Wedding invitations are usually the first formal correspondence guests will receive from you and your fiancee. You want this to be a reflection of your wedding – either in theme, colors or formality. The invitation shown above is perfect for a black tie wedding, but you may want a more rustic or a branded invitation for a Western themed wedding. Invitations can be designed by a local printer, an online designer, or you can do it yourself! If you are a bride on a budget, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars by purchasing a do-it-yourself invitation kit and printing them from home. I don’t consider myself to be very creative, but even I would feel comfortable making invitations with these simple kits! Each blank invitation includes a pre-printed background – the kit even includes an instruction sheet and a few test printing sheets so you can try a couple different layouts.
When ordering invitations, I suggest you get 10% extra in case of last-minute additions to your guest list. The invitations should be ordered 3-4 months before your wedding (possibly even sooner if you are having a destination wedding). Many couples will include RSVP cards, a map to your ceremony and reception locations, and a list of hotels for out of town guests. To ensure that no invitations are returned due to insufficient postage, take a completed invitation to the post office and have it weighed so you know how much postage is necessary. You can even design your own custom stamps at a website like zazzle.com – this is one of my favorite unique wedding ideas!
Many guests will send their invitations 6-8 weeks before their wedding date, and list a “return by” date on their RSVP’s no later than two weeks prior to the wedding date. Keep in mind that some caterers will want more than 2 weeks notice to have a final head count, so check with them before deciding on a “return by” date. If you are having a destination wedding, send the invitations 10-12 weeks before the big day so guests can make the appropriate travel arrangements and request time off.
You may want to enlist the help of your bridesmaids or a professional calligrapher to address the invitations. You want them to look beautiful and you don’t want to rush through them, so plan a day (or week-end) where you can get everything done at one time. If hiring a calligrapher, you should give them the invitations at least 2 weeks before you want to send them out.
I heard a great tip regarding RSVP’s from one of my co-workers – assign each guest a number and lightly write that number on the back of their RSVP card. When you receive the RSVP back from that guest, check their name off on your invitation list. That way you will know exactly who to contact if they haven’t responded by the date you need them to.
With so many beautiful wedding invitation choices, make sure the invitation you choose reflects your personal style and/or your wedding theme. Look at many different sample invitations online or in a store before deciding on the one that will announce one of the most important days of your life. Happy Shopping!
