So you are currently on your wedding planning journey, you have selected a venue, date, and said yes to the dress. Now you hit a speed bump. How are going to get all of the information to your guest list? It is time to start thinking about your wedding stationery and invitation. There are so many details, how much is too much information to include? Here is a little help in crafting the perfect wedding invitation.
First thing’s first, and that is your save-the-date. The purpose of this piece is to inform your guest on your wedding date and general location with plenty of advance notice. Save-the-dates are typically mailed six to eight months before the wedding date. Check back soon for our tips and ideas dedicated to save-the-dates.
Your wedding invitation is a great way to express the style of your wedding. It is not recommended to have neon orange invitations designed if your wedding colors include pastel pink. Stick with a matching style to compliment your wedding day details. If you’re settled on a classic formal style, make that expressed in your invitations by choosing a design that coordinates.
When it comes to content, it is all about answering questions.
Who is Hosting?
Who is inviting your guests (who is paying)? You will also want this statement to include the request for attendance. Start with something like
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Smith and Mr. & Mrs. John Doe invite you to the marriage of their children
If you (the couple) are throwing the wedding yourselves try something like
Please join us in the celebration of our marriage, Johnny & June
When
Now if you have already issued a save-the-date, your guests will already know this part. There are so many ways to display a date on your invite, and it is really up to your design and wedding theme to dictate.
The Eighth of June, Two Thousand and Nineteen
at Two-O’Clock in the Afternoon
6.8.19
2:00 PM
Both of these are popular options to choose from, work with your designer to come up with the best solution for you.
Where
Next, we will inform your guests of the venue(s) and locations. The ceremony location will be first, i.e.
Stambaugh Auditorium
1000 Fifth Avenue
Youngstown, Ohio 44504
Now, where is the reception? This can be stated in several different ways. Is your reception at the same location as the ceremony? You can simply say
Reception to follow
or
Dinner and Dancing to follow
If your reception is at a different location, you can choose wording such as
Formal Reception to Follow at
Stambaugh Auditorium
1000 Fifth Avenue.
Youngstown, Ohio
Will there be extra time in between the ceremony and reception? You can either state the reception starting time
Reception to Follow at 5:00 PM
Venue Name
Venue Address Line 1
Venue Address Line 2
Do you plan to have a cocktail hour before the reception to buy some time for photos?
Cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres at 5:00 PM
Dinner and Dancing to follow
Venue Name
Venue Address Line 1
Venue Address Line 2
Included in the wedding invitation set, guests should receive an RSVP card to complete and return. The RSVP should request a response and designate a date that the guest should do so by. Next, you will need space for the recipient to write their names. This is usually done by starting the line with an M followed by space to write.
M_________________________
Now it is time for your guest to decide if they are or are not able to attend. Add two checkboxes, word as simply as
___ Accepts with Pleasure
___ Regretfully Declines
or you can get creative and use something like
___Yes, the party don’t start ’til I walk in!
___No, party on without me
In circumstances where you need your guests to choose their dinner (you are not having a buffet dinner), you will need to have an entrée preference space. Lastly, you will provide an envelope that is addressed back to you. Don’t forget a stamp! You don’t want your guests to have to pay to respond to you.
Sometimes it is necessary to provide extra information to your guests. A simple and effective way of doing so is to include an information card. This card can cover accommodation info such as a hotel block, or provide additional space to provide reception details. Other things you could add to this card can describe attire, directions, a map, itinerary, or a wedding website. By designating a wedding website, you can direct your guests to a place with endless information. Want to learn more about wedding websites? Check out our tips on how to make them work for you.
Planning a wedding can be very stressful and busy, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself when it comes to design and exicution. A professional invitation designer will also be able to help with word choices and style choices. Stambaugh Auditorium offers wedding design services such as invitation sets and more. Give us a call at 330-747-5175 to find out more.
