Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and planning, from event décor to guest lists and everything in between, it can be hard to keep on top of each little detail.
Getting organized to order and send out invitations can feel daunting and intimidating. How many invitations should I order? Should I include directions? Do I need a calligrapher? How much time should I allow between my send out date and wedding? There are a lot of things to consider, but if you plan ahead and know the game plan before you start, it will be a lot less painful.
Organize. Organize. Organize.
Organization is the key to a full-proof plan. Know the answers to these questions before you say “I Do” to an invitation order!
- How formal is my wedding?
- What invitation style do I like?
- Do I coordinate the invitation with event décor and color scheme?
- What enclosures do I need to include: response card, reception card, direction card…etc?
- What font do I like?
- How many invitations will I need?
- Do I have all concrete info ready (date, location, address, time…etc)?
- What is my budget? (Keep in mind invitations generally account for 2-5% of your total budget)
All of this should be done about a month before your send out date. Your send out date should be about 6-8 weeks before your actual wedding.
Manners Matter.
It’s true, what mom always said manners, or in this case etiquette, do matter. A poorly executed wedding invitation looks sloppy and shows that you didn’t bother to put in the extra effort.
Outside envelopes should be hand addressed, calligrapher optional, based on your handwriting skills and budget. (If you plan to use a calligrapher, tack on an extra 2-3 weeks minimum before your send out date, also make sure to provide them with a full list of names/addresses/titles)
Make sure proper titles and names are written out fully and not abbreviated. If you aren’t sure of someone’s title make sure to call and double check.
Return addresses are a wee bit different on wedding invitations than regular everyday mail. Your return address (also beautifully hand written or stamped) should be located on the back triangular flap.
In and Out.
One last thing to consider, inner and outer envelopes, do you want both? It isn’t considered necessary or even traditional to have one or two, so it is up to you. Some of the pro’s to including an inner and outer envelope is the assurance that no matter what your guests will receive a pristine invitation regardless of the torture the outer envelope endures.
However if your budget and sanity can only handle preparing one envelope per invitation, it’s ok to opt out of the inner envelope. If you do choose to include an inner envelope, this is generally where children’s names will appear or any guest whose name does not appear on the outer envelope.
Related articles
