wedding invitation

Gift Etiquette Basics for Your Wedding
When it comes to wedding gift-giving, there are many ways you can commit an accidental etiquette misstep, so knowing some basic guidelines can help.

When it comes to wedding gift-giving, there are many ways you can commit an accidental etiquette misstep, so knowing some basic guidelines can help.

Your upcoming wedding is a celebration. Sure, your ceremony carries with it importance and perhaps an air of dignity. Yet your reception is the time for your friends and family to make merry, and naturally, they may want to give you a gift. When it comes to wedding gifts, there are so many ways you can commit an accidental etiquette misstep. Knowing some basic guidelines can help you avoid embarrassment and offense.

Handling Gift Registry Details

Before you receive your first gift, you’ll need to create a wedding registry or two. You have many options from which to choose, but Martha Stewart Weddings suggests limiting yourself to a couple of different providers. Also, your gift registries should be completed between two and six months before the big day. However you proceed, remember that registry information should never be printed on your invitations. Your inner circle can spread the details through word-of-mouth, and you can post them on your wedding website. Just make sure that you include a clickable link and list the specifics on another page deeper in your site.

Is Asking for Cash a No-No?

Experts have been divided on whether asking or registering for cash is an acceptable practice. Thankfully, Anna Post from the Emily Post Institute offers some definite guidance. Registering for cash gifts is perfectly fine, but you should follow the same guidelines for publicizing it as you do for traditional registries. Let your family and friends spill the details, and be sure to have a standard registry as a backup. Not sure what to add to the alternate registry? Try some unique items you don’t already have, but offer a few low-cost gift options as well.

Brides writer Jaimie Mackey echoes the advice of never asking for cash on the invitation. She adds that you should be explicit about how you plan to use monetary gifts, whether it’s for a new home, a cross-country move, or your honeymoon. You can discuss these details on your wedding website if you wish. Don’t forget to provide a box for checks and gift cards at your reception, since some guests may bring these with them. Have a trusted individual check the box throughout the evening and securely store the contents to prevent theft.

Other Pitfalls To Avoid

You’ve followed all this great advice, but you’re still not home free. You’re probably not the type of couple that keeps score on gifts, but Wedding Wire Canada’s Diane Hall reminds readers that this is a major faux pas. After all, gifts aren’t an obligation, and The Knot sets the record straight on the “cover your plate” rule. On the flip side, you could encounter guests asking how much you’re spending per plate on your wedding to guide them in gift-giving. In those cases, you may need to deflect the question and stress that you value their company more.

While you’re at it, don’t neglect those all-important thank-you notes. Hall mentions that registry providers usually send you notifications when items have been purchased. You’ll want to send out your notes within three weeks of receiving each gift. For presents given to you on the big day, you should send out your notes within three months.

Don’t Proceed Without a Plan

Wedding gifts are a way for guests to show their affection and care for a happy couple. If you’re the ones tying the knot, graciousness and discretion are your best friends. First, count on your closest family and friends to let others know about your registry. Don’t be afraid to register for cash, but include some physical goods to provide your guests with alternatives. Finally, send out your thank-you notes in a timely manner. These tips should help you navigate the world of wedding gifts before and after the big day.

New Canadian Pansy Stamps Now Available

Colorful canadian pansies are being honored with two new stamp designs.The annual March release of the new Canada Post floral stamp series is a welcome sign of spring and highly anticipated by some brides. Those in search of pretty feminine postage to adorn their wedding invitations are particularly eager to see the designs. This year two Canadian pansy designs have been released.

About the Stamps

There are different varieties of pansies featured on the stamps. The ‘Delta Premium Pure Light Blue’ (Link) has a brilliant yellow center surrounded by azure petals. The ‘Midnight Glow’ Icicle Pansy shines in hues of purple, yellow, pink and orange. Typically, the floral stamps are photographs, but this year they are illustrations. Their romantic whimsical look may make them even more appealing to brides. Laurie Koss illustrated the stamps, and Marcio Morgado and Paul Haslip of HM&E Design Communications designed them.

The Symbolism of the Pansy

Pansies are a uniquely Canadian flower. The name is derived from the French word “pensee,” which means thought or remembrance. The flowers were first bred in 1839 by Lord James Gambier, a Newfoundland governor, and gardener William Thompson. The two men produced the pansy by crossing different species of the viola flower. Pansies are particularly hardy and well-suited to Canada’s climate; they flourish in cooler weather. They are some of the first flowers to bloom in spring and last in fall.

Other Wedding Postage Options

There are a wide variety of stamps from which to choose for wedding invitations. If you want to go with a flower but pansies aren’t your thing, other options include roses and magnolias. Floral postage is certainly not mandatory for wedding invitations; other alternatives may more accurately reflect your personality. For couples that prefer a patriotic theme, there are stamps available honoring the 50th anniversary of the national flag of Canada. Nature lovers can choose from baby wildlife and butterflies. Fans of the paranormal will love the five options from the haunted Canada postage collection.

Another popular postage choice for wedding invitations is to design your own stamp. This can be done through www.picturepost.ca. Couples often use a picture of themselves or some other photo of significance.

 

Tips for Mailing Your Wedding Invitations

While pretty stamps add a nice touch to invitations, the primary concern is that they arrive at the intended destination on time. You don’t want all the money you’ve invested in production and postage to go to waste. Here are some tips that can help ensure successful delivery:

  • Use the Right Amount of Postage

Wedding invitations can be unique in size and larger than standard letters. Bringing a copy of an invitation with all the inserts to a post office and getting it weighed will help you confirm the needed postage. If you are mailing any invitations to foreign countries, be sure to tell the postal clerks so they can calculate the correct postage for those invitations as well. This also applies to any prestamped reply cards you are sending.

  • Send Properly Sized Reply Cards

Some reply cards are actually too small to be mailed. Be sure to ask someone at the post office if yours are the right size.

  • Order Stamps Online

Ordering stamps online can be very convenient. Taking advantage of this option means not standing in line at the post office. You may also have a broader selection from which to choose when you shop online. Post offices sometimes run out of the most popular stamps, so ordering them over the Internet can be the best way to get what you want without waiting. Plan ahead and buy them in advance so you are not delayed in sending out invitations.

Postage is a necessary part of wedding invitations. For brides who want to adorn theirs with a pretty flower, the new Canada Post pansy stamps are a delightful choice.