When it comes to wedding invitations, it is common for many people to draw a blank. There is the color scheme, invitation wording, design, and so much more to think about! We know that planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but knowing some of the ins and outs ahead of time can help you navigate through this and mitigate any unnecessary stress. Do you need some help getting started with your wedding invitations? If so, start here by checking out our top wedding invitation tips that are sure to help guide you through this process.
1. First and foremost, know your budget. Once you know how much you can spend, research your options. You don’t want to waste a good portion of your budget on invitations, so make sure you consider your finances first. While some options look tempting, such as engraving and letterpress, this options can quickly add to your costs. So do your research and have a budget in place so you can pick your priorities and plan accordingly.
2. Find and define your style! Your wedding invitations should mirror your wedding style, so if you don’t have this figured out yet take some time to think about it. Do you want to have a laid back wedding, or a classic and sophisticated wedding? Or maybe you want a glitzy, glamorous one. Once you decide, you can design your invitation with this in mind.
3. The wording that you use on your wedding invitations should reflect the style of wedding that you are having. Meaning if you plan on having a very elegant, sophisticated wedding your wording should match. On the other hand, if you intend on having a laid back wedding, the wording on your invites can be much looser and less formal. Wedding invitations are the first peek into your wedding, so you want them to hit the right note.
4. You will want to plan out your wedding colors and any motifs before you design your invitation. You should aim to make everything in your wedding cohesive, so this way you can incorporate your theme and colors into your menu cards, escort cards, and into your wedding invitations. Just like the wording used on the invitations, the colors used can help indicate the style of wedding you are planning on having.
5. While you are putting together the design for your wedding invitations, make sure you don’t forget about the text. The type of text used can make or break your wedding invitation, so make sure you pay extra attention to this step. You need your text to be legible and readable. Otherwise, what’s the point of the invitation! Avoid using light text on light backgrounds, dark text on dark backgrounds, and watch out for those hard-to-read fonts.
6. You don’t want to put too much information down on your wedding invitation and crowd the card. Instead list only the key elements, such as the day and time, the location, the couple’s names, list the hosts, if there is a dress code, as well as the RSVP information. The more information you try to squeeze in, the less readable the invitation becomes. If you want to include more information, create a wedding website or print it out on a separate enclosure card.
7. Send out your wedding invitations early, and don’t procrastinate. The last thing you want to do is get the final headcount shortly before your wedding. You should aim to send out a “save the date” reminder six to eight months before the wedding and your wedding invitations should go out anywhere between 6-10 weeks before the wedding. Remember that printing out your invitations can take some time, especially if you designed an elaborate one. To play it safe, aim to order your invitations about four to five months before your wedding date.