BEAUTY Associates in Dentistry Peoria, Bartonville, Washington, Canton, Elmwood Website CAKES AND SWEETS Corner Village Bakery 1100 W Garfield Bartonville, IL 309-966-2305 See Our Ad LeBakery 4700 N University St Peoria, IL 309-693-9190 See Our Ad Sweet Moments by Sophia 309-676-5086 See Our Ad Email CATERING Barrack's Cater Inn 309-692-3990 Website Catering By Kate 309-251-7061 See Our Ad The Catering Company 309-678-9000 Website Mackinaw Valley Street Cafe 100 Water St Peoria, IL Website Michael's Italian Feast Washington, IL 309-444-1984 Germantown Hills, IL 309-383-2777 Website Peppers Cafe 416 Main St (LL of Commerce Bank Building) Peoria, IL 309-637-6900 See Our Ad Rizzi's 12 State St Peoria, IL 309-673-2500 Website DRESSES & TUXEDOS Britches & Bloomers 4700 N University St Peoria, IL 309-692-2266 See Our Ad Country Bride 7320 N University Peoria, IL 309-691-5151 See Our Ad Dejure Formalwear and Bridal Palace Peoria 309-685-0313 Morton 309-263-8155 Website Savvi Formalwear and Bobbie’s Bridal Peoria 309-688-1411 Bloomington 309-664-0354 Website Seno Formalwear 5201 W War Memorial Dr #532 Peoria, IL 309-692-0031 website Hayloft Dress Shop Mossville Rte 29 309-579-3141 Website FLOWERS Floral Expressions 2412 N University Peoria, IL Website FlorEscence 203 S Sampson St Tremont, IL 309-925-5531 Picket Fence 310 N 4th St Chillicothe, IL 309-274-BUZZ (2899) Website HONEYMOON Alexander Travel Metro Centre 4700 N University 309-693-3511 Website HORSE & BUGGY RIDES Carriage Classics Peoria, IL 309-579-2833 Website INVITATIONS Calligraphy by Lisa Paper Dreams Design Studio Website JEWELRY Free to Bead 1311 E Seiberling Ave Peoria, IL> 309-682-2323 Website LIMOUSINE Cassano Limousine 309-369-2655 See Our Ad PHOTOGRAPHY Elizabeth Rowe Photography 309-241-5015 Website Event Pro Photography 309-689-0299 Website JB Photography 309-369-5665 Website Sei Bella Photography Website

You're Invited... Maximizing Your Message There are infinite opportunities for uniqueness with wedding invitations, which is why selecting the right invitation is often one of the most confusing aspects of planning a wedding. Invitations are usually your first line of communication regarding the upcoming celebration, and they typically set the tone of the affair and what guests should expect. Wedding etiquette experts also say that gift-giving is subject to influence by the type of invitation received. Guests also tend to determine what they will wear to the wedding depending upon the invitation. All of these perceptions about the wedding are made even before guests read the first line of sentiment on the invitation itself. With so much inferred meaning placed on invitations, it's no wonder you may be nervous about choosing and sending out invitations. Here are some pointers so you'll make the right decisions. There are many personalization options at your disposal with wedding invitations. You'll be able to choose the texture, color and shape of the paper, as well as the font and ink color in many cases. These selections can be combined with other embellishments, such as envelope linings, extra layers of paper, vellum accents, ribbons, and calligraphy styles. You may also be able to select a monogram or artwork to further embellish the invitation. If your wedding will be a formal affair, choose a classic style invitation that will reflect the formalness of the affair. If your wedding will be casual, choose a design and font that expresses that feeling. Here are some other tips to consider: * Wait until you have definite times and locations for the ceremony and reception before submitting any wording to the invitation company. * Type out the wording you prefer with a word-processing program on your computer. Run a spell-check and print it out and read it over several times. This will cut down on the chances for error once the wording is sent for printing. * To know how many invitations to order, take the forecasted number of guests and divide that number by two. Then add 25 to 30 additional invitations for any single guests you may be inviting as well as to have extras on hand in case you make a mistake addressing the invitation. So if you are inviting 150 people (assuming most will come as couples), order 100 invitations. * Many people opt to print out addresses on the invitation envelope themselves. While home printers and software packages have certainly advanced, it may be difficult to match the font and style of your invitation. Furthermore, while hand-addressing invitations is more time-consuming, it adds a personalized touch and shows you care about those invited. * Make sure you bring an invitation to the post office to be weighed so you can determine how much postage you will need. Mail them 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding to allow for response time. It's customary to enclose a response card with postage already applied so guests can simply drop their RSVP in the mail.

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