Recently, I was creating a custom seating chart and wedding programs for a client and I asked for a copy of her wedding invitation so I could match the fonts and colors. The Bride was happy to send me a copy of the invitation and was proud to say that the Groom had actually designed and printed them... Wonderful! Until I saw this:
"First Congregational Church
ninty-eight Main Street"
Aww snap...ninty-eight? Not ninety-eight?
200 of those bad boys had already been sent out.
Last week I found this one...I was addressing 100 invitations for another client and this is how the ceremony time was written out.
"at four thirty o'clock in the afternoon"
These were ordered by a local gift shop from a national retailer and got past both of them. I have never asked anyone to meet me for a cup of coffee at four thirty o'clock. Ugh.
Now, I am far from an English teacher, but I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to wedding invitations. Whatever the budget- a simple, nicely worded and cleanly addressed wedding invitation is the goal. Hand calligraphy or typeset matched addressing is preferable, but above all SPELLING and GRAMMAR are most important!
Everyone makes mistakes, so please save yourself embarrassment or reprint costs by proofreading and having a friend or family member triple check everything before you OK a proof. ALWAYS ask for a proof, even if it costs you a few extra bucks. Professional stationers are used to working with wedding invitation wording etiquette and are typically a much better choice than online "fill in the blank" invitation retailers or going the DIY route.
I hope there aren't too many grammar and spelling errors in this post! :)
