Your wedding invitation is a very important aspect of your wedding. The invitation often offers your guests the first peek at what is in store on your big day. More importantly, it provides crucial information, like the date, venue and time. This allows guests to plan their availability and schedule your special day into their calendars. So, it is only necessary that you choose your wedding invitation with due care, and avoid any mistake in it.
Today, we will look at the most common mistakes that couples make when planning their wedding invitation. This will allow you to avoid the same, and do it right. So, here goes.
#1 Placing your order late
Wedding invitations should go out early, so your guests are informed on time and can send their RSVP’s early. You need the RSVP count early, in order to get on with the rest of your wedding arrangements. Since the RSVP’s are necessary to know how many guests will be attending, it is directly linked to finalizing your venue, planning the seating arrangements, quantity of food to be ordered, party favors etc. If you delay ordering your invitation, you automatically delay the time when it is sent out, and with it all the rest of the wedding plans are also delayed. So, once you decide to get married, let the wedding invitation be on your top list of priorities. Set aside time to sort out the design, plan the overall look, draft the words to go with it, choose stationery and place your order. After that, it will still be a couple of days before you receive it. So, factor in all these aspects into your planning time line, and make sure you place your order as early as is possible, so there is no delay in the rest of your wedding plans.
#2 Making it too cluttered
Many couples make the mistake of going overboard with the design and wordings for their invitations. This can clutter up the invitation, and the little details may not even be noticed. You can always use color, but do it in a manner that it is easy on the eye. Similarly, distribute the message in such a way that it fits neatly, and there is still plenty of empty space, so it doesn’t look stuffy. If you pack your invitation with information on every page, it can be overwhelming and your guests may not find it appealing at all. If there are too many details, it is best to divide it into sections and fit it neatly into separate pages. This will make it a lot easier to take in. Also pay attention to the font. Choose one that is not only easy to read, but is neat and matches the tone of the invitation. If you must have a long invitation message, consider stationery that is longer than it is wide, so it looks evenly distributed and streamlined.
#3 Adding too many details and colors
Similar to adding too much information in your message, too many details and colors can also take away the charm of your wedding invitation. It is true that your wedding invitation offers a sneak peek into what is in store for your wedding, but it is essential that you do it tastefully to create the right effect. If your wedding color palette includes several colors, don’t include all of them in the invite. Balance it out by mixing neutrals with the brightest colors in your palette. Similarly, forego the finer details like intricate designs that will be used at your wedding, or technically complicated stuff that can cost a lot, but may not turn out so dramatic on paper. What matters most is that your wedding invitation contains all the essential details that your guests must know. For the rest, less is more!
#4 Not proofreading your copy properly before printing it
There is plenty of chance for the words on your invite to go wrong. From the names of the couple, to grammatical errors, to important information like the date or time of wedding, everything has to be checked and cross-checked. So, have it checked several times, and no mistakes are overlooked. Be attentive when you do your checking, and don’t hesitate to ask your family or friends to check for typos. A single typo can end up as an eyesore that you can do nothing about, once it is printed. The most good looking invitations can also fail if there are grammar or spelling mistakes in it. So, do all you can to avoid it. Take your time when drafting the invitations. Look at the various options available and try each one out till you find the right choice. Don’t do a hurried edit, take your time to read through and make sure everything is alright. We suggest checking every word individually. It is also a good idea to leave the invitation untouched for a day or two after you draft it. When you then return to it, it will be easier to spot errors that you missed in the first check and correct them promptly.
#5 Adding the registry information in the card
It is a breach of wedding invitation etiquette to include your registry information on the card. It will not only look as though you are fishing for gifts, it is simply not the right place to do it. The intention of the invitation card, like the name suggests, is to invite a guest to your wedding. So, focus on that. Whether you want gifts or not, don’t make any mention of it on your wedding invitation. Some couples add a “No Gifts please” statement to their wedding invitations. Even this can be inappropriate. When a guest is invited to a wedding, they know they are usually expected to get the couple a gift. Nowadays, the common practice is to provide this information on the wedding website, which is a must-have for every wedding. So, they’ll either look for this information there, or else ask someone in the wedding party and find out. You can always include your wedding website URL in your wedding invitation. This should be sufficient for your guests to find your wedding registry, and choose a gift from the list.
