The form of the invitation depends a great deal upon the
character of the function to which one wishes to invite the
guests to whom one issues the invitation. Or, to put it more
simply, invitations differ according to the nature of the party
to which one invites the guests. In other words, when issuing
invitations to invited guests one must have due regard for the
fact that these invitations vary with the various types of
entertainments for which one issues the invitations. That is to
say, one would obviously not send out the same form of invitation
to a wedding as to a dinner party, and vice versa. This is an
iron-clad rule in polite society.
For example, a gentleman and lady named Mr. and Mrs. Weems,
respectively, living at 1063 Railroad Ave., wishing to invite a
gentleman named Mr. Cleek to dinner, would send him the following
engraved invitation:
MR. AND MRS. LIONEL THONG WEEMS
_request the pleasure of_
MR. WALLACE TILFORD CLEEK’S
_company at dinner
on Tuesday January the tenth
at half after seven o’clock_
1063 Railroad Avenue.
This invitation would of course be worded differently for
different circumstances, such as, for example, if the name of the
people giving the party wasn’t Weems or if they didn’t live at
1063 Railroad Ave., or if they didn’t have any intention of
giving a dinner party on that particular evening.
Many prospective hostesses prefer to send written notes instead
of the engraved invitation, especially if the dinner is to be
fairly informal. This sort of invitation should, however, be
extremely simple. I think that most well-informed hostesses would
agree that the following is too verbose:
DEAR MR. BURPEE.
It would give us great pleasure if you would dine with us on Monday
next at seven-thirty. By the way, did you know that Mr. Sheldon died
yesterday of pneumonia? Cordially, ESTELLE G. BESSERABO.
For receptions in honor of noted guests, word the invitation in
this manner:
MR. AND MRS. CORNELIUS VANDERBILT
_request the pleasure of your company
on Friday evening February sixth
from nine to twelve_
AT DELMONICO’S
to meet Asst. Fire-Chief CHARLEY SCHMIDT and
Mrs. SCHMIDT
Invitations to graduating exercises are worded thus:
THE SENIOR CLASS
of the
SOUTH ROCHESTER FEMALE DENTAL INSTITUTE
requests the honor of your presence at the
Commencement Exercises
_on Tuesday evening, June the fifth
at eight o’clock_
MASONIC OPERA HOUSE
_“That Six” Orchestra._