Congratulations! You're a resident of New Jersey and you're finally able to form a civil union. You have chosen your officiant, you have chosen your ceremony location and reception site, now it's time to invite your guests to witness your commitment. You're probably wondering, how do we word our invitations? Well, here's a simple guide to help you:

1. The first line should be the full or formal name of the individuals who are sponsoring your celebration. Most likely you are sponsoring your own wedding, however, keep in mind that anyone can be a sponsor (friends, parents, or even adult children).

2. Following the sponsors is the phrase "request the honor of your presence" for a service that is held at a church or another house of worship. The variation "request the pleasure of your company" is used for a wedding held in any other location.

3. Make sure all phrasing is in the third person.

4. Do not abbreviate; spell out full names or leave it out. For example: use "Mary Jane Smith" rather than "Mary J. Smith".

5. If Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both doctors, you may refer to them as "The Doctors Smith"

6. Always spell out the days, dates, and times.

7. Only capitalize proper nouns. (Names of people and places, cities, etc.)

8. It is socially incorrect to write "No Children Please" on your invitations.

9. It also socially incorrect to mention "Monetary Gifts Preferred" or any other gifts.

10. You should mail your invitations within 6 to 8 weeks of your wedding day. Also, visit your local post office to weigh at least one invitation to have an insight of how much mailing will cost.

11. In order to figure out how many invitations to order, simple give 1 invite per couple or per household. It's also a good idea to order an additional 20 to 25 for last minute guests and/or keepsakes.

12. Never say "Please R.S.V.P." since "R.S.V.P" means Respond Please.

13. Once you have your invitation prepared, if your budget allows it, consider hiring a calligrapher to address your invitations and/or thank you cards.