ften your invitation envelope is the first glimpse your

guests will have of your wedding, and it gives them insight

not only into your aesthetic, but also into the mood, energy,

and style of the occasion. Hand-lettered calligraphy is a

time-honored way to create a personal connection with your

guests in a way that demonstrates your care about the details.

F irst, ask yourself what role calligraphy will play. Budget may

dictate having only hand-lettered invitation envelopes and

place cards. However, it is possible to set the tone for your

entire celebration with the original artwork of your

calligrapher, featuring names or monograms on the stationery

(save-the-date, invitation, and thank-you designs) as well as

throughout the event itself. CONSIDER CALLIGRAPHED

PROGRAMS, VOWS, GUEST BOOK FRONTISPIECE,

WEDDING CERTIFICATE, PLACE CARDS, MENUS,

FAVORS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO ADD ELE-

GANCE AND DETAIL TO THE OCCASION.

In order to incorporate hand lettering to maximum effect,

you have to plan ahead. Give yourself and your calligrapher

plenty of time. DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS AT LEAST SIX

MONTHS PRIOR TO YOUR EVENT. ENVELOPES

SHOULD BE READY TO ADDRESS 12 WEEKS AHEAD

OF TIME. If your wedding is in a popular wedding month,

CALLIGRAPHY 101HAND-LETTERED CALLIGRAPHY IS A TIME-HONORED WAY TO

CREATE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH YOUR GUESTS IN A WAY THAT DEMONSTRATES YOUR CARE ABOUT THE DETAILS.

page No.

38

INV

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remember that this prime time for calligraphers fills

quickly. There may be a narrow window between the RSVP

date and the wedding for lettering place cards. You’ll want to

book your calligrapher well in advance, especially if you want

an original certificate created or if you want to avoid rush fees.

CHOOSING A GOOD CALLIGRAPHER IS CRUCIAL;

DO YOUR RESEARCH. A CALLIGRAPHER’S WEB-

SITE SHOULD REFLECT THE TALENT AND TASTE

OF THE ARTIST. The lettering itself should be smooth,

consistent, and fluid. It should be instantly clear that what

you’re seeing is one-of-a-kind artwork. If you can’t see sam-

ples online, have them mailed or arrange a meeting. Be sure

that the work is done by hand; many advertise “calligraphy,”

but print everything on a computer. Be especially wary of

very low prices; quality work takes time. Once you find the

talent you want, have a conversation with the artist about

your needs and secure your plans with a deposit.

Consider using camera-ready artwork on the invitation itself

– names or the entire text can often be lettered by hand for a

striking effect. For envelopes, know your paper; you may

need samples for testing. Some fibrous or textured papers

cause inks to bleed or make it difficult to achieve crisp lines.

100% cotton letterpress papers don’t always take ink well.

O

guest listguestlistGUEST LIST

The people you choose to gather together to participate in your big day will

help set the tone of the celebration. Here’s how to select your guests and give them a

warm welcome. Your master guest list is generally comprised of smaller lists from each of

the following: bride, groom and both sets of parents. The overall wedding budget dictates the

maximum number of guests, and depending on which family is paying [bride or groom], that

side can invite a bit more. If your parents’ lists seem too long, try setting limits based on

people you know personally. It’s helpful to divide guests into categories: immediate family,

distant family, close friends, neighbors,co-workers. Some couples work with an ‘A’ list and a

‘B’ list; if guests from the ‘A’ list send regrets, invitations can be sent to the guests on the ‘B’

list. Be sure, however, that these invites go out at least one month before the wedding.

Also, if you don’t receive a reply from an invited guest three weeks before the wedding, by

all means contact him or her and ask if he or she plans to attend.

[ ]

++11 GGUUEESSTT DDAATTEESS Members of the wedding party’s spouses or dates should be included. Guests’ spouses are always included, however do not feel obligated to extend a “+guest” invite to single guests.

CCHHIILLDDRREENN If you decide on a ‘no-children’ wedding, make sure you circulate the word amongst family members, making exceptions for the flower girl and ring bearer, if applicable.

CCOO--WWOORRKKEERRSS A delicate situation; tread lightly, as it is generally not possible to invite all of your co-workers.

OOUUTT--OOFF--TTOOWWNN Since yours is a destination wedding your guests will be from out-of-town [unless you are lucky enough to call Cape May home]. Be considerate when suggesting accommodations;

offer several options with varying price ranges.

tip Since you have chosen Cape May for your destination wedding, keep guests updated with a

wedding web page. This is a great place for guests to look up details of your wedding, including

accommodation suggestions, directions, and special things to do and see. [Check out wwwwww..ccaappeemmaayy..ccoomm

for an insiders guide to all things Cape May] A great site to help you set up a website is

wwwwww..wweeddddiinnggttrraacckkeerr..ccoomm, all for the reasonable price of $60 per year.

hile envelopes CAN be treated to help ink “sit up” on

the paper, this is an extra step for your calligrapher and an

extra expense for you. If you’ll have lined envelopes, they

should be addressed first. If the liners are already inserted,

you may be spending extra to have your calligrapher pencil

and erase guide lines. BE SURE TO ORDER PLENTY OF

EXTRA ENVELOPES FOR THE HUMAN ERRORS,

CHANGES, AND ADD-ONS THAT INVARIABLY OCCUR.

It’s much more cost-effective and less stressful to order 50

extra envelopes at the outset than to rush-order a special

printing of five more outer envelopes and two inners.

Place cards also present important choices. Many venues will

offer complimentary cards, but the paper may be inferior or

W

Catherine Lent teaches calligraphy and creates her art for clients from coast to coast, including the New York

Times Company, Anthropologie, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. And while her envelopes have been addressed to

the President as well as the Pope, her greatest joy comes from local individuals, grateful for

having their cherished texts written in just the right hand.

mismatched with your color scheme. Worse, the cards may

carry the venue’s name or logo. If purchasing your own cards,

avoid pre-printed cards with an “M________” line, which

create an artistically impossible situation. Your calligrapher

may create custom cards, in which case any color, size, or

shape can add one more unique touch to the event.

WHETHER YOU CHOOSE A CLASSIC BLACK

COPPERPLATE OR A CHUNKY PURPLE BOOKHAND,

YOUR CALLIGRAPHIC CHOICES NOT ONLY SPEAK

VOLUMES TO YOUR SENSE OF STYLE, THEY HAVE

A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE OVERALL FEELING

OF YOUR WEDDING.

TCMWB