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This is the most exciting time in your life! You have your dress, the flower arrangements have been ordered...now it's time for you to choose your formal
wedding invitations! Maine has an assortment
of stationary vendors for you to choose
from. Make your day unique - choose from an
array of styles and selections of
traditional to one-of-a-kind wedding
invitations. Are you interested in a traditional wedding announcement? Or, do you prefer something more contemporary? Whatever your idea is for your perfect Wedding invitation, allow our
Maine Wedding guide to help you choose what's right for you.
Invitation Hints and Tips
Invitations are normally mailed four (4)
to six (6) weeks before the wedding
date. If your wedding falls around a
holiday, you may mail them up to eight
(8) weeks prior to your wedding.
It
is *highly* recommended that you include
a return address on each outer envelope.
This way, undeliverable invitations will
be returned to you.
Double check the zip codes
In
the United States:
http://www.usps.gov
Number the backs of the response cards
and keep a master list. Sometimes guest
will forget to write their names on the
cards (yes, its true!). If the cards are
numbered, you can compare the number on
the back of the card to your master list
and find out who the guest is!
Order extra outer envelopes in case of
addressing errors.
Take a fully assembled invitation and
have it weighed at the post office. This
will help you know how much postage to
use on the invitation.
Don't forget to include a stamp on the
response card's envelope.
If
you are inviting a guest outside of your
country, there is no need to stamp the
response card envelope. The guest will
need to use a stamp from their own
country.
Children over 16 years of age always
receive their own invitation.
Consider making an "A" and "B" guest
list. People on the "A" list are people
who you absolutely want at your wedding
and the "B" list is people who you would
like to have at your wedding if there's
room. Send out all the invitations for
the "A" list early, then when you start
getting "No's or Regrets", you can start
sending out invites for people on the
"B" list.
Order extra invitations; you may need
them for last minute additions to the
guest list and a couple for keepsakes.
Wedding Announcements
Wedding announcements are
usually used if you had a small or private
wedding or you eloped. They can also be used
to announce your wedding to those
out-of-town guests that were not invited to
the wedding, guests that were invited but
were not able to attend, or anyone else you
want to share the happy news with!
Announcements are worded like regular
wedding invitations with some slight wording
changes.
Wedding announcements are traditionally
issued by the brides parents. If the brides
parents are deceased or there are other
extenuating circumstances, the grooms
parents or the couple themselves may issue
the announcement. Both sets of parents may
also issue the announcement.
Announcements by Brides Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith
have the pleasure of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Sally Smith
to
Patrick Johnson
Saturday, the first of July
two thousand and six
in
Waterford, Maine
Announcements by Grooms Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Johnson
have the honor of announcing
the marriage of their son
Patrick Johnson
to
Sally Smith
on Saturday, the first of July
two thousand and six
Bear Mountain Inn
Waterford, Maine
Announcements by Bride and Grooms
Parents
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Johnson
and
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith
have the honor of announcing
the marriage of their children
Patrick Johnson
and
Sally Smith
on Saturday, the first of July
two thousand and six
Bear Mountain Inn
Waterford, Maine
Announcements by Bride and Grooms
We, Sally Smith
and
Patrick Johnson
are pleased to announce
the uniting of our lives into one
when we exchanged marriage vows
on Saturday, the first of July
two thousand and six
Bear Mountain Inn
Waterford, Maine
Addressing Outer Envelopes
- Use full
names and titles (Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss).
- Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith
- Mr. Joe Smith
- Ms. Sally Smith
- Use
professional titles, if applicable.
- The Honorable and Joe Smith
- President Joe Smith
- If inviting
a married couple with different last
names, you can put both names on one
line or on two lines (depending on how
much room is available).
- Mr. Joe Smith and Mrs. Sue
Peterson
- Mr. Joe Smith
Mrs. Sue Peterson
- If inviting
an unmarried couple living together, put
names in alphabetical order by last name
(the man's name does not automatically
go first).
- Ms. Sally Smith
Mr. Joe Peterson
Addressing Inner Envelopes
- There are
two ways you can address the inner
envelope:
-
TRADITIONAL
Exclude first name:
- Mr. and Mrs. Smith
- Mr. Smith
- Ms. Smith
- MODERN
Use first name or familiar title:
- Joe and Sally Smith
- Uncle Joe
- Sally
- If children
are invited to the festivities:
-
TRADITIONAL
Exclude first names of parents, list
children's name below parents names:
- Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Bill and Lisa
- MODERN
Use first names of parents or their
familiar titles, can use "and
family" or list out children's
names:
- Uncle Joe, Aunt Sally and
family
- Joe and Sally
Bill, Lisa and Mike
- Joe, Sally and Taylor
- If
extending an invitation to a single
person and their unknown escort:
-
TRADITIONAL
Exclude first names of invitee
followed by "and Guest":
- Ms. Johnson and Guest
- Mr. Jones and Guest
- MODERN
Use first names/familiar title of
invitee followed by "and Guest":
- Aunt Sally and Guest
- Joe and Guest
- Do not
include children's names if it is an
adults-only celebration.
- Children
over 16 years of age should receive
their own invitation.
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