Welcome to the idieh design GIRL TALK SERIES! We’ve made it our mission to guide brides in their wedding journey with some legit advice about wedding stationery, planning, and all things in between.
We want every bride’s experience to be as smooth as possible. So we’ve gathered all the best tips and advice you could possibly need to help plan the wedding of your dreams. Find more tips & tricks here.
It’s that time in the wedding planning process to get those wedding invitations ready! (Our favorite!) Yet, there’s a little more to the wedding invitation suite than just basic details of who, what, and where. Today’s brides are faced with a more complex system of wedding invitations that not only serve a purpose, but they set the entire mood for the big day to come.
What pieces should I include in my wedding invitation suite?
Every wedding ceremony is different, which means so are the invitations. However, there are a few must haves in each wedding invitation suite you will absolutely need to keep your guests informed and make your life easier when it comes to wedding planning.
WEDDING INVITATION
The shining star itself, the wedding invitation. Your wedding invitation should include all the necessary information your guests will need to know for your big day. This includes:
- Parents’ Names (if preferred)
- Your Names
- Date
- Time
- Ceremony Location & Address
- Suggested Attire
The actual wording of the invitation will vary depending on your ideas and personality and the celebration itself. Many times, wording is decided upon by the wedded couple to be with guidance from a wedding planner and the invitation designer so the right fit is chosen.
RESPONSE CARD
This is one of the most important parts of the wedding invitation. The response card will include:
- Requested response date
- Space for the guests name
- Indication of attending or not (this is an area where you can get creative in how your guests say “yes” or “no”)
- Selection of Preferred Meal (if needed)
- Any other info you might want to request, like maybe your guests’ favorite songs
RESPONSE ENVELOPE
Giving your guests a response envelope that already has the designated address printed on it will make it so easy for your guests to respond. It’s also common courtesy to include a stamp on this envelope as well. Either way, the response envelope helps ensure a prompt response from your invited guests. (PRO TIP: Keep in mind, no matter how much you ask the Universe to have all of your guests respond, some will inevitably not do it. You’ll need to reach out to them on an individual basis to get their response.)
RECEPTION/DETAILS/WEBSITE CARD
Also known as the directions card, but with today’s technology and Siri always making sure we get to our destination, this card has come to serve a different purpose. Use this card to officially make note that a reception will follow the ceremony (if it’s at a different location than the ceremony, make sure to include the reception address here as well). And, if you have a website, use this card to direct your guest to the web address. If you opt out of a wedding website, you can include accommodations info here, other weekend activities taking place, or maybe even a custom map.
THE “EXTRAS” CARD
Sometime if you have a lot of info that you need to include in your suite, an additional third insert card will be needed. This card can house weekend activities (rehearsal dinner, welcome party, newlywed brunch, etc.), accommodations info, a custom map, and the list goes on. If you need to invite only certain guests to some events, this is another way to do that. You would then only insert this card into the envelopes of the guests whom are invited to the additional activities.
OUTER ENVELOPE
This little guy keeps it all together. Whether you decide to have hand written, calligraphy, or digitally printed return and guest addresses, make sure you’ve got enough stamps. (PRO TIP: While the RSVP envelope typically only requires standard postage, the outer envelope might require additional postage if it’s an odd shape, over 1oz. or too rigid to go through the USPS sorting machines.)
Now that you know what you should include in your wedding invitation suite, it’s time to get planning. Remember, the more organized you are and the easier you make it on your invited guests, the better the outcome! Happy wedding planning!
Wanna learn more awesome and helpful tips about the wedding planning process? Check out our GIRL TALK SERIES for more!
Tell us, what did you include in your wedding invitations?
