Archive for the ‘Party’ Category

Save the Date Postcards

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The ring is on your finger and the planning is underway — time to get your guests in the loop. Your first step: Send a wedding save-the-date card. This pre-invitation mailing officially announces your wedding date and lets guests know that they will, in fact, be invited to the celebration. Guest List As destination weddings and three-day weekends have become more standard, so have save-the-dates. And if you’re marrying during high-travel times like a holiday weekend or summer in a beach town, a save-the-date is an expected courtesy. Between travel arrangements and busy schedules, sending a save-the-date will increase guests’ chances of attending your celebration. And that’s the goal, right? If someone receives a save-the-date and will be unable to attend, they are likely to offer regrets far in advance. You still need to send a wedding invitation as a

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Engagement Party Invitations

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Setting the Engagement Party Date An engagement party usually takes place within a couple months of the proposal. That said, if you’re planning to have a longer engagement, feel free to wait several months. Just make sure that your engagement party takes place closer to the time of your engagement than it does to your wedding date. Compiling the Engagement Party Guest List Anyone invited to your engagement party should ultimately be invited to your wedding, so the size of your engagement party guest list is really dependent upon your actual wedding day guest list. You might have as few as 10 or as many as upward of 100. When the host asks you to come up with a guest list, set it up so your closest family is first, followed by your best of friends, then go from there.

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Bridal Shower Party Invitations

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The bridal shower (or couple shower) is the maid of honor’s pre-wedding piece-de-resistance. Rise to the challenge! Even if someone else is hosting the bridal shower (like the bride’s aunts) or you’re holding it at a restaurant or spa, it’s up to you to take the reigns. So here’s a handy bridal shower checklist to help you plan a perfect party for the bride-to-be. Feel free to adjust the timing to suit your showering style. 3+ Months Before Set the date — shoot for a month or two before the wedding. If certain bridesmaids and important family and friends can’t convene until a few days before, hold off until then. 2 Months Before Send a “save the date” email and/or call important guests such as the bride’s best friend from high school, her favorite cousin, the groom’s mother, etc. to

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Bachelorette Party Invitations

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Bachelor parties have been a wedding tradition since the so-called Olden Days, when they gave the groom a chance to “sow his wild oats” before marriage. We are well out of that dark age (thank goodness!), and these days women celebrate imminent weddings with their closest pals too. Who Hosts? Virtually anyone can host a bachelorette party. Often the maid of honor and bridesmaids, who are close to the bride, do the honors, but any friend, relative (a cousin, for example), or even coworkers who feel the urge can plan this party. The Guest List Shower guests must all be invited to the wedding, but this isn’t necessarily true for bachelorette parties. Chances are that most bachelorette party guests — who are generally the bride’s best gal pals — are wedding guests, too, but it’s fine to invite coworkers or

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Bachelor Party Invitations

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The Guest List The bachelor party began as a gentlemen’s party: a civilized evening of drawing-room drinking, smoking, and toasting to the bride’s health. Boy, have things changed. While most of today’s bachelor parties have ditched the civilized bit in favor of a raunchy night on the town, the list of attendees has stayed the same. The best man throws the shindig and invites friends and relatives of the groom, usually male-only. The only caveats: The list shouldn’t include 100 of the groom’s closest friends, nor should it include people who don’t get along. Pick the Location Bachelor parties can take place almost anywhere. The typical bachelor party usually involves some combination of the following: booze, strippers, gambling (maybe not in that order). But, the trend these days is toward old-fashioned guyness — a weekend spent bonding in the woods,

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Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

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Just when you think you have every detail of your wedding accounted for, you realize you haven’t given too much thought to the other wedding-related parties, like rehearsal dinners, post-wedding brunches, or a wedding luncheon! Don’t worry, we’ve got your primer to all the pre- and post-wedding parties. First, determine your guest list for each event. Traditionally, only the bridal party must be invited to the rehearsal, but it’s a nice gesture to send rehearsal dinner invitations to any out-of-town guests who will be traveling for your wedding. But don’t worry about all those extra guests blowing your budget — rehearsal dinners can be as formal or as low-key as you want (pizza party, anyone?). The rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, or wedding luncheon is also a prime time for wedding toasts. Don’t forget about planning a killer reception after party

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