Whatever anyone may say, you can’t enjoy your big day fully unless you let all know about it and here’s where wedding invitations step in. Wedding invitations are the first announcement by you to people that you’re going to tie the knot and a request to them to honor the occasion with their presence and share your joy. If you’re not being able to decide where to start, here are a few wedding invitation tips for you.
1. Start Early
Ideally, your save-the-date should reach your guests 8 to 10 months before your wedding date. Although they don’t have to match the style, color or paper for wedding invitations, ordering all the stationery from the same stationer can save a lot of hassle and money too. As printing the save-the-dates can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, you should start searching for stationers 9 to 11 months before your wedding date. Keep an objective of ordering your invitations around 4-5 months out so that you can make them ready to mail 8 to 10 weeks before the wedding. If you’ll be having a destination wedding, you’ll have to send out your invitations even earlier i.e. at least 12 weeks before wedding.
2. What’s Your Wedding Style?
Your wedding invitation is more than about telling your guests your wedding venue, date and time. It also tells them how formal the wedding will be. You should give an idea to your guests through your wedding invitation about the type of wedding you’ll be throwing – whether it’s casual and relaxed, classic and elegant or modern and glam, and choose your invitation style that will make it clear. To get an inspiration, take a look at other couples’ wedding invitations. You can even take a look at the stationers’ websites where they display so many designs, templates etc.
3. Make Sure Your Invitations are Legible
Whatever style, shape and size of invitation you choose, the text you include is the most important and it should be clear and legible to your guests. Avoid light-colored texts on light backgrounds and dark-colored texts on dark backgrounds. Make sure the text pops on the background. Another factor to be careful with is the font. Make sure the font is not hard to read, overly scripted or having too many curves and designs so as to making it hard to identify the letters.
4. Cost Factor
The cost of the invitations can vary widely from $1 to $100, as it depends on various factors including quantity, design, typeface, printing process and paper for wedding invitations. High-quality papers, formal printing techniques (such as engraving and letterpress), color ink and custom design will increase the costs. If in addition you choose to have decorative extras such as multiple enclosures and envelope liners, the costs will still increase. All this makes it extremely important to research well ahead of time to see what options are available so that you can determine your priorities and match them with your budget. You might plan to hire a calligrapher, but then too you’ll have to think upon the added cost. If you consider all these factors, you can set your stationery budget.
5. Proofread
Your stationer will provide you a proof before your invitation cards are printed. Proofread carefully. Preferably take help of multiple people, maybe your partner, bridesmaids, groomsmen, your parents etc.; at least one among them should be major in English. The more number of times you proofread, the better.
6. Order Extra Copies
It’s a good idea to order at least 25 extra invitations in case you need to resend one or want to put a few aside as keepsakes or prepare a B-list and want to send invitations to the B-list guests.
The announcement of your big day should be flawless and perfect. These tips will help you share your joy with your loved ones through perfect wedding invitations.