As you start to plan your wedding, creating invitations is probably near the top of your list. After all, they communicate vital details as well as the intended mood and tone for your nuptials. Putting your best face forward is important, but not just because you want your guests to know what to expect. Observing some smart advice for your invites can help you steer clear of confusing your guests or sending the wrong message.
How To Include Vital Information
Your invites can match your wedding’s style and theme, but they’re meant to do more than just look pretty. Writer Alex Reardon breaks down some basic details that must be mentioned on your wedding invitations in a January 2017 Wedding Wire article:
- The time, date, and location
- The names of your hosts
- Dress code
- Your RSVP deadline
- Reception information
- A return address for your RVSP cards
A Practical Wedding’s Meg Keene explains the order in which each piece of information should appear. Generally, the hosts’ names should come first, followed by an invitation line, the names of the couple and a one-liner about the celebration. The time, date, and location should come next, and the invitation should close with some language about your afterparty. Meanwhile, Keene offers several traditional and informal examples of invitation wording and mentions a few alternatives you can use in case you and your partner are hosting:
- Omit the host line entirely.
- Begin with a generic sentence like, “Together with their families.”
- Start with the invitation line. You could use wording such as, “The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of,” followed by your names.
- Begin the invitation with other types of language. Some possibilities include, “With great joy,” or, “Because you have shared in their lives and supported their love.”
Since you’ll need to communicate a great deal of information to your guests, your mailing may consist of multiple cards and envelopes. While some details can fit on the invitation card itself, a Martha Stewart Weddings guide mentions several other enclosures you can add:
- RSVP cards
- Reception cards, especially if your afterparty isn’t at the ceremony venue
- A wedding website URL card
- Inserts to explain complex dress code details
- Information on hotels, transportation, and local attractions
Steer Clear of These Common Errors
Just as there are plenty of good practices to follow for your wedding invites, a few major blunders can cause problems for you and your attendees. You can avoid confounding and annoying your guests by keeping a few crucial pointers from a January 2017 Brides article in mind:
- Do not mention your registry on your invitations. Brides contributor Jaimie Mackey recommends relying on word-of-mouth or listing the particulars on your wedding website.
- Don’t list a start time that’s earlier than your real one. Most guests will know to arrive early for your ceremony.
- Make sure you don’t forget to add postage to your RSVP envelopes.
Remember that the names on the front of the inner envelope should accurately reflect who you’re inviting. For example, addressing an invite to “The Washington Family” could cause unintended ambiguity whereas printing “Dr. Kimberly and Ms. Cecilia Washington” followed by “Marcus, Jacob, and Deon” on the next line clearly indicates that you welcome the adult couple and their children. The Knot’s Amanda Black provides more tips for addressing your invitation envelopes. Finally, don’t send invites to people who’ve already told you that they cannot attend.
Good Manners Begin With Your Invitations
Like any other nuptial custom, wedding invitations have also changed with the times. Even so, there are best practices that guide the composition of their language and the right times to send them. Following these should help you convey critical information while extending a warm welcome to your guests.
Add Your Comment