By: Chris Ryerson
One of the most important steps in wedding planning is developing the guest list. Along with the guest list is the wedding invitations. You want to work carefully on the wedding invitation and make sure it pulls in the theme of the wedding as much as possible. You can try to tie in colors and themes by using different papers and etc.
Thus the wedding invitation card is a great way to express the theme of the event, inform guests in advance when the wedding will take place and also it makes the invited guests feel special and want to come.
Below you will find some useful tips in planning your wedding invitations. These are just guidelines and not everything but it is a good start to get you thinking about what should be included in the invitations.
1. Use a reply card.
The real basic and most common reason for giving out wedding invitations is to determine an approximate number of guests that will be attending. This can be useful for reserving the reception hall, planning the food and making thank your wedding favors also. It is helpful to know how many people are coming to the wedding and the more accurate the better. Therefore a reply card is a no brainer because it will ensure that even many of the lazy people out there will take the few seconds and return the reply card. Since it is already in a stamped enveloped and has an address they only need to fill out the most basic of information and then drop it in a mail box. So by having a reply card you are more likely to have an accurate count on of the guests.
2. Specify special details
Typically weddings are formal events and people know to dress accordingly. However, if you are having a themed wedding and would like guests to wear something different then let them know in the invitation. For example if you are getting married on the beach in Hawaii and the dress is casual beach wear then you will want to make sure you let your guests know in the invitation so they can plan accordingly.
3. Personalize.
Depending on the size of the event it can be a very nice touch to personalize the wedding invitation with the invitee’s name. This means that the invitations will have to be made either by hand or on the computer and it therefore probably only suitable for small weddings.
If you are planning on having a larger sized wedding with over 100 guests or so then it is much easier to pay to have the invitations professionally printed.
4. For a modern look add color
Traditionally wedding invitations are done in white, off white or light ivory or cream colors. However, there is nothing stating that your invitation has to be done this way. Many people are breaking away from these traditions and using more color in their invitations. This can work especially well to set a tone for the wedding and also pull in the wedding theme. For example if all the bridesmaids are wearing light purple dresses then having some light purple accents on the invitations can blend the color throughout the event.
5. Make sure it fits you.
You want to make sure that you wedding invitation is a reflection of you and your future husband. If you are more traditional and like the feeling of a traditional wedding then of course you will want to stick with a traditional invitation. However, if you are using a theme or are having a non traditional wedding you can pick this up in the wedding invitation also. For example, a couple that was really into rock climbing and was getting married in Yosemite on top of Half Dome sent out invitations that had an outdoor theme to them. So depending on your own personalities decide what works best for your own wedding and don’t feel stuck to tradition if you don’t care much about it.
In summary take some time and plan out your wedding invitation carefully. It is a wonderful event and you want the invitations to set the right tone and feel for the big day. By thinking about the colors, sizes, shapes and type of wedding invitation that you will be sending to your guests you can you can ensure that you have set the stage. Often a wedding invitation is the first official announcement of your intention to be married and you want it to be a joyous occasion that fits with your personalities.
