We all know how crucial an Invitation can be, Informing your guests of your wedding is one of the biggest tasks on your plate. While you might feel excited to get this started from the moment you announce your engagement, it is best to make sure you put in proper research before you begin. Invites typically come in what is known as a “suite.” Unlike invites to a birthday party, which require little more than card and envelope, there are a few key elements involved with the suite. Review this breakdown and feel ready to tackle this important wedding task.
The Preliminary Stepof The Invitation
Before you even get to the suite itself, there is a very important preliminary step you must address. The save-the-date cards are the first point of contact you will have with most of your guests. This card provides your friends and family members with the general notice of your wedding and the date you have selected. While you can include other details if you so desire, this early stage is only meant to provide a notice to your guests so they can plan accordingly. This isn’t part of the suite, but it is definitely crucial.
The Main Event
The suite itself is composed of several parts. The centerpiece is the main invitation. This is the item that includes all of the most important details of your event. The verbiage and exact phrasings you select will come down to what you feel comfortable with, but there are some templates online you can use to get started. Be sure to include your full names, the date and time of the event, and the exact address of the venue. You don’t want to crowd the paper, so limit yourself to these key points.
It is important to note that some customs suggest putting in the names of the people who are paying for the event. If your parents are helping to cover the costs of your big day, you would introduce the invitation with language suggesting they are the ones welcoming the guests. This is not as commonplace as it once was, however, and can be left to your own discretion.
The InvitationWith AResponse Card
While informing guests of your big day is important, it is equally as crucial to include the response card. This is a small item included along with the other stationery in the suite. The card is included to allow guests a convenient way of replying to the invitation. Typically, the card is very small and is placed within an envelope that has been addressed and stamped. You don’t need to include postage, but it increases the odds your guests will place the cards right in the mail and you can get a headcount.
The Excess
The final piece of the suite is the “details” card. In reality, this can be a single card or multiple pieces of paper. The point is to include the information that cannot fit on the main card or doesn’t belong elsewhere. For example, if you need to give directions to guests, this is the place to provide that info. The details you can include here will range from the answers to commonplace questions, contact info that might be essential, information related to booking local hotel rooms, and so on.
The Rest
Finally, there are lots of little flourishes you can include in the invitation suite to give it a bit more personality. While you don’t want to over stuff the envelope, couples will include decorative elements that don’t take up much space and help to tie the invites into the overall aesthetic of the event.
An invitation suite is an important part of your big day. Create a list to make sure you hit every point discussed here and tackle this task with ease.
Inviting a guest to a wedding used to be pretty straightforward. Unfortunately, the process has become a bit more complicated over recent years. From couples adopting new attitudes toward their nuptials to world events impacting the wedding industry in a number of unforeseen ways, there are plenty of new questions to consider before you toss your invites in the mail. If you aren’t ready for some commonplace threats, you could be in for a headache. Though the challenges might be a reflection of the times, a bit of preparation can help you meet whatever demands are placed on you.
The Uninvited
Once upon a time, inviting someone to a wedding was making a contract you could not break. To take back such a request would be a huge slap in the face and make the couple look bad in the eyes of friends and family. These notions are somewhat antiquated nowadays. In fact, uninviting someone to a wedding is a scenario that comes up more often than one might imagine. From problematic relatives to friends that fall out of touch, there are people who may not make the cut as you plan for your big day.
The key to uninviting someone is doing so with tact. No matter the situation that has led to this decision, you don’t want to make an uncomfortable moment even more tense. Try to speak to the person directly, but feel free to send a text or email if you feel it is the best way to keep your cool. This is your wedding, and you’re spending a lot of time and money on making it special. Don’t let obligation force you to bring someone into the fold who will spoil the mood.
The Change-the-Date Cards
Anyone who had a wedding planned in 2022 knows that the unexpected can easily happen. With gathering restrictions reshaping the way public and private events are held, countless couples have had to think on the fly when it came to making changes to their plans. In the last year, the change-the-date card has become quite popular. Essentially, this is a card you send out the same way you do your save-the-date mailers. The aim is to let guests know of adjustments to your event with plenty of notice.
