If you’ve been knee-deep in wedding planning, chances are you’ve heard of the “candy buffet” or “candy bar” wherein a table-long array of the sweetest and colorful candy is displayed for your guests to dig in.  The Wedding Candy Buffet made its debut to wedding guests all over the nation within the past few years and there are no signs of the wedding candy bar concept slowing down.  Wedding candy buffets are genius, really, and super simple.  The following are a few wedding candy buffet ideas.

First, decide on the type of candy you’d like to display in your wedding candy bar buffet.  You might be surprised to find this task to be quite harder than you think.  There is quite literally hundreds of various types of candy in all of shapes and colors.  Reach back into time and choose some candy with nostalgic value, then add some of your current favorites.  Imagine sweet chocolates, chewy gummy bears, brightly colored gum balls, Jordan almonds, and even childhood lollipops gracing your wedding candy buffet!  But don’t go overboard, limit your choices to only about 10 of your favorite candy.

Next select the containers in which you will exhibit your sweet treats.  Clear glass jars are the vessels of choice.  Create a standout showcase with a mixture of narrow and wide glass jars to tall and short glass containers.  Indicate each jar’s contents with a decorative tent card displayed in front of the container.  Alternatively, handwrite the name of the candy onto a beautiful sticker and affix to the front of the glass jar.  Place a candy scoop in front or inside the candy jar for your guests to easily grab their desired amount.

Lastly, choose a generously-sized yet portable container that your guests can use to load up with their goodies and take home.  Gourmet food paper bags personalized with your names and wedding date is the perfect idea.  Or transform Chinese takeout boxes into a great container for your memorable wedding candy buffet.  Glassine envelopes can be spruced up with personalized labels resulting in creative candy buffet packaging. 

By offering an “all-you-can-eat, make-your-own” experience, you’ll invite your guests to create their own wedding favors that they’ll be sure to enjoy!  The wedding candy buffet is the perfect accent to your wedding that will make a sweet and lasting impression! (AJG001)

When it comes to your wedding invitations, you probably know about how much of your wedding budget will be spent on them.  If you could spend even less without sacrificing style and quality, that extra money could be spent elsewhere on your wedding or saved for future use.

Steps to saving a little money on your wedding invitations do not have to be huge to be cost effective.  In fact, sometimes just planning ahead can save you both dollars and stress.

Of course, the most obvious step would be to trim down your guest list resulting in fewer invitations to order but that is not always practical when you have plenty of family and friends with whom to celebrate your special day. 

There are also many other ways to ease your wedding invitation budget: 

1.  Shop around to find that perfect style that fits your budget.  The Internet provides the convenience of shopping from your computer when it fits your schedule.

2.  Place your order early to prevent paying more for expedited shipping methods.  Last-minute pressure will also be eliminated by having plenty of time to assemble and address your invitations. 

3.  Be sure to order some extra invitations to allow for last-minute guests and to save a few for keepsakes.  It’s definitely cheaper to order more initially than to place an order for only a few invitations later.  Typically, the cost per invitation goes down as the quantity of your order increases.  If the option of ordering a few extra envelopes is offered, you may want to also do this to cover any addressing mistakes that could happen.

4.  Select cheap wedding invitations such as a classic single-panel card style which tends to cost less per invitation, especially when ordered in quantity.

5.  Choose a seal and send wedding invitation.  This economical all-in-one design folds up and seals into its own self-mailing piece.  Without the double mailing envelopes, this style tends to cost less per invitation and eliminates the extra cost of response cards with return envelopes.  Instead, a response postcard is attached to the invitation and is included in the invitation price.  It is easily removed and mailed back by your guests .  Another benefit to this style is the postage savings since your guests are mailing back a postcard. 

6.  Be cautious of styles that are larger in size, consist of multiple layers, or include embellishments.  Their size and possible extra weight could increase the amount of postage required for mailing.

7.  When offered ink color choices, select black ink which is normally included in the invitation price.  There is an additional per-item-ordered cost for colored inks.  This means a separate ink charge for the invitations, response cards, reception cards, return address printing, etc., which can add up.

8.  Pass on the option of having a colored lining on your inner envelopes which costs extra. 

9.  Include your reception information right on your invitation to eliminate the cost of a separate reception card (having less weight in the envelope might even save you from affixing extra postage).   If space allows, your dinner and reception details can be added on as extra lines aligned with the rest of your verse printing.  Some invitation styles allow the option of a corner copy – 3-4 lines that appear in the bottom left or right corner usually in a smaller sized font.  There may be a small extra charge for these lines.  Corner copy is not recommended for narrow or tea length styles. 

