Style and Theme
Do you picture yourself as a modern bride and groom, or as a more classic couple? Is your wedding focused on a particular theme, such as a time period or location, or is it more about a certain feel? Understand how you picture your wedding, and what key features are going to be involved, allows you to make an invitation selection that will complement the overall concept. For example, if you intend to have a contemporary service and reception, you may not want symbolism associated with a 1920s theme, and vice versa. Invitations should fit in with your other design choices to create a seamless impression.
Colors and Shapes
When planning a wedding, choosing colors is often one of the first points of focus. Luckily, most wedding invitation producers have a wide range of colors to choose from for the text, paper, and even envelope. Choose paper stock and font colors that reflect your colors while respecting the overall style of the wedding. And make sure that if you choose a light card stock that you go with a dark font, and pair dark card stock with a light font for suitable contrast. That helps with overall legibility, ensuring your guests can actually read what the invitation says. Additionally, most people default to traditional rectangular wedding invitations, even though there are many more choices. While a rectangle is classic, a circle may feel more whimsical, and a square may seem more modern.
Keep the Content Simple
The information on a wedding invitation needs to be clear and concise. While certain formalities, such as spelling out everything (including the time of the ceremony), lead to more text, you don’t want to overcrowd the card. Trying to fit in extra details requires the text to be smaller, and can make it harder to read.
Double and Triple Check (or More) Your Proof
It is easy to overlook errors when we know what the invitation was meant to say. Since you have many of these details in the forefront of your mind, you are not the ideal proofreader for your own invitations. Have the proofs checked by a few friends and family members. Make sure the date and time are accurate as well as the spelling of any names and locations.
Don’t Delay
Printing custom invitations takes time, and all wedding invitations need to be custom made. In some cases, it will take a few days while others may require weeks. Since you want to send out the invitations early enough to provide potential guests with sufficient notice, delaying the purchase isn’t really an option. Your invitations should be ordered at least four or five months before the wedding to ensure you have enough time to receive them, address them, and mail them to your guests. In some cases, you can acquire your envelopes early, allowing you to get a head start on having them addressed. This is especially helpful if you plan on having them addressed by a professional calligrapher. You also want your guests to have enough time to RSVP as well as make any necessary arrangements. If you are having a destination wedding, the sooner you can inform your friends and family regarding your upcoming nuptials, the higher the likelihood that they will be able to make arrangements to attend.
Order More than You Need
There is always a chance that some will be damaged or lost in the mail, so you want to have enough to cover those. Also, you may end up sending out additional invitations if those sent during the first round have a larger than expected number that is unable to attend. That allows you to send invitations to any guests who were not originally invited due to the limitations of your space when it becomes apparent you have room. Additionally, you will want to keep a few as keepsakes. Often, the couple will keep at least one or two, and the parents of the bride and groom may also appreciate an additional copy.
