– When should wedding invitations be ordered?
Invitations should be ordered when all of the details of the ceremony and reception have been confirmed. Information such as the date, time and place of your service and reception as well as an accurate guest list are needed when placing your invitation order. If you can, order at least three months before the wedding.
– Other than friends, the groom’s family and my family, who should receive wedding invitations?
Send invitations to the members of the wedding party and their parents. It is also appropriate to include the officiant and his/her spouse. All children over the age of sixteen should receive their own invitation.
Plan to order an additional twenty-five invitations to allow for the unexpected. It is less expensive to buy extras now.
– When should wedding invitations be mailed?
Invitations should be mailed out approximately 6-8 weeks before the ceremony.
– Should I have a return address printed on the back flap of the invitation’s outer envelope?
Yes! The U.S. Postal Service requires that all first-class mail have a return address. It gives the wedding guest an address to which to send a reply (if you don’t use reply cards) or a gift. Also, it ensures that you will know if the invitation does not reach its destination as it will be returned to the sender. It’s not that expensive and looks so much classier than using labels or even doing it by hand.
– Are the invitation envelopes addressed formally?
Yes, abbreviations should not be used except for Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.
– Is it correct to use “and family” on invitation envelopes?
No, separate invitations should be send to adult family members living under the same roof, whenever possible. For small children, address the outer envelope to their parents and write their first names on the inner envelope under their parent’s names.
– What is the purpose of the tissue included with my invitation order?
In the past, tissues were used to guard against ink smears. Today’s printing methods insure ink is dry before invitations leave the printing plant, so the tissues are no longer necessary. However, many continue to use the tissue as part of their wedding ensemble for aesthetic reasons and for the sake of tradition.
Here are a couple of great tips!
Tip #1– You would be surprised how many people return a response card without writing their name on them. If you number your guest list, and then number the response cards somewhere inconspicuously (on the back or inside if they are folded) in pencil with the numbers that correspond to your guest list. If you receive back an RSVP that is blank, you will know exactly who it is from by cross referencing the number to your guest list.
Tip #2– When assembling all your insertions with your invitations, be sure before you begin that every stack has the exact same count. For instance if you are starting with a stack of 100 invitations, make sure that you have a stack of 100 of everything else (tissue paper, reception card, maps, response cards/envelopes). Start assembling your invitations one at a time, but do not seal the outer envelope yet! After you are finished, make sure that your counts are still even. if you have 4 invitations left, make sure that you only have 4 of everything else left. This is why you don’t seal the envelopes– if your totals are not the same, and then you can check the invitations to see which one is either missing an insertion or has an extra one and still correct it. Once everything is correct you can seal your envelopes!
– Are any special arrangements made for out-of-town guests?
It is a good idea to send a “save-the-date-card” to your out-of-town guests. This card is usually sent three to four months before the wedding.
– Is it acceptable to send gift registry cards with the invitation?
It is not proper to include with your wedding invitation any card that mentions gifts you expect to receive. Let friends and family spread the word on where you are registered.
– What are considered traditional invitations?
Traditional invitations are white, ivory or ecru with a panel or without a panel. Traditional invitations can be thermographed or engraved. Thermographed (raised printed invitations are less expensive and imitate the look of engraving.
– May guests be invited to a reception and not to the wedding itself?
Yes, if the wedding service is attended only by relatives and close friends.
– Are wedding announcements ever sent to anyone who’s been invited to the ceremony or reception?
No, wedding announcements are only sent to those people who were not invited to the ceremony or reception.
– When should announcements be mailed?
Announcements should be mailed a day or two after the wedding.
– What date should I put on my RSVP cards as a response date?
The best rule of thumb, is to take the date your caterer needs the final count by and add a week to 10 days to that. This usually takes you 2-3 weeks out from the wedding. It’s best not to exceed 4 weeks. You will find that some of your guests will not respond, or they will be late. This is why you will need a few days to follow up with an email or phone call to get a final count.
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