10.  Order your thank you or informal notes at the same time you place your wedding invitation order to avoid separate shipping costs and to eliminate the need to order them at a later time.  With most invitation styles these can be printed on matching paper.  

Every little bit helps if you are looking for money saving options for your unique wedding invitations.  Everyone has their own vision of how their invitations will look and only you know what you are willing to compromise on in fulfilling your dream.  Just remember that your invitations provide your guests with their first glance of your wedding.

Everybody talks about wedding invitations, but what about all the terms related to them.  Here are descriptions of some of the more common items that you may come across while shopping for your invitations.   

Seal n Send Invitations:  This simple wedding invitation style is also economical for several reasons.  It is a single-folded piece with the response postcard attached to the invitation by a perforation for easy removal.  Being a response postcard, you will save on postage costs.  The mailing envelope is eliminated since the entire invitation folds up into its own self-mailing piece.  Prices for this product normally include seals along with a printed return address on both the back flap and on the perforated response postcard.

Reception Cards:  If there isn’t enough room on your wedding invitation for listing your reception details, reception cards can be ordered to match your invitations and then be included as a separate insert.  Please keep in mind that this card could possibly add to your mailing cost since postage is based on weight.

Response Cards:  These cards are essential to planning for your dinner/reception since an accurate guest attendance count will be needed for food and seating preparations.  The response card along with its mailing envelope will be inserted with your wedding invitation.  Remember to include a postage stamp on this small envelope which will also come pre-printed with your chosen mailing address so all your guests will have to do is fill it out and mail it back by your requested date. 

Map/Direction Cards:  These direction cards would be included as a convenience for any guests who might not be familiar with the location of the church and/or reception.    

Lined Inner Envelopes:  For a small charge, you can request your inner envelopes have a colored lining to add a special touch to your wedding invitation ensemble.  Color choices will vary depending on the invitation style you choose.

Printed Invitation Envelope Flaps:  This option of having your return address printed on the outside envelope can save you valuable time and ensure that undeliverable wedding invitations are returned to you.  There is a small cost involved but it also gives an address to those who might not be able to attend but still want to send you a card or gift.

Envelope Seals:  These self-adhesive labels add just the right finishing touch.  They are available in many styles and are used on your outer envelope making it look like they are holding the flap down even though it has already been sealed.

Announcements:  For those who won’t be invited to your wedding but you would still like them to know about your marriage, you can mail them an announcement card.  They can be printed on the same paper as your wedding invitation but mailed on your wedding day or immediately after with the wording stating that your wedding has already taken place.

Informal Notes:  These are used separately from your wedding invitations but should be included with your original order since they are usually printed on matching paper and this will save you on shipping costs.  They are personalized with either your names or monogram on the front with the inside being blank for writing your thank you notes.  Any leftovers can be used long after the wedding for other purposes.  Blank mailing envelopes are included with them.

Not all of the above items are necessary to make your wedding invitations complete.   Remember, this is your special day, so it’s your decision as to which ones you would like to include as part of your invitation ensemble.

Invitations to a wedding are welcome pieces of mail that people enjoy receiving. It’s fun to open up that envelope knowing there’s an invitation inside. With all of today’s junk mail, how can your mailing envelope be unique to get noticed by your guests?

Why not consider being creative with the outside appearance of your ready-to-mail wedding invitation using any of these suggestions.

• Shape - With so many wedding invitation designs available today, you could easily select a uniquely shaped style such as square or tea length. The mailing envelope will then be the same unusual size to accomodate the invitation.
• Style - Another option is to select a Seal and Send wedding invitation style. This all-in-one invitation is designed to be folded into a self-mailing piece eliminating the need for a mailing envelope. The response card is attached to the invitation so it can be easily detached by your wedding guest along the perforation. Since it is a postcard, the return mailing envelope is eliminated and your postage cost will be less.
• Color - How about using color for emphasis? Some wedding invitations now come with colored mailing envelopes. In particular, self-mailer invitations often include a colored envelopment that holds your invitation card and has a built-in pocket for keeping any extra enclosures. It is then folded up wrapping around all your invitation pieces to become your mailing envelope.
• Decorative Seals - Adding a seal to your wedding invitation envelope could be that extra touch you’ve been looking for. Even though your envelope is sealed, you can choose to place a special seal on the back so it gives the illusion that it is actually holding the flap down. There are often seal personalization choices, from monograms to first names. Design options include white, clear, gold, silver, embossed, themes, etc.
• Custom Wedding Stamps - There are now websites that offer you the option of creating your own personalized postage stamps using an uploaded photo or choosing from ready-to-use wedding designs. This is a great way to dress up your wedding invitation envelopes to reflect your personal style.

