invitations at very competitive prices, if you just know where to look.?If it is difficult for you to find cheap wedding ideas and items locally, then the internet provides a wonderful resource to search for bargains.

Websites such as eBay, Etsy and wedding forums are a great place to look for cheap deals or exchange ideas with fellow brides. Many brides all over the country as well as overseas, now use bridal forums to swap ideas and share wedding costs. In fact, some brides with weddings on the same weekend buddied?up and shared the costs of furniture hire, lighting, decorations, catering equipment and much more. This is a great way to cut your costs by?half?our costs and still have the wedding theme and decorations you dreamed about.

Another alternative is to ask for help from family and friends. ?Maybe you know someone who sings or plays a musical instrument. Perhaps a friend's mother or sister is a florist or cake decorator. In addition, you probably know someone who is a great cook or who owns a catering business. if you think about your network of family, friends and work associates, you'll be amazed how many people you know or can contact directly for a good deal.

2. BUY PRE-LOVED WEDDING GOWNS

Choosing a stylish and beautiful wedding gown is still achievable even if you need to be mindful of your budget. If you have your heart set on a designer wedding gown, then there are still ways you can achieve your vision without using up your entire wedding budget.?

Wedding gowns are an important element to every wedding and their prices can vary from a few hundred dollars right through to designer gowns in the tens of thousands. So it is no surprise when you start shopping for your wedding gown, how easy it is to become overwhelmed with the variety of styles and pricing options on offer.

Chances are you will end up wanting a gown that costs more than you budgeted for. However, if you plan for this problem ahead of time and have some alternatives in mind, it will help you avoid the temptation of buying a dress way beyond your means. ?

Start by searching online bridal websites for pre-loved wedding dresses. They are a great way to find the designer gown of your dreams for only a fraction of the regular price. Only you have to know your secret, because it will be almost impossible to tell the gown?was worn?before.?In addition, most of these bridal sites allow you to post an ad for the ideal type of gown you are looking for. ?Other brides and wedding gown suppliers can then respond to your ad with suitable offers.

3. DITCH THE BIG CEREMONY

Many couples are now ditching the big ceremony and choosing a civil ceremony instead. Venues such as City Hall or alternative locations without the need for religious elements, are increasingly becoming a popular way to tie the knot?easily without the expense.?

Another cheap wedding option is to get hitched Las Vegas style! ?Las Vegas has always been a cheap, fun and unique way to get married. There are plenty of pretty, fascinating and even quirky wedding chapels to choose from - all of them set up to make your wedding ceremony quick and easy, yet still romantic.

You can easily cut down your wedding costs by half when you look for alternative options. A little imagination plus networking with friends will provide you with cheap wedding ideas that still make for a fantastic wedding day.?

A wedding is a momentous occasion in a man's and a woman's life. It marks the start of new beginnings for both individuals as husband and wife. Most people plan their weddings a year in advance. For some three to six months is enough preparation. There are lots of things to consider when planning weddings. Most brides and husbands to-be hire professionals like wedding planners or wedding organizers to make sure that attention to detail is paid to every aspect of the wedding. Some couples enlist the help of their very close friends to help plan their wedding. For people who are on a tight budget, the latter is the best option. Weddings are great occasions to bond with another and rediscover friendships.

Regardless if a couple prefers beach weddings or church weddings, the aspects of a wedding are similar. After the exciting proposal and giving of Cushion cut engagement rings or Asscher cut engagement rings, it is time to get ready for the big day. Wedding invitations constitute a large part of the preparations. This is the formal letter that guests will receive informing them about the upcoming wedding. Budget should be allotted for the invitations. These can cost a large sum, depending on the material, designs and the number of invitations. For most people, it is better to purchase DIY wedding invitations kits and make the invitations themselves.

