With so many envelopes and different sized cards, choosing wedding stationery can be a bit bewildering. Here are the essential elements of a wedding invitation explained in clear terms that any bride to be can understand.

Invitation Card
The actual wedding invitation card is the heart of your wedding stationery. Since this is the most important item, it is usually the largest in size. The invitation card should include all the indispensable information about your wedding event. Both of your names should have a prominent position on the card and are usually printed in a larger font. You can choose whether to put your first names only or your full names. The date, time and location of the ceremony should be included.

Generally, the reception time is not noted but you can write something along the lines of, “Reception to follow at the Grand Hotel in Sheffield.” Guests will assume that the reception will start as soon as everyone has made their way to the reception hall from the ceremony location. It’s good to include the name of the town or city the reception will be in, if it’s taking place in a different locale than your ceremony. That way guests can figure out how far they’ll be driving and if they want to carpool.

Many couples also include their parents’ names on the wedding invitation card. Traditionally, the bride’s parents have hosted the wedding and therefore their names have been featured on the card. Nowadays many couples are breaking from tradition to include the groom’s parents’ names as well, or just using the names of the bridal couple if they are primarily hosting the function without parental support.

Inner Envelope
The inner envelope is the addressed envelope that your wedding invitation goes inside. It generally only includes the names of the addressees, and not their mailing address. Calligraphy or fancy writing with a gold or silver pen is often used to address these envelopes.

Reply Card
The reply card is what the guests used to give you their RSVP and entrée choices. This card should have tick boxes of places where the guests can mark how many people from their party are attending and what they’d like to eat. Make sure all the entrée choices are listed and spelled correctly. You may opt to give a short description of each dish, if you think your guests may need an explanation in order to choose. Design your reply cards so that they’ll be easy to tally when you receive them in the mail.

Return Envelope
The return envelope is a stamped envelope that your guests used to send their reply card back to you. It should be smaller and the perfect size for the reply card. They should already be addresses so that guests don’t need to look around for your current mailing address.

Outer Envelope
What holds it all together is the outer envelope. This is the big envelope that everything goes inside and is addressed to your guests. Many brides choose to have their outer envelopes addressed by a calligrapher or to make stick on labels via computer. The last thing you want is for your wedding invitations to get lost in the mail because you didn’t dot your i’s or cross your t’s!

When ordering your wedding stationery package, be sure that what you’re being quoted for includes all of these elements. If reply cards and return envelopes are an add-on, it’s good to know beforehand so you can calculate your wedding invitation budget accurately.

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Authored by Heather Carreiro from Dependable Printing.

Please visit Dependable Printing for a great selection of wedding invitations, shower invitations, party invitations, and much more.

Talent is the single most important characteristic of a Photographer.

Choose a photographer who’s capable of creating amazing images that reflect the special people you are. Don’t be fooled by merchandise you don’t need or special “deals”; hire the best. Although some cameras are superior, it is the artist not the equipment that makes exceptional work. All photographers take pictures but a professional artist has the eye and expertise to capture more than just the scene and can produce good work regardless of the conditions. Composition, light and mood are used masterfully to create exceptional photography.

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Authored by Laurie Schneider from Laurie Schneider Photography

Laurie has specialized in fine art portraiture, art and weddings for over 17 years. Her current project is a series of figurative dreamscapes; photographic fairytales. Laurie’s passion for the beauty of the natural world and all of its sentient beings is evident in her work. Laurie contributes 5% of her income to animal rescue programs. Her studio also offers portrait, commercial, art and animal photography. See more of her work at http://lschneider.com OR http://lauriesblog.lschneider.com

Unity Candles have been the rage for decades.  Now, the newest idea for Unity Candles is a Personal Unity Candle. Use your engagement picture or other favorite picture and include your Wedding Invitation inscribed on the “backside” as the Ultimate Unity Candle.

The personalized candleglass can be used in Weddings in various ways:

1. Wedding Invitation - Just think of it…instead of opening an envelope… have your picture and your wedding invitation imaged on the candleglass. Now everyone has a keepsake from your wedding.
2. Photo Unity Candle - what better way to display two individuals or families coming together as one.
3. Wedding Table Centerpieces - It is YOUR special day.  Why not use your special pictures on a candleglass for your table centerpieces.  What a statement.  Mix or match designs.

