Invitation Essentials: What You Need To Remember For Your Wedding

Wedding planning can be stressful, and with so many details to consider, it's easy to overlook something when putting together your wedding invitations. To ensure you don't forget any key information, here's a list of what to include when creating your wedding invitations:

- Host Line: This line names the hosts of the event, usually the couple's parents or the couple themselves.

- Attendance Request: A line inviting guests to attend, such as request the pleasure of your company.

- Couple's Names: The names of the couple, typically displayed in larger, fancy text.

- Date and Time: The wedding date and time, traditionally spelled out in full but can be written numerically for modern invites.

- Location: The name and address of the wedding venue, including the state and zip code if it's not well-known.

- Reception Details: Information about the reception venue, especially if it differs from the ceremony location.

- Dress Code: While optional, including dress code information is helpful for guests.

- RSVP Card: Include a physical RSVP card for guests to respond, even if you also provide an online option.

- Additional Details Card: If needed, include extra details such as venue information, directions, or accommodation suggestions.

- Envelopes and Stamps: Don't forget the outer and RSVP envelopes, addressed and stamped, to send out your invitations.

Date and time of the ceremony

The date and time of the ceremony are essential details for your wedding guests, so it's important to get this right.

Firstly, it's a good idea to avoid using numerals when writing the date and time. Instead, write out the month, date, and year in full. For example, "Saturday, the seventeenth of August, two thousand and twenty-four". If you are using numerals, be sure to use a clear font to avoid any confusion. For instance, a "2" that looks like a "5" could cause problems.

When it comes to the time of day, it's best to spell this out too. For instance, "half after four o'clock in the afternoon" or "four o'clock in the afternoon". You can also use "half past four o'clock" or "four-thirty in the afternoon". If you're happy to be more casual, you can use numerals, e.g. "4:00 p.m." or "4:30 p.m.".

It's also worth noting that, traditionally, the time of day is used to indicate the formality of the event. For instance, if you use "four o'clock" or "half after four o'clock", this indicates an afternoon event, whereas evening begins at five o'clock.

Finally, don't forget to include the day of the week, and capitalise it. For example, "Saturday".

Ceremony and reception location

The ceremony and reception location is a key element to include in your wedding invitations. Here are some tips and suggestions to ensure you provide clear and detailed information:

Providing Location Details:

• Include the name of the venue and its full address, especially if it is a private residence or if omitting the address would cause confusion.
• Specify the city and state in full. For very formal invitations, it is customary to write out the state name.
• If your wedding is taking place in a well-known venue, such as a church, you can simply state the name of the venue and "City, State" on the following line.
• If your ceremony and reception are in the same location, you may want to include "Reception immediately following" or "Reception to follow" to inform guests that they don't need to travel to another venue.

Formatting and Wording:

• You can include the location information on the wedding invitation itself if there is room, or you can print it on a separate card, called a reception card.
• If the ceremony and reception are in different locations, the reception venue and its address go on a separate line or on a separate card.
• Include the time if the reception is not immediately following the ceremony.
• If the reception is at a later time or on a different date, be sure to specify this. For example, "Reception at six o'clock in the evening" or "Reception the following day at two o'clock in the afternoon".
• You can also add a playful twist to your wording, such as "Dinner and dancing to follow" or "Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and merriment to follow".

Other Considerations:

• If you have a wedding website, be sure to include the URL on a separate card so guests can find detailed information about the locations, including maps and directions.
• If transportation will be provided between the ceremony and reception locations, be sure to mention this on the invitation or on your website.
• For destination weddings or weddings over a holiday weekend, remember to send out invitations earlier (around three months in advance) to give guests enough time to make travel arrangements.

Remember to provide clear and concise information about the ceremony and reception locations to ensure your guests can easily find their way to your special day!

Wedding website address

Wedding planning can be stressful, and with so much to do, it's easy to forget some details. One important detail to remember is to include your wedding website address on your invitations. Here's why:

A Wedding Website Complements Your Paper Invite

You can include so much more information on a wedding website than on a traditional paper invite. It's the perfect complement to your paper invitations. You can include ceremony and reception times, maps and directions, accommodation suggestions, and other useful services for your guests.

All Your Wedding Info in One Place

A wedding website allows your guests to find all the wedding-related information in one virtual place. This is much more convenient than having to contact you directly with their queries, giving you more time to focus on other wedding tasks.

Provide Convenience to Your Guests

A wedding website is now considered a standard 'must-have' for couples getting married. It shows that you are providing convenience to your guests from the beginning.

