The wedding invitations are extremely important to the planning process. They are the start of the end of wedding planning and turning the wedding day into a reality. Getting the details right is key, so below are 5 mistakes to avoid with wedding invitations.
Not clarifying who is invited
The way you address the envelope implies who is invited to the wedding, so pay extra attention. If you are inviting a couple but not their children, the envelope should address just the couple (Mr. & Mrs. John and Jane Smith). If the entire family is invited, the envelope should address the whole family (The Smith Family or Mr. & Mrs. John and Jane Smith, Jack, Michael and Emma). If you are inviting someone with a guest, the envelope should include that: Ms. Jane Smith and Guest (or the name of the significant other if you know it). If someone is invited without a plus one, the envelope should say just their name: Mr. John Smith.
Listing the incorrect ceremony start time
Couple are tempted to indicate an earlier start time than the actual ceremony start time because they may be afraid of guests showing up late. Although the worry is understandable, it is not recommended to put an earlier start time but the actual start time. Guests inherently know to show up early to a wedding ceremony. If your ceremony begins at 5pm, guests will likely arrive between 430-445pm. If you listed 430pm for a 5pm ceremony, guests will likely arrive between 4-415pm and will be waiting around for some time before the ceremony begins, which isn’t a pleasant experience. It’s important to respect guests’ time. If you’re worried about late guests, put the actual start time on the invitation and put a note on your wedding website asking guests to arrive early as you plan to start right on time.
Not providing all the necessary information
Keeping your guests in the loop makes for happy guests that ask less questions to the couple, which in turn makes the couple happy. It’s a win-win when your guests are informed. Including the basics is necessary—date, time, location(s)—but also including your website link, hotel information, any pre or post wedding events, and any other misc information that is important (dress code, parking, if the event is adults only, etc.) will streamline the communication process.
Not providing RSVP instructions
It’s important to include an RSVP date so your guests know when to send their replies by. Giving them about 3-4 weeks to respond after they receive the invitation is a typical amount of time. Also include how you would like guests to RSVP. If you would like paper responses, including a pre-addressed envelope with the RSVP card is key (and don’t forget to include a samp on the RSVP envelope!). If you want guests to RSVP online, make sure to include the website link, QR code, or email address for guests to send their reply.
Sending invitations too late
The best way to send invitations at the correct time is to work backwards. Look at your wedding date and count back 12 weeks. This is when you should mail your invitations. The RSVP date should be a month after the invitations are mailed out, so you should have guests’ replies around 8 weeks before the wedding date. Usually the caterer will need the final guest count and meal selections around 2 weeks before the wedding, so that gives 6 weeks in between receiving all guest replies and giving the final count to chase down any guests who haven’t replied on time (there’s always a few!), work on your seating chart and order any final paper items you may want for the wedding day (seating chart or place cards, menus, table numbers, etc.).
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
