Write It Right: Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette

Although micro-planned weddings are popular these days, wedding mania is really nothing new. So-called modern trends are actually rooted in wedding ceremonies dating as far back as ancient Greece. And along with this age-old tradition comes a laundry list of expected social graces. For many modern brides, the Wedding Save the Date sets the stage then the formal wedding invitation introduces the details of your special day with an added level of style and sophistication. While a great invitation design will catch your guests’ attention, it is important to also be mindful of the wording on your wedding invitation.

Order of Introductions

Traditionally, the first names that appear on an invitation are the people who are hosting the event(and likely footing the bill!).  Since wedding ceremonies are as old as recorded history, it’s only relatively recently that the bride’s parents weren’t the default entry on the first line of a wedding invitation.

Now there are blended families, brides and grooms who are paying for everything themselves, even crowd-sourced weddings. Maintaining the tradition of keeping the event hosts on the first line of the invitation gives guests a sense of who’s who and what’s what. More than just clunky tradition, think of this part of the wedding invitation as an event roadmap for your guests.

Tone and Tenor

The mood and style of your wedding should dictate the wording for the rest of your invitation. Formal phrasing like, “request the honor of your presence,” and “request the pleasure of your company,“ would be fitting for a black tie affair; but the more casual “please join us,” is best if your event will be focused more on fun than fancy.

A major faux pas (that’s French for embarrassing mistake) until very recently was to use numerical characters for the wedding date. Yes, it’s true. If your invitation said Saturday, May 15, 2002, instead of Saturday, May fifteenth, two thousand and two, no one would show up. O.K., maybe that’s an exaggeration, but the acceptance of numerical characters is new. The numbers sneaked in with the advent of theme weddings, location weddings and canine ring bearers. Just triple proofread your invitation to make sure the day of the week and the date match, and go with what works for you.

Blending Classic and Creative

Invitation must-haves include location, reception and RSVP information. Coordinate the wording with the tone of your wedding and triple proofread addresses and dates. As unique weddings become more and more clever, couples are delivering this information to their guests in creative ways:

• A QR code (QR=quick response) is printed on a separate sheet of paper and included in the wedding package. Guests use their smart phone to go to a web page with wedding location and/or reception information or to an RSVP site.
• Fun-loving couples include Scratch Off Cards (oh, and by the way, My Scratch Offs can help you with that!) that tie in to their wedding’s theme and provide the location of the reception.
• A link to a wedding website that provides maps, hotel recommendations, local restaurants and other helpful details.

Your wedding invitation is one of your guests’ first glimpses into the celebration of your marriage. Let them know how much their presence at this important event means to you, and connect them to the event itself with creative design and choice phrasing.

Are you a bride-to-be? We would love to hear from you on this topic! Connect with us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter to share photos or comments about this post.

#Promposal

Of course we have all heard of a proposal…but how about a “Promposal”? Prom season is upon us and with that comes the (fairly) recent trend of the often creative and sometimes over-the-top Promposal. You know, the popping of the big question…“Will you go to prom with me?”

Here at My Scratch Offs, we have jumped on the bandwagon and recently introduced our Promposal Lotto Replica Scratch Off Ticket! On the heels of our wildly popular “Will You Marry Me?” Proposal Lotto Replica and our “We’re Expecting!” Pregnancy Announcement Lotto Replica, a Promposal seemed like the perfect addition to our Scratch Off arsenal!

Read on for a round-up of our favorite Promposal Tweets courtesy of #Promposal…

Toby Keith would be proud!

She said YES!!! (She had no choice though....) @AlanaHouston624 #prom2k15 #promposal pic.twitter.com/iDQ92Be1zW
— Corey Bradford (@iCoreyBradford) March 2, 2015

Taco 'bout a clever play on words.

Taco bell #promposal 😂😂 😂😂 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/70M7V0CDlt
— ALYCE Paris (@alyceparis) February 26, 2015

This guy enlisted the entirety of Twitter in his Promposal!

If this tweet gets 100 retweets @BrennaGreene_ has to go to prom with me #promposal
— Chase Rossmiller (@ChaseRosmiler12) February 27, 2015

Short and oh so sweet!

S/O to @CakesByDarcy for the help #promposal @CayleeYanes pic.twitter.com/EmtIUP4dLE
— Giancarlo Rocca (@giancarlo_rocca) February 21, 2015

American Prom Story.

Omg this is very original 😭😭😩😍😍 love love love this #AmericanHorrorStory #promposal pic.twitter.com/Ndaot0LU8M
— Brandy (@imaginesweeter) February 15, 2015

Bear-y cute!

Bf Pulled through. I am so blessed I love him more than anything! 💋 #promposal #2015 pic.twitter.com/eqalIC2eUg
— SadieKate (@Sadiekate3) February 15, 2015

See ladies, you can do the Promposing, too!