There are no real rules or customs surrounding change-the-dates just yet. Still, you definitely want to get them out fast. Some couples will use stationery that fits the theme of their wedding, and others will expedite the process by sending an email to guests. However you go about notifying people, be sure to stay calm. If you don’t have a new date yet or are hesitant to put out any concrete details due to an uncertain future, make this clear to your guests. Being vague or selecting another date out of pressure may only complicate matters further.
The Digital Decisions
As mentioned, digital communication can be a good option when you need to make last-minute changes to your wedding plans. You don’t need to limit this to change-the-date cards, either. Plenty of couples are fully embracing the future by switching to invitations and save-the-dates that are sent out entirely online. Not only is this an efficient way of monitoring responses, it also is an eco-friendly trend that reduces the impact your wedding has on the environment. Plus, fewer people view digital invitations with disdain these days, so breaking tradition won’t be insulting the bulk of your guests.
As times change, so do the methods of planning a wedding. While sending out invitations shouldn’t cause you to lose sleep, you can do yourself a big favor by taking some basic setbacks into account in advance. Find peace of mind by strategizing a plan that meets the unique circumstances of your big day.
To be a great wedding guest, make sure that you are polite and courteous.
April showers bring May flowers, but for brides, April showers bring June flowers. Summer is a popular time for weddings, so you might start getting invitations from your friends who are getting married. To survive wedding season, be the best wedding guest you can. Here are a few tips to help you:
RSVP by the date requested. Do not put the invitation aside for a few days, because you’ll forget. Don’t make the couple track you down for an answer.
Look at the invitation to see who was invited. Do not invite anyone yourself. If your children aren’t mentioned on the envelope, they are not invited to the wedding. It is customary to invite partners, but if you aren’t married or in a long-term relationship, you may have to go single.
Show up if you RSVP “yes.” Barring an emergency, don’t change plans at the last minute. The caterer will charge the couple for your plate, whether you show up or not.
Do not talk about the wedding with friends who may not have been invited. This means on social media too. You don’t want to come off as boasting or make others feel bad because they were not invited.
Be on time for the ceremony. Better yet, be there 10 to 15 minutes early to get the lay of the land. When you arrive late, you disrupt the flow of the ceremony. If you do arrive late, wait for a break in the action to sneak in.
Dress appropriately. If the invitation says “semi-formal,” don’t wear jeans. For a beach wedding, dress more casually. Don’t wear white.
Put your phone on silent during the ceremony. Let your babysitter know your phone will be off for a half-hour to forty-five minutes and promise to check immediately after.
Don’t take pictures during the ceremony. Respect the wedding photographer.
Ask the couple if you can share pictures on social media before you do.
Send the gift, if you do, to the home of the bride or groom. Don’t make them deal with more stuff at the reception.
During the reception, sit where the bride and groom have placed you. Make conversation with those around you. It’s only for a couple of hours. Your phone will wait.
What About the Rights of a Wedding Guest?
Wedding guests also have rights that come with their invitation:
You can expect to receive an invitation if you received a save-the-date card.
You have the right to decline the invitation if you cannot attend. No explanation needed, just say, “Thank you, I’d love to be there, but I can’t.”
You can ask the couple if you need clarification about your invitation. Maybe you want to make sure you understand the dress code or are confused about the plus one.
You have a right to not send a gift at all. You also have up to a year to send a wedding gift.
If you do send a gift, you have a right to expect a timely thank-you note. You might want to give the couple a few weeks after the wedding to wrap up all their duties, but if you don’t receive a thank-you note within three months, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask if they received your gift.
You should take advantage of the open bar, but don’t overdo it.
Have a Good Time
A wedding is a celebration, and you should have a good time. Thank the host and hostess, typically the bride’s parents, before you leave. Don’t be offended if you don’t get a few minutes with the bride and groom. One of the best things you can do as a wedding guest is to be flexible and gracious, no matter what happens at the ceremony or reception.
