Graduation Announcements

Announcements – How Best to Announce Your Achievements?

Let’s face it, we don’t send out graduation announcements very often. So it stands to reason that most of us have no idea where to start or what to do. But they’re an important part of the graduation process. You want to reach out to faraway relatives and friends to share your achievements. We’re here to help, with announcement guidelines and ideas.

First Step: Name Cards

• You’ll need a name card for each graduation announcement – they’re the proper way to create personalized announcements. • You’ll want to spell out your name in its entirety. Use “Jr. for "Junior", 2nd" or "II" If you’re a second, etc.

Second Step: Announcements

• With each graduation announcement sent, include your name card. If tickets are required, include them as well. • A nice touch is to include a senior picture. • There is an inner envelope which contains the graduation announcement. You can be informal with this, using terms like "Grandpa" or "Uncle Fred." Insert your graduation party invitation or open house card if you are hosting either. You can also mail them separately. • When addressing envelopes, spell words out in their entirety rather than using abbreviations. Address the outer mailing envelope by hand. • Fold the announcement, and place face up in the smaller inner envelope. Do tuck in the inner envelope flap. • Place the inner envelope into the mailing envelope, with both flaps facing the same way. • Get out your pre-printed return address labels and place them carefully on the envelopes. • Sending announcements may make some feel pressured to send gifts. If your main motivation is to spread the news and don’t want people to feel obligated in any way, write "No gifts please" at the bottom. These types of announcements can be sent before or after the event. • Make sure that your announcements arrive at least two weeks prior to graduation day. • If you are sending invites to a graduation party as part of the announcement, mail them via first class mail.

Name and Titles

• Generally, single men should be addressed as "Mr." Single women should be referred to as "Ms." or "Miss" and married women as "Mrs." Don’t assume that all married women go by their husband's last name. If you’re addressing an announcement to a married couple with two different last names, you would write "Mr. Joe Parr and Ms. Jane James." If the couple is married and use the same last name, write "Mr. and Mrs. Joe Parr." • If the woman is a widow and has yet to remarry, use her husband's name, such as "Mrs. Joe Parr." A divorced man should be referred to as "Mr." • It is acceptable to use either "Ms." or "Mrs." when addressing an invitation to a divorced woman.

We sincerely hope that you’ve found this guide to be useful and valuable. Thank you for visiting our website and for your interest in our graduation-related products.

-The Gradshop Team