Samantha Bridal Magazine

INVITAT1ONS

INVITAT1ONS
Order your invitations at least 4 months before the wedding. Allow an additional month for engraved invitations.
Your Options: There are many types of invitations. Work with your stationer to come up with a creative style.

Tips To Save Money:

• Choose paper stock that is reasonable and yet achieves your overall look.

• Select invitations that can be mailed using just one stamp.

• Order at least 30 extra invitations, just in case you add people to your list or you mess some up. To reorder this small number of invitations later would cost nearly three times the amount you'll spend up front.

ELEMENTS OF THE INVITATION

A. Outer Envelope
This should be addressed to both members of a married couple on one line. Children over thirteen receive their own invitations.

B. Inner Envelope
The names of the recipients should be written on the front of the inner envelope. It is inserted, unsealed, with its addressed side facing the back of the outer envelope.

A. Outer Envelope
This should be addressed to both members of a married couple on one line. Children over thirteen receive their own invitations.

B. Inner Envelope
The names of the recipients should be written on the front of the inner envelope. It is inserted, unsealed, with its addressed side facing the back of the outer envelope.

C. Invitation
It is placed inside the inner envelope with the print facing the back of the inner envelope. If you include a ceremony or reception card, it should be placed directly on top of the invitation.

D. Directions And Maps
Directions can be included, or sent separately once the guest has given notice he or she will attend.

E. Reply Card And Envelope
The reply card is tucked under the flap of a self addressed, stamped envelope. Postcards are an informal alternative.

TYPES OF PRINTING
Engraved, thermograph and offset printing. Engraving is the most expensive, traditional and formal type of printing. It also takes the longest time to complete. In engraved printing, stationery is pressed onto a copper plate, which makes the letters rise slightly from the page.

Thermograph (embosing) is a process that fuses powder and ink to create a raised letter. This takes less time than engraving and is less expensive because copper plates do not have to be engraved.

Offset printing, the least expensive, is the quickest to produce and offers a variety of styles and colours. It is also the least formal.

FONTS/ TYPE STYLES
Most stationers will offer you different fonts or type styles of lettering. The popular fonts include Shirley, Lucia, Nuptial, Beckley or mixed fonts.

OTHER TYPES

OTHER TYPES OF STATIONERY ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
This is rarely done but not unheard of, if done properly, this is a very elegant way to deliver the news of your engagement and party if you also plan to have an engagement party. The bride’s parents or both families and the couple themselves can send the announcement card. You may include when and where this good decision was made.

SAVE THE DATE CARDS
‘Reserve -the-dates’
A very simple pretty card to request your guests to reserve the date. Chances are, few people already know about your wedding but this card is actually to tell them not to commit themselves to other things. You find people are very busy these days and they need to pre plan or they might get other engagements and decide to do their errands first before coming to the wedding.

This is especially important if your wedding is during the peak holiday season like December, where most people make travel arrangements upcountry or a broad early. This card will ensure that as they plan their date they plan with you in mind.

RESPONSE CARDS
Response cards are enclosed with the invitation to determine the number of people who will be attending your wedding and should be printed in the same style as the invitation. An invitation to only the wedding
ceremony does not usually include a request for a reply.

However, response cards should be used when it is necessary to have an exact head count for special seating arrangements. Response cards are widely accepted today. If included, these cards should be easy for your guests to understand and use.

Include a self-addressed and stamped return envelope to make it easy for your guests to return the response cards.

RECEPTION CARDS
If the guest list for the ceremony is larger than that for the reception, a separate card with the date, time and location for the reception should be enclosed with the ceremony invitation for those guests also invited to the reception. Reception cards should be placed in front of the invitation, facing the back flap and the person inserting them.

They should be printed on the same quality paper and in the same style as the invitation itself.

Sample of reception card:
Reception immediately following the ceremony
Safari Park Hotel
Thika road
Nairobi, Kenya at 2 o’clock.

PEW CARDS
Pew cards, though not very common, may be used to let special guests and family members know they are to be seated in the reserved section on either the bride’s side or the groom’s side. These are most typically seen in large, formal ceremonies. Guests should take this card to the ceremony and show it to the ushers, who should then escort them to their seats.

Options: Pew cards may indicate a specific pew number if specific seats are assigned, or may read “Within the Ribbon” if certain pews are reserved but no specific seat is assigned.

Things To Consider: Pew cards may be inserted along with the invitation, or may be sent separately after the RSVPs have been returned. It is often easier to send them after you have received all RSVPs so you know how many reserved pews will be needed.

Tips To Save Money: Include the pew card with the invitation to special guests and just say “Within the Ribbon.” After you have received all your RSVPs, you will know how many pews need to be reserved. This will save you the cost of mailing the pew cards separately.

STATIONERY PRESENTATION

There are typically two envelopes that need to be addressed for wedding invitations: an inner envelope and an outer envelope.

The outer envelope: Contains the name (or names) and address of the person (or people) to who the inner envelope belongs. Children over 13 receive their own invitation.

The inner envelope: It is inserted unsealed inside the outer envelope, with the flap away from the person inserting i.e. the addressed part facing the back of the outer envelope. The inner envelope contains the name (or names) of the person (or people) who is invited to the ceremony and/ or reception. The address is not included on the inner envelope.

The invitation: Is placed inside the inner envelope with the print side facing the back of the inner envelope. If a separate ceremony or reception card is included it should be placed on top of the invitation.

Other enclosures
Eg maps can be included or sent separately once guests have given notice that they will attend. RSVP cards, are placed inside a self addressed stamped envelopes.

Postcards can also serve as a good alternative. Alternatively you can include an RSVP, Tel number or email address to save on costs.

Things To Consider: If all your guests are to be invited to both the ceremony and the reception, a combined invitation may be sent without separate enclosure cards. Order one invitation for each married or engaged couple that you plan to invite. The officiant and his/ her spouse as well as your attendants should receive an invitation.

ADDRESSING ENVELOPES

ADDRESSING ENVELOPES

Guidelines For Addressing Invitations
Addressing your invitations is a time consuming task. We recommend that you start addressing your envelopes at least three months before your wedding, and preferably four months if you are using calligraphy or if your guest list is above 200. Order approximately 20% more stationery than your actual count, some invites might get spoiled while addressing and you may need a replacement. Allow a minimum of two weeks to address and mail the invitations, longer if using a calligrapher or if your guest list is very large.

You may also want to consider ordering invitations to the traditional/cultural parties, as these should be in the same style as the wedding invitation. Make sure you use the same method or person to address both the inner and outer envelopes.

Things To Consider: You should not include a line that reads “number of persons” on your response cards because only those whose names appear on the inner and outer envelops are invited.

Each couple, each single person, and all children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation. Indicate on the inner envelope if they may bring an escort or guest.

The words “Adult reception” and omitting of children’s names from the inner envelope infers that the children are not invited

MAILING YOUR INVITES
Mail all invitations at the same time, 6 - 8 weeks before the wedding. Budget for RSVP and invitation stamps.

Things to consider: Do not order for your stamps until you let the post office weigh the completed invitation. If you are pressed with time you may want to consider using a courier service. Prices range from 100 Kshs within Nairobi per perk or you might simply opt to deliver them yourself.