Ordering your wedding invitations is one of the highlights of starting to plan your wedding. So many choices, lists to make and rewrite, and a hundred and one things to do, so it’s important to follow a few simple guidelines to ensure that the process goes smoothly.
When deciding on your choice of design, take into account the size of the invitation cards. Larger cards generally cost more to post, so if your wedding is on a budget consider the smaller cards. Similarly, choosing “scroll or parchment wedding invitations” type invitations can cost a little more to post because of the tube used to protect the invitation whilst in the post, although the extra cost really is worth it!
When you have your final numbers, it’s always worth ordering an extra 10 or so invitations to cater for mistakes or the inevitable guests that you overlooked, or those who later decide that they can come after all. It’s cheaper to order more at the time of the original order rather than be faced with a minimum order quantity again later.
You’ll need one invitation per couple – don’t over-order by ordering one per guest. If you’re inviting single people, it’s acceptable to invite “xxx and guest” if you don’t know the name of their current girlfriend or boyfriend!
The wording inside can be formal or informal, depending usually on the style of your wedding. Most suppliers will allow you to give your own special wording to be printed, if none of the “standard” layouts suit you. In addition, you may want to include directions to the venue, details of hotel availability and so on, but this is normally done by way of a separate sheet slipped inside.
Similarly, most suppliers will print your invitations in a different language (but normally at a slightly higher cost because of the extra work involved). If you need some in one language and some in another, remember this will entail two separate printings and will also cost more.
It’s traditional to send your invitations out at least 6 weeks before your wedding date, so it’s wise to order them at least 3 months beforehand to make sure everything is as you want it to be. Then you can sit back and enjoy the other hundred tasks ahead of you!
