White Hot Trends for 2013 Tuesday, Oct 16 2012

It  seems that with every dawning wedding season new trends emerge.

So what determines a wedding trend?  Well we all do.  Trends emerge by the programs we watch on television and the fashions we see both on the runway of New York and streets of our cities.  Technology even helps to determine trends via social media (i.e. Pinterest, Instagram and refinery 29).

As we look forward to the 2013 wedding season three very distinctive trends or event styles  have emerged as explained in detail by our colleague and friend Rebecca Dolgin, VP of Marketing Intelligence for theKnot.com at the recent WeddingMBA conference in Las Vegas.  Rebecca defines these trends as MEGA TRENDS or White Hot Trends with good reason.  They are not only visually beautiful, but also attainable by every bride on the planet no matter what your wedding size and budget.  So let’s get started.

Trend # 1 – Twenties Glamour

Inspired from shows such a Downton Abbey and novels by F. Scott Fitzgerald like The Great Gatsby (now made into a movie),  twenties glamour is all about the simplicity of simple silhouettes, luxurious fabrics like satin and silk and decor that is stately and elegant without being over the top.  Bling takes on a whole new meaning with this trend where the accent pieces are well thought out and used strategically rather than blanketing a room.

The marriage of two design elements Art Deco meets Roaring Twenties

Think monochromatic color palettes and the harmony of silver and gold working with shades of  white, crème and ivory.  The mood is fun, festive and oh – so – elegant as depicted by the image above from one of our recent events.  It kind of reminds me of the movie “Somewhere In Time” starring the late Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour.

Receptions are fun and festive (think the Prohibition era) with simple drinks (martinis, whiskey on the rocks, and Gin and Tonic) and LOTS of dancing!

Trend # 2 – Ritzy Ranch

Move over burlap….elegance is making its way to the farm with the use of natural elements.  Sure, burlap and twine will probably continue to be used, but good-bye mason jars and HELLO milk glass, antique china,  wire cages, wood planters boxes and lace, lace, lace.

Again the color palette will remain more on the neutral side with white and ivory reigning however we will see the use of more elegant elements too.  Ambiance will be added with the use of candlelight and chandeliers, with finishing touches ranging from hand-stamped muslin favor bags to hand painted directional signs guiding guests from an activity to the next.

Ritzy Ranch – White Hot Trend #2 for 2013
image courtesy of theKnot.com

Trend # 3 – Hipster Chic

If you’re like me, the term “hipster” is new to you…it was to me.  So let me define for you what is meant by “hipster”.  Hipsters are a sub-culture of people in their 20′s -30′s who are independent thinkers.

Hipster Chic Grooms Party
Image courtesy of theKnot.com

They appreciate progressive thinking and while they appreciate and value tradition, they LOVE to put their own twist and spin on things; they are ALL about personalization and uniqueness.  They are bold, energetic personalities and their events reflect that uniqueness.  No cookie cutter weddings for this group. Color, personality and FUN reign with this trend group.

Interactive activities with this trend include interactive photo booths, kissing booths (a great honeymoon fund-raising idea), and board games, while culinary ideas extend to social hours before and after the ceremony (good-bye receiving line) and mobile food trucks after hours serving up everything from sushi to tacos.

Bold, energetic and non-traditional….that’s hipster style
Image courtesy of theKnot.com

So there you have it…the White Hot Wedding Trends for 2013.

Which trend do you identify with most?  Are you a Gatsby Glamour gal, a romantic Ritzy Ranch kind of bride or are you too Hipster to be square?  We’d love to hear your feedback.

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The Marriage of Vendor Services and You Wednesday, Oct 26 2011

In today’s often turbulent economy it is  becoming more and more common place for wedding and event vendors to diversify and offer services that not only help to stretch a clients already tight budget, but also ensures that they have more than just one reason for a bride to select their service over a colleague in an ever-increasing saturated competitive market.  Which is why we are seeing a “marriage” of services occurring within the industry.

Photographers are adding videography. DJ’s are adding lighting packages.  Caterers are offering custom cakes and desserts.  And Event Planners (i.e. Wedding Coordinators) are adding event design and floral services.  Makes sense as so much of one area of expertise spills into the other; which of course saves the client time, energy and a few dollars along with way.

The problem with diversification and the “marriage” of like services is that in  an effort to “have it all” bridal clients are assuming services that are not necessarily included and are making it the vendors problem to solve rather than their own.

