I have come across a fair few invites in my time that have missed some crucial (but easily missed) information. So much thought and attention tends to go into the design that the actual content becomes rushed.
To make it easy for you - here are my top 5 things to include,
1. Date, time, location.
So maybe this is 3 in 1, but these are the basics. If you don’t tell them when and where, you may end up with no guests or a lot of questions on the run up to your special day! I find it helpful to add the day of the week when it comes to the date, not only is it useful if they need to book it off, it also looks good. Make sure to consider the different start times during your day for example; if you’re having different invites for day and evening guests. The name and address of the venues is crucial for your guests, not only to know where to go, but also how to get there and where to stay.
2. Details
Not everyone will know the area you’re getting married in, so it’s worth providing some details of local accommodation, whether or not you’ve got any reserved rooms available or a discount at a hotel nearby. Do the venues have parking, public transport nearby or is it in an area where hailing a taxi isn’t an option so your guests may need to pre book. Are you having a dress code? Do you want hats to be worn? Or have you got lots of grass or gravel that might not be ideal for those stilettos? It’s worth letting guests know this on your invites to prevent all the questions closer to the day. I love adding a personalised map with key tourist spots or your venue to give people a sense of the area and to make a weekend out of it!
3. Gifts
Your guests will likely want to know what to give you (if anything). This is the time - if you’ve got a gift list registered somewhere, give them the link, or if you’ve set up a honeymoon registration that people can buy you an experience or cocktail at sunset then share it. You may simply want to ask people to refrain or donate to a charity instead! There are lots of ways to ask for gifts through poems and phrases, take a look at my wording guide for a few ideas.
4. RSVP
Keep it simple!
Make sure it’s easy for your guests to respond. It may seem tedious but ensuring their names are already on it can save a lot of time in the long run. Give them easy tick boxes for attendance and menu options, as well as space to add in notes on dietary requirements or song requests for the dance floor later in the evening! Always include the address you want it returned to too.
My go to design is a postcard style RSVP that they simply post back, you can be generous and even add a stamp! Make sure to include a time frame so there are no unexpected last minute guests.
5. People
Who is and isn't invited to the wedding may be obvious to you but not your guests. Make sure it’s clear on your invites, envelopes and/or your RSVP. Your budget is not endless and it is absolutely ok not to invite your friend's new boyfriend of 5 days; equally you might not be fussed and think the bigger the better! Consider whether you would like to include children to all or some of your wedding day or limit them to immediate family only. This might not be an easy decision to make but if you pop it into your invites it will deter from those awkward conversations we all know and hate!
Take a look at my wording guide for more ideas about how to phrase and set out your invites, hopefully this will help make your day run smoothly and extra special!
Good luck as always if you have any questions, send me a message!
Love Fran xxx