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Ladybug Designs specialises in quality invitations:

handmade wedding invitations, bespoke wedding invitations, invitation wording, handmade and bespoke invitations for your wedding, handmade invitations, invitations and stationery, and wedding stationery! However you like your wedding invitations and stationery, Ladybug Designs can get it just right for you without being costly and without compromising quality. Please browse our galleries and do contact us with any questions.

Ladybug Designs can also provide information about favours, wedding favours, favors, wedding favors,  wedding dresses, bridesmaid, 

photographers, photography,  wedding planners, bridal accessories,  wedding cake, wedding cakes,  wedding cars, venues, toast master, music and entertainment, hens and stags, parties,  and much more

If you would like further information, Ladybug Designs can recommend other suppliers and websites about favours, wedding favours, favors, wedding favors, wedding dresses, bridesmaid, photographers, photography, wedding planners, bridal accessories,

wedding cake, wedding cakes, wedding cars, venues, toast master, music and entertainment, hens and stags, 

mother of the bride, speeches, best man, unusual favours and favors, decoration, 

At Ladybug Designs, prices are very competitive and we will try to match other handmade stationery within reason! If you have a budget set out for your stationery then Ladybug Designs will also try our best to keep the cost within it by making adjustments in design or materials. All designs are available in ANY colour and the bespoke service means you can have your own designs incorporated. An informal consultation is offered to all who make an enquiry and portfolios can be viewed by appointment in the comfort of your own home. All prices include printing and envelopes as required

Information on Invitation Wording

Below are some very useful articles all about wedding stationery and invitations as well as wording suggestions Many thanks to all the contributers

Courtesy of Rebecca Black of Etiquette Now!

Wedding invitations can be made by word of mouth, by telephone, or by email. The main objective is to make sure that guests know the who, what, when, and where of the event. And although wedding invitations are much the same as any other invitation, they are more than just a simple invitation; they are a visual statement before the guest even reads the words. They convey the formality and tone of your event through the formality of the paper, letter font, and style; the more formal your wedding, the more formal the wedding invitations. 

So it follows proper etiquette, that for a formal wedding you wouldn’t invite your guests via email, phone, or word of mouth. Formal wedding invitations are printed on heavyweight ivory, cream, or white paper using a classic letter style such as Roman. These are usually engraved and traditionally written in the third person style. If your wedding is informal, you are free to customize your unique wedding invitations with more informal language and style.

Note – Wedding Invitations: If you choose to invite guests for informal weddings via email, it is best to list a land address for those uncomfortable with email. 

Typically the bride’s parents would issue the unique wedding invitations, because traditionally they would host their daughter’s wedding. However these days, more and more couples are paying for their own weddings or the costs are split so everyone can help the couple in the best way possible. 

The reasoning behind couples paying for their own wedding is logical and fair. Today’s couple is more financially able to cover the costs. No longer does the bride live at home, taken care of by her father, until the day she marries someone who can then take care of her. Women take care of themselves--they should contribute.

Usually, wedding invitations will suggest who is considered the host; the host issues the invitation. Although, it is not incorrect to use the traditional style when the couple is covering the entire cost of the wedding; some wish to use this style out of respect for their parents and tradition.


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Wedding Invitation Wording

Traditional style used when the bride’s parents are hosting:

Doctor and Mrs. James Walker
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Cheryl Rae Walker
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
etc. 


When the bride’s parents are hosting and the groom’s parents are included:

Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Cheryl Rae Walker
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Jones
etc 


When both parents are hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
and 
Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Jones
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of 
Cheryl Rae Walker
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
etc. 


The bride or groom wish to honor a deceased parent:

Mrs. James Walker
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Cheryl Rae Walker
also daughter of the late Mr. James Walker
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Jones or
(son of Mr. Carroll Jones and the late Mrs. Jane Jones)
etc. 

Or, 

Cheryl Rae Walker
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
(or daughter of Mrs. Sharon Walker and the late Mr. James Walker)
and
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Jones
(or son of Mr. Carroll Jones and the late Mrs. Jane Jones)
request the honour of your presence
etc. 


When the bride’s stepfather is hosting along with the mother:

Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Cheryl Rae Stone
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
etc. 

NOTE: If her stepmother were hosting with her father, “at the marriage of ‘her’ daughter would be changed to ‘his’ daughter’’. 


An invitation issued by the couple to the wedding and reception:

The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of 
Cheryl Rae Walker
to 
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
Saturday, the fourth of March
at five o’clock
Veteran’s Memorial Center
Davis
And afterward at the reception 

RSVP 

For less formal weddings, the phrase: “is requested at the marriage of” could be changed to “invite you to the wedding of.” It may begin with “Please join us to celebrate” or “We hope you will join us” just to name a few.


