Engagement Cards

Types of Engagement Cards

Just as there are many different types of couples, there are many different cards to suit individual circumstances and preferences. Before selecting the most appealing card, however, it is vital to consider the couple it will be given to: if they are modest and prone to formal activities, a wacky card may not strike the right tone or be as appreciated. Similarly, if they are an off-the-wall, spur-of-the-moment couple, a formalized greeting extolling the virtues of their upcoming marriage may not convey the right message. Different types of engagement cards include:

• Humorous: These cards may refer to cliché jokes such as buying ladders (for eloping), the old ball-and-chain, or the tribulations of impending in-laws. Usually bright-colored and tongue-in-cheek, these cards are perfect for an exciting, passionate couple that loves trying new things and can be expected to have a non-traditional or outrageous wedding.
• Traditional: With standard sayings and simple, romantic phrases, these are the most popular styles of engagement greeting cards. Images range widely as do the verse lengths, but typically they avoid formalized language or corny jokes. These cards are suitable for good friends, coworkers, or any couple that may not be too well known to the giver.
• Formal: These cards are likely to be printed on heavier stock with elaborate filigree and metallic printing expressing formal sentiments in cultured verse. Colors are typically muted and may include pastels, ivory, and traditional wedding white. While they may seem stuffy, they are the best choice for a very formal, subdued couple that will undoubtedly have a very traditional wedding.
• Congratulations: Though not engagement oriented per se, generic congratulations cards are a great choice that allows the giver to fill in their own response to the happy news. Standard congratulations cards also come in humorous, traditional, and formal styles that should be matched to the personalities of the betrothed couple.
• Blank: Blank cards have a wide variety of uses, and can certainly be made appropriate to an engagement. Cards with stylized couples (on a beach, for example), flowers, romantic settings (a waterfall, sunset, tropical paradise, etc.), monograms, or wedding fixtures (cake, dress, etc.) are suitable for an engagement note.

When to Send a Greeting Card

Engagement cards can be given any time before the wedding, but typically they are sent immediately after the formal announcement. If there is an engagement party planned, cards may be presented at that time, along with gifts if desired. If the couple has chosen to keep the news private for the time being without any celebratory events – perhaps because of an uncertainty in the relationship or external matters like military deployment or a recent family death – the card should be sent after that period has passed and the couple begins planning their wedding in earnest.

Where to Buy Engagement Cards

Engagement cards can be found at all major card stores and are typically shelved near the wedding selection. Blank cards and more generic sentiments can be found in many other general stores as well. If specific engagement greeting cards cannot be found, it is perfectly acceptable (and perhaps more personal and meaningful) to print or create a customized card to suit the occasion.

Enclosures

No enclosures are necessary for engagement cards, though many people may wish to select a suitable gift to send to the happy couple. Gift cards, certificates for romantic dinners, movie tickets, and small sums of cash fit well in a card and are always appreciated as a couple begins this new phase of their life together.

Are Cards Necessary?

Congrats!

Though the card industry would like to impose a mandate requiring greeting cards for every occasion, engagement cards are not mandatory. Sending a congratulatory email, a quick happy phone call, or a personal visit are other ways to express happy sentiments to the bride- and groom-to-be. Depending on how the giver was notified (via formal announcement, reading about the engagement in the newspaper, word-of-mouth, etc.), no response may be necessary to the news.

Engagement cards are becoming more popular as families spread further apart and wish to keep in touch while sharing exciting news. Before sending off a greeting card, however, be sure that it matches the couple in question and is sent at the appropriate time. No gifts or enclosures are necessary, though many people choose to provide them as a token of congratulations. Whatever the motivation, the happy couple is sure to enjoy the sentiment of an congratulatory card as they begin planning their nuptials. By sending such a card, the giver expresses support for the relationship, and as the stress of wedding planning mounts, that support will be welcomed and appreciated.