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Hand Addressed Calligraphy or Labels for Your Wedding Invitations

Your wedding is one of the most important times in your life, and you should make it a memorable occasion for all that will attend. You spend countless hours planning for the big day. The perfect dress for your special day is in your closet, and the first choice wedding reception site is booked. Things could not be any better. The next item on your to do list is selecting your wedding invitations. After spending countless hours searching through wedding invitation albums, you have found an invitation that you can’t live without. The order for your invitations is placed, and now it is time to work on the guests list and decide how the invitations will be addressed. Addressing envelopes is just one of what seems to be a million things left to do and is usually the last thing you want to consider. Yes, you have nice handwriting, but do you have the time to complete the overwhelming task alone? You ponder the question…should they be hand addressed by a calligrapher or should I use labels? Good question! A bridal shower is coming up, and you should use it as an opportunity to ask others what they think. You pose the question and someone says… “I used labels for my wedding invitations. I even bought the clear labels and used a font that I found in Word. They turned out nice and my guests did not seem to mind. I did not hear any complaints.” No one in their right mind is going to tell a bride to her face that under no circumstances should labels be used on wedding invitations. She did not get any complaints (to her face), but she did not get any compliments either.

Wedding invitation envelopes should be hand written-- end of story. Labels are very impersonal for such a special occasion. Do not take the chance of having your guest mistake your invitation as a piece of junk mail and toss it into the recycle bin.

If your invitations are hand lettered by a calligrapher, trust me, you will receive compliments. Calligraphy can add class and style to your wedding invitations. Remember, your wedding invitation is the first impression of things to come, so make it a lasting impression. Look at calligraphy as a small gift to your guests. Your gift will be appreciated and treasured for years to come.

If you decide to use the services of a calligrapher, try to book him or her four to six months in advance. Try to get a good working guest list as soon as possible. Invitations should be ordered least three months before the wedding, and make sure you order at least 15% extra envelopes. Some places will charge a new fee if you have to order extra envelopes at a later date. Invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks before the wedding. Invitations can take a while to be printed, so allow room for error and reprints.

-Angela McLeod, Calligrapher