Next to finding the right person marry, the guest list is one of the hardest parts of the wedding. It is a big mistake to procrastinate the planning and compiling of the list. Tracking people down can be very time consuming and frustrating. If you have not already started your list, start now. If you are planning to use our services for addressing please use the required format for your data. All guest lists MUST be submitted to us in a digital format either via email or on a diskette with your envelopes. We do not type lists.

The goal is to try to help you make this experience as trouble free as possible. Please keep one thing in mind the whole time: the front of the envelope is the very first impression you are leaving with your guests for your wedding day. If you take the time to not only compile a guest list, but actually follow through with detail, you will be so much happier with the end result. You will present an envelope to your guests that says you care about them. It will reflect the importance of your day to you. Here is an example:

Which looks more appealing?

See how a few adjustments make all the difference about how you feel when you look at each address? Everyone likes to see their names in beautiful lettering on an envelope. It just makes a person feel special. Taking the time to get this part of the wedding right is the first gift you will be giving to your friends and family.

FLEXIBILTY

Presentation. Presentation. Presentation. The bottom line is this... does the envelope:

The first place to start is to look at the wording of your invitation. Who is hosting the wedding, you and your fiancé - or your parents? This point is important to keep in the back of your mind while you are making the list, particularly on the inner envelopes. You should always be formal on the outer envelope. Use a title and the person's given name. I have heard brides say over and over that the prescribed formal etiquette feels too stuffy with their close family and friends. But always keep in mind that if your parent(s) are hosting the wedding, THEY are the one(s) extending the invitation, not you. It may feel like you are the one because you are probably doing the most work on the guest list. If your parents are hosting it is especially important to address the groom's side properly. Always address the envelopes from their perspective. For example, the groom may have a favorite aunt he calls "Auntie Mimi" However, you wouldn't put that on the inner if your mom and dad do not call her that.

If you and your fiancé are hosting the wedding, it is fine to address your friends and family informally on the inner if that is what you choose to do. Although being formal does not necessarily imply being distant and cold. It does show respect to your guests, and reflects the importance of this day in your life. Even if your wedding is being held on the beach while you are barefoot in the sand, the sacredness of the event should not be dismissed. Afterall, this is not an invitation to your birthday party, or a 4th of July bar-b-que. For more specific information about proper etiquette Click Here.

NICKNAMES
Whether or not you chose to go formal or informal on the inner envelope, you should always stay away from nicknames or other terms of endearment you sometimes attach to your friends. Using names like "Mouse", "Ugly", or "Skeeter" is fine for when you are hanging out with them, but this is your wedding day! (It is almost always the groom who tries to get away with this.)

WHAT YOU TYPE IS WHAT YOU GET
When it comes to your guest list remember this - GARBAGE IN.....GARBAGE OUT. If you don't put forth the effort in working the data, it will show on the envelopes.