Top o’ the morning to ya!  St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, on March 17, 2012!  Now is the time to start planning your Irish celebration – whether you’re Irish or not, we don’t discriminate!  St. Patrick’s Day celebrates Saint Patrick, as well as the arrival of Christianity to Ireland in the 17th century.  Saint Patrick was captured as a child by the Irish raiders.  Once released, he sailed a ship to Britain and brought back Christianity to teach to the Irish.  He used the shamrock to explain Christianity using the Trinity.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated today by many overseas and in the US by holding church services, attending large festive St. Patrick’s Day parades, wearing green or Irish themed attire and attending large feasts accompanied by alcoholic beverages.  It’s a great time to gather with family and friends to celebrate your heritage and celebrate our Irish traditions…and a great excuse for a party before the spring and summer season begins!

Set the scene for your St. Patrick’s Day party with a St. Patrick’s Day party invitation.  We offer a variety of styles in every shade of green you can think of which will work perfectly for casual or formal St. Patrick’s Day parties.  With St. Patrick’s Day being on a Saturday this year, you’ll have plenty of time to plan your party and plenty of guests who can attend!

Choose from a variety of Celtic invitation styles including shamrock patterned party invitations, Guinness Irish Stout invitations, beer maiden invitations, leprechaun invitations, pot of gold and rainbow invitations, green beer invitations, vintage Irish pub sign invitations, digital photo ticket invitations as well as green patterned and bordered invitations.   For those hosting an annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration with their friends, we also offer St. Patty’s Day invitations with couples drinking cocktails while dressed for this festive Irish holiday.  However you party Irish, we’ll help you celebrate.

Check out some of our favorite irish themed invitations below and spread a little ‘luck of the Irish’ to your recipients.  Remember to add a fun St. Patrick’s Day sticker, return address label or self-inking celtic stamp to your order to create a matching ensemble, and spread a little Irish all throughout the year!

Who says girls can’t play and celebrate sports?!  Celebrate the star female athlete in your family on her birthday this year with a sporty girl themed birthday party!  In 2012, life seems to be all about getting on track, staying healthy and being active…and teaching the value of that to our children.  Our kids love running around outside, riding their bikes, kicking a soccer ball around in the yard or playing ballerina…why not incorporate that into their birthday party this year for all of their friends to enjoy?

Our sporty girl birthday party invitations encompass all of the activities that little girls love.  Choose from girl soccer party invitations, bowling party invitations, ballet party invitations, gymnastics party invitations, roller skating party invitations, horseback riding invitations or girl bounce house party invitations, depending on her favorite after-school activity.  Or, if she likes a little bit of every sport, set up an obstacle course to incorporate a couple of her favorite activities.  We offer adorable cartoon invitations which show active kids playing as well as digital photo party invitations.

When composing your sports party invitations, remember to pick an invitation that clearly represents what you’ll be doing or playing at the party.  Nobody wants to come to a soccer party wearing a dress and then finds out that they’re going to kick a ball around.  Many sports complex’s have waivers or guidelines for parents to fill-out and follow before each child attends.  Be sure to include this information with your invitation.  If each child needs to bring socks, sunblock, a towel or sneakers, be sure to put that vital information on your invitation, as well as have extra necessities on hand at your party.

Play up your party theme by incorporating your sport into your party decorations.  If your theme is a blue, black and white soccer ball, use those colors for your party decorations and party scene.  If you’re having a pink bounce house party, serve your guests cupcakes that have jelly beans on top that look like the balls from inside a bounce house.  Get creative!

Make her sports party one she’ll never forget, and one where the kids will leave exhausted from how much fun they’ll have!

He popped the question…She said yes!  Such a memorable moment, the day he asks for her hand in marriage.  And it’s even more special when you can share the proposal with those you love, be it your parents, family members, relatives or close friends!  You’ll want to share the story of the special way he proposed as well as let your close friends and family know about your upcoming wedding plans – or maybe even ask your friends to be in your bridal party that night!

Start your engagement off on the right foot with an engagement party to celebrate your upcoming nuptials!  You can have a casual get-together at your home to celebrate, or maybe plan something more elaborate at a local pub, restaurant or a favorite local establishment.  Many couples will let everyone know of the engagement before the party, or you might even want to announce your engagement at the actual party!  (Just invite your guests over for a barbecue or a holiday party if there is a holiday around the date of your engagement party).

At your engagement party, be sure to have plenty of champagne to go around, as your family members may want to toast to you and your road to marriage!  You should not expect to receive gifts, but know that some guests may bring something along with them to let them know how happy they are for you.  If you receive a gift, be sure to send out a hand-written thank you note closely after your event.  Attending an engagement party and not sure what kind of a gift to bring?  The most popular engagement party gifts would be a greeting card, check, bottle of wine/champagne or maybe a gift card to the couple’s favorite restaurant or date spot.

To set the scene for your engagement party, send out an engagement party invitation about 3 weeks before your event.  We have a plethora of engagement party invitations that will help you invite your guests to your exciting wedding kick-off party!  Choose an invitation that best coordinates with your engagement party theme or formality, be it a casual engagement party invitation or an elegant engagement party invitation.

We offer a variety of styles featuring looks-like-me invitations which feature proposing couples with different hair colors, styles and nationalities for you to match with your own personal look and style.  Choose from proposal scenes, city scenes, tying the knot themes or champagne scenes.  We also offer photo engagement party invitations, and formal designs with ribbons, pattern borders, chandeliers, wedding ring themes and simple silhouettes.  If you know your wedding theme, you can incorporate that into your engagement party invitation, or you may even want to choose an invitation that matches the way he proposed, be it out on a ranch, in your favorite city or in the sand on the beach.

Ready to celebrate how he proposed?  Check out some of our favorite engagement party invitations below…

Who says that Valentines can only be sent when you’re a kid?  Even as an adult, you still need to spread the love to those you care about most, especially on Valentine’s Day!  Your Valentine might just make someone smile, have a better day or fall in love!

Our team of designers has come up with a line of adult valentine cards which feature a bit more of a mature style than traditional valentines, which will appeal to late teens as well as adults.  Designs feature vibrant zebra animal print backgrounds, heat pattern borders, paisley patterns in modern colors, tweeting birds, grunge pattern hearts, bling necklaces, lipstick kisses and floral patterns.  We’ve paired our new adult valentines designs with cute pre-printed greetings and sayings so that all you have to do is fill in your name and/or a short catchphrase, and you’re ready to go.  Our valentines ship in just a short 2-3 business days, thus you have plenty of time to order your valentines before February 14th.  Each valentine set includes white unlined envelopes and has options for card stock upgrades to recycled stock, for the environmentally conscious, or shimmer stock, for the bling conscious!

Below you’ll see a small preview our newest valentines to hit our website for the 2012 valentine season.  The first card, Hot Pink and Black Zebra Print Bookplate, features a black and pink zebra print border background with a hot pink pinched bookplate frame that holds your sassy greeting.  It’s perfect for the chic and sassy sender.  Want to flirt a little bit this V-Day?  The second card below, Read My Lips, features a classic lipstick kiss with hearts flying about it.  ”Read my Lips” is pre-printed on the front in a romantic script font.  If you’ve got a bubbly personality, you’ll love the third card below, Bubbly Hearts, which features an azalea pink background with bubbly hearts falling from the top of the card in white outlines and pink hues.  Lastly, if you’re full of passion this Valentine’s Day, let your love grow with the Passion Tree valentine which features a budding tree of hearts, leaves and butterflies growing through a light pink pasture.

Choose your favorite design below or check out our entire collection of valentine cards at InvitationBox!

Raise your hand if you’re addicted to the “We” channel?!  Have you ever watched the “Say Yes To The Dress” type shows where they show the bride in the shoppe and there are invitations and thank you notes worked into a wall hanging in a collage in the background?  Guess whose invitations those are?

Bonnie Marcus invitations, of course!  One of our most popular and contemporary designers, and well known for her classy but sassy styles of bridal shower invitations, party invitations, wedding stationery, baby shower invitations and more.  She is highly respected in the bridal community, and you may have even seen some of her products at your favorite stores lately!  Each year, we look forward to Bonnie Marcus’ spring release, as she introduces some of the most detailed and contemporary bridal shower invitation designs, just in time for the spring and summer wedding season.

The newest designs were introduced to our website yesterday, and I have been stunned with the amount of detail in her new products.  You’ll notice that many of these designs are now available in white card stock, where previously they were only available in ivory, (she still has ivory styles too, no worries).  Bonnie has added alternate hair colors, nationalities and backgrounds to her designs as well, so that you can match your invitation to your personal style and the way that you look!

Her spring bridal collection features bridal shower invitations, engagement party invitations, rehearsal dinner invitations, couples shower invitations, kitchen shower invitations and bachelorette party invitations.  Choose from a variety of invitation designs including Tiffany-inspired gift boxes, floral prints, couple scenes, kitchen gadgets, flowing long bridal gowns, fashion-forward brides, shoe closets, bridal dress forms and designs with the bride dressed for her big day.

Take a look at some of the newest Bonnie Marcus bridal shower invitations below that are all available today!

Truly one of my favorite designers/manufacturers on our website, Doc Milo truly captures what it’s like to be a girl in the modern world we live in today!  Their invitations are chic, colorful, fun , trendy and have a whole lot of sass!  The Doc Milo invitations collection covers all types of milestone events from kids birthday party invitations to sweet 16 birthday party invitations, adult birthday party invitations, bridal shower invitations, summer party invitations, baby shower invitations and more!

Their spring release features a few brand new designs, as well as a few twists on their most popular and favorite designs.  They’ve added alternate hair colors and races so that your invitation can embody you and your look, style and charisma!  Get a small preview of their spring collection below, and see just what’s in store this spring and summer season ahead!

Classic Couple Baby Shower Invitation – Blue - A completely new invitation, this Doc Milo baby shower invite features a vibrant aqua blue patterned background with a contemporary grey and white zebra print bottom border for the flooring.  A pile of baby blocks, a teddy bear and a yellow baby gift sit at the feet of an expecting couple, both carrying gifts from their couples shower.  Mom is wearing a short black and white dress with a blue bow around her belly.  She shows off her black heels across from Dad who is wearing a black suit and has a baby’s rattle in his pocket.  This modern couple baby shower invitation is also available in a pink theme, in case she’s expecting a baby girl.  Coordinate your baby shower with the zebra and aqua or zebra and pink theme to create a complete ensemble.

Blonde Bride on Gift – Pink - A modern twist on an old classic, Doc Milo has gone pink!  This flat bridal shower invitation features a vibrant pink patterned background.  A blonde bride wears large white sunglasses on her head and a long white wedding gown as she carries a tiny pink present.  She sits on the side of a large pink gift box with a white bow, which is sitting next to another pink present and a bouquet of white tulips.  This invitation has been made before, but is now available in multiple colors, including aqua blue.  We also offer it with alternate hair colors and pattern colors for the present that the bride lounges on.  A true favorite for modern brides.

Starlight Sweethearts Invitation - They met and fell in love under the stars!  This magical formal couple’s shower invitation features a bright aqua background with a grey zebra print bottom floor border.  An array of white stars adorns the top background of the card, which surrounds a black-tie dressed bride and groom.  The bride wears a mermaid style gown with a feather bottom train.  She holds a zebra print clutch and a small blue presents.  The groom wears a black and grey suit with a black and white polka dot bow tie, as he carries a large blue gift from their couple’s shower.  This invitation would work great for an engagement party invitation, rehearsal dinner invitation or a couples bridal shower invitation…swanky and stylish, you can’t go wrong!

Calling all Giants & Patriots fans…you’ve just made it to Superbowl XLVI!  I joked with a customer about two weeks ago, who was purchasing our ticket stub invitations and couldn’t decide what color to purchase – I said, “Go with Giant’s colors…” He laughed, and I honestly thought it was a long shot.  But here we are, just a week and a half away to game day and the Giants will be taking on the Patriots, which should be one heck of a game!

Okay so that’s the good news…bad news?  You have just under two weeks to order and mail your Superbowl party invitations…and it’s not even your fault!  It’s so hard to plan a party for the Superbowl when you don’t even know who is playing until just two weeks before.  Rest assured, we have rush invitation options for you, which can ship in as little as 1 business day.  Our designers are working hard tonight to update our football designs with Patriots & Giants colors so that you can coordinate your party theme.  Funny that both teams have very similar colors this year!  So are you red & blue or blue & red?

Our ticket stub invitations are our quickest shipping invitations without adding rush processing.  These invitations ship within just 1 business day, and sometimes can even ship out the same day, if you place your order in the wee hours of the morning!  Add next day air shipping to your ticket order and you’re in business to get your football party invitations to your guests a week before your party.  The ticket invitations are available in a variety of colors and are also available with colored envelopes, so that nobody misses them when they receive them in the mail.  We also are now offering photo ticket stub invitations which allow you to upload a picture of the sports fanatics in your family onto your invitation, or perhaps a company logo that you’ve created.

Have your heart set on a little competition for your Superbowl party invitations?  Take a look at some of our most recently updated invitations below which capture the art of competition!  As your team faces off to win the championship, you’ll have already set the bar for your party with your invitation.  Choose from two players at face-off, a large green football field or a choosing sides helmet themed football invitation.  These three invitations are all available with rush and super rush processing, as well as upgraded shipping options.

Set the scene for your Superbowl XLVI party with a Superbowl XLVI Party Invitation!

She’s your right-hand girl.  The one you call at three AM when you’ve had a bad night.  The girl you call when you accidentally die your hair grey instead of ash-blonde.  The girl who will be standing by you on one of the biggest days of your life – she’s your bridesmaid!  And you might just have a whole slue of them…luck you!

When planning your wedding, it’s your bridesmaids that will come to your fittings and appointments with you.  They’ll give you their opinion when asked and help you plan your bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and wedding day details.  They’ll stay up late stuffing your wedding invitation ensemble with you, and help you calm your wedding jitters on the day of your wedding.