Think of the candleglass as an artist’s canvas.  You can take a personal hand in designing your own special and unique Candleglass.  Talk about a personalized wedding!

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Authored By: Forgetmenot Candleglass.  It was spawned from circumstances revolving around downsizing.  How many people have learned to hate that word?  In my case, it turned out to be a blessing.  I am an engineer. I developed a technology that allows us to image digital pictures on candleglass to display pictures in a new and unique way.

You simply select a design, enter your order information, send us your pictures via e-mail and we do the rest.  YOUR Photo Candleglass is sent in about a week.

Do I really need to send out Save the Date Cards? If so, how early do I send them out? What is the purpose of sending out Save the Date Cards?

Save the Date Cards announce to all your family and friends the date of your wedding and simply ask them to reserve that day especially for you. They can be very useful for guests that will be having to travel long distances to attend the wedding. If someone is coming from out of the country, making needed arrangements early can save them a great deal of money on their traveling expenses. Also Save the Date Cards can be very helpful for a destination wedding. Giving early notice to all who plan to attend gives them the opportunity to request vacation from their employer and helps them save them a substantial amount of money on their travel expenses.

In order to give your guests plenty of notice Save the Date Cards should be mailed out a minimum of 4-6 months before your wedding date and as long as 12-15 months in advance if you will have many guests traveling from afar. This will allow your guests ample time to make all the necessary travel arrangements so that they will be able to attend your special event.

Save the Date Cards are not meant to be formal. The main purpose is just to let your family and friends know the actual date of the wedding so that they can plan ahead. There are many styles to choose from. When deciding on a Save the Date Card, you may want to try and match your wedding invitations. Save the date cards are mostly used as card stock or magnets and they are normally post card size. You can add a picture of you and your fiancé, or embellishments that are sure to add a personal touch. Most brides prefer the Save the Date Magnets because your guests can put it on their refrigerator and it serves as a constant reminder.

Here are some guidelines for what is needed on the card or magnet: both the bride and grooms name, the wedding date and location of the wedding. You can feel free to add any other information you feel will assist your guest in making their plans. You will also want to include the wording “invitation to follow” so that your guests will know that an official wedding invitation with more specific information will be mailed to them at a later date.

It is also recommended that you include other helpful information with your Save the Date Card such as airline, car rental and hotel information that will make things easier on your guests. They may also be interested in other special events or attractions in your area. If possible also try to acquire group discount rates for your guests by calling specialty companies and seeing if they do offer group discounts. It is customary for most vendors to set up a group code or use your last name for booking purposes. You can provide this information and any other group information when you mail your Save The Date cards!!

Have a great time planning for your special day!

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Authored by Jeff Fain from Dependable Printing.

Please visit Dependable Printing for a great selection of wedding invitations, shower invitations, party invitations, save the date card & magnets and much more.

72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.

Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.

During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer - reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!

When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.

65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey.

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Tracy Painter owns Entertainment Tonite disc jockey service. He has been working with area couples for over 20 years helping them plan their wedding reception entertainment. At Entertainment Tonite, in Pittsburgh, our DJs will work with you to help you plan a perfect wedding reception. Give us a call today at 412-672-4899.

Have the last several wedding invitations you’ve received been rather non-descript and uninteresting? Shades of white, ivory, and cream with embossed lettering aren’t always enough to bring out the personality of the bride and groom to be. If the traditional, white wedding invitation just doesn’t get you excited, here are some tips to add some style to your wedding stationery.

Add Texture
One of the latest trends in wedding stationery has been to add a small bow to each invitation. Find some ribbon in your wedding colors, punch a hole in the corner of your invite, and presto, you’ve got something with some style. Ribbons aren’t the only way to add texture to a wedding invitation. Add glitter, beads, or small stones to make a more funky invitation, or even glue on small seashells for a beach-themed wedding. The possibilities are endless here, although you want to make sure your wedding invitations don’t end up looking like a kindergarten art project. If not so art savvy yourself, why not ask some artsy gal pals to help you jazz up your stationery? You can check out the scrapbooking aisles at arts and crafts stores for ideas as well.

