Sending out your beautiful wedding invitations is one of the first things every couple thinks about when preparing for their wedding. After all, people have to know you’re finally walking down the aisle, right?
A wedding invite gives your guests crucial information like the date and time of your big event. While you can get creative and customize your invitation design, there are certain “rules” if you will, that you need to keep in mind. .
We’ve come up with some of the most basic but important questions every bride/groom asks when they’re trying to come up with their wedding invitation.
Q: When should you send out your wedding invites?
Okay, first thing’s first, don’t wait until the last minute to hand out your invitations. Sending an invitation 6 to 8 weeks before your wedding is a good practice. This will give guests time to schedule travel for your wedding especially if they don’t live in the same town as you. For destination weddings, be thoughtful of your guests and give them at least 3 months to prepare.
Q: What’s the usual deadline for RSVPs?
A good rule of thumb is to make RSVP dates at least 2-3 weeks before the actual wedding date. RSVPs are important because they give you a final head count for the caterer and of course, seating arrangements. Have difficulty getting guests to respond? Give them a call or message and ask for their response so your information is complete.
Q: Can we add registry information on save-the-dates or the wedding invitation?
For most people, this is a big no-no. Adding your registry information on your invite or save-the-date can be taken as impolite. The best place to put your wedding registry is on your wedding website. Sometimes, certain registry sites can let you add links to all the registries you’ve chosen. Sending the info to close friends and family and letting them fill in the other guests can also help.
Q: Where to put your wedding website information?
The best place to add your wedding website is on your save-the-date, not on your invitations. You can also add the website address on a small card together with your invite. Just a small note informing guests that they can head online for more information.
Q: We like kids, but we’d rather not have them at our wedding, how do we tell our guests this?
First, make sure your invites are addressed specifically to those invited. Usually, they will get it’s just them that are invited. In case they reply or RSVP with kids added, you can call or message explaining it’s an “adults-only” wedding and hope they can still come. In case you want to be thoughtful, you can always hire a sitter (although this isn’t necessary) for the kids that will attend. Add the information to your wedding website too.
- Can we let people know there’s a dress code on the invitation?
Yes, you can! In fact, just place “Black Tie” or “Cocktail Attire” on the bottom right-hand corner of your wedding invitation. The type of wedding invitation you have will also signal what kind of event or dress code the wedding will require so keep this in mind when creating your custom wedding invitations. Also make sure to add this information to your wedding website or page.
Q: Is it okay to invite guests solo and not count a date with them?
Yes, this is fine but take into consideration your single friends or family. If you feel you would rather invite them solo, it’s acceptable to do so, especially if you only intend to have a small, intimate wedding. If a guest replies for two people, you can call them and explain you can only accommodate the main guest. But, if you realize your family or friends are single and know they’re dating someone serious, it might be more considerate to extend a plus-one to them.
Q: Where to place the return address on your wedding invite?
Return addresses should be placed at the back flap of the envelope. And very important: the address should have the name of the person you assigned to receive the RSVP cards. This can be your parents or you. The RSVP envelope should have this address printed on it and the postage paid for and included.
Q: We can’t accommodate every guest on the wedding reception because we want it to be only family, is it okay to invite guests to just the ceremony?
It’s a firm no, to be honest. The wedding should be the ceremony plus the reception. Every guest that’s invited should be included for reception. Think about how it comes off to your guests, you want them to come to the ceremony but have no desire to pay for their meal at the reception. It’s tacky and if possible, shouldn’t be done to your guests. After all, these are people you care and love.
Here’s a quick bullet-point recap on what to include in your wedding invitation:
- Your Names
This can also be the attention line. Remember, you’re announcing you’ll be getting hitched (and changing your last name soon) so this will be one of the last times you’ll have your maiden names on any invite.
- Guest Names
It’s best to specify the guests name or their kids. If you know they are bringing a partner, then also name their partner instead of saying “and guest.”
- Your Wedding Date and Time
The most important date of all. While this may be obvious, adding the wedding time can be overlooked in some invites.
- Your Venue
Aside from the date and time, the venue of the ceremony and reception need to be on the invitation. If it’s a well-known place, you can get by with just mentioning the name. If you need to add directions, add it to the insert card.
- Attire Details
Tack in a simple line for the dress code you require.
- RSVP Details or Requirements
Include the details of your RSVP with the wedding invite. Make it clear that guests need to respond with a “yes” or “no” before the RSVP date deadline. Also, be clear how you want them to reply, via phone, email or through a return card. If the last one, make sure to include an RSVP return envelope with address and postage.
What NOT to include on your Wedding Invitation:
- Don’t add your Registry Information. You can add the wedding website information, and they can find the registry info there. Otherwise, don’t mention the registry and just let it spread by word-of-mouth.
- Don’t say “no gifts.” This line implies you are already expecting guests to bring gifts when what really matters is their presence on your big day. To be safe, just leave out any mention of gifts from your wedding invite.
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