How many times have you opened a wedding invitation in the mail to only see something that is crappy and boring? It is common that people will toss in their crappy invitations that show they put forth no effort what-so-ever into their wedding invites. No one expects someone to keep the invitation, so why put forth so much effort and money into a slip of paper?
Invitations may not be the center of your wedding, but they are one of the most essential components. They are what set the entire tone of your wedding and tell guests what they can expect if they attend the wedding. It also holds as a reminder and for some people, those wedding invitations don’t go in the trash – they keep them for memory books and scrapbooking.
Why You Need to Put Forth the Effort
No matter what, you need to put effort into your wedding invitations. If you don’t think they are an integral component to your wedding, here are a few reasons to reconsider:
- They set the tone. You should be able to open up a wedding invitation and envision how it will look upon your arrival – from the colours to styling to the overall atmosphere. If you can’t, then what will entice a guest to show up?
- Creates excitement. A wedding invitation also creates excitement and helps the guest look forward to the event. You can mention some of the activities or highlights they can expect too – that way there is some anticipation.
- Offers up the pertinent details for your wedding. Most importantly, those wedding invitations are what share the most important details about your event, including the what, who, when, where, etc. You want your guests to read it, get the details and be excited about the date to come.
Creating Awesome Wedding Invitations is Easy
If you are feeling a little intimidated by the wedding invitation, especially now that you know how important it is, there is no reason to fret. Creating the perfect invite is easy – as long as you give yourself enough time and plan it out just right. You do not have to make them yourself if you don’t want – these tips apply to those who want to do-it-themselves or those who want to just order those bad boys out.
Define Your Wedding Style First
You cannot pick a wedding invitation style until you have defined your own wedding style. That is because your invitation is the first peek your guests will get into your wedding – so you need to specify the type of wedding you’re having and showcase that through the invite you send. Use your theme, colour palete, etc. to create your style of wedding invite. If you don’t have those yet, then you may want to finish planning out the style first before selecting the invitations.
Know Your Colours
You need your wedding colours before you pick out a wedding invite. After all, you do not want to send a boring white envelope and slip of paper. Sending along colours in your invites that match the wedding colours will really help show off what guests can expect to see from the wedding.
Do Not Be Afraid of Sizes and Shapes
There is no rule that a wedding invitation needs to be the been-there-done-that size and shape. In fact, you can create your own style, play with sizes and shapes and just have fun. While it may cost a little more on postage, it can really help set the tone for your wedding.
Never Order Over the Phone
If you are going to hire out for invites, never hire and order over the phone. Instead, go to the stationary store in person or order online so you can make sure that the order looks exactly how you picture it. You may want to order a sample before you actually place the order that will directly ship to guests – that way you can ensure it is perfect.
Make Sure Its Legible
As you look at the colours and patterns, don’t forget about the text. Your guests need to be able to read it and make sure you take older guests into consideration – after all, if they have to squint to read the fine details, they may just not show up.
Choose the Wording Carefully
You want to use the wording that sticks to wedding rules. That means listing the name of the host first, including the details of the wedding, and ensuring there is a request line after the host’s name, such as “__ request the honor of your presence…”
Do Not Crowd the Text
While you have a lot to say, try to not overcrowd the card with too many details. You can always include a separate sheet of paper for those other things and save the card for just the information. Having too much on a card makes it hard for guests to read, but also clutters up the look and can really kill the overall feel of your important invite.
Start the Process Early
Before you even buy a dress you should start on your invitations. Invitations need to go out early to give guests enough time and you should have your invite ordered and planned well before the actual mailing date. You can save yourself a lot of stress too if you do not wait until last minute to work out the details for your wedding invitations. After all, what if they accidentally print them wrong and you need a week or two for corrections to be ordered?
No matter what, you can have an awesome wedding invitation if you just realise the importance of those slips of paper. Take your time, have fun, and get creative with those invites.
Do you have any tips for creating awesome wedding invitations? Share them with us!