A custom, informal invitation, reflecting the couple, could look like this:

Cheryl Rae Walker
and
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
invite you to share their joy
at their wedding
Etc. 


The couple is issuing the invitation, but honoring their parents:

Cheryl Rae Walker
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
and
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Jones
request the honour of your presence
etc. 

Not all invitations must be formal or informal cards as mentioned above. A nice handwritten letter could be an alternative if your wedding is a small intimate affair. An email message could be very similar.


Handwritten (Email) Invitation

Dear John and Kathy, 

Timothy Jones and I will be married on March 4, at three o’clock at our home, with a buffet reception following the ceremony. Please come and celebrate with us. 

Warm regards, 

Cheryl Walker 


Wedding Reception Invitations

Many prefer to include their reception information on the wedding invitation. However, there are times when a separate invitation to a wedding reception just makes sense. Reception invitations are often used when a reception is being held at a different time than the wedding, or when some are invited to the reception but not to a wedding. Many times divorced parents will split the invitations, with one issuing the wedding invitation and the other issuing the reception invitation. This is appropriate when both the mother and father of the bride are hosting the wedding.

Additionally, the reception invitation can include information, not mentioned on the wedding invitation, about formal attire, such as black tie. Typically, no other dress code is mentioned.

The pleasure of your company
is requested at the 
wedding reception of
Cheryl Rae Walker
and
Mr. Timothy Earle Jones
Friday, the fourth of May 
at three o'clock
Location 

(Optional: Black tie requested) 

RSVP 

Address 

Note: 

This example is also very useful for reception invitations for those who wish to have a destination wedding and plan a reception in their hometown after the wedding. 
It is considered impolite to invite guests to a wedding and not to the reception. This is implying that some guests are important enough to entertain and some are not. 
The Reply/Response Card

Did you know that a reply card is relatively new and is optional? Yes it is. Actually, a formally handwritten guest's reply letter was the most common way a guest would reply years ago. For expediency and convenience we now include response cards in nearly all invitations. Plus, unfortunately many people have lost the art of writing a formal response letter today. In the past, it was considered impolite to assume your guest didn't know how to write one. Now we assume that our guest doesn’t.

Some guests may forget to write their names on the response card. In order to keep track of who responds and who does not, make a list of your guests with a number assigned to each name. Mark the corresponding number in pencil on the back of each response card. You will know quickly who has and has not replied.

If you choose not to use a reply card, which is also known as a RSVP card, you would simply send a small card with your RSVP information stating, “The favour of a reply is requested by June 20, 2005,” or write it on your reception invitation. A formal response should be returned to the bride on the guest’s personal stationary.

Note: Place a stamp on the response card envelope before assembling the invitations and placing them into the envelopes. 


A Formal Response

Ms. Shannon Pleasance
accepts with pleasure
your kind invitation
for Sunday, the twentieth of June
Or
regrets that she is unable
to accept 

Note: 

Using email responses is also relatively new and is appropriate for informal (never formal) weddings. 
Because it is so new and some may not be comfortable with sending emails for a wedding reply, it would be best to include a land address to reply to also. 
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Assembling Invitations
You may have a number of enclosures, with which you will need to ‘stuff’ your envelopes—separate reception invitations, response cards, maps, at-home cards, etc. Lay everything out in the order in which each will be placed into the envelope, making sure that you have the same amount of each item.

Enclosures can be placed on top of or inside of the traditional engraved double sheet invitation, which folds like a book with the printing on top. With the multi-fold invitation in which the printing is on the inside, the enclosures are placed inside the first fold. All enclosures would be placed facing the back flap of the envelope on top of the invitation, so the guest can read each as she opens the invitation—most important on the bottom to least important on top. For example:

Invitation 
Tissue, if used 
Reception invitation 
Response card 
Note 

Usually the tissue paper is thrown away. 
Response envelope is placed behind the response card, printing of the names facing up toward the back of the outer envelope. 
If there are other enclosures such as maps, at-home cards, or name cards, these are placed in order of size inside the envelope. 
If using an inner envelope, the printing would be facing the back of the outer envelope. 
Addressing Envelopes
Addressing your envelope is just as important as your invitations and is wrought with its own set of etiquette. Your envelopes should be handwritten unless your printer can duplicate handwriting. These need to ‘look’ handwritten. Please refrain from computer generated labels. Many couples choose to hire a calligrapher for an elegant appearance.

Current addresses, including zip codes, is particularly important as all of your invitations should be mailed, even those addressed to parents. These should be mailed six to eight weeks before your wedding date—at least eight weeks for out of town guests. However, before mailing all of your invitations assemble a test sample, including all of your enclosures. Have it weighed for correct postage.

