Like so many others, our business and the event industry are struggling through this difficult year. Your support and business has always meant so much to us and is the reason we are blessed to be able to do what we love everyday. We are reaching out to you to see how we can help you this holiday season. Before shopping big brands, please think of us and support our small business.

We would be honored to produce your personal and corporate holiday cards this year. We provide a full service experience through design, printing, addressing and mailing. We handle it all to make your life easier. If you are having gatherings, we would love to help with an invitation, menus, napkins, and cups.

Click here to schedule a call or meeting and check this task off your list early!

We appreciate your support!

Annie and Michele

Take a look at this GORGEOUS wedding we were so lucky to be part of last year.

Working with the amazing Rachel Burt Garcia and Victoria Wellington at As You Wish Events is always a total dream! Jennifer Yarbro captured the day so beautifully at Highland Park United Methodist Church and later at The Adolphus Hotel reception. The bride was inspired by the beauty of the church and commissioned us to do a custom watercolor that we used on her save the dates, invitations, programs, and framed guest sign-in. We created a monogram that looked amazing on the dance floor at the reception. Every detail of this wedding had us oooing and ahhing!

For the invitation, we used luxurious cotton paper to create a plank thick card with engraved wording, and finished it off with a gold painted beveled edge. We used her custom watercolor to create a breathtaking signature overlay. Over a year later, we are still swooning!

Assigning a seat and table for guests at your wedding or event can be a daunting task. Communicating it to your guests should be the easy part!

Escort cards vs place cards – what is the difference?

An easy way to remember the difference between escort cards and place cards is to think about an escort card as escorting you to your table; while a place card is placed at your place setting or seat.

The function of the escort card is to communicate to guests their assigned table. Escort card displays come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. From dramatic wall displays, to oversized framed signs, to a traditional table – cards or names are typically arranged alphabetically to allow guests to easily find their name and know where to go when it is time to be seated. Usually couples are listed together.

Once at the table, you find the placecard. Typically this type of card is simply the guest’s name. Sometimes it will include a pre-selected entree choice for each guest. We love incorporating the menu and the place card into a single piece, giving a personalized touch to each menu. Unlike escort cards where couple’s are listed together – every individual receives a place card – one for each seat.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorites!

We advise our clients to mail invitations about 8 weeks before the wedding. 6-8 is traditionally acceptable. In our ever busy world we like to shoot for 8. So when would that change?

Mailing Later

Hey things happen. At the time of this writing it is July 2020. We are deep in the global pandemic and attempting to plan even a small thing, let alone a big formal event like a wedding, is more difficult than ever. With so much uncertainty we are seeing clients waiting a bit longer to pull the trigger on mailing to make sure that their date is going to remain possible. 

Mailing Earlier

There are heaps of reasons to mail earlier. Maybe you have quite a lot of out of town guests. Is your date a holiday or a hot weekend in your city like major sports events or graduations? Or you just know your family and friends are very busy types with fast filling calendars. If you think you need to mail earlier do it. You know your situation and your family and friends.

Did you do a save the date?

Doing a save the date gives a bit of flexibility in when to mail since your guests already have the knowledge of your date. Doing a save the date is a great way to give guests a heads up about the date, travel details, and other info up to one year before the wedding. We typically mail save the dates around the six month mark but there is not a strict rule for this. Up to 1 year used to be acceptable but if you have a special situation that means it makes more sense to do it earlier, then go for it!

Let’s talk about addressing envelopes for weddings and formal events!

Building your guest list and preparing to address envelopes can be a daunting task. Give yourself plenty of time for this part of the process. Below is a little guide that will help you along the way.

If you have someone in your life who you are not sure what title they use or their relationship status – ask them! It is important to keep in mind that these rules are intended to help. If something does not make sense for a particular person in your life use your common sense. Remember etiquette rules exist to help guide our behavior and improve our relationships with other! Don’t be afraid to bend a rule when you know it does not serve a particular situation.

Married Couples

Married couple male and female

Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Smith

Married couple male and female when the male does not like or does not use middle name

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

Married couple male and male

Mr. John Smith and Mr. Robert Smith 

The Messrs. Smith

Married couple female and female

Mrs. Jane Smith and Mrs. Sally Brown (different last names)

The Mesdames Smith (same last name)

Unmarried Couples

Traditional etiquette demands that unmarried couple’s names list each name on separate lines – do not use the word and. More modern etiquette will say that couples who are married or otherwise partnered are fine to put on one line and join with the word and. So what to do? We like to say you know your personal comfort level and, even more importantly, you know your family and friends. I don’t know of any unmarried couples who are going to lose sleep over the names on their envelope to your wedding being listed as two lines or one so we suggest you don’t either. Do what feels right.

A few questions that might help:

• Is it a pretty new relationship and/or the couple does not live together? Do two lines
• Is this a long term partnership with no intention to get married? Do one line and join with and
• Are their names incredibly long and will look ridiculous trying to squeeze it all on one line? Do two lines.

Whatever you choose, use “title first name last name” for both people or if you prefer simply “first name late name”

Who to list first?

Traditionally, the woman comes first in social correspondence. So list the female and then the male. For same sex couples or gender neutral couples, you can list in alphabetical order. Or often people will list the person they are more connected to.

Ms. or Miss?

We get this question quite often. And it can be a difficult one. Traditionally Miss was used until marriage. We now use it typically until around 30 for an unmarried woman.

The Mx. Title

This title is used for those who do not identify as being of a particular gender, or for people who simply don’t want to be identified by gender. It simply replaces the gender specific titles. Then follow the rules for coupling if applicable.

Mx. Taylor Smith and guest

Mx. Taylor Smith and Mr. John Smith

photo and calligraphy by The Left Handed Calligrapher

Children under 18

List children’s names on a separate line under the parents. First name only is fine for the kiddos. Titles are at your discretion. Without a title just the first name is fine. With titles use the last name.

Children over 18

Technically anyone over 18 should receive their own invitation. If you choose to include over 18 people on their parent’s invitation then list on their own line and use the title first name last name.

Special Titles

We typically do not use professional designations for social occasions (e.g. attorneys, school principals, Chefs). However, if someone is customarily addressed by their professional title, then go ahead and use it.

Judges, military, elected officials, etc. use “The Honorable” for title

The Honorable John Smith

The Honorable and Mrs. John Smith

The Honorable Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith 

Doctors

Doctor and Mrs. John Smith

Doctor Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith