Use the "Search" and "Archive" tools to the right to help guide you through your wedding process. Look for tips on: addressing envelopes correctly, including complicated details in your invitation text, choosing escort cards or place cards, streamlining your guest list, making a wedding map & more!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

The Do’s & Don'ts of Ordering Wedding Invitations

The experts at Pa-py-ri give some tips on preparing to order your invitations. 


Do:

1. Create your guest list in excel format – this will make it easier to track RSVP’s, submit addresses for envelopes and escort cards to a printer, track meal selection and get an accurate guest count. Not good in Excel? Reach out to your Bridal Party to help – that’s what they are there for!

2. Figure out how many invitations you need. This is not the same as “number of guests”. You will have many couples who only need one invitation, some families of 2+ that require one invite, single guests that need one invite, etc.

3. Research wedding invitation pricing, and make sure you are realistic with you stationary budget. You will need to know how much per invitation suite you can afford to pay and should not forget the little things that make a difference in the end:

  • Any invite weighting over 2 ounces will cost more in postage
  • Any exact square invitation costs more to mail
  • Very fragile invites may need to be hand stamped by USPS – they charge for this service
  • For postcard RSVPs you can use a postcard stamp (costs less)

4. Make decisions:

  • Prefer horizontal or vertical layout?
  • Envelope vs. postcard RSVP?
  • What other info do you need to include/collect in your invite: 
    • RSVP date (consult your caterer and subtract one week to contact anyone who did not RSVP)
    • Hotel/accommodation info for guests?
    • Menu selection?
    • Collect dietary restrictions from guests?
    • Collect a head count for a shuttle service?
    • Collect babysitting interest?
    • Song requests from guests?
    • List a wedding website?

Don’t:

1. Get carried away and overspend past your budget. Brides regret this in the long run.

2. Choose your wedding colors until you have researched and looked at bridal party dresses. Brides have been known to choose and change their colors based on the dress selection they find.

3. Forget to order a wedding invitation for yourself. Out of all your guests you will cherish your invitation the most!

4. Be afraid to put “elbow grease” into your wedding details. Your guests will notice the (sometimes time consuming) effort you put into your special day!