Stationery

The History of the Invitation

In the 18th century in England, handwritten social invitations were first used, by the aristocracy. Only kings and queens and other members of high society received invitations to social events. Usually the invitations were written by a butler or secretary. Having them handwritten was a sign of education. Even after the modern printing press was discovered, many aristocrats continued to have their invitations handwritten for this purpose. The handwriting itself was a work of art. Much time and planning was given for this process. Calligraphy pens were used, which gave letters dimension; there were thick and thin lines in each word.

The wording of the earliest invitations was similar to today's traditional wording, with one exception: Usually the name of each guest was printed on the invitation. We have gotten away from this practice today, but if you are having a small wedding and making your own invitations, you might consider it. Once written or printed, each invitation was placed in a protective envelope, and sealed with wax. The wax seal often represented the crest of the family. Wax seals are often still used today to convey a touch of tradition and elegance.

Your wedding stationery will set the style and ethos of your day. Here's a marvellous opportunity to be eco chic right from the start.

Green Weddings South Africa suggest that you print all your wedding correspondence on recycled or tree free paper with vegetable inks and there's no need to abandon taste and style when choosing an eco friendly option. We can offer stunning designs, please ask us.

Or we can help you to go even further and reduce paper to a minimum.

We offer a Bespoke Wedding Website Design to replace invitations and send out a hand written postcard or email referring your guests to the site. The website can also be a useful tool for all your wedding planning. Host information on accommodation, travel and your wedding list too. You'll find you may still have to send some invitations to relatives and friends who don't use a computer, but you can vastly reduce your use of paper and printing as well as postage and cost

If you opt for the conventional route, bear in mind that many wedding stationers source and print their ranges in other parts of the world where labour conditions may not be to your taste. Ask about the provenance of the stationary you're interested in.