After completing your guest list and picking your perfect date, you can start designing your “Save The Dates” and RSVPs for your big day!
For many brides and grooms, this is one of the most exciting, fun and satisfying parts of the wedding planning process–and it should be! While guests may not notice all of the decorations and details of your wedding, every single one of them will see your invitation, and they will be able to hold onto it for years to come!
With that in mind, you should strive to make your wedding invites and RSVPs as beautiful as they can be, all while including important information for your guests. From our experience, here are some tips to consider and keep in mind when designing your invitations.
Decide on Budget and Vendor
According to The Knot’s wedding study, the average cost of wedding stationery and invitations is $590. This depends on a lot of factors, but it’s important to keep it in mind while settling on a budget range you are comfortable with.
Zola, The Knot and Etsy are common places people buy custom invitations from, and their prices typically start around the $1 per person range, not including important elements such as envelopes, gilding, postage, or premium materials.
Shopping around to different websites and local vendors can really help you save money and find the look you want at a price point that makes you happy.
Remember, there are plenty of ways to save on your wedding invites, like by making them yourself or sending out postcards without envelopes!
Match your Wedding Colors, Venue, and Theme with your Design
When picking a design for your wedding invitation, it is a good idea to match your wedding colors, venue and theme to what you ultimately pick.
For example, if we are planning a country-style wedding at our barn, we would consider incorporating off-white, turquoise, wood patterns, sunflowers, greenery, and even cowboy boots into our invitation design.
However, this is not a definitive rule to live by, and above all, you should pick a design you and your future spouse love and will want hanging up on your fridge for years to come.
Try Something That Has Never Been Done
If you are looking to stand out from the rest of the weddings happening in your life, try creating something completely different!
Pinterest can provide good starting points and ideas, but don’t just settle there. Instead, ask yourself–what is important to you and what represents your relationship with your betrothed.
Sending out library cards, cassette tapes, pressed leaves, and wood-etchings would be great ways to put character and personality into your handmade wedding invitations.
Even something as simple as a paper cutout wedding invite will make a lasting impression on your guests.
There are also great ways to spice up normal, printed invites and “put a bow on top” of your stationery. Custom monogram stamps, string, and wax seals are all great ways to make your stationery special.
Send Them Sooner Rather than Later
The usual timeframe for sending invitations is three to six weeks before your wedding, while save the dates are often sent five to six months in advance.
If your guests are having to travel a far distance for your wedding or need to plan it around a busy time of year, it may be a good idea to send them even earlier.
You may even want to consider sending out a reminder postcard, just so your guests know when they need to RSVP. Don’t forget to buy stamps in advance!
Add a Special Note and Instructions
Finally, when you have designed your invitations/save the dates and are addressing them to your friends and family, make sure you include all of the important information they will need.
Wedding websites, locations, times, and instructions for how and when to RSVP are all must-haves for wedding invitations. And for your wedding party and close family, don’t forget to clearly inform them about any extra events, like rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, or gift openings.
While sending out wedding invitations is an exciting step towards your wedding, it can be stressful without some careful planning. By booking with The Canton Barn, you can plan your
dream wedding, stress free!