Planning invitations sounds simple until you’re juggling guest lists, wording, timelines, print methods, and design decisions. Here are six common mistakes couples make and how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Sending Invitations too early
It may seem like a good idea to get your invitations in the mail early for your guests to plan for your big day, right? But actually giving them too much time may backfire- when plans are too far in advance, people probably don't have their schedules set, and they'll likely set the invite aside and forget to rsvp, making you have to track down RSVPs later. That's why Save the Dates can be a great option: list the date and your wedding website, where you can update information as it changes. Then, send your wedding invitations 8 weeks before your wedding date, or 10-12 weeks ahead of destination weddings. For most local semi-custom wedding invitations, it's safe to order 4 months before your wedding. We break down a specific timeline on our blog!
Mistake 2: Listing the wedding registry on the invitation
It makes sense to think the registry should go in the invitation - your guests clearly will want it, and it seems like a helpful tip. But it's an invitation faux pas to include it anywhere in your invitation suite. One way around it is to list the registry on your wedding website, and then include the website on your details card, where guests can be directed to all the information they may need about travel, accommodations, and wedding weekend info.
Mistake 3: Not clearly specifying who is invited
The outside envelope is the best place to write EXACTLY who is invited to the wedding. If you aren't inviting children to the wedding, the envelope should only state the parent's names - Mr and Mrs Raymond Carver. If you are inviting children, you could write The Carver Family, or list all the kids on a line under the parents names to let them know this is a kid friendly wedding.
Mistake 4: Not following correct wedding wording
From listing the hosts correctly, writing the dress code on the ceremony card, and indicating a religious or non-religious ceremony, there are just so many rules to learn about wedding wording etiquette! We show you exactly how to word your invitations, from formal to casual, and how to list your hosts on your wedding invitations so no one is upset or confused.
Mistake 5: Ordering too many or too few invitations
I can't tell you how many times people over state the amount of wedding invitations they'll think they need. That's because they have the entire guest count on their mind for capacity, catering amounts, and just a general feel for how big their wedding will get. But you'll only need one invitation per household, not person, so that will bring that invite count down a lot!
After you get the household number, it's a good idea to order about 10 % extra to account for invitations getting lost, a couple extra keepsakes, and any last minute guests you might think of after the mailing. It happens more than you think!
Mistake 6: Not having a second person proofread your wedding invitations
We all skim and gloss over words we know, so typos and misspellings can get missed. Your stationer doesn't know how your groom's middle name is spelled, or is responsible for looking up the venue address. It helps to actually print out the invitation proof too. There's something about seeing it in print that calls out the errors.
Order from our Semi-Custom Wedding Invitation collection to get the help of an expert who can walk you through the most common mistakes so you won't need to replace or reorder your wedding invitations!
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