It’s probably the most exciting day of your life – the day you get married. At the same time, it’s probably the most stressful, anxious and downright terrifying day of your life. But that’s often what makes the day so special – it’s scary and frightening, yet exciting and thrilling. The thing about a marriage is that it doesn’t just happen overnight. There’s so much planning involved before you finally end up in a church, in the middle of a country vineyard or on a beach in the Caribbean. It all starts with getting the best wedding invitations possible for your special day. Not sure where to start? Well, read this comprehensive guide to find out more!
Don’t leave it too late
One of the most important aspects of designing wedding invitations is starting early. There’s a lot that goes into this process, and even though you might think they aren’t overly important, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise. You want to get the whole process started on the right foot and the best way to do that is to get your wedding invitations sent to your guests as soon as possible.
To put it in perspective, if you plan on having the ceremony in an isolated location or overseas, you need to give your guests more time to plan arrangements. This will include organising travel, accommodation and supervision for their children (if applicable).
Make sure the cards reflect you
You want to give your guests a sense of what type of night to expect. Will it be formal and traditional? Modern? Or more relaxed and casual? Will there be a special theme? These are the things you need to be clarifying in your wedding invitations. It’s also a nice little touch to include a photo of you and your fiancé, however, this isn’t necessary.
Look for ways to save money
At the end of the day, your wedding invitations are a small, but important part of the planning process. You can’t afford to blow your budget on them. As a result, look for ways to save on your printing costs. You might think the savings will be negligible, however, if you are inviting hundreds of people, the costs associated with paper, colours and inks can build up quite quickly.
If you’re inviting everyone in a family to your special day, there is no point in sending them all an individual card. Instead, send one card to the entire family. It’s also worth cutting down on excessive imagery and colours, as this will also inflate your printing costs. It’s important to not overdo your wedding invitations – avoid excessive patterns and images, as they can often detract from the card’s aesthetic.
Keep it simple – less is more
From a basic utilitarian perspective, your wedding invitations are purely informative. Everything else added is merely for aesthetic. At a basic level, you want your cards to be clear, straightforward and easy to understand. Steer clear of unnecessary images and keep all information as concise as possible. RSVP date, dress code, time, date and a location. Those are the things you need at the very least.
If you don’t have enough space to include additional information (like directions), consider creating a Facebook page or an Instagram account to communicate this information to all your guests. Remember that not everyone on your guest list will have Facebook or Instagram, so a follow up letter or a text message might be necessary.
So, it’s clear from this guide that wedding invitations are an important part of the process. Try and start planning as early as possible so your event runs smoothly.