We are oh-so-excited to bring on our newest vendor to our website – William Arthur!

William Arthur has been in business for over 50 years, and their line provides our website with a widely ranged sophisticated and high class collection of personalized and boxed stationery products and invitations. Printed on the highest quality of smooth yet heavy card stocks, William Arthur offers products printed in thermography, engraving, letterpress, embossing and flat printing in a traditional style with a contemporary edge. Take a look at some of the William Arthur collection that has just been introduced to InvitationBox.com:

Like what you see? We are currently offering William Arthur holiday greeting cards, photo greeting cards, stationery sets and invitations and will be steadily bringing on additional products over the upcoming months including birth announcements, wedding invitations, social stationery products, menus, programs and more. Stay tuned…

When planning a bridal shower, your guests will expect the normal gift opening, cocktails and refreshments…but what do you do with the remaining hour or so? The below list of ice breakers and games are great ideas for your next bridal shower event. It’s a great way to introduce the group to one another and make everyone comfortable, all along with great opportunities for laughs, tears and shared moments to be caught on camera.

Here are some great Bridal Shower Game suggestions:

Word Association: While the bride is opening the gifts, secretly have one guest write down an occasional word/phrase that you hear throughout the room. For example “This is so small”, “Ooh la la”, “I’ve always wanted one of these”, “It’s a keeper”, etc. Read them aloud to the group when she is finished and tell the group that this is what the bride will be saying on her wedding night.

Make a Bride: Break the group into teams of 3 or 4 people and have one person from each group be the “bride”. Give each group a roll of toilet paper and 20 minutes to create the perfect bridal outfit. Give prizes to the most creative, most couture, funniest, etc. Take pictures of all the brides at the end.

How Well Does She Know the Groom? Before the shower, as the groom to answer a few questions about himself and his bride. Give the questions to the bride and see how well she knows her hubby-to-be.

Two Truths & a Lie: Have each guest write two truthful things about herself or her marriage, and one lie. Read aloud to the group and have everyone guess which piece of information is false.

Good & Bad Advice: Hand each guest a colored index card and have them fill in a nice piece of advice on one side for the bride-to-be about marriage. On the other side, fill in a naughty or sensual piece of advice for the wedding night.

I remember as a kid I used to hate flip flops because the thongs always hurt my feet. Now you can’t get them off my feet. Flip flops are a foot favorite from kids as young as 4 all the way throughout adults. They’re comfy, colorful and can be as casual as everyday wear to upscale and dressy/formal. Say goodbye to uncomfortable summer heels and hello to stylish comfort.

Why not celebrate your next summertime event with a flip flop themed party! Have a beach themed event and ask all your guests to don their favorite pair. A flip flop party leads to great party activities like a pedicure or nail painting station. You can even purchase plain flip flops in bulk from a party store or discount clothing store and have a flip flop decorating contest. Your guests can then take home the pair they create. Have your baker make a cake in the shape of a pair of flip flops decorated to look like the ones you’ll be wearing at your event.

Our flip flop invitations are snazzy and summery – the perfect combination. Our designs range from jeweled flip flops to neon colors, poolside flip flop themes, pedicure and beach themes. Take a look at some of our most popular flip flop designs…

Need some ideas for flip flops of your own this summer? Check out Zappos, Old Navy, DSW and other shoe retailers that carry the best designs from Juicy, EdHardy, Nine West, Steve Madden and more!

When you talk about celebrating a birthday you typically think about a bunch of girls out for a night on the town, cocktails, limos and party dresses. But let’s not forget the important men in your life that should go all out for celebrating their birthday too! Surprise your boyfriend, fiancé, husband or best guy friend with a birthday party they’ll never forget! They’ll be undoubtedly grateful and happy that you remembered them on their special day.

