Formal invitation for traditional weddings

Etiquette and tradition play an important role in preparing these all important missives.
They must not only inform guests the who, when and where of the wedding but also reflect at a glance the uniqueness of the couple and their planned celebrations.

Whether it’s posted, hand delivered in person or couriered, the invitation gives a clear indication as to whether the upcoming wedding is  traditional, formal, informal, elaborate, limited to close family and friends or a large celebration over several days.

Monica and Kapil Sharma said that one of the first tasks on their checklist after their son set the date was booking the venue, selecting the invitation cards and meeting the printers. 

“Updating addresses was hard part. We had to enlist the help of those who recently had a wedding in the family for updates of mutual friends and procure address books from clubs. We then allowed ourselves four months from the time we selected the invitations and composed the text for proof-reading and writing the addresses.”

 “We hired a calligrapher and couriered the invitations six weeks in advance for outstation and three weeks in advance for in-station guests,” they explain.

  “Also make sure that pin codes and telephone numbers are correct to ensure that the invitations reach promptly.”  Some  tips on the finer points of composing wedding invitations.

*Dinner receptions are expensive affairs and children are usually not invited. One way of tactfully indicating this is to exclude their names from the envelope or title the reception card as ‘Adult reception’.

* Traditional British spelling is better for words like ‘honour and favour’.

*Each line of the address should be centred for a balanced look.

*Courtesy titles such as Mr, Miss, or Mrs are always used (never Ms).

*Military titles are handled by rank. Always spell out full names, (no nicknames or abbreviations).

*Some couples do not like to accept gifts and the appropriate wording would be  ‘Presents in presence /blessings only’ or a request to donate to their favourite charity as a wedding blessing.

*Directions and map cards are appreciated especially for distant and unfamiliar venues.

*Always order 50 extra invitations to avoid running short.

*Get the first draft proof read carefully at least by three different people before approving it.

*When inviting a couple with children, only the adult’s name is written on the
outer envelope. The children's name should appear on the inner card or envelope under the parents’ name.