What Should You Include In A Destination Wedding Invitation
Theres a lot more to plan for everyone with a destination wedding and that usually means therell be more information with your invitation than there traditionally is. If you havent already done so in your save the dates, information on how to reach your destination and where to stay is, obviously, rather important.
Further to that, you might want to add tips for places to visit and eat in the area for those moments when there is no official wedding activity taking place. And any information on what the weather may be like at the time of year is helpful for your guests to plan what to wear on your big day. This can all be on a separate information card that you send with your invitation. If youre having various different events around the wedding, such as dinner the evening before, or lunch the following day, then youll want them all listed on your RSVP card so that guests can tick off which ones theyll be attending.
Sending Wedding Invitations On A Budget
Wedding invitations can cost a lot more than youd expect. Aside from purchasing enough cards and envelopes for your guest list, you also have to worry about postage. If you have a lot of friends scattered around the world, these letters can rack up your bill even faster.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can save money on your wedding invitations.
One of the best ways to trim your expenses is to create your own invitations. Not only is this approach more affordable, but the results are also more personal and special.
Skip the fancy bridal shops that have booklets of expensive templates. You can be in control of every design element to ensure you love how your cards look. Many couples frame their wedding invitations or keep them in a photo album to remember their special day. Making your invitations together as a team is a fun way to create something both of you will cherish for the rest of your lives.
These customizable invitations give you the option to send in a variety of ways. You can print them from home or at your local print shop, email them online with RSVP and full event management system, or save them as a high-quality image to share on social media or other messaging apps.
The rest of the world is digital now, which means its no longer tacky to send an online invitation. If you do decide to ditch mail altogether, its another great way you can save money.
How It Worked Irl
For her 2018 wedding in Blaine, Washington, Lilia, 28, went the online route and used Greenvelope. Not only were digital invites more sustainable, but Lilia was able to make changes to her list on the fly, giving friends plus-ones at the last minute. Lilia loved how she could add links to the digital invitation, directing guests to other important information, like the coupleâs wedding website, the venue, and their registry. Because the invitation was in an email, she felt it allowed guests to ask questions immediately and encouraged easy and open communication. âA lot of time and money and effort goes into the paper invites, and I totally understand it’s a beautiful touchpoint, but I think it’s not the most valuable area that I wanted to place effort,â Lilia says. âFor us, we wanted to be more sustainable and didnât see the value as much and digital seemed way easier.â
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Wedding Invitationsand The Best Time To Send Them
In addition to the traditional wedding invitation, there are other invites that are sent out in conjunction with the wedding. Save-the-date cards and RSVPs are also essential in assisting the newlyweds and their guests in planning for the big day. The process of sending out invites should begin immediately after you have created a guest list. Save the date cards are the first to be sent out to your guests in order to inform them of your wedding date. These are followed by the actualwedding invitation, which contains all of the wedding day information.
Finally, you can take a deep breath and begin counting down the days before your nuptials, with all of your guests confirmed.
When To Order Stationery Sample Packs
When should you mail your invitations? Before you even get to that question you have go right back to the beginning of the timeline and ask: when do I order a stationery sample pack? . Paperlust recommends ordering samples 9-12 months before the wedding or, if you have a short engagement, ASAP! You want to allow for shipping times , so always check how long it will take to get to you.
Once your sample pack arrives, you can narrow down your choice of paper and print type, as well as format, and get to picking your dream design online.
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Destination Wedding Stationery Timeline
Keep yourself on track! When planning a successful wedding celebration, its important to get tasks done on time, especially when youre planning a destination wedding.
No doubt you have every intention to get your wedding invitations out on time, but have you thought about all the other stationery pieces youll be sending? From Save the Dates to Rehearsal Dinner Invites to Wedding Announcementswhew!
Heres the timeline you need to know what to send and when to send.
Destination Save the Dates
Order Save the Dates: 12+ Months Before Your WeddingA destination save the date timeline is simple: they can be ordered as soon as you set your location and date! We suggest ordering them at least a year in advance. Even though our save the dates print and ship super quickly, its always nice to have extra time to assemble and address them.
*Tip: Create your wedding website and add it to your save the date cards.
Mail Save the Dates: 9-12+ Months Before Your WeddingDestination Save the dates should be sent a 9-12 months before your wedding. The more time your guests have to plan, budget for and book their travel, the better!
Destination Wedding Invitations
Order Wedding Invitations: 6+ Months Before Your WeddingDestination wedding invitations should be ordered at least 6 months before your wedding. This will give you time to assemble and address the invitations.
Other Destination Wedding Stationery
The Importance Of Completing Your Registry First
Your wedding registry should be live and fully functional, with gifts of varying monetary value, by the time your shower invitations are sent. But to avoid any miscues for your guests or extra work for the host, we recommend completing your wedding registry even earlierabout two months before your shower date. The more time your guests have to plan and shop, the more likely it is that you will receive the gifts you asked for.
To make this process easier, Zola has a seamless registry platform that only takes a matter of minutes to set up. Our completely customizable and comprehensive wedding registry allows you to add gifts from other stores, add cash funds and gift cards, and even keeps track of your wedding guest list.
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When To Order Wedding Invitations: A Timeline
Sending invitations at the right time isnt just a matter of etiquette. Its vital to ensure that the entire wedding process runs smoothly. Time things correctly and you give yourself breathing room to properly plan seating, the reception, and the event itself. Leave yourself too little time and youll be scrabbling to rearrange the seating plan. The last thing you want is to be panicking!