Add a Photo
Has your mom insisted that you invite all those second cousins and great aunts that you barely know? Help them remember who you are, and give other guests a sneak preview of your fiancé, by putting a personalized photo in your wedding invitation. There is no hard and fast rule that wedding invitations need to be formal and white. Do you both love roller-skating? Take a cute photo of you two holding hands at the roller rink. If you’re both comedians at heart, take a funny photo of you two colliding at the roller rink! Use a silly caption like, “Watch two lives come together on December 4th!” to make your guests smile. Photo-based wedding invitations can have a serious or casual look, and this will help you set the tone for your wedding.

Add an Ethnic Touch
Get in touch with your roots by adding some ethnic flair to your wedding invitation. Are you and your fiancé from different cultural background? Why not have bilingual invitations? Some couples have really intrigued their guests by sending them invites in different languages. For example, a Chinese bride and American groom could send Chinese invitations to the Americans, and English invitations to the Chinese guests! Of course this might leave guests bewildered at first, but if you put essential information like the date, place, and time in both languages, this ploy could really pique guests’ interest. So you’ve always loved Hollywood movies? Choose exquisite Indian scroll invitations to make the announcement of your wedding equal to a royal proclamation. Have your stationery outlined with beautiful Arabic calligraphy for a Middle Eastern wedding.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try several different options. Make a few samples and ask your bridesmaids which sample wedding invitation really shows your personality and wedding style. Don’t hesitate to think outside the box and come up with something truly unique!

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Authored by Heather Carreiro for Dependable Printing. Please visit Dependable Printing for a great selection of wedding invitations, shower invitations, party invitations, and much more.

The Wedding Day! You spend months and thousands of dollars planning it: choosing the perfect theme and colors, the perfect wedding dress and shoes, the perfect venue, the perfect menu… the list goes on, not mentioning the preselected perfect groom who must at least look perfect for the day. His best men are the lost cause and you just hope for the best.

With all the gargantuan efforts that you put into this production that will fly by like one moment, what do you still have years after? I mean besides your husband?

You have your great memories of that perfect day and your photos. Especially today, when wedding photography has gone journalistic style and you can relive that perfect day in all its excitement. That, of course, if the photos turn out well.

This rarely happens and you can’t always blame your wedding photographer because things like unfavorable angle shots, smudged makeup, bunched up clothing, squinting eyes, ominous shadows, glare on eyeglasses can and do occur.

The truth is that all photos need some correction. And luckily these days photo retouching is quite affordable and easily accessable through a number of online services that will charge you about $5 or less per photo. Skilled professionals will do complete cosmetic retouching that includes fixing your hair and makeup, removing the appearance of any skin imperfections or double chins, or swipe the perspiration from the groom’s forehead. For a little bit extra they’ll slim you down, adjust your wedding dress or “open” squinting eyes. They can even remove any annoying objects or your sister’s ex-boyfriend from the picture.

They’ll keep your memories of that day perfect. After all, this is how you remember it.

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Authored by PhotoHand.

PhotoHand will retouch your wedding photos at the starting fee of $3.50/photo for complete cosmetic retouching. Also, on offer there are custom-designed save-the-date cards and wedding invitations and wedding photo books from your photo material. With professional photo retouching, skillful cropping and art effects, your book becomes an outstanding memorable piece.

Your ceremony is the heart and soul of your wedding and will likely be the most personal memory of this special day. So choosing an officiant is more critical than most people realize. Many couples, especially those who do not have a regular place of worship, plan in advance for everything but the wedding officiant! Personal referrals can give you a sense of security but make sure the officiant meets your individual needs and requirements. There are many things to consider:

The Officiant

If at all possible, meet personally with the officiant to make sure you are comfortable in their presence. It helps to discuss in advance what you are looking for as a couple so you are prepared to ask questions about everything that is important to you. Are they available for your wedding date and can you imagine them presiding over your special day? Do you like their voice and will it carry? What will they wear? Do they appear to be sensitive and flexible in relating to you? Do you sense they can collaborate with other

wedding professionals to make your day joyful and elegant? Remember that your officiant should be able to reflect your values, beliefs and the meaningful aspects that are unique and special about your relationship.