I’m not saying that the vendor can’t or won’t be flexible.  What I am saying is that unless the clients’ contract explicitly reads “x, y and z” services, the assumption and presumption should not be made that those services are included.

Just because the vendor offers for example Event Planning and Decor Services does not mean that they are all-inclusive and that paying the price tag for one includes the other.  The diversity of services means that the vendor provides both; however the use of both is not required for that vendors’ services to be secured.

Time and time again vendors are being held hostage to the assumptions and desires of their clients because the client “thought” that the service they selected was “all-inclusive”.  I mention this as a cautionary tale to both bride and vendor alike.  Vendors, you must be as succinct as possible even to the extent of “spelling it out” for your client what level and length of service you are providing.  Your contract should state that what you are charging includes x, y and z; or just x and z; or whatever the case may be.  Brides, you too must do your part to ask the thorough questions, get the proper answers and READ your contracts BEFORE you sign them.  Once your signature is on the dotted line all bets are off as far as re-negotiating the vendors price and terms of service.

Personally I LOVE the marriage of services and enjoy being able to provide as much service as possible to my clients.  It allows me more opportunity to spend time with them, bond with them and really blow their socks off come wedding or event day.  I can however do without the confusion and ensuing frustration from time to time.

Readers, what are your thoughts on the matter?

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RSVP Reality – Take Two Thursday, May 9 2013

It would seem that our recent post on the etiquette of an RSVP has created more questions that require a response.  So here we go.

One person inquired on the proper way to handle a change of attendance plans once an RSVP has been submitted.  So let’s dive in and address the issues:

Have you ever submitted and RSVP saying you’ll be there, only to find out your better half made other plans; or worse yet, you’ve forgotten a previous engagement?  It happens all the time, believe me.  So what’s the proper way to handle this situation?  Easy.  Contact your host(ess) as soon as you are aware of the conflict and explain why you will no longer be able to  share in the event.  Most hosts will understand and appreciate your thoughtfulness, candor and probably even relate to your situation.

But what do you do if say, you made the commitment to attend and then a “better” invitation comes along, or worse yet, you decide to make other plans….this is where it gets tricky; even sticky.  If you must cancel your attendance plans with less than 14 days notice to accept a “better” invitation, you might want to consider compensating your hosts for the expenses they have incurred to ensure that they were properly prepared to host you for the event.

YES…I said it….compensate your hosts for your sudden change of heart and rejection of their invitation.  The only exception to this action would be a “flood or blood” situation in which there was a natural or medical catastrophe.  Otherwise your abrupt change of heart has serious financial consequences for your host and places them in a difficult situation as they cannot suddenly invite someone to their event without looking like a total jerk at the last minute (hey, we had someone cancel on attending our wedding at the last minute…wanna come?).  Now then, your host will most likely decline your offer to compensate them for your absence; however there are real costs associated with you attendance, or lack thereof.   Allow me to demonstrate:

• Average cost to provide (1) meal and beverage for a guest: $62.00
• Average cost of cake for one guest: $6.00
• Average cost of each guest at the table (linen, chair-cover, centerpiece, menu, placecard etc): $85.00
• Total cost to host (1) guest = $153.00

Now then, if the event is an average size (150 guests) and 10% of those guests (15) who confirmed their attendance are no longer attending because they’ve accepted a better offer or worse yet, just decide NOT to go, the host has now paid for and LOST a total of $2295.00.  This is REAL money your host may not be in a position to loose…can you?

The moral of the story is this….do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  And remember, if you MUST cancel on your hosts do so as quickly as possible with a personal phone call (texts, emails and social media are unacceptable methods unless no other alternative is available) and under no circumstances should you just not show up.  This too is extremely rude.

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RSVP Reality Friday, May 3 2013

Since we’ve been writing about invitations recently I thought it would be good idea to touch on the importance of responding to the formal invitation…in a word the RSVP.

It goes without saying that the host of the event (albeit a wedding, shower, birthday or anniversary party) desires to share the joy of the celebration with you; otherwise you would not have received an invitation.  However the extension of the invitation has both perimeters and a time limit.

