WHAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU NEED IT WHY IT'S PROPER

Engagement Announcements Because of school, military service or other plans, your wedding date may be far in the future. If you want people to know you are engaged, plan an Announcement using the Wedding Invitation format. Either formal or informal copy is proper to let people know your exciting news.

Save-the-Date Cards Mail them three to four months in advance of the wedding. It is a good idea to give family and friends as much notice as possible of the coming event. This is especially true if you have many out of town guests.

Wedding Invitations with Envelopes Used for anyone you want to attend the ceremony (even if they are ill or too far away to actually come.) Always lists who is getting married, on what day, of what year (spelled out in full), at what time, and the location. An occasion this important rates more than a casual invitation. Elegance is enhanced by coordinating with lined inner envelopes.

Reception Cards Traditionally a Reception Card is only used when a select number of the guests invited to the ceremony are invited to the reception. Nowadays, a Reception Card is included with the invitation, even when everyone invited to the ceremony is invited to the reception. This invitation says, "You are special." Mailed along with the invitation, this card announces the time and location of reception.

Response Cards with Printed Return Envelopes A must in today's busy times, or you simply won't know who is planning on attending. Plus, you will end up chasing down guests who do not send a handwritten reply. The Response Card has become an accepted part of wedding etiquette. Including one with invitation is a thoughtful way to ease the guest's responsibility to reply to formal invitations. As a courtesy to guests, enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with Response Card.

Wedding Announcements If your circle of friends and relatives is larger than the list you intend to invite to the ceremony, or if you have a private wedding, you will want to send an announcement of your wedding. Wedding Announcements include the wedding date, but never the time or location of ceremony. Mail the day of the wedding.

At Home Cards If you are moving to a new home and want to inform family and friends of your new information. Informs family and friends of your new address and lets them know whether you are keeping your maiden name. Usually mailed with the announcement or mailed separately after the wedding.

Thank-You Notes A perfectly proper time-saver for those very busy days leading up to the wedding and immediately following the wedding. It's a thoughtful way to let gift givers know their gift was received. Always write a personal thank-you note later. Send within two months of wedding.

Informals With or without the name of the groom, this personalized stationery is needed to hand write thank-you notes to those who gave a wedding gift. People who took the time to pick out a wedding gift deserve a personalized thank-you note. Also excellent for many other occasions where only brief correspondence is needed.

Wedding Programs A great way for guests to follow the ceremony and learn who is in your wedding party. Enables you to share a special message or poem with your guests. Provides guests with a nice memento of your special day.

Place Cards and Table Cards Makes sit-down meals less chaotic if people have assigned seats, or at least assigned tables. Place Cards list the guest's name and table and are often displayed in envelopes on a table outside the tent or reception room. Table Cards list a table number inside the folder and the guest's name appears on the outside of the folder.

Ceremony Cards Used when everyone is invited to the wedding reception but only a limited number are invited to the ceremony. This invitation says, "You are special." Mailed along with the invitation, this card announces the time and location of ceremony.