photo credit: Caitlinator

Sending shower invitations is the appropriate way to invite guests to an upcoming shower. There are many reasons why showers are thrown and there are many different types of shower invitations for each type.

Bridal and wedding showers are traditionally hosted by the maid-of-honor and she sends out the invitations to female friends and relatives of the bride. Today, more and more showers are designed for couples, rather than for just the bride.

shower invitations
Shower invitations, shower invitations, shower invitations! Wedding showers are normally held about two weeks before the big occasion and should be mailed well in advance to reach guests in time so that they can save the day for the party.

The date time and venue of the party including a map, if required, should be clear to make arrival easy for the guests. Guests who are invited to the shower should be, as a rule, invited to the wedding.

Since showers are essentially parties where gifts are given, some wedding invitations carry the details of the registry of stores to which the bride subscribes. In today’s busy world, guests find this a big help when looking for a gift that will be cherished for many years.

While showers on their own are normally lots of fun, those that are based on a theme can be even more so. If you are planning a bridal shower and the bride has a favorite hobby or something that she just loves to do, then you could choose to use this as your theme and plan the shower around it.

If this is the case, then make sure you include this information in the shower invitations. When a surprise shower party is held, the invitations should definitely state the time by which the guests are expected to arrive. You may even decide to purchase custom invitations for your shower.

baby shower invitations
All shower invitations should have a RSVP cut-off date. This helps the host to correctly make food and drink preparations, which will make guests more comfortable. When informative bridal shower invitations or Indian wedding invitation cards are sent, it is sure to help make the party memorable.

For this reason, you may want to purchase custom invitations or even try invitation kits to help make them more personal.

Decorative Design Bridal Shower Invitations (Pack of 25)

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The Military Wedding

Officers in the regular army and navy above the rank of lieutenant have their titles prefixed in full, on invitations. A lieutenant uses the prefix “Mr.” His rank and branch of service are engraved on a line beneath the name. Below the rank of captain the name is prefixed by “Mr.,” and with the rank of captain and above, by the military title.

The prefix Mr. is used by lieutenant with rank following, like this:

Mr. James Hudson Brown,

Lieutenant Eleventh Regiment

United States Infantry

However, some of our older officers who are well posted on such matters do not think this recent custom is in accord with good military usage, believing that on anything as formal as a wedding invitation, a lieutenant, just as does a captain or a colonel, should have his rank appear like this:

LIEUTENANT WILLIAM BRONSON LIVINGSTON,

Twenty-fourth United States Infantry

The difference between Lieutenant and Captain are this:

MR. JOHN ALFRED SMITH

LIEUTENANT TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY,

UNITED STATES ARMY.

CAPTAIN JOHN ALFRED SMITH

TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY,

UNITED STATES ARMY.

MAJOR JOHN ALFRED SMITH

UNITED STATES ARMY

(RETIRED)

Mr. and Mrs. John James Smith

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Mary Louise

Captain, United States Air Force

To

Mr. Benjamin Michael Jones

Friday, the tenth of July

Two Thousand and Six

at one o’clock

Valley Country Club

Any Town, Any State

Mr. and Mrs. William Printer
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Pricilla Marie
to
Captain Michael Anthony Smith
United States Marines
Saturday, the Thirty Second of September
Two Thousand and Seven
at one o’clock
Valley Country Club
Any Town, Any State

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Maria Stephanie
to
General Jonathan Randal McMichael
United States Army, Retired
Saturday, the thirty fist of April
Two Thousand and Two
Valley Country Club
Any Town, Any State

Lower than Captian :

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Maria Stephanie
to
Mr. Jonathan Randal McMichael
Airman, United States Air Force
Saturday, thirty fist of April
Two Thousand and Two
at half after two o’clock
Valley Country Club
Any Town, Any State

If Groom is a Non-Commissioned Officer or Enlisted Man

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Maria Stephanie
to
Jonathan Randal McMichael
Airman, United States Air Force
Saturday, the thirty fist of April
Two Thousand and Two
at half after two o’clock
Valley Country Club
Any Town, Any State

Father of the Bride is a member of the Armed Forces

Staff Sergeant and Mrs. Daniel Smith
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Maria Stephanie
to
Jonathan Randal McMichael
Saturday, the thirty fist of April
Two Thousand and Two
at half after two o’clock
Valley Country Club
Any Town, Any State

The Military Wedding

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Doctor Robert Willson

and

Mrs. George Chester White

announce their marriage

on Monday the first of August

One thousand nine hundred and nine

at the

Church qf the Ascension

Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street

in the City of New York

or

MR. JOHN WILLIAM DOE

MRS. ELSIE BLANK HOWLAND

ANNOUNCE THEIR MARRIAGE

One or Both of you have Children

The remarriage of a divorced woman is usually not formal, or in a white gown and veil. It may be held in a chapel, home, or garden, with one attendant (not a child by a former marriage).

