As you start your search for the perfect wedding invitation, there are a lot of questions. I have put together a list of common questions that I am frequently asked.
When should I order my invitations?
Once you have decided on the event details for your wedding, it is best to begin the design process. While turnaround times are dependent on if you order a pre-designed invitation or order custom made. If you order an invitation from an album, you should plan on a minimum of 3 – 4 weeks. If you opt for a custom design, you should plan on 4-8 weeks depending on the complexity of your design.
How far in advance should you send wedding invitations?
Ideally, invitations should go out eight weeks before the wedding — this gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules for the day and make travel arrangements if they are out-of-towners. Timely invitations also let you make the RSVP date earlier — about three weeks before the wedding — so you can get a final head count and start making a seating chart (if you’ll have one) before the week-before-the-wedding crunch begins. At the very latest, guests should receive invitations six weeks in advance, and you should receive responses two weeks before the big day.
How much do invitations cost?
With the wide variety of options, it is very difficult to answer this question. The final cost is determined by the type of paper, printing method, quantity, color choices, whether or not additional pieces will be included, etc. No matter what your budget, we encourage you to sit down and talk to us. We will be glad to work with you on getting a product you love at a price you love.
How many invitations should I order?
When counting your guest list, remember to count only the households to which you will be sending an invitation. For example, you may have 150 individuals on your list however, because most of those are likely couples you would only have 75 households to send invitations to. We do recommend that you order at least 5 – 10% extra. While reorders are possible, they can be expensive.
Do I need a response card?
In order to get an accurate count of guests attending your wedding, you will need a response card. The return date requested on your response card should be 3 – 4 weeks prior to your wedding date. When choosing a date, remember that you may have to follow up with guests that may not have responded. As a result, allow yourself enough time to square away your attendee list prior to the deadline given to you by your caterer/event coordinator. Also, if you are doing place cards you want to make sure you have enough time to complete your table assignments and have the place cards printed.
How much does it cost to mail my invitations?
Each wedding invitation is different. As such, we recommended that you take an assembled invitation to the post office to determine the proper postage. Non-standard formats such as square shaped envelopes, oversized envelopes, and pocket invitations will require extra postage. Also, don’t forget to add postage to your response card!
What else should i include in my wedding stationery suite?
Below is a list of possible items that could be included in your wedding stationery suite.
- engagement announcements
- save the dates
- reception cards (to be included with wedding invitation)
- directions (to be included with the wedding invitation)
- accommodations card (to be included with wedding invitation)
- rehearsal dinner invitation
- programs
- seating/escort cards
- table numbers
- menus
- custom napkins
- favor boxes/tags
- thank you notes
- marriage announcements
- New address announcements