I asked my boyfriend even though he already asked me because it's my senior prom 😍❤️ @ThePromposals #promposal pic.twitter.com/cdPjgDkv5L
— Ƥαιɢɛ Єαcяɛт (@Honestly_Paige) February 15, 2015

Do you have an uber-creative Promposal you’d love to share? Tweet us @MyScratchOffs #Promposal or catch up with us on Facebook!

A Step-By-Step Guide to Custom Scratch Off Card Production

So, you’d like to order a custom Scratch Off Card, eh? Here at My Scratch Offs, Custom Scratch Off Cards and Labels are our bread and butter! Whether you have a very specific vision for your project or you’re starting the creative process from scratch, our team is primed to step you through the full process from design to production. 

Let’s start at the beginning and I’ll walk you through the “what to expect” when ordering a custom card from My Scratch Offs! And so it goes…

1. For most folks, the custom design process begins with direct communication (either via phone or e-mail) between the client and an MSO customer service representative. Throughout this preliminary communication, our team will gather the following information in regards to the specifications of your project:
• What size Scratch Off Card would you like?
  For economy purposes, most clients prefer to produce a 2” x 3.5” standard size business card, but we offer additional production sizes of 3” x 4”, 3” x 5”, 4” x 6” postcard, 5” x 7”, and 6.5” x 8” as well. 
• What quantity of Scratch Off Cards do you need?
  This one is pretty self-explanatory…how many total Scratch Off Cards do you need?
• What type of print production would you like?
  We can print either a single-sided or double-sided design for you. Print options include 4:0 one-sided full color print, 4:1 double-sided, full color front with a black and white back, or 4:4 double-sided, full color front and full color back.
• How many different promotional variations will your project have?
  We use the term “promotional variation” to describe the different prizes or messages that your card recipient will scratch to reveal. For example, if you would like your cards to scratch to reveal “Winner” and “Try Again” then you would need two promotional variations.
• How many Scratch Off areas would you like on your card?
  The most common answer to this question is one, but depending upon the specifics of your project, we can accommodate as many Scratch Off areas as needed (up to 40-50 Scratch Offs per card in some cases!).
2. Once we have established the “specs” for your project, our customer service representative will turn the discussion towards the details of your design. When it comes to the design of your Scratch Off Card, you have one of three options! You can either:
• choose from one of the pre-existing designs in our design gallery (all of our pre-existing designs can be personalized using your own logo and color theme!),
• you can choose to work directly with our professional designer who will start with a blank screen and will create a completely unique design specifically for you (a one-time $19.99 fee per design will apply),
• or you can provide us with your own formatted, print-ready artwork for the project!
3. At this point, many of the project specifics will have been hashed out and we would want to establish the timeline for your project. MSO’s standard timeline for custom production is a maximum 21 calendar days. This timeline allows for about three days to be spent on a custom design (if applicable), 10-14 days for printing and Scratch Off production, and up to five days for delivery transit. Do you need your cards in a hurry? No problem! We will happily expedite production and delivery of your project. Please keep in mind, however, that premium services come at a premium cost. The addition of express printing will increase the price of your project by $49.99 and pricing for express shipping services will vary based upon the weight and volume of your order and the delivery location.
4. Now that we have gathered details in regards to design, production and timeline expectations, our next step would be to provide you with a vendor quote which would not only sum up all of the information that had previously been discussed, but would also provide specific, itemized pricing for your consideration. 
5. By this juncture, the ball is smoothly rolling and you’re ready to place your order! One of our customer service representatives can assist you with placing your order either securely online (via PayPal) or over the phone. 
6. Once your order is paid, any and all details that were discussed with a customer service representative during the preliminary communication process will be forwarded onto our designer for reference. We would also ask that you submit by e-mail any digital files of images or logos that you would like to incorporate into your design. We will also request information in regards to the color and font preference, verbiage, promotional variations and Scratch Off Label preference at this time.  
7. By this point (and throughout the remaining portion of the production process), you will be communicating directly with our in-house designer. After your order is paid, you will typically receive communication from our designer within one business day; either requesting additional information or providing you with a first design proof. You can expect that the subsequent day or two to be spent perfecting your design and once it is exactly as you had envisioned, you simply give final print approval and we handle the rest from there! Our designs are 100% satisfaction guaranteed and if for any reason our designer is unable to create a final design that is to your liking, we will happily offer a full refund prior to the final print approval. Please keep in mind that once a final print approval is given, the order becomes final sale.
8. Now all that is left is to sit back and wait patiently as we get moving on the final production of your project! Once you have given final print approval, you can expect an additional 10-14 day lead time until you have your custom Scratch Off Cards in your hands and ready to distribute to your recipients.

