Our professional Consultants are trained to assist you with etiquette, item selection, wording, ink color, font and envelope
lining selection. We work closely with our customers on their orders for both personal and corporate / organization events.
Through the years, our consultants have been collecting and gathering information on invitation and party etiquette. This
etiquette guide contains the questions our consultants are most frequently asked by our customers. |
Prior to Ordering 
While Ordering When Order Received Holiday Cards
When should we order invitations for our corporate event?
Ideally, we recommend ordering your invitations as soon as the details for your event have been finalized. This should be
at least 2-3 months before the event. You want to give yourself as much time as possible to avoid feeling rushed. In
corporate environments, this amount of time is not always available.
How soon can we receive our invitations or announcements?
This varies depending on the item you order. Each item's description page will show available turnaround
times. Keep in mind that if you order a proof, the turnaround time you select
will not begin until we have received your final proof approval.
Do I need to see a proof first?
As you are placing your order, you will receive an instant preview. In addition, we can e-mail a proof to you of your order (PDF format) at no charge within 2-3 business days of placing your order.
We highly recommend selecting the option for a
proof if time allows.
Proofs allow you to see your order as it has been typeset before the order goes to print. You can still make changes as
needed in the proofing stage as many changes can occur for corporate events. Also, in many cases, a supervisor or
manager may wish to view the proof and give their approval before proceeding. Rest assured, however, if you do not have
time for an emailed proof, all of our orders are edited by three consultants and all orders receive quality control before they are
shipped to you.
What information should the invitation include?
- Name of the host(s)/ hostess(es) for the event (i.e. the business owner, a manager, or the company name).
- The purpose of the invitation/type of event: such as a charity golf tournament.
- Name of honoree, if applicable. Keep in mind, the "honoree" could be a group of people.
- Day and Date of the event. You will want to spell this out rather than print numbers numerically on formal invitations.
- Time of the event. Again, you will want to spell this out if this is a formal event.
- Name of the event location (i.e. Renowned Hotel, Lakeland Golf Course, Martinelli's Restaurant).
- Specific location: you will want to include the street address, city and state if inviting out of town guests, but the zip code
is not necessary.
- Appropriate attire.
- In some cases, it will be appropriate to list ticket costs, whether there is a cash bar, and other miscellaneous,
pertinent information.
- Other information, such as valet parking included, a reserved block of rooms at a discount rate and contact information
can be included on a separate card instead of the invitation.
- Company or organization logo.
Are there other etiquette recommendations for business invitations and announcements?
- Aside from titles, avoid using abbreviations.
- Third person should be used for all of the wording such as: The Board of Directors of Mega Company is pleased to
announce the Grand Opening of their new location.
- Punctuation should be left off the end of sentences unless you are including a quote or verse.
- Use commas to separate information appearing on the same line such as: The Crane, 33 North Galway Street, Portland
What is the best way to word an invitation for an event with more than one host?
For a business event, you will list the hosts in order of rank. The CEO's name first, the President's name second,
the Vice President, Chairman, etc., the Board of Directors underneath that. If the event is informal and the hosts are of
equal status, you will list them alphabetically. If the event is at one of the host's homes, you would put his/her name first
and then list the other hosts alphabetically. Alphabetical order would apply for multiple companies hosting an event, or you
can list them in the order of the dollar amount contributed to the event (the largest sponsor would be listed first).
Can I see samples of invitation wording for corporate events and announcements?
Click here to view our corporate invitations wording samples.
Is it inappropriate to put an end time on an invitation?
No, it is not considered inappropriate, it can actually be helpful. For many corporate events, it is even considered a
necessity for various reasons. Your guests need to know that information so they can arrange dinner dates, pick up
times for the children, etc. Also, you'll want to plan on turning the bar off 30 minutes after your stated end time
(otherwise it may never end).
Should I use "Regrets only" or "RSVP" on our company invitations?
