Wedding Invitations

Wedding Etiquette considerations sometimes involve whether or not to send reception cards.

Reception cards are not always necessary. Here is some information about when you should use them, and when you should not.

Reception cards are not necessary if the ceremony and the reception are being held at the same place there is room at the bottom of your invitation to put the pertinent information.

If they are being held in different locations, however, you will need a separate invitation to that separate event and that is your reception card.

If you are having a morning wedding and your reception is before one o’clock, the first line should read, “Breakfast” otherwise it should read, “Reception.” If the reception is to follow the ceremony, the next line should read, “Immediately following the ceremony.”

If the reception is not to occur two or more hours after the ceremony, then the actual time should be indicated. If you are concerned about your guests knowing that a meal is being served you can always preface the word, “Reception” with “Luncheon” or “Dinner.”

The third line is the name of the location and the fourth line is the actual address. The fourth line can be omitted if it is a facility that is very well know and the address is not necessary or if direction cards are being included that would already have the address.

If the reception is being held in the same city, the city and state can be omitted. If it is a different city, that should be included. If it is in a different state, of course that needs to be included as well. It never is wrong to include the city and state anyway if you like, but the zip code is never included.

If your reception is to take place at your parent’s house and their names are on the invitation, just enter their home address. Your guests will be able to figure it out. If you are having your reception hosted at a friend’s house, their name and address would be listed on the reception card.

If your ceremony is scheduled after six p.m. it is considered formal. Some guests will be aware of that, but not all, so if you want your reception to be “Black tie” you can indicate it on your reception card in the lower right hand corner. It will appear in smaller type.

(Reception card via weddingpaperdivas.com)