Wedding Stationery: Your Questions Answered

Wedding stationery doesn’t always just stop at the invitations. Depending on the type of wedding you’re having, there may be enclosures that go along with the invitation, or cards that need to be sent before the actual invitation goes out.
 
Here are some commonly asked questions:
 
 
 
What are “Save-the-date” cards?
 
These are precursors to the wedding invitations. Save-the-date cards are usually for the benefit of out of town guests who need to know the wedding date well in advance. These cards can also be used if the wedding will take place on a public holiday or holiday weekend, to ensure that guests have enough notice and can reserve the date to attend the wedding.
 
 
 
What should we include along with the invitation?
 
You can enclose:
 
1. A reception card, which states the date, time and venue of the reception. If you prefer not to use a reception card, you can include your reception information onto your wedding invitation.
 
2. A ceremony card is used when only a few guests are invited to the ceremony but all are invited to the reception.
 
3. If either the wedding or the reception is held at a location which is far away from where the majority of the guests live or if it is a new or unusual location, it is a good idea to enclose a small map with the invitation.
 
4. For formal weddings, it is appropriate to include a response card. This is a small, stamped and pre-addressed card which guests fill out and post to the bride and groom, to indicate whether they would be attending or not.
 
5. Registry card.
 
 
 
Who gets an invitation to the rehearsal dinner?
 
If you’re having a large or formal rehearsal dinner, invitations are a wonderful way to herald the news. Traditionally, invitees include the members of the wedding party and their significant others, any children in the wedding, their parents and the family of the bride and groom.
 
 
 
What format should the wedding program follow?
 
Think of it as a ceremony guide for your guests. Your wedding program can be an outline of your ceremony, listing the readings, poems and music you’ve selected. 
 
It can also be an itinerary that lists and explains religious or cultural aspects of the ceremony in chronological order.
 
Many brides and grooms also use programs to introduce members of the bridal party and to talk about the role they’ve played in their lives.
 
Whatever you decide to include in your program, be sure to order extras to keep as mementos.
 
 
 
Do we really need to send out “thank you cards”?
 
As a rule of thumb, thank you cards should be sent within one month of the wedding.
 
Once any pre-wedding gifts are received, thank you cards should be sent immediately. Monetary gifts should also be followed up with a thank you card as well.

May Flower Power: Lily of the Valley

Just as each month has its own gemstone, each month also has its own traditional birth flower appropriate for the month and season. Each flower actually has a symbolic meaning and for the Lily of the Valley it is Humbleness and Humility. Two traits that can be critical to a happy marriage. It also can symbolize Sweetness and Purity and the Return of Happiness.

The Plant, Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis, commonly known as the Lily of the Valley or Lily-of-the-Valley, is the only species in the genus Convallaria in the flowering plant family Ruscaceae, formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae or in its own family called Convallariaceae. This woodland plant is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe and a limited native population in Eastern USA  (Convallaria majalis var. montana.)

Herbaceous Perennial
Lily of the valley is a herbaceous perennial plant that forms extensive colonies by spreading underground stems called rhizomes that send out stolons. These send up numerous stems each spring. The stems grow to 15-30 cm tall, with one or two leaves 10-25 cm long, flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex.

The Flower
The flowers are white tepals(rarely pink), bell-shaped, 5-10 mm diameter, and sweetly scented; flowering is in late spring, in mild winters in early March.

The Fruit
The fruit is a small orange-red berry 5-7 mm diameter that contains a few large whitish to brownish colored seeds that dry to a clear translucent round bead 1 to 3 mm wide. Plants are self-sterile, and colonies of one clone do not set seed.

Subspecies
There are three subspecies that have sometimes been separated out as distinct species by a few botanists.

    Convallaria majalis var. keiskei - from China and Japan with red fruit and bowl shaped flowers.

    Convallaria majalis var. majalis - from Eurasia with white midribs on the flowers.

    Convallaria majalis var. montana - from the USA with green tinted midribs on the flowers.

Legend and tradition
The flower is also known as Our Lady's tears since, according to Christian legend, the tears Mary shed at the cross turned to Lilies of the Valley. According to another legend, Lilies of the Valley also sprang from the blood of St. George during his battle with the dragon. Other names include May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Male Lily and Muguet.

Fun Facts

    Floral Fact: These small, fragile, bell-shaped flowers are considered traditional marriage flowers.

    Traditionally, Lily of the Valley is sold in the streets of France on May 1.

    Lily of the Valley became the national flower of Finland in 1982.

    The Norwegian municipality Lunner has a Lily of the Valley in its coat-of-arms.

    It is the official flower of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Kappa Sigma fraternity, Delta Omicron fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, and Alpha Phi sorority.

    Lily of the Valley is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Chi.

Ideas for a Beautiful Beach Wedding

If you're looking for a small, simple, and beautifully natural wedding, a beach wedding is the perfect solution. And if you want to invite the whole gang, think about a fun-filled wedding weekend and reunion at an activity-rich resort, beach, or lakeside town. Whatever you decide, beach weddings are often memorable, unique, and offer a lot of options. Here are a few things to make planning yours an official breeze.

Find Your Perfect Location
Choose a location based on your wedding style and nonnegotiable guest list (if any). Unlike a hometown affair, you can't assume everyone will be able to attend, especially if you've chosen a beach that requires a journey for most people. You'll want to compare facilities and, if you're marrying on a private beach, look into any permit fees, container laws, and clean-up charges.

Start Early
Start researching and planning your beach wedding as soon as possible. Not only do you have to reserve your venue, but fulfilling the marriage and potential permit requirements of the state in which you are to be wed may take a few months. For example, some public beaches' parks commissions may require you to detail explicitly all pieces of equipment you'll be bringing to the site, as well as all food and beverages to be served there. Remember that you'll also need to have a plan in place for clean-up, which is one part of the wedding process you don't usually need to think about when your holding your affair indoors.

Ask Questions
Two maxims to keep in mind here: No question is stupid and you'll never know until you ask. Achieving your dream wedding means having all the information you need to make the perfect choices.

Be Flexible
Mother Nature works in mysterious ways. Always have a back-up plan in place for whatever she throws your way. Don't feel compelled to organize the day on a drill sergeant's time schedule; if you need to be on a rain delay for a couple of hours, the rest of the day can still proceed as planned.

Work With Those in the Know
Stress not! Work with a bridal consultant who specializes in beach weddings and/or a wedding planner based in the area where you'll be married to help you navigate a particular beach's requirements (these can vary by county and within towns). Planners also serve as expert eyes for finding -- and overseeing -- local vendors.

Guide Your Guests
If you've chosen a relatively unknown section of beach, make sure guests know how to find it and can traverse any boardwalks, rocky areas, or grassy dunes. Be sure to place a welcome basket at the front of your ceremony site (suntan lotion, bug spray, etc.) and goodies that will remind them of the setting -- parasols, refreshing glasses of lemonade, or cozy beach blankets, for example.

Arrive Early
Plan to arrive to your site a few hours early to be sure the set-up goes off without a hitch. Try to relax, and stay hydrated -- you don't want to start wilting during the ceremony!

Get It in Writing
Make sure you confirm all agreements in writing before you let a single dollar bill leave your wallet!

 

Another bonus is that you can choose a beautiful but simple dress (can you say less expensive and more comfortable??)

To see more of my Beach Inspired Invitations you can visit my store!

*Excerpts from: http://beach.weddings.com/articles/beach-wedding-planning-basics.aspx