Pre-Marital Education

Does the officiant require your participation in pre-marital education or counseling? If not, are you interested in participating? Even when not required, pre-marital education is an excellent investment in your future. Learning more about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and gaining enhanced communication/conflict resolution skills ensures the best possible foundation for a happy marriage.

The Ceremony and Vows

Will the officiant work with you to develop a special ceremony which honors you as a couple? Can you use contemporary readings or are religious or scriptural readings required? Can you write your own vows or add special touches? Your ceremony should be an authentic expression of who you are as individuals and as a couple. For the most personal and unique wedding ceremony, your officiant should act as a guide and co-creator (not a director).

Location

Do you want to be married in a church, on the beach, or at some other special location? Is your officiant registered in the state or country where you plan to be married? Do special location arrangements need to be made and who will make them?

Fees and Other Considerations

Fees vary depending on services and travel requirements. Do you want the officiant only at the wedding ceremony or will you require them to be present at a rehearsal? Do you want to invite them to the rehearsal dinner and/or the dinner/reception after your wedding? Don’t assume anything without asking about each of these possibilities and receiving clear answers from your officiant.

Finally, do you believe your wedding officiant will act as a trusted advisor capable of meeting your needs through listening and encouragement, linking you to other resources, or providing direction if desired? This is your day – choosing the right wedding officiant will create a special memory for years to come.

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Jacqueline Soares, a wedding officiant located in Huntington Beach CA. Has assisted dozens of couples from the design of their wedding ceremony to perfoming their ceremony on the their big day.

It is now 2009, if you were not aware. Perhaps one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to be better about planning your fast-approaching wedding. Or perhaps that has been a resolution all along, but the New Year has provided you with some snappy new motivation.

Or, perhaps not. In any case, I have good news for you: The Internet is your friend. I can’t say I was around when wedding planning (or much of anything else, for that matter) had to be done without the assistance of the World Wide Web. But I imagine there was quite a bit more running around involved for a more limited amount of resources.

Case in point: Just have to have that circa-1600 Celtic-themed vase to adorn your head table because it fits perfectly with your décor? Done. Ships overseas in a couple weeks (for a price) and you’ll undoubtedly get loads of comments. Thanks, e-bay.
Speaking of e-bay, I highly recommend it for all aspects of wedding shopping, from bridesmaid apparel to tableware. You have to be cautious, of course, but there are some great and original deals out there waiting to be discovered.
Having a Christmas-themed wedding? Do an e-bay search for “Christmas-themed wedding décor” and see what comes up. Chances are, someone is willing to get rid of her lot of 50 poinsettia wreaths for a price that’s at least a bit cheaper than what you’d find at your local craft store — especially in the off-season.
Have a bridesmaid who’s hesitant to spend $200 for the dress you picked out for her to wear? Hey, you never know. Maybe there’s one of the right size and color just awaiting a new wearer. Doesn’t hurt to at least check!

Even if you don’t end up purchasing anything, the Web is a free and readily accessible place to glean ideas from past and future brides. When I first got engaged, my married cousin referred me to a wedding website that turned out to be a great resource crammed with megabytes of everything a bride-to-be could want to know: Pictures of hairstyles and gowns, forums with any question you could think to ask about your big day and the planning stages, columns, links to other resources and personalized checklists to keep you on track.

While of course every new bride should have the satisfaction of paying for an issue or two of “Real Simple Weddings” at the counter of her local pharmacy, I’ll have to say that theknot and other similar wedding planning Web sites provide more information than you could fit into a year’s worth of magazines.

Now let’s get away from the commercial aspect for just a minute and think about the personal. My wedding took place in Wadsworth, in northeast Ohio. I live near Columbus. My bridesmaids were living in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Athens (Ohio), Indiana, and Kent (Ohio). Needless the say, we didn’t have a whole lot of opportunity to get together and plan bridesmaidsey things to do.

But to keep them in the loop, I started a wedding planning blog/Web site that illustrated how planning was coming along. Included were links to photos of my dress, pictures I had posted of the decorations and invitations, links to the Web sites of the vendors (deejay, photographer, venue), a menu for the big day, and dates when wedding-related events were happening (bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc.) Many deejays allow you to choose your music and set up your wedding day timetable online. You can even include a link for guests to request songs of their own!