Making Your Own Wedding Invitations

DIY wedding invites are a fun, creative and economical way of giving a wedding flair and style that will stand out from other weddings. Not only will you get to design the invitation itself. You will Invitations can be made by professionals for couples who will soon be married, so why choose making your own. Read the points below to find out why more and more people are choosing DIY wedding invitation kits.

Advantages

繚 Saves money. You could save half the amount you would normally spend on ready-made wedding invitations. If you are the artistic type then this is the avenue you should take. You'll never know, you might even end up beginning a business making wedding invitations.

繚 Gives wedding invitations a unique and personal style. When you purchase DIY invitations for weddings, you are your own master. You can make them look exactly the way you want. When you look for readymade invites, it might be a little difficult to find exactly what you want. However, with DIY wedding invites, there are limitless possibilities. You can make sure that you get exactly what you want.

繚 Makes the invites a sentimental aspect. Most readymade invites are impersonal. They do not really convey the love story of the couple about to get married. DIYs, on the other hand, can be kept as mementos. Do away with the bland and generic design of store bought invites. DIYs are keepsakes that mark the major milestones of a person's life.

繚 Looks fabulous and chic. You can make this happen by using several desktop publishing tools.

Time Issues with DIY Wedding Invites

Most people are apprehensive about making their own wedding invites because of time constraints. There is an answer to this. Get help. As mentioned earlier, enlisting the help of friends will go a long way. Creative friends and family members can help make the project fun, exciting and truly one of a kind. Brainstorm about designs and styles that can be used for the invitations. Use the Internet to pick out papers and supplies. To help speed up the process, use blank cards to make the invites. All that is needed is to print whatever design you like on the outside and design the inside. Use the services of a local copy shop to have the invitations cut and folded. You can also ask them to print text on the paper. This is cost effective and fast. Set aside time each week when you, friends and family members can work on the project. This is not only a great way to spend your time creating the perfect wedding; it is also a great time to bond with each other. Just makes sure to work though, you might enjoy talking too much, you will not accomplish anything.

You are all excited and you want to get an idea of how to make your wedding invitations. More importantly addressing wedding invitation envelopes. You would love to have them done by a calligrapher but it is so expensive.

What are your options. If you have beautiful penmanship than hand addressing them would be great. Use a high quality pen and test the ink to make sure that it will look good when it is dry. You don't want a pen that will offset, or have an imprint on something else. Fast drying is a must here!

If hand addressing them scares you, and you are thinking about labels, OOPS! I don't like labels on an invitation. The subconscious mind has already determined that a label with their address delivered to them is junk mail! Some say that a clear label is fine, I prefer not.

So what is the other option. You can't afford a calligrapher, your handwriting is terrible, and you don't want to use labels. What about addressing them on your computer to match the invitations. Use the same font and colors that you have in your invitations. Addressing wedding invitation envelopes can be fun.

If you made your own wedding invites you can easily match your cards to the envelopes. If you had your announcements done from another company than use some scrap and try to match what you chose from them. Fonts are different, but if you come close that will be fine. If you don't have anything close use a font similar to calligraphy. If you can't match the same color use a black ink.

Another point that you can remember is that if you use an epson ink jet printer that uses water proof ink, you won't have to worry about your invite getting wet. This can make them streak and that isn't a good look. If you are using another printer and it doesn't use a water proof ink, spray them with a mist of hair spray this will coat the ink with a protection. Some printers will be fine even if they don't have the waterproof ink. Some streak more than others.

In many cases addressing your envelopes to match the wedding card, will make an expensive looking invitation package the whole way around. If you didn't get your RSVP envelope addressed you can also print that on your computer printer too.

Again I have been doing this for years. It really isn't difficult and I get compliments all the time. When someone new gets into the line of receiving these invitations they tell me how nice they look. I love that! It also makes them feel important to see their name in a beautiful script on your wedding announcement.

So if you are thinking about addressing wedding invitation envelopes, look no farther than your computer. It can do the job much cheaper than the $1.50 an envelope calligrapher. Why not give it a try?