This is a matter of personal preference. In many business situations, the person organizing the event may find it easier to
only have to keep track of people who are unable to attend. However, proper etiquette suggests that the term "Regrets
only" has a negative connotation and isn't helpful to the planning process. Another reason many shy away from using
"Regrets only" is that you are more likely to receive even less responses than when using "RSVP." Do not use the term
"RSVP Regrets only" because it sends a mixed message to your guests. Remember that RSVP means "please respond,"
but "Regrets only" is asking them to only respond if they are unable to attend.
When using "RSVP" do not word it as "Please RSVP" as it is redundant. If you are including it in the invitation wording,
RSVP with a name and phone number or email to respond to will suffice. For more formal events, it is traditional to use a
separate response card. Response card envelopes, if they will be sent within the office, may be addresses to a specific
person or department.
Can I have our company logo printed on our invitations, announcements, or holiday cards?
We can print logos on any of our invitations, stationery or cards for an additional charge.
Logo costs vary, and you may obtain quotes online.
Logos may also incur additional charges for screens and other special requirements.
View our logo costs.
Where do I specify my logo in my order form?
In the 'Special Requests' Box at the bottom of Step 1 of the online order form, specify the following:
1. The ink color(s) you would like the logo to be printed in.
2. The specific location you would like us to print the logo on the item (i.e. centered at the top of the card).
3. How you will be submitting your logo. You can submit your logo to us either via e-mail or mail. For more information
on how to submit your logo, please
click here to view our logo submission requirements.
Do you offer a service that will address, stuff and mail our invitations or cards?
Yes, sit back and relax while we
assemble, stuff, address and mail your order for an additional charge. You have the
option of sending us your guests' names and addresses in a spreadsheet for us to use to mail your
invitations, announcements or holiday cards out. You can even send us an insert you would like included in the invitation or announcement. For more information (such as pricing and the address template) about this service, please
click here to view our address, stuff, and mail page. The option for our
address, stuff, and mail service will appear on the envelope portion of the order form.
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When should our corporate invitations be sent?
We recommend sending your corporate invitations four to six weeks ahead of time. For formal events, we recommend
sending them six to eight weeks prior to the event (especially if you are inviting guests from out of town). If the event
is informal, it is usually acceptable to send the invitations three to four weeks prior to the event. Anything less than three weeks
puts pressure on your guests as they will have very little time to clear their schedule and respond.
Should friends who are also business owners or colleagues receive 1 or 2 cards?
If you are friends, you may send a personal card to their house and, if needed, a business card to their business staff in
general.
What are some basic etiquette guidelines for corporate holiday cards?
- Order early to avoid the rush. You can begin sending the cards as soon as the day after Thanksgiving.
- As a general rule, you should try to stay away from holiday cards that are specific to one religion. You want to share a
sentiment that is more along the lines of, "Season's Greetings," or "Best Wishes for the New Year."
- Keep in mind that the card you send is a reflection of your business.
- You should include titles when addressing the envelopes.
- Business holiday cards are most often sent to the office of the recipient. If you know the recipient on a more personal level,
then it is okay to send it to their house. You will need to address the card to their spouse as well, even if you haven't met
them.
- If the card is from multiple people, the name of the person signing the card should be listed last.
- Usually holiday cards are sent to people to whom you are not giving a gift.
- It is accepted to have signatures printed as an image on the card.
- Adding a personal note is important even in the case of business holiday cards. In addition to the company name
and/or your name being printed, it is still a good idea to personalize as it makes your clients/colleagues feel appreciated.
These messages may be a few sentences expressing your appreciation for the business relationship and best wishes for
future success as this is the main time of year to express gratitude for their service, business, and support. You should
follow it with your handwritten signature. If only your company name is printed, then you will want to sign your first and last
name. If your name is printed, then signing your first name will suffice.
Click here to shop for corporate holiday cards.
Also check out this page to find invitation and card related terms:
Glossary of Terms
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