Read more about wedding invitations from Yours Truly.

Whether you are looking for something funky and fun or elegant and beautiful, they can create a design just for you. You give them your idea and choose a price package. Hand over your 10% deposit and they will create your design. When you are satisfied with the mock-up, they make as many invitations as you need. Prices start at $500 and go well over $2000, depending on what you want.

Photo credit: Corndog Industries

Instead of use paper invitations, you can create and send stylish wedding (or other event) invitations online. The system can be integrated with your email address book, SMS, social networks (Facebook), your personalized event web page and more.

You can track RSVPs, communicate with guests, organize your registry and simplify most tasks associated with your guest list and invitations.

Pingg’s basic email invitations and event management services are free. Or you can pay a little extra for customized invitation designs and other services.

In this day and age, when everyone is constantly on their computer, PDA, cell phone and other electronic devices, why not consider using online invitations?

When I first read about this, I thought it might be a little tacky … after all some old fashioned wedding traditions should be preserved even in the modern technology era.

However, after reading through the Pingg website at Pingg.com, I realized the benefits of using this type of service are abundant. Plus, Pingg offers a variety of beautiful invitation designs that are very elegant.

Check out Pingg and consider it before placing an order for tradtional paper invitations! Even if you decide against it for your wedding, Pingg may come in handy for birthday parties, anniversary celebrations and other events.

I never would have even considered it until I saw this video.

Melissa Nyssen, owner of FormalInvitations.com, explains how you can create very unique, expensive-looking wedding invitations for less than a dollar each.

You select a background card and printable overlay paper, then connect it together with embellishments like sheer ribbon, a minature silk flower, or a cute metal charm. You can buy all the supplies you need to make the invitations from FormalInvitations.com.

Another plus is these invitations are eco-friendly. The handmade petal and silk papers from Formal Invitations are from recycled cotton, while their other papers use post-consumer fibers and are processed chlorine free.

Watch this video to learn more how to make the invitations, it’s very cool.

More about wedding invitations:

• Wedding Invitation Wording
• Keepsake Invitations
• Wedding Monograms

This company specializes in invitations printed on metal and polycarbonate materials. They are very elegant looking and you can customize them in a multitude of ways – including adding your photograph.

If you are looking for a way to make your wedding invitations stand out – this could be it.

I really love the look of the silver square metal invitation pictured here. However, you can also choose from an array of other colors and styles.

Check out their website at keepsakeweddinginvitations.com and let us know what you think by leaving your comments here.

Well, if you’re looking for something that’s both traditional and contemporary that can be engraved on your cake serving set, printed on your napkins, and stamped on the back of envelopes, that something might just be a monogram.

Monograms are timeless, and they tell a tale. But the big question is how to go about getting one. Fortunately, you have a few options there: you can hire an artist, you can use an existing monogram, or you can do it yourself. Here are a few tips to go along with each of these options:

• Option 1: Hire an Artist
  An artist will certainly create a monogram that is stylish and you; that is what you’re paying him/her for after all. But the big catch with hiring an artist is that your monogram might end up being a rather pricey extra. If you’re completely sold on hiring an artist, though, consider working with a graphic design student or an artist just starting out. The cost will definitely be lower, and the quality will still be high.
• Option 2: Use an Existing Monogram
  You could also use a monogram that’s already been created, but this option is a little trickier. Number one, you might or might not have a difficult time finding one that has the letters you are looking for. Number two, once you find the right letters, you still want the monogram to fit your personal style. You don’t want to simply settle, especially if you still have other options!
• Option 3: Do it Yourself
  Your third option is to create your own monogram. If you are on a tight budget and you have a little bit of design finesse, this option might be right for you. Heck, even if you have a huge budget, but you think designing your own monogram would be fun, you might as well give it a go! Following is a link to a “how-to” tutorial from DIY Weddings that will give you some good pointers on how to create your monogram in MS Word. Try it out for yourself and let us know how your monogram turned out!

Check out this video tutorial courtesy of DIYBride.com:

The trend has carried over into wedding planning. And though many brides can’t imagine having an exclusively green wedding, complete with a hemp dress, there are many green elements that you can incorporate into your wedding planning.

Save The Trees
Work with a printing company that uses recycled paper and soy-based ink for wedding invitations, programs, menus and place cards.

Let There Be Light
Conserve electricity by scheduling your wedding into the daytime and using more natural light. Outdoor evening weddings can also be beautiful, utilizing plenty of candlelight. Be sure to choose a photographer that specializes in low-light photography!

Beautiful Blooms
Select flower arrangements or flowering plants that are locally grown. After the wedding, donate the arrangements to local hospitals or other care facilities.

Eat, Drink and Be Married
Incorporate locally grown organic foods, coffee and wine when planning your reception menu. You can also offer seafood options that are not depleted or endangered. Meatless hor d’oeuvres can also be delicious.

Paper or Plastic?
Neither. At your reception, use cloth napkins instead of paper. Work with a catering company that does not use plastic water bottles or, at the very least, recycles.

Getting There in Style
When choosing your wedding transportation, consider arriving at the church in a horse-drawn carriage. Not only is it extremely romantic, you won’t be using any fuel. When departing after the reception, select a hybrid vehicle rather than a gas-guzzling limousine or sports car.

When it comes to wording your wedding invitations, it seems there are a different set of rules for every imaginable set of circumstances. It really depends on who is hosting the event and their marital status, which I didn’t know when I created my invitations. Below are some examples for each scenario:

If hosted by bride and groom
Laynee Jo Johnson
and Jack Lucas Warren
request the honor of your presence

If hosted by bride’s family
Mr. and Mrs. Hagen Johnson
request the honor of your presence
as their daughter, Laynee Jo
is united in marriage to
Jack Lucas Warren
son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren

If hosted by bride, groom, and both families
Laynee Jo Johnson
and Jack Lucas Warren
together with their parents
request the honor of your presence

If hosted by groom’s family
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Laynee Jo Johnson
to their son, Jack Lucas Warren

If hosted by divorced parents:
Mrs. Martha Lovely
And Mr. Hagen Johnson
request the honour of your presence
as their daughter, Laynee Jo
is united in marriage to
Mr. Jack Lucas Warren
son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Warren

When one parent is deceased
Laynee Jo
Daughter of Martha Johnson and the late Hagen Johnson
and Jack Lucas Warren
request the honour of your presence

Whew, I bet you didn’t think there were so many ways to write your wedding invitations huh? There’s a few more general rules that apply to any situation, including:

• For ceremonies being held in a place of worship, it’s proper to use the phrase “request the honor of your presence”. For ceremonies held anywhere else, you should use “request the pleasure of your company.”
• Always spell out all words. Including the hour, date, year, and all the words in the address.
• The British spelling of the words “honour” and “favour” may be used to inspire a feeling of elegance.
• Use Roman numerals in names, such as Jack Lucas Warren the third (Jack Lucas Warren III)
• Always use full names. It is better to leave out a middle name than to put it as an initial.

Remember that the less formal your event is, the more flexible these rules become. In reality, you can write your invitations any way you like, but if your goal is to set a stage of elegance, class and sophistication, these rules should be followed. And if all else fails, you can always hit the drive-thru in Vegas!