1. History
Invitations have been around for at least 300 years. In 18th-century France and England, members of the royal family would invite guests to social events with handwritten notices.
Aristocrats still used handwritten invitations even after the printing press was invented, for that if you could write meant that you were educated. Servants went around on horseback and hand-delivered the invitations in all sorts of weather. So you will notice that a formal invitations have several pieces, including at least two envelopes used to protect the invitations from damage from bad weather.
2. Types
Invitations can be formal or informal. It is needed for the following occasions: birthday party, anniversary party, retirement party, weddings, baby showers, wedding showers, holiday party, home-decorating party and jewelry party.
Formal invitations have a certain etiquette about them, from their wording to how they are supposed to be addressed. You can get help from many wedding and professional-event planners or from Website. A formal invitation is more appropriate for wedding, given that the wording will announce the location of the ceremony, the date, time of the wedding and so on.
As mentioned, many people make their own informal invitations, the type of invitation should match the occasion and purpose of the party. Such as a informal invitation decorated with pumpkins, ghosts would match a Halloween party.
3. Considerations
When you are creating an invitation, the questions ‘where, when, why, what, and RSVP’ should be answered on the invitation.
Where: tell the recipients where the event is being held, include an address and even a phone number. If it is a large party, there may be a map included with the invitation.
When: tell the guests when the party is going on by including the date and the time. Don;t forget to putting an ending time of the party on the invitation.Otherwise the party would last until the last guest decides to go home.
Why: Why is this party being thrown.Such as to celebrate George’s 40th birthday.
What: if you are having a potluck party or want people to bring something, you’d better put it on the invitation. The more information include on the invitation, the better.
RSVP: The RSVP message would help you plan your party properly. Make sure that guests can either call or email you to let you know if they will attend. You can also include a response card, which is popular for wedding invitations. Make sure you include a self-addressed stamped envelope so your guests don’t have to pay to let you know if they are coming or not.
4. Time Frame
Invitations need to be sent out well before the event, for many of your guest will need to make travel arrangements and ask for time off from work.
Wedding invitations should be sent at least 6 weeks before the date of the wedding. And eight weeks is much better. For birthday parties, wedding and baby showers, and even retirement celebrations, it is important to give people at least a month to get the date on their calendars.For a holiday party, since there are so many parties around the end of the year, you may send the announcements out at the beginning of November just like to treat like a wedding.
5. Prevention/Solution
Invitations may get lost in the mail, and it will hurt the feeling of a good friend or a close family member doesn’t receive the invitation. You’d better give the one a call or write email to make sure if he received your invitation if you didn’t heard back from a person whom usually responds to invitations.
It is also fine to call or email invited guests to see if they are planning to come to your wedding and/or reception, because people do not always get around to mailing them although you may provida self-addressed stamped envelopes for the reply cards.
Just remember to be polite when you do these.
