Glossary of Terms

Accommodation Cards

Sent to out of town guests who need to make hotel reservations.

Accordion fold

A sheet of stationery folded twice -- in an accordion, "z-shape" style -- into a three-paneled invitation.

At Home Cards

Announce the new address and the date that the couple will be residing in their new address.

Borders

Decorative designs around the outside of stationery. Borders are often embossed on a formal invitation.

Calligraphy

A formal hand written writing style, often used for addressing guest names on invitations.

Calling Cards

Were traditionally used to leave with a host when making social calls. Today, they are most often used as gift enclosures. They are available in different sizes and styles for men, women and children.

Cotton Paper

Made from 100% cotton is extremely durable yet very soft. It is considered to be the premium choice for letter writing and has a quality 'status' when choosing invitations and you want to convey a sense of elegance.

Dimensions

The actual size of the card.

Direction Cards -- (also known as Map Cards)

Sent when the reception or ceremony is held at a location that is not widely known and includes explicit directions and often a map.

Ecru

Ivory, off-white, or eggshell color used in formal stationery.

Engagement Announcements

Announcements sent to friends and family. These usually include the date or month and year of the engagement.

Engraving

One of the oldest and most elegant processes for printing. Engraving involves etching the text onto a copper plate. During the printing process, the plate is coated with ink and then compressed onto the paper, creating the printed text in a slightly raised impression and leaves a bruise on the back of the paper. With most of our vendors that offer engraving, the plate then belongs to the customer and will serve them for a lifetime of fine stationery usage. Engraved stationery is considered to be the epitome of good taste and elegance. Whenever your event is very formal and you want to convey a sense of elegance and impeccable taste, choose engraving. The process is relatively expensive but well worth the investment.

Engraving Plates

Copper plates used in the engraving process. After an image is etched onto the plate, it may be used again in future printings. With most of our vendors who offer engraving, the plate then belongs to the customer and will serve them for a lifetime of fine stationery usage.

Embossing

A similar process to engraving; however, no ink is applied to the plate. It is when the surface of the paper is raised.

Flat Cards

Also known as a panel card; these are single cards, made typically of heavy stock. Often flat cards are printed with a person's name or monogram, at the top of the card, in order to leave space for writing.

Flat Printing

Also known as 'offset printing.' The technique used in flat printing utilizes an image created on a rubber cylinder, which is then inked and transferred onto paper. The printing views as a flat image.

Font

Also known as a type style. It is a lettering style chosen for your text. The lettering style you choose should reflect the formality of the event and your personality.

French Fold

Stationery is folded twice (vertically & inward) to become a four-paneled invitation.

Gift Tags

Personalized enclosures to be sent with gifts. FineStationery.com offers a variety of calling card sized flat card, fold over cards and stickers for adults and children.

"Imagitation"

A word coined by Stacy Claire Boyd. It incorporates your personal photo into the design of your holiday card during the printing process. Your photos must first be e-mailed to Photos@FineStationery.com. The acceptable digital formats are JPEG and TIF.

Ink color

Color used in printing text onto paper.

Letterpress

This centuries-old technique results in a crisp, debossed impression that is further enhanced by the rich qualities of
the paper upon which it is printed. The texture, in fact, is similar to that of hand-made paper.

Layout - Vertical Layout vs. Horizontal Layout

A horizontal card reflects the position of the horizon whereas a vertical card is positioned from top to bottom with the sides being longest.

Map Card -- (also referred to as Directions card)

A card included with invitations that gives specific directions, using major roads and landmarks, to help your guests find their way.

Monograms

Commonly seen on personal stationery. Personal monograms traditionally represent the first, middle and last name. When all of the initials are the same size, the initials appear in order. When the center initial is larger, the initials represent the first, last and middle names, respectively.

Motifs

Small designs printed on stationery. Often, a motif is a single recurring design throughout a person's personal, business or wedding stationery.

Moving Cards

A change of address card is sent to family and friends to inform them of a new address and/or telephone number.

Note Cards

Small fold over cards with a person's name or monogram printed on the front. These are often used as thank you or monogrammed cards.

Offset Printing

Also referred to as flat printing. The technique used in flat printing is where an image is created on a rubber cylinder, which is then inked and transferred onto paper. The printing views as a flat image.

Panel Card

Also referred to as a "flat card." This is one sheet of stationery, most often thicker stock, and is usually used as an invitation or for personal stationery.

Pearlize

A glossy pearl-like finish element, typically found on embossed designs and commonly used on borders of invitations.

Pew Cards

Also known as 'within the ribbon card'. This card is reserved for family and close friends who are acknowledged as such by seating them together in pews that have been reserved or 'within the ribbon' which are traditionally the closest to the altar.

Photo Cards

Printed flat or fold over cards that allow for a personal photo.

Place Card

A card used at receptions to let your guests know where to be seated.

Program

This is a printed piece, usually in a small booklet format, and is used as an agenda/schedule for an event; most commonly used at Weddings to allow guests to follow along with the course of the ceremony.

Rain Card

This is used for events that are being held outdoors; it serves to inform guests what the course of action for the event will be, should the weather be inclement.

Reception Cards

Included with a formal wedding invitation to tell guests where the reception will be held after the ceremony. These are usually mailed along with the invitation, designating the location and time of the reception.

Reply Cards

Often sent with formal invitations. These provide a space for the guests' names and a place for formally writing their response. A return address is printed on the envelope and the sender includes postage.

Response Card

Mailed with formal invitations as a convenience to your guests. This card is different from a reply card because it allows guests to simply fill in their name and the amount of guests that will or will not be attending. The card is returned to you or the host in a self-addressed envelope included with the card. Typically, the sender provides the postage. Guests should be asked to respond two to four weeks prior to the engagement. This will provide you with enough time to contact the guests who have not responded and to get a final head count for your caterer.

Return Address

Printed on the back flap of an envelope. Traditionally, return addresses include the street address, city and state with no abbreviations.

RSVP

Means, "The favor of your reply is requested".

Save the Date Cards

Sent to out of town guest who might need advanced notification of an event in order to allow ample time to make any special arrangements. These are generally sent three to four months before an event.

Thank you card

Can be pre-printed with "Thank You" on the outside, as well as with the sender's name or monogram. The inside is reserved for a written expression of gratitude for a gift received, for dinner, or for any small favor.

Thermography

A modern process using ink and a powder resin combined with heat to produce a raised lettering similar in feeling to engraving. Often, thermography is used as a less expensive alternative to engraving on formal invitations, but it is also an appropriate choice for informal invitations and everyday stationery items.

Translucent -- (also known as Vellum)

Smooth transparent paper; used for printing invitations or as an overlay on patterned or decorative paper.

Vellum -- (also known as Translucent)

Smooth transparent paper; used for printing invitations or as an overlay on patterned or decorative paper.

Wedding Announcements -- (also known as marriage announcements)

Used to announce a marriage, sent after the ceremony to family, friends and business associates who were not invited to the wedding ceremony.

Wedding Program

A printed booklet designed to help guests understand the plan of a formal ceremony. It may also provide the explanation of any special rites that are unfamiliar to people of a different religion. Programs can also be used to pay tribute to special people in your lives. "Within the Ribbon" cards-used to inform the ushers that guests should be seated in a designated section identified with a ribbon. Also known as pew cards.