It's close to the big day and you haven't sent out the invitations yet. By the way, as if that weren't enough, you have no idea how to properly gut envelopes. Do not worry! Since you will be the protagonist of the event, follow these steps to prepare the invitations properly: you will make a great impression.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Combine the Different Parts of the Invitation
Step 1. Choose your letter paper and envelopes
Head to the stationery shop to check out the different proposals for wedding-specific stationery supplies. Keep in mind the price you are willing to spend on invitations. Also, consider the color palette you've chosen, the time of year, and other details that are important to you.
If you are planning to commission invitations to a printer, review the selection available. The printers provide samples to browse through to get ideas
Step 2. You need to know what the components of a wedding invitation are
In fact, it consists of the outer envelope, the invitation card for the actual ceremony, the participation confirmation card and the invitation card for the reception.
- Outer envelope. On the envelope you need to paste the stamp, write the address of the recipient and the return address.
- Invitation card to the wedding ceremony. The invitation is the main part of the whole set, in fact it includes all the most important information about the wedding, including place, time and date of the celebration. Generally, it also indicates whether the required clothing is formal or casual. It also helps guests get an idea of the theme and colors you have chosen for the wedding. You can decide to put the invitation in its own envelope. It is not necessary, but it gives a refined touch.
- Participation confirmation card. This is a pre-set RSVP ("Please Reply") card that will let you know how many guests you will have and how many people will accompany you. This ticket can be separated from the others and present an envelope with the return address. Alternatively, you can print it as a postcard. Usually, couples who send out invitations put stamps on the envelope or postcard to be sent, so that guests can send it back quickly.
- Invitation to the reception. This card is useful when the reception will be held in a place other than the one where the wedding will be celebrated. Indicate the address, time and any other specific details regarding the party on this card. Usually, this postcard is smaller than the ceremony invitation, but is printed on the same type of paper and written in the same style. If you would like to avoid wasting paper, you can also print this information on the invitation to the celebration.
Step 3. Decide whether to write by hand or on a computer
Typically, the components of the invitation (the invitation to the ceremony, the confirmation of attendance card and the invitation to the reception) are printed in the typography, while the address and name of the recipient on the outer envelope are handwritten. Manually typing addresses and names personalizes the invitations. In any case, there are some factors to keep in mind.
- If your handwriting is elegant and legible, you should write the addresses on the envelopes yourself. Choose a blue or black ink and use the same pen for both the inner and outer envelopes. Writing names and addresses by hand gives the invitation a personal touch.
- To save time, especially if you are planning a rather large ceremony, it would be best to decide to print the addresses on the envelopes. Choose an elegant font and commission a typographer to do the job. Make sure the print is legible for the postman and the recipient.
- You also have the option to ask a printer to print the address labels, which you can then glue onto the envelopes yourself. You will have the choice between transparent, colored or white labels. You may want to consider printing return address labels as well, so you don't have to write them on every single envelope.
Method 2 of 3: Write the Address on the Outer Envelope
Step 1. Use the wedding guest list
Copying names from the guest list ensures you spell them correctly and helps you use the proper title for each individual person.
Step 2. Determine the guest relationships you will send individual invitations to
Will the invitation be sent to a family, a married couple, a cohabiting couple or a single person? When you write the address on the envelope, it is important to know this information.
Step 3. Write the invitee's name (or names) in the center of the envelope
Keep title and marital status in mind.
- Contact a married couple with the same surname. Write "Mr. [Name] and Mrs. [Name Surname]"; example: "Mr. Gianni and Mrs. Maria Rossi". If you are addressing a married couple of the same sex, use "Miss" instead of "Madam"; example: "Signorina Maria Bianchi and Signorina Carola Rossi".
- Contact a married couple with different surnames. First write the name of the person you have a closest relationship with. If you have the same relationship with both recipients, please list them alphabetically. Write "Mr. [Name Surname] and Mrs. [Name Surname]" (or change the order); example: "Mrs. Gianna Bianchi and Mr. Gianni Rossi".
- Contact an unmarried couple. You can choose to indicate the names as you like, but generally they must be separated by a comma or placed each on a different line. Write "Mr. [Name Surname], Miss [Name Surname]"; example: "Mr. Gianni Rossi, Miss Gianna Bianchi".
- Contact a family. Write "For the family [Surname]"; example: "For the Bianchi family". You could also just write "Family [Surname]"; example: "Rossi family".
- Target a single individual. Write this person's title, first and last name. Example: "Signorina Emilia Rossi" or "Signor Gianni Rossi".
- Contact a doctor or several doctors. If you are going to make a letter to a couple where a member is a doctor, write their title, "Doctor" or "Doctor", before the name. If both were doctors and had the same surname, write "Doctor [Name] and Doctor [Name Surname]". Follow the same principle for anyone with a distinct title, such as "Sergeant" or "Captain". Example of a couple with a doctor: "Dr. Amanda and Mr. Marco Bianchi". Example of a couple in which both members are doctors: "Doctor Amanda and Doctor Marco Bianchi".
Step 4. Write the address under the names on the outer envelope
You should use the address of the family or person you are most familiar with in a couple (if the couple does not live together).
- Do not abbreviate or use initials when writing the recipient's address.
- If necessary, write the number of the post office box.
Step 5. Make sure you write the return address on the outer envelope
This step is important to know who hasn't received the invitation.
If an envelope is returned to you unopened, this means that you probably wrote the wrong address. Call the guest and confirm the right one
Method 3 of 3: Heading the Invitation and Participation Confirmation Cards
Step 1. Write individual names on the inner envelope or invitation
If you are not going to put the invitation in a separate envelope, leave some space on the top of the card so that you can write the names of each guest.
- Invitations aimed at married couples of elderly people or people you don't speak to. If the couple is made up of older people or you want to show respect, always remember to indicate titles such as "Mr.", "Lady", "Doctor" or "Doctor". You don't necessarily have to add first names. Example: "Mr. and Mrs. Rossi".
- Invitations addressed to friends and people you speak to. If it is a married couple, write both first names. If he is a single person, write his name. Example: "Gianni and Diana".
- Invitations aimed at families. Make a list of all the names of family members invited to the wedding, provided they live under the same roof. You can decide whether or not to add their surname. Example: "Gianni, Diana, Roberto, Maria and Marco Rossi".
Step 2. Do not use initials or abbreviations in place of names
The only exception would be if you were to send invitations to people living in an English-speaking country and your name contained a suffix like "Jr" or "Sr".
Step 3. Head the envelopes indicating the return address
The guests will send them back to you to communicate their response. You should write your name, address, city, province and zip code.
To save yourself a lot of work, order printed envelopes. This allows you not to waste time because you will not have to write the address dozens of times on all the envelopes
Advice
- Close the outer bag tightly, but leave the inner one open.
- Use an adhesive bag seal to seal the outer bag.
- Mailing invitations is often much more convenient and saves you time getting them out to everyone. If you intend to invite many people or many guests live elsewhere, it is impossible to distribute them by hand.
- Start preparing invitations in advance. They should be shipped six to eight weeks before the event.