You want to make sure your wedding invitation envelope is attention grabbing and doesn’t get misplaced in your guests’ stack of junk mail. Using any of the above ideas will also start creating excitement before they even open your invitation.

You’ve probably heard about Save the Dates since they have become quite popular with brides but you might not know exactly what purpose they serve.  Proper etiquette doesn’t dictate that these advance notices have to be sent but in today’s world it helps your guests in their planning so they can be sure to be with you sharing in the celebration of one of the most important days of your life.

People’s lives are getting increasingly busier and more tightly scheduled so that’s where Save the Date announcements come in handy.  You want to make sure that your guests, especially family and close friends, keep the date of your wedding open when planning their schedules.  To accomplish this, your Save the Dates should be sent shortly after setting your wedding date, especially if your date lands around a holiday time or is a number of months away. 

Guests who will have to travel to be in attendance will find them especially helpful for giving them plenty of travel preparation time particularly if you are having a destination wedding.

It’s easy to be creative when sending out your Save the Dates since there are so many different varieties and designs available.

·         Magnets have become a favorite selection and why not since your guests can easily stick them onto their refrigerator as their reminder.  Some magnets have the option of including a photo and some actually show a calendar of your wedding date month with your date circled for easy reference.

·         Calendar Sticker Cards are a fun, unique way of asking your guests to mark your wedding date on their schedule.  Your date will appear on the card and also on the attached seal which can be removed and affixed to their calendar on that specific date.  

·         Announcement Cards can be as creative or as simple as you like.  They come in varying designs, colors and themes from whimsical to more traditional.  Some of them even come in creative shapes such as admission tickets.

All Save the Date designs are printed with your wedding date and names; some even give the option of including the wedding location. Blank mailing envelopes are usually included in the price no matter which design you choose.  Be sure to list at the bottom of your Save the Date the added line “invitation to follow”, so guests won’t assume that this is the actual wedding invitation.  This is also why it’s imperative that everyone who receives your Save the Date will also receive your wedding invitation. 

Wedding invitations play an important role in planning your wedding, and in today’s society, Save the Dates are becoming increasingly popular because of your guests’ busy schedules.  You want to do everything you can to make sure family and friends will be able to share in the joy of your wedding day.

Green can have a much different meaning than just the color of your wedding invitations. A hot topic these days in wedding planning is ‘going green’. When it comes to your wedding invitations, you will be happy to know there are a number of easy ways to be more environmentally conscience, some of which may even save you some money.

The biggest way is having your invitations printed on recycled paper stock. Designs on recycled papers have come a long way in giving you some gorgeous choices.

Another way to ‘think green’ with your wedding invitations is to simply reduce the amount of paper used for your invitation ensemble. Suggested ways to save on paper include:

• Select an invitation style that comes with only one envelope for mailing thus eliminating the familiar inner envelope. An example of this style is a self-mailer invitation where the envelopment wraps around all of your pieces and seals up to become the actual mailing envelope. Another benefit of having only one envelope is that you will save on your handwriting time. This style may require extra postage depending on its overall size.
• Choose a smaller sized single-panel invitation card instead of a larger folded or layered style.
• Use a response postcard to eliminate the need for a return mailing envelope and to save on postage.
• Include your reception information on your invitation to eliminate the need for including a separate reception card (having less weight in your envelope may even save you from purchasing extra postage). If space allows, your dinner and reception details can be added on as extra lines aligned with the rest of your verse printing, or some invitation styles allow the option of a corner copy – 3-4 lines that appear in the bottom left or right corner usually in a smaller sized font. Having a corner copy, which is not recommended for narrow or tea length styles, may incur a small additional charge.
• Pick a seal n send wedding invitation style that gets mailed to guests without an envelope. This efficient one-piece design easily folds and seals into its own self-mailing piece. This style also has a response postcard attached for easy removal and mailing back by your guests.
• Set up a personal wedding website to give your guests easy access to online maps, directions, area hotels, gift registry information, etc., instead of printing extra invitation insert pieces.

