The importance of the wedding invitation

Each time I hear, “I don’t want to waste a lot of money on invitations because people just throw them away,” I cringe.

I agree. People will toss invitations that glaringly show there was no thought or effort put into them. No one expects a guest to keep something that even the bride and the groom don’t care about. Invitations are one of the most essential parts of planning a wedding because they set the tone of what guests are to expect on the wedding day while, at the same time, helping them prepare for your event. In turn, it will keep them out of the trash and in the memory books! Below are a few reasons why invitations are so important and the information you should include on them.

Setting the Tone

Have you ever received an invitation in the mail and been able to envision the wedding day? Well, if your answer is no, then you’ve probably never received an invitation that properly set the tone. If your answer is yes, those brides and grooms did it right! The invitation to anything, especially to a wedding, should exude the theme of the event to come. A full-on extravagant bash, complete with a fireworks send-off should have an equally extravagant invitation – imagine receiving an engraved invitation suite on Crane’s finest stock, placed in a silk box, hand-tied with satin ribbon and adorned with a rhinestone brooch. You would know to dress in your finest attire and expect nothing but the best at the event, which means the invitation is setting the tone perfectly.

Above left is an invitation I created for clients, Casey and Josh. It’s the perfect example to express that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on the ideal invitation for your big day. The couple wanted something sweet and simple for their $5,000 Valentine’s Day Wedding and, I think, the invitation suite exemplifies that perfectly! Their custom monogram, c&j, and their colors – brown, pink and red – were continued throughout the entire event.

Creating Excitement and Anticipation

Receiving the perfect invitation in the mail should make you ready for the wedding to arrive. If a bride and groom put thought into what their invitation looks and feels like, it is definitely conveyed to the guest. A fun-filled wedding with a circus theme should have an invitation that makes people chomp at the bit for the big day to arrive.

Above right is an example of an invitation suite I designed for clients, Alexis and Sam. Their low-key and relaxed wedding was to take place in the Bahamas, where they planned a weekend of fun activities for their guests to enjoy. Their invitation expressed that perfectly, not only giving guests the proper information to book travel and pack properly, but priming them for all of the fun that was to come!

Providing Pertinent Information

Obviously, one of the most important reasons for having the perfect invitation is to include all of the proper information for your guests. They certainly won’t be tossing it in the trash if it is full of useful details! Below are some of the important things to include in your invitation suite:

Who?

This seems like a bit of a “duh” thing to add, but it is incredibly important to put who the invitation is coming from. Not only should you include the bride and the groom, but also the parents, if they are helping host the event. Generally, the bride’s parents are the hosts, but if the groom’s parents are helping out, their names should be included as well.

One other thing to think about is to make sure people know who the bride and groom are when they receive their invitation. Maybe the groom always goes by a nickname and no one would know who he was if it wasn’t included. Feel free to make it personal as proper etiquette doesn’t always apply to each situation.

When?

Once again, something you would assume would be second nature, but it’s important to do it properly. Always say when the event will start – not when the music will start. The time on your invitation should be the time your bridal party will begin to walk down the aisle. As a guest, you should always plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the time provided on the invitation. Also, don’t forget to include when your cocktail hour and reception will begin.

You may also want to say when dinner will be served because the beginning of the reception is not always the beginning of dinner – you don’t want hungry guests!

Where?

When writing the ceremony location you should include the full street address and the city. If many guests are from out of state, you can include the state as well. There is no need for the zip code; it’s not very appealing on the eyes to have an extra string of numbers on your formal invitation. You can follow the same rules for the reception information.

Feel free to include directions on a separate, but matching card, especially if guests are coming in from out of town or if the route is tricky or may be under construction. To be completely helpful, include directions from the hotel to the synagogue and from the synagogue to the reception. Everyone has GPS nowadays, but they don’t always provide what you would consider the best route.

Dress Code?

Do you expect your guests to arrive in suit and tie? Be sure to tell them! Also, the big one people miss in this department is telling guests your event will be held outdoors. Outdoor weddings require different attire, especially for the ladies, so be sure to let your guests know on the invitation to wear their flats so they don’t sink into the grass and to bring a shawl to keep them warm. Don’t forget to include Plan B if the weather chooses not to cooperate.

Accommodation Information

It is common practice to reserve a block of rooms at a local hotel for your guests. A separate but matching card included in your invitation suite is the perfect place to provide that information. You can also include information on shuttles if the hotel is providing one to and from your event.

Wedding Website

Have a wedding website that’s full of all sorts of useful information about you, your bridal party and how the whole love affair got started? Feel free to share that with your guests, too! Be sure you’re not using the crazy long link on your invitation suite though – it makes it almost impossible for guests to properly type it into the browser. Use a site like bit.ly to shorten and customize your link.

Remember, the more personal an invitation suite is, the more apparent it will be to the guests that you put your whole heart and soul into the event. Now that you’re armed with this great information on how to make your wedding invitation suite exciting and useful, go on out and create that beautiful invitation your guests will want to show off to their friends! Happy planning!

Amanda Cursaro is the owner and lead designer of Baci Designer Stationery + Events (bacidesigner.com). This slightly edited excerpt was reprinted with permission from Tracy Osborne and the WeddingLove-ly.com blog.