Note

Please do not abbreviate streets, cities, and states—DC is one exception. 
Saint and Mount can be written optionally in full or abbreviated as St. and Mt. 
Do not seal the outer envelopes until all envelopes are ‘stuffed’. If any enclosures were forgotten, it will be an easy fix. 
http://www.usps.com/zip4 is an extremely helpful site for finding proper zip codes. 
Ask for hand canceling of your invitations. It will preserve the look of your envelope. 
Traditionally, especially for formal weddings, two envelopes are used, the inner and outer envelopes. An inner envelope is not necessary, but is very helpful. This is the best method to inform your guests exactly who is invited and who is not so as to avoid confusion. If you have decided not to use the inner envelope and you want to include an entire family, you may write “and family”. Please use this same style if you wish to give your guest the opportunity to bring an escort. You may write “and guest” on the outside of the outer envelope.

The main reason why this is not the preferred method is because your guest might bring more people than you expect. “And family” to your guests may include parents who do not live with them. 

Traditional address for married couple 

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope 
Mr. and Mrs. James Maurice Mr. and Mrs. Maurice 
3790 Happy Lane *(Joshua, Aaron, and Cole if children are invited) 
Davis, California 95616 

*This is the best method to inform your guest that their children are invited. 
Children are listed by age, older to younger. 
Children over the age of 18 should be sent their own invitation. 
Children are not mentioned on outer envelope. 

A couple who live together, but have different last names: 

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope 
Mr. James Maurice Mr. Maurice and Ms. Stone 
Ms. Shannon Stone 

Note 

If the couple is married, there would be an “and” between the names on the outer envelope. 
Notice also that the names are written in alphabetical order—gender is not an issue. 
Siblings or other adults living at the same address

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope 
Mr. James Maurice Mr. Maurice (and guest) 
Ms. Shannon Stone Ms. Stone (and guest) 

List names alphabetically. 
Unmarried females can be listed as Ms. or Miss. 
Divorced women can be listed as Ms. or Mrs. 
All men over the age of 18 should be addressed as Mr. 
Married woman using a professional title 

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope 
Dr. Shannon Maurice Dr. Maurice and Mr. Maurice 
Mr. James Maurice 

Note

The ‘and’ is not used on the outer envelope. 
If they are both doctors, the outer and inner envelopes would read, The Doctors Maurice. 

Close Family and Friends

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope 
Mr. and Mrs. James Maurice Shannon and James Maurice 

Note - You may use familiar titles or nicknames on the inner envelope, such as Auntie, or Tim instead of Timothy.

Don’t

Use labels 
Use nicknames on the outer envelope 
Use abbreviations for cities, states, and streets 
Write first name and addresses on the inner envelope 
Glue the inner envelope 
Hand deliver invitations 
Do

Handwrite envelopes 
Use an initial if you do not know the full name. 
Use only these abbreviations: Mr, Mrs, Ms, Jr, Dr. 
Write titles and last names on the inner envelope 
Mail children over the age of 18 their own invitation 
Forms of Address 

Outer Envelope Inner Envelope

Clergy member The Reverend Carroll Smith The Reverend Smith 

(With degree) The Reverend Doctor Carroll Smith The Reverend Doctor The Reverend Carroll Smith, Ph.D. Smith 

Rabbi Rabbi Carroll Smith Rabbi Smith
(With degree) Rabbi Carroll Smith, D.D. Dr. Smith

Physician Shannon Stone, M.D. Dr. Stone

Professor Professor Shannon Stone Professor Stone
(With degree) Shannon Stone, Ph.D. Dr. Stone or Professor …

Judge The Honorable Carroll Smith Judge Smith

Army Officer Captain Shannon Stone, Captain Stone 
United States Army 

Navy Officer Commander Carroll Smith, Commander Smith
United States Navy

Courtesy of go60.com:

A wedding day is a special celebration so the bride and groom with their families make many preparations ahead of time. The initial planning for the ceremony and the reception starts months ahead of time in order to have the proper reservations. Shopping for the dress and arrangements for the tuxedoes start early and can take many hours. Bakers make lots of delicious cakes, but these must be ordered in advance. When all the arrangements are fixed, the invitations should be sent out with all the information for the guests.

The invitations are the first word of the wedding celebration for many friends of the bride and groom. Most people recognize a wedding invitation when it arrives because these documents are usually similar. A handmade wedding invitation can be the first sign that this will be a special wedding with the bride and groom taking care of every detail. A handmade wedding invitation will be different from the typical invitation that arrives in the mail. The wedding invitation could be made personally by the bride, the groom or both. A handmade wedding invitation could be made by an artist commissioned by the couple.