You may want to plan a surprise party for your guy, especially if he’s turning a milestone year like 30, 40 or 50. Or, if your guy is more shy, check in with him first. Invitations should be sent approximately 3-4 weeks before the event. Remember if it’s a surprise to put that pertinent piece of information on the invitation. Our adult birthday party invitations come in a multitude of designs that compliment his personality and style. Choose from masculine hues, golf and sports themes, cocktail themes, group party scenes, barbecue, beach, cake, bowling and stripe themes. Take a look at some of our most popular “his birthday” party invitations below…

Need some party ideas? Depending on his interests, you might want to schedule a golf match, football game or baseball game for all the boys to participate in. Serve up his favorite munchies and food along with some great beer or cocktails, depending on the formality of your party. If this is a milestone birthday, have guests bring a favorite photo of themselves with the man in honor to paste up around the party scene or create a collage on a poster board for all to see. For over the hill parties, make the birthday boy sit in a wheelchair and have your guests hand him gag gifts periodically throughout the night. The sky is the limit…just make sure you stick to something that the honoree will enjoy, appreciate and remember. Because remember, you can roast and toast him all you want … but just remember that you have a birthday coming up too!

Pocket invitations are all the rage right now. It started out being a formal wedding trend but has grown in popularity and expanded onto bridal showers, sweet 16 invitations, baby shower invitations, baptism and christening invitations, holiday invitations, anniversary invitations and more! Pocket invitations offer a multi-dimensional effect to your invitation and offer that little extra touch of class and elegance to an otherwise “typical” invitation. Most of our pockets come with an insert card for your text, an outside pocket and a ribbon or seal to hold the ensemble together. Some of our pockets even hold additional information cards like RSVP’s, reception cards and accommodations cards.

Our pocket invitations come in a variety of shapes, colors and styles from horizontal and vertical shimmer pockets to square pockets with vibrant insert colors, long and tall pockets and more. Below we have laid out an array of pocket invitations for you to view ranging from baby showers to weddings…

Can’t get enough of our pocket invitations? Visit our dedicated wedding website for pocket invitations or our main InvitationBox.com website for our other pocket invitations. Next time you’re planning an event go above and beyond the norm and branch out with a pocket invite. Your guests will be impressed by your invitation choice and the extra thought put forward into your invitation style.

He popped the question…and she said “YES!”

The summer is one of the most popular times for engagements…whether he pops the question at the beach, on a picnic or at one of your favorite spots. The weather is nice, happiness is in the air and it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the new chapter coming ahead in your life.

After he pops the question, celebrate your commitment to each other with an engagement party celebration! Engagement parties should not be extremely formal, as you do not want them to compete with your wedding day or deplete your budget before the big day planning even starts. Engagement Parties are a great way to announce your engagement to those who have not yet been informed of the news! Outside of leaking the word out, engagement parties are a also a good time for the bride’s family and groom’s family to formally meet, (if they have not already), in a fun an celebratory setting. You can also invite your close friends and extended family members.

Choose a venue that both families agree on, whether it be a backyard, beach setting, picnic area, restaurant setting or garden party. Choose cocktails and finger foods that encourage mingling. When planning the event you can choose a theme like champagne/toasting the new couple, romantic themes, ring themes, humorous themes like “ball and chain”, beach themes and more. Send out invitations that coordinate with your engagement style or party theme. Make note that your engagement party invitations do NOT need to match your upcoming wedding invitations or formality. Take a look at some of our most popular engagement party invitations below…

Your engagement party can be a simple mingling of family and friends or you can go as far as having fun activities and games to get everyone involved. Have the bride/groom take quizzes about one another and share their compatibility answers with the group. Play the newlywed game with various couples including the bride-and-groom-to-be. Have the parents of either side propose a toast, introduce the bridal party, discuss wedding plans and show off that ring!

All in all, the main focus should be celebrating the happy couple and their fun road up ahead!

Whether it’s your first anniversary, your 25th or your 50th, take a trip down memory lane and remember the joyous day that united you with your loved one. Share the memories and the life you have built together with family and friends with an anniversary party. The most traditional anniversaries to host parties for are the 25th (silver) and 50th (golden), however we think you should have the right to celebrate each anniversary you have anyway you wish!