Easily Communicate Any Changes

Unlike a paper invite, a wedding website allows you to make updates right up to the wedding day itself. For example, if there's a small change to the ceremony time, you can easily adjust it on the website, instead of having to contact each guest individually.

It's Eco-Friendly

By having a wedding website, you reduce the amount of paper used, as guests no longer need to post back paper RSVP replies. It's also more convenient for your guests to RSVP with a simple online form.

Share Travel Information

A wedding website is especially useful if you have guests travelling from out of town. You can include map links, accommodation suggestions, and other helpful travel information.

Collect Meal Choices and Other Important Info

With a wedding website, you can easily collect your guests' meal choices and other important information, such as how long they plan to stay in the area or if they plan to bring children.

Save Money on Phone Calls

If you include your wedding website address on your invites, your guests are likely to refer to it for any questions they may have, reducing the number of phone calls and texts you receive about your big day.

FAQ Page

Your wedding website can include an FAQ page to answer common questions your guests may have. This can include venue rules, directions, dress code, and personal preferences.

In summary, including your wedding website address on your invitations is a great way to provide your guests with easy access to important information, while also reducing your workload and keeping things eco-friendly.

RSVP details

RSVP stands for "répondez, s'il vous plaît", which is French for "please reply". It is customary to include an RSVP card with your wedding invitation. This card should be returned by your guests by a specified deadline, allowing you to finalise the guest list and plan accordingly. Here are some key details to include on your RSVP cards:

• Deadline for response: Clearly state the date by which you need to receive the RSVP cards back. This date should be at least two to four weeks before the wedding date to allow enough time for planning and finalising details with vendors.
• Blank line for guests' names: Include a blank line with an "M" at the start, where guests can write their names and the names of any additional guests, such as a plus one or spouse. This information will be crucial for creating a seating chart and final guest list.
• "Accept" and "Decline" options: Provide a way for guests to indicate their response, whether they are attending or not. This can be in the form of checkboxes, fill-in-the-blank lines, or circling options.
• Number of guests attending: It is helpful to have a way for guests to indicate the number of people attending, especially if you have invited multiple people from the same household or family. This can be done by providing a line such as "_ out of _ guests will be attending".
• Meal preferences and dietary requirements: If you are offering meal choices at the reception, include this information on the RSVP card. Provide a way for guests to indicate their preferences and any dietary restrictions or allergies.
• Special requests: You can include a section for special requests, such as song requests, drink preferences, or a space for guests to share a favourite memory or advice for the couple.
• Contact details and dress code: Consider adding your contact information, such as a phone number or email address, and the wedding website URL. You can also include dress code details if you haven't mentioned them elsewhere.
• Pre-addressed and stamped envelopes: Provide pre-addressed and stamped envelopes with your RSVP cards to make it convenient for your guests to respond. This also ensures that you receive the responses back in a timely manner.
• Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (RSVP) Your response is requested before [date]. Name(s) :__________________ ▢ accept(s) with pleasure ▢ decline(s) with regret
• Kindly Respond. We ask that you reply before [date]. Name(s) :__________________ ▢ will be there to celebrate ▢ will be toasting from afar
• Will You Be Joining Us? We kindly request your reply before [date]. Name(s) of our fabulous guests:__________________ ▢ will be there with bells on ▢ will be there in spirit

Remember to give your guests enough time to respond and consider offering multiple ways to RSVP, such as through a wedding website, email, or phone, in addition to postal RSVP cards.

Extra information about the venue

Full address and contact details

It is important to include the full address and contact details of the venue(s). This includes the postcode for Sat Nav users, and the venue's website if it has one.

Parking arrangements

If parking is limited or tricky, it is a good idea to mention this in your invitation. You could suggest alternative parking locations, and let guests know if overnight parking is allowed.

Transport

If you are laying on transport for your guests, include a brief outline of the details. For example, where and when the pick-ups are, and the return time.

Accommodation

Provide details of any accommodation available for guests at the venue, including special rates and booking instructions. You can also suggest some nearby alternatives.

Cashless payments

If your venue is cashless, let your guests know that card or contactless payments are the only accepted forms of payment.

Arrival time

While the ceremony time is usually stated on the invitation, it is a good idea to let guests know what time they should arrive and be seated.

End time

Let your guests know what time the celebrations will end, so they can pre-book taxis or other transport if needed.

Menu

If you are giving your guests the option to pre-order from a menu, include this information. Even if you are not providing a choice, it is always important to ask for dietary requirements.

Dress code

If you have a specific dress code, it is helpful to include this information. For example, black tie, formal attire, or wedding hats.

Children

If you are choosing not to have children at your wedding, you can make this clear on your invitation.

Frequently asked questions