What’s in a wedding invitation ensemble? There are several different pieces; each important, each with it’s own purpose. I’ll explain each piece- here you go:
- Ever heard of corner copy? Corner copy is a great place for quick bits of information, such as “reception following ceremony,” if they’re in the same location. You can also use corner copy for “no gifts please” or a note about attire.
- Did you know one of the most common mistakes found on wedding invitations is missing information like the time, date, ceremony location or reception location? Check your invitation carefully, and then have at least two other people check it.
- Send your wedding invitations 4-8 weeks before the wedding date.
- Couples should always include a stamp on response cards for the guests’ convenience.
- Be considerate of older generations. If you’re using an online response service, be sure to send actual response cards to wedding guests who either don’t have access to a computer or are not comfortable with using an online service.
- Number the names on your guest list, and then write that number on the back of the corresponding response card. You can then look up responses by the number listed just in case you can’t read the handwriting or someone forgets to include his/her name.
- If the wedding invitation has enough room, the reception information may fit nicely toward the bottom of your invitation (saving you money for direction cards and accommodation cards).
- If you are hosting a reception before 1 p.m., the first line should say “Breakfast Reception.” Anything after 1 p.m. is just “Reception.” Do you want to indicate a sit-down meal? The first line should read “Dinner Reception.”
- Proper etiquette does not advise mentioning “Adult Only Reception” anywhere in your invitation ensemble. This information should be spread by word of mouth and indicated by what names are written on the invitation envelope. If you feel the need to mention it somewhere in your invitation ensemble, the reception card is the best place to do it by adding “Adult Only Reception” as the last line.
- Carefully consider the font you use on your direction cards. It’s important to make sure the font is easy to read for all of your guests.
- Remember to mention venue addresses and directions on your wedding website also.
- Be sure to send accommodations cards to out-of-town guests. This means you do not have to include an accommodations card with every wedding invitation, just the guests you think will need it.
- Including a deadline for making reservations on your accommodations card is optional but helpful. Rooms can book up fast, so it’s nice to give your guests a date to shoot for.
- If you are paying for the rooms, be sure to clearly indicate that on the accommodations cards.
Inner Envelopes
- The name of each wedding guest should be written on the inner envelope to indicate exactly who is (and isn’t) invited to the wedding. For example, if children aren’t invited to the wedding, only the names of the parents would appear on the inner envelope.
- Insert the inner envelop into the outer envelope so that the guest’s name is visible when the invitation is opened.
Outer Envelopes
- Envelope moisteners are lifesavers when assembling hundreds of wedding invitations!
- You don’t have to address all of your wedding invitation envelopes by hand. Many wedding invitation printers, Invitations by Dawn included, provide an envelope addressing service.
