Art of the Invitation

Determine the occasion
"An invitation is the first point of contact between the host and guest," says Tania Lee, an invitation designer in Washington, D.C. "It's an indication of the care that's going to be taken with the event."

• Hand write or engrave invitations for formal events such as weddings or debutante balls.
• Print invitations for birthday parties, holiday get-togethers, and other informal occasions.

Choose your style
"A really good invitation should make someone feel he's going to miss something fantastic if he doesn't come," says Michael Brown of Michael Brown Design in Richmond.

• Style should communicate the atmosphere of the party.
• Formal invitations should be simple and elegant. Use black ink on a cream- or white-colored card stock.
• Be creative with informal invitations. Consider themes. For example, mail invitations constructed from cardboard boxes to announce your new address and invite friends to a house-warming party. Garden party invitations might include seasonal seed packets, and a bridge party could be cleverly illustrated with a Queen of Hearts.

Choose your words
"The invitation sets the whole tone for the wedding or party," says Lori Jacobson, owner and president of The Invitation Place, Inc., in Birmingham. "The invitation needs to suit the place, the theme, the people giving the party, and the people honored."

• Use formal language written in the third person for formal invitations. A wedding invitation might read, "Dr. and Mrs. (Name of person giving wedding or party) request the honour of your presence."
• Use informal language for informal occasions. "Please join us for a holiday celebration" is perfect for a casual Christmas party.

Cover the basics
• For any invitation, include the time, date, location, purpose, and name of host.
• Choose your preferred form of response -- RSVP or regrets only -- and supply a telephone number or e-mail address for invitees to accept or decline.
• Include a date for invitees to respond by if necessary for planning purposes.
• An invitation for an evening party may call for a description of dress code.

Order early and efficiently
All types of invitations can be custom ordered or purchased at stationery shops. If you can imagine it, someone can make it.

• Be sure to count the number of invitations needed, not the number of guests invited when ordering invitations. Married couples, for example, only require one invitation.
• Order wedding invitations three months prior to the date. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for addressing the envelopes.
• Order party invitations three weeks ahead of time.
• Buy more invitations than you think you need and prepare for more people than you think will come.

Give your guests plenty of notice

• Mail invitations four weeks prior to a formal event and at least two weeks prior to an informal event.
• For Christmas events, mail invitations around Thanksgiving.

The latest trends
• E-vites are an efficient, though less personal, way to invite people to an informal event. Ease is not always flattering. The less time spent on an invitation, the less personal it seems to the guest.
• Vellum tie-up invitations are extremely popular and can be ordered from most invitation stores. These invitations are printed on a clear paper that is attached with a ribbon to a designed backing.

RESOURCES: Michael Brown Design, 804/353-1657. Tania Lee Illustration, 202/332-7064, www.tanialeeillustration.com. Invitation Place, Inc., 205/970-3970.