The perimeters exist in the form of whom the invitation is extended.  By way of how the invitation is addressed you will know whom is being invited (e.g. Joe and Suzy Schmoe; Joe and Suzy Schmoe and Family; Joe, Suzy, Steve and Sally Schmoe).  The exception to this rule is IF the hosts are unfamiliar with all the members of your immediate family (meaning within your household) and leave their names off but have a place for you to indicate the number of children attending.  See sample)

Now for the time limit part.  Notice the “Kindly reply by” request.  In order for your host to make the proper accommodations for your presence (table, chair, food, beverage) your response is NECESSARY.  Should you NOT comply with the request for a response by the prescribed date the invitation extended to you is no longer valid.  What does this mean for you?  Well, unless the host(ess) takes the time to personally contact you to confirm your attendance, they are going to presume that you have declined the invitation and therefore you SHOULD NOT show up for the event.  Doing so is both rude and inconsiderate to both your host(ess) and of those guests who did comply with the request for a response.  *Side note:  A verbal confirmation is inappropriate.   Leaving a verbal response places an undue burden on the host(ess) to remember the conversation whereas the formal written response (ie. RSVP card, or email) provides a paper trail to follow.

On a final note, when receiving an invitation to attend any function, the proper time frame to submit you response is within 72 hours.   And the best day to send an invitation is Friday.  Why?  Because it will be received at the beginning of the following week and will  allow the recipient the time to submit a response before the pressures of time demands of the week increase.

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Avoiding Postage Due Tuesday, Apr 16 2013

Long gone are the days when sending your wedding invitation was as simple as buying a first class stamp and dropping it into the mailbox.  Nope.  It’s not that easy anymore.  With the plethora of invitation styles and choices comes the issue of postage comes into play.  So here are a few guidelines to follow:

A standard A7 (5×7) invitation with a single enclosure card will cost $1.12to mail (.66 for any one of the beautiful “wedding” stamps for the invitation and .46 for the return postage on the RSVP with envelope).

Returned for Postage Due

If your invitation is square, has multiple enclosure cards, bulky bows or knots, it is best to take a fully assembled invitation to your local post office BEFORE mailing to have the proper postage assessed.  Why?  Two reasons.  #1 they cannot easily pass through the envelope template used to measure mail sent through the processing machinery; and #2 they require hand processing which is a time consuming process.  Postage delays not only create a domino affect in responses, but are embarrassing should your guest be required to pay the additional postage costs before receiving your wedding invitation.

The invitation above is an example of how a beautiful ribbon tied in a bow can require additional postage due.  Although we checked it with the post office, this envelope and 19 of it’s friends had a “fatter” knot than the others requiring an additional .20 in postage for a grand total of $1.58 to mail.

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Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing Tuesday, Feb 21 2012

Reblogged from Postcards from Ambassador:

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'Don't you worry 'bout' a thing.'

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Read more… 325 more words

We LOVE the simplicity and convenience that a Sandals Vacation has to offer; especially for those newlyweds that just want to get away from everything and everyone. Interested in a Sandals Beach Resort Honeymoon? We can help!

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Catering Budget Expectations Vs. Reality Monday, Feb 20 2012

Today’s blog is written by our in-house Chef Melissa Hoenshell-Nissen in response to the many recent inquiries we’ve had recently from several brides to cater their upcoming wedding receptions.

We hope that this blog post gives you an opportunity to view your catering expectations from the other side of the coin (so to speak) and allows you a chance to rethink your expectations BEFORE you meet with the caterer of your choice.

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Imagine with me if you will, your first date with your now fiancée.  You pour over the menu; the main thing you are looking at is the price of the entrée.  You don’t want to be the expensive date but you also don’t want to be labeled the notorious salad eater that we women usually are called.  You finally settle on it, you don’t even know what it is but you promise yourself you are going to like it because the price is just right.  It isn’t over twenty dollars and it isn’t a salad.  Add to that the drink you are going to enjoy and you are looking at about $18 dollars this gentleman is going to pay to take you to dinner.  You sigh a breath of relief because you have just sidestepped the two major labels, expensive and rabbit.

