Based upon quality of paper stock, lettering, color and design you select, recipients are likely to make a determination about formality or informality of event, thus how they should dress. The color of your invitations may suggest color scheme of your wedding. The quality of paper may indicate how elaborate or simple you wedding will be.

Choosing Invitations

Stationery Stores—Most brides still go to a stationery store to select invitations. Once there, you can look at brochures and browse through manufacturers’ catalogs. The catalogs include samples invitations so that you can feel paper stock, see true color of paper, and compare different print options. Knowledgeable clerks will be on hand to help you pick out desired color and weight of paper as well as ink, style of script, and wording for your invitations. The only thing remaining for you to do will be to provide particulars.

There are only a few large manufacturers and they dominate wedding invitation industry. As a result, whichever stationery house you go to you are likely to see exact same catalogs. Unlike private print shops, because these companies mass-produce their products they are able to offer you greater variety at a lower price.

Online Shopping—There is virtually nothing you can’t buy on Internet, including your gown (although I would not recommend an online purchase for your wedding dress, which must be properly sized and fitted).

The Internet offers a huge number of sites selling both traditional and unique invitations. If you are bargain shopping for invitations, Internet is definitely place to go.

Keep in mind that you are always taking a chance when you choose this method. There is nothing like being able to feel quality of paper or raised lettering to ensure that you will get exactly what you want. However, knowing how different weights of papers feel and about different methods of printing can help.

Private Printers—Because of availability of mass producers and tendency of many people to shop for bargains on Internet, private shops are now hard to find. If you have your heart set on truly personalized invitations, look around. You are almost sure to find one somewhere.

Different Printing Methods

There are essentially four common methods of invitation printing, each with its own benefits.

Handwritten—If you are planning a small wedding (meaning 50 people or fewer), it is perfectly acceptable to hand write your invitations. Of course, this will be hard work, but you will save a lot of money.

Engraved—This is ultimate in invitation printing. With engraving, printer stamps back of paper using metal plates. This raises print up off of paper so that you can actually feel lettering. For most brides, engraved invitations are much to costly.

Thermography—This is most common form of invitation printing. With this method, ink is heated to create a raised-letter effect that is nearly indistinguishable from engraving.

A Friend in Deed

Let’s start with best man (the head groomsman) since his role is so crucial. The best man is an all-purpose kind of guy—friend, organizer, coach, confidant—with a lot of responsibilities.

In general, he must make sure that wedding goes off without a hitch. When groom feels stressed, he is ready with encouragement and a good sense of humor.

Traditionally, it is best man who is in charge of organizing bachelor party and making all travel arrangements for bride and groom. He makes sure groom and other groomsmen get fitted for and pick up their formalwear. He is also expected to supervise other groomsmen and ushers, serve as an official witness to vows, safeguards ring and marriage license just before wedding, and pay clergyman’s fee (which groom quietly slips to him before ceremony).

After ceremony, he makes sure wedding party lines up properly for "wedding parade" through town, if one is planned. At reception, he serves as master of ceremonies, proposes first toast, and remains on hand to ensure that all subsequent speeches are both short and sweet. His final duty is to return all rented tuxes.

INCIDENTAL—In case it should happen that several notable people would like to offer a toast, here is order of speakers: best man, groom’s dad, bride’s dad, groom, bride, maid of honor, groom’s mom, bride’s mom, other friends and relatives.

And a Few Good Men

Of course, other groomsmen or ushers are also important members of wedding party. The are, in effect, couples hospitality committee. Although groomsmen often do double-duty—serving as ushers before and after ceremony—in may cases, at large weddings, for example, there are two sets of men: groomsmen and ushers. (The general rule is one usher for every 50 guests.) In these instances, it is ushers who seat guests, and it is they who make first impression on guests as they arrive.