Selecting, designing, and sending out wedding invitations can be daunting. Wedding invites are more than just tradition, though. They’re necessary. After all, wedding invitations provide your guests with all the information they need regarding your big day. You will need information back from your invitees as well, though. Wedding invites with RSVP cards are a convenient way to gather all the information you will need for vendors and venues.
Selecting Your Invitations
Your wedding invitations should reflect who you are as a couple. Consider whether you want to convey a casual or formal vibe in your invitations and align this with what the style of your ceremony will be. Your invitations are a great chance to set the tone for the wedding and they let your guests know what to expect. Try using your venue as inspiration.
Don’t be afraid to get creative when picking and designing your invites. Wedding invites are available in a huge variety of colors and styles, whether you favor something traditional or something trendy. Photo invitations that have engagement photos of the couple-to-be are a popular choice. Wedding invitation sets are a great option because they include all the wedding stationery you need, such as save the dates, invitations, enclosure cards, menus, thank you cards, and more. Electing to go with a set can truly simplify the wedding process.
The Invitation
Your wedding invites should list all key details about your big day. While your wedding website can list additional information guests might want to know, the invite serves as a physical reminder of your wedding and needs to have the information your guests absolutely need. It is easy to overlook a small detail, so be sure that your wedding invitations list all of the following before sending them out:
- The hosts
- The names of the couple
- A request to attend the wedding
- Date
- Time
- The Location
- Dress code
- Reception information
- Wedding website address
If your reception does not immediately follow your ceremony, indicate the time and location of the reception. Some couples opt to indicate whether there will be an open or cash bar on their invites, but this is not necessary. This information can be included on your wedding website, along with your registry and other extra details. Listing your wedding website on your invites takes up very little space and provides your invitees with a place to find out more about you both as a couple and your special day. Be sure to order a printed sample of your invitations to make sure everything is exactly as you want it before placing the final order.
The RSVP Card
Your wedding invites will supply your guests with all the information they need. Including a response card with your wedding invitations is a great way to get all the information you need from your guests. Be sure to send a pre-addressed envelope and stamp for the convenience of the recipient. The following should be on the RSVP card included with your wedding invitations:
- An RSVP deadline (at least a month before your wedding date, two months if you are having a destination wedding)
- A place to mark whether invited guests will be attending
- A place to mark dinner choice if applicable
- Space to write the names of those attending
- Space to write any dietary restrictions
- Space for song requests (optional)
Some of your invitees will want to write their good wishes on the response cards, so be sure to include plenty of space. It is becoming increasingly common to ask for song requests on RSVPs. Guests will be excited to hear their song requests and will feel included in your big day.
When to Send Your Invitations
Sending out save the date cards to your guests six months to a year in advance is a great way to put your wedding on their radar (and their calendar). Recipients of saving the dates will be anticipating your invites so it takes some stress out of the process.
When it comes to the wedding invitations, you should aim to send them out between six to eight weeks before the wedding. If you elected not to send out save the dates, then you will want to send them out a little earlier. If you are planning to have a destination wedding, your invites should be sent out at least three months before the big day to give your guests time to arrange and accommodate travel.
Following Up
In a perfect world, all of your guests would send their RSVPs back by your deadline. If your invitees have not responded by the deadline, a phone call is a quick and easy way to find out if they are able to come. Once you have the numbers finalized you can let your vendors and the venue know what to expect and begin counting down to your big day.
