In an electronic world, it can be hard to figure out all the etiquette that should be associated with your wedding invitations. It’s essential to have well worded invitations and to be organized during the process of invites, but where do you start? Sweet Blossom Weddings put together the 10 most important invitation tips that you need to know to make sure your wedding invites aren’t missing any important details.

1. Send the Save the Dates Right Away

It is never to early to send out your Save the Dates! Even if you are a year out, it is still good to send them out so that all the people closest to you can start planning the logistics to be at your wedding.

2. Send Out Your Invite 3 Months Before Your Wedding

Three months gives your guests plenty of time to accommodate to their schedules and book flights, hotels and transportation in advance. It also gives you the opportunity to start working on your guest list early so you aren’t rushed to put it together.

3. Order Extra Invites

It’s always a good idea to have extra invites on stand by. It’s expensive to print more invites after the initial first time printing.  Have enough invites for your guest list,  and 25 extra just in case you need to resend an invite. Also, note that you will want to keep a few for yourself. The photographer usually takes pictures of your invites on your wedding day so bring one with you to the wedding and leave one at home for your scrap book.

Photo by: Bryan Miller Photography

4. Check With The Post Office To See How Much Postage Will Be

The price to mail your invite can widely vary. Wedding invitations sometimes weigh more than the standard postage weight. Make sure you weigh your invite to see if it is going to require more than a normal postage to send out.

5. Postage RSVP Cards

Having the RSVP envelope ready to roll is the best way to go! You will have a better and quicker RSVP time by putting a stamp on all your RSVP cards that is already addressed to your home address.

6. Put the Actual Start Time

It’s understandable to want to put the wedding ceremony start time 30 minutes before the actual start time to ensure all your guests are there on time. However, this can be problematic to ceremony set up and can leave the early bird guests upset. You will always have the guests that show up 30 minutes early, so if your invite is 30 minutes before the actual ceremony you will have some guests lingering around an hour before the wedding. This can be ok if there are things for the guest to do ( Photo Booth, games, sign in table). Also make sure there is water and some light snacks if you decide to go the early route. Most people know the wedding etiquette of showing up before the ceremony start time and will be respectful, so you are better off putting the actual ceremony start time on your invite.

7. Tell Your Guests to RSVP 6 Weeks Out From Your Wedding Day

Telling your guests to RSVP six weeks out will give you enough time to make seating charts and finalize guest counts for your venue and catering staff.

8. Still Send an Invite Even if You Know Someone Can’t Attend

After you send out your Save the Date’s you will be informed of all the guests that won’t be able to attend. Proper etiquette is to still send out an invite, to make sure they know they are still included and that you didn’t forget about them.

Photo by: Ashley Williams Photography

9. Number on the back

When mailing out your invitations, make sure to write a number really small on the back of each RSVP response card that corresponds with each guest. This way, if someone forgets to write they name on the card or if you can’t read their writing, then you will know who has responded. This will keep you extra organized so that if you are missingnumber, you will know who to call to see if they can come to your wedding.

Photo Credit: Evelyn Clark Weddings

10. Have Your Guests Initial their Entree Selection

Write on your invite to “Please Initial next to the Entree they want” I.E (Steak, chicken, fish, vegetarian). This will keep you organized in knowing what each guest is having. Once you get your RSVP be back and document what each guest is having it will be easy to make sure there are no mistakes on what each guest is getting. Your wedding planner and catering crew will appreciate the organization of this!

Example:

The favor of reply is requested by
(6 weeks out from wedding date)

Name(s)_________________

___ Yes, Can’t Wait ___ With regrets

Please initial next to your meal choice
__meat __fish __vegetarian

Photo By: Walking Eagle Photography

You are officially set up for success if you follow these 10 invitation tips! And remember, you don’t have to lick all your envelopes. The most efficient way is using a wet sponge or glue stick.

XOXO

Sweet Blossom Weddings

SaveSave

SaveSave