Types Of Wedding Invitations: Understanding The Terminology

Types Of Wedding Invitations: Understanding The Terminology

As you begin planning your wedding you will be faced with choosing between a variety of wedding invitations. A lot of terms will be thrown at you, which can add to your confusion. While you can choose a lot of different styles of invitations, there are basically seven types of wedding invitations. Here is a description of each:



Engraved Wedding Invitations

Engraved invitations are the perfect solution if you are having an ultra-formal wedding. These are classic and traditional invitations, but they are costly. These are specialty printed pieces that add a touch of elegance to your wedding. Basically the letters are cut or impressed into the surface of the invitation, and they leave an imprint on the back of the paper.

They do take some time to print, so you will need to order these invitations a minimum of 8 weeks before the wedding (but earlier is better).



Thermographed Wedding Invitations

Thermographed invitations may look similar to engraved invitations, but they are printed through a heat process. While they can look elegant, they should not be used for a very formal wedding. However, these invitations are much less expensive than engraved invitations, so you can add elegance for less. If you want thermographed invitations, you will need to order them a minimum of s6 weeks in advance.



Printed Wedding Invitations

If you are on a serious budget, then printed invitations may be your best choice. Or, if you are planning your wedding without much lead time, printed invitations only need to have 4 to 6 weeks advance notice. You can also order these invitations via the internet, too. They are very popular today, and can be used for semi-formal to casual weddings. Some couples are even using their home printers to print invitations on patterned paper.



Calligraphed Wedding Invitations

If you want to add some elegance or an old-fashioned feel to your invitations, you can hire a calligrapher to hand-write your wedding invitations. The calligraphy can be very pricey, as there is a lot of time and effort that goes into producing these invitations. Also, these invitations are done in an ink that will smear if it comes into contact with moisture. Calligraphy does take more time to complete, so you need to give your calligrapher enough notice to complete your invitations.



Handmade Wedding Invitations

Are you crafty? Do you have some time to show off your skills?

Or do you know someone who is creative who can make your invitations? Handmade invitations add a nice personal touch to your wedding, though they should only be used for semi-formal or casual weddings. Again, these invitations are time-consuming, so you should give yourself enough time to make them. Also, buy some extra materials in case of mistakes.





Box Set Wedding Invitations

Many stationery stores offer boxed sets of invitations and response cards. You can often use these to print your own invitations from your computer, use a calligrapher to fill them out, or handwrite your wedding invitations. Boxed sets are versatile and can be used to create a unique look. They are often less expensive, and may be a good alternative for someone on a budget.



Electronic Wedding Invitations Some brides and grooms are considering going to electronic wedding invitations due to their ease and environmentally friendly nature. However, many etiquette experts do not condone sending e-invitations. The more formal your wedding is, the less acceptable e-invitations are. However, they can still be done very elegantly and create a unique approach to inviting people to your wedding.