In this topic we explore reception cards, ceremony cards, rain cards and response cards. We cover what they are, when you would use them, and we include the etiquette of the various situations in which they apply.
The following article is an example of the content we have in our online wedding planning membership site HappyWeddings.ca under the heading of Stationary. To learn more and get useful wedding planning tools for FREE, click here!
Reception Cards are used when the number of people invited to a wedding ceremony differs from the number of people invited to a wedding reception. The entire wedding guest list receives an invitation to the wedding ceremony, and a more limited number are invited to the reception through a reception card. Although from an etiquette perspective, this is not considered proper, enough people do this that formal reception cards are available from suppliers.
Ceremony Cards are used when a couple chooses to have a closed wedding ceremony with only a few guests. This happens for a number of reasons like a close family member might be ill, and can’t handle a large group of people, or the wedding ceremony may have taken place at an earlier date. Everyone on the guest list gets a reception card, and the select group gets a ceremony card. This is acceptable from an etiquette point of view.
Rain Cards are small cards included in invitations where the wedding ceremony and/or reception take place outdoors. It states: In case of rain, the ceremony and reception will take place at (and then put in the address). If the weather is not cooperating, the guests then know where to go.
Response cards are familiar to everyone. These are small cards that are included with the invitation so your guests can respond to your invitation. The “M” line is where your guests will write in the name, like Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, or Ms Sally Smith. The invited persons will check off accepts or regrets, and place the response card in a pre-printed, stamped envelope, which is included with the response card.
The names of the people on the invitation envelope are the people who are invited to the wedding. Sometimes, you will see “Number of Persons” on the response card. This is confusing to the guest since they then think that other family members are included with the invitation. This is not an acceptable format for the response card because it just confuses matters.
Your guests will write in the response card the names of who is attending. If you invited a married couple, they will put in their names—for example “Mr. and Mrs. George Jones”. If you invited a married couple and their children, you would indicate that by addressing the invitation to Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, Walter, Jane, and Sam. In return, they would fill in the response card with “Mr. and Mrs. George Jones, Walter, Jane and Sam.
If you invite a single friend, you will address the envelope to Ms Sally Smith. If you address the envelope to Ms Sally Smith and guest, then she would fill in the response card with ‘Ms Sally Smith and Mr. Bill White’. This gives you the name of their guest so appropriate place cards can be created and placed in the seating plan.