Wedding Invitations
When it comes time to send out your wedding invitations, there’s a lot to remember. You want to make sure that your invitations are properly addressed and give your guests all of the important information but you also want them to be beautiful pieces of work thatyour guest will not only be happy to receive in the mail but might also want to keep as a memento for years to come. Here are our top tips to make sure that you deliver the very best invites possible!
1. Start thinking about what you want your invitations to look like about 7 or 8 months before the wedding, if you have that much time. Finalize who you will order the invites from 6 months before and order them 3 to 4 months beforehand.
2. The general rule of thumb is to order 25% more than you think you need. If you think you are inviting 100 guests, order 125 so you have some to play with for errors and last-minute invites, as well as one of course to put in your wedding book. Order as many envelopes as you order invites.
3. Get what you need but don’t go overboard. Often when you send an invitation, you’re not only sending an invitation. Although it’s perfectly acceptable to send an invitation alone, it’s also perfectly acceptable to include response cards, menu cards, reception cards, map cards, rain cards, and pew cards. Use all of them if you need to but keep common sense in mind. It’s not practical to send menu cards for a reception that’s a Victorian tea but may be in you’re holding a backyard barbecue with both steak and salmon options.
4. Always keep costs in mind as this is just the beginning of your wedding and you’re going to have many more expenses to cover. Invitations can become extremely pricey and so to save some cash you can order invites that are not overly bulky so you don’t pay extra in postage and include as few extra pieces ofstationery as possible. Also include an email address or a phone number that people can use to RSVP so you don’t need to spend money on return postage.
5. Choosing thermography is another way to cut costs. This type of printing looks much like engraving except that the back of the invite is left shiny and smooth, not imprinted as engraved inviteswould be. Thermography invitations are beautiful and have a lovely effect without the extra cost.
6. Hire a calligrapher to address the invites, as it’s customary to handwrite these instead of printing them. A calligrapher is a nice touch if you have many invites and don’t want your hands to cramp but is an absolute must if your own handwriting is illegible!
7. Keep in mind your guests’ schedules when you send the wedding invitations. While 6 to 8 weeks before the date of the wedding is generally fine to send them, if you’re having a wedding out of town, are expecting a lot of visitors from out of town, or are having it during a really busy time of year (such as Valentine’s Day), be sure to give your guests extra time to change or make their plans.