Fast forward to your meeting with the caterer for your wedding to this amazing man you went on that date with.  You contact or sit down with the caterer.  They gather as much information as they can from you to ensure that the food matches the overall theme of the day.  Of all the questions the caterer is going to ask, two of the most important questions are, how many guests are you planning on attending and what is your budget range.  You can easily answer the first question, we are having 200 guests, ok thinks that caterer, not a problem.  Then the caterer asks the ever important question, what you want to spend on these 200 guests.  You drop the bomb; you want this to cost no more than $1500.  I am sure you are wondering why I call it a bomb, the caterer didn’t explode, this seems reasonable, and it fits in our budget.  What you don’t see is the quick math equation the caterer is doing in their head.  That is $7.50 per person, back out all the fees that you will be charged so we stay in that $1500 budget and we are talking about $5.00 per person.  The caterer, being very graceful, moves on to see exactly what you want to serve with that $5.00 per person.  You then proceed to tell about how you absolutely love just a plain grilled chicken and he, being a carnivore, loves tri-tip so you want to give your guests the option. You envision your guests coming into a social/cocktail hour where there will be passed appetizers and the guests can get as many beverages from your open bar.  Then they will be ushered into a beautifully decorated ballroom and sit down to their seat where their previously decided on entrée will be served to them, amongst the other items that you had decided on, a salad, the starch and vegetable for the entrée, etc….  You finish describing how you see the food fitting into your wedding day.  You should notice by now the glazed over look that the caterer has on their face.  All they are thinking is “are you kidding?”, but they take a breath and tell you the truth.

This is where I want you to think back to that ever important first date and you scouring the menu to find the right priced item.  You had a number in your head that you didn’t want to go over on that date.  Take that number you settled on and then attach that to each of your guests to create a catering budget for your wedding.  Most caterers start out their menu pricing at $15++ per person and that is usually for a buffet with a single entrée choice, you want two choices, add $5.00 per person.  You want to add to that a social hour for the 200 guests, you are talking an additional $7.95++ per person and then adding to that a plated dinner, add another $2.00 per person.  You can now see that the new per person price is $29.95++ minimum.  That takes your catering budget from $1500.00 up to $6,000.00++.  I am sure you are wondering what that ++ is.  It is our way of saying there are two additional charges you have to pay that are not worked into your price per person.  Those typically are a service fee or gratuity, depending on the business and sales tax. A service fee is not gratuity for the event; it is usually a fee that covers the wear and tear on the equipment used.  Now some companies might work with you on their service fee, but it typically ranges from 15 to 20%.  The tax is unavoidable; it has to be charged because the business has to pay it.

Here is something to keep in mind when figuring out what to spend on your wedding day (keeping in mind that this is the first party that you and your new husband host as a married couple).  The average amount of money that YOU will spend on your guests to attend your wedding is $125.00.  Take that number and multiply it by your guests and there you have your overall budget for your wedding, not including your dress purchase and tux rentals.  That price per guest includes venue, table décor, seating, catering and beverage.  There are many programs that you can plug that total number into that will spit out how to break that big number up into different categories based on what the average bride spends percentage wise on the different categories.

What brides need to get out of this post is; it’s hard enough for you to have a decent meal for $5.00 so how do expect to feed 200 people a nice meal that fits with the theme of your wedding for that same amount of $5.00?  This is a struggle I have as a caterer.  I try my hardest to meet and match people’s dreams and expectations while staying within their budget but sometimes the number is too unrealistic.  We do work within budgets and we do have some solutions to keep your costs down as long as it benefits both of us.  I look forward to offering you some of these tips and tricks when you call us for your catering consult.

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Cost vs. Worth Saturday, Jan 7 2012

I just love to see the excitement on the face of a client (bride, social, corporate or other) when they start to talk about their event vision.  The detail in which they describe what they desire is both inspiring and exciting; for us both.

As we start to discuss the event vision and design inevitably comes the question…..What does it cost?

Now I realize that every client is on a budget, yes even Donald Trump has one.  Who doesn’t these days? But there is another question here; a silent and invisible question.   What is it worth?

Recently we were asked to create an event design to celebrate a HUGE achievement that an organization accomplished.  They wanted the design to be “over the top”, lots of “bling”, lots of “WOW” and oh, it can’t look like a wedding.  No problem.  We can do that.  Let me preface that no budget range was given.

Fast forward to the presentation and the proposal.  It contained every must have; it was over the top, it had lots of “bling”, it didn’t look like a wedding and it packed a lot of WOW.  Now comes the sticker shock.  *Side note; dreams and reality are never the same, but that is another blog post in itself.

As I educated my client as to the charges of the custom design* the statement was made that the custom design was not “worth” the prices quoted.