#6 Doing a sloppy job of addressing the envelopes
Two common mistakes are to address the envelopes in a rush so it looks shabby, and using sticky labels to address the envelope. Addressing the envelopes should be a priority, as it is the first thing that your guests look at when they receive the invitation. Do it well, and you create a good first impression. If you do this yourself, make sure you do not do too many invitations in one go. Give yourself enough time to do it in batches. Also, your handwriting should be good, legible, and using a very good pen. The worst thing that can happen is your ink running out while you address an envelope. So, make sure that you have a spare pen in hand, all the time. Using sticky labels may seem practical, but it can ruin the appearance of your invitation. Also, it looks very impersonal and your guests would appreciate it more if you wrote or printed on the envelope directly. Consider hiring the services of a calligrapher or having the cards printed by the same stationer who prints the invitation cards. The latter will save you plenty of time and effort, will be neat and look professional.
#7 Ordering the wrong number
When you have a guest list in hand, you should be able to make an educated guest of how many invitations you will need. Remember that you do not need one invitation per person invited to the wedding, as many of them will be couples or families who can be covered with a single invite. The best way to sort this out is to edit your guest list, so all those who are covered under the same invitation come together on it. Once you have an idea of how many invitations will be required, you can add an extra 25%, just to be on the safe side. This will cover up for the last minute additions you may have missed, and also leave you with enough copies as keepsakes for your wedding treasure box. Read more about setting this up here, on this previous post. Ordering a few extras will also save you the trouble of going back and buying more cards, if you end up having lesser cards than you actually need. A fresh order can have you spending a for
#8 Not using a separate card for the reception
If the wedding ceremony and reception are at different venues, it is a good idea to use separate cards to clearly mention both the venue addresses and times, so there is no confusion. This is even more important if you haven’t invited everyone on the guest list to both functions. In which case, having two separate invitations for both functions is the best way to handle it. Just make sure that you separate both sets and address them correctly, so there is no confusion about who will receive which card. We also suggest that you add directions to the venue on either card, so it is easy for the guests to find their way to the venue on the day. Read more about what essential information has to be contained in an invitation card at our previous post here.
#9 Not using the required amount of postage stamps
When you mail your wedding invitations, you will have to send them with the correct postage stamps so they reach where they ought to. We often make the mistake of assuming that a certain number of stamps would be sufficient. If you put more stamps than the actual weight calls for, it will be fine. But if the number is lesser, it will lead to the card being returned and simply causing unnecessary delays. Don’t assume that the invitation will be just like normal postage. An invitation card will usually have several pieces of paper inside, and each of these can quickly add up, requiring you to pay higher postal charges. All you have to do to avoid this problem, is to take a sample to the post office, have it weighed and buy sufficient quantity of stamps to cover all your invitations. Also, don’t forget that you may need more stamps for cards that have to travel further.
Tip: Invitation cards of standard size and weight normally cost less, while bulky invitations cost a fortune in postage charges. So, remember this when you are considering odd shapes and unusual looking cards that may not fit into a regular letter box. You may be better off avoiding more inserts than is absolutely required, as each piece can contribute to added postal charges.
#10 Sending the invitation card too late
Just like ordering the card late can cause a lot of inconvenience, sending it out late can do the same. Your guests should be informed of your wedding plans well in advance, so they can mark their calendars and make their plans by setting aside any other engagements. You should send it at least two months before the wedding date, so there is enough time for it to reach the recipient, time for them to return the RSVP and plan their activities on the day. Place your order early, address the cards soon after you have them printed and send them out in the post immediately afterwards. This way everything will progress smoothly and without confusion.
This covers all the likely mistakes you can make where your wedding invitations are concerned. So, stay one step ahead of the game and avoid all these problems. At Best for Bride we have a dizzying array of invitations including the ones in this article. There are amazing offers too, so you get the best deal for your money. Check out our website here today, to choose your special wedding invitation card and place your order right away.
