When it comes to planning your wedding, one of the bigger decisions you will make is deciding on wedding invitations.

There are so many wedding invitation ideas and choices nowadays that it can feel overwhelming. It can also be an exciting process, as you dream up the perfect way to present your guests with the first taste of your upcoming big day.

One tricky topic wedding addressing your wedding invitations. You'll soon find out as a groom or bride-to-be that there is a whole world of etiquette you probably never knew existed!You will need need to decide whether to track down all the guests who plan to bring significant others who are not married and find out their guest's names. Or will you just use the standard "and guest?" How about how to correctly address a doctor and her husband or vice versa? Are you going to include the kids in the invitation of that couple who has five? Or will it be a kids-free affair? This is just the tip of the iceberg!

On the same topic, what about whether you are going to have them hand addressed by a calligrapher? Perhaps you are feeling up to the challenge of learning calligraphy yourself just to do it. How about printing the addresses with your computer? Is that a no-no? How about labels? If white labels are a faux pas, what about clear ones? See, you never thought about this stuff before I bet!

As for the actual invitation, it can be fun or stressful choosing one--it just depends on how you go about it. Some brides are perfectly content choosing them out of a catalog or online and letting the company they are ordering from handle most of the details. The fonts, colors and style are already there for you to select. Other brides go the DIY route and make the invitations themselves. There are also some great options for choosing small companies or one-person operations who create them by hand for you based on your specifications.

Your invitation's style can be as simple or elaborate and detailed as you'd like. A simple card with all of the details of the ceremony and reception and a way to RSVP is about as basic as it gets. More often, separate cards are included for the reception and response and if necessary, directions to the event. You can choose to have an inner envelope with the contents in addition to the outer, addressed envelope. A traditional aspect of wedding invitations which you still see occasionally is including tissue paper between the layers on the invite. However, this was done to prevent ink smudging in the past and most inks used these days are not the smudgable kind.

More elaborate invitations can include embellishments such as rhinestones, ribbon, vellum, layering and more. Of course the more detailed and elaborate you get, the more money you will spend. 

Another tricky part of wedding invites is how to word the actual invitation. There are many different ways to do your wedding invitation wording. A simple web search can turn up many helpful examples. Divorced or deceased parents are one issue you may need guidance on, as well as weddings where both or neither sets of parents is contributing financially.

Tips on writing and sample wording for invitations

Besides the look and feel of an invitation the wording for invitations
plays a very important part in the unique style you create when you make
your own invitations and cards. Although writing these words is not always
as easy a task as it would seem.
This is especially true for writing the wording for invites to formal or
special and traditional events. Like a wedding for example.

Some helpful advice for writing wording for your invites...
•    When writing speak from the heart. If your words are sincere they
    will mean more to you and your guests all the more.
•    Use poetry. Adding a short poem to any invitation can turn an
    ordinary or straight to the point invite into something sentimental
    and special. You can copy verses and poems from books or write a
    short poem yourself.
•    Do your homework. If your not sure about your wording, or how to
    present your invite do a little research. Find out about etiquette
    and formalities.

Wedding Invitation Wording samples


Together with their parents
Future Wife
and
Husband to Be
request the honour of your presence
as they exchange vows of marriage
on Sunday, the first of April
two thousand and six
at three o' clock in the afternoon
Saint Elizabeth's Church
1234 Pleasant Street
Fairmont, Massachusetts



Mr. and Mrs. Bride's Family
and
Mr. and Mrs. Groom's Family
request the honour of your presence
to share in the happiness and joy
of the exchange of marraige vows uniting
Future Wife
and
Husband to Be
on Sunday, the first of April
two thousand and six
at three o' clock in the afternoon
Saint Elizabeth's Church
1234 Pleasant Street
Fairmont, Massachusetts



As two unite together
to become one
Future Wife
and
Husband to be
together with their parents
invite you to witness
their exchange of wedding vows
as they start their new life together
on Sunday, the first of April
two thousand and six
at three o' clock in the afternoon
Saint Elizabeth's Church
1234 Pleasant Street
Fairmont, Massachusetts



The Jones family
and the Smith family
invite you to share in the celebration of love
as their children unite in the ceremony of marriage
Wife to Be
and
Husband to Be
on Sunday, the first of April
two thousand and six
at three o' clock in the afternoon
Saint Elizabeth's Church
1234 Pleasant Street
Fairmont, Massachusetts



With joy in our hearts
we request the honour of your presence
in the uniting of our families
and our children.
Join us on the first day
of our new lives together as
Future Wife
and
Husband to Be
exchange vows of marriage
on the first of June
two thousand and seven
Saint Elizabeth's Church
1234 Pleasant Street
Fairmont, Massachusetts

 I hope this page has given you some wedding invitation ideas which you can use in planning your own wedding. You could literall spend weeks deciding on the perfect invitations. The key is to look for those which fit your budget, reflect your theme and personality, and do the job of course--inviting your honored guests to share in your special day.