Below, weve set out a timeline of when you should be sending save-the-dates, wedding invitations and RSVPs .
What Is a Save-the-Date?
The save-the-date is the first thing you should send out to any potential guests. Its similar to a wedding invitation, in that it can tell the recipient what date the wedding is, where its being held, and what time of day.
Its name describes what the point of it is: the idea of a save-the-date is that it tells recipients to keep a day free so that they can attend your wedding. You send it earlier than a regular invitation to give people more of a chance to get time off.
The main differences are that its sent further in advance of the wedding than a normal invitation, and that it doesnt necessarily come with extra stationery like an RSVP, directions to the wedding, or anything else like a seating plan.
Why Send Save-the-Dates?
When Should You Send Save-the-Dates?
What Is a Wedding Invitation?
When to Order Wedding Invitations
When to Order RSVPs
How to Prepare Wedding Invitations
Then youre ready to send them!
When to Send a Wedding Invitation
How Early Do You Send Wedding Invitations
Timeframe: 6-8 weeks in advance
If you send wedding invitations too soon, people may forget about the event or feel unable to commit too far in advance. If you send them too late, you could cause a lot of stress for guests who have to scramble to accommodate your plans.
If the wedding is local, then the best time to send your invitations is two months ahead. You do have a little bit of wiggle room, though. In order to be courteous to your guests, do not send out wedding invitations any later than six weeks ahead of the event.
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Your Wedding Stationery Timeline
Using this free wedding stationery timetable will help you choose when to send out your wedding invitations and save the dates for your big day.
- Start creating your free wedding website 10-12 months before the big day. Prepare the guest list and send out save the dates eight to ten months prior to the event date. Order your wedding invitations 4-6 months before the big day. About two to three months before the wedding, send out your wedding invites and get your wedding day stationary . Order your order of service, place cards, and rehearsal dinner invitations around 6-7 weeks before the wedding. Order and mail your thank you cards within 1-2 months of the event.
Handmade Wedding Invites How Early Is Too Early For Wedding Invitations
Exactly how early is too early for wedding invitations? I know, youve searched and searched online to find the definitive answer, but every site you find is telling you something different. Aunt Peggy says that in her day it was always 8 to 12 weeks in advance. But Karen in that wedding chat group is insisting that they need to go out at least a year in advance or all your nearest and dearest will be double booked. Truth is, as with so many other wedding invite related questions, there isnt really a right or wrong answer. When couples ask me how early is too early for wedding invitations I usually run through a few questions that helps narrow it down to come to sensible timescale.
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Everything You Need To Know About When To Send Wedding Invitations
Did you know that the United States Postal Service handles nearly 500 million pieces of mail each day?
If youre planning a wedding, the last thing you want to do is worry about your invitations arriving on time. Weddings are stressful enough, but some couples make things harder for themselves without realizing.
Whether you dont give yourself enough time to assemble, you send invitations too late, or you have to hunt people down for RSVPs, navigating the world of wedding invitations can be tricky.
Formal Or Casual: What To Include
First, decide what will be written on your invitation and how it should be worded. You and your fiancé may feel that since committing to one another is a very significant event, you would prefer to use formal phrasing on your wedding invitations.
This formal phrasing can work for any style of wedding. Its particularly appropriate if you will be having a more traditional wedding with a religious ceremony, followed by formal reception. It can give your guests a heads up to the fact that your event will be classy and elegant.
However, if you and your fiancé are hosting a more casual event, the phrasing on your wedding invitations can likewise be more casual.
Regardless of how formal or casual the phrasing on your wedding invitation is, there are some basics that always must be included: who, when, and where. This means the invitation should give the full names of the couple, and the full names of the hosts if youre using formal phrasing. It should clearly list the time, date, month and year of the wedding. Dont forget the full address of where it is being held! If you are requesting an RSVP, this should be written on the lower left corner of the invitation.
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We’re Having An Adults
Address your invitations correctlyto each guest by name, not “and guest”and guests should understand that the invite is meant for only those mentioned. If you find that some reply with their children’s names added, give them a call and explain you’re having an adults-only wedding and you hope they can still attend. If there are a lot of kids in your family, you may want to consider hiring or arranging for a babysitter. It’s definitely not required, but it’s a nice gesture. Just be sure to include this information on the wedding website.
When Should I Send Out My Wedding Invitations
The timing of sending out wedding invitations can be dependent on the types of guests youre inviting. If you are planning on having a guest list with primarily out of town guests or international wedding guests, a good rule of thumb is to send out your invitations sooner than you would for a primarily in-state guest list. I suggest to most of my clients to send out their wedding invitations two to three months before the wedding date. This allows for one to two months to collect the RSVPs.
Primarily In-state Guest Lists
If you are planning a wedding with primarily in-state guests, time is on your side. I say this because often, in-state guests will often not have to book expensive or last minute flights and accommodations. As we all know, it can be a risky game to play to wait longer to book a flight in the hopes that the price will go down. This is not an issue that many couples will have to consider if their guests are from the same state and even less so if they are from the surrounding towns. For my couples that primarily have in-state guests, I suggest sending out invitations about two months before the wedding date. If your invitation suite has fallen towards the bottom of your wedding to-do list, sending out invitations a month and a half month may still be appropriate. The benefits to sending invitations out two months prior are that you can set a longer RSVP reply date, hopefully avoiding any frustrations of any last-minute add ons or cancelations.
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