Wedding Invitations 101: Everything You Need to Know and More
Ding. Ding. Ding.
One text after another. Each with a similar message.
“Ahhh look what we got in the mail today! It’s so pretty! Can’t wait for the big day!”
The wedding invitation is the heavily anticipated first step toward a day full of celebration. And while guests may assume it’s on the way, there’s something invigorating about receiving a crisp wedding invitation in the mail.
The color choices in the invitation suite are soft and unique.
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
Maybe it’s the excitement that two people you love will be getting married. Maybe it’s looking forward to a much needed night out with your own love.
Either way, it’s an invite to a guaranteed good time perfectly placed in a wax sealed envelope.
When it comes to wedding invitations, there are endless options. Some couples prefer a simple invitation suite. While some take it as an opportunity to set the tone for their entire wedding.
With so many design choices and companies available, it can be difficult to make all of the decisions necessary when it comes to invitations.
We break down what you need to know when selecting the first step toward your big day.
PRINTING COMPANIES, GRAPHIC ARTISTS, ONLINE OPTIONS GALORE
Simply deciding WHO you want to use for your invitations can be overwhelming for couples.
Traditionally, couples hire a graphic artist or printing company to create and print invitations and stationary.
Now, with so many online printing companies, there are nearly too many choices for couples when it comes to invitations, and many find themselves in a constant state of ANALYSIS PARALYSIS which is basically the kiss of death when it comes to wedding planning.
I digress.
Let’s go back to graphic artists. When working with a wedding planner, like myself, you are granted access to a professional graphic artist (whose name shall remain sealed in my bag of planner tricks).
There are tons of benefits to working with a professional graphic artist or private invitation maker. Most importantly, they are THE BEST at all things wedding stationery.
They live, eat, and breathe wedding stationary.
That means that not only will they design stunning invitations for you, but they’ll also design matching save the dates, menus, programs, favor tags, thank you cards, place cards, napkins, signage, and anything else you (and your planner) dream up for your wedding day.
They can even make you a custom monogram.
This invitation suite and stationary was a team effort put together by Party 411, Carlson Craft, and Sterling Event Services along with the groom himself who wanted a metal invitation to match his metal business cards.
Bonus! You’d be supporting a local business, and who can argue with that??
Most importantly, when working with a real person on your invitation and stationary, you will have HELP. You will have a person who can create a custom look for your wedding that is specific to your color scheme, style, and personality.
And if you have a difficult time making decisions or even coming up with ideas, you’ll have a professional to give you options and design something custom. That type of personal, customer service is the missing piece when it comes to an online printing company.
However, (and seriously no judgment) maybe you prefer researching various companies and designs online. There are plenty of online companies available to choose from, and there is nothing wrong with going this route.
You will still receive a beautiful product, and this can be a more cost effective option if invitations are just not at the top of your budget priority list.
Minted is a popular online printing company, and *SURPRISE* when working with me, you receive a code to save money on your Minted order.
INVITATION SUITE
A black envelope creates a classic, bold design moment.
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
The contents of an invitation suite depend on the specifics of your wedding and the budget set aside for invitations. I recommend couples set aside at least 3.5% of the budget for invitations.
The basic invitation suite includes an invitation with wedding details, an RSVP card, and an RSVP envelope.
Beyond that, your graphic artist or stationer will need to know:
Do you have a lot of out of town guests?
Is it a destination wedding?
Is your reception at the same location as the ceremony?
Is it a sit down dinner with menu options?
Are you having a welcome party, brunch the following day, or both?
The answers to these questions and more will serve as a way to decide what additional cards will actually be inside the invitation suite including:
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
Menu options on RSVP card
Reception Card
Accommodations card
Welcome party info
Day After Brunch invite
Depending on what you need to include in your invitation suite, the graphic artist will offer various styles that are available to ensure that all of the cards are placed beautifully within the envelope, so when it arrives at your guest’s house, they are WOWED.
Most often invitation suites are tied together with a ribbon or placed in a vellum jacket within the envelope.
BOLD OPTIONS FOR MAX IMPACT
A vellum jacket with a pretty ribbon brings this whole floral invitation together.
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
Wedding invitations have come a long way over the years, and couples have become more creative with their choices.
While a cream, ivory, or white invitation and envelope with script font was the standard for years, couples are now choosing different colors and styles for a bigger WOW moment.
So, if you really want to set the tone for your wedding (pushing all thoughts of budget aside), think outside the box - figuratively - but literally, you might use a box.
ACRYLIC
A gorgeous acrylic invitation makes a huge statement.
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
One of the trends in invitations is the use of acrylic. This requires a stationer or company to laser cut the invitation details into a clear acrylic rectangle. It’s AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL. This type of invitation can be placed in an envelope, but a slim invitation box to hold the entire suite would make a much bigger impact.
LASER CUT DESIGNS
Laser cut jackets can be used in lieu of a vellum jacket to hold the invitation suite together. The design you choose can be anything from your monogram, to your favorite flower, to the venue you’re holding the reception.
Basically, if you have a photo of it, it can be laser cut, so the options are endless.
This laser cut design of the Cleveland cityscape coupled with the custom envelope is top notch. Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio.
HAND DELIVERED BOXED INVITATION
Now THIS will make a BIG impact. Imagine each of your guests having a boxed up invitation HAND DELIVERED to their houses. Talk about setting the tone for the most epic wedding they’ll ever experience.
RULES OF TIMING
With so many things to remember, adding WHEN to mail out Save the Dates and Invitations to your to-do list is of the utmost importance.
As a general rule of thumb, couples should aim to mail out Save the Dates around 8-12 months ahead of the wedding day. If you have a large amount of out of town guests, aim to be closer to the 12 month mark to allow them time to make travel and work arrangements.
Formal invitations need to be mailed out 8-10 weeks prior to the wedding day.
Request response cards to be returned at least two weeks prior to the wedding day to allow time to track down missing RSVPs so you are able to give the caterer and venue a final guest count.
ADDITIONAL TIPS AND TRICKS
A custom map of the grounds of your venue or the town creates a unique and beautiful touch.
Brittney Lickert Owner and Personal Design Consultant of Brittney Nichole Designs in Northeast Ohio
Number the back of each RSVP and have a guest list with a corresponding number so if someone forgets to write their name on the RSVP, you’ll know who the response belongs to.
Have the post office hand stamp the envelopes.
The cost of postage can be anywhere form $1.80 to $3.00+ depending on the weight of your invitation suite.
Have the printer or stationer address the invitations for you. It will create a cohesive, professional look, and it will save you the hassle.
A wax seal creates a classic, finished product.
If you are unsure about your guest list, hold off on Save the Dates. Only send them if you are SURE about your list. Once a person receives the Save the Date, they will expect a formal invitation.
If you are having a wedding at a location where a map would be helpful to guests, your designer can create a beautiful (and useful) map that matches your invitation. It’s so unique and pretty!
Bring your invitation suite on the day of your wedding so that your photographer can take pictures of it. You’ll thank me later.
While invitations don’t need to be complicated, they are the very first glimpse into your wedding day for guests. So give it some thought.
How do you want your guests to FEEL when they receive your invitation?
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