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Irish wedding invitations
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They may be there because they are located in Ireland...but they have no distinctively Celtic or Irish designs. Or they may only carry one or two designs.
Now that you have proposed to the love of your life and she has accepted, the time has come to start making the arrangements for your big day. One of the first things to decide is what type of wedding invitations to send to your family and friends on this very special occasion.
Whether you are from good Gaelic stock, or just want to have a traditional Irish wedding theme, there's no better way to set the stage for your guests than to send wedding invitations with an Irish touch.
Finding Irish wedding invitations in catalogs
Bridal magazines all over the world advertise wedding invitation catalogs. However, when it comes to finding Irish or Celtic designs, you should not get your hopes up too high. Bridal magazines and wedding invitation catalogs are not a good place to look for Irish wedding invitations. They simply don't cater to those of us planning Irish weddings. Instead, their selection tends to be more traditionally American.Design your own Irish wedding invitations
Without a doubt the most romantic and unique Irish wedding invitations are those that have been custom-designed according to the bride and groom's wishes. Designing your own Irish wedding invitations can be done in one of two ways. Either you can elect to design them yourself or you can hire a designer.If you know how to draw Irish and Celtic symbols or you are proficient with graphic design software, you can certainly design your own. It certainly makes for a more memorable keepsake after the wedding day itself (a perfect addition to the front of the wedding album).
Once you have designed your own wedding invitation, all you need to do is send it off to a local printer and shortly thereafter you'll have your Irish wedding invitations all ready to send out.
Some Irish and Celtic symbols that you may consider are the Claddagh symbol, the Celtic cross, and Celtic knotwork borders. Before designing your own Irish wedding invitations, though, you should learn more about the meaning of various Irish and Celtic symbols. That way, you can choose the Irish symbol or Celtic design that means the most to you as a couple.
If you are having a relatively formal wedding, but still wish to have custom-designed Irish wedding invitations, I recommend hiring an experienced Celtic artist to design your Irish wedding invitation template. Then you can use that to make your own invitations.
You can find Celtic artists and clipart designs online with our Celtic art resources.
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Claddagh Envelope Seals Available @ Creative Irish Gifts |
Consider the Celtic Stationery Seals from "Puddle Lodge Crafts" available at Telford Direct. These seals are designed by the well-known Celtic artist, Cari Buziak.The Celtic graphic design you see in the logo and margins of Fantasy-Ireland.com was created by Cari Buziak, so I am a big admirer of her work.
Or perhaps you'd prefer the Claddagh Envelope Seals available from Creative Irish Gifts. These can be used to seal the envelopes of any wedding invitations you choose to make them distinctively Irish.
Another truly unique, yet inexpensive way to take classic designs and make them Irish wedding invitations that have an old-world look and feel would be to use wax seals with Irish or Celtic designs. Custom Wax n' Seals has over 50 Irish and Celtic wax seal designs. Adding such a timeless touch to your Irish wedding invitations will make them a priceless and unforgettable keepsake. Just be sure to save one for the wedding album with the seal unbroken!
You can find a variety of Irish wedding invitations online...
if you look in the right places
Ashton Wedding Invitations has a choice of only four Irish wedding invitations, and they are also fairly high-priced. But they offer the only design we found with a Celtic cross, which may be worth the higher price if you are a devout Irish-Catholic.
Chanel Wedding Stationery has a good selection of Celtic wedding invitation designs for the couple with a more generous wedding budget.
Formal Invitations by Grafcomm has Claddagh charms to make Irish wedding invitations. Now, you won't find wedding invitation stationery with Irish or Celtic designs here. But these charms give any classic design a genuine Irish flair. Combine these invitations with your Claddagh seal and you're all set!
Invitations by Karina has 10 different Irish wedding invitation designs!
Using either Celtic knotwork or a Claddagh design, you can choose from various types of stationery and embellishments. You can also order place cards, wedding programs, napkins and seals to match.
Printed Creations Wedding Store has invitations in both a Claddagh design and a Celtic design as part of their large selection of wedding invitations and accessories. You can view your proof instantly online and orders ship out in 24-48 hours. Be sure to sign up for your FREE Invitation Guide!
If you are a merchant with Irish wedding invitations available and you would like our readers to consider using your designs, please click here to contact me.
Proper wording for your
Irish wedding invitations
After you have chosen your wedding invitation design, you will need to consider the wording to put inside. In this, you should note that traditional Irish wedding invitations do not have the same wording as that found in American wedding invitations - but no doubt Mum has already told you that! So, to settle any dispute that there may be over the wording used in a traditional Irish wedding invitation, the following is a sample:
When the bride's parents send the invitations:
Mr. and Mrs. [insert the bride's father's name) request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter [insert first name of bride]
with
Mr. [insert full name of groom]
At [insert the name of the wedding's location]
in [insert city where wedding will take place]
On [insert date]
At [insert time]
And afterwards to the reception at [insert the name of the reception's location]
So an example of the preceding format would be:
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Flaherty request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter Bridget Sinead
with
Mr. Brian O'Malley
At Saint Patrick's Cathedral
in New York City
On June fifth, two-thousand five
At six o'clock
And afterwards at the reception at Tavern on the Green
When the bride and groom send the invitations:
[Insert bride's full name] and [insert groom's full name]
request the honour of your presence
On the occasion of their marriage.
At [insert the name of the wedding's location]
On [insert date]
At [insert time]
And afterwards to the reception at [insert the name of the reception's location]
According to Emily Post, "The invitation to the ceremony should always request "the honour" of your "presence," and never the "pleasure" of your "company." (Honour is spelled in the old-fashioned way, with a "u" instead of "honor."). However, if your wedding is more informal, you may choose to say "pleasure of your company" instead.
For a wide variety of traditional wedding invitation wordings, see Chapter 11 of Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home, by Emily Post, available online at Bartleby.com.
For more modern alternatives, read the sample wedding invitation wordings at Wedding Invitations Ireland, operated by Tony & Thérèse Cantwell in West Cork, Ireland since 1999. They also have good advice for those of you with modern wedding invitation etiquette issues not covered by Miss Emily Post in 1922! 
For example, maps are okay and actually a really good idea! To make sure your day passes off without a hitch, and to ensure that all your loved ones reach the venue in time to see you walk down the aisle, remember to include a map of where the great event is to take place inside the invitation. Just make sure you don't use photocopies. Make sure the maps inside are printed as beautifully as your Irish wedding invitations are themselves.
Remember, choosing what Irish wedding invitations to buy or make is all part of preparing for your special day.
Your invitations are the first announcement to most of your guests that you have found your soulmate and you are going to be married.
So be sure you carefully consider all your options and choose Irish wedding invitations that genuinely reflect how you feel about eachother and your heritage.
Next, begin your quest for Celtic wedding rings
Find out how they enhance traditional symbolism of wedding rings, and how to judge quality and authenticity.
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