We all know how crucial an Invitation can be, Informing your guests of your wedding is one of the biggest tasks on your plate. While you might feel excited to get this started from the moment you announce your engagement, it is best to make sure you put in proper research before you begin. Invites typically come in what is known as a “suite.” Unlike invites to a birthday party, which require little more than card and envelope, there are a few key elements involved with the suite. Review this breakdown and feel ready to tackle this important wedding task.
The Preliminary Stepof The Invitation
Before you even get to the suite itself, there is a very important preliminary step you must address. The save-the-date cards are the first point of contact you will have with most of your guests. This card provides your friends and family members with the general notice of your wedding and the date you have selected. While you can include other details if you so desire, this early stage is only meant to provide a notice to your guests so they can plan accordingly. This isn’t part of the suite, but it is definitely crucial.
The Main Event
The suite itself is composed of several parts. The centerpiece is the main invitation. This is the item that includes all of the most important details of your event. The verbiage and exact phrasings you select will come down to what you feel comfortable with, but there are some templates online you can use to get started. Be sure to include your full names, the date and time of the event, and the exact address of the venue. You don’t want to crowd the paper, so limit yourself to these key points.
It is important to note that some customs suggest putting in the names of the people who are paying for the event. If your parents are helping to cover the costs of your big day, you would introduce the invitation with language suggesting they are the ones welcoming the guests. This is not as commonplace as it once was, however, and can be left to your own discretion.
The InvitationWith AResponse Card
While informing guests of your big day is important, it is equally as crucial to include the response card. This is a small item included along with the other stationery in the suite. The card is included to allow guests a convenient way of replying to the invitation. Typically, the card is very small and is placed within an envelope that has been addressed and stamped. You don’t need to include postage, but it increases the odds your guests will place the cards right in the mail and you can get a headcount.
The Excess
The final piece of the suite is the “details” card. In reality, this can be a single card or multiple pieces of paper. The point is to include the information that cannot fit on the main card or doesn’t belong elsewhere. For example, if you need to give directions to guests, this is the place to provide that info. The details you can include here will range from the answers to commonplace questions, contact info that might be essential, information related to booking local hotel rooms, and so on.
The Rest
Finally, there are lots of little flourishes you can include in the invitation suite to give it a bit more personality. While you don’t want to over stuff the envelope, couples will include decorative elements that don’t take up much space and help to tie the invites into the overall aesthetic of the event.
An invitation suite is an important part of your big day. Create a list to make sure you hit every point discussed here and tackle this task with ease.
Inviting a guest to a wedding used to be pretty straightforward. Unfortunately, the process has become a bit more complicated over recent years. From couples adopting new attitudes toward their nuptials to world events impacting the wedding industry in a number of unforeseen ways, there are plenty of new questions to consider before you toss your invites in the mail. If you aren’t ready for some commonplace threats, you could be in for a headache. Though the challenges might be a reflection of the times, a bit of preparation can help you meet whatever demands are placed on you.
The Uninvited
Once upon a time, inviting someone to a wedding was making a contract you could not break. To take back such a request would be a huge slap in the face and make the couple look bad in the eyes of friends and family. These notions are somewhat antiquated nowadays. In fact, uninviting someone to a wedding is a scenario that comes up more often than one might imagine. From problematic relatives to friends that fall out of touch, there are people who may not make the cut as you plan for your big day.
The key to uninviting someone is doing so with tact. No matter the situation that has led to this decision, you don’t want to make an uncomfortable moment even more tense. Try to speak to the person directly, but feel free to send a text or email if you feel it is the best way to keep your cool. This is your wedding, and you’re spending a lot of time and money on making it special. Don’t let obligation force you to bring someone into the fold who will spoil the mood.
The Change-the-Date Cards
Anyone who had a wedding planned in 2022 knows that the unexpected can easily happen. With gathering restrictions reshaping the way public and private events are held, countless couples have had to think on the fly when it came to making changes to their plans. In the last year, the change-the-date card has become quite popular. Essentially, this is a card you send out the same way you do your save-the-date mailers. The aim is to let guests know of adjustments to your event with plenty of notice.
