Wedding Invitations 101: Choices and Options To Notify, Wow and Organise Your Guests

This afternoon I want to talk to you about Wedding Stationery, with the help of Grace Nolan from Ivy Ellen Wedding Invitations. The invitation will be the first thing your guests  receive, It will set the tone of the day and give them some idea of what to expect, noy only the factual information but the look and feel of the day. As they say first impressions count and the invitation is that first impression.

So today to we are going to go through the benefits of invitations, the range of wedding stationery out there, styles on offer and also an all important time table of when you need to be sending them out.
I hope you find it useful!

 (Invitations from  Minted Wedding Stationery more HERE)

The three key benefits of using wedding invitations and how to get the most from each.

A modern misconception about wedding invitations is that they are just pretty pieces of card but in fact they are the perfect tool in your wedding arsenal to prepare and organise for the big day. When used properly a wedding invitation has three major benefits:

1) They can notify guests when your wedding is taking place, giving them a special invitation that will make them remember the date of the your wedding. Yet this is the most obvious benefit, there are two more subtle advantages to using wedding invitations. These are:

2) They can wow your guests too. A stylish invitations doesn’t just notify guests of a day to mark in their calendar. They also set the tone for your wedding. Invitations are your first opportunity to give your guests the right impression about what they are likely to expect from your wedding. Make a poor choice and their expectations will be really low, RSVPs may be few and far between, and your big day may be tainted from the get go.

3) A little understand benefit of wedding invitations is that they give you the perfect opportunity to organise your guests. Used in conjunction with a wedding planner, each invitation enables you to modify arrangements with each RSVP. That way you can constantly update your planner, notify caterers of menu requirements and basically keep on top of the number of attendees and their cuisine requirements.

(Invitations from Lucy ledger more HERE)

Invitation and stationery options: what to choose and why

There are a range of different wedding stationery options to choose from. We know that you’ll need invitations but there are other forms of stationary that your can utilise to the get the most out of your wedding and your guests. Available options include:

Save the Date Cards

Sending out ‘save the date’ cards can be a good idea. If you’re looking to have either a small or big wedding and you want everyone there, informing them of the date months beforehand so that they can put it on your calendar. It is also a good idea if you are having a destination wedding as guest will need to know as soon as possible to book travel arrangements

(Save The date from  Wedding Invitation Boutique more HERE)

Invitations and evening invitations

The day invitation and evening invitation are the most important piece of the puzzle. This is the way your guest will find out information about your day, when it, where it is, the gift list details, accommodation details , maybe an itinerary do the day, menu choices and all the necessary details that they need for your day.

(Invitation from Vintage Rose more HERE)

RSVPs

Included in the invitations those are a great way to get an answer from your guests. Guest are renowned for not getting back to brides and grooms, so popping an RSVP in with the invitation is a gentle hint that they need to get back to you.

 (RSVP’s from Paper Themes Bespoke Stationery  more HERE)

Order of Service

Another way to tie your theme into your wedding ceremony is through you order of service. If you’re having a church wedding, guests will need to know the order of  the cerement, the people in the wedding party,  the words to any hymns they may be singing and any readings.

(Order of service HERE)

Menu Cards and Table numbers

The venue you have booked for your reception may not print your menu cards or table numbers for you. If you would like them specially made to match the colour scheme of your wedding day, you can easily order them from the same place you order your invitations.

(Menu cards from Knots and Kisses more HERE)

Table Plans

Having a table plans is important as people will need to know where they’re sitting and it saves time as they don’t have to walk around all of the tables to find their name. Having it made to match the rest of the decorations in the room will be easy – all you have to do is tell the suppliers what you want.

(Table plan from Paper Themes Bespoke Stationery  more HERE)

Guest Book

Guest books can be bought in a lot of places but you may decried to have one from your stationer to keep in theme with everything else.

(Guest book from Winklepoppet more HERE)

Thank You Cards

Many bride and grooms like to send out thank you cards to their guests after their wedding. You can have these made by the same supplier who created your invitations so that all of your wedding stationery matches.

 (Thank you card from Paper Themes Bespoke Stationery  more HERE)

There are many different designs to choose from when it comes to your wedding stationery

Laser Cut Stationery

If you’re looking for wedding stationery with a unique design you can create your very own pattern and have it cut out of the card using a laser cutter. There are millions of different designs you can choose from or it could be something that you have created yourself that means something to you. By utilising this option you can put your personal touch on your wedding and give your guests a unique invitation that they won’t have seen anywhere else. What better way to let guests know that it is YOUR wedding that they are attending.

(Stationery from Hummingbird Cards more HERE)

Craft Style Stationery

This is the sort of stationery which may be printed but has added elements on it. Ribbon is very popular and anything sparkly.

(Invitations from  Wedding Invitation Boutique more HERE)

Printed Stationery

You can get all types of printed stationery with a range of different patterns and in a range of different styles, from shabby chic, to vintage, to modern, to traditional. You can also create your very own design and have your invitation exactly how you want it.

(Invitations from Sarah Wants more HERE)

Letterpress Stationery

This gives a very luxurious feel to the invitations, it is normally a thicker piece of card that has an patter pressed into it, giving it an engraved feel.

(Invitations from  Minted Wedding Stationery more HERE)

Handmade / DIY Stationery

There are many brides who prefer to create their own wedding stationery. By doing this they can have it exactly how they want it and use exactly the right colours. If you’re not too keen on making your own stationery, there are many suppliers who can hand make them for you so you still have the look you desire. There are also companies that will sell you inviations kits, whre they print the design and you put them together.

(Full DIY Tutorial HERE)

Pocket fold Invitations

These are just as they are described, a folded card with a pocket on the inside which will hold all the invitation  information.

(Invitations from Love Knot Creations  More HERE)

Timeline to Follow

And to help you manage time scales, here is a timeline to ensure everything runs on schedule in relation to your wedding stationery:

• Save The Date Send out: 10-12 months before
• Day Invitations Send out: 4-6 months before
• Evening Invitations Send out: 4-6 months before
• Order of Service Order: 1-3 months before
• Table Plan Order: 3 weeks before
• Menu cards: 1 -2 months before
• Guest Book Order: 2 months weeks before
• Thank You Cards Order: after the wedding

Hopefully all of the above should enlighten you about the many benefits of wedding invitations and how they are definitely more than just fancy pieces of card. They are a pivotal part of your big day, so ensure you utilise them fully to create your perfect wedding.

This post was written by Grace Nolan on behalf of  Ivy Ellen Wedding Invitations  specialists in wedding stationery.