The Elements of a Handmade Wedding Invitation Will Be Unique

A handmade wedding invitation is not created with one decision. There are many elements in a handmade wedding invitation. First of all, the creator of the handmade wedding invitation should decide on the wording to be placed in the invitation. All of the arrangements previously made for the reception and the ceremony need to be shared with the guests. The bride and groom will decide who will write the wording on the handmade wedding invitation. The next step will probably be a decision about the paper which will be a distinctive paper for an important event. The types of paper and the available colors are numerous so all possibilities should be carefully considered.

A couple choosing a handmade wedding invitation needs to include the important elements often done by a printer used to doing wedding invitations. A bride and groom do not send out wedding invitations daily like the printer, but they need to get information out and back in order have a smooth wedding ceremony and reception. The printer will include envelopes and response cards, and the couple making handmade wedding invitations should make sure they do not forget any of these important elements.

This website is brought to you by Ladybug Designs, handmade wedding invitations and stationery with a bespoke services. If you have any queries that Ladybug Designs can help you with, please contact us. D

Ladybug Designs can help you with creating the perfect wedding invitations, handmade invitations, bespoke wedding invitations, wedding invitations & stationery, and handmade and bespoke invitations for your wedding.

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Wikipedia Article on wedding stationery

A wedding invitation is a letter asking the recipient to attend a wedding. It is typically mailed four to six weeks before the wedding date. Wedding invitations may be printed using one of the following methods: engraving, lithography, thermography, letterpress printing and sometimes blind embossing. They can also be ordered from an artist specializing in handmade cards and invitations, or for the artistically inclined can be handmade. Making handmade wedding invitations has become increasingly popular due to the rise in popularity to the cardmaking and scrapbooking craft hobbies.

Most of the time, wedding invitations are mailed in double envelopes. The inner envelope may be lined, is not gummed, and fits into the outer envelope. The outer envelope is gummed for sealing and addressing. Traditionally, the mother of the bride addresses the wedding invitations. However, if she chooses not to, the mother of the bride may outsource this responsibility to a professional calligrapher or a friend with good penmanship.

Along with the wedding invitation, the ensemble may also include a response card and envelope. The response card is traditionally used for gathering totals for the caterer and getting a general number of guests attending. The recipient is asked to mail back the response card roughly two weeks before the wedding or by the date indicated. The envelope is pre-addressed and pre-stamped by the wedding party for ease.

Other pieces often included in the ensemble are the reception card or folder, map or direction card, and accommodation information. The reception card simply lists the addresses and times of any post-wedding events, such as a cocktail hour, dinner or dance. Map or direction cards provide details about the location of the wedding and reception. The accommodation information gives helpful tips about airfare, transportation or hotel arrangements for out-of-town guests. Local attractions may be featured as well. Often the accommodation information is sent in advance with the save the dates.

A save the date is similar to an invitation and is mailed up to one year before the wedding date. Save the dates simply announce that the wedding date has been set and encourages recipients to plan for the event. It is not used as a substitute for the wedding invitation and typically mentions that an invitation will follow. The save the date can also allow you to let guests know what area of the country the wedding will be held.

In countries that issue them, the envelope may be franked with love stamps. The United States postal service issues a love stamp each year specifically denominated to cover the double weight of the invitation and reply (a rate slightly less than the cost of two regular stamps).

Article fromwww.wedalert.com:

Wedding Invitations - There's More to Invitations Than You Might Think

Everybody talks about wedding invitations, but what about all the other terms and items that are associated with them.  Below are explanations of some of the more common terms and items that you’ll probably encounter while shopping for your invitations.  

Seal n Send Invitations:  This type of invitation is mailed to guests as a single-folded piece (without an envelope) having the respond postcard attached to the invitation by a perforation for easy removal.  Since the respond piece is a postcard, you will save on postage for the return mailing.  Prices for this product normally include seals along with a printed return address on both the back flap when initially mailing the invitation and on the perforated respond postcard.

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 invitation but mailed on your wedding day or immediately after with the wording stating that your wedding has already taken place.

Reception Cards:  If there isn’t enough room on your invitation for listing the details of your reception or if not all guests will be invited to attend the reception, 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.

RSVP 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 respond card along with its mailing envelope will be inserted with your invitation.  Remember to include a postage stamp on this small envelope which will also have a mailing address already printed on it so all your guests have to do is fill out the card and mail it back by the date you have printed on it. 

Map 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.    

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 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.

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

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.

Informal Notes:  These are used separately from your 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.

By:  Sara Haese
Printed Creations Wedding Store