Are you getting married… but not for the first time? Does one or both of you have kids? I’ll bet you want to include your children in as many aspects of your wedding as you can… starting with the wedding invitations.

But just how should you word your invitations to include your children without sounding corny?

Here is an idea for an invitation that makes it seem as if the children are “hosting” the wedding. Instead of the parents of the bride and groom at the top of the invitation… the children are named.

The man who makes our mom’s eyes sparkle

is going to share his life with all of us!

Mary Jane Smith and Jimmy Joe Smith

Are happy to announce the marriage

Of their mother

Joanna Jill Smith

To

Bill William Jones

On Monday the First of August

Two Thousand and Eight

at twelve o’clock

Grace Church

Etc.

Have the two of you been living together for some time… and you have already have children together?

Maybe the baby was a surprise…

Maybe the baby was planned…

Either way… You’re getting Married! You both have been planning and waiting for this date for a long time and you want to reflect that in your wedding invitations.

You just know that all your family and friends will be so happy that you are finally going to “tie the knot”.

If you are planning a small wedding then you will likely want to send out announcements as well.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Kit:

From America’s Top Wedding Experts, Elizabeth & Alex Lluch

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In that case the inscription must take this form :

Mr. and Mrs. Julian Blanke

Request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Mary Louisa Craig

with

Mr. John Victor Reynolds

Or

Parents would announce the remarriage of their widowed daughter:

Mr. and Mrs. James Daylon Parker

have the honour (or pleasure) to announce

the marriage of their daughter

Dorothy

(Mrs. Harold de Peyster)

to

Mr. John Baird Livingston

on Tuesday, June the eleventh, Nineteen hundred

Etc.

If a widow remarries, and her parents are not making the announcement her name is accompanied by the prefix “Mrs.”

When the contracting parties are both widowed, they themselves send the announcement of their marriage, it reads:

Mrs. Marian Bronson

and

Mr. Warren Atherton

have the honour to announce their marriage

on Tuesday, January the second

at twelve o’clock

Grace Church

Etc.

Or

MR. JOHN WILLIAM DOE

AND

MRS. JAMES EGBERT HOWLAND

ANNOUNCE THEIR MARRIAGE

ON MONDAY, AUGUST THE ELEVENTH

The remarriage of a widow is usually simple and informal, and not in white wedding gown and veil, which is the symbol of first marriage.

Her own children may attend her if she wishes. She may write personal notes as invitations and announcements, using her full name.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Kit:

From America’s Top Wedding Experts, Elizabeth & Alex Lluch

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Some parents are paying for part of the wedding and some aren’t helping at all… between the two of you their may be 5 or more parent names to list.

Wedding invitations are a way to announce and invite someone to a wedding. They are not an announcement of who is paying for the wedding.

If you feel the need to list everyone that is “sponsoring” your wedding… think about using a wedding program. This can be a very sentimental expression of your love and thankfulness for their support.

Programs are a interesting addition to the wedding package… these can be done as simple or formal as money allows.

If you have parents and grandparents walking in separately, and an officiate that you know closely, programs are very appropriate. You can print them for less than $10.

What if the groom’s parents are hosting?

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Smith

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of Miss Deloris Jones

to their son

William Jason Smith

Another way is to word the invitation so that the couple is hosting their own wedding:

The honour of your presence

is requested at the marriage of

Ms. Joanne Smith

and

Mr. Mark Jones

If the Grooms Parents Hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Johnson

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of

Joanne Alice Smith

to their son

Richard Johnson

On

Saturday, the Second of April

Two Thousand and Two

at half past three o’clock

Valley Center Club

Any Town, Any State

Traditionally, the parties that are hosting the wedding (paying) should do the announcing of the wedding… that is usually the brides parents.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Kit:

From America’s Top Wedding Experts, Elizabeth & Alex Lluch

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