If you are recently engaged, consider setting up a Web site with information and perhaps a snapshot of you and the groom, details about the wedding and, if possible, a guestbook for visitors to sign (many bridal websites have templates you can personalize which can be put together 15 minutes or less). If your family and friends haven’t met the bride or groom, a Web site is a great way for them to read a bit about the couple and how they met. You can also include a link to your wedding registry, which can save them the hassle of having to ask you or another member of the wedding party.

The point, I guess, is that on the Web, the possibilities are virtually endless. So make sure you don’t limit yourself. It’s not hard: Grab your laptop, situate yourself on the living room sofa and let the Web work its magic.

After all, you’ll be accomplishing a New Year’s resolution, right?

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Authored By Abbey Roy for the LV Sound Wedding Zone

Abbey Roy is a brand-new bride from Wadsworth now living in Newark, Ohio. She is a general assignment reporter for the Newark Advocate and married fellow reporter and Kent State graduate Seth Roy on Oct. 25, 2008.

Marriage shifts the focus from “I” to “We” in many ways. One of the most significant areas for couples to understand is the impact their marriage will have on their credit image.

Up to this point, you may have been managing your finances separately. With your marriage coming up, the credit “talk” should happen sooner rather than later. It has been studied, quoted and written about for years how important communication about finances is to a successful marriage. Many newlyweds hit the proverbial brick wall once all the dust settles after the wedding and honeymoon. Credit education prior to marriage will help prevent unpleasant surprises.

The Credit Crunch

With the recent economy leaning towards tighter credit, more emphasis will be placed on credit scores and your credit image. Understanding credit is more important than ever. Your credit image is a snapshot (like a photograph) of your credit worthiness at a fixed moment in time. A credit image is how you look to others who are making decisions about you. This image determines what interest rates you are offered, and affects many other decisions made by lenders, landlords, employers and insurance brokers.

Whether this is your first marriage or not, you probably have some sort of credit profile with all three credit reporting agencies. And knowing how to build a strong credit profile, score and image will give you a financial edge in your future together as husband and wife. If you set aside some time to openly discuss this issue as a couple, it will save you many future misunderstandings. You can also begin working as “We” by deciding how to share the tasks involved in building an enhanced credit image.

Find Out Where You Stand

First and foremost, go to www.annualcreditreport.com and retrieve your free credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. There is no cost to pull your reports from this site once a year. Once you have all three reports (total of six for a couple), comb all the information on these profiles to make sure the information reported is true and correct. 70% of all reports have some inaccuracy in them. If there are any inconsistencies or inaccurate information being reported, this is the time to dispute it.

You may also want to purchase your credit score. Currently, the FICO score is the most widely used score; however, it makes the most sense to do your research first to know where you both stand and whether corrections need to be made in your credit reports.

Good Score/Bad Score

Maybe one of the “I’s” in this relationship has had some bumps in the road regarding their credit profile and the other “I” may have better credit standing. One suggestion is that you add your spouse (once married) to one of your credit cards as an authorized or joint user. If you do this, make sure the credit card company reports this credit history to each of your social security numbers. Over time, the spouse with non-existent or poor credit can establish or re-establish a good standing credit profile. Since the most recent 18-24 months of history weighs heavily on credit risk considerations, it won’t take long to begin to see improvements in the lower score.

There’s Strength in Numbers

Prior to marriage, you probably have operated as “I’s” in your credit lines, payment history, and credit scores. If you have good standing credit lines, continue to maintain them separately. Over time, you will most likely make a major purchase like a home or automobile that may require you to go into a contract jointly. At this point, each of your credit scores will affect your joint credit and two high scores are definitely better than one.

A Final Thought

Another topic to consider is name change. If you are deciding to change your name, remember to start with the Social Security Office and then the DMV. Next, you may consider reporting your name change to your creditors. This will not obligate your spouse for any contracts you entered into previous to the marriage, as long as neither one of you entered into the contract as “We” before marriage.

There are many changes when two “I’s” become “We.” Start now to practice working together so that these changes work for, rather than against, your marriage and long-term future.

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Authored By Jacqueline Soares, wedding officiant and wedding coach.