With endless possibilities to create and reveal, the production of a custom Scratch Off Card might seem a bit daunting…but have no fear! The team at MSO is here to step you through the process and turn your vision into a reality!

Do you have an idea for your own custom Scratch Off Card? Contact our office today and a customer service representative will happily provide assistance right away!

Happy Planning!

“Will You Be My Bridesmaid?”

“Will You Be My Bridesmaid?”
Our Top Six Picks for Proposing to Your Bridal Party

So your man popped the question and you’re planning your big day!  If you’re like most brides, you’ll want to have a group of your favorite girls standing by your side when you say “I do.”
The ladies you choose to share in your special day have probably played an important role in your life, so use your bridesmaid request as an opportunity to tell them how much they mean to you.

Here at My Scratch Offs, we are always happy to help our brides come up with fun and creative ways to make their wedding more memorable.  So without further adieu, here are six of our favorite ways to “propose” to your bridesmaids.

The Bridesmaid Box

We love the tutorial for a DIY Bridesmaid Box by Something Turquois.  Present your lovely ladies with a gift box full of goodies.  Include a mini bottle of Champagne, a bridesmaid tank top, pictures of the two of you and a thoughtful note explaining how much she means to you and why you want her to stand by your side on your wedding day.

Labels for Your Ladies

Ask it with something to sip, something to dip, or a pampering treat.  Wine, gourmet foods, and spa gifts can all be personalized with custom labels that will not only pop the question of, "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?" but will also make your girls feel so pampered when you ask them to be in your wedding party.  And to add an extra element of fun and surprise, consider adding a Scratch Off Label on top of your customized label.

Message in a Bottle

Are you planning a destination wedding?  If so, then we love the way this idea from Little White Dog fits the theme.  A short, sweet message tucked inside a cute little vessel is a creative way to ask your big question.

Some “Bling” for Your Besties

“Propose” to your girls the same way your guy proposed to you.  It doesn’t have to be expensive, but a pretty piece of jewelry is a great gift to give your girls when you ask your question.  You may want to give them something to wear on the actual day of the wedding, or even just a simple handmade ring, bracelet or necklace that features a delicate knot, heart, or infinity symbol.

“Pop” Your Question… Literally

We love this idea from Quiet Like Horses!  Tuck your message into a balloon with some confetti and have each of your bridesmaids pop the balloon to find their personalized note.

A Clutch for Your Sidekicks

Similar to the Bridesmaid Box idea, but even more useful!  Consider purchasing Monogrammed clutches for your bridesmaids that can be used the day of the wedding.  Fill the clutch with pictures, a sentimental note, a pair of sunglasses or a piece of jewelry.

At My Scratch Offs, we LOVE weddings! Visit our post about Wedding Save the Dates and connect with us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter (add links) to share photos or comments about this post.

New Year, New Products from My Scratch Offs, LLC

Here at My Scratch Offs, LLC, we’re always working hard to remain one step ahead in the Scratch Off game. One proven way that we have found to remain cutting edge, is to allow our product offerings to constantly grow and evolve. Over the past two years alone, our Scratch Off Label offerings have more than doubled, putting MSO at a current selection of over 45 labels and an inventory of nearly 5 million Scratch Off Labels…that’s a lot of labels!

Let me take a moment to introduce to you our very first new products of the new year.

1.5” Silver Square

We listen to our customers! You asked and you shall receive. Recent popular interest and demand led to the introduction of our new 1.5” Silver Square Scratch Off Label. This label provides sizable coverage to create a large and eye-catching Scratch Off feature while still fitting comfortably within the formatting of a standard 2” x 3.5” business card.

.70” Hologram Round

Our .70” Round Labels are a favorite. Our hologram labels are extremely popular. We put the two together and voila….70” Round Hologram Scratch Off Label!

Pregnancy Announcements

What better way to share your exciting pregnancy news than with a lotto replica Scratch Off Pregnancy Announcement?! Your friends and family will receive the ultimate fake out by winning the treasured “prize”…news about your expected bundle of joy!

Bingo Game Cards

Scratch Off Bingo Game Cards are versatile and fun! From fundraisers to classroom rewards, we have heard from happy customers who have put their Scratch Off Bingo Game Cards to use in a variety of creative ways.

Coming Soon…

And for a quick glimpse into the future, look for these brand new products in the coming months!

• 1.5” Gold Heart
• New Baby Shower Game Cards
• New Bridal Shower Game Cards

For a bit more about the “what” and “how” of your Scratch Off Labels and to help inspire your own creativity, click here. With endless possibilities to create and inspire…how will you use your Scratch Offs? We’d love to hear some of your ideas!  Find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter to share photos or comments about this post.