Invitations – What you need to know

Everything you need to know about invitations

Invitations are the first impression your guests have of your wedding! They set the tone and communicate the theme and level of formality of your event.

We know that finding the perfect design suite is no small task! Between deciding on the design, wording, etiquette, assembly, mailing, etc. the invitation process can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

We opened our sister-shop, Social Graces Paperie, in August 2018 for that very reason: to provide a destination for brides to find and create their perfect wedding invitation. We believe that invitations are something you need to see, touch, and feel in person. We’ve found over the years that brides have so many questions when it comes to their invitations and they feel lost when their only option is selecting a design online with no one to talk to.

Wedding Timeline

First things first, you need to understand the wedding invitation timeline to ensure that you’re accomplishing things with enough time in mind.

• 9-12 Months: Plan the Guest List and Order Save the Dates
• 6-9 Months: Mail Save the Dates
• 4-6 Months: Select & order invitations, order shower invitations as well
• 8-10 Weeks: Mail Wedding Invitations
• 6 Weeks: Order wedding day print items (ie. Programs, menus, placecards etc)
• After the Wedding: Send out Thank You cards 

Choosing your theme & design

As we mentioned before the invitation is the first impression your guests will have of your wedding! It sets the tone, shows off your theme, and level of formality of the event.  Your invite should be a true reflection of your wedding style. 

From letterpress, embossing, and foil printing, to the accessories like folders, ribbons, wax seals, etc. there are so many options available to couples. The value of using a local stationery shop is that you can physically see the quality of the invitations. You can feel the thickness of the paper weight and see how the foil print shimmers. 

Invites aren’t always a one size fits all it’s important to talk with experts about all of your options and how things can be customized to fit your taste. 

Addressing Etiquette

Addresses should be written formally which means no abbreviating.

Example:   1234 Main Street
                    Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301

Address your guests as you would invite them.

Formal Example:  Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
Casual Example:  John & Mary Smith

If inviting families indicate that.
Example: Mr. and Mrs. John Smith & Family

Postage Tips

Postage cost is often overlooked when deciding on your invitations. When you’re selecting your design suite and pieces be mindful of items that can add to your final postage cost such as…

• Square size invites
  
• Oversized
  
• Ribbons with knots
  
• Folders, etc

Always take your fully assembled invitation to the Post Office before buying any stamps so that you can have it weighed. They will give you the exact postage cost required per piece. 

We hope this has been a helpful overview when it comes to planning out your invitations! There is so much more to cover and for an even more indepth look at eqituette, addressing, and other invitation tips you can check out the article from Social Graces Paperie in the 2019 edition of The Wedding Magazine Green Bay

Let’s Chat about your invites!

Schedule a consultation at Social Graces and we’ll walk you through the entire process and help you find the perfect design suite!