When planning your anniversary party, try to include guests that were there for the original event as well as new friends you have made along the way who have witnessed your growing love for your partner. When choosing an anniversary invitation, you may want to follow the below chart of information that has outlined some of the traditional colors for that anniversary year. You can then tailor your invitations and party decorations to coordinate with that color scheme:

FIRST – Papyrus Yellow
TENTH – Silver
TWENTIETH – Emerald Green or White
TWENTY-FIFTH – Silver
THIRTIETH – Green
FORTIETH – Ruby Red
FIFTIETH – Gold

We have a vast array of anniversary party invitations with a variety of designs and styles for anniversary parties that are anywhere from jeans and a t-shirt casual to black tie and formal. Take a look at some of our most popular anniversary invitations below…

Not sure what to get your loved one for your anniversary this year? Below is a list of the most traditional anniversary gifts to get your loved one. We even included a list of the suggested flowers for the year and occasion:

FIRST – Paper – Pansy
TENTH – Tin – Daffodil
TWENTIETH – China – Day Lily
TWENTY-FIFTH – Silver – Iris
THIRTIETH – Pearls – Sweet Pea
FORTIETH – Rubies – Nasturtium
FIFTIETH – Gold – Violet

So this year, when planning your anniversary remember your loved one with one of the gifts and flower suggestions above and why not have your friends and family get together to celebrate what an awesome couple you are and have become!

Sugar or honey with your tea? Tea parties are becoming very popular nowadays whether you’re 5, 21 or 95! Spend an afternoon with the girls relaxing the day away and enjoying each other’s company with high tea, fabulous finger foods and great conversation. Plan your next tea party for a bridal shower tea, baby shower tea, birthday party tea, women’s garden get-together tea or even a tea party for your little one!

When choosing your tea party invitation, choose one that coincides with your personality and the formality of the party. We have some great tea party invitations for kids including bright colorful die-cut tea pots and jeweled invitations. For adults we have delicate watercolor tea designs, teacup towers and borders, soft hues and modern tea invitations. The type of tea party invitation you choose will indicate to your guests the formality of the event.

When you host a tea party you can be as casual as having a nice get-together at your home or as lavish as inviting guests to a high tea or flowering tea service at a local spa or hotel. If you are having a tea party outside of the home, remember that many resorts offer this tea service accompanied with finger foods, deserts, a serene setting and an array of musical accompaniments. You can ask each guest to contribute to the cost of the event or ask for special group pricing for your event. If having a party at your home, you may want to serve your tea outside on a deck or in your garden. Pick up small finger foods from your local bakery and find great tea recipes online. Below I have listed a scone recipe from Alton Brown of the Food Network that may be of interest to our Susie-home-maker types:

Scones:

• 2 cups flower
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup cream
• 1 egg
• Handful dried currants or dried cranberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

So next time you need an excuse to get together with the girls, away from the kids, in a quiet an peaceful setting, consider hosting a tea with your closest of friends!

Whether your child has just been born or you are making the decision on your own to begin a lifetime relationship with the Lord, share your baptism day with family and friends and invite them to witness the ceremony and celebrate after.

At InvitationBox.com we realize what an important milestone a baptism, christening, first communion or confirmation can be in your life. Our baptism invitations truly encompass the spiritual nature of this religious occasion whether it is a church-wide event or an intimate gathering with your closest family members and God. Our goal is to help you make the most of this occasion and have it be remembered.

Our religious invitations feature designs with crosses, ornate scroll designs, praying children designs, family portraits, digital photo cards, filigree patterns, sparkling jewels, chiffon ribbons and more that appeal to all personality types and event formalities.

When planning your religious event, remember that after the important ceremony it is nice to go out with family and friends to celebrate your occasion. Our invitations can double as a baptism invitation as well as a reception invitation for the celebration afterwards. We also have select designs with matching thank you notes and religious stationery to thank your guests for attending your special day or to thank them for a generous gift.

Prepare your guests for such a religious event with our invitations that will truly mark this important day in you and your child’s lives.