What you need to know for your wedding invitations.
Wedding invitations are a very important piece to wedding planning. These little cards tell so much! Not only does it represent the first glimpse into the design and aesthetic of your wedding day, it also has imperative information for your guests. It includes everything from date, time, location, dress code, registry and more. So before you order, seal and deliver your stationary beauts, there are a few things you may want to know. Let’s get down to it shall we?
Here is an overall timeline to sending out your celebration stationary:
6 months prior to wedding date – send out your Save the Dates.
12 weeks prior to wedding date – send out your Invitations to guests traveling internationally.
8 weeks prior to wedding date – send out your Invitations to guests traveling inside the United States of America.
1 month prior to wedding date – deadline for RSVP’s to be sent in.
3 months after wedding date – send out Thank You cards.
Wondering where to go for stationary suites? Minted has a vast inventory of different styles, themes, colors and fonts. Enjoy 35% off save the dates and 25% off wedding invitations by using our code WEDVENCROSSCREEK. You can also check out Citrus Press Co. if you are looking for a stationary company local to the Tampa area. For custom watercolor invites check out Nicole Leah Designs!
Save The Dates
While Save The Dates are not necessary, they are thoroughly appreciated by your guests. Here are some tips:
- If you plan on using your engagement pictures in your STD: Book your engagement shoot far in advance to give your photographer enough time to edit the photos.
- The only information you will need on your STD: Your names, date of the wedding and the location (i.e. city, state)
Wedding Invitations
Your standard wedding invitation includes: The outer envelope, the main invitation card, the response card, a response envelope and an insert card.
The main invitation card should cover all your important wedding details such as your name, the wedding date, time and location.
The outer envelope should be addressed ONLY to the guests who you are inviting. To avoid having kids at your wedding, address the invite to just the parents. This same concept will be used if you do not want to invite plus ones, only include the name of the invited guest. A return address should also be added to the outer envelope.
Response card pro tip: assign each guest or family a number. Take a pen and write that number on the back corner of the RSVP card where it will not be noticeable to the guest. When you begin receiving RSVPs back that do not have a name on it (trust us, this does happen) you will be able to know who the RSVP is from based on their assigned number.
The response card should already be self addressed with postage.
Last and certainly not least, your insert card. Your insert card can be used for the following wedding details:
- Wedding Website Information
- Registry
- Pro tip: What if you just want cash? Here is a great way to request a monetary gift from your guests without coming off as rude or tacky: We’re so lucky to be able to spend our wedding day with all of our friends and family; your presence is truly all the present we need. Because we have all the basic household supplies covered, if you’d like to get us a gift to celebrate, we’ve created a registry fund that we’ll use to enjoy our honeymoon!
- Check out Zola and Blueprint Registry to set up your cash fund.
- Travel and Accommodations
- Pro tip: if you have guests traveling from out of town, reserve a room block at one of our partner hotels.
- Dress Code
- Specific Venue Location
Pro tip: wedding websites are free! They are a great place to include all the above information in one place, saving you time and money.
Thank You Card
For every gift giving scenario or for any guest that attended your wedding, it is etiquette to send a thank you card. What may seem like a daunting task, is actually quite simple. Here is all that you need to say:
- Say thank you
- Name the gift, if you received one
- Say something regarding the gift
- Sign your name!
For wedding invitation inspiration, check out our Pinterest page! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok for more real wedding inspiration and planning tips. Ready to book your personal tour at our all-inclusive wedding venue? Call or text us today at 813.651.0934 or email our Wedding Specialist at info@crosscreekranchfl.com.