After all the planning and choosing you are now ready to send out your wedding invitations. Your guest list of who you would like to invite has been finalized. There are some guidelines and things you need to know when it comes to wedding invitations.

When inviting children you have the option of adding their names to the invitation individually. Or you can simply write "and family". As follows:

Mr. an Mrs. Williams, Jane and Robert or Mr. and Mrs. Williams and Family

Teenagers of 16 years or more can be given their own wedding invitation.

Should you not wish to invite children to the wedding do not put their names or "and family" on the invitation. Writing things like "no children" on the invitation is not polite. If children are an issue then it is best to mention it to the parents in person or on the phone and explain that the place is not set up for children. If you would like to invite children to the ceremony but not the reception then you can add this information to the invitation.

If you are inviting a single guest to your wedding then it is polite to add "and Guest" to the invitation. As follows:

Mr.Ross Smith and Guest or Miss Samantha Jones and Guest

Keep on top of your guest list. Track all acceptances so that you have an accurate list of how many guests you will need to accommodate for at the reception.

Sometimes you have a case where you only want to invite certain guests to either the ceremony or the function. For this situation you should print two different sets of invitations. One set would have the details for the reception and the other set would not.

If you don't get a reply from a guest by the rsvp date don't hesitate to contact them. It is important that you know who will be attending.

Ensure that you have your wedding invitations ordered at least 6 weeks before they are due to be mailed to your guests.

Before your invitations get printed you need to carefully check it to make sure there are no errors. You should also check all other wedding stationery too. Pay particular attention to spelling mistakes.

Don't forget to order extra wedding invitations and response card. These will be useful if you make any mistakes when you write and address your invitations.

Your invitations should be mailed to your guests at least six weeks before your wedding date. You should ask for a reply three weeks before your wedding date. This way your guests have enough time to respond to you and you have enough time to settle on arrangements at your end.

Your invitation should mention if there are any dress codes or you require guests to dress more suitably for a wedding that is located on the beach or more casual.