There are no real rules or customs surrounding change-the-dates just yet. Still, you definitely want to get them out fast. Some couples will use stationery that fits the theme of their wedding, and others will expedite the process by sending an email to guests. However you go about notifying people, be sure to stay calm. If you don’t have a new date yet or are hesitant to put out any concrete details due to an uncertain future, make this clear to your guests. Being vague or selecting another date out of pressure may only complicate matters further.
The Digital Decisions
As mentioned, digital communication can be a good option when you need to make last-minute changes to your wedding plans. You don’t need to limit this to change-the-date cards, either. Plenty of couples are fully embracing the future by switching to invitations and save-the-dates that are sent out entirely online. Not only is this an efficient way of monitoring responses, it also is an eco-friendly trend that reduces the impact your wedding has on the environment. Plus, fewer people view digital invitations with disdain these days, so breaking tradition won’t be insulting the bulk of your guests.
As times change, so do the methods of planning a wedding. While sending out invitations shouldn’t cause you to lose sleep, you can do yourself a big favor by taking some basic setbacks into account in advance. Find peace of mind by strategizing a plan that meets the unique circumstances of your big day.
To be a great wedding guest, make sure that you are polite and courteous.
April showers bring May flowers, but for brides, April showers bring June flowers. Summer is a popular time for weddings, so you might start getting invitations from your friends who are getting married. To survive wedding season, be the best wedding guest you can. Here are a few tips to help you:
RSVP by the date requested. Do not put the invitation aside for a few days, because you’ll forget. Don’t make the couple track you down for an answer.
Look at the invitation to see who was invited. Do not invite anyone yourself. If your children aren’t mentioned on the envelope, they are not invited to the wedding. It is customary to invite partners, but if you aren’t married or in a long-term relationship, you may have to go single.
Show up if you RSVP “yes.” Barring an emergency, don’t change plans at the last minute. The caterer will charge the couple for your plate, whether you show up or not.
Do not talk about the wedding with friends who may not have been invited. This means on social media too. You don’t want to come off as boasting or make others feel bad because they were not invited.
Be on time for the ceremony. Better yet, be there 10 to 15 minutes early to get the lay of the land. When you arrive late, you disrupt the flow of the ceremony. If you do arrive late, wait for a break in the action to sneak in.
Dress appropriately. If the invitation says “semi-formal,” don’t wear jeans. For a beach wedding, dress more casually. Don’t wear white.
Put your phone on silent during the ceremony. Let your babysitter know your phone will be off for a half-hour to forty-five minutes and promise to check immediately after.
Don’t take pictures during the ceremony. Respect the wedding photographer.
Ask the couple if you can share pictures on social media before you do.
Send the gift, if you do, to the home of the bride or groom. Don’t make them deal with more stuff at the reception.
During the reception, sit where the bride and groom have placed you. Make conversation with those around you. It’s only for a couple of hours. Your phone will wait.
What About the Rights of a Wedding Guest?
Wedding guests also have rights that come with their invitation:
You can expect to receive an invitation if you received a save-the-date card.
You have the right to decline the invitation if you cannot attend. No explanation needed, just say, “Thank you, I’d love to be there, but I can’t.”
You can ask the couple if you need clarification about your invitation. Maybe you want to make sure you understand the dress code or are confused about the plus one.
You have a right to not send a gift at all. You also have up to a year to send a wedding gift.
If you do send a gift, you have a right to expect a timely thank-you note. You might want to give the couple a few weeks after the wedding to wrap up all their duties, but if you don’t receive a thank-you note within three months, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask if they received your gift.
You should take advantage of the open bar, but don’t overdo it.
Have a Good Time
A wedding is a celebration, and you should have a good time. Thank the host and hostess, typically the bride’s parents, before you leave. Don’t be offended if you don’t get a few minutes with the bride and groom. One of the best things you can do as a wedding guest is to be flexible and gracious, no matter what happens at the ceremony or reception.