Today it is easier than ever to make earth-friendly choices when selecting your wedding invitations without sacrificing quality and style. Every little bit helps when it comes to saving our planet and some of your choices might even save you some ‘green’ (money) in the process.

Your wedding invitations are just the beginning to having your wedding reflect your own individual style.  Today, more than ever, couples are doing everything they can to make their wedding day uniquely personalized.    

Having chosen your wedding colors, theme and location based on your individual tastes, your stationery is next.  Since your wedding invitations are an introduction to your wedding, they should reflect your selections and ultimately your personal styles.

It used to be that wedding invitations were always very traditional in both color and appearance.  Today, they come in a vast array of styles, sizes, themes and vibrant colors to reflect the creativity of modern wedding couples. 

Traditional is still an elegant choice, but today your options are truly limitless.  There are designs based on seasons of the year, personal interests, colors, specific themes, location settings, ethnic backgrounds, flowers, etc.  Your wedding invitations can have a contemporary look featuring bold colors and patterns or they might showcase your engagement photo or they may even highlight your monogram.

Your decisions do not end with the wedding invitation itself.  There are the font styles and ink colors.  Again, there is an impressive selection of fonts to fit any type of wedding design.  Just keep in mind you want to choose a style that your guests will find easy to read.  The more script the style, the more difficult it usually is to read.There are also plenty of ink colors to choose from to match your specific wedding colors.

Here are some questions for you to consider when choosing your wedding invitation design:

1. In what type of setting are you getting married – church, formal, casual, outdoor, destination?

2. What is the color scheme of your wedding?

3. Is there an overall theme to your wedding?

4. Do you want to be earth friendly with your invitations such as choosing a recycled paper stock?

5. Do you want to incorporate a specific ethnic or religious theme?

6. In what season will your wedding take place?

7. What is the style of your wedding - will you want traditional or modern wedding invitations?

8. What type of flowers are you having in your wedding?

9.  Do you want to include your photo on your wedding invitations?

10. How much is in your wedding budget for your invitations?

Including a special Bible verse, a line from a song, a favorite piece of poetry or a beloved quotation is another creative idea for personalizing your wedding invitations.  Many times the invitation printer will also have a large selection of extra verses to choose from.  Just be sure your chosen invitation style has enough room for these extra lines of printing.

Your wedding invitations should be uniquely personal just like your wedding.  With all of today’s gorgeous choices, you are sure to find exactly the one that is perfect for your special day.

In this more relaxed era, a wedding invitation can be sent by telephone, conveyed verbally or even emailed. The objective of a wedding invitation is to let your guests know when and where the ceremony and reception are taking place.

Even though wedding invitations are like many other kinds of invitation, there is almost always more formality to them. Because of this association, wedding invitation etiquette has been established to help you navigate the ins and outs of inviting guests to your wedding. This protocol is in place because a formal wedding invtation lets your guests know through the paper stock, the type style and the wording that this is not a casual event. For a more formal wedding, your invitations need to match the tone.

The Look And Feel of a Formal Wedding Invitation

Proper etiquette for a formal wedding invitation does not allow for inviting guests via email or phone since these methods are relatively new. It calls for the traditional style of printed invitations. Formal wedding invitations usually have the following characteristics:

• They are printed on heavyweight ivory, cream or white paper
• They use a classic letter style such as Roman
• Formal invitations are usually engraved and most likely written in the third person style.
• There are usually two envelopes with the invitation. The first evenlope is the outer one, which contains all the other components of the invitation. The other envelope is used by the guest to return the reply card.

Other Helpful Tips

There are other helpful rules of etiquette for formal wedding invitations which should be considered during the planning stage.

• For the more formal wedding ceremonies, your don’t need to be as creative.
• If you’re quite sure that your guest will bring a friend, it’s perfectly acceptable to use the term “and guest” on the invitation if you don’t know their name. Usually this limits the amount of unknown guests brought along by others.
• Ceremonies held in places of worship require a more formal setup and thereby more formal invitations than a ceremony held in a nature setting or a home.
• Most formal wedding invitations are printed by a professional printing service and then the envelope is hand addressed by either the groom or bride.

Wedding invitation etiquette is a must for the formal invitation. This implies the importance of the special occasion to those involved, unlike other invitations such as wedding shower invitations which are far less formal and more festive.