Your invitation is a preview to your ceremony. The style-whether traditional or contemporary-sets the stage for what’s to come.

This is your first opportunity to impress your guests. Many brides express their style with custom invitations. Handmade papers pressed with flowers, found at specialty paper stores, can offer an especially romantic touch.

Too early is not soon enough. Invitations must be addressed by hand and mailed no later than six weeks before the wedding. So get them ordered, but keep a few rules in mind before you choose a quantity. Inviting 100 guests does not mean you’ll need 100 invitations. Half or slightly more should be enough.

Order one for every married couple, single adult guest, single attendant and every unmarried guest older than 18.

Perhaps the most useful item in today’s modern wedding invitation package is that of a map. Including a map will allow your guests peace of mind when making their way to all the different locales involved in your wedding day festivities.

They are especially valuable to any out-of-town guests.

Calligraphy adds drama to traditional invitations and an elegant touch to contemporary expressions. Brides who like the look of this formal script can hire a professional, choose machine-generated calligraphy or do it themselves.

The expansive script can be used to ink or address your wedding invitations as well as create memorable menus, place cards and keepsake scrolls of your wedding vows. Professional calligraphers can match the style and color of your invitation and guarantee proper etiquette. Request samples from several, because the quality and price can vary.

Machine calligraphy is less expensive and should suffice for those who want perfectly addressed invitations. However, it cannot double check your spelling or correct lapses in the phrasing demanded by etiquette.

Do-it-yourselfers can find supplies at most art stores. A basic calligraphy class is invaluable to the beginner.