RSVP Tracking

Image Source

After you've gone through the long, arduous process of compiling a guest list, ordering, addressing and mailing your invitations, getting your response cards back in the mail can feel like a huge sigh of relief.  More often than you would believe, you will get response cards that have either accepted or declined- they have just left off one key piece of information, the guest's name.  This can obviously be very frustrating, but something that is easily can be managed very easily.

When making your guest list identify each guest or family by number:

1. Jane and John Smith
2. Laura Webb

On the back of their response of their response card, pencil in very small #1, or 2 to correspond with the family's number on your spreadsheet.  When you get a response card in the mail with no name on it, but #2 written on the back, you will know that Laura Webb forgot to write in her name (and then you can call her and give her a hard time for leaving her name off).  

Happy Planning!

Julie Daniel

Welcome to the Team Marisa Tierney

We are pleased to welcome to the Splash team Marisa Tierney, our in house Calligrapher and Custom Invitation Artist!

Marisa Tierney is an experienced stationer and calligrapher. Born and raised in Washington, DC, she is well versed in all things etiquette and protocol.  Marisa attended the the Corcoran College of Art Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. As a graphic designer, her many talents allow for truly custom creations for wedding ensembles and reception pieces.  Marisa also creates coat of arms and original motifs for that special day and to be used again for thank you notes and at home cards. She is also a calligrapher and typographer.  One could say that Marisa lives for letters.  The written word and traditional styles of correspondence and hospitality are her specialty.

Invitation Ordering Guidelines

Congrats you're engaged!  Now what?  Once you have your wedding date set and the venue nailed down, it's time to start thinking about your invitations.  

Order your invitations at least 6 weeks before your intended mailing date, and mail your invitations 10-12 weeks before your wedding date.  Send out save the dates as soon as you have your wedding date nailed down, unless it is closer than 12 weeks before the wedding, in which case you should skip the save the dates and just send invitations.  

For all your wedding and event invitation and stationery needs, contact us to make an appointment to browse our collection.  We carry all the major paper lines including Carlson Craft, Birchcraft, Envelopments and Chloe B.

Happy Planning!

Julie Daniel, Splash Consultant

Shop A Splash of Elegance: Invitations and Stationery

A Splash of Elegance is pleased to carry some of the top lines in the invitation industry including Envelopments, Birchcraft, Carlson Craft and Chloe B.  Contact us to shop for invitations needs from save the dates and invitations for your wedding, holiday cards, wedding and baby shower invitations and social stationery.

Envelopments

A Splash of Elegance is exited to announce that we are now an authorized dealer of Envelopments Stationery!  Take a moment to check out envelopments.com to get a glimpse of the variety of paper products they carry.  Make an appointment to come browse through our Envelopments design library, as merely looking at a website cannot do justice to the hundreds of combinations you can make with their products.  From a beach wedding to a 5-course dinner at the Ritz, Envelopments has the style and color to compliment your wedding or event.  There is nothing that can compare to holding the paper in your hand, so call us today to make an appointment to check out the Envelopments line!

The Gracious Stepparent’s Ten Commandments

Martha Woodham in her book, Wedding Etiquette for Divorced Families offers some good advice regarding the stepparents’ roles in wedding planning/execution. Recognizing that there can be some rather “ sticky” situations that a bride and groom may have to contend with, she advises talking to parents and stepparents beforehand and letting them know your expectations are for them to put aside any animosities for the wedding and events surrounding it. The following “ ten commandments” written by her may come in handy for this purpose.

The Gracious Stepparent’s Ten Commandments
Or
How to Earn the Undying Loyalty of Your Family

1. Insist that you and your spouse contribute financially to the wedding, especially if he is the father of the bride.

2. Do not expect any control over the wedding planning.

3. Do not pout when your lovingly-given advice is ignored. In fact, don’ t give any unless asked!

4. Do offer your assistance to the bride and her mother in running errands or handling mundane talks.

5. Do not fret when your spouse is asked to pose for family photographs that include his or her ex.

6. Do not insist on standing in the receiving line, even if you should.

7. Do not insist that your children be part of the wedding ceremony, even when they should be.

8. Do host a party of the couple, but do not upstage festivities hosted by the father or mother.

9. Do not insist that your name be on the invitations, even when it should be.

10. Do not try to upstage the parents in any way by dressing or acting to draw attention to yourself .

There are a lot of logistics when blending two families, but not to worry, we are always here for our brides to help them through the etiquette of blending families on their wedding day. Just give us a call!


Happy Planning,

Deb Merriner

Splash Consultant

Set the Tone ~ Part II

Kate Spade Wedding Ensemble by Crane

Today is part 2 of our discussion on setting the tone for your wedding with save the dates and invitations, and I'm going to advise you on what pieces of the ensemble you will need to consider before you purchase your invitations. Hopefully this will make it easier for you when you discuss invitations with your wedding planner or stationery professional.
These are the possible pieces to consider ~
1. Save the Date - send 9-12 months before the wedding
2. Invitation - remember to order enough for each household and 10% extra
3. Reception Card - if your wedding and reception are in two separate venues
4. Response Card - allows your guests to let you know whether or not they will be coming, and menu choices, if applicable
5. Accommodations Card - if you wish to let your guests know where you have a room block
6. Directions Card - used to provide directions for your guests from the ceremony site to the reception venue
7. Weekend Itinerary - if you have a lot of activities planned for your guests, it is a nice way to let them know what you have planned
8. Sunday Brunch - if you do not wish to send a separate invitation, this is permissible
There you have it, food for thought! If you have questions, just post a comment and I'll be happy to respond.
Happy Planning,
xo, Victoria

Setting the Tone with Save the Dates & Invitations

photo by William Arthur

Whether you're shopping for save the dates or invitations, every bridal couples needs to remember that it is these pieces that will set the tone for their wedding day. So, make sure you go through a brief checklist before you begin your search ~ it will save you a lot of time!

1. Are you having a themed wedding (beach, Victorian, ultra-modern, traditional, wine, etc.)?


2. Have you chosen colors for your wedding that you want to highlight on your save the dates or invitations?


3. Have you set your budget for your wedding stationery? (If not, please do)


4. Do you have your guest list finished so you know how many to order? (Reminder ~ you want the number of households, not the number of guests. Wedding etiquette states that anyone over the age of 16 gets his/her own invitation.)


5. Remember to add your immediate family and the bridal party, too! And, you'll want one or two to save and/or frame.


6. Always order 10% more than you think you need ... because chances are, you are going to need them.


7. Make sure you have enough extra envelopes to cover those printing mishaps.

More details on the invitations tomorrow ~ stay tuned!

xo, Victoria

We value the day and the event, but we treasure the lifelong relationship with our clients.

Man vs. Woman or Woman vs. Man ??

I get a lot of etiquette questions, so will share some of them here ~ today's question comes up a lot, and we don't give it much thought unless we're going to a wedding, and then it comes up a LOT! Who's name goes first, the man's or the woman's? Very simply, the woman's name always goes first. We like to think it's all about being the bride, but sorry ladies, it's actually all about the men. Yes, when a man is born and for the remainder of his life, his first name is never removed from his last name. So, here are some examples of correctly writing names:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
Susan and John Smith

Mrs. Susan Smith

Mr. John Smith

And, for you ladies who are mothers of the groom? When you're preparing your invitations for the Rehearsal Dinner, please don't insist that your son's name goes first on the invitation ~ it's just not the correct thing to do ~ it's my job to make you look perfect, so ...

Here's to making you look fabulous!

Love,

Victoria