Thursday, August 11, 2011

How to word beach invitations

word beach invitations


It's interesting:
"The best way to get a wedding reception crowd on side is too say something nice about the bride ... You could also add that it's been a wonderful wedding so far."

Beach weddings suggest simplicity and informality: sun, sand, surf and joy! The wording on your invitation helps set the mood and give your guests the essentials: who, when and where. The primary difference that sets an invitation for a beach setting apart from others is answer the question of what to wear. Informal wording on every part of the invitation will help.

Instructions

    • 1

      Decide if you will begin traditionally, with the parents of the bride inviting guests to the wedding of their daughter. You don't have to begin that way. "We're getting married!" is an appropriate, if unconventional, way to begin. Websites that sell invitations, such as Colorsbydesign.com, offer poems and other nontraditional wording samples.

      If you choose to begin with parents as hosts, using the first and last names of both mother and father is a good way to reduce the formality: "John and Mary Smith," instead of "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith." This informal wording also gives you a graceful way to include stepparents: "Mary and Jon Jones and John and Marie Smith invite you to the wedding of their daughter, Marijon Smith." (If you are including parents with different surnames, it is a good idea to use the bride's last name as well.)

    • 2

      Relax the formal wording for time and day. The traditional wording uses no cardinal numbers:

      Saturday the thirteenth of June, two-thousand and nine

      Six o'clock in the evening

      An obvious way to ease the formality is to simplify the numbers:

      Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 6 p.m.

      If you have an affinity for journalistic style, change the order to time, day, date:

      6 p.m. Saturday, June 13, 2009.

    • 3

      Describe the beach location as specifically as possible. Even if the beach has a name, it can be tricky to describe to out-of-towners.

      If you are setting up 100 chairs with an arbor and tiki torches, you will probably have a permit and be near a landmark that can be described. For example, "across the road from the state park restrooms" or "south of Jolly's Crab Shak."

      If you plan a small gathering with no seating or other trappings, designate a meeting place: "Meet at the third parking lot. We will walk to the beach together."

      If you will use the beach outside the hotel or restaurant where you plan to have the reception, you might simply say "On the beach at Beachview Manor, 1000 Resort Way, City, State"

    • 4

      End the invitation with a simple note, "Reception to follow" with the location. If you plan to include reply cards for the reception, keep the same level of informality for the reception invitation and RSVP cards.

    • 5

      If you want to designate appropriate attire on the invitation, consider a description of menswear, such as: "Open collar acceptable, long pants please." Or simply, "Beachwear is acceptable." Use a smaller type and put it on the right at the bottom, sort of like a "p.s."

    • 6

      Consider including an informal letter with the invitation, especially for a destination wedding for which nearly everyone would be coming from out of town. In this letter, you can include maps to the beach, reception location and hotels. You can include information on hotels and amenities in the resort. And this is a good way to explain your "dress code" without cluttering up the invitation itself.

      More ways to describe the attire for a beach wedding: "Resort-wear attire," "Sandals and sundresses," "The bride will wear a long dress and no shoes," "No swimsuits, please," or "Expect to get wet."

Tips &- Warnings

  • Begin your collaboration with your future spouse and family on both sides by consulting them about wording the invitation. Deciding who to name as hosts, and by what sequence to list them, can begin to address sources of potential conflict. Begin with sensitivity and grace and continue that approach in your relationships in your new life together.


Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: beach invitations, June 2009, numbers Saturday, Saturday June, Saturday June 2009