*Note: Custom designs are those designs utilizing items unique and distinctive to the clients specific requirements.  These are not “cookie cutter” designs.

 

Let’s forget the fact that this statement was completely insulting and focus on the vernacular of cost vs.worth; as they are two separate things. Cost, is defined by Websters Dictionary as “the outlay or expenditure (as of effort or sacrifice) made to achieve an item.  Worth is defined this way; “the value of something measured by its’ qualities or by the esteem of which it is held”.   See the difference?

Cost is about price; Worth is about value and esteem.  They are not the same.

So the next time you tell someone, anyone, that the product or service they provide (in this case an event design) is not “worth” the price quoted, ask yourself these questions:

• What is it worth to you to have  the peace of mind for a team of trusted and talented event professionals (or anyone for that matter) perfectly design, assemble, and seamlessly execute your event dream and vision so that you could sit back relax and enjoy your event without all the stress of having to do the work yourself?
•  What is your time, talent  and energy worth?
• What is it worth to you to not have to worry at the end of a long event night about removing all the decor, linens and chair-covers, and can instead go straight home to a nice warm bed while the event pros put in several more hours completing this task after already working a 10-12 hour day?
• Do you work for free?

Yes, I understand that there is a cost to do business, to gain clientele.  We get that.  But just because a business may have the opportunity to reuse the items doesn’t necessarily mean that they will.  How long will this one of a kind design item sit in our inventory before it sees the light of day again?  There is a cost for this too.  Businesses have to make money; both the state and federal governments require it so that we can keep putting oil into our squeaky part of the economic wheel.  If for profit businesses have to store an item (or in this case 50 unique items) for a year or two before it is used again then the ROI (Return On Investment) is in the toilet and the business looses money; which correct me if I’m wrong defeats the purpose of being in business in the first place.

So there you have it.  They are in fact two separate things.  Let’s not confuse the matter.

Needless to say, we (the client and I) are returning to the drawing board to create an event design that meets everyone’s needs both financially and creatively.  In the end it is about finding a way to make it all happen so that everyone wins and now that we have a clearer idea of what their design and financial expectations are, it makes it possible for us to properly do our job.

 

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Unique Wedding Memorabilia Friday, Sep 23 2011

I recently returned from an industry conference in Las Vegas where I had honor and privilege to witness something new and different that really impressed me and I think will resonate with you too.

A Wedding Portrait.  Now this isn’t any wedding portrait.  It isn’t captured by your photographer or videographer.  It is captured in the memory of artist and painter (and our new friend) Sam Day.  Sam is a canvas artist and paints the scene of your wedding (or other special event) while the event is in progress. 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I think I’ll let the canvas he painted of our event in progress speak for itself. 

Event portrait painted by Sam Day

Sam is a talented and passionate artist in the Pacific Northwest – Seattle to be exact; however he is completely mobile and will travel just about anywhere to paint and create your unique memento.  

Wedding Guest frames are passe’, wedding guest books are rarely if ever opened; but THIS…this is a unique and personalized work of art that will grace your home for decades to come. 

Imagine the comments from family and friends each time they visit your home when they see this unique memento of your wedding day adorning the walls. 

The artist Sam Day and his canvas

Thank you Sam for the passion and personalization you bring to each canvas you paint!  We are thrilled to have met you and call you our friend.

 In LOVE with Sam’s canvas?  Follow him on Facebook.

 

 

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A Word about Invitations Tuesday, Sep 6 2011

The team and I have been preparing quite a few wedding invitations recently (go figure, it’s wedding season), which of course brings up all sorts of questions about the etiquette behind them; so I thought it would be a good idea to address their “do’s and don’ts”.  If you recognize yourself, a family member or friend in any of these “don’t” situations refrain from beating them (or yourself) up over the matter.   Just chalk it up to a learning experience and move forward; it’s not like your nomination for the Noble Prize is in jeopardy.

