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Our professional Consultants are trained to assist you with etiquette and selection of items, wording, ink color, font and envelope lining.
Through the years, our consultants have been collecting and gathering information on invitation and card etiquette. This etiquette guide contains the questions our consultants are most frequently asked by our customers. |
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Prior to Ordering  While Ordering When Order Received
| Prior to Ordering |
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What are the benefits of ordering personalized stationery?
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Handwritten notes are more popular than ever. They can be used for everything from thanking for gifts or favors to offering condolences. There are more options than ever for selecting stationery to fit your style, budget, or purpose. Stationery is often referred to as thank you cards, informal cards, or note cards. |
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Why has stationery stood the test of time?
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Even though e-mail is the most popular method of communication, it can be informal and lacking emotion. Personal notes written on stationery show you have taken the time to correspond, and everyone loves receiving mail the old-fashioned way. |
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What should I consider when ordering stationery for the family?
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If you would like the stationery to be suitable for the entire family, you should only have your address printed (can have the last name as well) so that it can be used by all family members. Another option would be to order separate stationery for children or young adults according to their style / taste / age group. |
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| While Ordering |
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Can I print a personal monogram or one for my spouse and I?
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Monograms may be printed on most invitations and informal/thank you cards. |
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How should the initials be entered for my monogram?
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If the monogram is for one person, the first initial of your last name should be between the first initial of your first and middle names. For example, for the name Dennis Robert Powell, the correct monogram would be DPR.
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If the monogram is for a couple (traditionally used for married couples), the woman's first name initial will be entered first, followed by the first initial of their last name, and end with the man's first name initial. For the couple Diana and John Monroe, the correct monogram would be DMJ. |
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What is an informal card?
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Informal cards can be used for the same purpose as thank you or note cards. These cards typically have name(s) or a monogram printed on the front in the ink and font of your choice. Some choose to use their full social name(s) including title(s), such as Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Clark.
The card can be further personalized printed with a message, or left blank to allow for a handwritten message. Monograms can also be printed on these cards. |
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| When Order Received |
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Where do I begin writing on stationery?
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For foldover cards:
- If a name, monogram, or printed message appears centered on the front of the card, then you will begin writing your message on the inside. If the message is short, you will use the bottom inside panel only. If you need more room, you will begin on the top inside panel (and can continue on the bottom and even on the back of the card if necessary).
- If the name or monogram appears at the top of the front panel of the card, you may begin your writing on the front panel, and then continue to the top inside, bottom inside, and back panels respectively.
For flat cards:
- You may either write your message on the front or the back (or both, if necessary) of the card.
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What are some guidelines for signatures?
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When a couple is signing, the wife's name is usually listed first. When including children's names, the father's name is listed first, the wife next, and lastly the children in birth order (oldest to youngest). There are different ways to do this:
- Charles and Kate Kaufman and Joel, Frank, and Jimmy
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The Kaufmans
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The Charles Kaufmans
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The Kaufmans
Charles, Kate, Joel, Frank and Jimmy
Blended families with different surnames and use: Chad and Debbie Baldwin "and all the family" or "and all the children." |
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What are some general etiquette guidelines for thank you notes?
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- The two most important factors when writing thank you notes are sincerity and promptness.
- Use expressions that come to you naturally as though you were having a conversation with the recipient. The note should reflect your personality and speech.
- Use contractions (i.e. won't instead of will not, haven't instead of have not, and can't instead of cannot)-don't be overly formal unless it is appropriate, such as for business occasions.
- Utilize punctuation for emphasis (i.e. underlining word(s) or using and exclamation point).
- If you have a message printed on the card, then adding a personal note is always appreciated. The note can be brief, but it should mention the gift or event.
- Keep the thank you note relatively short, try to avoid drawing it out longer than necessary.
- When thanking more than one person: If the Brady family gave you a gift, you could address the envelope to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brady, and inside use "Carol and Mike" in the greeting. Then, you could then mention the children in the wording, "please thank Marsha, Jan, and Cyndi and tell them how much I loved their gift."
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Can I see samples of thank you verses?
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 For help with wording, please visit our sample wording section
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Do you have tips for addressing envelopes?
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It pays to double check your addresses as it can take weeks for a misaddressed note to be returned to the sender.
- To a married woman: either Mrs. Jane Smith or Mrs. John Smith is acceptable for formal correspondence, and Jane Smith is fine for informal correspondence.
- To a married couple: Mr. and Mrs. David Jones for formal correspondence and Jaye and David Jones for informal correspondence.
- For a married couple where the woman has kept her name: Ms. Jaye Tyler and Mr. David Jones.
- If the couple lives together, but are not married, their names will be listed on separate lines:
Ms. Jamie Jackson
Mr. James Avery
- To a married woman doctor: Dr. Natasha and Mr. Christopher Elliott
- To a married couple who are both doctors: either The Drs. Elliott or Drs. Natasha and Christopher Elliott.
- When using Esquire, never have a title precede the name: E. Edward Grey, esq.
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Also check out this page to find invitation and card related terms... |
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Glossary of Terms |
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