Wedding Invitations: RSVP
The first invitations that were sent to invite people to a wedding were supposedly written by European monks during the Middle Ages. The monks were consummate calligraphers and were paid by wealthy families alike to write their invitations. To their detriment, the 1600s brought about the introduction of metal plate engraving. Soon, engraved invitations became the most popular method of announcing upcoming weddings and fetes.
Wedding invitations were the material of public announcements in England. There were paid criers who walked the streets, announcing upcoming weddings and celebrations. This was sometimes not the best means of invitation as it spurred throngs of non-invited guests to essentially “crash” the ceremony. By contrast, in the New World, Native American Indians announced their weddings by means of complex smoke signals. Additionally, birch bark inscriptions were sent via runners to the surrounding, friendly villages.
During the 18th century, wedding invitations were announced in local newspapers. The genesis of fine stationery, used to announce pending weddings, took shape in the middle of the 19th century with the ascension of the Victorian Era. Invitations were sent by means of the newly consistent postal system, though wealthier families continued the tradition of having their invitations hand-delivered. The reliance on the postal bureaucracy necessitated the use of the envelope to not only ensure privacy, but to protect invitations from damage.
Today the objective of most couples is to equalize the quality of the invitation with the cost of the invitation. Despite the cost, however, invitations must be posted early enough to plan appropriately. There are a number of options when it comes to choosing the best-suited invitations. The letterpress invitation is an excellent choice for a formal wedding, thought a less expensive alternative is a thermographic invitation. Thermography is a chemical printing process that flooded the invitation market in the 1930’s and 40’s.
It is essential the bride and groom trust the printer, regardless of the specific printing method. They would be well-served procuring samples from a number of printers and comparing the quality of the prints. Finding the right invitations is crucial to planning the perfect wedding. Just remember the guests are an integral part of the ceremony. Your friends and loved ones are all deserving of customized, quality wedding invitations.
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