Do

• Mail Save-the-Date cards 6-9 months in advance
• These should be mailed only to those out of area, out of state family members and friends who need the extra time to make the necesary travel and vacation arrangements.  Save yourself the extra expense of mailing these to your local guests.
• Allow yourself plenty of time to draft and organize your guest list.  A well thought out guest list takes several weeks, if not months to put together.  Be sure to involve family and friends when acquiring family address books, sorority|fraternity lists.  The last thing you want to do is add names to your list after the fact.  Take your time. If you find your guest list is getting out of hand, apply these guidelines to help trim the list.  Think of these categories as a “this is what your wedding is not”  If a guest falls into one of these categories, remove them from the list for now, prioritize them and add them later if you find you have the space for them;
• Family Reunion.  By this what I mean is that you shouldn’t invite your seventh cousin, ten times removed if you (a) haven’t seen them since you shared a playpen with them or (b) have not had ongoing relationship with them in the past 2-3 years.
• Office Party.  Never no never post a wedding invitation on the lunch room bulletin board.  Although you spend a large part of your day with your fellow associates, unless you have an outside relationship with them, they should NOT be invited; nor should they expect to be invited.
• High School Reunion.  Like the family reunion guideline, this is NOT the time to reassemble the old “gang” for the day; that’s what reunions are for.
• Kegger.  There is a difference between celebrating a life milestone event and getting completely toasted.  If your potential guest doesn’t know the difference, keep them off the list.  You’ll be doing them and yourself a favor.
• Obtain proper first names of all guests invited.  If you care enough to invite guests to your wedding, you will take the time to find out the names of each member of their family that you plan to include.
• It is equally important to use the proper social titles (i.e. Doctor, Honorable, Lieutenant) and suffixes (i.e. Sr, Jr, III).   Neglecting to use these honorifics would not only be inconsiderate, but highly offensive.
• Use the proper order when addressing the outer envelope
• Married couples with the same last name should be addressed as Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smith
• Married couples with different last names should be addressed as Mrs. Susan Schmoe-Smith and Mr. Joseph Smith
• Unmarried couples living together would be addressed as:
• Miss Sandra Stephens
• Mr. Samuel Jones
• Remember to make sure you have enough enclosure cards and|or inserts (engagement photos) for each invitation.  Despite what you think, your guests feelings will be hurt if they find out they were denied an engagement photo along with their invitation when everyone else they’ve talked to got one.  On another note, if you are including photos make sure to give them to your wedding planner, calligrapher weeks in advance of stuffing and addressing to avoid any unnecessary mailing delays.
• Send children over the age of 18 living at home a seperate invitaton.  It is important to recognize these individuals as the adults that they are.
• Spell out all street names, cities and states.
• Additionally all house numbers lower than 20 should be spelled out, as should P.O. Box (Post Office Box), Circle, Drive, Street, Apartment etc.
• Take a sample invitation to the Post Office to determine necessary postage prior to mailing. 

Don’t

• Include Gift Registry information inside the wedding invitation.  Not only is this considered poor taste, but it is perceived as a solicitation for a gift rather than the desire for the guest to share in your joy for your wedding day.

Having said this, it IS appropriate to include this information in a shower invitation as the sole purpose of a shower is to give the bride gifts.

• Address invitations using mailing labels.  Despite all the advances in printing technology, a mailing label sends a subliminal message to the guest that you can not be bothered to hand address an invitation and are indifferent to their participation in your wedding day.  Handwritting the invitation has been, and will always be the correct thing to do…so set aside the time to hand address your invitations; and if necessary, have the bridesmaids help you out.  We usually recommend an “Invitation Addressing Party”.  Print your guest list in alpha order (with numerical values) and assign each bridesmaid to addresses invitations for their predetermined number of pages.   Once everyone is done (it should take 1 hour) reward the ladies with some wonderful appetizers and cocktails….margarita’s are always a wonderful choice.
• A word about numerical values:  Assign a number to each household on the guest list and place this number on the lower right hand corner of the response card.  This will help you to determined whom the unnamed guest is when you get the RSVP back without their name indicated.  Believe me, it happens.
• Use the phrase ” and Guest” or “and Family” on the outer envelope.  This can seriously backfire on you as “and Guest” or “and Family” can allow the invited guest free license to invite anyone within or outside their family to attend along with them.  Believe me, we’ve seen guests reply with (11) attendees, all of whom the bride and groom had no connection with at all.
• Forget to apply the proper amount of postage on both the invitation or RSVP.  Nothing is more tacky than a guest having to pay the postal carrier to recieve your invitation.
• Mail your invitations more than 6-8 weeks in advance.  Anything sooner and guests will no longer have a sense of urgency in responding and you run the risk of them forgetting the event all together.  Anything short of 6 weeks and your guests may not have the proper lead time with their employers to make the necessary vacation and travel time off.

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