Sometimes your bridesmaids are there for you so much you forget to thank them for all of the hard work they’ve done to help you plan your big day!  One of the more popular trends amongst brides lately is to host a bridal luncheon in honor of your bridesmaids, a few weeks before your wedding.  Treat your devoted bridesmaids to a cocktail, appetizers, lunch or maybe even a spa day to let them know how much they are appreciated throughout your wedding planning.  You can even present them with their gift for your wedding on that day, if you’d like!  Be sure to include your mother, as well as the groom’s mother on this special event, for all of the ‘wedding women’ to share.

To set the scene, choose a bridal shower luncheon invitation that is all about your fabulous bridesmaids!  Choose from a wedding cake in the color of their dresses, a ‘looks like us’ card with the bride and all of her fun ‘maids’ around her…or a themed card that portrays what you’ll be doing that day to celebrate, be it a spa day or a tea party.  Inviting Company has introduced several brand new designs into our bridal luncheon invitation collection this spring as well, which feature dress forms featuring the bridesmaids dresses on hangers, which are some of my favorites.  From navy dresses to eggplant, they have it all.

Check out some of our favorite bridal luncheon party invitations below and shower your bridesmaids – they’ve worked hard for it!

One of the more popular questions I’ve had while meeting with local brides lately is, “Do I need to include a direction card with my wedding ensemble?”  A few years ago, sending a direction card with your wedding invitation was customary, and almost expected.  This way your out of town guests know exactly how to get to your ceremony and/or reception site without having to MapQuest directions before they get there…or worry that their at-home directions may steer them in the wrong direction.

As we all know, technology is evolving us, in more ways than one!  For the most part, a direction card is no longer necessary to include with your wedding ensemble…and many brides don’t include directions anymore.  With GPS in our cars or in our cell phones, can you remember the last time you had to read a map or follow step-by-step directions from a program like MapQuest?  I know I can’t…and with our gotta-have-it need-it-now society, we don’t want to spend the time figuring out if we’re traveling North or South on I-95.

Is it a bad idea to include a directions card with your wedding ensemble?  Absolutely not.  Some of your guests may appreciate having the map and directions at-hand when traveling to your wedding destination.  Also, if you do have a lot of out-of-town guests, or elderly guests, it’s very nice to offer them simple and easy directions to follow.  It may just be nice to have a map of the area included, as well.

If you DO decide to include a direction card with your wedding invitation, I always suggest printing the name, full address and phone number to the location at the top of the card.  This way if they want to use their direction card with their GPS they have all information available, and if they get lost they have a contact number for someone who can assist them.  Then list your directions below in a very easy, simple listed format.  The less wording you have the better, and choose a simple design that does not take focus away from the listed directions.  Remember to include directions from your ceremony site to the reception site if they are being held at different locations.

Thinking about putting a direction card in with your wedding ensemble?  Check out some of our directions cards below – most available with maps, should you want to include one.  We offer them in a variety of styles and colors to incorporate into your wedding invitation ensemble.

Sometimes we just have enough “stuff” lying around.  Sometimes our kids already have too many toys that they don’t play with.  Sometimes we just don’t want our guests to feel obligated, especially if they’re spending money on other areas of your event.

Whatever the reason, there’s just certain times when bringing gifts is not necessary for your guests.  A few years ago, we would have told you to simply not put anything on your invitation about the gifts.  Some guests may have been offended by the request not to bring one at all.  You certainly don’t want to offend anyone by asking them not to bring a gift, but it has become much more acceptable in our modern times to tell guests to refrain from gift giving.

That being said, there is a right and a wrong way of asking someone to not bring a gift.  Simply saying, “No gifts”, can seem a bit harsh to some guests.  We typically suggest printing “No gifts, please” in the bottom corner of your party invitation, printed small, almost as an afterthought.  This makes it seem like more of a request, than a demand.  We have also seen some customers put “Your presence is the only gift requested” or “Please grace us with your presence, no gifts, please”.  However you feel will appeal to your guests most.

Remember that while it has become acceptable to request for no gifts to be given, it is thus inappropriate to request that your guests bring specific guests.  A book for a baby shower is one thing, however making monetary or gift card requests, or any specific gift request, is considered to be in poor taste.  The thought behind this etiquette rule is that the purpose of having a wedding or party is to celebrate the event at hand, not solicit for gifts.  If the bride or honoree wants a specific gift, spread it by word of mouth or inform your guests when they RSVP.  There is no need to put “Monetary gifts appreciated”, not matter how nicely you request it.

For more etiquette and advice, check out our Etiquette & Advice column on InvitationBox.com!