Wedding Order Checklist

Helpful Hints for Planning Your Wedding

Congratulations – You are getting Married!  When it comes to wedding invitations, maintaining an equal balance of etiquette and clarity is key.  We suggest ordering invitations at least 4 months prior to the wedding date to allow plenty of time for your guests to set the date aside, and for you to order, address and send your invitations. If you have out of town guests, it is suggested that you send Save the Date cards to your guests 4-6 months prior to your wedding date. And what a great way to announce your engagement at the same time!

Remember, invitations set the theme and mood of your wedding – so keep that in mind when placing your order.

 Helpful tips

      Guests should receive their invitations 4-8 weeks prior to your wedding date.

      Order 15 to 20 more invitations than you think you will need to avoid last minute orders

      Always take a your invitation package to the post office before sending to make sure you have the appropriate postage applied

Order Checklist

      Wedding announcements (Save the Date)

      Invitations

      Outer envelope

      Inner envelope

      Reception card

      Response cards w/envelope

      Travel/hotel info card

      Maps

      Ceremony programs or scrolls

      Seating/place cards

      Thank you notes

      Napkins

      Matches

      Guest favors

      Wedding Party favors

      Aisle runner

      Guest book

      Matching pen

      Cake Servers

      Cake tops

      Menu cards

      Hotel Accommodation Cards

      Seals and Address labels

      Toasting Flutes

Traditional or Contemporary

Traditional wedding invitations come with two envelopes, an inner envelope and an outer one.  The inner envelope is smaller and usually doesn’t have gumming on the flap.  These invitations are usually on white or ivory paper with black ink.

Contemporary invitations are often square shaped and come with only one outer envelope.

Your wedding invitation is the first thing your guests will see so it should set the tone and theme of your wedding day - formal, semi-formal, or casual.

Addressing the Invitations

The outer envelope should be addressed formally.  This means no abbreviations should be used except for Mr., Mrs., Jr., or Dr.  Write out the names of cities and states and there is no punctuation at the end of lines. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Doe
1500 Main Street
New York, New York 10053

The inner envelope should read Mr. and Mrs. Doe (no first names). 

If you are inviting a family with children, only the parent’s names should be included on the outer envelope.  Young children’s first names should be listed on the line below their parents on the inner envelope. 

Mr. and Mrs. Doe
Mary and Steven

Any children over age 16 should receive their own invitation.

It is not recommended that you use labels for the envelopes. We suggest calligraphy or hand written.

Assembling Your Invitation

Enclosures, such as reception cards or directions, should be placed either on top of the invitation or inside the fold.  Response cards go under the flap of the response envelope and then over the invitation or inside the fold.

In the past, tissues were used to guard against ink smears.  Today’s printing methods don’t require tissue but many continue to use it for aesthetic reasons and for the sake of tradition.  If you wish to include tissue, place it over the printing on the invitation. 

The invitation is folded and put in the inner envelope (the smaller envelope) with the folded edge down and the front of the invitation facing the back of the envelope.  The inner envelope is then placed in the outer envelope with the front of the inner envelope facing the back of the outer envelope.

Invitation Wording Etiquette

Please visit: A Perfect Time Verse It 

Types of Invitations A Perfect Time offers

Thermographed Invitations

Thermography is a popular alternative to letterpress invitations today and is a less expensive alternative. Thermographed invitations are prepared by using a glue based solution to set the lettering and design of your invitations. Then ink and very fine powder, or "dust", is applied to the glue based solution and heated. As the drying process takes place, the lettering becomes raised for an attractive and elegant look.

Printed Invitations

Another cost effective solution for your invitations are printed invitations. Most professional printers offer a wide array of selection and styles. Turn around times for printed invitations are better than most other alternatives.

Custom Invitations

Have an idea for your invitation, but can not find it on our website or our catalogs? Email or call us and we will custom design a card just for your big event!

Thank You Notes

You must send thank you notes for all your wedding and shower gifts! You might want to purchase your thank you notes at the same time you order your invitations. Most often we can find thank you notes to coordinate with your invitation.

Many couples are choosing monograms (bride's first initial, couple's last name initial, groom's first initial) or "Mr. and Mrs. ____" on their thank you notes. Also remember, that you should not send out thank you notes with your married name until after the wedding. So, you may want a few printed with your maiden name to take care of your shower gifts.

When ordering your thank you notes, it's always a good idea to order plenty of extras. You'll be able to use these notes after the wedding and it will always be a wonderful reminder of the wedding when you do!

When to Send Them 

You always should acknowledge and thank someone for a gift - right away!

The rule of etiquette for thank you notes... for gifts received before the wedding, you should send out a thank you note within two weeks. For gifts received after the wedding, you have up to one month to send out your thank you notes. However, it has become acceptable today to send wedding thank you notes up to two months after the wedding, especially if you take a long honeymoon or invited several hundred guests!

Who Else Should Get a Thank You Note?

Remember to send thank you notes to all your host or hostesses of your engagement party, bridal shower and rehearsal dinner. You may also want to send thank you notes to the individuals who participated in your wedding (readers, etc.). Another nice gesture is to send thank you notes to any of your vendors that did a great job or exceeded your expectations!

Always give a special thanks to the bride's parents, groom's parents, maid of honor, best man and your Officiant or clergyman.