Considering including a menu for your guests?  If you are having a seated dinner this is a great way to inform your guests of the delicious courses to come!  Whether placed on their charger or folded in your guests' napkin, this special touch will add some color to any place setting.  

Another great idea is to include a recipe of one of the courses for the guests to take home with them.  This can be attached with a favor or placed at the table.  Consider using a family recipe to make this gift even more personal.  It will be a sentimental reminder of your special day and the delectable food they enjoyed!

 

If you happened to attend the 2009 Party and Wedding Faire in Modesto on January 11th you were sure to stop by our booth and view some of our fine invitation lines.  We enjoyed meeting brides, answering questions and booking consultations!  

 

Thank you notes are an important, appreciative necessity when it comes to your wedding.  Though some have a difficult time when it comes to writing them, here is a fool-proof method to getting it right:

1. Make sure you send one.  I know, I know, I am sure you are bombarded with things to do, and sitting down and actually writing a hand-written note (as opposed to an email) is so.... well, "old-fashioned."  There is nothing more personal then a pen and paper note, and when it comes to a thank you, there is no exception.   I recommend ordering thank you notes when you order your save the dates and or invitations.  Many guests send gifts far in advance of your wedding date, and thank you notes should be sent out as soon as these gifts arrive.  

Here's why you need to send one: A. you want to show the gift-giver your appreciation of their thoughtful gesture, B. you want to make sure that the gift-giver knows that you received your gift, C. if you don't do it right away, chances are that you will forget what and whom gave you the gift.

2. The Thank You Basics:      

What needs to be included:  A. State thank you for... and list the exact item that was given.  B. Why are you so appreciative of the item: maybe you do not have one, maybe it is something for your kitchen and you love to cook, etc. C. Wrap up your thank you with a closing thought.  Here is an example:

Dear Maggie,                                                                                              

Thank you very much for the beautiful wooden salad bowl and serving set.  We are looking forward to using this for our weekly dinner get-together, and it will be a great addition to our kitchen!  It was so good to see you at the shower, we were glad that you were able to make it down.  We are looking forward to the wedding, and we can't wait to see little Mattie!  Thank you again!

Love,  Brooke

These are the cut and dry basics.  If you are looking for a more complete overview for thank you notes, you can refer to How to Say It by Rasalie Maggio and Jack Griffin.

 

One of the very first things that you will do before you even choose a venue or invitations is to create a guest list.  A good way to start the process is to have both sides of the family create a list of people both family and close friends so that you have a general number idea for your overall guest list.  Not only will this help you plan a budget, but this will also help you determine venue options.  

After you have your guest list set, I recommend using a program such as google mail or gmail where you can utilize their documents program to import your guest list.  This program has the same interface as excel or numbers.  You can then share this with your parents and your future in-laws.  The great thing about this is that you can keep track of who has R.S.V.P'd and if you are having a served meal, you can also keep track of what your entree numbers are.  You can even keep fields of what gifts were given to you, and if you have already sent out your thank you.  

With this fool-proof method, you will stay organized, not forget to write those thank you's, and both sides of the family can keep track of who has and has not R.S.V.P'd yet. 

Whether you are having an intimate dinner party or a large gala or wedding, consider using place cards to give a personal touch for each of your guests.  Place cards are not only functional, but let your guests know that you took the extra time to consider where they are seated.  

The functionality of place cards can lead to better table dynamics for your event and can minimize drama  if some personalities don't quite mesh.  One way that you can utilize place cards to create a more comfortable environment might be to seat all single guests at one table so that they do not feel like the "third-wheel." Now, depending on your friends and family, you would know best which would work for your situation.  If you know that certain guests will "hit-it-off" be a match-maker and pair up personalities.  

Though assigning place cards may seem like an additional task to complete, your guests will truly appreciate your thought.  Here are a few guidelines and tips to making this a seamless process:

Use your parents and in-laws knowledge of family dynamics.  They have known some of your guests for a much longer time, and will know who to pair up at certain tables.  

Have the place cards stationed at the entrance of your reception, and in alphabetical order by last name.  As your guests enter the reception, they will pick up their card which should state their table number, and they can then place their card at their selected seat. 

Wait to assign tables until the week of the wedding.  You never know, a guest can become sick, changing your numbers... so be prepared.  

If you have invited guests and have given them the option to bring a guest, make sure to find out their name for the place cards.  It would be very uncomfortable and tacky to write "Steve's Guest."  

If you are having a served meal with options that you guests filled out on their response card, here is where you can indicate what they will be eating for your servers.  By simply putting an extra embellishment on either beef or salmon, your servers will deliver your guests food faultlessly!

At a recent wedding, the Bride and Groom wrote a small note to each of their guests which added another sweet gesture of their appreciation for their guests attendance.  

Your place cards should tie together with the rest of your decor.  You can get them monogrammed and customized to match the rest of your paper products.  It is nice to have names written in calligraphy or if someone you know has a distinctive script, you can opt for that.  If you are having a formal reception, it is proper to have place cards, but it is always a very special and nice touch for any sized event.  

Welcome to Botanica Invites BLOG!  Our new BLOG will be having posts on everything related to invitations, so check in for new and helpful posts.  

Botanica Invites is a company that services the Stockton, Modesto and Lodi areas of California.  We also have an online shopping cart available 24-7 to order from.  When online shopping, enjoy 15% off all online ordering.  

If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation to view the lines we offer, contact us at (916)673-8650 to view our full inventory.