It may seem like a minor part of the overall wedding, but wedding invitations are a big deal to your guests. For some they may be the only souvenir of the wedding, making them all the more important. However, regardless of how small of import they may seem they are nonetheless of the utmost importance to your guests and can set the stage for the entire wedding. Because of this it necessary to take the utmost care when creating your wedding invitations, and to weigh all of your options with a cautious eye towards detail. Given the surprising number of features that the message may entail, this can make the process very interesting.

The first detail is what the invitation will say. Ideally, it will identify those being married apparently as well as where and when the marriage will take place. It is not necessary to include any locations where the couple is registered; that information should be made clear through other means. The report should be put as simple as possible, with the couple first, then the location, and finally the date and time. Traditionally the man’s name is first, but many couples work out for themselves whose name is first; it is only essential that the names appear on the invitation.

Keep in mind that there will be a lot of information you want to place on the invitations, but the best idea is to keep it sweet and simple, and the simpler, the better. Some couples are worried about family politics and so try to put the names of all parents involved in the invitation, but that rarely works out as well as you would expect, unless you expected it to work out poorly; as each one attempts to figure out why they were placed where they were, it can actually add unneeded drama to an even already full of emotion. In that regard, just keep in mind that you only need the names of the couple, where they are getting married, and the date and time; everything else is extraneous.

Making sure that the information is spelled out correctly is essential. Make doubly sure that the information is correct before sending it off, and then confirm it when they are received. This is one time to make sure that the information is accurate and not to make any assumptions about its accuracy. Some places will offer to send out the invitations for you; make sure that you see the invitations before that happens. This is arguably the one time you should not make any assumptions about the accuracy of the invitations and should personally inspect them. If the company handling them does not allow you to check them over, seriously consider going somewhere else.

The material should also be debated, both in color and material. The standard default of ivory cardboard is excellent, and should not only be changed if the couple is trying to make some point or fit a non-traditional theme. The default is fine for most situations and is sure to last a long time; this makes it ideal as a souvenir. However, these can be changed as needed to make the bride and groom happy; some couples have a particular taste and style that needs to be addressed and now is the time to do so. Others have decided on a specific theme for the wedding, and the invitation is chosen to reflect. Nothing is wrong with any changes from the default and anything that makes them feel like the marriage is their works.

That said, be advised that using a material other than the usual will usually be a lot more expensive, and care needs to be made to ensure that invitations are made of a reasonably durable material. Also, keep in mind that the further from the standard that the invitations are the longer that they will take to produce. If money is no object and there is plenty of time, this may not be a problem, but it is a consideration if the budget is tight or the wedding day is approaching quickly. Nonetheless, it makes a high point and can set the theme for the wedding, so changing the material and color of the cards can be a fun detail to at least debate during the planning.

The ink and printer to create them (here are some great cardstock printer suggestions) may seem like a small detail, but again it is one that can make a lot of difference. It can set off the invitations as unique as well as emphasize them of the wedding. Just be advised against doing something that may be too different, or is being done just for the sake of being different. The usual warnings about potentially added cost and time apply here as well, but they are not as prohibitive as they would be in other areas, so have fun with these details. Again, as more information are essential, there should be some time spent on it, but certainly, do not obsess over it.

Some time should be spent on the envelopes, with all of these same details considered. However, as the big decisions have already been made it is just a matter of following through and carrying those through to the envelope. A simple “You have been invited” is sufficient, and extraneous details should be avoided at all costs; the envelope just needs to protect the invitation and is likely to be thrown away most people anyway. However, on the off chance, it is not, make sure that the envelope at least looks nice.

All told, the first mantra that should make things much easier is “Keep it simple, stupid”; it may sound prosaic, but it will make life that much easier for you, and this should be the simple step. There are a lot more complicated decisions coming up, but this should not be one of them. Have fun, keep it simple, and make sure it is accurate; remember those, and creating your wedding invitations will be a piece of cake.

Published: 2018-03-24 17:19:49